Speed Training vs Agility Drills: What Youth Athletes Really Need

In the world of youth and high school sports, it's all too common to see athletes doing ladder drills, cone zig-zags, and beach sprints — all in the name of “agility.” But here’s the truth: those drills might look cool, but they aren’t making your athlete faster.

True speed training involves maximal effort sprinting, learning to apply force into the ground, and developing the neuromuscular system to produce high levels of output. On the other hand, many “agility” sessions are glorified conditioning circuits — low effort, low velocity, and low transfer to sport performance.

That doesn’t mean agility training is useless. It absolutely has value. But agility and change of direction work should be layered on top of a foundation of speed, power, and strength. If an athlete lacks the force production capacity to sprint at high intensities, they’re also going to struggle to decelerate, re-accelerate, or change direction efficiently.

A better model for athlete development includes structured speed-focused sessions throughout the week. For example:

• Monday: Acceleration and sprint technique

• Wednesday: Change of direction with plyometrics

• Friday: Max velocity/top speed or repeat accelerations

This format ensures that athletes train linear speed, lateral movement, and full-speed change of direction — all with intensity and purpose. It also reduces the chances of overtraining or redundant drills that don't push performance forward.

Another point to remember: if you're not reaching 90–100% of your top speed in a session, you're not doing speed training. Many ladder and cone drills operate at 50–70% intensity, which won’t develop the nervous system the way sprinting does.

Finally, don’t skip the importance of progression. You shouldn’t go from doing nothing to max sprints overnight. A smart, progressive sprint plan helps build capacity, reduce injury risk, and unlock top-end speed over time.

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