GAME DAY Youth Sports Magazine — Upstate SC - February 2012 The
art of developing speed and agility When you see an athlete with
great speed or agility that image just seems to stick with you.
They just seem to glide across the court or field. Many people
think these things are natural born and to a certain extent that
is true. But without developing these ‘God-given gifts’ you’ll
never rise to the top of athletic success. So how do you develop
the ability to blow past a person or stop on a dime? First,
let’s define what speed and agility are. The strict definition
of speed simply means to run to a point faster than someone else
can. People think of a 40 yard sprint when you talk about speed.
Most sports however are played in a much shorter window say 10
to 15 yards and require a sudden change of direction followed by
a short burst of speed. That is the true essence of agility-the
ability to avoid, evade, get past or get around someone. In
order to possess these abilities you must first develop body
control.