Success in sports often comes down to two things: who’s faster and who’s stronger. When it comes to youth performance, those athletes tend to stand out — they’re the ones picked first, the ones who never come off the field or court, and the ones their teammates rely on when the game is on the line.
There’s a reason for that: Speed kills.
If you want to give your child the tools to become that athlete, it starts with understanding what speed and agility training really mean. It’s more than just how fast you can get from Point A to Point B. True athletic speed involves deceleration, maneuverability, and reactive speed — and mastering each of these builds a stronger, more resilient athlete.
Let’s break down what that looks like.
In my opinion, the ability to decelerate — to slow your body down from full speed to a controlled stop — is the single most important skill an athlete can develop. It’s not just about performance; it’s about injury resilience.
Think about how many athletes you’ve seen suffer non-contact knee injuries. Often, those injuries happen when the body isn’t prepared to absorb the force of a sudden stop or change of direction.
Here’s an analogy: Imagine I’m handing you the keys to a brand-new sports car that can go 0 to 60 in 2.7 seconds. Sounds amazing, right? But then I tell you it doesn’t come with brakes. Would you still take it? Probably not. Because no matter how fast you can go, it’s dangerous if you can’t stop safely.
The same applies to athletes. If you can’t control your body, you’re setting yourself up for trouble.
Maneuverability is all about how well an athlete can move around obstacles without losing balance or speed. This takes coordination, strength, and a strong sense of body control.
Picture a running back weaving through defenders — accelerating, decelerating, and cutting side to side without losing balance. That’s maneuverability in action.
By improving their awareness of their center of gravity, young athletes can move more efficiently, stay balanced under pressure, and stay one step ahead of their opponents.
Reactive speed is about seeing, processing, and responding instantly — no hesitation.
Take basketball, for example. A defender must read the ball handler’s movements and react quickly enough to stay between them and the basket. If they hesitate for even a split second, it’s an easy two points — or worse, they overextend and pull a muscle trying to recover.
Developing reactive speed helps athletes move with confidence, anticipate better, and reduce the risk of those overreaching, awkward movements that often lead to injury.
Here’s the truth — no coach can promise that your athlete will never get hurt. But by mastering deceleration, maneuverability, and reactive speed, they’ll be in a much better position than the average athlete.
At Parisi Speed School, our top priority is helping young athletes stay healthy, strong, and on the field. Speed and agility aren’t just the goals — they’re the byproducts of building a balanced, resilient, and confident athlete.
Train to Win,
Coach Ben
Parisi Speed School – Beaumont, TX
https://www.gotspeedtx.com/contact-the-parisi-speed-school-at-exygon-in-beaumont-tx
