Sports coaches must use a good chunk of practice time to install team concepts, plays they want to run, and sport skill development.

Given enough time beyond that, the next priority is usually conditioning.

The reasoning, typically, is that staying fit is critical to success and is relatively easy to improve with effort.

Make practices hard so the games are easy.

An overwhelming majority of coaches adhere to this approach, from the pros all the way down to youth leagues.

But is this the right approach? Legendary track coach Tony Holler would say no.

Coach Holler was a high school football, basketball and track coach for almost four decades, easily one of the most successful speed coaches in the nation during that time.

I had a rare opportunity to chat with him last week, discussing a range of topics on how to make kids faster.

"Athletes are more successful when they're fresh, and they're less likely to get hurt", Coach Holler said.

"We work them enough to get fit, but never practice harder than the game. Let the game be hard, let that be their highest layer of conditioning."

His reasoning was that practice time, a finite resource, can now be spent on other facets of the game.

Tactical execution.

Skill development.

Speed training.

All three of which, done consistently well, play a massive role in the success of any sports team.

Plus, this approach massively cuts down on overuse injuries.

He also points to the psychological aspect of staying fresher, and how valuable that becomes deep into the grind of a long season.

"Cheetahs sleep 20 hours a day, but those other 4 hours they're vicious."

Of course, each sport has a unique cardio demand that coaches must prepare players for.

No one is questioning that.

But an over-reliance on conditioning often creates deficiencies in other areas.

Is Coach Holler right?

Surely there are strong arguments on both sides, but the key point is this.

Things have changed for kids playing sports compared to a generation ago.

They all play games practically year-round, rarely having even two weeks in a row off.

Which means they're perpetually in game shape.

Getting even more fit beyond that, with the understanding that it puts a ton of strain on growing bodies, may not always be the wisest path.

Especially when other critical development skills go unaddressed.