THE ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE
With Joey Harty
In this episode of the iATAC Soccer Podcast, we’re joined once again by Joey Harty—Director of Sports Performance and Science and a key member of iATAC’s advisory board.
Drawing on years of experience working across MLS academies, Joey breaks down one of the most important—and often misunderstood—aspects of long-term player growth: the athletic development timeline. Together with hosts Michael Wright and Chris Martinez, Joey explains how players evolve from recreational movers to High Performing athletes capable of excelling at the college and pro level.
Whether your child is just getting started or entering a competitive environment, this is the roadmap to train smarter and grow stronger.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
⚽ What the athletic development timeline looks like—from age 7 through 16 and beyond.
⚽ Why movement literacy and coordination are essential in the early stages.
⚽ The three core phases of athletic growth: Learn to Train, Train to Develop, Train to Compete.
⚽ How training age, biological age, and peak height velocity influence player development.
⚽ What to prioritize at each stage—from free play to resistance patterns, and eventually structured strength training.
⚽ Why multisport experience and unstructured games are key to long-term injury prevention.
⚽ How parents and coaches can support players through growth spurts and puberty without pushing too hard.
⚽ The benefits of creating a personalized blueprint for physical development—based on your player’s unique timeline.
This episode offers practical insights for parents, players, and coaches on how to build foundational athletic skills at every age—without overtraining or specializing too early.
