WSCAWSCA Vol 05 Issue 1 WORLD SWIMMING COACHES ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER of the World Swimming Coaches Association phone 954.563.4930 fax 954.563.9813 WSCA Board Meeting To Be Held at Gold Medal Clinic! The WSCA Board of Directors will meet during the WSCA Gold Medal Clinic in Acapulco, Mexico, August 17-20, and not at the World Champs in Montreal. Specific dates and times will be emailed to the Board by June, 2005. Representatives of all nations will be welcome to attend the Board Meeting, with or without a vote on the Board. The WSCA will hold an informational and discussion meeting in Montreal on July 21, Thursday, in the evening. Location to be emailed to the membership as soon as decided. Please plan to attend, Anyone may attend this meeting. The 4th Gold Medal Swim Coaches Clinic! Acapulco, Mexico August 17-20, 2005 See page 10 for more details and registration info. American Swimming Coaches Association World Clinic September 5-11, 2005 , Fort Lauderdale ,FL Australian Swimming Coaches Association World Clinic April 27 - May 1, 2005, Australia World Swimming Coaches Association Board Meeting - August, 2005, Mexico International Schedule An Increasing Problem By John Leonard It has become clear that the present plan in Indy, or will skip the World Long Course of a short course world championship in the in Montreal, or have skipped both. With this same year as the Olympic Games, with only in mind, I wrote a letter to FINA President 12 months between the O. Games and the Mustapha Larfaoui on Jan. 20, respectfully Long Course World Championships, is not in requesting a review of the FINA Champion- the perceived best interests of an increasing ships calendar, and proposing the following number of the world’s best swimmers, who schedule instead, beginning in 2009. either chose to miss World Short Course Year One 2008- The Olympic Games - Summer (northern hemisphere) Year Two 2009 - World Short Course Champs, April, 2009 (nine months after O. Games.) Year Three 2010 - World Long Course Champs. July, 2010 (15 months after W. Short Course.) Year Four 2011 - World Short Course Champs, April, 2011 (9 months after W. Long Course.) Year Five 2012 - Olympic Games - Summer (15 months after W. Short Course.) This schedule retains one major world swim- In a survey of 358 WSCA Members in 38 ming event every year, thereby retaining nations around the world, with over 200 focus on our sport. It allows 9 months from coaches responding, every single response long course to short course champs, and was positive towards the change. 15 months from short course champs to Long Course Champs. These intervals al- Clearly the changes necessary to the FINA low adequate recovery, rest, regeneration Calendar will be a major discussion point and proper preparation for world record for WSCA meetings in 2005. It is vital that performances in each meet, and will more coaches forward their views on the schedule likely attract the full field of the world’s best as it currently exists and as proposed here, swimmers to each RNA Championship. to the FINA Coaches Commission, via their federations. Thank you for considering these ideas. - John Leonard 2 The following two articles from 1999 at the ASCA World Clinic are outlines of great presentations by Dennis Pursley and Chuck Warner, about running a world class program and the history of one of the greatest distance swimming events of all time. A Program Designed to Produce Swimming Excellence - What Does It Look Like? Dennis Pursley - 9/10/99 Mr. Pursley says that he agreed to do this E. Unconditional support. talk because the U.S is not getting to the a. Support the coach and athletes next level in swimming. even if you don’t agree as long as it’s for the good of the team. I. Program Essentials b. Support with enthusiasm! A. Philosophy, goals, priorities that give III. Delineate roles for Coach, parents, direction to the program and justify and swimmers. all programming decisions. A. Parental contribution- relieve coach B. Delineate the roles of the Head of hands-on responsibilities of the Coach who must have final authority. administrative JUNK. C. Program policy, structure for B. Program Description commitment. 1. Handbooks. D. Dedicated and competent staff- of 2. Semi-Annual information bulletin. good character, loyalty, compatibility 3. Team pledge, goals, etc. and enthusiasm. 4. Stroke descriptions. II.Program philosophy, goals and pri- 5. Nutrition information. orities - the direction. 6. Records. A. Philosophy is the foundation of 7. Responsibilities of parent the program. committees. B. Team goals 8. Coach must educate and direct 1. Goals for all involved in the parents. program. IV. Team Policies 2. Character development should be A. Awards presentations. the # 1 priority of the team. B. Dress Code. 3. Mental toughness in and of itself C. Punctuality. will provide maximum potential in D. Behavior expectations. competitive swimming. V. Training Program 4. Focus on character to attain A. Training program structure. performance goals. 1. Top down planning progress. C. Priorities 2. Describe the highest level 1. Character development. possible. 2. Short term goals. 3. Age Range. 3. Long term goals. 4. Performance standards. 4. FUN. 5. Must re-qualify each year. 5. Do not compromise higher B. Training Standards. priorities for lower ones. 1. Swimmers should be compatible D. Principles of Excellence to create group synergy. 1. Total commitment. 2. Training groups should not be a. Compromise = mediocrity. based on convenient times and 2. Commitment throughout all carpools. levels in specific ways. 4. Creates opportunities for continued on page 4 >>> excellence. 3 C. Details are important. 2) Taper plus a break after that D. Training Guidelines. involved detraining. 1. Legal strokes. 3) Get swimmers back in the 2. Streamline. water a day or two after a big 3. Technique standards. meet, let them train for 2 - 3 4. “Indefinitely suspended” if don’t weeks and then take a break. follow guidelines. 4. Values - hard work, pain, recovery 5. Hold swimmers accountable. period. E. General Training Principles. VI. Goals 1. 100-yard race is different than a A. Guidelines for individual goals. 100-meter race. 1. Not necessary for accomplishment 2. Need lactate tolerance created by if you set the goal to be the best all doing sets that require constant the time. effort throughout. 2. Road map early in the season. 3. Anaerobic threshold. 3. Desire - how important is this to 4. Led astray by the East Germans you? who were getting results from low 4. Determination level of intensity aerobic work. They were commitment, sacrifice, and priority. getting results from steroids. 5. Confidence in accomplishments. 5. The maximum duration for aerobic B. Goal Attainment work is 50 - 120 minutes. 1. Team “Hall of Fame.” 6. If you are a butterflier, do fly. If 2. Mindset - don’t just think about you are a breaststroker, do breast. making the cuts, think about how The human body is capable of doing will you will do at the big meet. anything! 3. Keep control of start and turn a. Mary T. Meagher did a 3000 fly! efficiency, race strategy, and men 7. There is a time and a place for tal toughness. the “take it to the limit” training. 4. NEVER QUIT = absolute cardinal Not on a regular basis. rule! 8. If you have only done a 3,000- 5. If you want to progress, you must yard workout, you are not able to understand that failure is a part of attack larger workouts. the progress that leads to success. 9. Well-placed, over-challenge Learn from failures and respond training. positively. F. Program Structure C. Team Concept 1. Simplified training plan. 1. If you don’t buy into the team 2. Divide the season concept, you are missing out on a a. Prep phase of 6 - 8 weeks. valuable opportunity. b. Endurance phase. 2. Make the swimming experience c. Specialty phase. more rewarding. d. Microcycles within each phase so 3. Tom Jager story of being the swimmers stay fresh. disappointed with his own racing, e. The core of each week stays the yet still giving his best for the same. team by cheering and encouraging f. Build in variety around the core. everyone. His attitude was that 3. Mileage/yardage - have nothing in he was the lucky one because he mind. got to be captain of the best swim a. Plug in the work for each point team in the world! The experience in the week. was more valuable to him because b. Have a plan! of his team. c. Maintenance during breaks 4. The team makes us better people 1) Weight control. and it enhances our performances. 5. Team pledge - be accountable to it! 4 Training with Speed and Pain Chuck Warner. Bobby Hackett, Tim Shaw and Brian Goodell - 9/10/99 I. Background of men’s distance 5. He took his races out fast and tried swimming in America. to hang on. A. History of the 1500 Meter 6. Can still feel the pain and the Freestyle. sensation of fighting through the pain. 1. 1904 - 1996 Progression. 7. He liked the pain. Mr. Hackett said 2. From 1968 - 1972, 50-second that the more that it hurt, the more he improvement in the event thanks to fought through it. Mike Burton. 8. Racing became a mental game. 3. From 1972 - 1976, another 50 9. He worked on technique even in second improvement. Tremendous national level races. He fought through progression. the pain by finishing the race and a. The height of men’s distance staying long. swimming. B. Tim Shaw b. Progress thanks to Bob, Tim 1.