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Preparing Kids the Right Way: Inside PowerStrength’s Youth Training Philosophy
As PowerStrength prepares to expand its youth program and open 2 new facilities dedicated entirely to Youth Training, the mission is clear: build strong, confident, capable kids the right way – early, intentionally, and with expert coaching.
For Tyler Wustman, that mission became personal when his son Tom, a 5th grader with big dreams, started training at PowerStrength.
“He’s been coming here for about 4 months,” Tyler said during a July interview. “And in that short amount of time, the changes have been extremely noticeable.”
THE RIGHT STARTING POINT
Tyler and his family didn’t discover PowerStrength by accident. They had been watching from a distance for years.
“We’ve been following PowerStrength for quite a while locally,” Tyler explained. “You see pretty much all the top high school athletes around here training at PowerStrength. We had friends with older kids who had great results, so we thought we’d give it a shot.”
For Tom, the motivation was simple but powerful.
“He has pretty big dreams and pretty big goals,” Tyler said. “He wants to be a college football player.”
That long-term mindset is exactly what PowerStrength’s Youth Program is designed to support—especially as we prepare to launch PowerStrength Academy locations near the Jenison and Plainfield facilities.
Join the Academy Insider List for the latest updates.
NOTICEABLE RESULTS IN JUST 4 MONTHS
While Tyler knew improvements wouldn’t happen overnight, the early returns exceeded expectations.
“I was hoping he’d get a little bit stronger,” Tyler said. “Just start tackling some kids who’ve gone through puberty. In that time period, he’s put on just under 10 pounds of muscle—which is quite a bit for his age. He’s now just over 90 pounds.”
But the physical changes went far beyond the scale.
“I see it dramatically in his legs,” Tyler added. “They’ve gotten quite a bit larger, and he’s filled out. Along with that, he’s gotten tremendously faster, quicker, and more explosive. It’s extremely noticeable.”
Those results came from structured programming, age-appropriate progressions, and a focus on fundamentals—cornerstones of the PowerStrength Youth Training model.
FUN, ENGAGING COACHING KIDS LOVE
Ask Tom what keeps him coming back, and the answer is immediate.
“When he comes out the door every week, he’s smiling,” Tyler said. “I asked him what his favorite part is, and it’s just the coaches. How fun they are. How they change things up all the time. They let the kids give input.”
That combination—high standards with an engaging environment—is intentional.
“That’s what makes it special for him,” Tyler added. “It’s the coaches.”
CONFIDENCE THAT CARRIES OVER TO THE FIELD
Parents often talk about confidence when describing their child’s growth through training. For Tom, that confidence is showing up in competition.
“When he’s feeling his strength and explosiveness, you see it out on the field,” Tyler said. “He just has a little extra swagger—more confidence to make moves or go for balls he hasn’t in the past.”
More importantly, that confidence is rooted in preparation.
“Knowing he puts in the work all the time is in the back of his mind,” Tyler explained. “Like, alright—I can do this.”
STARTING YOUNG—THE RIGHT WAY
For the Wustman family, beginning structured training at a young age was about safety, education, and long-term development.
“We’ve done a lot of our own research,” Tyler said. “The tide is turning on what age kids should start training. That’s why they offer it at an earlier age now.”
What gave him confidence was PowerStrength’s emphasis on technique.
“Their focus was on form and technique first and foremost,” Tyler said. “Small weights. Building a foundation. Learning to do it right so in the future he can lift what he needs to properly.”
Building a strong foundation for future success & safety is central to the upcoming PowerStrength Academy – with spaces designed specifically for youth athletes to learn in a structured environment, grow, and progress safely.
EXPERTISE PARENTS CAN TRUST
One of the biggest differentiators for Tyler is access to knowledgeable coaches.
“Any time I have a question or concern, I can reach out,” he said. “During our initial assessment, they went through everything with me—questions I had heard online, things he should or shouldn’t be doing. They took the time to explain it all.”
That communication matters.
“He doesn’t always know when to ask or how he’s feeling,” Tyler said. “So I check in for him. Having the coaches accessible to both of us has been really great. We have a lot of trust in them.”
MORE THAN A PROGRAM—A RELATIONSHIP
What stands out most to Tyler goes beyond the gym floor.
“My personal favorite part is just the coaches interacting with Tom,” he said. “We’ve gotten text messages of encouragement, letters in the mail, and messages on social media. They check in all the time.”
“It doesn’t feel like ‘come in, pay money, get in, get out,’” Tyler added. “They truly care. They talk about coming to his games. That’s that next-level relationship you’re looking for.”
LOOKING AHEAD
As PowerStrength prepares to open two new Youth-focused facilities near Jenison and Plainfield, stories like Tom’s reflect the purpose behind the expansion.
Building strength. Building confidence. Building trust.
And most importantly—building kids the right way, from the very beginning.
GET STARTED AT POWERSTRENGTH
Parents of 1st-7th-graders can get all the latest details on The PowerStrength Academy by joining the Insider List – powerstrengthts.com/academy-launch-page
Youth athletes in 4th-7th grade of all sports and abilities can get started at any time – Choose the PowerStrength location most convenient for you – Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, Plainfield, and Holland.
Visit https://powerstrengthpro.com/athlete/contact/ to learn more or click below to schedule your assessment and get started.