JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Get Started With An Assessment
Membership Enrolment

Create the most adaptable athlete for future success by developing the foundations of speed, power and strength through movement skill. 

Our Junior Development Program prioritises the creation of adaptable athletes by building strong foundations in strength, power, and speed.

Our approach not only aims to extend their athletic journey, as well as keeping them engaged and active in physical activity, but also ensures the development of robust athletes, reducing the risk of future injuries. 

  • Coach talking to a young girl during a sports training session in an indoor gym.
  • A young man performs a strength training exercise with a weight plate on his waist while a trainer supports him, in a gym with artificial turf and workout equipment.
  • People exercising in an indoor gym with artificial turf, engaging in strength and conditioning activities.
  • A young man with short, light brown hair in sportswear gives a handshake or fist bump to another young man with dark, curly hair in a hoodie, inside a gym or athletic facility.
  • Young boys participating in a sports training session in an indoor gym, lined up in two rows with arms raised.
  • A young woman in a yellow sports jersey and black shorts runs inside a gym, followed by a young man in a blue shirt. The woman wears glasses and appears focused, while the man looks surprised or shouting.
  • A woman performing a kettlebell exercise with guidance from a male trainer in a gym, standing on a green turf floor.

OUR VISION

Looking to create an optimal training environment for young athletes, our Junior Pathway Program offers a comprehensive approach to nurture the next generation of elite competitors. 

We understand that parents want the best for their children, and we aim to provide this by giving juniors the opportunities and tools they need to grow and succeed. The program individualises training to cater for different stages of growth and development. 

During their teenage years, juniors experience significant growth spurts, resulting in greater physical demands on their bodies. With this in mind, our Junior Pathway Program is designed to guide juniors and parents through the different stages of development, helping them to build a foundation of strength, power and speed. 

Through tailored screening and individualised training, our program focuses on improving movement patterns, coordination, strength, power and speed. Our expert team at the Centre of Excellence provides athletes with an environment that fosters an athlete’s mindset through education and interaction. By maximising athletic potential both physically and mentally, our program gives young athletes every chance to achieve their long-term sporting goals. 

Join our Junior Pathway Program today and give your child the best possible chance to succeed. 

Click below to download the Junior Pathways Program Information Package 

Download Information Pack

HOW TO GET STARTED?

ASSESSMENT

Icon of a vintage film camera with two reels on a blue background.

Comprehensive testing begins with a Junior Athletic Movement Assessment:

  1. Evaluate your child’s stage of growth and maturation 

  2. Video capturing technology to analyse their movement patterns to assess level of physical development

  3. Key performance markers using force plates, grip strength and speed gates 

REPORT and ENROLMENT

Icon of multiple documents with checkmarks, representing a checklist or completed tasks.

Receive a detailed report identifying your child’s physical maturation status, physical competency and benchmarking them to athletes of similar development level. 

At this stage, your child will be allocated to a recommended Junior Development Level and an enrolment link will be sent for your child to commence the program. 

COMMENCE TRAINING

Illustration of a dumbbell with adjustable weights on a blue background.

Our term-based program establishes small training squads so that your child can come in and train with athletes of similar development levels. All programs are individualised and delivered under the watchful eye of our Junior Development Coaches.

MESSAGE FROM OUR

PERFORMANCE AND PATHWAYS MANAGER 

A smiling young man wearing a navy blue polo shirt with the logo and text 'Athletics New South Wales' standing against a plain white background.

I have worked in the Junior Athletic Development space for over 10 years, spanning sport coaching to private high-performance centres and now the Centre of Excellence. I have worked closely with over 300 junior athletes across 42 different sports. 

As an Exercise Physiologist by trade, I have always looked for ways to put more detail into our services to make sure we develop our athletes with the most up to date research and methods possible. 

The Junior Pathway Program we have established is quite simple:  

  1. What are the physical characteristics we want to see in our elite athletes? 

  2. Where is my junior athlete currently at? 

  3. What is the roadmap for their physical development in order to get them ready for future success? 

If you are looking to invest in your child to increase their long-term performance, reduce injury risk and looking for a team who will heavily invest their time and effort in your child, you’ve found the right place! 

Contact Us

Testimonials

  • A young girl with light brown hair and a black sports shirt with orange accents, standing in an indoor gym or sports facility, smiling at the camera.

    Tiana - 12yrs - Fencing

    Since joining the Junior Development Program, Tiana has seen tremendous growth both in her sport and physical development.

    The Centre of Excellence created a personalised program tailored to her needs as a fencer, even collaborating with her coach to ensure sport-specific movements were included.

    This approach has helped her achieve top rankings in multiple age groups, including becoming the Australian Youth Champion.

    The Centre’s supportive and fun environment, combined with its structured and disciplined training, has not only boosted her athletic performance but also fostered a healthy lifestyle beyond sport.

  • Young male athlete smiling on a running track, wearing a blue athletic jersey with number 42550, against a background of green field, cloudy sky, and stadium lights.

    Zander - 13yrs - Athletics

    After only a couple of weeks, Zander has become much stronger and fitter. We’ve noticed significant improvements in his athletic ability and performance.

     Zander recently competed in the senior boys relay at Zone Athletics, helping his team secure a win in the 4x100m relay. But the biggest change has been his confidence. He’s much more aware of his body and the changes within himself.

  • A young girl wearing glasses and a black sports shirt with orange accents, smiling in a gym or fitness center.

    Mahika - 10yrs - Cross Country and Athletics

    The Centre of Excellence’s Junior Development Program has been transformative for Mahika, with significant improvements in her running times for little athletics and cross country in just over a year.

    The program’s holistic approach focuses on all aspects of athleticism, with regular assessments to track progress.

    What truly stands out is the fun, supportive environment created by the expert coaches, where kids can thrive.

    This program has provided the perfect foundation for Mahika’s athletic success, and we highly recommend it to any parents seeking the best for their children.

WEEKLY TIMETABLE

2025/26 Training Term Dates:

Term 4: 13 October 2025 - 20 December 2025

Term 1: 27 January 2026 - 2 April 2026

Term 2: 27 April 2026 - 4 July 2026

Term 3: 20 July 2026 - 26 September 2026

Term 4: 12 October 2026 - 19 December 2026

The Junior Pathway Program is a term commitment in line with the NSW Public School calendar.

MEMBERSHIP

A fitness trainer assisting two boys during a workout session at a gym. The trainer hands a foam roller to a boy in black, while another boy in a green shirt is using a foam roller on the ground. The gym has exercise equipment and digital clocks on the wall.

Junior Development Program

$99/week

Unlimited Training Sessions

Quarterly Testing and Progress Report

Nutrition Online Course

Access to Parent Education Webinars

Biannual Athlete Review with S&C Coach

Get Started

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • The Junior Program is suitable for any athlete aged 10-14 years old. We work with athletes with a range of experience from top state/ national level athletes to children who do not play sport but have the need for structured physical development.

    If your child is above 14 years old, our Sydney Olympic Park Centre of Excellence runs a pathways development program. You can get in touch with us through our general enquiry on the contact page.

  • JDP is a term commitment which follows the NSW Public School Term schedule. Athletes are able to join the program at any stage of the training term and will be locked in for the remainder of the training term.

    Payments are debited a week in advance which provides a credit for the week’s training.

    During the school holiday, memberships are paused and will roll over into the following training term unless parents notify the team prior to the start date.

  • Growth and Maturation refers to the physical changes to your child’s body as they grow. We know that children grow at different rates. For girls they experience their growth spurt around 11-12 years old. For boys, 13-15 years old. This is important to understand when working with junior athletes as it should determine the type of strength training that is appropriate for them at their stage of development.

  • No, our message is to allocate an hour or 2 during the week (which is not much compared to how much sport training kids do) to work on general athleticism. Kids can only benefit from becoming more athletic.

  • Strength development for juniors is largely dependent on their stage of development. Peak height velocity, commonly known as the growth spurt is the period of time when your child experiences their greatest acceleration in growth and stature. The JDP prescribes suitable strength training during specific stages of development.

    Prior to peak height velocity, juniors don’t get stronger and faster not through traditional strength methods because their body hasn’t experienced changes associated with their growth spurt. They get stronger through neuromuscular adaptations or moving more efficiently by becoming more coordinated.

  • Children get stronger and faster by moving more efficiently and not by lifting heavy when they are young. Movement skill development helps to create good athleticism but also stretching the length of their physical development journey so that they have time to master each stage of development.

  • Speed and agility is definitely integrated into our Junior Development Program. To get faster and more agile, we believe athletes should start working on these movements as early as possible. As a result, depending on their stage of development, we will address speed and agility as we see fit to best progress your child.

    We also have school holiday camps which gives athletes the opportunity to get a more intense exposure to speed and agility work without compromising other areas of development.

  • We place a big emphasis on physical development as that is predominantly the reason parents send their athletes to our facility. However, during their time here, we also address areas around nutrition, recovery, game preparation and developing athlete mindsets. We believe elite sport is more than just the physical. That’s why we have a big team of Exercise Physiologists, Strength and Conditioning Coaches, Junior Development Coaches, Physiotherapists and Sports Dietitians to develop a holistic athlete