If your athlete is doing “agility drills” with cones and ladders every week, but still struggles to move explosively in games, you’re not alone. One of the biggest misconceptions in youth sports is treating speed and agility as the same skill.

“Some kids are just fast.”It’s a phrase we hear all the time from parents and coaches across Haymarket, Gainesville, Ashburn, Aldie, and South Riding. And while some athletes may start out quicker than others, true speed is built—not born.

In youth sports, speed is often the difference between good and great. But what many parents and coaches overlook is that bad running form doesn’t just slow kids down—it sets them up for injury and burnout.

From Ashburn to Haymarket, it’s a common story: Your kid plays soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, lacrosse in the spring—and maybe travel baseball in between. Their schedule is packed. They’re constantly on the move… but somehow, they’re not getting faster, stronger, or more athletic.

In youth sports, certain physical qualities translate across all games—whether your child plays football, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, or baseball. Two of the most important? Speed and jumping ability. At Command Athlete Performance, we train youth athletes across Haymarket, Gainesville, Aldie, South Riding, and Ashburn to master these two game-changers early.

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you earn. And for middle and high school athletes, few things build self-belief faster than seeing real progress: running faster, jumping higher, getting stronger. At Command Athlete Performance, we don’t just train bodies—we train mindsets. Confidence is the byproduct.

Parents often ask us, “Can my kid come in for just one session?” or, “Do you run one-day speed camps?” The truth is, while clinics and camps can offer short-term excitement, they don’t lead to meaningful athletic development. Real progress—the kind that builds speed, strength, confidence, and game-day performance—requires consistency, coaching, and a long-term plan.

Parents often ask when their kids should start training for sports. The truth is, there’s a short window between ages 11 and 14 where the body is primed for speed, strength, and coordination gains that last a lifetime. Miss it—and it’s harder to catch up later.

Spend five minutes at any park, playground, or team practice, and you’ll hear the same words:“Wanna race?”It doesn’t matter if it’s football practice in Haymarket, recess in Gainesville, or a backyard game in South Riding—young kids always want to know who’s the fastest. But why? It’s not just playful energy. It’s biology. It’s psychology. And it’s deeply human.

Parents often ask, “How long until we see results?” The honest answer? It takes time. At Command Athlete Performance, we don’t sell one-off training sessions or quick fixes—because that’s not how athletic development works. Real improvement, especially in speed, strength, and coordination, requires consistency, structure, and patience. If you’re serious about helping your athlete succeed—on and off the field—you need to understand the long game.

When most parents think about strength training for kids, they picture heavy barbells and bodybuilding. But strength training for youth—especially under age 12—isn't about lifting heavy or looking “jacked.” It's about developing coordination, movement literacy, and building a foundation that supports future athletic success. In places like Chantilly, South Riding, and Haymarket, Virginia, where youth sports are highly competitive, early exposure to proper strength training ca

Youth sports have evolved. Athletes today are stronger, smarter, and more explosive than ever before. Coaches at every level are looking for kids who can move with purpose—accelerate quickly, change direction on command, and recover faster than their peers.