Earlier this year I was asked to write a paper and prepare a presentation on the topic of my choice for the 2003 New Zealand Swim Coaches and Teachers Conference. After changing my mind several times, I finally settled on a subject that is not so much a strength of my swimming programme, but what I perceive to be a current weakness in clubs throughout the country. This composition will offer my observations, philosophies and suggestions regarding the importance of developing strong senior swimming programmes and retaining our talented seniors at a club level. I am convinced that if we can lift the level of quality and size of the senior swimming programmes around New Zealand, we will create far better competition at our National Open Championships and directly improve our standard of swimming in the international arena. Why is it that year after year, New Zealand swimmers are competitive at the Australian Age Championships, but in general fail to bring home medals at Australian Open Championship level? This is indicative of problems in our system, four factors of which we need to address. - The number of senior swimmers competing
- Consistent top-level competition
- Financial rewards and assistance for older swimmers and their coaches
- Appropriate training space and facilities
These four factors are like stepping-stones. We must increase the number of senior swimmers competing in NZ so that we can create genuine top-level competition, thus earning our right to more financial rewards and assistance, which will facilitate the development of better training facilities. If we ignore one of these factors, the others will remain problematic. This paper will focus on the first factor, our senior swimming programmes. Programme Philosophy
“A team that kicks together sticks together!” To build a successful senior programme, it is essential that the coach make it clear to all parties involved – swimmers, coaches, parents, and club committee – of his/her intention to do so. The coach must be the captain of the ship, and anyone not onboard is a dragging anchor. The coach must have a dream, confident that proper planning, perseverance and hard work are all that stand between the team and the dream. The senior squad is the jewel of my swimming programme. All other squads are designed as ‘feeder’ programmes to enable a flow of well-drilled swimmers to progress through the programme with the goal of making the cut and graduating to the top squad. Within all development squads there are ‘diamonds in the rough’. These children must be identified and constantly nurtured and encouraged, so that the transition to the senior programme is smooth, both mentally and physically. Entry to the senior squad should be through selection alone. No one should join the top squad unless they have the appropriate attitude and technical expertise. Not every swimmer has the desire to reach the top level in swimming, and these swimmers should be catered for at a lower level or fitness squad. Clubs with smaller/younger programmes can create an ‘elite squad’ as part of their top training group. Even a different group title and a little more training and competition can be enough to add an aura of prestige to this ‘elite’ group. If structured and promoted properly the top squad will spearhead your entire programme and create an environment in which your swimmers feed off each other’s competitive nature and common aspirations. In addition to the objectives of the top squad itself, the exclusivity of this group will also serve as a dangling carrot to the rest of the swimmers in the programme. “Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will.” -George Bernard Shaw Competitive Philosophy There is a great deal of emphasis placed on age-group swimming in New Zealand. While age group swimming is vital to the development of swimmers, it is a means to an end, not the ultimate goal. NAGS, Division II and Junior Nationals are the pinnacles of the year’s work for the younger swimmers, but these meets should be viewed as developmental competitions designed to channel swimmers to the Open level. Perspective must be kept when viewing the importance of age group swimming. While some swimmers will be stars from an early age through to adulthood, others develop slowly. For example, Dean Kent did not receive medals at NAGS until his senior years, and Jon Winter never competed at the age champs. Conversely, many other age group swimmers peak early and fade away because of over-training or other factors. Unfortunately, Open Nationals does not seem to draw the energy and excitement it deserves compared to the hype of the age-group meets. If swimming is going to win wider public support, it will only do so at Open National level, where the competitors go on to face our Olympic and Commonwealth foes. Media interest is also concentrated at National level, and public interest follows the media. Focusing on competition at Open National level is the only way to command respect and secure funding from the powers that be. Improved competition at this level will create heroes for our age-groupers to model and promote competitive swimming for the hundreds of learn to swim programmes around the country. Training Philosophy Clubs with successful senior programmes utilize the progressive training formula that is required to keep a swimmer for 10-20 years. Many of the top American clubs have mastered the art of long-term swimmer retention. They all seem to follow a structure of progressive training attendance. Curl Burke Swim Club (four Olympic gold, 11 world records) - Junior team (8 yrs & under) trains 2-3 times per week
- Intermediate team (9 -12 yrs) trains 3-5 times per week
- Senior team (13 yrs & over) trains 8 or more times per week
Santa Clara Swim club (33 Olympic gold) - Age Group (6 -10 yrs) trains 3 times per week
- Age Group (11-13 yrs) trains 5 times per week
- Senior (13 yrs & over) trains 6-10 times per week
Mission Viejo Nadadores (12 Olympic gold, 22 world records) - 15 different groups progressively structured from 2 – 10 sessions per week
There is a natural training progression each swimmer must take. This progression is relative to technique and maturity, and should be carefully assessed by the coach. Considering the human brain does not reach adult bulk until the age of 17, it is important to remember that young swimmers are developing slowly and physical maturity is still a long way off. A swimmer’s formative years are important because the molecular-cellular machinery within the body develops to create the correct long-term neuromuscular connections, which will allow the athlete to swim efficiently and with force, while creating minimal drag. This is the time to focus on proper technique, on quality over quantity. Repetition of correct movement creates good technical habits, and when adult power is eventually added, the body can realise peak speed in the water In ‘The Human Mind Explained’ by Susan Greenfield, the author provides an interesting explanation of the physiological learning process in young people. “Play is fun with serious consequences. As a youngster tries to put a puzzle together, fails, tries again, and finally succeeds, millions of nerve signals flash around the nervous system. For the synapses it is a case of “use it or lose it”. Well-used connections encourage further development and sophistication in that particular part of the network. Seldom used links soon fade. This ‘wiring-up’ involves great competition and natural selection at the cellular level, as some neurons succeed while others fail and die”. Considering this, over-training our age groupers during these crucial years is a risky prospect. Too much fatigue over time can encourage the swimmer to subconsciencly practise the path of least resistance with their propulsive forces, thus reinforcing subtle loss of technique, and their feel of power and speed in the water. The young swimmer becomes incorrectly wired for a long-term swimming career. In the right doses, hard work is essential in the development of our age group swimmers. It creates the stimulus to meet the training challenges necessary to strengthen the swimmer, and to mimic and prepare for competition. It also teaches the swimmer to extend himself physically and mentally. But over the last 15 years of coaching I have witnessed many programmes that train 10 -12 year olds as if they were in a senior programme. In one particular case, the programme’s age group results were indeed phenomenal, with almost every swimmer holding at least one NZ Record. However, eight years later, only one of the swimmers from this age group programme is still competing. This example is indicative of a wider tendency in NZ to over-train talented age groupers for great results, only to see them burn out early. We then find ourselves bereft of adult swimmers able to win nationally and internationally. The ‘Three T’s’ of age group swimming are technique, technique, and technique. Age group programmes should be technically developed with a slow and even progression of work as the swimmer matures. My programme has produced several ‘under 13 yrs’ National gold medallists and record holders who have succeeded doing 3-4 sessions per week. Isn’t the goal of competitive swimming to get to the top, to challenge at the highest level? What is the point of having good age-group swimmers but poor numbers of competitive national and international swimmers? Age Group swimming is a stepping-stone to the ultimate goal of elite swimming. Learning to Swim “We learn five percent of what we read, 15 percent of what we hear, and 80 percent of what we experience.” - Gordon Drydon The Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology defines learning as “the process responsible for relatively permanent changes in behaviour that result from experience or practice”. Our swimmers, even senior competitors, are always learning to swim. A good coach is a learn-to-swim instructor that applies progressively advanced physiological and psychological training principles as the swimmer becomes ready for each stage. Humans have an inherent hunger to learn and the more information you can provide in a fun and interesting way, the more stimulating training will become. For senior swimmers, fun and interesting practise can make long, strenuous training session seem easier, and at the same time enhance the swimmer’s love for the sport. Steve Ovett recently said that “I didn’t plan to be a great athlete, I loved to run and running was enjoyable for me, so it was never a chore or an effort to compete.” Good athletes need to be somewhat masochistic in nature. Stimulation and enjoyment can be gained from tough physiological challenges. Train your senior swimmers hard; give them challenges; keep variety in the sessions, such as over-distance one day, short interval the next; keep them guessing but provide the answers. Above all, cultivate an overriding work ethic and ethos of discipline. Make certain the swimmers always connect the purpose of hard training with the preparation for fast racing. “You don’t go in hoping you’re going to do well, you go in knowing how well you’re going to do.” -Rob Wadell Plateaus and Rewards The continuous quest for speed is a real challenge for the senior swimmer. As an age grouper grows and develops in physical strength, great strides of speed can be seen in the pool, especially around puberty. Increased speed becomes more difficult to attain once the swimmer has matured and the growing process is complete; female swimmers in particular may now have to spend years building strength to overcome the extra drag that women’s developed bodies create in comparison to the leaner frame of their prepubescent years. It is at this time that many swimmers of both genders find the rewards don’t justify the amount of work required in the pool, and drop out of competitive swimming. Focus on correct training and appropriate diet becomes essential in keeping the athlete fit and lean, with an emphasis on increased strength and stamina. A good dry-land programme is one way to address this issue, at the same time adding variety to the training process. Another method involves following an appropriate structure of periodisation recovery-based training that allows the body time to recover between periods of intensive work, building correctly over the season. “If you improve every time you swim, you will eventually finish the race before you start.” - Lincoln Hurring This typically sarcastic humour from my dad highlights the importance of realising that plateaus are inevitable in the senior swimmer’s career, and that the swimmer understands why they may not be performing personal bests all the time. Following a training system that prepares them for peak performances once or twice a year is recommended, and often the importance of the goal competition will dictate improvement. For example, Olympians often won’t fully peak again until the next Olympics. The coach of a successful senior programme must be able to instill long-term motivation in swimmers who may not be performing their best. This can be very difficult, but is crucial in order to retain swimmers and maintain a winning programme. I have worked with seniors who have plateauxed for four years, only to spend the next four improving again. Swimmers who regularly improve will find great personal rewards and self-satisfaction in swimming, and usually require little outside motivation. But those swimmers who are not improving will need additional motivation, and to find other rewards for their training effort. Such rewards may include the excitement of an impending competition, the social camaraderie with a strong group of like-minded athletes, the long-term imagination and desire that it will happen for them one day, the benefits and discipline that competitive sport offers, finding improvement in other strokes and distances, the knowledge that their coach believes in them, or even the benefits of health and fitness the sport supplies. One-on-one motivation sessions between the coach and swimmer are vital during a plateau period, utilising whatever methods work well for each individual. This may require a process of trial and error, to find a technique that works for each swimmer, but the benefits of keeping that swimmer in the programme are well worth the effort. Respect and Communication The coach needs to be a pillar of strength, trust and confidence that all swimmers can approach with ease. Respect is a two-way street, and while it is important for the coach to command the respect of his/her swimmers, it is also important for the coach to show respect to the swimmers for their discipline, hard work and talent. Don’t be afraid to show your emotions or passion for the sport, but maintain discipline at all times and foster a compassionate attitude. Simple things like saying ‘hello’ to each swimmer as they enter the pool deck can foster respect, and discussing aspects of their outside lives and interests will help maintain the connection between swimmer and coach. Avoid becoming overly familiar with individual swimmers, as familiarity can breed contempt. It is an old adage, but true respect is earned and not given, and a coach must work to develop the mana necessary to control the squads, particularly a senior programme. Working with young adults can be tricky at times, as they are often pushing their behavioural boundaries and questioning authority. It is essential to deal with any situations that arise quickly, calmly and rationally. Avoid getting sucked into angry situations or resentful behaviour. Encourage communication by having regular team and individual meetings, and feedback regarding training. Learning to read behaviour through body language is important. Often swimmers are tired and irritable, and have pent-up issues that if not discussed will fester and implode/explode. Assess parents in the same way. If you sense a problem, address it immediately and openly. Respect and communication are the cornerstones to emotional harmony in a successful senior programme. Age Comparison As a matter of interest, I compiled a comparison of the average ages of the top ten long course world ranking swimmers of 2002 with our own top ten Open National finalist from 2003 (attached as ‘Average Age Comparisons’ sheet). As I suspected, the average age of the world’s top ten is 3-4 years older than our National finalists. 3-4 years is a significant period of time in terms of developing strength and speed in the pool, and highlights the fact that our top swimmers are not staying in the sport long enough to reach their peak potential. Conclusion The key to developing and maintaining a successful senior programme is to retain your talented age group swimmers through to adulthood, when they will reach their maximum potential, and keep your young adults enthusiastic for swimming by utilising effective coaching techniques. This balancing act can be achieved through planning and following this six-step formula: - Make the top squad the focus of your swimming programme
- Keep the importance of age group swimming in perspective
- Ensure your training regime is age appropriate to avoid over-training young swimmers and early burnout at age group level
- Avoid staleness in your senior programme by implementing different techniques to keep training as fun and interesting as possible
- Keep you senior swimmers motivated and rewarded through inevitable plateau periods
- Foster mutual respect and communication in your squads to keep your programme emotionally healthy
If all the swimming clubs in New Zealand lift their game and improve their senior programmes, our sport will experience a renaissance of success and an infusion of exciting talent to see us winning again on the world stage. AVERAGE AGE COMPARISONS Comparisons of the average age of competitors between the 2002 top ten long course world rankings and the top ten finalists of the 2003 NZ Open National Championships. Top Ten Males (most events), Overall Average - 2002 LC World rankings: 23.91 yrs
- 2003 NZ Open Nationals: 19.14 yrs
Top Ten Females (most events), Overall Average - 2002 LC World rankings: 23.02 yrs
- 2003 NZ Open Nationals: 17.56 yrs
AVERAGE BY EVENT | Top Ten Males | Event | 2002 LC Ranking | 2003 NZ Open Nationals | 50 Free | 26.9 yrs | 19.5 yrs | 100 Free | 26.2 yrs | 20.2 yrs | 200 Free | 23.4 yrs | 19.7 yrs | 400 Free | 23.5 yrs | 18.3 yrs | 1500 Free | 21.2 yrs | 18.7 yrs | 100 Fly | 24.7 yrs | 18.9 yrs | 100 Back | 23.6 yrs | 18.2 yrs | 100 Breast | 22.9 yrs | 19.9 yrs | 200 IM | 22.8 yrs | 18.9 yrs | Top Ten Females | 50 Free | 25.8 yrs | 19.6 yrs | 100 Free | 24.7 yrs | 18.8 yrs | 200 Free | 22.9 yrs | 19 yrs | 400 Free | 21.9 yrs | 17.1 yrs | 800 Free | 20.7 yrs | 16.4 yrs | 100 Fly | 24.2 yrs | 18 yrs | 100 Back | 25.1 yrs | 18.5 yrs | 100 Breast | 20.2 yrs | 14.9 yrs | 200 IM | 21.7 yrs | 16.7 yrs | | | |
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