FYAD: Foundations of Youth Athletic Development

The professional system for designing developmentally sensitive movement exposure.

FYAD teaches coaches, teachers, and allied health professionals how to plan, progress, and deliver exposure‑intelligent training — built directly on the Mechanical Exposure Framework.

What You’ll Learn

Not a course. A decision system.

FYAD is a nationally aligned, evidence‑informed professional development course that equips practitioners with the knowledge, skills, and applied competencies required to safely and effectively train children and adolescents.

It is the only youth development system built on developmentally sensitive mechanical exposure

FYAD answers the most important question in youth development: What is the right recipe for long-term health and athletic development?

Modules

Six structured modules aligned with the Mechanical Exposure Framework and ESSA’s expectations for safe, ethical, evidence‑informed practice.

Module 1 — Long‑Term Athletic Development

Growth, maturation, PHV, biological age, gender differences, psychosocial factors, PSSYP screening.

Module 2 — Movement Preparation

Dynamic locomotion, play‑driven priming, functional anatomy, warm‑up design, safeguarding.

Module 3 — Speed

Acceleration, deceleration, biomechanics, cognitive speed, youth‑specific considerations.

Module 4 — Power

SSC, plyometrics, landing mechanics, multidirectional loading, medicine ball progressions.

Module 5 — Resistance Training

Movement competency, regressions/progressions, trunk stability, load management, youth safety.

Module 6 — Conditioning

Energy systems, MAS, HIIT, SSGs, menstrual cycle considerations, RED‑S, safe conditioning design

Who is FYAD for?

FYAD is designed for anyone responsible for supporting youth in movement, sport, or physical development, including:

  • PE teachers

  • Sport coaches in schools, clubs, and academies

  • Strength & conditioning coaches

  • Program leads and coordinators

  • Youth development practitioners

  • Physiotherapists

  • Exercise Scientists

  • Exercise Physiologists

  • Sports Scientists

The content is accessible, evidence-informed, and directly applicable in real environments

Why does FYAD matter?

Youth today move through a wide range of environments — school, sport, community programs, and unstructured play. FYAD helps practitioners understand how these environments shape development, and how to create movement experiences that support confidence, competence, and long‑term participation. The program brings clarity to common challenges in youth development, helping organisations build consistent, developmentally aligned approaches across their teams.

How is FYAD delivered?

FYAD is offered in flexible formats to suit schools, sport organisations, and community programs. Options include:

  • In‑person workshops

  • Online delivery

  • Blended formats

  • Custom sessions for staff teams

Register Your Interest

If you’d like to bring FYAD to your school, organisation, or community program, complete the form below and we’ll be in touch with next steps.