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So far Game has created 357 blog entries.

“Copy Cat” Syndrome- Find Performance In Your Own Individuality

The Best Training Method Is the One That Fits the Athlete

An Ask Aaron & EJ Podcast –“Copy Cat Syndrome”

Youth sports can make it feel as if every family has to take the same route: join the same organization, train year-round, and copy whatever successful athletes are doing. Coaches Eric Johnson and Aaron Thigpen argue that this pressure can distract families from a more useful question: what does this particular athlete need, at this stage, to keep developing?

Their answer is not to reject outside advice or inspiration. It is to stop treating someone else’s path as a ready-made plan.

Fear of missing out can keep families on the wrong track

Thigpen compares youth sports to a train that keeps moving. Parents see other families climb aboard and worry that stepping away means being left behind. The pressure can pull athletes into year-round programs and routines without a clear sense of where those choices are leading.

That approach may burn time, Johnson and Thigpen warn, especially for athletes with specific goals and limited windows to pursue them. Instead of signing up […]

“Copy Cat” Syndrome- Find Performance In Your Own Individuality2026-10-17T12:11:48-07:00

Knowing the Line: How Much Training Is Too Much, and How to Recognize Enough

Knowing the Line: How Much Training Is Too Much, and How to Recognize Enough

By Aaron Thigpen. Oct-2026

The catalyst for this entry came from a conversation with two moms of female athletes. Both of their freshman girls are really starting to get into working out, and they are showing symptoms of what I call “gun show fever.” It is when an athlete starts liking the endorphin rush of training hard and seeing their body change. Honestly, that is a good thing. That kind of energy is what helps an athlete develop. But it also has to be guided the right way, because if they just keep chasing the hard feeling, it can start working against their development and goals instead of helping them.
There is a strange problem with training: more often feels better, at least while you are deciding what to do. Another set feels responsible. Another mile feels disciplined. Another hard day feels like […]
Knowing the Line: How Much Training Is Too Much, and How to Recognize Enough2026-10-13T12:49:45-07:00

Why Athletes Need a Plan, Not Just More Work

Why Athletes Need a Plan, Not Just More Work

An Ask Aaron & EJ Podcast

The urge to train harder can be a strength—until it gets in the way of training well. Coaches Eric Johnson and Aaron Thigpen say athletic progress depends on more than effort: it takes a plan that connects each workout to a sport-specific goal, room to recover, and enough patience to master the work.

## Performance training is not the same as fitness

A workout can leave an athlete tired without moving them closer to better performance. Thigpen draws a distinction between general fitness and sports performance: an athlete’s program needs structure, oversight and a clear sense of how each session affects the next.

That’s why adding extra work just because it feels productive can backfire. Thigpen gives the example of doing a high volume of squats on Monday and expecting to sprint at full effort the next day. Depending on the work, recovery may take 48 to 72 hours. The additional session can force changes to what follows and disrupt the wider training plan.

He calls this “contaminat[ing] the next workout.” The point is not that athletes should avoid working hard. It is that effort has to fit the goal. A […]

Why Athletes Need a Plan, Not Just More Work2026-10-10T20:34:05-07:00

Scout the High School Program Before Choosing It

Scout the High School Program Before Choosing It

An Ask Aaron & EJ Podcast

A high school’s winning record can look like proof that it is the right place for an athlete. But wins alone don’t show whether a program develops players, gives them a fair chance, or helps them move toward their next goal. Coaches Aaron Thigpen and Erik Johnson argue that families should investigate a school’s athletic program before committing—not after an athlete has spent years in the wrong situation.

Look beyond last season’s record

A championship may reflect a strong roster in one particular year, not a program that consistently develops athletes. Rosters change as players graduate or get injured, and a team that wins often may not help athletes advance any more than a less successful one.

Families should consider a program’s history, coaching staff, philosophy, and track record of developing athletes who go on to the next level. Advancement can mean different things, from college divisions to junior college, or simply an opportunity to earn a roster spot. The right questions depend on what the athlete hopes to get from the experience.

Academics remain central, but when comparing schools for sports, […]

Scout the High School Program Before Choosing It2026-10-02T19:11:39-07:00

Where Team Training Falls Short 

Where Team Training Falls Short

By Coach Aaron Thigpen

Why “everyone does the same thing” is not always the same as good athlete development
The catalyst for this blog was when I saw an instagram post of some local athletes who posted a video of their highschool team training. Im quite sure this is what most look like across the country. All I’ll say is it got me thinking and heres my thoughts………
Most high school athletes are not going to play college sports, and that is completely fine. Still, some athletes want that next level, even if only a smaller group will actually get there. For those athletes, high school sports are usually the biggest source of training, competition, and exposure they will experience. It is where a lot of their development time goes, whether the schedule is perfect or not.
So the question is not really whether high school sports should be part of athlete development. For most athletes, it already is. The real question is whether the high school model is always the best use of their time—and honestly, sometimes it is and sometimes it […]
Where Team Training Falls Short 2026-10-01T10:13:24-07:00

What’s in a name? The Problem With Misguided Achievement Labels in Youth Sports

What’s in a name? The Problem With Misguided Achievement Labels in Youth Sports

By Aaron Thigpen, Gamespeed

In youth sports, the labels attached to athletes and teams have become increasingly detached from reality. “Elite,” “select,” “premier,” and “advanced” are now used so freely that they often say more about a program’s marketing than an athlete’s actual development. These labels can make parents and young athletes feel validated in the moment, but they can also create a false picture of where a player truly stands.
There is nothing wrong with ambition. Every athlete should be encouraged to improve, compete, and pursue meaningful goals. The problem begins when a title becomes a substitute for honest evaluation. Being placed on an “elite” team does not automatically mean an athlete is elite. It may simply mean they paid for a certain program, joined a particular travel schedule, or were placed in the highest tier available within one organization.
Parents should look beyond the name on the jersey. Instead of asking whether a team is called elite, ask what its record is for developing athletes. Do players move from one level to the next? What levels are they progressing into? How […]
What’s in a name? The Problem With Misguided Achievement Labels in Youth Sports2026-09-24T20:32:32-07:00

Handling The Dual Position Dliemma

The Dual Position Dilemma: Why Specializing Is Key for High School Athletes

An Ask Aaron & EJ Podcast

In the competitive world of high school sports, being a versatile athlete who can play multiple positions often feels like a badge of honor. A player who can pitch a winning game on Tuesday and hit a home run on Friday is invaluable to their team. However, as athletes set their sights on a collegiate career, this versatility can become a significant roadblock. This is the “dual position dilemma”—the struggle between being a jack-of-all-trades in high school and the need to become a master of one for the next level.

Coaches Eric Johnson and Aaron Thigpen, hosts of the “Ask Aaron and Ask EJ” podcast, recently broke down this critical issue, offering a roadmap for athletes and parents navigating this complex decision.

The Value of Versatility in Early Development

Both coaches agree that playing multiple positions is not only appropriate but highly beneficial for younger athletes. In the early stages of development, versatility is a powerful tool for discovery.

Skill Exploration: It allows young players to discover where their natural abilities and interests lie.
Game IQ: Experiencing the game from different perspectives (e.g., a pitcher understanding a hitter’s […]

Handling The Dual Position Dliemma2026-09-11T16:28:56-07:00

Beyond ‘Bigger, Stronger, Faster’: Why Vague Coaching Advice is Holding Athletes Back

The End of an Era: Moving Past “Bigger, Stronger, Faster”

An Ask Aaron & EJ Podcast

For decades, young athletes have heard the same tired refrain from coaches after a tryout or evaluation: “You need to get bigger, stronger, faster.” It’s presented as the ultimate formula for success, a simple-sounding path to improvement. But what if this common piece of advice is actually one of the laziest, most unhelpful assessments an athlete can receive?
In a recent podcast, performance coaches Eric Johnson and Aaron Thigpen broke down why this phrase is often a conversational dead-end—a polite dismissal rather than a constructive critique. For athletes serious about their development, it’s time to demand more specific, actionable feedback and shift the focus from a vague slogan to tangible performance output.

Deconstructing the “Bigger, Stronger, Faster” Cliché

When a coach tells an athlete they need to get bigger, stronger, and faster, it’s often a way of ending the conversation without providing a real evaluation. It’s the modern equivalent of an old-school rejection: “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
The core problem with this feedback is its complete lack of specificity. As Coach Thigpen points out, […]
Beyond ‘Bigger, Stronger, Faster’: Why Vague Coaching Advice is Holding Athletes Back2026-08-29T20:23:28-07:00

The Check-In Mentality: Are You Training or Just Showing Up?

The Check-In Mentality: Are You Training or Just Showing Up?

An Ask Aaron & EJ Podcast 

In the world of competitive sports, there’s a pervasive and dangerous mindset that holds countless athletes back: the check-in mentality. It’s the belief that simply showing up to practice, being on the team, or going through the motions is enough to guarantee improvement and success. You checked the box, you were there. But as coaches EJ Johnson and Aaron Thigpen discuss, this approach is a recipe for stagnation.

True athletic development isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about the quality, intention, and consistency of the work you put in. If you want to move from the bench to the starting lineup, you have to ditch the check-in mentality and embrace a new way of thinking about your training.

The Illusion of Time: Four Sessions is Not a Month of Training

One of the biggest traps athletes and parents fall into is confusing the passage of time with time invested in training.

As Coach Aaron points out, an athlete who trains once a week for four weeks hasn’t been training for a month. They’ve trained for four hours. This is a critical distinction. A month of full-time training would involve 20-30 sessions, […]

The Check-In Mentality: Are You Training or Just Showing Up?2026-08-22T20:00:34-07:00

Why Young Athletes Lack Physical Expression & How to Fix It

 Why Young Athletes Lack Physical Expression & How to Fix It
An Ask Aaron & EJ Podcast
 Discover why a lack of unstructured play is hindering physical expression in young athletes. Learn how to foster controlled aggression and unlock your child’s true athletic potential.

The Vanishing Athlete: Why Aren’t Kids “Getting Physical”?

There is a trend where young athletes are becoming more reserved, timid, and hesitant to fully express themselves on the field or court.
This isn’t just about the physical build of an athlete; it’s about their willingness to be aggressive, creative, and dominant. The problem, stems from a fundamental shift in how children play and train, leading to athletes who may know the techniques but lack the raw, expressive power to execute them.

The Two Worlds: Unstructured Play vs. The Modern “Structured” Athlete

Nowadays theres two types of athletes: the unstructured and the structured.
  • The Unstructured Athlete: This is the kid who grew up with spontaneous, self-directed play. They are the skateboarders, the kids playing tackle football without pads, or the ones who spent hours throwing a ball against a garage door. Their “play date” was a simple knock on a […]
Why Young Athletes Lack Physical Expression & How to Fix It2026-08-20T12:43:59-07:00
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