So, with my team I scheduled a break of meets for 7 weeks. We had a flurry of meets in January and February and we finished off very well at our Coastal Champs Meet.
I looked at my group and saw a whole new group of kids moving up that needed some big stroke work, and my returning swimmers had some body position and pulling work that needed to be addressed. Instead of waiting for August and September when I normally have the long break before a meet. I planned one to begin the LC season.
1st general stroke work; 2nd I worked primarily body position; 3rd was an emphasis on pulling and sculling; finishing off with kick work which also began some aerobic conditioning.
Now we are into training. The yardage and intensity pumped up. Over 4000 on day one followed by a butterfly workout on day two. Already pushed the fastest interval for the group (100 free on 1:20), and those were at the end of the 2800 yard main set.
Still need stroke work, but it will be intertwined throughout the workouts of training now. Like today's butterfly workout had about 600 yards of drill and 400 yards of dolphin motion with fins.
It has been fun to see who the next kids who are going to step forward to be the top of the group. Some surprises already. These are the ones I'll look to see breakout seasons from. These are the swimmers who have now bought into the idea that it is work ethic that will make them better. This will set the groundwork for their success after my group. I allow the swimmers to make this choice, and I just guide them to that understanding. It is best when it is not pushed upon them by those outside of themselves.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Caring as a Coach
It is vital that coach cares about their athletes and how they do. Most coaches are good coaches because they do care. That is normally where it begins and then they develop from that basic foundation.
I have been doing this for awhile now. Not as long as many out there, but 12 years as a club coach and in my 10th season as a high school swim coach. As a young coach I cared so much, almost too much. I learned a lot from these years I cared so much. One of the biggest thing was what works and what just ends with conflict and not so good results.
I figured out that if a coach cares more than the athlete about their performance, it doesn't work out. If a parent cares more about the swimmers performance than the athlete, then it doesn't work out.
Young swimmers want to please their parents and coaches, so this method does work for young swimmers. Many young swimmers don't understand, so it is hard to know what to care about. They look to parents and coaches to what they should care about.
The older swimmer though is where the problems arise. A swimmer must care more than the coach and parent about performance. They must also care more about their practice than their coach and parent. The second of the two is the harder one, and it mainly stems from parent and coach teaching the athlete when young that practice is important. Problems and conflict will come up in the swimmers relationship with parent and coach if they care more than the athlete.
As a coach, I have seen many young coaches go into high school coaching very enthusiastic and full of desire to make their swimmers fast. I've have so many burn out, as they are always at conflict with trying to get their high school swimmer to care more about their practice and performance, and to have their care be as much as their own. A few years, and then they are done, or at least need a break. I made it past these years with some experiences that made me realize the flaw in caring more than the athlete. It keeps you up at night saying, "if only."
After a few experiences, I began to concentrate on the athletes that I had more control of their improvement. Unfortunately, it wasn't always the kids you wanted it to be, but when I put my concentration on those who showed up and put forth the effort you asked of them, it became much more enjoyable. It began to spread. More kids would give their time and effort after I begun this way of looking at coaching. I spent less time trying to motivate the ones I had been trying to motivate for years, and concentrated on the ones who were looking to be motivated. I was able to recognize the ones who were looking for motivation, even without asking for it. I also began to notice the ones that fought against the motivation, and where not there to be athletes, but there to be participants.
My belief is if the athlete cares more about their practice and performance than their coach and parent, then there is more success for the athlete. This doesn't mean that the coach and parent don't care, but that they don't care over and above the older athlete.
I have been doing this for awhile now. Not as long as many out there, but 12 years as a club coach and in my 10th season as a high school swim coach. As a young coach I cared so much, almost too much. I learned a lot from these years I cared so much. One of the biggest thing was what works and what just ends with conflict and not so good results.
I figured out that if a coach cares more than the athlete about their performance, it doesn't work out. If a parent cares more about the swimmers performance than the athlete, then it doesn't work out.
Young swimmers want to please their parents and coaches, so this method does work for young swimmers. Many young swimmers don't understand, so it is hard to know what to care about. They look to parents and coaches to what they should care about.
The older swimmer though is where the problems arise. A swimmer must care more than the coach and parent about performance. They must also care more about their practice than their coach and parent. The second of the two is the harder one, and it mainly stems from parent and coach teaching the athlete when young that practice is important. Problems and conflict will come up in the swimmers relationship with parent and coach if they care more than the athlete.
As a coach, I have seen many young coaches go into high school coaching very enthusiastic and full of desire to make their swimmers fast. I've have so many burn out, as they are always at conflict with trying to get their high school swimmer to care more about their practice and performance, and to have their care be as much as their own. A few years, and then they are done, or at least need a break. I made it past these years with some experiences that made me realize the flaw in caring more than the athlete. It keeps you up at night saying, "if only."
After a few experiences, I began to concentrate on the athletes that I had more control of their improvement. Unfortunately, it wasn't always the kids you wanted it to be, but when I put my concentration on those who showed up and put forth the effort you asked of them, it became much more enjoyable. It began to spread. More kids would give their time and effort after I begun this way of looking at coaching. I spent less time trying to motivate the ones I had been trying to motivate for years, and concentrated on the ones who were looking to be motivated. I was able to recognize the ones who were looking for motivation, even without asking for it. I also began to notice the ones that fought against the motivation, and where not there to be athletes, but there to be participants.
My belief is if the athlete cares more about their practice and performance than their coach and parent, then there is more success for the athlete. This doesn't mean that the coach and parent don't care, but that they don't care over and above the older athlete.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Doggy paddle
So now we are on to working the pull. Of course we get some good sculling in, but also like to do some dog paddle.
Head up with freestyle kick. The hands go in a digging motion. I have them try to not move their elbows and dig their hands below the elbow.
This motion helps with creating the EVF (early vertical forearm). Many times the swimmers have a hard time with pressing the hand down to create the EVF and they have some fun with the doggy paddle idea.
This goes right into some freestyle where they now extend and then try to recreate the press they did on the doggy paddle.
Head up with freestyle kick. The hands go in a digging motion. I have them try to not move their elbows and dig their hands below the elbow.
This motion helps with creating the EVF (early vertical forearm). Many times the swimmers have a hard time with pressing the hand down to create the EVF and they have some fun with the doggy paddle idea.
This goes right into some freestyle where they now extend and then try to recreate the press they did on the doggy paddle.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Beginning with body position
The Long Course Season begins. I have roughly 7 weeks before first meet, so I begin with the basics again. I used this week to do stroke work with most of it referring to body position.
Floating began this work. Trying to get the kids learn to lean forward onto their lungs. It is difficult to do for most, but I give them time to just play with it. They feel the sensation of trying to tip that body downward.
The next thing is being aware of where the hips are during the strokes. I repeat myself a lot, and most understand the idea that we always want the hips to be at the service. We do drills and swimming with paying attention to where the hips are in the stroke. I try to point typical spots where swimmers push their hips down, or let their guard down and allow an arched back lead to lower hips.
Finished the week with some long aerobic swims, but finished again with the focus being keeping the hips on the surface. It's nice that this year I planned a longer break before the 1st LC meet as I can focus on early season stuff rather than developing speed. One more week of pure stroke development concentrating on pulling, and then back to the work. I am looking forward to this Long Course Season with the new season design.
Floating began this work. Trying to get the kids learn to lean forward onto their lungs. It is difficult to do for most, but I give them time to just play with it. They feel the sensation of trying to tip that body downward.
The next thing is being aware of where the hips are during the strokes. I repeat myself a lot, and most understand the idea that we always want the hips to be at the service. We do drills and swimming with paying attention to where the hips are in the stroke. I try to point typical spots where swimmers push their hips down, or let their guard down and allow an arched back lead to lower hips.
Finished the week with some long aerobic swims, but finished again with the focus being keeping the hips on the surface. It's nice that this year I planned a longer break before the 1st LC meet as I can focus on early season stuff rather than developing speed. One more week of pure stroke development concentrating on pulling, and then back to the work. I am looking forward to this Long Course Season with the new season design.
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