WYC 141 – Youth Sports – Jenn Casey talks Fun in Movement & Crossfit Kids

Jenn Casey is the Program Director for CrossFit Kids and Swing Fit (a Kettlebell Sport class) at CrossFit Kennesaw in Marietta, Georgia. She is the President and Co-Founder of Georgia Kettlebell Sport, which has the mission to develop and promote Kettlebell Sport in the state of Georgia and the greater Southeast Region of the US. She is developing a youth-focused Kettlebell Sport program and is taking her youth team on their first road trip in December 2017. Jenn is an active Kettlebell Sport athlete and in 2017 was chosen to participate in the IUKL World Championship in Seoul, South Korea as part of Team USA where she placed 4th in 16kg One Arm Long Cycle.

Facebook: /CrossFitKennesaw/ ; /gakettlebellsport/

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Quitting at age 13, because it wasn't fun anymore

Jenn was on the team track in gymnastics, but by age 12 or 13 she quit because it wasn't fun anymore. Then she didn't do much of any athletic activity for 2 decades.

At age 39 she jumped into Crossfit

Kettlebell

Look like a cannonball with a handle

You can use them for hip-hinge movements, but they also can be great for cardio

The competitive side of the sport involves Kettlebell overhead lifts

The competitive side involves how many overhead lifts you can do in 10 minutes

Keeping the fun in movement

Give kids lots of opportunities for success and catch them doing things right

Ask lots of question - 'where do I put my feet in a squat?', etc.

Definitely praise when they self-correct

Rep / No-rep - Coach does a rep, some correctly and some incorrectly, then the kids call out whether that was a good rep or a no-rep.

Good analogies

'Glue your feet to the ground. Pretend you have concrete blocks on your feet'

'Your knees don't like each other'

'Pretend you are lifting an elephant over your head'

Mental toughness

Jenn was a kid who was good in practice, then would freeze up in competition/tryouts

Breathing is key to keep your heart rate steady

Do practice reps using the same routine you will use in games

The Talent Code - by Daniel Coyle

Mindset - by Carol Dweck

Mastery - by Robert Greene

Coaching Better every season - by Wade Gilbert

Start with Why - Simon Sinek

Best borrowed/stolen ideas

Gamifying deliberate practice

Parting Advice

Find the fun in whatever you're doing.

Get the kids involved. Have them help design a practice.

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