AMERICAN SWIMMING COACHES ASSOCIATION (ASCA) “WORLD … · 2013. 12. 12. · (asca) “world clinic” conference 2008 report by: ally whike – performance director, scottish swimmin

2008 ASCA Conference 1

AMERICAN SWIMMING COACHES ASSOCIATION (ASCA)

“WORLD CLINIC” CONFERENCE 2008

REPORT BY: ALLY WHIKE – PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR, SCOTTISH SWIMMING RICHARD GORDON – DIRECTOR OF COACHING DEVELOPMENT, SCOTTISH SWIMMING


AMERICAN SWIM COACHES ASSOCIATION (ASCA) CONFERENCE

LAS VEGAS, 3 – 7 SEPTEMBER 2008

CONTENTS Page 1. Introduction 3 2. Bob Bowman – Keynote Speaker 4 3. Bob Bowman – Senior Swimming 6 4. Greg Troy – Training Ryan Lochte – Part 1 10 5. Greg Troy – Training Ryan Loche Part 2 13 6. Greg McMillan – Doc Councilman Memorial Lecture 14 7. Jeanne Serrano – Making the most of what you’ve got 16 8. Dr Paul Stricker – Sports Skills Development: Baby Steps to Starting

Blocks 19

9. Michael Brooks – Age Group Swimmers and Meet Engineering Success

21

10. Michael Brooks – Creating Talent in a Small Talent Pool 28 11. Dick Hannula – Correcting Drills for Common Errors 30 12. Terri McKeever – Coaching Philosophy 33 13. John Ogden- Training Your Coaching Staff

35

14. Guy Edson - Coach Owned Programme (The Self-Employed coach) 36 15. Ray Benecki – The Training of World Record Holder Kate Ziegler Part

1 38

16. Ray Benecki – The Training of World Record Holder Kate Ziegler Part 2

40

17. Sid Cassiday – Open Water Hits the Big Time 43 18. Vern Gambetta – Land Conditioning 44 19. Jeff Pearson – Head Coach of Sienna Marlins 46 20. Mark Onstott – Swimming and the Art of War 49 21. Mark Schubert – US National Coach – The 2008 Olympic Team

Report 51

22. Mike Curley – “Don’t Die Wondering, Live Life With No Regrets" 53 23. Conclusion 54 24. Appendices 56


1. INTRODUCTION AMERICAN SWIM COACHES ASSOCIATION (ASCA) The ASCA was established in 1959 and is the professional organisation for swimming coaches and swimming teachers in the US. It also has an increasing membership from around the world and prides itself on being independent from US Swimming. It works however, closely with the governing body over a range of issues including coach education which ASCA runs for swimming in the US. THE CONFERENCE The ASCA conference has been held annually since 1969 where 250 coaches attended. Attendances since then have risen to a peak of 1999 coaches in 2003 when it was held in San Diego. The conference is now titled the “World Clinic” as a means of appealing to as wide an international audience as possible and the locations of the conference over the past 40 years have been many and varied with the exception of 1971 and 1972, where the conference was held in Montreal, Canada. The 41st conference, to be held in 2009, will be hosted in Ft Lauderdale, Florida which was the venue of the 1st ASCA conference and now plays host for the 4th time. VENUE The venue for the 2008 ASCA World Clinic Conference was the Riviera Hotel/Casino, Las Vegas, one of many large hotel/casinos on the Las Vegas strip, the main road through the city. The Riviera Hotel/Casino has over 1000 rooms, a convention centre with three exhibition halls, many breakout rooms, several restaurants and eating venues, shops and a number of theatres that have hosted most of the world’s most famous entertainers since 1955. ATTENDANCE A total of 1631 people attended the 2008 ASCA conference with the vast majority of being coaches. Approximately 1400 coaches were from the United States and 200 were from other countries around the world with 28 countries represented. CONFERENCE ORGANISATION There were three main strands: • ASCA certification schools • SwimAmerica Conference • College Swim Coaches Association clinic programme The venue was very poorly dressed - for example, there was one ASCA banner behind the lectern in the main presentation room. The main presentations took place in an exhibition hall, seating approximately 1500.


2. BOB BOWMAN – Keynote Speaker Bob Bowman is coach to Michael Phelps, 8 times gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 6 times gold medallist at the 2004 Olympic Games. Phelps has won the most gold medals by a single person at a single Olympics ever and the most gold medals by a single person ever! Bowman was the Head Coach at the University of Michigan and club Wolverine, but has since moved back to the North Baltimore Aquatic Club (bought by Michael Phelps), where he is now CEO and Head Coach. Bob Bowman’s presentation was based on the ten secrets for success from the internet based Business Daily. 1 Always be positive.

• “Worrying is negative goal setting!” • Don’t hold back due to negative thinking. • Always see the best in each athlete. • Never give up and write people off. • Focus on the big picture and your goals, do not get caught up in the

minutiae. 2 Decide on your true dreams and goals.

• Something that means something to you! • Writing your goals down brings greater commitment. • Swimmers should write their goals down.

3 Plan!

• Long term plans – general • Short term plans – specific • What you do today affects what you do tomorrow. • What is important now? • Do not procrastinate, just start and take action. Adjustments can be made

along the way.

4 Never stop learning. • Share ideas. • Go to someone who does what you want to do better and ask lots of

questions. Used an example of Michael Phelps doing 3 x 100m descending to max under race conditions on 15 mins. This was taken from Jon Urbancheck at Michigan.

• Watch great athletes learn. 5 Be persistent and work hard.

• Never give up. • Success is a marathon not a sprint.


6 Learn to analyse detail. • The higher you go, the more you have to attend to the detail. • “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own facts!” • “Good judgement comes from experience, bad judgement leads to

experience.” • “Perspiration happens before inspiration!”

7 Focus your time and money, don’t let others distra ct you!

• Put your time and money into your goals/vision. 8 Don’t be afraid to innovate as following the heard leads to mediocrity.

• He pushed the merits of short course training to hone skills, particularly starts and turns. Michael Phelps does most of his training short course, despite having full access to a 50m pool!

9 Deal and communicate with people effectively.

• Use a range of tools to build a relationship of trust. • Patience is needed to build confidence and long term relationships.

10 Be honest, dependable and take responsibility.

• This is the most important thing of all! • “Everyone thinks that the grass is greener on the other side, it almost

never is!”


3. BOB BOWMAN – SENIOR SWIMMING Michael Phelps training development: • As an age-group swimmer at 11 years old he broke National Age Group records • He was described as a “pool rat”. • Very skinny and never stopped moving, very athletic. • Prior to his 12 birthday he was training with 13/14/15 year olds (this was his first

session with Bob Bowman) First training set with Bob Bowman (4 lane x 25 yar d pool with 24 swimmers):

{400yds f/c, negative split on 5:00 {4x100yds b/f on 1:20

3 x {4x100yds b/c on 1:10 {4x100yds b/s on 1:30 {400yds IM on 5:30 {4x100yds f/c on 1:15 / 1:10 / 1:05 - on last 4x100y repped 57secs

At 12 years of age, Michael always won when he raced. Now he races himself. Very good at analysing his own performance. Early in his swimming career he got used to swimming multiple events e.g. 21 races in 3 days x 3 per year. This took the focus of any single swim or event. Typical training set at 12 years of age: 3 x {4x200yds f/c on 2:40 holding 2:20 / 2:30 holding 2:10 / 2:20 holding 2:00

{1x200yds IM drills on 3:30 This was the first time that Michael sustained a 6 beat leg kick in a long set. The focus was on “big kick” i.e. 6 beat kick Prior to this session, Bowman said to Michael that if he didn’t do a 6 beat leg kick when he was swimming f/c then the session would end. It took seven days to do the whole session with a six beat leg kick! After the 6 beat leg kick was established Phelps undertook the following progression at 13 years of age: 1st week – 3000yds per session for 7 sessions 2nd week – 4000yds per session for 7 sessions 3rd week – 5000yds per session for 7 sessions 4th week – 6000yds per session for 7 sessions 5th week – 7000yds per session for 7 sessions 6th week – 8000yds per session for 7 sessions 7th week – 9000yds per session for 7 sessions 8th week – 10000yds per session for 7 sessions A lot of kick was undertaken, an example of which was undertaken every 3/4 weeks: 5x100yds on 1:40 5x100yds on 1:35 5x100yds on 1:30


After 1 year Michael was doing 100yds kick on 1:10 At 14 years of age Michael was doing the following Janet Evans work out: 200yds f/c on 2:30 4x200y IM on 2:40 400yds f/c on 5:00 3x200yds IM on 2:35 600yds f/c on 7:30 2x200yds IM on 2:20 800yds f/c on 10:00 1x200yds IM on 2:15 When Michael was younger he did no morning training during the week, but he did complete 3.25 hours on Wednesdays and 1 hour of land conditioning. A typical week for Michael aged 14/15 years was: Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun b/c b/s Dist f/c IM / f/c Tech Main

stroke Tech

High volume including technique

Worked on b/s parts, kick and pull with dolphin kick

High volume, low intensity

High volume, increasing intensity

Low intensity Relays Kick

Quality broken swims

Continuous aerobic work to feel good for Monday

4x200 on 2:40 + 8x50 drills + 3x200 on 2:50 + 8x50 drills + 2x200 on 2:40 + 8x50 drills + 1x200 2:30 +8x50 drills

10x500 drop 5 secs each 500

10x400 alt f/c and IM Janet Evans set

6-8 x (4x50 b/f on 45 + 100 b/f + 200 easy)

• Tried to work on a b/c – b/s – f/c sequence. • The drills were chosen for the swimmers, they were not allowed to select their

own. • Each season the coach worked 1 or 2 drills for each stroke. Over a number of

seasons the number of drills for each stroke increased. • Precision in doing drills and strokes was regarded as very important.


Sets that were used on the training camps prior to Beijing: 2 x {2x50m b/f on 1:30 from dive times: 24.1, 24.1, 24.0, 24.1

{1x100m b/f on 2:00 from dive then push times 51.6 (dive), 51.6 (push)

{1x50m f/c on 1:30 from dive 23.6 2 x {1x100m f/c on 2:30 from push 50.2

{1x50m f/c on 1:30 from dive 22.9 16x50m on 45 every 4th fast on b/f 26.0 12x50m on 50 every 3rd fast on b/c 26.0 8x50m on 55 every 2nd fast on b/s 32.3 4x50m on 60 all fast on f/c 25.0 Where next? • Extended break – needed mentally. • Wants to different events • Not looking to move to another level, looking to hold and maintain Beijing

performance levels. However, likely to keep doing 200 bf as they believe that the world record can drop far more.

• Normally, it takes swimmers 30-40 minutes to remove lactate after a race.

However, tests have shown that Michael has excellent powers of recovery. It takes 20 minutes for his lactate to recover to resting levels after a race.

• Michael was previously diagnosed with tachycardia. He also loses lots of sodium through his high sweating rates. He takes sodium tablets and Gatoraid lite to combat this.

Sets that have been used over the past two seasons: 8 x {100m b/f on 4:00 max {100m easy Once per season: 50m b/f from a dive, keep going until coach is tired! The aim is for the whole team to put in the effort. Bowman believes that there is a lot of benefit in doing fast b/f with good technique, but no benefit in doing slow b/f with pool technique. 3 x {10x50yds b/f on 45 {5x50yds b/f on 35 Land training: • Before Michael began doing weights he did a lot of work against his own body

weight e.g. pull-ups, push-ups, circuits. • When progressing on to weights he learnt the techniques thoroughly first • Once the techniques were learnt he progressed from 2 x per week to 3 x per

week.


Michael breaths every stroke on b/f because he finds this most comfortable and it is the most efficient way in which he can do butterfly. This is due to his long torso and that he cannot get a 90 degree knee bend for his downward kick (most effective angle) if he breaths every 2nd or 3rd stroke. Morning training sessions are mainly devoted to power training and afternoon sessions to the development of the different energy systems: • Monday – Threshold • Tuesday – Technique • Wednesday – VO2 max • Thursday – Threshold • Friday – Technique • Saturday – VO2 max Michael’s competition warm up was established when he was a 12 year old: 800m mixer (50 f/c – 50 other stroke) 600m kick 400m pull buoy 200m IM drills 6-8 x 25m alt fast / easy (swimmer controls rest, goes until feels good) 100m easy If he doesn’t feel good in the warm up he does more warm up until he does feel good!


4. GREG TROY – TRAINING RYAN LOCHTE (PART 1) Greg Troy is the coach to Ryan Lochte, who won two gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He is also coach to the University of Florida Men’s and Women’s teams. Greg Troy pushes his athletes very hard, almost to the point of abuse (his words)! His programme has a strong medley focus. He admits that he borrows most of his ideas, but tries to make them better. “The dream is not always what you think it will be!” Ryan’s training background: • Low key as an age-grouper. • Focus on technique and racing skills • Gradually increased training volume over time • Very little strength training. • Well coached on race strategy. • Focus on racing rather than the achievement of times. Ryan’s background: • Both of Ryan’s parent were coaches. • Coached by father at Daytona Beach, where he didn’t accept excuses! • Relaxed but intense approach • High expectations and goals, but doesn’t share these easily, but he does give

information on his goals. • He likes to race and generally wins close races. • Likes to race lots of events. • Very honest swimmer when he competes and gives every race his all. • Really enjoys the sport – “it is fun!” Coaching Ryan is referred to by some coaches as the most difficult job of all as in his main events there is either Michael Phelps or Aeron Piersol to compete against. However, Greg Troy stated that he is an honest swimmer who constantly races in training. In racing Phelps and/or Piersol, Lochte never thought that he couldn’t beat them, but he does not try to do it all the time, he tries to pick his races. Lochte’s 400m IM strategy in the Olympic final was not well executed resulting in a swim that should have been faster. Lochte’s Development 2002-06 - University of Florida programme: • Autumn 12-16 weeks (4 week cycles). • Spring 12 weeks (3 week cycles). • Summer 16 weeks (mixed 4 and 3 week cycles). 2006-07 – Post University programme: • Modified University programme. • Initially found it difficult to follow as he thrived whilst at University.


2007-08: • 2 x 26 week blocks. • For 7-10 days 100,000m were achieved during each block. • Added training camps. 3 and 4 week cycles: • Week 1 – aerobic focus:

� 9/10 sessions per week � High volume, low intensity � Kick 20-30%

• Week 2 – anaerobic focus: � 9 sessions per week � Lower volume due to kicking � 3 sessions with high volume, low intensity � Kick 30-40%

• Week 3 – aerobic focus: � 8/9 sessions per week � 2 sessions high volume, low intensity � 2 sessions high intensity, low volume � 4 sessions technique, including starts and turns � Kick 20-30%

• Week 4 – Recovery focus: � 9/10 sessions per week � Recovery delivered on an individual basis and feel

Typical Swim Training: Monday: Am – Distance F/C Pm – IM, Stroke Tuesday: Am – B/S, B/C, Transition, Power Pm – Kick, Stroke Wednesday: Am – Off Pm – Quality and Race Preparation Thursday: Am – B/C to B/S transition, Power Pm – Kick, Stroke Friday: Am – Off (sometimes used for extra session) Pm – B/F (always) Saturday: Am – Wk 1 long IM, Wk 2 quality stroke, Wk 3 broken or race pace Sunday: Off Typical Land Training: • Weights:

� Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or


� Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday • Fitness (medicine ball, circuits):

� Monday, Wednesday, Friday one hour before swimming sessions. Competition • Competitions are used as a tool, and as a means to an end. • Philosophy – “not your best time, but your best effort (be honest).” • Control what you can control. • Varied times in the schedule of training. • Aim to improve from competition to competition. Race Preparation • Design sets and training sessions that simulate competitions • Quality days back to back • Competition double preparation (high quality sets back to back, B/C first and IM

second) • Broken swims – make them relevant with 10 or 15 second intervals. • Competition warm up rehearsal – swimmer gives to coach on 3x5 card at

beginning of season and can be modified) • Swim suits – have to plan their use and be confident with all equipment. Taper • Last training cycle:

� 6 weeks out, volume drops 10-15% � 4 weeks out, volume drops 20-30% � 2 weeks out, volume drops 40%

Leg stress is key. Weights dropped 3 weeks out although he has tried 6 weeks out (strength and conditioning experts say that athletes lose strength after 20 days). “If you are good at sport, you never, never arrive. ” There are always new goals to strive for.


5. GREG TROY – TRAINING RYAN LOCHE (PART 2) Coach Troy followed on from his first presentation, taking the opportunity to expand on the principles that he felt were important in developing swimming in general as well as Ryan Lochte. Troy stated that;

• Coaches should try to make sure that their best swimmer is the one that works the hardest and has the best attitude, providing great leadership to others within the programme. At the elite level, swimming is too hard to do just for the money and therefore the swimmer must be intrinsically motivated to achieve. This is a key point in the development of the sport across the World and the US must be ready to take advantage of the situation

• He constantly hears what swimmers won’t do anymore from swimmers,

coaches and parents. He accepts that the sport is different now compared to before but insists that although it’s hard to do what’s right it’s not impossible. Challenging swimmers is the key and coaches shouldn’t be afraid.

• Other sports are demanding and kids love it (gymnastics/tennis were used as

examples). Parents must buy in to what you are doing – they can be your greatest ally as a Coach but Coaches must put in the time to make this happen. Coaches must now upgrade everything that they do – right now! Input and direction should be given to parents so that they expect hard work and discipline. This was a huge part of the development of both Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.

• All coaches need to take responsibility – swimmers used to leave programmes

to find something harder, now they leave to find something easier! If Coaches are not challenging their athletes with a view to the long term then it is unlikely that they will create a swimmer capable of achieving

• Technique component is essential – technique every day but linked to the

intensity of “staying on it”. Do all the 25’s you want but you have to do it in the session under duress. Coaches need to coach with intensity to make this happen. Technique ALL the time!


6. GREG MCMILLAN – DOC COUNCILMAN MEMORIAL LECTURE Greg is a coach and sports scientist from athletics (www.mcmillanrunning.com) The 50m pool in Flagstaff, Arizona is one of only 3, 50m pools above 6000ft (where the benefits of altitude training can be maximised). The Japanese Swim team spent a total of 265 days out of 365 days at Flagstaff in 2007/08. What are good coaches doing?

• “Sports science is king!” • Costill argues that optimal aerobic development is 60-90 miles per week

running. This is generally 25% less than many athletes are currently doing. • “Science will simply help to refine the training and help it become applicable

across the spectrum of runners.” • The best methods of training are already known by coaches and athletes. • The best coaches have one foot in the real world and one in the scientific

world. Systems Approach Design training to develop each system of the body: • Metabolic system (energy usage) • Neuromuscular system (co-ordination) • Musculoskeletal system (injury prevention) • Mental system (psychological development) All systems have to be in harmony with each other to perform well. Therefore, there is a need to train all systems. Stress / Rest Cycle Optimal stress + optimal rest = optimal progress (week to week and session to session) └ sweet spot or stress.

Smart Training Plan Design

Intensity Race

General → Race Specific Conditioning (75%) Training

Volume


The Key to it All • Stimulate → Response → Adaptation • Response / adaptation process is similar to all runners • Given a purpose for each training session • Training plan design becomes “simple” Variety and Specificity • The body likes variety across energy systems, effort levels , paces • Law of specificity Maintenance of Motivation and Self Confidence • The coach and training must maintain high levels of motivation • With motivation, follows success • Training to yield positive results • Positive training results builds confidence Four Key Training Zones in Athletics Endurance zone } main athletic zones Stamina zone } } Speed zone } main swimming zones Sprint zone } Full Spectrum Coaching • Look at other event groups within your sport to see what you can learn • Look outside of the sport to see what you can learn • Coaches must look outside of their comfort zone to grow Over time, let intuition take over • Role repetition → intuitive / experience • Learn to trust intuition Am I a Coach? • I struggle with what to say when things go wrong • I struggle with insecurity about whether I can help and athlete • I struggle with my own ego • Am I selfless enough to be a good coach? (Coaching is giving, always giving) • I must be as competitive in being a good coach as I was an athlete “Champions are everywhere. All you need to do is t rain them properly.” Arthur Lydiard


7. JEANNE SERRANO – MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT YOU’VE GOT “Quit whining about what you don’t have!!” Evaluate carefully what you already have. Remember, the biggest resource is you… • Past and present experiences in swimming • Experiences outside of swimming • Your education: formal and informal • Your people network • What are your personal strengths Get involved in the running of swimming pools to control a number of variables as your facility is a resource. It tends to be a finite resource but who owns and operates the pool? Know your market and sell what you have, not what you haven’t. The weight room could be the pool deck : • Autumn/winter:

- Bands - Medicine balls and hand weights - Core strength (Core exercises are important in swimming, it is not all

water time!) - Balance - Lunges and squats

• Spring/summer: - Running

Club organisation as a resource: • Team structure:

- Number of training groups - Sessions allocated per group - Swimmer to coach ratio - Team size / number of swimmers per group - Move-up criteria

• Things to think about: - Delegation of power - Responsibilities - Non-profit status

Your staff as a resource: • Full-time coaches • Part-time coaches • Volunteer coaches • Webmaster • Bookkeeper • Volunteer co-ordinator


Coaches: • Clearly define roles and responsibilities • Work on people’s strengths • Temporary or committed – look for commitment People network: • Parents and family of swimmers • Coaching network • Club alumni • Team sponsors • Friends in high/low places Maximise water time – don’t let lanes sit vacant - Maximise pool deck space for dry land work. There are many ways to get swimmers in shape withou t water! Make use of time which isn’t available to you: • Schedule the non-water time into your practice • If you lose a day of water to an event, replace it with something useful • Plan for the chaos and keep parents informed of changes. Give time to adjust

to changes • Get copies of all breaks in routine as soon as they are available. • Build needed water time into the progression of your programme. Don’t cut

water time at the top of the programme. • Try to keep the novice programme times as consistent as possible throughout

the year. Team building: • Holiday parties • Beach bonfires (BBQ) after a meet. • Annual event such as bowling and pizza party pre Christmas • Activities on Saturdays after training • Movie right after a session • Spring swim camp Holiday parties: • Use local school gym or café i.e. at Halloween • Christmas Santa hat relay • Christmas ornament exchange! When planning activities get the whole team involved Saturday stroke school: • Use as a swimmer and staff training tool • Small group format, one day per month – extra cost • Use of video • Good training opportunity for novice staff / stroke technique • PE teachers could deliver dry land activity • Older swimmers could coach and/or officiate


Alumni / Team Sponsors: • The Golden Gala Club • Get well known swimmer involved Team cap on becoming member of the club, build into cost of membership Local schools gala run by the club – spot talent not already in the club.


8. DR PAUL STRICKER – SPORTS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: BA BY STEPS TO STARTING BLOCKS Key Text: Stricker, P.R. (2006). Sports Success Px! Your Child’s Prescription for the Best Experience. American Academy of Paediatrics. www.drpaulstricher.com Scripps Clinic Youth Sports Medicine Olympic Physician San Diego California Development of sports skills based on: • Physical (growth) factors • Physiologic (chemical) factors • Neuromuscular factors • Mental development Youth sport: • How do you define success? • How do you manage expectations? Goals – enjoyment and fun Developmental highway: • Sequential pathways (difficult to change) • Growth and development (physical, visual, chemical, mental) Skill acquisition is sequential. Not acquired at same rate, but usually in the same sequence. Growth and development: Early childhood (2-5yrs): • Motor development:

- learn by self seeking behaviours, adult role models - attempts to master how to run, hop, throw - running improves 60% between ages of 4-5 years - balance problems

• Visual: - Eye movement imprecise - CNS development lags behind

• Chemical:

- Very immature aerobic and anaerobic


Childhood (6-9yrs): • Perfect stroke techniques up to the age of 9/10 years • Aerobic development and capacity not developed yet, therefore not much point

in placing a training emphasis on this. • Up to the age of 10/11 yrs, emphasis should be on skill development, use

“construction correction”. Pre-adolescence (10-12yrs): • Aerobic capacity greatly increases with puberty • Minor improvement in aerobic capacity up to puberty Early adolescence (13-15yrs): • Stroke counts change dramatically Trainability of Children and Youth: • Aerobic endurance capacity:

- Only 5-10% increase in VO2 max pre-puberty - Ceiling limit until puberty - Elaborate programmes not needed

• Flexibility: - Decreases during puberty in boys

• Body Composition: - Body fat, boys > girls

• Growth and Training: - Intense prolonged exercise may interrupt growth

• Heat: - Don’t sweat as much - Larger surface areas than adults, therefore lose heat faster

• Strength: - Good balance control needed - Proficient at basic sport skills - Proper technique - Strength gains due to increased neurological activity

General Concepts to Promote: • There is a fine line between excitement and stress • Self-concept and self-esteem develops from responses and comparisons which

start at aged 5 years. • It is very important to promote fun and effort! • Separate a child’s identity from their performance • Instil a strong sense of self-competence and fun to keep children interested. • Reward effort!!


9. MICHAEL BROOKS – AGE GROUP SWIMMERS AND MEET ENG INEERING SUCCESS Meets are fun when kids swim fast. Championship meets are especially fun when kids swim fast. The Big Picture: think several steps ahead of where you are now: give kids the tools to be successful down the road at the highest levels, not just today at this level. Kids with talent or with good training can get away with a lot locally when they are young. If they want to succeed as seniors nationally, they can’t have weaknesses. Reverse engineering: figure out what you want in the end, and the common nightmares you want to avoid, then work backwards so that you create – somewhat systematically – the sort of age group racers that you want. 1. Go to the meet to swim fast, to be a player, no t to get a t-shirt, not ‘for the experience’. Swimmers whose goal is to “make the cut”, who accomplish their goal, attend the meet “for the experience,” swim terribly; finish 97th…Much of the problem can be alleviated through proper goal-setting: • Step 1 (necessary but not sufficient) is to make the qualifying standard; • Step 2, which is to go to the meet and swim fast. We talk about this ALL THE TIME. Making cuts early in the season (see Goal #2) allows time for swimmers to re-set their goals, to refocus their expectations and intentions. MB compiles and distributes GOAL SHEETS, not only with qualifying standards, but also with TIMES TO FINAL. 2. Make cuts early; don’t wait until the last minu te. Swim slow throughout the season: • having to “over-race” their main events because they keep missing cuts • then making the cut in a “last chance” meet, the emotional high-point of the

season • then attending the championship and swimming miserably. MB does not like kids waiting until the last minute to qualify for championship meets and wants them focusing their training and their expectations on their target meet from well in advance. • Use incentive programs to encourage early qualifying: e.g., Missouri Grand Prix.

MB posts a list of championship meet qualifiers from the day after our first meet of the season. Shout up the qualifiers at every opportunity, and be sure to update the list with each meet. Swimming fast (enough) early means you have options: at meets we can swim what we want to, not what we have to.

• It must be emphasized to the swimmers and parents how important regular

attendance at the team meets is for a swimmer’s progress.


3. Have options: be versatile (so your whole swimm ing life doesn’t hinge on the results of one event). • Spend five days at a meet for one swim, then going too slow in the morning and

being finished, disappointed. We came all this way for that!?!? • This is a training program goal rather than a strictly meet goal, but it has huge

implications for how meets will go. Train for everything; be good at everything. The more versatile a swimmer, the more choices and options available. Also, the more events, the more the pressure is spread out and the levels of stress are manageable.

4. Learn to and practice swimming fast in the morn ings, so you can swim at night at the championships. • The problem of the local hero: establishing habits physical and mental of

swimming slow in prelims in local P&F meets because they can, doing the same at nationals where they cannot, and watching finals from the stands.

• What kids can get away with locally they cannot nationally, so DO NOT LET

THEM locally. The coach must emphasize morning swims: they are IMPORTANT! Just because you made finals doesn’t mean it was good enough!!! (Coaches are often complicit in the problem: “good for a morning”, “nicely done, you made it back…”). Swimmers and coaches must set standards over and above local expectations. If necessary, put teeth into these standards:

• The Julia Game. [I would prefer to watch mistakes during the season than at the

championships]. • Use local invitationals as practice for nationals. 5. Swim fast all season long, and fastest at the e nd. I want frequent best times, with planned “bumps”. Beat them down all season, swimming slow and expecting to swim slow, putting much too much pressure on their last meet to salvage a season of work, swimming fast once a season or once a year. • Train fast. Tie practice performance to meet expectations. • Meet performances are largely a function of swimmers’ expectations. They must

expect to swim fast or they will not; they will expect to if they are swimming fast in practice and you tell them they will swim fast at the meet.

• Swim fast, even with little to no rest. • They swim fast all season, not just once at the end. Progress is continual and

cumulative. No “in season” slow swimming then expecting “taper meet” speed. Even when this “works,” they swim fast once a season, so they make progress once a season; most of the time they are treading water or moving backwards from where they were six months previous!


• Planned Periodic Bumps: plan the meet schedule well: the right meets at the right time so as to make little to mid-sized jumps all season long. Bumps are psychological and physical leaps forward. “Bump” meets are practically built for swimming fast:

• good teams from a wide area, • kids they haven’t raced before (so no established pecking order), • a fairly high level of competition, • a prelims and finals format with pressure to swim fast twice. Training + raised expectations = a bump in performance: best times and nice steps forward = a rearranging of goals and expectations for future training and racing. Bumps keep the swimmers moving forward, meaning motivated. 6. Give a consistent effort and quality of perform ance, especially throughout a long and hard meet. 7. Create self-reliant kids who know how to think for and take care of themselves during a meet. • Kids who are wildly inconsistent from event to event; kids who fade badly during

the course of a long meet and who are good for nothing by the end. Kids who have no idea how to get ready for their races; kids who expect me to hold their hands or baby-sit them through a meet.

• The goal: creating consistency by planned meet management; creating self-

reliance by teaching meet management. • Simply, meet management is planning ahead, creating a mental and physical

routine for consistent peak performance that is practiced at every meet, before and after every swim, making every decision during a meet based on what is going to help you race your best, maximizing the recovery after each race so as to prepare for the next one. It means making good choices about how to act at a meet, so that every time you step on the block, you are fully prepared mentally and physically to give a maximum effort/peak performance.

Learning how to do this is an important step towards elite level performance. There are a myriad of things that are involved in swimming fast at a meet: • dressing for the weather, • eating and drinking the right things in the right amounts at the right time, • paying attention to what race is in the water and when your next race is, • warming up with the right things at the right intensities at the right times, • mentally preparing for each race, • talking through your races with your coach, etc., etc., • warming down with the right things at the right intensities at the right time, • spending your time wisely between sessions and between days.


• There is a lot to think about, meaning a lot to stress about, unless it has become a habit. The worse the conditions and the longer the meet, the more important meet management is. The greater the stress and more important the meet, the more important both the routine and the self-reliance become.

• Each meet becomes an exercise in taking care of your goals, in learning to take

care of all those little details so that you don’t have to think about them: you do them naturally, automatically and habitually, so that you can free your mind to focus on the racing.

• Expect kids to get better at this throughout the season. Once swimmers are

well-rehearsed in meet management, their performances are much more consistent than when “nature takes its course”. Patterns emerge (which they do not when performances are essentially random), allowing the coach to see the results of his program.

Before races: • Talk to your coach before every race. • Laser-beam focus. ‘No matter what’ attitude. • Warm up. • Purpose of warm up is to be consistent and to get the intensity right. Timing is

key: 20 minutes before splash. A race warm up done too early is worthless; a race warm up that doesn’t warm you up and prepare you to race is worthless.

• “When do I warm up?” My answer is: “Warm up when it is appropriate to do so –

and if you do not know when that is, Caleb or Julia will help you figure it out.” In this way, the older kids have the responsibility for helping the younger kids figure out how to be self-reliant tough racers.

After races, the 2-minute drill: • Finish your race. • Talk to me, briefly. • Warmdown. At most two minutes from race finish to splashdown in warmup

pool. SWIM!!! • Don’t stand around and chat. • Warmdown is the beginning of the next race. Between races • Relax and stay off your feet. • Cheer for your teammates. • Keep warm. • Eat & drink appropriately. • Pay attention to what’s going on; know the order of events, know what race is in

the water now, know how many heats of your event and the ones before yours, know when you race, and make sure you plan out your preparation for your next race. The heat sheet is your friend.


8. Obey the ‘Rules for Racing’. • Race your guts out. • Get your best time in the morning, and move up spots. • Always swim faster at night, and move up more spots (unless qualified first,

then hold). • Swim better as meet progresses and others tire. • In any close race, get your hand on the wall first. • Get tougher the tougher the conditions. • Enjoy the challenge. NO WHINING! • Expect to swim fast; decide to swim fast – every time. • Learn from your mistakes; fix them. Learn from others’ mistakes; avoid them. • Cherish being on relays; swim even faster on relays. (or we’re not going to

bother entering them) Note: our training prepares swimmers so that they can “obey the rules,” we talk about this all the time and we practice obeying the rules from the first meet onwards every season, so that they expect to succeed. 9. A Meet Miscellany: Choosing which meets for wh ich kids – horses for courses It is easiest and by far most convenient to find meets where the whole team can attend. But there are certain performance drawbacks: • Any given meet will represent very different psychological climates for kids of

different levels (and even for different events for a single swimmer): - chance to win? - chance to podium? - chance to final? - chance for a second swim? - mired at the bottom?

Each of these situations has very different attendance pressures/expectations for the swimmer. This MATTERS!!! Under what circumstances will each swimmer have the best chance of swimming well? And, despite what we coaches say about “doing your best”, results matter to the kids, both before (the psychological climate of a swim) and after (evaluating a swim). There must be a chance to “succeed” if the swimmer is to pull out all the stops. It’s hard to think like a winner if you’re getting seventy-third. Therefore, the question: Do we treat groups too much as a team and not as individuals with very different needs? And by doing so, do we stunt the progress of most of our swimmers? Practically, do you send a swimmer to a meet that she just qualified for or just barely qualified for (to finish last or near the bottom; no hope of a second swim), or do you have her attend a lower level meet where she can be a player and is expected to do well, where a good morning swim gets her a second swim. The latter route probably results in much faster meet performances, where the swimmer progresses to the level of being a player in the upper level meet much faster.


She doesn’t attend meets “for the experience”(read, “for the experience of swimming slow”), but to swim fast. Note that this works both ways: teams can generally choose low level “take all comers” meets which often do not challenge the top end, or higher level meets where the bulk of the kids are barely qualifying and getting crushed. Both decisions have consequences for your program as a whole and for the progress of the individuals in it. That said, it is important that kids see faster swimmers (e.g., Grand Prix meets where an up-and-comer gets to see and compete against Michael Phelps or Natalie Coughlin), learn by watching how these elite performers do their job, and get motivated by being in an elite atmosphere. This can be extraordinarily educational and provide a boost to the next level. But perhaps this is a mid-season experience, not a season-ending championship one. 10. Choosing which events for which kids The overriding principles here are: • You only have so many bullets in your gun. • Keep getting faster, by planning for getting faster and by intelligent choices. • The coaches enter the swimmers; not the swimmers, not the parents; we know

what the swimmer’s need better than they do, and we take the long range view of this meet and how it fits into the bigger picture of the season and year. Controlling events means controlling progression.

• Choosing events intelligently requires planning and foresight. Figure out which meets you will attend, what level of competition each is, and find out what will be offered (and what Q standards!) at those meets. Have the entire season in front of you and PLAN, in particular for your stronger kids. (Note: you will probably be thrown some curveballs, both by the meet directors and by your kids’ performances, so you must be adaptable.)

• With the whole season in mind, decide when will you have a swimmer swim his big events. The rule is: not often; make each time special, with high expectations. In particular with distance swims, you only have so many bullets in your gun, especially for the kids who give their all. Don’t overswim an event and allow a swimmer to bore himself into a coach created plateau. (I see this all the time: a swimmer swimming her best events every single meet, on teams where they race often. It is almost always the case that by mid-season the swimmer has flatlined.) Note that, since we race about once a month, kids may only swim their best events two or probably three times a season.

• Another rule: rotate away from success . After a breakthrough or big time drop in an event, they will almost never swim that event at the next meet (unless absolutely necessary, as for example at a championship), as the likelihood of another improvement is almost nil. But the swimmer (and his parent, and sometimes his coach) will extrapolate from that recent quantum leap and expect another huge gain, which will not happen, resulting in a huge deflation where you want motivation and excitement. Instead, wait for a while, until she is ready to improve. Give her time to get better!!!

• Avoid events where the swimmer is not ready for an improvement (based on his practice performances). The coach should take preventive measures and, when at all possible, not allow plateaus to happen. Find events where the swimmer is ready for a bump.


• Note that for the most part we are trying to set the swimmer up for success. There are times, however, when we need to purposefully set the swimmer up for failure, when a lesson badly needs learning for a swimmer to continue to develop. When you do this, you must be sure that the lesson gets learned. Make it explicit. The pain of taking one step backward is well worth the pleasure of taking several forward as a result.

11. “Judging” Performances • What standards do you use to evaluate:

- Best times (often old, and not representative of current ability)? - How the time was arrived at (splitting, racing, technique)? - Where achieved (the psychological climate of that swim for that

swimmer)? - The swimmer’s potential in that race (as determined by practice

performance)? • You show them what is important to you by what you talk about & how you do it. • What is the purpose of talking to a swimmer after a race: to unloose your

feelings about what you just saw, or to get her to race well the next time she gets on the block?

• The more your post-race talk can be planned and strategic, the better. • The key factor here is the psychology of the swimmer, not the emotion of the

coach. Beware of breaking a swimmer’s spirit, if your standard of evaluation isn’t hers. If she comes back overjoyed, be overjoyed, and save the criticism for back home on Monday.

12. Patterns • Look for patterns to the swims, and use the results to tweak your training

program. • A pattern means your training (physical, technical, psychological) is producing

certain tendencies. This requires going over hytek printouts very carefully. (Note that patterns appear more when swimmers are practicing good meet management; otherwise you often see random results which are impossible to use.)

• A huge question: when you watch a swimmer race, are you seeing psychology or physiology or technique? Be open and intelligent and wise and perceptive enough to look for the reasons behind that swim for that swimmer; if you find yourself saying the same thing to everyone, or evaluating every swim the same way, and always blame them, the chances are good that your perception is tightly circumscribed and that you are probably missing a lot.

• I sometimes think that many of my kids were put on this earth to confuse me: there is no seeming pattern to their behavior. This is probably my problem rather than theirs: I am missing something important.

13. Travel Meets • Prepare your kids to meet the special challenges of travel meets. • Meets are meets, essentially, but travel meets are special:

- Swimmers cannot control their environment to the extent that they can back home.

- Their moms and dads aren’t there making their decisions for them and smoothing over every problem.


- Kids have to take much more responsibility for making good choices than they ordinarily do. They must PROTECT THEIR GOALS.

- Coaches have a captive audience and can use the time to educate swimmers in The Way of a Champion, and in dealing with challenging situations.

- Coaches can watch their kids in new situations dealing with more and different stresses.

• Swimmers must remember what they came for – to swim fast. • Swimmers must practice making good choices. The question “What’s going to

make me swim faster?” should be in their heads constantly. • One of the most important purposes of a travel meet is teaching swimmers to

deal with challenges. They have to adapt or die (or at least, swim slow). • Travel meets accelerate a swimmer’s competitive development through their

challenges and their lessons. They are MASSIVELY EDUCATIONAL!


10. MICHAEL BROOKS – CREATING TALENT IN A SMALL TAL ENT POOL Based on Lake Wobegon Aquatics (www.swimyorky.org) • Town of York approximately 40,000 people • Coaching takes place at York YMCA with approximately 100 swimmers • 2 x swimming sites (6 lane, 25 yd pools) • 75-80% of swimmers swim year round, the rest are seasonal • 1 x full-time coach • 4 x part-time coaches whose main income is not from coaching Rules: • You don’t need to coach in a city to get kids to swim fast! • You don’t need to train in a great facility to get kids to swim fast! • You don’t need to coach a huge team to get kids to swim fast! • No whining, make the base of what you have! Success leads to more success i.e. attracts the best athletes in a local area. Use of motivational time standards (US Swimming: A AAA, AAA, AA, A): • Goal: 50% of team at AA and better, this should be normal • Goal: 33% of team @ AAA and better • US Swimming programme IMX: Top 10 nationally, top 50 nationally, top 100. • Number of PBs • Number and strength of new team records • Number of entries, finalists and medallists at selected events • Stroke technique indicators at 11 years and under • Endurance and stroke technique indicators at 12-15 years • Swimmers who are BB or A level swimmers at 14 years do not make nationals!!


11. DICK HANNULA – CORRECTING DRILLS FOR COMMON ERR ORS Streamlining is the one major area that can make more of a difference than any drill or drill progression. Streamlining (extended torpedo position): • #1 fundamental • Out of water teaching – including swimmers teaching each other

� Standing � lying flat

• In water teaching from a push • Persistent teaching/coaching is essential • Consistent throughout all sessions, no compromise F/C Technique: • Long-axis streamlining • Trunk rotation • Body position • Early vertical forearm • Line of pull (direct as possible) • Timing of breathing (head rotates with trunk) • Hand – wrist – elbow entry (in that order) F/C Technical Errors: • Non streamlined kick • Head and eye position too high/low • Dropped elbow • Elbow leading in pull • No early vertical forearm • No fingers-down entry • Over/under rotation • Over rotation for breathing F/C Drill Corrections: • Long-axis flutter kick • One arm extended, one arm back whilst holding flutter kick • Hand – wrist – elbow entry (standing first, walking, swimming – talk hand – wrist

– elbow) • Shark fin (high elbow) • Russian crawl (slow arms, hesitate at high elbow) B/C Technique: • Long-axis streamlining • “Skewered” swimming and trunk rotation • Body position • Line of pull • “Rifle Barrel” recovery • Little finger entry


• Thumb first exit with good momentum • 12:00 entry deep enough and not too deep • Arm bend through mid-section of entry. B/C Technical Errors: • Non -streamline legs / body • Knee position • Anchored arm failure • Hand entry • Hand exit • Rotation • Entry depth B/C Drill Corrections: • One arm swims (trailing arm by side) • Touch down swims (catch up arms by side, emphasise trunk rotation) • Touch and go • Cork screw swims • Assorted kicking drills – emphasise shoulder rotation • Spin out swims (sit in small bath tub and spin arms, lengthen body position and

stroke as progress down length). • Emphasis on starting with drill and moving to full stroke as the length

progresses. B/F Technique: • “Platform” (streamline) alignment. • Hinged head through spine • Reach long • Breath late in arm stroke • Breath with head hinged and eyes down and forward • Anchor elbows on the catch, fingertips down • Front end butterfly and karate exit (i.e. hands push back and away from body). B/F Technical Errors: • “Platform position” (streamlining) failure. • Keeping a hinged head on entry and breathing • Over bending leg kick • Elbows leading the pull • Breathing early • Lack of karate exit and front end butterfly. B/F Drill Corrections: • B/F kicking drills (hands behind back with fins). • Standing / walking / swimming butterfly • One arm butterfly – non-pulling arm in front. • 1-1-1 butterfly (1 right arm, 1 left arm, 1 full stroke) • 1-1-1, 1-1-2, etc


• Biondi butterfly (pulling all way through and follow through, but no arm recovery over water)

• Tennis ball butterfly (tennis ball under chin) B/S Technique: • “Platform” (streamlined) position to start and finish. • Build arm speed through stroke:

- Out sweep 90% - In sweep 120% - Lunge 150%

• Breath late on the rotation and in sweep. • Remain hinged with fixed eye position on the in-sweep. • Anchor elbows • Streamline (eyes down on lunge forward) – “platform” position. BS Technical Errors: • Lack of “platform” position. • Lack of head hinge • Head too high • Drive with elbows • Dropped elbows • Late kick • Recovery of legs same speed as drive • No follow through of leg drive B/S Drill Corrections: • Kicking drills:

- Hands behind back - Pull buoy between legs to keep knees together - Slide lunge - Walk kick

• B/S with flutter kick (f/c) • B/S with b/f kick • BS with b/f kick with fins • Wipe the bowl drill • Gripper pulling with b/f kick • Head to rope drill Appendix 1 - Handout “Stroke Drills and Progressions” was provided by Dick Hannula to accompany his lecture. All of the drills in the handout are explained in detail in his book “Coaching Swimming Successfully” published by Human Kinetics.


12. TERRI MCKEEVER – Coach to Natalie Coughlin Coaching philosophy: • Doesn’t see herself as a swim coach • Her background is as an elementary school teacher, but she coached volleyball • Don LaMont’s assistant coach • Still sees herself as a teacher • Primarily a coach of women • Swimming teaches essential life skills – standards, empowerment, discipline What her current team says about Terri: • Adaptability • Communication • Initiative / empowerment /ownership • Belief and trust • Accountability Adaptability: • “Go with the flow” • Australian training camp experience. This was a training camp in Sydney,

where there was no 50m pool so her squad trained in the sea and in a 4 x 25 yard pool. She also tried to empower her athletes through cultural visits. Now during annual Christmas training camp she uses ocean training and the pool.

• Olympic Games. The swimmers who are able to take the next step from the trials to success at the Games are those who are able to adapt to a new coach and a different environment.

• Adaptability has to be taught and ingrained into a programme. Communication: • Ask for outside help (this includes the athletes. Don’t be frightened to ask,

particularly outside of your programme and your profession) • Ask the right questions (What do you need to do to be successful?) • Learning approaches (Know how to be a good listener. How do you like to

gather information? Different approaches based on a person’s learning style.) • Bike ride. (Doing things you would like to do. Used as a catalyst for

communication and decision making) • Sharing (information and experiences. Buddying. Leadership opportunities.

What did you learn from that set?) • Make every moment a teaching moment. Set up opportunities and scenarios to

teach communication, adaptability, working together, co-operation, etc. Teaching about life.

Initiative and Empowerment: • Teaching and coaching are a concept • Learning a skill is a continuum • Leadership style should be adaptable and change according to different

situations/scenarios. • Leadership committees to plan areas of the programme i.e. we are all

responsible.


• Knowing when to be a good “Indian” and when to be a good “chief”. • Belief and trust in yourself and the process.

- Having confidence in yourself - Try to be yourself i.e. what is right for your - Sell it (your philosophy and beliefs) - Connect the dots - Recruiting – finding people who believe in your philosophy

Accountability: • Ask them! • “Terri time”. Shows people you respect what you are doing. • Consistency in your approach and setting the ground rules. • What do you think? (“Before you ask me, ask yourself”) • Let them figure it out for themselves • The coaches’ job is to consistently hold their swimmers accountable for their

goals and dreams. How do you do this? • Use everything as a teaching moment • Deal with the “elephant” in the room. (Deal with things that no one wants to talk

about. Saying something in the wrong way is better than not saying anything at all.)

• Be a consistent learner. (Just because it works for someone else, doesn’t mean that it will work for your.)

• Look at different ways to communicate the same message. • Joint the dots – explain why you are doing things.


13. JOHN OGDEN: TRAINING YOUR COACHING STAFF Perception v Reality: • Perception – everyone on poolside is a professionally trained coach • Reality – coaches are little more than baby sitters Why coach? • Passion required • For the money? • For the kids? • For the discount? Payment of coaches: • If a coach is paid then it must at least be the minimum wage or higher

(reference: “When is a volunteer not a volunteer?”) • Coaching in return fro 25% reduction in training fees, if child is in the

programme. The club or programme should set aside money to train staff on an annual basis. You get what you pay for (the team should pay and b udget for): • Training • Clinics • Appearance (team apparel) Coaching practice AND meets: • You must attend meets to be a good deck coach • You must see how swimmers race to be a good practice coach • Relating results with the training process for a swimmer is key. On average, a 6 lane x 25m pool should cater for: • At least 100 children in a training programme. • A minimum of at least 5 coaches • A minimum of at least 5 trainee coaches • The maximum coach to swimmer ration should be 1:20! “Never put good work over bad!” – get the fundamentals right and build on this. Common coaching miscues: • Under coaching (standing around and sitting) • Over coaching (too much information to a swimmer) • Not knowing enough but saying too much. • Avoid over-coaching and placing too much stimulus on a swimmer at any one

time. Focus on one skill at a time, per set. • Provide a drills book for all new staff – the core drills to be used by all staff. Appendix 2 – YNS Coaching Program


14. GUY EDSON – COACH OWNED PROGRAMME (The Self-Emp loyed coach) There are many ways to do this, however it was stressed that people should seek the help of professionals in the form of an Accountant and a Lawyer. Two primary ways to go: • Sole proprietor – easiest way as the tax returns are relatively easy. However,

the big disadvantage is if you are sued because personal assets are likely to be pursued rather than business assets.

• Limited Company – this creates an identity that is separate from you as a person. This does make tax returns more complex.

Limited companies can be sub-divided into: • Not for profit (limited share capital) • For profit (unlimited share capital) It was noted that the point of being a business was to sell your business not to teach swimming. As a sole proprietor, keep your personal finances separate from your business finances. General advice and guidance on running your own bus iness: • Control your expenses • Maximise your income • Know your market • Write a business plan • You set the prices • Know what you are selling (unique selling point?) • Be consistent Below are two examples of fees charged by owner owned swimming programmes in the US. These were regarded a typical of what is available: Sole proprietor: Registration fee = $100 per year Seniors 5 payments of $265 = $1325 Juniors 5 payments of $205 = $1025 Age – Groups 5 payments of $165 = $825 Pre-Competition 5 payments of $105 = $525 Limited Company: Registration fee = $205 per year Seniors 9 payments of $250 = $2250 Novices 9 payments of $100 = $900 It was noted as a point of comparison that after school care costs in the Ft Lauderdale area, where the limited company was based were $25 per week (lowest) to $45 per week (highest).


Building your own pool was discussed. It was stated that this should be written off over 25-30 years. In this case, the business would be the management of the pool as well as the use of the pool. The main issue was how to get money to build a pool, which is a large capital item and an enormous barrier to entry in to the market. One example of how a pool was built as part of a bu siness was as follows: • 30 year lease on an acre of land from the local council • Loans from parents • Bank loan • All loans repaid after 5 years, which led to breakeven position • Pool with bubble over • Pool with metal structure • Pool with more permanent structure Attached are a couple of information sheets that have been sourced from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) in the UK which helps to explain further some of the legalities in relation to self-employed coaches.


15. RAY BENECKI – THE TRAINING OF WORLD RECORD HOLD ER KATE ZIEGLER – PART 1 Coach Benecki used the first of his two presentations to focus on the 2006 – 07 season that saw Kate Ziegler break the women’s 1500m Free World Record. Altitude was a main feature in 2007 and Benecki attributed much of the performance to this.

• Having used a two week trip to altitude in 2006 as preparation for 2007, Ziegler completed a 31/2 week altitude camp

• Physiological benefits – increased Red Blood Cells, Haemocrite levels, Cell Mitochondria, muscle capilarisation and improved VO2 Max.

• Environmental Benefits – Combined camp as a US Distance Camp and therefore included other swimmers. This provided training partners and helped with completing tough sets. Camp also provided the time to focus on training and recovery and there were limited distractions.

• Support – US Swimming support included – swim power machine and technique analysis on stroke, starts and turns. Lactate testing – set and recovery analysis. Nutrition support and blood analysis (iron).

• Used Vibrator Machine to improve recovery, reduce muscle soreness, improve strength and flexibility.

• Sessions – Long Course AM, Short Course PM focussing on speed and technique. Benecki’s opinion that you cant swim LC all the time as she loses her speed and cant control muscle soreness

• Every 5th session off – alt. short and long • 11/2 days after arrival – first hard set • Came down for 3 days and then raced, breaking the world record

Home Programme

• 2005 – 2006 – 6 days swim 10 sessions 65 – 70k per week (mx of yds and metres)

• 2006 – 07 – 6 days swim 12 sessions up to 85 – 90k per week (mix of yds and metres)

• Worked on 3 or 4 week blocks; • Week 1 85 – 90k, Week 2 75k, Week 3 67k (double middle week on 4 week

block) • Could skip 1 practice on middle weeks (if needed) and still cover distance • Could skip 2 practices on week 4 (not usual) and still cover distance • Technique – always looking for correct body position and being high in the

water


Training

• Uses snorkel regularly (more so in 2007) but not fins due to weak ankles • Paddles for technique and not main sets • Kicks a little every day • Pulls a little every day – kick board or PB between legs and ankles to improve

balance, core and alignment. • Doesn’t monitor H.R. on a regular basis other than within the descending sets. • Uses race pace frequently and likes to descend sets of 100’s • Sets pace for sets “By Feel” rather than tables. Also identified what pace she

was at in the 800 when she hit the wall and used this to identify the race pace to train. Designed sets to get over this point. Uses descending sets a lot to race pace and links in to games.

100’s @ 1500 pace – 1 point 100’s @ 800 pace – 2 points 100’s @ 400 pace – 3 points 100’s @ 200 pace – 4 points Highest points score wins

• Although specialised, uses IM for cross training and balance Land

• Completed a dance class once per week, 1 pilates class. • Couldn’t run because of week knees and ankles and lifted weights during this

time instead when the rest of the group was out. Uses vibrator machine at school and at home.

• Kate works with a physio who knows her better than she does herself. Works on body alignment and other body weaknesses


16. RAY BENECKI – THE TRAINING OF WORLD RECORD HOLD ER KATE ZIEGLER – PART 2 Coach Benecki used the second of his talks to present on the reasons behind Kate Zieglers under performance at the Beijing Olympics, focussing in on specific parts of the 2007/08 season. Coach Benecki (RB) highlighted the goals of Kate Ziegler (KZ) for the season as qualifying for the US Olympic Team in the 400/800 Free and the 4 x 200 Free relay. RB also believed that it would take 3.59 to win the 400 free and therefore KZ had to gain more speed to do this.

• RB felt that the main reason for the under performance of KZ was fatigue caused by having to react to many situations during the season including;

� Forced schedule changes � Forced session changes � Forced training changes � Forced decision changes

RB decided at the start of the season that more meets would be added to the programme to add more “flavour” and variety and also to test out how things were going in comparison to the previous season. Also important as KZ does not embrace new suits very well (takes 3 + meets for it to become comfortable) and needed to try them out.

• Early tryouts from previous seasons had allowed RB to decide how best KZ travelled to meets and engagements and how long it took for her to adjust and recover. Comparing 2007 with 2008;

� 2007 World Champs – 3 days recovery � 2008 World Champs – 3 days recovery � 2008 Olympic camp Singapore – 8 days – attributed to fatigue and

stress RB suggested that swimmers can travel to meets in the US in two methods;

• “Red eye” – train last thing, early flight in the morning, take first flight back after engagement. Positives were training at home in the normal environment, negatives KZ became extremely tired and took time to recover

• “Extended Trip” – earlier flight, train on arrival, stay over longer train and

return. Positives were more recovered and less stressed on return. Negatives were more time out of the home programme

RB highlighted that it was best for KZ to utilise the “extended trip” option as this reduced the fatigue and stress component. Unfortunately this did not happen all of the time. KB also feels that KZ reacts more positively to a regular schedule and school.


KZ Schedule 2007 – 2008

� 4 Clinics � 5 Camps � 11 Meets - resulted in 4 rests/tapers during the season � 5 Other commitments (Speedo work – 4/5 day trip x 2) Magazine shoot

– became sick as the trip was to short as “red eye” was used and took time to recover. Trip to the Vatican, NBC

Training

• Winter – KZ decided that the land work she was doing was to difficult on her own and therefore hired a personal trainer

• Training schedule for the week had to change therefore to accommodate • Incorporating the new land schedule the maximum volume for the week stood

at 73 – 75k (mixture of yds/metres) compared to 85K in season 2006/07 • Initial discussion with personal trainer but not on going • Training content changed also to incorporate more speed work geared

towards qualifying for the 4 x 200 free relay • More recovery had to be incorporated due to the increased intensity • Compared to 2006-07 schedule KZ was unable to skip a practice if necessary

– increasing the fatigue • Max volume of 75k therefore no “spikes” involved • More travel and engagements saw an average of 1 practice missed due to

travel • Reality KZ was swimming no more than 70k per week • Fatigue became cumulative over the season – training wasn’t consistent • During the season it became clear that the 4 x 200 was not going to happen,

however RB believed that KZ would definitely need more speed to have a chance of winning the 400 and 800 at the Olympics and therefore continued with the programme set

• Changed “taper” from 5 days “race preparation” to 10 days more resting due to the intensity

Altitude Prior to breaking the world 1500 free record, KZ had trained at altitude and returned competing at sea level after 3 days. On this occasion the planning was taken out of coach Benecki’s hands;

1. Prior to the Olympics – impossible as all swimmers had to be in the US holding camp

2. Olympic Trials – would have meant being away from home for 3 months including camp, trials, holding camp and Olympic Games – didn’t fancy telling KZ this

3. Mid May/Early June Schedule was dictated to him and therefore had no option, as opposed to the other way around which it had been on the previous year.


• May/June 2007 adjusting to high altitude – 4 – 5 days – short time to recover

between sessions • May/June 2008 adjusting to high altitude – 8+ days and longer to recover

between intensive sessions Overall In Benecki’s view Kate learnt more from this season than any other. Note: Coach Benecki has a full time job in customs, married and has three children. He does not rely on the money generated from the swimming club he founded.


17. SID CASSIDAY – OPEN WATER HITS THE BIG TIME Open Water representative Sid Cassiday presented a history of Open Water and described the Open Water events from Beijing from a USA perspective

• Should change the name from “Open Water” to Marathon Swimming • Qualification standard set by FINA with the objective of having as many

nations swimming at the Olympic Games as possible • US – 1 male and 1 female qualifier • Few countries with more than 1 swimmer in each event • Swimmers started from a pontoon for the first time diving in – mainly for the

media and spectators giving good profile to the sport • Holding the event in the rowing/canoeing lake, in front of the stands provided

excellent coverage for TV • Instead of using marker pen swimmers numbers were “tattooed”. Some male

swimmers shaved heads and had the numbers on their heads instead of wearing caps.

• Elite level Open Water swimmers will transfer from the pool and come from normal swimming clubs

• 15 World Cup races to be held next season – none in the UK


18. VERN GAMBETTA Vern Gambetta talked about the principles that he believes are essential to the physical development of swimmers over the long term. He also urged coaches to look at todays 12 – 14 year olds who would be the target swimmers for the Olympics in 2012. Coach Gambetta also acknowledged the lack of physical activity and current culture of youngsters in the States today.

• Gambetta believes that coaches must eradicate physical deficiencies before they reach elite level. He asked how many coaches do “stuff” and suggested that this was what most coaches do without thinking of what, when, how, who, why.

• He believes it’s a lot more effective to do far less stuff – “go in with a rifle

rather than a shot gun!”

• Must take in to account swimmer, stroke and distance.

• Acknowledged as always that there is more than 1 way to get the desired result, but if you get to a dead end in your thinking then which way then?

• Never forget the bigger picture and what the overall goal is. Anything on dry

land is to make better swimmers and to have them swim faster in the long run and not just to make the swimmer a stronger person

• Always be aware of the “human element” – smarter than a computer

• Land programme must be based on true principles.

Goal of developing Short Axis Aim is to create a body that is more adaptable in the water. We know what a swimming body looks like at an elite level and we must develop the best swimming athlete possible. Consider:

• Pulsing strokes with simultaneous arm/leg movements • Major decelerations within stroke cycles • Recruitment of muscle patterns and synergies and how to stimulate • Linkages and connections – toes to finger tips • Flexsion, extension and undulation


Training Components:

• Relationship between each of the components. • All components must be trained during all phases of the year. • Speed, Strength, flexibility, endurance at all times - %’s change through the

season • “All strength training doesn’t have to be in the weight room” • Full spectrum training – multiple planes/joints and full range of motion. • Must be demanding, building the simmer from the inside out.

Linkage

• Core development essential because it provides the stiffness of the system (rigidity) and is the “ultimate relay centre” allowing positioning of the limbs more effectively

Exercise Postures – prone/supine/standing/moving

• Crawling and climbing – crawling before you swim linking levers through core • Pyramid Push Up – push up then pyramid • Pommels • Pulling combinations – DB High Pull, DB Snatch, Squat to press, Lunge to

Press Upper

• Elbow to elbow – strengthen the lats then link the lats • Use – stretch cord, dumbbells, Rings, jungle gym, rope climb, vasa trainer

Legs

• Single leg squats, squats, lateral lunges, lateral step ups Recoverability

• Affected by gender – more work through recovery from the females • Leep the thread going through to the taper

The Plan

• Functionally Strong • Functionally Fast • Functionally Fit • Get Specific • Stress to stress together

Land 6 days a week plus core every day VB wants bodies that are adaptable rather than those that are simply adapted


19. JEFF PEARSON – HEAD COACH, SIENNA MARLINS JP used his presentation to expand on the principles behind the training of his club.

• Multi stroke approach essential in the developing swimmer • Club is a developmental programme that teaches the fundamentals –

proficiency in 400 Free, 400 IM. Sets swimmers up to move to the shorter events later

• Swimmers need to be well rounded – train on all four strokes with sprint, middle and distance included

“Only way to swim fast is to swim fast”. Training

• Volume v Intensity – JP believes in both but if there is any doubt lean on the side of intensity

“What is done is not as important as how”

• Workload (intensity over time) is better than volume • Create a hard work culture within the group • Workouts need to be set to hold a swimmers attention

Try to set up training sessions with;

1. Specific Goals • Goals for each session will provide motivation in each session • Goals set for training but move away from this practice as you get close to

competition – “the horses are in the barn” • Use pace charts, target times, tempo trainers for speed work, race pace

times etc • Use specific pace rather than percentages • 1:1 work rest ratio extremely important for youth swimmers

2. Competitive Aims

• Teach swimmers to compete with their team-mates rather than against. • Organise training to maximise competition within the group (swimmers

moved around). • Encourage team scoring.

3. Consequences, Accountability and Reward

• Logbooks (checked in the early days). • Commitment partners – goals and commitment cards. • Vocalise to swimmers after training – they talk! • Kick every practice – 2 big sets per week – all hard in one way or another


Use benchmark sets for example;

• Steak Dinner – 20 x 400 free on 5.00 (long) – anybody who makes it gets taken for a steak dinner

30 x 100 on 1.40/30/20 (yds) Boys 1500 pace, girls 800 pace 20 x 100 – 5 on each stroke on 2.00 get average time per 5

• Going in to competition JE finishes with an aerobic cycle so you don’t have to rest them much

• Preparation for peak performance not Taper Land

• Dry land development is essential • Games/Ball games a must in land – balance, coordination – work hard and

compete • Dry land – pre workout routine essential – med ball, injury prevention and

skipping. Post swim routine essential – stability, core, technique on weights Coaching Science v Intuition – JP used to be the former but over the years and the gaining of experience he is now more towards the intuition side. Can’t have intuition without experience. Presentation 2 Coach Pearson used the second presentation to develop his thoughts on how best to develop a team ethic. Benefits of a team environment

• Accountability • Support • Swimmer Retention – 30 Team mates have the ability to see more than 1 coach – Peer pressure – kids will do more for others than for themselves – Developing a genuine interest in others and an environment where swimmers

learn to think about their team-mates – Kids within a team have more fun – Genuine support at meets

Team Building Practical

• Set the team goals on multiple levels, defining success in terms of the group and not just the individual. Individual goals should always link in to the team goals.

• Give older swimmers more say for better buy in


• Hire employees that buy in to the team concept • Coaches need to protect the team environment showing consistency at all

levels and communicating agreed messages • Reward the best team players rather than the best individuals • Committee must support the team environment and direction and

responsibility to teach the parents • Foster productive rivalries (internal and external) but remain respectful at all

times • Establish standards of membership, making prestigious – champions wont be

proud of something that everybody can achieve • Team uniform – keep it simple (coaches wear at training) • Use meets as an opportunity to develop the team concept • Recognise relay results • Recognise team results more than individual results • Travel together as a team • Adopt team captains providing additional leadership when coaches not around

Develop Good Team-mates

• Accountability without conflict – consider commitment buddies • Reward good team behaviour – swimmer of the month • Do not tolerate behaviour destructive to the team • Establish teams within the team – teach in smaller groups

Develop Team Training Ethic

• Frequent team/group meetings • Resist the need to control every meeting, asking questions and giving

responsibility • Adopt team challenge sets • Mixed practices • Gender specifics • Team challenges


20. MARK ONSTOTT – SWIMMING AND THE ART OF WAR Mark Onstott is a head coach and an advocate of using ancient Chinese military strategy to develop the team. Sun Tzu (Mater Sun) was developed between 544 BC and 496 BC and is considered the definitive work of military strategy. The strategy is used in modern times within business/sport and leadership contexts 4 Areas Relate directly to coaching high school swimming. Team Building Swimming is a team sport with the individual compon ent:

• The team buys in to the overall direction and goals, moving as one. More effective than moving as individuals

• In coaching use the philosophy of coaching the worst swimmer as the best – as a coach you are only as good as your worst swimmer

Core Beliefs

• Potential - everyone is capable of high achievements • Big Picture – the TEAM is the big picture • Niche – every swimmer has a role to play. “The goal is more important than

the role” • Adversity – we will find a way of making a way

o Treat the swimmers all the same o We are all in this together o Moral victories as well as touchable victories o Win battles and share all victories

o Expectations – clear understanding of what is expected o Routine – Teach the routine and know what’s going on o Be Fluid – split practices, add mornings, increase practices over winter

break o Clear concise directions

Leadership

� Pre Meet (coaches and captains) � Your pain is my pain � Roller coaster ride together � Hour of power – swimmers take the lead � Mental toughness Tuesday


Meet Strategy

� Be there early � Know who you are racing against � Know strengths an weaknesses of your swimmers and your opponents � Tell swimmers what happened and what it means


21. MARK SCHUBERT – US NATIONAL COACH – THE 2008 OL YMPIC TEAM REPORT Coach Schubert opened his address by stating that the “whole sport had something to be proud of” adding that the sport was well and truly on the map. Why were the games so fast?

• Chinese organisation and support was first class • Food, finals (timing), pollution were all non issues • Facility, village and venue (and 3m depth) all superb and now sets the

standard • Swimmers and coaches would turn up knowing that they were going to

succeed • The rest of the world is not catching up with the US – they were just good and

always were • Technique has improved around the world and coaches are doing the smaller

things better • The “suit” made a big difference but not at the expense of the swimmers who

swam amazingly The Michael Phelps/Bob Phenomenon

• Privileged to be there. People knew that it was possible but didn’t say it. • MP/BB planned, visualised and practiced – first in Athens, then in Melbourne

(World Champs) and then executed. • Mentally MP coped fantastically and could switch mentally from race, to

presentation and back again • The relay teams that were involved played a massive part – all the team

members felt part of it and knew that they were contributing to something special and being part of history and the pride of USA.

• 4 x 100 Free relay exemplified this – no one knows how Jason Lezak swam the last 100. After not achieving what he felt he should have achieved at Sydney and Athens – he found a way. In Coach Schubert’s opinion this was the best swim he has ever seen.

• Men’s 100 fly was an example of how it takes 61/2 lbs of pressure to turn the clock off as opposed to touching the pad.

• The joy on MP’s face said it all and is the type of hero the US needs – modest and classy who wants to put back in to the sport of swimming.

Individual Swimmers

• MS felt that overall most of the successful swimmers on the US team were self reliant. Coaches need to train their athletes to be able to look after themselves in various situations. Swimmers have to learn to be able to perform whether their coach is there or not.

• Katie Hoff – heavy expectation but left the Games feeling happy – won medals and swam best times.


• Darra Torres – “when I make the team” attitude. DT has never been out of shape in her life. Flawless technique and a huge support to others on the team

• Natalie Coughlin – now achieved 11 medals in eleven events over two Olympics – massive achievement that has perhaps not been picked up on.

• US Basketball team members sat with the team on two occasions making the swimmers realise that they were at that level

• President Bush spent 45 mins with the team – chat, photos and autographs • Coaches have to be great at coaching other peoples swimmers

Strengths

• TEAM – caring about each other – it’s about more than the individual and why they are so successful.

• No substitute for experience – need to be “de-sensitised” to high pressure situations

• Competition – those that didn’t shy away were successful • Expectation – expect to win, if not now then soon • Great Coaching – years in the making, trust in the coach developing a routine

– swimmer can do it whether the coach is there or not Weaknesses

• Swimmers have to learn to swim at the highest level – Heats, Semis, Finals • Don’t let great times “psych” you out – “It’s about racing” • Professional approach needed at all times • Balance, rest and social required (balance) – swimmers as people

London

• For swimming not to lose it must be better – not the same • US must develop more depth and become deeper on relay events • Coach Schuber

Documents

AMERICAN SWIMMING COACHES ASSOCIATION (ASCA) “WORLD … · 2013. 12. 12. · (asca) “world clinic” conference 2008 report by: ally whike – performance director, scottish swimmin