Athletics training program for kids focuses on more than just the fundamentals
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POCATELLO – A local married couple have formed a new athletics program and they seek to do more than just teach young athletes the fundamentals of sports.
Jacob and Macee Denning formed Legacy Athletics Academy in the Pocatello area just a little over a year ago, offering a variety of classes. Their lineup includes one that introduces toddlers and children to many sports, as well as adaptive athletic classes and individual and small-group training for children in kindergarten through eighth grade.
And while the Dennings formed Legacy Athletics to help children and teenagers train and develop their skills in sports, they also did so to help them develop their character.
“We want them to be good athletes, but what’s even more important is that they’re good kids, good friends and they grow into good young adults someday,” Jacob said.
Legacy Athletics offers standard courses that last a month, in football, baseball and softball, basketball, volleyball, and floor hockey. Alongside these standard classes, they offer an Adaptive Athletics class, specifically for athletes with disabilities or special needs, that also runs for a month.
The way Jacob explains it, the classes with Legacy Athletics still focus on those fundamentals of sports, but they help children learn and develop their skills in a low-pressure environment.
“We focus on fundamentals and mechanics of each sport, as well as just helping kids have fun and (developing) a love and a joy for the game that they’re learning, without all the pressure of leagues or competitions,” Jacob said.
And athletes with disabilities are not shut out from participating in the standard classes.
“We designed the program so that, even when we have different skill levels, different abilities – and that includes kids with special needs or physical disabilities within the same class – it’s designed in a way that all different abilities and knowledge and skill levels can gain something from it,” Jacob said.
Another class the Dennings offer is Little Legends, where children ages two to five learn a new sport each week in a month-long class. This allows children to try a variety of sports without committing to a single one for a long time period.
“(I wanted to) give them an opportunity to find things that they might be naturally good at, but also find things that they like,” Macee said.
And in fact, all of the classes run for a shorter period of time than a regular league would.
“So many things are long-term commitments. You sign up for a whole season of soccer, and that’s eight weeks. You sign up for a basketball league, and that’s a minimum of eight weeks. … We wanted to offer something that’s flexible,” Macee said.
In addition to these classes, Legacy Athletics also offers training courses for individuals and small groups in football and basketball. For the kids who participate in these trainings, Jacob aims to cultivate their ambition.
“Building that confidence in the beginning and instilling confidence and self-esteem in kids makes a huge difference,” Jacob said.
And he does this without putting unneeded stress on the athletes. He sees many young athletes who face pressure from those in their lives and from themselves, so he aims to train their abilities without adding unnecessary pressure.
“I will even tell kids, ‘You guys have a lot of pressure nowadays, even more than when we were kids. And some of it is the world, and some of it is yourselves.’ … We really want to find that right middle ground,” Jacob said.
And with all of their classes, Jacob and Macee see failure as something that’s necessary, and a part of the process of learning and improving not just as an athlete, but as a person as well.
“If we can remove some of that pressure and allow them to learn in a safe place, where making mistakes really does help and teach them, then hopefully that will translate and apply to every other aspect of life,” Macee said.
To sign up for classes or learn more, visit Legacy Athletics website or Facebook page.