CONTENTS€¦ · fought his way to victory in the 400m Individual Medley earlier in the night. The...

SWIMMING IN AUSTRALIA – May-June 2004

CONTENTS

2004 Telstra Olympic Team Swimming Trials News .................................................................1Convention Congratulations............................21Better build leaders than repair men (Pierre La Fontaine) .........................................................21Leadership – Changing Lives through Better Coaching (Wayne Goldsmith) ...........................25LEARN TO SWIM............................................27

One Banana, Two Banana, Push and Breathe (JonFoss) .................................................................... 27

Freestyle Swimming in 12-year-old Female Athlete ............................................................29Sporting Parents – Support, Smiles & Swimming (Wayne Goldsmith) .........................35A Swimming Teacher’s Pet Hate (Katie Clarke) .36Instructions for new Teachers/Coaches (AlexBory) ...............................................................38Thumb-Thing Special (Allan Kopel) ..................43Thoughts on THE PERFECT RACE (Allan Kopel)44Words of Wisdom (Allan Kopel) ........................45Insurance Corner (Les Beattie).........................46Lethal Leisel (Stephen Thomas) ........................46FINA Aquatics World .....................................48

Aquatic Sports and Diet ....................................... 48A Superior Learning Experience (Bill BennerI........ 51FINA Bureau Meeting (Pedro Adrega) .................... 53After Dubai (Mustapha Larfaoui) ........................... 56FINA Calendar ..................................................... 56

Athletes caught in a Catch-22 (Phillip Whitten) 57Tech Tips .......................................................58

Backstroke Pull (Kevin Milak) ............................... 58Breaststroke (Kevin Milak) .................................... 59

Backstroke to Breaststroke – Crossover or Modified Roll Turn with Pullout (Kevin Milak) ..60Factors Affecting Performance (Greg Cronauer) 62Establishing an Aerobic Base (Michael J. Stott) 64Taper Workouts...............................................66What I have learned about Coaching so far (Mark Schubert) ...............................................67Technique – a pre-req for swimming really fast – a chat with Coach Eddie Reese (Phillip Whitten)73A Lifetime Opportunity (Erik Hamilton) ............74Working Out (David Grilli)................................77Understanding Pain (Steve ThompsonI .............78Who you gonna’ believe? (Phillip Whitten) .........8040 Great Ideas from the 2003 World Clinic (Bill McKeon) ..........................................................81Personal Responsibility Concept of the Week (Jeff Pearson)...................................................82

WSCA Newsletter ...........................................82Characteristics of Success (Dr. Tom Tutko) ............82Stroke Technique Refinements to Maximise Energy Flow (Todd Kemmerling)........................................904-Year Plan for NTTS (Jonty Skinner) ....................92An Interview with Pete Raykovich (George Block) ...93Butterfly Checklist (John Leonard) ........................96The True Meaning of Swimming ...........................97Making the Sale (John Leonard) ............................98

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2004 TELSTRA OLYMPIC TEAM SWIMMING TRIALS

These articles were downloaded from the Australian Swimming Website

Press Contact Ian Hanson, Media Manager – Telstra Dolphins Australian

Swimming Team Phone: (0407) 385160 Email: [email protected]

27th March 2004 – 9:16pm HACKETT & STEVENS SET TO FILL

THORPEDO’S SHOES By David Lyall

In the absence of Ian Thorpe, Olympic 1500m champion Grant Hackett easily won the 400m Freestyle after a controversy-filled opening. Thorpe watched from the stands as Hackett and his own AIS-based club mate Craig Stevens earned the two spots in his pet event on the Australian team for Athens after his disqualification for a false start in this morning’s heats.

After his victory, Hackett expressed his disappointment at Thorpe’s situation. “It’s been a huge shock with Ian,” Hackett said “It’s disappointing for him not to be there tonight and even more disappointing not to be there in Athens.” Hackett’s time of 3.43.35 was 0.84 of a second outside his best but described the swim as solid. “It was a good solid swim. It felt good but I would have liked to go a PB” he said. “I was 0.8 off so that is a little disappointing.” For Stevens, who swam 3.48.08, it will be his first Olympic Games — in an unexpected event. After the event, Stevens still refused to accept he is going to Athens, at least until the team is announced next Saturday. Stevens said, “The team isn’t announced until next week. I’ve put myself in the position to be selected next week, but I’ve got the 200 tomorrow morning, I’ve got the 1500 which is my main event at the end of the week, so that’s pretty much what I’m trying to concentrate on now.” He is favoured to qualify for the second spot behind Hackett in the 1500 metres and now, and with his selection assured, the pressure is off him. On the Thorpe incident, Stevens said, “I’ve had the worst day, non-stop thinking about what happened (to Ian) this morning, I’ve got a

massive headache and I couldn’t sleep at all. My race plan just went out the window tonight. Just non-stop thinking about what happened, I mean, you don’t wish those things on your worst enemy let alone someone who I’ve trained with and learned so much off.” Meanwhile, Newcastle’s Justin Norris became the first swimmer to book a ticket to the Athens Olympics after he fought his way to victory in the 400m Individual Medley earlier in the night.

The Sydney 2000 Olympic medallist swam 4.15.20, holding off a late charge by Perth teenager Travis Nederpelt (4.16.46), on his way to smashing the Commonwealth Record held by Canadian Curtis Myden. Western Australian Adam Lucas bravely led the field from the 150-metre mark to the last turn but Norris stormed past him off the turn while Nederpelt powered into second with 25 metres to go. For Norris it is a return to the sort of form that saw him burst onto the international scene at the Sydney Olympics, winning bronze in the 200m Butterfly and he was extremely happy to already be on the plane to Athens. “It’s great to be the first one, for Travis and me to be the first two guys on the Olympic team,” Norris said. “We both swam ‘A’ (qualifying times), so with the both of us we’ll keep pushing each other. Norris set his previous best time at the 2000 Olympic Trials in the same pool and was delighted to finally get back to that form. “I was really stoked with that time. It’s been four years since I did a PB so I was about due,” he said.

Nederpelt also spoke of the feeling of qualifying for his first Olympics and the pressure he felt before the race.

“It feels great, to step up from being on my first world’s team last year to be an Olympian this year is going to be great,” Nederpelt said. “It was just the pressure of making it last year and when I made it thinking, ‘Oh my God, next year I could be an Olympian’. It’s all right saying you’ve swum at a world champs but to say you’ve swum at an Olympics is so much greater. There’s a lot more on it, I felt sick just before the race — there was so much pressure.” The Western Australian success continued in the next event when Jennifer Reilly won her sixth consecutive National title in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley, setting a new Australian Record of 4.40.71 and qualifying for her second Olympic team. And it was a WA quinella with 17-year-old Fremantle youngster Lara Carroll also qualifying for Athens on the way to becoming the third fastest Australian of


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all time in the event, finishing with a time of 4.42.35. For Carroll it will be her first senior Australian team.

Reilly was ecstatic after the race and said she appreciated having Carroll to push her.

“Six times in a row is not too shabby. I must be getting faster with age!” Reilly said. “It’s awesome having someone there to push you out harder.” Carroll was almost too shocked to talk. “It hasn’t really sunk in, I’m still in shock but it’s been a dream of mine since I was little.” Carroll said.

In earlier action golden girl Petria Thomas became the third fastest 100m Butterflyer of all time when she destroyed her own Commonwealth Record in her semi-final, stopping the clock in 57.39. This morning Thomas had missed her record by just 0.01 of a second and amazingly said she wasn’t feeling that good. “I hadn’t been feeling that good all day,” she said “It just shows it doesn’t matter how you feel. I just wanted to swim as fast as I could. I’m really happy with that. I didn’t know if I could get that time but it’s great to get it out there.” And she said she believed she could improve in the finals tomorrow. “I obviously believe I can go faster, that’s why I am doing it.” Not to be out done on a stellar opening night, Giaan Rooney joined the record breakers setting a new Commonwealth mark, swimming 28.51 for 50m Backstroke in her semi-final. Rooney looked sensational and now must have the confidence that saw her become the 200m Freestyle World Champion in 2001. Since then she has been plagued by injury and illness but a fit and healthy Rooney is vital to the success of Australia’s Relay teams in Athens. 28th March 2004 – 1:10pm

THORPE’S OLYMPIC DREAM BACK ON TRACK

By David Lyall & Maggie Ellis World Record holder Ian Thorpe put yesterday’s disqualification drama behind him to easily qualify fastest for the semi-finals of the 200m Freestyle this morning. Thorpe, competing in the last heat and wearing only the traditional swimming costume, was behind Canadian Rick Say until the last turn, where he used his powerful kick to edge ahead and touch the wall in 1.49.30. All eyes

were on the three-time Olympic gold medallist as he climbed onto the blocks and when he got away to a legal start the crowd let out a collective cheer usually reserved for a medal-winning performance during the evening finals session.

The 200-metre event now presents Thorpe with his best opportunity for individual glory at the Athens Games after Grant Hackett and Craig Stevens qualified to swim the 400 metres in his absence last night. He is the current world record holder and world champion in the 200 metres but was upset in front of his home town crowd at the 2000 Olympics by Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband. Italy’s Olympic bronze medallist in the event, Massi Rosolino, was the second fastest after the heats, with Say third. However, as foreigners, neither can progress to the semi-finals of the Trials, allowing 16 Australians the opportunity to qualify for Athens and a spot in Australia’s all conquering 4x200m Freestyle Relay team. Brisbane 18-year-old Nicholas Sprenger proved the form that saw him debut for Australia at last year’s “Duel in the Pool” was no fluke by qualifying second fastest in 1.50.10 with Hackett third in 1.50.28. As a member of the 4x200m Freestyle Relay team last year, Sprenger won a gold medal at the World Championships in Barcelona and will be looking to secure a place on his first Olympic team. Others to progress through to the semi-finals included dual 2000 Olympic Relay gold medallist Todd Pearson, Stevens, and teenage Western Australian sensation Travis Nederpelt, who last night finished second in the 400m Individual Medley to book his ticket to Athens.

The highlight of the morning on the women’s program saw Sydney-born veteran Brooke Hanson become the second fastest 100m Breaststroker in Australian history, clocking 1.07.34 to comfortably win her heat. Hanson, 26, competing for Victorian club Nunawading, is attempting to qualify for her first Olympic team, 10 years after first representing Australia at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. She qualified fastest for this evening’s semi-finals with world record


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holder Leisel Jones second in 1.08.09, and 2000 Olympic finalist Tarnee White (1.09.22) third. Hanson’s time was so impressive it would have been good enough to give her the silver medal at both the 2000 Olympics and 2003 World Championships. All three women present Australia with definite medal chances for Athens, but they will have to contend with the impressive form of American Tara Kirk, who last week smashed Jones’ Short Course world record for the event. The morning after she set a new Commonwealth record in the 100m Butterfly semi-finals, Petria Thomas cruised through the heats of the 400m Freestyle, clocking the fastest time of 4.13.18 before withdrawing from tonight’s final.

With Thomas expected to have up to six events in Athens, the gruelling middle distance event just did not fit into her program.

Despite only qualifying in fourth place for the final, two-time defending champion Elka Graham will go into the event as a red-hot favourite to qualify for her second Olympic team. The Sydney University 22-year-old was a heat swimmer in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay team that finished second at the 2000 Games but is yet to compete on the sports highest stage in an individual event. Last year, after a well-documented illness, Graham was fourth in the 400 metres at the World Championships in Barcelona. After Thomas’ scratching, Graham will swim from lane three tonight, with her main opposition expected to come from World Championship teammate Linda MacKenzie in lane two, and teenagers Haylee Reddaway and Sarah Paton in the middle of the pool

Meanwhile, Thomas was not the only new Commonwealth record holder to swim this morning, with Giaan Rooney qualifying third fastest after the heats of the 100m Backstroke. Rooney clocked 1.03.06 to finish behind 19-year-old Sophie Edington (1.02.86) and Brisbane’s Marieke Guehrer (1.03.04) — just a day after setting the 50m mark. For Edington, from Kingscliff in northern NSW, it was a personal best time and points towards a real shot at making her first Olympic team after debuting for Australia at last year’s World Championships in Barcelona.

In the corresponding men’s event, former World Champion Matt Welsh (56.40) qualified second for tonight’s semis behind NSW swimmer Andrew Burns (56.26). Welsh’s fellow Sydney Olympic finalist Josh Watson was fifth in (56.93) but is still considered a great chance to qualify for Athens. 28th March 2004 – 9:48pm

THOMAS JOINS TRIPLE OLYMPIANS CLUB

By David Lyall Petria Thomas broke her second Commonwealth record in two nights to book herself a seat on the plane to Athens for her third Olympic Games tonight. Thomas, a former World Champion, lowered her own mark in the 100m Butterfly, clocking 57.36, strengthening her position as the third fastest swimmer ever for the event. After the race, Thomas said she felt much better than she had for yesterday’s swim when she felt sluggish in the semi-final. “To swim fast like that, I don’t know what the trick is,” Thomas said. “Get up and race, not try too hard. I felt really relaxed all day, much better than yesterday.” It was her fifth consecutive National title in the event and comes less than a year after she underwent her third shoulder reconstruction.

Joining Thomas in the team for Athens will be Brisbane 17-year-old Jessicah Schipper who flew home to finish second in a personal best time of 59.19, just ahead of a disappointed Libby Lenton (59.34). Schipper made her international debut at last year’s World Championships in Barcelona and looked likely to struggle to make the team for Athens, after Lenton swam the second fastest time in Australian history, 58.60, in last night’s semi-final. “I’m over the moon, I can’t believe it. That’s a PB and am just so happy” Schipper said. “I’ve been training for months and am just so happy it’s over.” Mackay 20-year-old Linda Mackenzie caused the upset of the Trials so far when she defeated hot pre-race favourite Elka Graham by 2.03 seconds in the 400m Freestyle. Mackenzie, who trains under Pierre La Fontaine at the AIS in Canberra, finished in 4.09.23, almost three


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seconds faster than her previous best time to become the fifth fastest Australian of all time over the distance. Graham is known for her ability to negative split her races – swim the second half of a race faster than the first – and she did that tonight, but Mackenzie used the same tactic and was never seriously challenged after taking the lead at the 200-metre mark. Mackenzie said she was confident at the halfway mark and thought she could hold on. “I felt really good at the 200 and thought, ‘There’s only 200 left’. I felt good all the way, with the time I was really surprised, and it was a good swim.” Mackenzie said. “I knew I was a good finisher so if anyone would go with me I could go as well.” Athens will be Mackenzie’s first Olympic Games while for Graham it will be her second, making her first Australian team at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Campbelltown’s Jim Piper also swam his way onto the Olympic team, winning the Men’s 100m Breaststroke in 1.01.38, just 0.01 of a second outside the Australian record. For Piper it was a fantastic lead-up for his main event, the 200m Breaststroke. The final for that event will be swum on Wednesday and a world record must now surely be within his grasp. “Last time I swam that sort of time I did a good 200,” Piper said “To make this team means so much.” Second in the event was 25-year-old AIS veteran Regan Harrison, whose swim of 1.01.93 just edged out training partner Mark Riley (1.02.05) and Australian record holder Brenton Rickard (1.02.39). If selected, it will be Harrison’s second Olympic team after he won a silver medal as part of Australia’s 4x100m Medley Relay team in 2000.

In semi-final action world record holder Leisel Jones let rival Brooke Hanson know she was not ready to give up her mantle as Australia’s best Breaststroker, qualifying fastest for tomorrow’s final. This morning Hanson had swum a personal best of 1.07.34 to lay down the gauntlet to Jones, but the Brisbane teenager responded in style stopping the clock in 1.07.26 to Hanson’s 1.07.50 in their respective semi finals. Both girls looked almost effortless and Jones’ world mark may be under threat tomorrow in

one of the races of the Trials. Jones emerged from obscurity at the corresponding Trials four years ago to win Olympic selection, before winning a silver medal at the Sydney Games, while Hanson is attempting to make her Olympic debut after near misses at the 1996 and 2000 Trials. In the Men’s 100m Backstroke, one of the rising stars of Australian swimming, Melbourne 16-year-old Andrew Lauterstein split 2000 Olympic finalists Matt Welsh (1st) and Josh Watson (3rd) in qualifying for tomorrow’s final. Lauterstein was giving away more than 10 years’ experience to both his more fancied rivals when he won the Victorian Championship in January and now he has a real chance to qualify for an Olympic Games before he has even finished high school. Earlier in the evening, Giaan Rooney picked up a winning Backstroke double, first taking out the 50-metre final then backing up five minutes later in her 100-metre semi-final. After smashing the Commonwealth record for the shorter distance last night, she swam 28.53 tonight – just 0.02 of a second slower to beat her Melbourne Vicentre club mates Amy Cockerton and Rachel Goh. In the 100 metres she finished as the fastest qualifier for tomorrow night’s final, clocking 1.01.99, with Sophie Edington second (1.02.32) and Belinda Nevell third (1.02.91).

Former 50m Butterfly world record holder Geoff Huegill won an incredible eighth consecutive National crown in the event, swimming a time of 23.83 in beating Matt Welsh. Welsh, also a former world record holder over the distance clocked 24.17, with David Carter third in 24.22. Afterwards Huegill said he couldn’t wait for his main event, the 100m Butterfly, later in the week. “I’m feeling good, racy, and looking forward to the 100 fly.” Huegill said. 28th March 2004 – 10:12pm

THORPE PUTS EVENTS BEHIND HIM AHEAD OF 200M FINAL

By Kurt Hanson Ian Thorpe put the disappointment of yesterday morning behind him to storm into the final of the 200m Freestyle as the fastest qualifier in the semi finals tonight. In one of the most highly anticipated races of the Telstra Trials a positive and refocused Thorpe (1:48.33) produced a solid final lap finish to touch out arch rival, Grant Hackett


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(1:48.55) to the delight of the bumper Sunday night crowd. “I’ve accepted that I won’t be swimming it (400m Freestyle) and I think now everyone else has to accept that as well,” Thorpe said. “I’ve accepted that I’m not swimming it and that’s they way that I’ve got to look at it and I don’t see an alternative for how I could swim it.” “It didn’t make me angry because to get angry about it isn’t going to achieve anything. The moment that the decision was made I dealt with that, and I had to deal with it quickly and be able to get my emotions back in check and make sure that I was as prepared for this (200m Freestyle). Everyone has been great and I’m really appreciative of that. When something like this happens you just hope that you have the support and sympathy of all those kinds of people that are on the national team and my fellow competitors and I’m just glad that that was there. It really meant a lot to me and helped me get through it.” “I can understand why people feel that way (sympathetic). But it’s pretty clear, and although it doesn’t seem fair, in a lot of cases life isn’t fair and you just have to deal with it. I’m not so unlucky or unfortunate in what I’ve been able to do and I’ve had an incredible career with a lot of ups and I haven’t had that many downs so I’m grateful for everything that I’ve been able to do.” It wasn’t just the stars of the sport who were blasting the 200 Freestyle event into the limelight as some impressive performances by Brisbane 22-year-old, Andrew Mewing put his Athens Relay intentions on notice with a personal best performance of 1:49.44 to qualify third fastest for tomorrow night’s final. The battle for places on the Australia’s world-conquering 4x200m Freestyle Relay team will make this event nothing short of electric with Sydney 2000 gold medal winning team member, Todd Pearson making a solid bid in his qualifier stopping the clock in a time of 1:49.49.

In fact it will be the fastest 200m final in the history of Australian Swimming as, for the first time ever, all eight finalists swum under the elusive 1:50.00 barrier.

The finalists will include dual World Championship Relay team member, Antony Matkovich (1:49.56) and Craig Stevens (1:49.70), a member of the gold medal winning 4x200m Freestyle Relay team in Barcelona. Stevens’ fellow Australian teammate in the final at the World Championships, Nicholas Sprenger (1:49.74) and 400m Freestyle bronze medallist at these championships Joshua Krogh (1:49.91) are set to make this final one of the toughest and most competitive in the history of the sport. 29th March 2004 – 12:19pm

HENRY ON FIRE AS STARS GET READY FOR FINALS FEVER

By David Lyall

Under the cloud of illness, Brisbane 20-year-old Jodie Henry became the fourth fastest Australian 200m Freestyler of all time today after her heat swim. Henry, the Commonwealth 100m Freestyle record holder, led from start to finish to clock 1.59.23 and give her the fastest qualifying time for tonight’s semi finals. Elka Graham (2.00.02) and Petria Thomas (2.00.67), who both earned themselves a spot on the team for Athens last night, were the next qualifiers with Victorian Shayne Reese (2.00.62) and surprise winner of the 400m Freestyle Linda Mackenzie (2.01.63) in fourth and fifth spots respectively. Others to progress to the semi finals included the 2001 World Champion for the event Giaan Rooney, 2000 Olympians Sarah Ryan and Jacinta Van Lint and teenage stars Melissa Mitchell and Libby Lenton.

But it was Henry who had the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre talking, following her catch-me-if-you-can performance — particularly after it was widely reported that she had arrived at the Trials with a viral infection. Henry would be acutely aware that posting a fast time could earn her a spot on Australia’s


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4x200m Freestyle Relay team for Athens, a team that is widely considered a realistic gold medal chance. Meanwhile, Justin Norris and Travis Nederpelt, who both qualified for Athens on the first day of the Trials with their one-two finish in the 400m Individual Medley, qualified fastest for tonight’s semi finals of the 200m Butterfly. Norris, who was third in that event at the Sydney 2000 Games, clocked 1.59.53, while Nederpelt looked comfortable swimming 2.00.74. And in the final event of the morning, Alice Mills signalled her intention to join the team heading to the Greek capital, swimming 2.13.62 to qualify fastest after the 200m Individual Medley heats. Lara Carroll, who also made her first Olympic team after finishing second in the 400m Individual Medley on Saturday, was second in 2.16.33 while Melbourne-based veteran Brooke Hanson (2.16.98) was third. Tonight, Hanson will go head-to-head with Leisel Jones in the 100m Breaststroke final with both swimmers expected to challenge Jones’ world record of 1.06.37 set in the semi finals at last year’s World Championships in Barcelona. In other finals action tonight, Ian Thorpe will look to put his much-publicised disqualification in the 400m Freestyle behind him, and make the Olympic team in the 200m Freestyle. The race is set to be the fastest 200m Freestyle in history after all eight finalists swam under 1.50.00 in last night’s semi final action – the first time such feat has occurred. Thorpe, the world record holder for the event will swim from lane four with Grant Hackett (lane 5) and newcomer Andrew Mewing (lane 3) on either side of him. Others looking to cement their spot on the Olympic team and a position in the all-conquering 4x200 Freestyle Relay are 2003 World Championships representatives Todd Pearson, Antony Matkovich, Craig Stevens and Nicholas Sprenger. And in more finals action 16-year-old Melbourne schoolboy Andrew Lauterstein will take on 2000 Olympians Matt Welsh and Josh Watson in the 100m Backstroke. While in the corresponding women’s event, Giaan Rooney will try and build on her Commonwealth record-breaking 50m Backstroke swim on Saturday when she lines up against Sophie Edington, Belinda Nevell, Karina Leane, Melissa Morgan, Frances Adcock, Rachel Goh and Marieke Guehrer.

29th March 2004 – 2:13pm WORLD RECORDS TO PARALYMPIC

STARS It was a morning of world records in the Multi-Disability events on day three of the Paralympic Swimming Trials as swimmers vied for a spot on the Paralympic team heading to Athens … Chantel Wolfenden, Ben Austin and Matthew Cowdrey led the way.

Queensland’s Chantel Wolfenden set a provisional world record for her class in the heats of the Women’s 400m Freestyle Multi-Disability, stopping the clock in a time of 5.17.06. Eighteen-year-old Wolfenden, from Queensland, swims in the S7 class and in 2003 was named the Telstra Australian Swimmer of the Year with a Disability. She said, following the swim, that it had felt easy and she had plenty left for tonight’s final.

Lining up alongside her in the final will be multiple Paralympic gold medallist Siobhan Paton and world

medallist Prue Watt.

The Men’s 50m Butterfly heats saw further world records tumble, with Paralympian and dual Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ben Austin finishing with a time of 31.18 to set a provisional new world mark for the S8 Class.

Promising 15-year-old Matthew Cowdrey touched the wall in a time of 30.66 to also establish a provisional world record.

All the swimmers will be in action tonight, with finals commencing from 6.30pm at the Sydney Aquatic Centre. 29th March 2004 – 9:17pm

THORPE SECURES SPOT ON ATHENS TEAM

By David Lyall Ian Thorpe is going to the Olympic Games. That is the simple statement the three times Olympic gold medallist made when he took out a scintillating 200m Freestyle final tonight. Thorpe was under his own world record pace at the 150-metre mark but slowed slightly over the last lap to post a time of 1.45.07, with arch


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rival Grant Hackett setting a new personal best time of 1.45.61 to finish second. Hackett flew home, lunging at Thorpe at the wall but the Thorpedo was just too good. Thorpe’s time was the seventh fastest swim in history, giving him eight of the top nine 200m Freestyle swims ever. Finishing third and fourth and also booking themselves a trip to Athens were Brisbane 18-year-old Nicholas Sprenger (1.48.77) and AIS based 26-year-old Antony Matkovich (1.49.02). They will certainly be part of Australia’s all-conquering 4x200m Freestyle Relay squad, as will duel Sydney 2000 Relay gold medallist Todd Pearson, who finished fifth, and 400m Freestyle runner-up Craig Stevens who was sixth. If it was possible to top Thorpe’s victory for excitement and crowd involvement, Sydney-born Brooke Hanson, swimming the 100m Breaststroke in her third attempt to qualify for the Olympics, certainly went close. Hanson, spurred on by a huge cheer squad, was awesome beating world record holder and Olympic silver medallist Leisel Jones, touching the wall in a personal best time of 1.07.17. Jones finished second in 1.08.07 to qualify for her second Olympics at the tender age of 18 but it was the effort by Hanson that had the attention of the electric crowd. To qualify for her first Olympics at 26 is a remarkable achievement in itself, but when one considers that Hanson first represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games in 1994, and has kept her Olympic dream alive throughout 10 years and two failed attempts, it indicates the magnitude of her achievement. “Definitely third time lucky,” Hanson said “Missing the 1996 and 2000 teams just made me a stronger person. To do that tonight is just fantastic for me. It’s awesome to go a couple of 1.07s and know that’s right up there.” Petria Thomas and Sarah Ryan are the only other female members of that Commonwealth Games team contesting these Trials and both are duel Olympians, Thomas already earning a berth to her third Games this week. The swim also makes Hanson the fifth fastest swimmer of all time for the event.

But just minutes later, swimming in the 200m Individual Medley semi-finals, Hanson had to play second fiddle to one of the rising stars of world swimming when Alice Mills smashed her own Commonwealth record. Mills had been itching to swim the Medley event after swimming a personal best time in the

heats of the 100m Butterfly on Saturday, and she didn’t disappoint the boisterous crowd clocking 2.12.47. She was surprised with her time but said she could swim faster. “It felt so easy and I didn’t think I would go that fast,” Mills said before adding “Definitely my Backstroke and Breaststroke is better than it was over the last eight months and I think I’m getting physically stronger, too.” The Brisbane 17-year-old, who trains under Shannon Rollason, is set to become the darling of the Australian swimming scene for many years to come and is considered by some astute judges to be a realistic gold medal chance in Athens. Hanson qualified second with a time of 2.15.33 while Lara Carroll was third fastest, swimming 2.15.66. 29th March 2004 – 9:39pm WELSH & ROONEY BACKSTROKE ONTO

OLYMPIC TEAM By Belinda Dennett & David Lyall

Victorian Backstroke duo Matt Welsh and Giaan Rooney sealed their spots on the Australian Olympic team for Athens after both won their 100m finals tonight. “It’s a huge relief. The time is not that good but it’s just a relief to make the team,” said Welsh after clocking 54.62 to win ahead of long-time rival Josh Watson who swam 55.18 to also qualify for his second Olympic team. Welsh took the lead after the turn and whilst the win was convincing, the time was well off Welsh’s Commonwealth record of 53.89. “It’s probably a good thing that the time wasn’t that good because it will make me get back in and do a lot of work,” Welsh said. 16-year-old Victorian Andrew Lauterstein was third with a personal best time of 55.44. Welsh’s teammate at the Melbourne Vicentre club, Rooney also qualified for her second Olympic team when she won the 100m Backstroke final in 1:01.63 from Queenslander Marieke Guehrer (1.02.33) who qualified for her first major Australian team. Rooney did not have long to recover after swimming the 200m Freestyle semi-final — only one event — before the Backstroke final. “I didn’t want to go all out in the 200 Freestyle, but I cut it pretty fine,” she said but managed to qualify for tomorrow night’s final. “I’m over the moon, I can’t believe it. This is my race and I wanted to make sure I did a good time,” said


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Rooney. “I train for both Freestyle and Backstroke and I never know which one is going to go well.”

Marieke Guehrer was perhaps the biggest surprise of the night, and was clearly shocked when she realised she had made the team. “I’m just in shock. I had no idea where I was. I saw my name on the scoreboard last and then second and thought, hang on that means I’m going!” said Guehrer. Petria Thomas continued her domination of the championships, qualifying fastest for tomorrow night’s 200m Freestyle final, and in the process becoming the second fastest Australian in history for the event. She won the first semi final in 1.58.20 from her AIS teammate Linda Mackenzie, whose time of 1.59.78 moved her into sixth place on the Australian all-time list.

Elka Graham relegated Mackenzie to third fastest qualifier for the final with her winning second semi final time of 1.59.01. Graham beat sprint specialist Libby Lenton who went out hard and hung on for a personal best time of 1.59.94. Former World Champion in the event, Giaan Rooney, qualified in eighth place and will be gunning for at least a top six finish in the final to give her an opportunity to be selected as part of the 4x200m Freestyle Relay team for Athens. Earlier in the day, Commonwealth 100m Freestyle record holder Jodie Henry dispelled fears she would struggle with illness at the Trials, swimming 1.59.37 before withdrawing from tonight’s semi finals. If she makes the Olympic team in her pet event she will surely be considered for a place in the 4x200m Relay. In further semi-final action, both Justin Norris and Travis Nederpelt, the first two swimmers to book their trip to Athens on day one of the trials, continued their remarkable start to the championships, qualifying fastest for tomorrow night’s final of the 200m Butterfly. Norris, who won a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics in the same event, was fastest with a time of 1.57.01 while Nederpelt was next with a 1.58.87.

Earlier, the night was set up by some remarkable performances by Australia’s Multi-Disability superstars who collectively smashed two world records before the main program. 30th March 2004 – 12:07pm

THOMAS CONTINUES TO LIGHT UP TRIALS

By David Lyall Mercurial Butterflyer Petria Thomas continued her sensational form on day four this morning. Swimming in the heats of her pet event, the 200m Butterfly, Thomas swam a personal best time of 2.06.01, the fifth fastest time ever on the all time top ten world performance list. Thomas was already fifth fastest on the all time list behind only Polish world record holder Otylia Jedrzejczak, 2000 Olympic champions Susie O’Neill and Misty Hyman, and ‘Madame Butterfly’ herself, American Mary T Meagher. Earlier in the week, Thomas smashed the Commonwealth 100m Butterfly record twice, propelling her onto her third Olympic team. She is the fastest qualifier for the 200m Freestyle final tonight also. To perform so well after her third shoulder reconstruction, Thomas’ feats continue to amaze even her staunchest supporters, and Jedrzejczak’s world record will surely be under threat tomorrow night in the final. Brisbane’s Jessicah Schipper, who will also go to Athens after finishing runner-up behind Thomas in the 100m Butterfly on Sunday, qualified second fastest in 2.13.52, while 2003 World Championships finalist Felicity Galvez was third fastest in 2.13.54. With thousands of school children screaming his name from the stands, Ian Thorpe clocked the fastest time of the morning in the heats of the 100m Freestyle. Thorpe dwelt for what seemed like an eternity on the starting blocks and was the last competitor into the water, but had already hit the lead when the swimmers surfaced from their dive. From there, the three-time Olympic gold medallist toyed with the field, winning his heat in 49.52 and easily qualifying fastest for tonight’s semi finals. And while the rest of the qualifiers did not post particularly fast times, the racing was extremely close with

the next 15 qualifiers after Thorpe less than a second apart. The surprise packet of the heats, however, was an unheralded 18-year-old from Western Australia. Eamon Sullivan, swimming from lane one in the final heat, clocked a personal best time by over a second to qualify second fastest for tonight’s semi finals in 50.18. Left in his wake in


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that heat, but still qualifying for the semi finals, were Olympic Relay gold medallist Ashley Callus (50.20) and former world record holder for the event Michael Klim (50.51). Sullivan is a current National Age Group Champion and a member of the Fisher and Paykel Australian Age Squad, but will be looking to make his first senior representative team on the world’s biggest stage come Athens. Apart from Thorpe, four other swimmers who have already booked their spot on the plane to Athens also qualified for the semi finals. Western Australia’s Antony Matkovich and Todd Pearson, who were fourth and fifth respectively in last night’s 200m Freestyle final, were in the top six qualifiers, while Grant Hackett was 9th

and Backstroker Josh Watson 15th . Others to progress were 2000 Olympic Relay gold medallist Adam Pine and Australia’s fastest man, Olympian Brett Hawke. Hawke usually concentrates on the 50m Freestyle but has altered his training this season in a bid to earn a spot on the 4x100m Freestyle Relay team for Athens. Long considered swimming’s ‘Blue Ribboned’ event, the 100m Freestyle final tomorrow night will be used to select that Relay squad for the Athens Games. The Relay team will hope to emulate the result in 2000; when Thorpe courageously anchored the ‘Aussie’ team to an historic victory against the might of the USA on the opening night of action. In other heat action, Jim Piper and Reagan Harrison, who earned a trip Athens for finishing one-two in the 100m Breaststroke on Sunday, easily qualified for the semi finals of the 200m Breaststroke. But this time it was Harrison who swam fastest, clocking 2.15.80 just ahead of Piper’s 2.16.47. Piper finished 4th in the same event at the World Championships in Barcelona last year, and if his personal best time in winning the 100m Breaststroke is any indication, the world record held by Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima may not last the week. That time is 2.09.42 and Piper’s best time of 2.10.88 is not that far away. Finals action tonight will kick off at 6:30pm and feature some great action. Squaring off in a blockbuster Women’s 200m Freestyle final will be Petria Thomas, Elka Graham and Linda Mackenzie, while Justin Norris and Travis Nederpelt will attempt to qualify for their second event in Athens. And in the last final of the evening, teenage Brisbane sensation Alice Mills will attempt to improve on the Commonwealth record she set in last night’s semi finals of the Women’s 200m Individual Medley when she shapes up against Athens-bound Breaststroker, Brooke Hanson.

Hanson caused a boilover last night when she knocked over world record holder Leisel Jones in the 100m Breaststroke final to book an Olympic birth at her third attempt. 30th March 2004 – 9:24pm

UPSETS CONTINUE AS MACKENZIE & HANSON SHINE

By David Lyall & Belinda Dennett It was a night of upsets tonight when first Linda Mackenzie, and then Brooke Hanson, upset their more fancied rivals for the second time this week. Giant-killer Mackenzie caused her second boilover in three days when she won a thrilling 200m Freestyle final, taking the prized scalps of Petria Thomas and Elka Graham to swim her way into her second individual event for the Athens Games. The diminutive Mackenzie had the crowd on the edge of their seats as she stormed home over the last lap to edge out Thomas by 0.04 of a second. Her time of 1.58.52 moved her into third place on the Australian all time list behind Olympic champion Susie O’Neill and Thomas, who had clocked a scintillating 1.58.20 in last night’s semi finals. The trio marked the first time three Australian women had broken the 1.59 barrier in the same race with Thomas second in 1.58.56 and Graham third in 1.58.70. The unassuming 20-year-old from Mackay in northern Queensland said she didn’t know what to expect from tonight’s final. “I just wanted to do my best time,” Mackenzie said “I didn’t know what was going to happen and I just gave it my best shot.” Mackenzie put her super form down to her training base at the AIS in Canberra and said she was ecstatic to finish one-two with Thomas. “It’s been the best move for my career and I’m really proud of to be part of the AIS,” she said. “Petria and I don’t actually train together anymore but we’re gym partners and I couldn’t be happier.”

Fourth in the event, booking herself a trip to Athens, was 21-year-old Victorian Shayne Reese (2.00.16) who swam a personal best time to get there. “First thing was I saw it was a PB. I’ve taken quite a lot off recently through a lot of heavy training, really hard in the gym too,” a delighted Reece said. Fifth was the former World Champion for the event Giaan Rooney (2.00.43), who had already earned a place at her second Olympics after taking out the 100m Backstroke last night. 16-


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year-old Sydneysider Melissa Mitchell (2.00.48) finished sixth and now faces an anxious wait to see if she too will be on the plane to Athens. In her favour will be the fact that Mackenzie, Thomas and Rooney already have heavy schedules in Athens, as will possible Relay alternates Alice Mills, Libby Lenton and Jodie Henry. Hanson, less than 24 hours after beating world record holder Leisel Jones in the 100m Breaststroke final, topped golden girl Alice Mills in the 200m Individual Medley. When she touched out Jones last night, she earned a place in her first Olympic team after twice failing by less than a second, and now she will represent her country in at least two events in Athens. Many at the pool thought Hanson would be swimming for second after Mills smashed the Commonwealth record in last night’s semi finals but someone forgot to tell the 26-year-old Nunawading swimmer. Again Mills led from the start, and the Brisbane teen was under world record pace after the first 50 metres, remaining within range at the halfway mark. But Hanson stormed to the front in her favoured Breaststroke leg before hanging on in the Freestyle. Hanson finished with a personal best time of 2.13.14, while Mills touched in 2.13.84, well outside the 2.12.47 she clocked last night. For Hanson it was a very special moment and she was almost shocked with her time. “Nearly a three second PB at 26 (years) is pretty special. I just gave it everything I’ve got, there’s nothing left, and I’m so happy with that time” Hanson said. “I’m just so proud to be up there winning races at my age. I don’t know where that came from. I remember Mum and Dad telling me if I get a spot in the 100 Breaststroke the rest of the meet would be a dream for me. That’s so close to 2.12 which is a world class time.” And if Hanson was shocked with the speed of her swim, a disappointed Mills was surprised she swam slower than yesterday. “I’m surprised by my swim,” she said “I was hoping to go faster but at least I got on the plane to go to Athens. I’m just disappointed with my swim but hopefully I’ll just go better at the Olympics.” In the only men’s final of the night Justin Norris and Travis Nederpelt duplicated their one-two finish from Saturday night’s 400m Individual Medley final when they took the quinella in the 200m Butterfly. Norris’ winning time of 1.56.25 was just 0.08 outside his own Australian record, and the 2000 Olympic bronze medallist will go to Athens knowing he is approaching the best form of his career in his number one event. “I’m really stoked to have

qualified in that 200 Butterfly, that’s the one I’ve been focusing on all season and I’m really going to enjoy training for Athens,” Norris said. Nederpelt continued his rise and rise up the world swimming ranks, his time of 1.56.96 propelling him well into the top 20 swimmers all time for the event. Afterwards, the Western Australian teenager spoke of his sensational week so far. “This has been a good championship. I’m really happy with the way I’ve been going,” Nederpelt said. “I was working to do that this year. I put a lot of pressure on myself this year with a proper preparation. I’m very happy with the time, a PB, so that’s all you can ask for really.” 31st March 2004 – 2:06pm

WORLD CLASS TIMES FROM SPRINT GIRLS

By David Lyall The trend of sensational heat swimming continued on day five with three women swimming under 55 seconds in the 100m Freestyle. People arriving at the pool early for the heats this week have been treated to some world class swimming. Earlier in the week, Jodie Henry, Libby Lenton and Petria Thomas all put in great performances in heat swims and they were on fire again today, posting the three fastest times for tonight’s semi finals. Alice Mills tried to put the disappointment of last night’s shock defeat by Brooke Hanson in the 200m Individual Medley behind her, taking out her heat in a personal best time of 55.03 –eventually qualifying her fourth. Looking on were Lenton and Thomas, who then staged an epic battle over the last 10 metres of the penultimate heat to touch in 54.70 and 54.92 (PB) respectively. Australian record holder Jodie Henry blitzed the field in the last heat, touching in 54.58, missing her national record by 0.03. While the top four read like a who’s who of Australian sprinting, there are more than a few familiar names in the next group of qualifiers. Dual Olympian Sarah Ryan (55.62) was 5th,Elka Graham (55.83) 6th, Shayne Reese (56.09) 7th and Sophie Edington (56.36) 8th. In the heats of the Men’s 200m Backstroke, 20-year-old Victorian Patrick Murphy and NSW 21-year-old Andrew Burns upstaged Olympic medallist Matt Welsh to qualify fastest for the semi finals. Murphy clocked 2.02.72, Burns 2.02.89, with Welsh posting 2.03.86. Australian representatives Ethan Rolff and Ray Hass were next, and both are expected to challenge for their first Olympic team. As expected, world record holder Leisel Jones and Brooke Hanson, herself a double gold medallist this week, qualified fastest after the heats of the 200m Breaststroke. Jones clocked


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2.29.98 with Hanson cruising home in 2.32.36 ahead of fellow Victorian swimmer Sarah Kasoulis in 2.34.97. Tomorrow night’s final will be a race in three between this trio. Justin Norris and Travis Nederpelt also continued their ongoing battle at these championships, 0.01 separating the pair after the heats of the 200m Individual Medley. Again it was Norris touching first in 2.03.85, with Nederpelt (2.03.86) second…

…and 17-year-old Queenslander Leith Brodie notching a personal best time of 2.04.56 to finish third.

In finals action tonight, Relay spots for Australia’s team to Athens will be up for grabs when Ian Thorpe, Ashley Callus, Michael Klim and Todd Pearson square off in the Men’s 100m Freestyle. The 100m Freestyle is always fast and furious, and last year saw Thorpe and Callus dead heat for the gold medal at the Australian championships. For Klim, it is the chance to make his third Olympic team after almost three years of injury enforced absence from the competitive scene. After narrowly missing the world record in yesterday morning’s heats, Petria Thomas will start as a red hot favourite in her pet event the 200m Butterfly. Thomas will have a busy night however, having to first swim the semi final of the 100m Freestyle before taking aim at the Butterfly world mark. In the evening’s first final, Campbelltown’s Jim Piper will be aiming for his own slice of record breaking history in the 200m Breaststroke. Piper took out the 100m Breaststroke earlier in the week and looked awesome in winning his semi final last night, leading many to believe he has a real chance at knocking off the world record of 2.09.42, held by Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima.

31st March 2004 – 8:07pm LIBBY LENTON BREAKS INKY’S WORLD

100M RECORD By David Lyall

In a sensational start to the night, Brisbane 19-year-old Libby Lenton smashed the world record in the semi-finals of the 100m Freestyle. Her time of 53.66 was 0.11 of a second ahead of the old mark set by Dutch woman Inge de Bruijin’s in this very pool at the Sydney

Olympics. She becomes the first Australian to hold the record since Shane Gould in 1972 and the third after the great Dawn Fraser. Her time of 53.66 was 0.11 of a second ahead of the old mark set by Dutch woman Inge de Bruijin’s in this very pool at the Sydney Olympics. Lenton, who was shattered earlier in the week after she missed the Olympic team in the 100m Butterfly, got off to a brilliant start and was equal with world record pace at the 50-metre mark. With the huge crowd aware they may be seeing a slice of history, the noise was deafening, and Lenton powered to the wall as the crowd rose as one. The look on her face when she realised she had broken the record was priceless and will be forever etched in the memory of those present and watching on television. “I don’t know what to say. I can’t even describe it, I’m still in shock.” Lenton said. “I just went out there tonight to try and get a good time for the final. Complete and utter disbelief,” she said “I knew I felt good but I didn’t realise I felt that good.” Five minutes later, with the air still electric, fellow Queenslander Jodie Henry clocked 53.77 – exactly the same as de Bruijin’s former world mark. Just behind Henry was Alice Mills in 54.26, making the trio the first, second and eighth fastest women in history. Now the scene is set for a battle royal tomorrow night in the final, when today’s times will mean nothing and spots on the plane to Athens will be on the line.

31st March 2004 – 9:15pm PIPER & THOMAS PLAYING SIMILAR

TUNE By David Lyall

With a parochial home crowd cheering his every stroke, Campbelltown’s Jim Piper smashed his own Australian record in the 200m Breaststroke tonight. The victory gave Piper the Breaststroke double for the championships, more than making up for his heartbreaking experience in 2000 when he just missed Olympic selection. Piper was slightly under world record pace at the halfway mark but tired on the last lap, before clocking 2.10.70, tantalisingly close to Englishman Ian Edmonds Commonwealth mark of 2.10.69. Of the Commonwealth mark, Piper said “I was just trying to go 2.10. I would have liked to have gotten it. I owned it once and would like to get it back. I was feeling pretty good but that last 50 killed me. I’ll just go back into training.”


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Sydney 2000 Olympic Relay medallist Regan Harrison was second in 2.13.47 also giving him two swims in Athens.

Afterwards, Piper described the swim as the perfect trial for Athens, believing he now has a chance of breaking the world record. “It’s a good sign if I’m under at the 100, eventually one day maybe I’ll be there at the 200.” Piper said. “Tonight was a practice run, in six months time is the real thing.” In almost a carbon copy of Piper’s swim, golden girl Petria Thomas went out hard after a world record before tiring late in the race to win in 2.06.79 from another Campbelltown swimmer, Felicity Galvez. Galvez clocked 2.08.33, making her the 15th fastest swimmer of all time for the gruelling event. Thomas’ time was slightly slower than her heat swim yesterday, but still would have been good enough to win her the gold medal at last year’s world championships in Barcelona – an event she missed while recovering from her third shoulder reconstruction. Thomas has had a heavy workload this week and thought that may have affected her swim tonight, despite the world class time. “I think it might have affected my time,” Thomas said “I just went in to do my last proper event and I just wanted to get in and enjoy it. Of course I didn’t enjoy the last 50!” But she said she would have fond memories of what will be her last Olympic Trials. “I’ve done PB’s in all of my events and I’m very happy. These sorts of moments you’ve got to savour because I won’t get anymore.” Galvez finished seventh in the final in Barcelona and tonight swam more than two seconds faster than she ever had before to round out a sensational night for popular coach Alan Thompson and the Campbelltown club.

An ecstatic Galvez will now go away to her first Olympic Games a definite medal chance. “You train so hard and when you actually hit the wall and turn around, and look at the board and see you’ve made it, it’s a good feeling.” Galvez said.

1st April 2004 – 12:52pm HAWKE RUFFLES FEATHERS IN SPRINT

HEAT By David Lyall

Australian record holder Brett Hawke qualified fastest for tonight’s semi finals after the heats of the 50m Freestyle on day six.

Hawke, the Melbourne-based father of two, powered through the water to stop the clock in 22.70 just ahead of Sydney University swimmer Jonathon Newton (22.86). Third fastest was crowd favourite Michael Klim (22.98), while Western Australian Jono Van Hazel was fourth in (23.03).

Klim and Van Hazel dead-heated for fifth in the final of the 100m Freestyle last night to almost certainly book themselves a place on the team to Athens. For Klim, who won two gold medals at the Sydney 2000 Games, it will be his second Olympics, while Van Hazel will make his debut for Australia on sports grandest stage at the ripe old age of 25. Others to qualify for semi final berths were defending 50-metre champion, and runner-up in last night’s 100m Freestyle, Ashley Callus (fifth, 23.05), and 18-year-old Eamon Sullivan, who proved his fourth place last night was no fluke qualifying seventh in (23.22). Hawke will be looking to reclaim the national crown he won in 2000 and 2001 from Callus, who has won for the last two years. Two-time winner at the Trials, Linda Mackenzie, qualified third fastest for tomorrow night’s final of the 800m Freestyle after cruising through her heat, swimming stroke-for-stroke with AIS teammate Sarah Paton and Queenslander Briody Murphy.

Paton touched first in (8.42.44) to be the fastest qualifier for the final with Murphy just 0.03 away in second and Mackenzie finishing in 8.42.78. Mackenzie will go into the race as a raging favourite after her sensational upset victories in the 200m and 400m Freestyle


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events earlier in the meet. Her strongest competition is expected to come from Paton, who made her Australian team debut at last year’s world championships in Barcelona, 18-year-old Murphy, and 400m Individual Medley champion Jennifer Reilly who easily won her heat in 8.48.14.

1st April 2004 – 1:00pm SKIPPY LEADS FLY QUALIFIERS FOR

TONIGHT’S SEMIS By David Lyall

Heart throb Geoff Huegill opened his campaign for a second Olympic team with a very relaxed swim in the heats of the 100m Butterfly, qualifying fastest for tonight’s semi finals. Huegill clocked 53.85, with fellow Sydney Olympian Adam Pine second fastest in 53.98 and distance specialist Justin Norris third in 54.04.

For Pine, this event will present him with his last chance to qualify for his second Olympic team after the Sydney 2000 Relay gold medallist (heat swimmer) failed to qualify for the final of his other event, the 100m Freestyle. Sydney 2000 silver medallist in the 100m Butterfly, Michael Klim qualified sixth but did not look comfortable, particularly over the .final 20 metres. In Klim’s defence, he had already contested the heats of the 50m Freestyle and is still well short of 100% fitness after almost three years plagued by ankle, back and shoulder injuries. He is still expected to fight out the final with Huegill, Pine, Norris, Victorian Jason Cohen and AIS 20-year-old Tim Dodd.

It was a morning for youngsters in a very open Women’s 200m Backstroke event with the top nine heat times coming from teenagers. Leading the way was 19-year-old South Australian Melissa Morgan who clocked 2.15.97, while Lara Carroll, who swum her way onto the Olympic team after finishing second in the 400m Individual Medley on the opening night of competition, was second in 2.16.58.

Zoe Tonks, who as an unknown 15-year-old from Cairns came from obscurity last year to earn a spot on the Australian team for the world championships in Barcelona, was third fastest in 2.16.76. Her win at the Trials was a huge upset, but now, with the Barcelona experience and a move to Brisbane to train under Ken Wood under her belt she will be one of the favourites in tomorrow night’s final. But if anyone can “do a Tonk’s” it may be a pair of 14-year-olds after Western Australian Amy Lucas and NSW’s Stephanie Williams qualified in fifth and sixth respectively. Last year at the Fisher and Paykel Australian Age Group championships Williams beat Lucas by more than three seconds to take the gold medal but both are in fine form this week.

In other heat action Brenton Rickard and Mark Riley qualified equal fastest for the semi finals of the 50m Breaststroke clocking 28.46, just ahead of Nathan Crook in 28.92. Tonight’s action is set to be the best of the championships so far with four finals including two absolute blockbusters. Championships golden girl Brooke Hanson will square off against world record holder Leisel Jones in the 200m Breaststroke final and Jones will be out for revenge after Hanson upset her in the 100m Breaststroke on Monday night. Since then Hanson has gone on to win the 200m Individual Medley in another upset, this time knocking off Commonwealth record holder Alice Mills. The second feature event on tonight’s program will be the battle royal in the 100m Freestyle between newly-crowned world record holder Libby Lenton, and after last night, the second fastest swimmer in the history of the event, Jodie Henry. Both girls are obviously in the best form of their careers but would be acutely aware that last night’s heroics will mean nothing if they fail to finish first or second tonight. And snapping at their heels waiting for the slightest slip-up will be Mills and veteran Sarah Ryan who is aiming for her third Olympic team. Other finals on the program include the Men’s 200m Individual Medley and 200m Backstroke.


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1st April 2004 – 1:14pm SHANE AS GOOD AS GOULD IN FLY

COMEBACK Munich Olympic Games golden girl Shane Gould, at the ripe old age of 47, was the star attraction alongside current champion Petria Thomas, today. Gould, swimming in the 50m Butterfly finished in eighth place in heat two of the sprint event, clocking 30.61 to be just outside her entry time of 30.32 – a time she clocked in winning the US Masters title last year. In the last heat, Thomas continued an incredible run of form at the championships that has seen her post personal best times in all her events, to miss her own Commonwealth record by just 0.01 of a second, clocking 26.67. But her sizzling swim was overshadowed by the appearance of Gould who, despite not progressing to the semi finals, attracted all the attention. She finished only 61st but the mere fact that Gould is competing at these championships, 32 years after winning three gold medals in Munich is a remarkable achievement. Afterwards, Gould said she would like to continue with her swimming after many years out of the water, and indeed out of the spotlight. “I’ll have to come back next year!” she said. “It’s really different. It’s more of a lifestyle that I’m doing now. Swimming is just an extension of that.”

Last night Gould and fellow Olympic legend Dawn Fraser were poolside to witness 19-year-old Brisbane sensation Libby Lenton smash the world record for 100m Freestyle. Ironically, Gould was the last Australian woman to hold that record – way back in 1972 – the year of her Olympic triumphs. And it was Lenton who finished second after the heats behind Thomas with a new personal best time of 27.23. 1st April 2004 – 8:58pm

BOYS JOIN THE MEN IN ATHENS OLYMPIC DREAM

Two Olympic medallists who were already on their way to a second Olympics, and a pair of 20-year-olds who have never represented Australia before, booked tickets on the plane to Athens tonight.

In the first men’s final of the night, former 100m Backstroke world champion Matt Welsh got home ahead of Victorian Patrick Murphy in the 200m Backstroke, then, in the 200m Individual Medley, Sydney Olympic bronze medallist Justin Norris beat Western Australian Adam Lucas. Welsh had come into the championships looking to qualify in both Backstroke events, and when he and long time 100-metre sparring partner Josh Watson made the team after that event he looked on track to achieve his goal. But yesterday in the semi finals, Sydneysider Andrew Burns posted the fastest qualifying time and Welsh looked to be labouring to qualify second fastest, with Murphy third fastest. Tonight was a different story however, with Welsh winning easily in 1.58.91, showing his class and experience. “I knew I had more speed than these guys so I just thought I’d give it a shot. It’s only a time but you need to do it in the final.” Welsh said. Back in the field the battle for the remaining spot on the Athens team was a thriller, with Murphy holding off a late charge by Burns to just grab second in a personal best time of 2.00.13, to Burns’ 2.00.47. The time made the Murphy seventh fastest Australian of all time, but more importantly it got him under the ‘A’ Olympic qualifying time and onto the plane to Athens.

Afterwards, an emotional Murphy spoke about his Olympic dream becoming reality after he just held off Burns. “I’ve definitely dreamt about this. It’s been a dream that I’ve had for ages. It’s something that every swimmer dreams of” he said. “I was just closing my eyes after I saw the flags and went for it. Before the race I was a bit tense, I suppose everyone is, but I just thought I was going to get in there and give it a go.” Norris has been one of the super stars of these trials, and he added a third Olympic event to his busy schedule after taking out the 400m Individual Medley and 200m Butterfly earlier in the week, all but after a bit of advice from Petria Thomas. “I just had a quick chat to Petria, she’s not only my teammate but also had a big program so I asked her, ‘What’s your secret?’ and she just said don’t worry about how you feel.”


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And the tip worked because Norris was a class above the rest of the field, swimming a personal best time of 2.00.41, to be more than 1½ seconds ahead of Lucas and 2000 Olympian Grant McGregor, who staged a titanic battle for second place.

The popular Lucas clocked 2.01.94, holding off a charging McGregor (2.02.15) to earn himself his first ‘Green and Gold’ tracksuit as a member of the Australian Olympic team. Lucas was third behind Norris and Travis Nederpelt in the 400 Individual Medley on Saturday night and when Nederpelt withdrew from this event after yesterday’s heats, he must have known his Olympic dream was even closer to reality. When it sunk in that he had made the team, Lucas was understandably excited but also ready to get down to the job of preparing for Athens. “It’s unbelievable. Just thinking of going to Athens in four months or so and just representing your country in the Olympic team, it’s amazing,” Lucas said. “I smashed my PB by over a second tonight. I’ll go home, have a break and get back into training.” 1st April 2004 – 9:01pm

JONES OVERHAULS BROOKE’S DREAM RUN

By David Lyall Someone finally stopped Brooke Hanson. World 100m Breaststroke record holder Leisel Jones came from behind tonight to overhaul Hanson on the last lap of the 200m Breaststroke final, and at least step alongside Hanson on the mantle for Australia’s top Breaststroker. Hanson had upset Jones in her pet event earlier in the week but the shy teenager from Brisbane, who charmed a nation at the 2000 Olympic Games when, as an unknown 14-year-old, she grabbed two silver medals, was never going to lose this race. ‘Lethal Leisel’ stopped the clock in 2.24.88, with Hanson over a second behind in 2.25.95.

Sarah Kasoulis was third in 2.28.21 after being with the two leaders at the halfway point.

Hanson led the field through the first lap under world record pace and held an advantage throughout the next 100 metres, however by the 150m mark her lead was just 0.02 over Jones. And that was the last Hanson saw of the lead as

Jones powered away like she had a point to prove. After the race, Jones said she had experienced a tough week. “I’ve been through a few psychological problems after my 100 and I just had to re-focus,” Jones said. “Obviously Brooke’s on fire and it’s put a bit of pressure on me, but it’s good practice for the Olympics. It’s good to make the team in two events when I’m feeling about 80%. I just don’t feel fluent in the water.” Only world record holder Amanda Beard and Jones herself swam faster than the winning time, while Hanson’s effort, a personal best, would have ranked her 5th last year. Australia now has two genuine medal chances in Athens in both Breaststroke events. Jones would like nothing more than to avenge her defeat in Sydney, while Hanson will be one of the most experienced swimmers on the blocks in Athens, even though, at 26, it is going to be her first Olympic Games. Hanson will also compete in the 200m Individual Medley, an event she considered as just ‘an extra race’ before she upset Commonwealth record holder Alice Mills on Tuesday night in a world class time. 1st April 2004 – 9:19pm

JODIE, LIBBY LEAD NEW BREED TO ATHENS

By David Lyall There was no world record, but Jodie Henry and Libby Lenton both qualified for their first Australian Olympic team in the 100m Freestyle tonight, and that meant more than any time. After the drama and excitement of last night, when Lenton crushed, and Henry equalled, Inge de Bruijn’s four year old world mark in the semi finals everyone poolside was just hoping both girls got themselves on the plane to Athens. And they did not disappoint, even though this time it was Henry who posted the faster time. She clocked 53.82 ahead of Lenton’s 54.17, with Alice Mills third in 54.26. Henry’s time was the fifth fastest ever swum and she now holds two of that top five, as does de Bruijn, behind Lenton’s world record. Amazingly, all three girls would have been the fastest in the world last year.

And it was 27-year-old veteran Sarah Ryan who cemented a berth on


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her third Olympic team after finishing fourth in 55.71, just ahead of Elka Graham (55.90) and Shayne Reese (56.09). The pressure on the whole field before the race was extraordinary and that they swam so fast again was a testament to the talent that now lies between the Brisbane trio of Henry, Lenton and Mills. All three talked about the pressure and their rivalry after the race. “I’m just really happy with that. I would have liked to have gone faster than last night but with all the pressure tonight I’m happy,” Henry said. “I just tried to do what I normally do, swim the way I swim.” Lenton said she felt the pressure but was happy with the result. “It wasn’t as good as last night. I think I had a lot of pressure on me coming into this final but I’ve come up good,” Lenton said. Mills didn’t know how close she was to the other two but said they were used to racing each other. “I breathe to the left so I couldn’t see but I just thought I’d touch as fast as I could. We just push each other along, and being from the same State we get in extra racing against each other.” Amongst all the excitement involving the top three girls it was easy to forget their was a battle going on within the rest of the field for spots on the 4x100m Freestyle Relay squad for Athens. 2nd April 2004 – 12:13pm

HACKETT CRUISES IN 1500 QUALIFIER By David Lyall

Olympic Champion and world record holder Grant Hackett would have barely blown out a candle after the heats of his pet event, the 1500m Freestyle this morning. Hackett qualified fastest for tomorrow night’s final, clocking 15.23.05 – more than 48 seconds slower than his own world record. But it was the effort of his club mate and training partner, Ky Hurst (15.26.46), the four-time Australian Iron Man champion that had people talking afterwards. Hurst looked comfortable, despite swimming a personal best time by more than 10 seconds, and now will race for an Olympic berth from lane five, right next to Hackett.

Craig Stevens, who was second to Hackett in the 400 metres final on the first night of the Trials after the now infamous ‘Ian Thorpe False Start’, could only qualify fifth in (15.38.14), but he did look like he was just swimming to qualify. Stevens’ best time, swum

at last year’s Australian Championships is 15.03.20 which is good enough to rank him as the 21st fastest swimmer in history for the event, well ahead of anyone, apart from Hackett, swimming tomorrow night. Third fastest was Australian 5K Open Water Champion Grant Cleland (15.32.38) while Athens-bound teenager Travis Nederpelt was fourth fastest in (15.36.20). Nederpelt looked as good as anyone this morning, but he has had a heavy program this week, finishing second behind Justin Norris in both the 400m Individual Medley and the 200m Butterfly, earning himself his first shot at Olympic glory. For Hurst, who earlier in the week clocked personal best times in the 200 and 400 metres Freestyle, where he finished fifth, the swim already more than justifies his decision to concentrate on the pool for this year and beyond. The 23-year-old has already declared his intentions to continue his commitment to the pool and regardless of the result tomorrow night it is great news for the future of Australian distance swimming. Traditionally one of the most watched events on the Australian championships program, the 1500 metres has lacked its normal appeal since the retirement of Olympic legends Kieren Perkins and Daniel Kowalski but tomorrow night will be different. Hackett’s attempt at his own world record, Stevens and Nederpelt’s bid for a third Athens event, and Hurst’s Olympic dream will all go on the line, making the race a must see event for Sydneysiders. 2nd April 2004 – 12:20pm

ENGELSMAN & HANSON GRAB AUSTRALIAN RECORDS

By David Lyall

The records kept tumbling on day seven this morning with sprinter Michelle Engelsman setting a new Australian record in the 50m Freestyle before Brooke Hanson continued her dream run, smashing her own National 50m Breaststroke record. Engelsman, representing the Sydney University Club, overshadowed the three place getters from last night’s 100m Freestyle, stopping the clock in a super quick 24.83. Libby Lenton, second last night after destroying the world record in Wednesday night’s 100 metre semi finals qualified second in


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25.44 with Alice Mills third fastest in 25.58. Mills was also a close third last night. Fellow Queenslander Jodie Henry (25.40), who rose above all the pressure to win the 100 metre final, was fourth with veteran Sarah Ryan (25.85) fifth. Engelsman had fired a warning shot to the Brisbane-based trio in February, when she took out the US Spring Nationals in Orlando, Florida in 25.17, making her the third fastest Australian of all time behind only Lenton and Mills. The 24-year-old has been training with fellow Australian David Carter in Islamorada, Florida, in a squad aptly named ‘The Race Club’, alongside 2000 Olympic 50 metre champion Gary Hall Jr and World Short Course record holders Mark Foster and Therese Alshammar. Carter will be looking for his own record this evening when he swims in the Men’s 50m Freestyle final against defending champion Ashley Callus and Australian record holder Brett Hawke. Lenton was the previous Australian record holder after swimming 24.92 at last year’s “Duel in the Pool” in Indianapolis, but it was Mills (25.07) who grabbed the silver and Lenton (25.08) the bronze at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona. Hanson has had a remarkable championship, qualifying for three individual events in Athens – all in world class times. And in this morning’s 50m Breaststroke heats, she produced another one – her 30.92 the seventh fastest time swum in history, maintaining her position as the fourth fastest person of all time. Arch rival Leisel Jones was second fastest in 31.57, just ahead of AIS based Jade Edmistone in 31.98. In the Men’s 50m Backstroke heats Athens bound Matt Welsh (26.31) and Josh Watson (26.64) predictably qualified with the fastest two times.

2nd April 2004 – 9:07pm MACKENZIE REWRITES HISTORY WITH

GOLDEN TREBLE By David Lyall

The water sizzled tonight in the pool as Mackay 20-year-old, Linda Mackenzie highlighted an action packed evening of racing to claim her third individual gold of the championships in the 800m Freestyle. While in the men’s one lap dash, Brett Hawke reclaimed his National title and earned a trip to his second Olympic Games.

Mackenzie swam the eighth fastest 800m Freestyle in Australian history, clocking 8.32.13 with her AIS teammate Sarah Paton finishing second in 8.34.70 – making her the eleventh fastest Aussie ever. In winning tonight Mackenzie became the first swimmer since Anna McVann in 1984 to win the 200, 400 and 800m Freestyle treble at an Australian Championships, and now the 20-year-old from Mackay will be one of Australia’s busiest swimmers in Athens. When one considers the likes of Julie McDonald, Sheridan Burge-Lopez and golden girl Hayley Lewis were never able to achieve the same feat in their career it highlights the enormity of Mackenzie’s achievements. After the race she said she was unaware of the history involved in her performances. “I think it’s fantastic. I just concentrate on my swims, I don’t know about statistics.” Mackenzie said. She was also happy that her marathon week was over. “I’m so relieved it’s finished. It’s both mentally and physically tiring but you learn to recover.” But one of the biggest cheers of the week was reserved for Paton, the 17-year-old who’s sister Siobhan was the star of the Sydney Paralympics. With her coach Pierre La Fontaine jumping up and down and screaming from the sidelines, the girl from Canberra battled all the way to Athens, and was understandably excited. “I’m stoked. When I saw the time I was ecstatic. It’s a nine second PB.” Paton said. And she said that Mackenzie’s form this week had helped her prepare mentally for the race. “It’s been really good to see her performing. She’s been doing similar sessions to me so I’ve been sitting back thinking, ‘Well if she can do it, I can do it too!’” And while Paton will be one of the youngest swimmers on the Athens team, Brett Hawke will be the oldest. At 28, Hawke married with two children is again the fastest swimmer in Australia but was as excited as any rookie after tonight’s swim particularly after the pressure he felt before the race. “I’m so happy, so relieved. I haven’t felt pressure like that since the last Olympic trials,” he said. “This is my event, I really wanted it.” And he said he would be sticking with the short sprint after trying to qualify for Athens in the 100m Freestyle earlier in the week. “Tonight’s race was good. I really wasn’t sure what I was going to do here tonight. I got a bit sick after the 100 free. I hate the 100; I’m never doing it again.” Hawke finished in 22.37, just short of his National record, but the only time that mattered to tonight was the ‘A’ Olympic Qualifier of 22.51, and the mere fact that he had to finish first or second.


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Callus was also under the qualifying time, and the Sydney Olympic relay gold medallist will now contest both the 50 and 100m Freestyle events in Athens. “I’m happy to be there,” Callus said “I’m on my way back up, another 16 weeks to train.” And in an ominous sign for his rivals Callus said he has plenty of improvement left before the Olympics. “Before this meet I only got about five weeks solid work done. I was more disappointed with the time than coming second. But I can’t complain, I’m on the team and I’ll get faster.” 2nd April 2004 – 9:28pm

THOMAS TAKES DOWN ANOTHER COMMONWEALTH MARK

By David Lyall The incredible Petria Thomas show rolled on tonight on the seventh night of the competition, breaking her fourth Commonwealth record since Saturday giving her a treble of Butterfly victories this week. Thomas, undoubtedly one of the stars of the trials clocked a time of 26.29 that was 0.12 faster than she swam in last night’s semi final, and more than half a second ahead of second placegetter Danni Miatke (26.85).

The Butterfly stalwart is set to retire after the Athens games and was understandably emotional after the race, knowing that this will likely be her last ever Australian championships. “That could be the last time I think. I’m a bit emotional now!” Thomas said. “I probably didn’t expect to get emotional but I am human,” she said in a statement that many of her rivals would argue after her form this week. “If it’s my last race it has to happen some time.” But Thomas left the door open, if only slightly for another Australian title appearance. “It’s time for a bit of a rest I think, but you never say never.”

In other racing, it was a positive end to the meet for Victorian, Brenton Rickard who took gold swimming in the 50m

Breaststroke, stopping the clock in a time of 28.16 to beat defending champion Mark Riley by 0.14 of a second. Rickard came into the meet as the Australian record holder in both the 50 and 100m Breaststroke, with high hopes of winning selection to his first Olympic team, but finished a close fourth in the 100 metre final behind Jim Piper and Regan Harrison. 2nd April 2004 – 9:41pm

SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S MORGAN & ADCOCK ATHENS BOUND

South Australia celebrated in style tonight as the 19-year-old pairing of Melissa Morgan and Fran Adcock joined Sydney Olympic medallists, Geoff Huegill and Adam Pine as four more athletes who tonight qualified for the Olympics and are on their way to Athens. Both Melissa Morgan and Frances Adcock are off to their first Olympic Games after finishing one-two in an exciting 200m Backstroke final tonight. While Sydney 2000 bronze medallist Geoff Huegill came home over the top of fellow veteran, Canberra father, Adam Pine to take out the 100m Butterfly final. In the Backstroke event, it was Adcock who took the race to the more favoured Morgan, and led throughout the first 150 metres but Morgan had a superb third turn and surged to the front to stop the clock in 2.12.90, ahead of a tiring Adcock in 2.13.48. The two cleared out from the rest of the field and were in a race against the cock to ensure they were under the ‘A’ Olympic qualifying time of 2.13.58, a feat Adcock achieved by just 0.1. Although Morgan was glad to be going to Athens, she was slightly disappointed with her time. “I’m wrapped. I’ve had a really tough year and I’ve just learnt so much,” Morgan said. “I’m a bit disappointed with the time, my PB’s a bit faster, but I’m just so happy to make the team.”

After the race Adcock said she only swam Backstroke because she liked it more than the other strokes. “I really didn’t like breathing so I thought I’d go with Backstroke,” Adcock said adding “I’ve been swimming for about five years, Backstroke for only about three years.” And it was obviously three years long enough. Huegill is one of the few swimmers that swam only one Olympic event at the Trials and had put all his efforts into making his second Olympic team in this race – something he said was not easy. “It’s a big relief. It’s tough sitting back day by day watching all these people make the team while I have to wait until day seven,”


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Huegill said. “It’s just great to get up. It’s probably one of those things that won’t sink in until later tonight or tomorrow morning.” It was a different story for Pine who had failed to make the final in the 100m Freestyle earlier in the week leaving him seemingly without a chance of swimming in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay team in Athens, an event he won a gold medal in as a heat swimmer in Sydney. Pine was also happy to finally get on the team and spoke of his Australian debut almost 10 years ago. “Petria and I made our first team in 1993 and moved to the AIS. For us older guys to make the team is awesome. It’s always been a dream of mine. It’s great. I really enjoyed this year and last year in Barcelona.” At the turn, Pine led by 0.03, forcing Huegill to come from behind, something he has rarely had to do in recent times but the big Queenslander was up to the task finishing in 52.92, the first time an Australian has been under 53 seconds in more than a year. Pine, cheered on by his wife Sasha and baby son Max in the stands stopped the clock in 53.26, well inside the ‘A’ Olympic qualifying time of 53.49. To do so he had to hold off a fast finishing Justin Norris, who, after turning last at the 50-metre mark stormed home to be just short of Pine, but still coming away with a personal best time and a ranking of eighth fastest Australian all time. Earlier in the week, Norris had won both the 200 and 400m Individual Medley and the 200m Butterfly. 2nd April 2004 – 10:11pm

PM’s MESSAGE TO LIBBY LENTON Libby Lenton has received countless messages of congratulations since becoming Australia’s newest world record holder on Wednesday, but today she received an unexpected note of recognition. The message came from none other than Australia’s biggest sports fan, Prime Minister John Howard. Sending a simple, signed letter, via Australian Swimming, the P.M also wished Lenton the best as she prepares for her first Olympic Games in Athens. The letter read… Dear Lisbeth Warmest congratulations on your stunning swim to break the 100 metres freestyle world record. Your world record and qualifying for the Australian team for Athens are two magnificent achievements. I wish you well in your preparations for the games. Yours sincerely John Howard Lenton smashed Dutch super star Inge de Bruijn’s four year old world mark in the semi finals of the 100m Freestyle, before finishing

second to Jodie Henry in last night’s final to book her seat on the plane for Athens. Tonight Lenton returns to the pool in the semi finals of the 50m Freestyle as the second fastest qualifier behind Michelle Engelsman who ironically broke Lenton’s own Australian record in this morning’s heats. 3rd April 2004 – 7:56pm

CROWD FAVOURITE STEVENS SEALS 1500 SPOT FOR ATHENS

When Craig Stevens followed the script and finished second behind world record holder and Olympic champion Grant Hackett in the 1500m Freestyle tonight, the crowd at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre made it very clear who their new hero was. Stevens has been under enormous pressure since being thrust into the glare of a nation after Ian Thorpe false started in the heats of the 400m Freestyle last Saturday, and he has stood up and produced world class performances three times. He clocked a personal best time of 15.01.64 behind an ailing Hackett’s 14.55.45 to earn him a second individual swim in Athens. He will also be part of Australia’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay squad alongside Thorpe and Hackett. On a night when crowd favourites like Thorpe, Hackett, Brooke Hanson and Libby Lenton were all on show, there was no doubting who got the loudest cheer of the night. Stevens, the battler from Sutherland who had overcome a troublesome back injury to even get to the Trials, has captivated the nation with his steely determination and humility, and tonight he was left with no doubts about how they felt. After the race, when television commentator Nicole Livingstone dared ask Stevens whether he would swim the 400 metres in Athens, the crowd roared so disapprovingly of the question that it was almost impossible to hear his reply. Then, when the noise quietened and he was able to answer, the crowd was even louder in their support. After the race Stevens said it had been a long week but thanked everyone for their support. “I’ve had a few sleepless nights,” he said “I’m just relieved it’s over. I can go away now, have a week off which I can’t wait for, do a bit of fishing. People have been telling me about the opinion polls and things out there, and the support I’ve had. I can’t say thank you enough.” Such was the attention on Stevens, that Hackett’s courageous performance to again swim under 15 minutes, and qualify for his second Olympics despite being ill for several days, did not get the recognition it deserved. Hackett said the race was harder than most. “It was really tough. The last 500 I was feeling really horrible. It was a tough race, I’ve had better days, but at the same time now I can get


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ready for Athens. It was one of those races I had to control and keep a respectful distance ahead of Craig.” And if Hackett’s swim went slightly unnoticed so too did the swim by four time Australian iron man champion Ky Hurst, who clocked another personal best time of 15.17.65 to hold off a charging Travis Nederpelt by just 0.16. Hurst has dropped an incredible 21 seconds off his best time in two days and will leave the meet knowing his decision to switch his attentions from the waves to the pool was a good one. 3rd April 2004 – 8:12pm

LENTON ON FIRE WITH NEW 50m RECORD

New world 100m Freestyle record holder Libby Lenton was on fire again tonight, this time setting a Australian record in the 50m Freestyle, on the last evening of the Trials. Lenton stopped the clock in a sizzling 24.70 to just touch out Michelle Engelsman (24.80), who had qualified fastest after her own Australian record breaking swim in last night’s semi finals. Last year Lenton clocked a 24.92 to set her first Australian record when she won the “Duel in the Pool” and was third in the event at the world championships in 25.08. Her time tonight makes her the sixth fastest person ever for the event, and was a tantalising 0.02 outside Great Britain’s sprinter Alison Sheppard’s Commonwealth record. Engelsman, who trains overseas with ‘The Race Club’ in Florida, alongside Olympic champion Gary Hall Jr and World Short Course record holders Mark Foster and Therese Alshammar earned herself the final berth on the Australian team for Athens. Jodie Henry was third in 24.92 and Alice Mills fourth (24.94), giving Australia an amazing four girls under the magical 25 second barrier – a feat no other country can boast – and placing all four girls in the top thirteen swimmers ever for the event. Lenton said the incredible standard in the race will help her in Athens. “It was fantastic. I didn’t expect to see so many of us go that fast. It’s great for Australian sprinting,” she said. “Racing here with the top three girls in the world, it’ll be a little bit less scary over there. Still, there will be some amazing competition and I’m just looking forward to it.” Engelsman however was not so surprised with the quality of the field. “I figured it would take a 24 high so that’s what I did and I’m really happy with it.” The records kept tumbling later in the evening when Golden Girl Brooke Hanson broke her own Australian record for the 50m

Breaststroke, stopping the clock in 30.91. Her time was just 0.01 faster than the time she set in yesterday’s heats. She beat AIS based Jade Edmistone (31.49) and arch rival Leisel Jones (31.57). Matt Welsh then made it a treble of Backstroke victories claiming the 50 metres in a time of 25.49, more than half a second ahead of Papua New Guinea’s Ryan Pini (26.13) and fellow two-time Olympian Josh Watson (26.14). 3rd April 2004 – 8:16pm WELSH RECORD SETS UP RELAY TEAM

IN TIME TRIAL By David Lyall

After Matt Welsh led off in a new Commonwealth record for the Backstroke leg, Australia’s men look to have qualified a team for the 4x100m Medley Relay in Athens tonight, setting a sizzling time of 3.36.27, in a specially organised time trial. When the Australian team was disqualified in the heats of 4x100m Medley Relay at last year’s World Championships in Barcelona, they were presented with a greater problem than just missing the final that night. The disqualification meant they would not finish in the top 12, thus earning an automatic berth in the field for Athens. However, the top four times posted between April 1st, 2003 and July 7th this year, by teams that failed to automatically qualify will earn a reprieve and swim in Athens. Two teams, one made up of the winner’s of the 100 metre race at these trials for each stroke, and the second comprising the runners-up (minus Backstroker Josh Watson who was replaced by Andrew Lauterstein) swam off, giving Australia two shots at qualification. Welsh, who swam a slightly disappointing time of 54.62 to win the individual 100m Backstroke earlier in the week returned to the form that saw him win the World Championship in 2001, stopping the clock in a scintillating 53.78 – smashing his own Commonwealth mark of 53.89 that he set winning the “Duel in the Pool” last April. The ‘Green’ team of Welsh, Jim Piper, Geoff Huegill and Ian Thorpe won the swim off, with the ‘Gold’ team of Lauterstein, Regan Harrison, Adam Pine and Ashley Callus posting 3.38.99. Callus also tore up the pool chasing Thorpe and clocked a spilt of 48.08 to the Thorpedo’s 48.77. Later in the evening, the Yeronga Park team of Rob Van Der Zant, Regan Harrison, Adam Pine and Andrew Mewing set a new Australian club record for the same event clocking 3.41.78 in the men’s race before Chandler’s team of Alice Mills, Tarnee White, Melanie Houghton and Jodie Henry smashed the corresponding women’s record finishing 4.06.53.


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Dear Ross,

Congratulations to the Swim Australia and ACSTA organisers for a most enjoyable, fun, action packed learning experience.

The most memorable session was the one Bruce Sullivan gave on dynamic presentations. He has inspired me to give much more enjoyable in-services. I now have a bag of ideas to use. It was well worth the trip to Australia and made being away from my family for a week really worthwhile.

I was wondering if at any time in the past has a topic of teaching culturally diverse classes been presented. I was curious to know especially after seeing some of the presenter’s video footage of other countries.

I have taught classes with students from various cultural backgrounds here in HK, the USA and in Australia. But I haven’t been able to find too much information to assist — it’s been just trial and error — with great success along the way.

It would be great if such a presentation would be considered for a future conference.

Anyhow thanks to all the team. I will be back next year!!!

Kindest regardsSharon Wrobel (Mrs)

Swim Program Manager Australian International School Hong Kong

3A Norfolk Road Kowloon Tong

Kowloon. Hong Kong Tel: +852 2194 3813 Fax: +852 2304 6077

Email: [email protected]

“BETTER BUILD LEADERS THAN REPAIR MEN”

By Pierre La Fontaine

Good morning Mr. Minister, Mr. Peters, coaches, officials, NSO Staff. It is an honour to be with you this morning. After a fantastic finale in the Rugby World Cup and after some great performances in many sports throughout the last few years, including the Olympics, we need to ask ourselves a few important questions. Firstly, what are we here for? Is it about the NSO’s? Is it about our sport development? Is it about the administrators? Or is it about developing young people into becoming the leaders of tomorrow; great athletes who are willing to stand for their beliefs and stand for what they represent; dedication, complete commitment, goal driven but also great role models for the youth of tomorrow?

It is all about the athletes. The dreams of a Nation are lived through the performances of their athletes not the performances of their coaches or administrators. Let me introduce you to a few great Australians – names that we all know too well – Bradman, Lisa Curry, Shane Gould, Adam Gilchrist, Pat Rafter – but here are a few people who were pioneers in their respective fields that very few would know – Hargraves… The reason I am bringing this up is to keep in perspective that our role in sport is to help produce men and women of great character and integrity. A quote coming from my children’s school parents’ manual says, “It’s better to build leaders than to repair men!” so we need to ask ourselves… 1. What can we/I do to make the sport

better? Organise more exciting events Produce better officials (Bill Harrigan raising the standard of the game) Find a way to make the sport more family friendly What role the administrator can play to ensure the continual improvement of the sport How to double the participant in my sport by 2006 Do I have a precise Mission Statement and clear objectives?

Are they, to serve the athletes better? 2. What can I do to make the job of our

coach easier; so that most of his time is spent helping the athletes?

The coach spends 80% of his time coaching and 20% of his time


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administrating. Should the administrators spend 20% of their time on the field? (McDonalds’ office staff must work in the restaurants a few times a year.) In the 2001 census there were 83,008 people who reported that their occupation was in sport and recreation … 21.6% higher than in 1996. Did we increase our participation by 21.6% at the same time? What am I doing to help the families of coaches who travel 4-5 months a year? (Phone call to the spouse to make sure that everything is good at home.) Am I a great supporter of the coaches? Or am I always looking at what they do wrong?

The impact that coaches, officials and even NSO Staff have on the lives of athletes is enormous. The reason most of us become involved in sport is to share our knowledge, often help our own kids at the development stage but mainly to make a difference in the lives of others. One funny thing that happens to the people volunteering is that they feel as good, if not better, than the ones they helped. So let’s keep working together for the benefit of the athletes/customers. Your sport is a product You have clients and customers … are you serving them better than anyone else in the world in spite of the fact that you have no competition in this country except with other sports? (It is 10 times harder to find new customer than to keep the ones you have!) Where do you want it to be in 5, 10, 15 years?

Technology … Are you ahead of the world? … Clap skates. Techniques … Are you looking for new ways to do the same thing … i.e. Butterfly kick underwater … Misty Hyman. Family influences … why sell to only one in the family when you can sell it to the whole family? Revenue scheme … GB. Has a badge system that serves from the Learn-to-Swim to the 100 Lap Club. Revenue in sport equipment sales in 98-99 was at 3,799.2m. Export of sport equipment in 2001 was 463.4m … 21.7% higher than the previous year. Why are we not promoting our own sport through product sales at club events? It can be a great fund raising opportunity for clubs and associations. How do we double our clients-customers-participants?

There has been some good research that indicates people are seeking more than just playing the game when they affiliate to a club. We must ask ourself whether the sport we are involved in is family friendly! We should be looking at ways to make our sport/events more than just a swim meet for example. Here are some examples to take your sport beyond its comfort zone and to think outside the box…

Atlanta, Georgia ... 168 teams of 3x3, 4x4 and 5x5 soccer 4-hour swim meets No meets on Sunday morning Friday night at the races and dive in movie night Mothers’ programs while the kids do their thingDual meets like soccer games and BBQ Swim and surf competition

Look at how Volleyball has adapted itself by adding Beach Volley ball to its program, a great way to expand its clientele. Here are some other ways to make your club more family friendly. Can I make my club a COMMUNITY HUB?

Get parents involved at all level such as newsletter writing, hospitality, etc? Accept parents as a necessary evil! Have guest speakers. Time management sessions. Study Habit classes. Have fun days. Parent’s night out. Have the older kids be Big Brothers to the younger ones and give the older athletes some responsibility. (Keep the locker room language clean.)

Can we help our clubs to recognise other achievement? School awards… Can we use our schooling system to better our athletic performances? In the US, the school system becomes a natural Talent ID system. From the primary school sports and high school teams to the different university scholarships available, the competitiveness among athletes is awesome. I believe that if the university system in the US could provide the same level of government support that we receive here at the AIS and if they offer the same level of excellence in athlete support and applied research, no one in the world could compete with them. I also believe that it will never happen since Basketball and Football will always be the main emphasis and research for the sake of research is what their science departments do best. Let’s not tell them our secret! Tremendous pride in their school is probably one of the best recruiting tools in most school


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sport. Recognition given to the teams for their performances as often as possible is a great motivator. Now can we increase participation at all levels? I know that it is certainly the aim of the current Minister of Sport to improve the numbers of people playing sport as well as the aim of the ASC through its Targeted Participation Growth Program. But what are YOU doing to double the numbers of participants in your respective sport?

Who is your target market? Are you waiting for handouts from the government to allow you to do something? Is it in your Mission Statement or objectives to “go for it” and to make it happen? Then the word “IMPOSSIBLE” is not in your organisation and the phrase “I have no funds” should not stop you. How many of you have organised major fund raising events for your sport instead of waiting for Government funding?

Look at what private schools do to survive! How about your alumni, they must have some $$$. Have you kept them involved? Should you? Remember that finding new customers is hard work. Do they have kids?

Should we be building relationships between different sports such as Gymnastic and Diving, Water Polo and Swimming, Cycling and Speed Skating, etc? Anything to keep kids in sport! How about Soccer and swimming; soccer twice a week and swimming three times a week. Most kids do it anyway! How can we make our sport like skateboarding and indoor rock climbing? My kids are the best example! Video tape each other to try new things. Skateboarding event with video recording. How about starting an after-school program in your area?

Who is your market! Society’s influences on sport ... let me read through some statistics…

40% of families will end up in divorce. Over 27% of Australians, 15 years and older actually participated in sport in 1997. But there were 1.6 million children aged 5-14 years (59.4% of the population) who participated in organised sport outside of school hours in April 2000. How can we end this loss of participation at the age of 15?

Some good news but also we must ask some hard questions regarding ethics; locker room behaviours, boys and girls training together even officials and coaches’ training.

How do you differentiate between the coach’s responsibility and the parent’s responsibility? How do we deal with disrespect of officials, coaches and even parents? Should we become a safe-haven for kids? How can all these things be done while there is an increase in insurances, increase in cost of facility rentals. Should school be open from 3-6pm free of charge for organised sport? Our taxes already pay for the facilities. Can we use college students studying to become teachers to do their student teaching at that time for nominal fees? The reality is that Australia is getting older (44% of cycling members are “Masters”). Is our organisation catering for that market? Is it part of our Mission Statement and objectives? How well defined is it? Can we use the older age group to help our organisation?

Some of our members might be retired with specific skills such as marketing, finances, newsletter writing, web site hosting. They would love to be needed and valued.Have a Senior Centre come and help out at a swim meet. Organising fund raising events. Mentoring young coaches (retired coaches)

In the same manner, volunteering is often the backbone of grass roots organisation.

Recognising that an army of volunteers runs most events … are we doing enough to make them feel that they are part of the success of the event? Can we find ways to ease the time in training youth coaches and officials? Can we get the government to give incentives to companies who promote volunteerism within their staff by giving them time off to help youth programs?

Now, a lot of this is done by coaches, volunteers, NSO’s, but can we help our athlete to become socially minded by giving back to the community – i.e.….

Christmas basket drive. Reading in the classrooms. Get involved in a charitable foundation (helped by coach). Soup kitchens. Give your name for a charity. Go to a fundraising dinner. Make a child smile!

What are some of the business influences on our sport? The influence of the media on sport is apparent to all; however it might to our benefit as coaches, officials and administrators to ensure that we direct the media to the “good news” stories.


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How about taking the newscasters to an event with you instead of waiting for the TV station to send someone? Buy TV time. How about sending a press release every week to the press or radio/TV? About some good things in your sport; from good results to good deeds performed by your athletes. Build a great rapport with the local media/press club. Are you a member of your Chamber of Commerce?

To go back to a subject already talked about; did you know that the Rugby World Cup will be worth $45M profit? And how much more into the Australian economy? Volunteers did the majority of the work. Not only major events such as the World Cup and the Olympics are good for the national economy, but locally organised events such as Soccer Tournaments (Kanga Cup), Swim meets, etc., are great for local economy. By the way, all put together by volunteer parents. How can the government help to promote donations to all these volunteer organisations and help in the fund raising process by giving tax deductions? It might entice tax-exempt gifts and it will help these non-profit groups make ends meet. Would it also promote volunteerism? How about joining forces with several other sports?

April pools day for all summer aquatic programs and drowning prevention days.

Is there a way to find out if corporations in Australia are setting aside a sum of dollars for specific cause; is there a way to find out? The business of sport is all about marketing who you are! Often you see US professional team jerseys on Australian kids. Why not a replica of the Australian National swimming team shirts for sale? Make people feel that they own a piece of the Australian pride in sport. There are many ways you can also offer your product … it does not need to be normal advertising. Can you promote water safety on a milk cartons? And then put a 1 800 number to put people in touch with a local swim school/gym club. Can you make a deal with “Coles” to put a flyer in every bag for one week (i.e. water safety week) with a list of all the local health clubs and a 10% discount (it’s already on the back of their receipt anyway)? Give the promotion a name! Tell all your members to shop at Coles! How about a local sports organisation’s Screen Saver to promote to promote the local sports?

Marketing and sport business can be exciting to think about … maybe find a large group of Alumni’s and have a brain storming session on how to use their expertises for your sport. Where do we go from now and what is the future bringing us? Don’t rely in an individual to always be the support; the Mission Statement and the objectives of the organisation should always be bigger than any individual.

Mission Viejo/Dallas Cowboy/N.Y. Yankees The ASC still has some day-to-day challenges to face in keeping a constant positive image of sport. The ASC must keep promoting sport as a lifestyle. It is easy to fall into the beaurocratic black hole and I would challenge any sport to reduce their administration so that there is a larger portion of the funds going to the real purpose of the sport, the participants…

USA Swimming 1988-2000 Australia should be in the forefront of technology … go get the best people and pay for them. We should not be losing our best Doctors, Coaches, Scientists to other countries.Give incentive to Universities who invest in applied research (for the PhD students). Tax breaks for corporations who invest their resources in Research and Development. Use the AIS to push the limits in medical fields and technology research. (Every scientist in the world should want to do his or her sabbatical in sport here!)

Whilst in the US, I was a big fan of David Letterman and every night he would finish his show with the “Top 10 of the Day” so here are my TOP 10 FOR AUSTRALIA…

10.Double the number of participants in your sport in the next five years without adding any administrative staff.

9.NSO staff spend one day on the deck with a coach at least once a year.

8. Love your coaches … make them better. 7. Be a family-friendly organisation.

6.For the government to encourage corporations to promote volunteerism within their ranks.

5. Continue to explore options to host great events.

4.Be less government dependant; come up with innovative fund raising events.

3. Never take NO for an answer (Winston Churchill).

2.For the Australian Government to do everything in their power to stop the haemorrhage of great intellectual talents to our competitors.

1.

May your organisation be as professional in its day-to-day conduct, as you would expect your kid’s coach to be in his day-to-day conduct with yourchild.


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LEADERSHIPCHANGING LIVES THROUGH

BETTER COACHING By Wayne Goldsmith

MOREGOLD SPORTS PTY LTD www.moregold.com.au

This article appeared in ASCA Newsletter Volume 2003-11

LEADERSHIP When talking leadership, there are two questions that always arise…

What is it and Can it (how can it) be developed?

This paper examines leadership and its application in effective coaching. LEADERS – BORN OR DEVELOPED? Are leaders born or made? Leadership is not one quality but rather a blend of many qualities, and while no one individual possesses all the needed talents that go into leadership, each man (person) can develop a combination to make him (her) a leader”. Vince Lombardi What is Leadership? “Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.” Stephen Covey

How then does LEADERSHIP apply to coaching?

What are your options? Lead by cajoling? Lead by rewarding? Lead by motivation? Lead by inspiration? Lead by fear and threat? Lead by not seeming to lead at all?

In the end, leadership is a reflection of who you are as a person and your leadership style should be something you are comfortable with. Leadership – Coaching: What do coaches do?

We change lives We have a vision We engage the skills and talents of others We solve problems We have a commitment to learning and improving

These are the core values of the leadership. Let’s investigate each one in turn. Changing Lives “Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without the strategy.”

Gen. H Norman Schwarzkopf Coaching Concept The athlete swims the first 75 – the person swims the last 25! This means that the ATHLETE – the person who trains, races and prepares swims the first

70-80% of the race. However, under the pressure and pain of the final 20-30% of the race – the person – (i.e. who the athlete actually is) takes over and their core values (integrity, courage, drive, determination, perseverance, etc.) determine the outcome. Coaching challenge is to develop the PERSON and not just the athlete. Having a Vision Seeing what isn’t but what could be. “The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision.” Theodore Hesburgh Successful coaches see the future and aim to take their athletes to it now. This applies to coaching techniques, strategies, innovative preparation techniques and all aspects of their program. Great coaches lead their athletes and program into a successful future by having the vision to see what can not be seen and yet still drive forcefully and purposefully towards it. Great coaches then convince athletes to strive to achieve what can not be seen or felt and to commit to achieving it with the same passion. World records are not the end point

They are merely a reference point and an indication of current coaching standards and athletic abilities. The coach with the talented young 14-year-old male Freestyle star in 2003 must not be aiming to equal Ian Thorpe but to see a sub 1:40 200 Freestyle as the reality of competitive standards in 2008, 2010 and plot a long term plan to achieve this. The person (coach) who aims at nothing is certain to hit it. Selling the Vision – Team Commitment “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he (she) wants to do it.” Dwight D. Eisenhower Coaches lead by influencing teams to believe that anything is possible. Success comes from making it “their idea” – to have sold the vision to the athletes so that they embrace the vision as their own. This leads to the concept of Program Ownership. Successful teams work on the “Not me-we” concept where the vision and direction of the team is the common goal of the all individuals in the team. “Champions are not made in gyms. They are made from something they have deep inside them – A DESIRE! A DREAM! A VISION!”

Muhammad AIi Leading – working with others As a leader, your success depends on your ability to motivate and engage the hearts, minds, and hands of other talented people. The success of the coach depends on everyone working together to achieve a common goal. Whilst the goals of each individual should


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be respected and supported, swimmers, parents, coaches, club, support staff and sponsors all working together towards a team goal is a hard-to-beat combination. Swimming is an individual sport but with a team culture that has the potential to maximise individual results. Rudyard Kipling (the famous swimming coach) once said, “The strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” In swimming, individuals RACE – but it is the support and competitive options provided by teammates in training that can help make racing more successful. Are coaches necessary? “I believe that people, unless coached, never reach their maximum capabilities.”

Bob Nardelli, CEO As a coach, what do you believe is your primary role? Primary role – COACHING & LEADERSHIP

To set uncompromising standards where excellence is expected; encouraged and embraced as the norm: To provide the opportunity for each athlete; to develop to the limit of their talent; to the extent of their dreams.

How to ... not what to Teach Swimmers HOW to think, not what tothink. Teaching swimmers how to think prepares them to meet the demands of every competitive situation they find themselves in. The development of core values – Integrity, sincerity, honesty, courage, discipline, commitment, work ethic – these things contribute to a program as much as training, equipment, nutrition, etc., and are more lasting. Solving Problems “One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognise a problem before it becomes an emergency.” Arnold Glasgow

PROBLEMS – OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN, TO IMPROVE AND CHALLENGES

TO OVERCOME Problem-Solving Leadership Coaching effectively is being good at solving problems. Coaching by problem solving is…

Leading by creatively and innovatively solving problems Seeing progress (and limits to progress) as problems to solve Developing the ability to use the problems themselves as leadership lessons

Four Stages of Problem-Solving Leadership STAGE ONE: One solution/one answer for all situations.

Coaching application – Most common

response by inexperienced coaches to a poor result by a swimmer is to do more work.

STAGE TWO: Several solutions/answers to problems and issues.

Coaching Application: Solution to a performance problem could be technique, attitude, diet, fitness, strength, power, stress – or a combination of any of these.

STAGE THREE: Very few problems to solve. Coaching application: Learning, experience and creative thinking ensures that the coach has relatively few problems to deal with. STAGE FOUR: Using problems to teach lessons Coaching application: Deliberately setting difficult performance problems for athletes to solve and learn from.

If you learn from every mistake, you didn’t really make a mistake. FINAL STAGE IN THE PROCESS

Mature athletes who can think and make decisions for themselves Athletes who can meet the demands of every competitive (life) situation they face Athlete who can adapt to changing environments Athletes who can deal with pressure

By teaching athletes to learn from experiences and solve problems themselves, coaches are leading by NOT LEADING. The traditional leadership model of coaching by motivation, by talking, by jumping up and down at the end of the pool is replaced by athletes capable of leading themselves. Learning to Lead?? Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), speech prepared for delivery in Dallas the day of his assassination, November 22, 1963 Great leaders are open-minded to new ideas and exist to learn, to improve, to explore, and to be challenged. My experience of the worst “leaders”

Convinced there is ONE WAY, the ONLY WAY – their way Believe that there is a secret method, secret set, magic taper, etc., that only they knowBelittle others and their ideas

The consistent thing in poor leaders is a lack of humility. Leadership without humility rapidly becomes arrogance and arrogant people do not succeed in any field of endeavour. What do these names have in common?

FordGeneral Motors Apple Computers Mattel Toys Sony Electronics


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Rod McQueen, Rick Charlesworth, Bill Sweetenham, Lee Mathews, Lawrie Lawrence ...

Answer: They are never satisfied with winning or being the best. They understand that SUCCESS IS A MOVING TARGET and once they are seen to be the best; they immediately challenge themselves to do it better. My experience of the best leaders

Open minded Always searching and looking to do it better Prepared to be challenged Lateral thinkers Creative by nature Visionary

Your commitment to yourself Lifetime commitment to learning and improvement There is final destination – only the ongoing journey Enjoy the journey – time is short

Some coaches spend their time looking for “THE ANSWER” – this is folly. There is not one answer, one solution, a magic pill or secret session that will give a miracle performance result. Consistent good results come from strong leadership and the development of positive, thinking athletes who in turn develop (and apply) the qualities of great leadership themselves.

FOR SALE An opportunity to own one of the few remaining

independent indoor pools in Perth. Long-established successful business 10km south-

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safe location, main road visibility. 25m Heated Pool

6 lane, Anti Wave Ropes Kiosk and Administration area

Male and Female Changing Facilities Well maintained Plant & Equipment

Off-street Parking Owner is willing to transfer existing Client Base &

Aquatic Programs Aquatic Education Program Squad Training all Levels

Aqua Aerobic Classes School & Private Bookings

Contact TONI BURGWYN on 08 9458 6071 or 0403 249 520

This article appeared in Swimming Technique January-March 2004

NATIONAL SWIM SCHOOL

ASSOCIATIONwww.NationalSwimSchools.com

One Banana, Two Banana,

Push and Breathe

By Jon Foss General Manager of Foss Swim Schools

He and his wife, Susan, are the co-founders. Since 1991, their competitive swimming teams have won 10 Minnesota State Championships and their swimmers have set six National Age Group records as well as one American record. Foss Swim Schools is America’s largest private swim school. Our instructors strive to teach the power phase of swimming to even the youngest age grouper — both at our schools and with our competitive swimming teams. We feel that the drill discussed in this article is the best way to teach any swimmer the perfect Freestyle. It improves all six points of Freestyle…

6-Beat Kick Deep reach with shoulders Proper hand position before catch Hips turning/momentum Proper head position When and where to breathe

Ninety-five percent of the kids we see doing Freestyle breathe incorrectly by turning the head to the left during a right arm stroke — and vice versa. This happens because of the disproportionately large heads and small hands of younger swimmers. At least 75% of USS swimmers that we observe continue to turn their neck for a breath instead of pushing with the arm on the side. At our schools, we start kids as young as 5 with what we call, “One Banana, Two Banana, Push and Breathe” (see accompanying photos). We value learning this skill far more than learning Freestyle. It takes most swimmers 3-4 months to perfect this skill.


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A CHILD’S FIRST MISTAKE

Almost all swimmers breathe the wrong way. Imagine a young swimmer who is struggling across the pool for the first time. As he pushes with his right arm, he rises up out of the water. The easiest possible direction to breathe is to the left, with a little neck turn. However, this is wrong. Frequently, the head is lifted and the hips drop. The result — minimal progress. When breathing correctly in Freestyle, the body should turn and the neck should not move independently of the body. The right arm stroke should yield a breath to the right with the right arm still pushing while bent at a 90-degree angle. Take a look at the “One Banana, Two Banana, Push and Breathe” drill. The photos show the correct way of doing the drill, compared to the wrong way. With this drill, swimmers breathe after every push phase. This is one of 15 different Freestyle exercises that we use in our swim schools and one of nine used by our competitive swimming teams. The end result is a slow, yet powerful stroke that has a definite power phase with each arm. A mistake in any of the phases will be very evident. We recommend that beginners and all children 8-and-under use short fins to perform this stroke. Paddles can be worn, but we recommend using only one paddle at a time. If you would like to see a movie of this drill, visit the www.aquajets.us website.

ONE BANANA All five fingers pointing forward in front of earArmpit deep Goggle straps up and down

TWO BANANA A flare of the four fingers; elbow points up

PUSH The wedge is below the elbow Bent at 90 degrees

BREATHE Like weightlifting, exhale on the bottom of the stroke to get more power

BREATHING On the recovery


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Skil l Acquisit ion & Movement Analysis Applied Research Project

FREESTYLE SWIMMING IN 12-YEAR-OLD FEMALE

ATHLETEBy David Murphy, 3rd April 2003

Preamble This is an article is based on a research report completed for unit of the Graduate Certificate of Applied Science (Sports Coaching) established by the Australian Sports Commission and the University of Queensland. The report is of an observation of the freestyle stoke of a 12-year-old female swimmer with over four years swimming experience at a competitive level. It is presented here to encourage coaches to think systematically about observation of swimming strokes, taking into account a wider range of factors than may normally be considered, especially novice coaches who may need a more formal framework for observation than experienced coaches. Introduction to Observation The observation used both a Gestalt and Temporal and Spatial observational models in order to move from a general impression of the overall stroke technique of the swimmer to concentration on particular problems with her technique and to provide a focus for intervention and future practice. Observation variables and their levels were considered prior to the observation (Table 1.1) The athlete was videotaped for approximately 11 minutes. A gestalt observation was undertaken (Table 1.2) and a detailed qualitative analysis was undertaken of the video in comparison to an evaluation sheet (Table 1.3) which provided the critical features of the stroke. This sheet was based on a more detailed table of critical features and their acceptable range of correctness (Table 1.4). The observation found that a detailed intervention is necessary to correct major flaws in the swimmer’s technique especially alignment and balance of her body in the water during all phases of the stroke cycle. These faults underlie other biomechanical flaws in her stroke, which are the more obvious symptoms on first observation. As well as needing to address alignment and biomechanical flaws the athlete needs to address some unconscious psychological fears or habitual flaws in their breathing timing and position. The recommended intervention is the same for either cause. Observation preparation Care was taken to consider the observation variables and their levels for this observation. A summary is provided at Table 1.1.

Prior to observation, the analyst has attained several years’ experience as a swim coach and Learn-to-Swim Teacher. During this time they have used and gained knowledge in several types of interventions to assist swimmers to improve their technique. While in most cases of flawed technique biomechanical responses are usually the most appropriate, psychological, sociological, physiological, or pedagogical problems for stroke technique cannot be ignored, especially because school age swimmers are still developing, have had a varied quality of instruction, are not all motivated to learn and practice the same, and have different experiences of squad swimming. The analyst was prepared to take into account all of the above causes of flaws in stroke technique. Observational Models Consideration was given to which observational model would best suit the task to be undertaken. The decision was made to use two models… 1. The Gestalt or holistic approach, in order

to get a feel for the whole movement, its rhythm, smoothness and completeness, before the analyst tried to find specific problems (Table 1.2)

2. A temporal and spatial observational model, which focused the observer’s attention on the phases (temporal) of a movement and where particular body parts are at specific times (spatial). This was based on the model suggested by Pinheiro (2000) using a criteria sheet with critical features listed and room for notes against each criteria (Table 1.3)

Knowledge of Skill As indicated above, the observer has been a coach for approximately five years, has studied for their Level 2 Swimming Accreditation and had read other research to expand their knowledge. While coaching books were used as the basis to document some of the critical features of freestyle, other more recent research and articles have also been used to inform and define proper technique (James, Johnson, Gauvin, 2003; Gmünder, 2002; Boomer, 2003). The skill has several phases, each requiring the athlete to move the body and limbs in a specific sequence, stabilised on a properly balanced, buoyant and aligned horizontal body. For convenience Table 1.4 indicates these phases for both the left and right arms. It assumes that…

The right arm is used for the first stroke; The swimmer should be using front quadrant freestyle technique; and Breathing is done after the third stroke during the pull/extension phase as the body rotates.

Freestyle requires extensive coordination that is “patterning the body and limb motions relative to be patterning of environmental


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objects and events” (Magill 2001). It is a learned skill with a high amount of degrees of freedom where the athlete develops appropriate movement coordination with distinct limb movement patterns. These movement patterns are carried out in an aquatic environment that is very different to the environment in which the athlete normally lives. Rather than the centre of gravity of the athlete being critical to performance on solid platforms such as grass, synthetic track, etc., buoyancy plays a major role and acts as a force counter to gravity on certain parts of the body. This requires the nervous system to adjust to this new environment and for motor skills to adapt as the movement control centre of the athlete assesses feedback from their movements in the water. Knowledge of a Performer The observer had known the swimmer for a number of years although they have never had responsibility for coaching them. The swimmer is a 12-year-old female with approximately four years of swimming experience under three main coaches, the last two or three years. The parents commented that coaches had made little intervention over the last three years. The swimmer was selected because the observer had watched the student’s movements during several squad training sessions (similar to a pre-test situation) and had noticed the quality of movement not being to the standard normally taught by the coach. The swimmer is motivated to swim well, enjoys the sport, has no physical problems (although some shoulder problems may be emerging) and has good strength and flexibility. As is the case with many swimmers, her shoulders are hypermobile, an important feature when assessing the recovery phase of her stroke. The Senses Vision played the predominate role in the observation. A video was made of several trials from various positions. The video was carefully watched several times. However, the noise of the swimmer (lots of splash) was partly responsible for drawing the attention of the observer to swimmer in the first instance. Observational Strategies The observation moved from the general to the specific using a Gestalt model initially (Table 1.2) and then moving to a more temporal and spatial model using the criteria sheet (Table 1.3) methodology suggested by Pinheiro (2000). Using a Gestalt method gave the observer an overall feel for the swimmer’s Freestyle stroke in which they noted that the movements involved a lot of movement of the spine and head, involved a high, inefficient stroke rate, lacked rhythm and was awkward and rough to look at. A more detailed temporal and spatial analysis was then possible using

pre-defined criteria and range of correctness measures. This strategy was chosen despite the attraction of using two other strategies as the commencement point for the observation, balance and importance. Balance is frequently an underrated factor in swimming. Without it movements are likely to be flawed and an analysis which does not take it into account may address symptoms without taking into account the underlying cause. Some observers may also consider that one thing is so important that it must be done correctly in order for the movement to be successful. The example cited by Morrison (2003), of a swim coach feeling that the roll in the Freestyle is the most important factor and in order to understand how well the Freestyle is being done a person needs only to check the roll, is problematic as it automatically rules out diagnoses that may identify other causes which prevent correct rotation in the first place. For these reasons the Gestalt and adapted Temporal and Spatial models were used for the observation taking into account the following matters…

Ecology. The environment was a public pool with other swimmers using the lanes from time to time. This did not intrude greatly on the overall performance of the swimmer during the videotaped trials. Observation obstacles included equipment in the line of sight (Backstroke Flags) but not sufficient to impede the overall observation). The major matter to be taken into account is that water has different qualities and impact on the performer than land based activities. Vantage point: The observation was carried out over several trials from a number of vantage points including from:

Above: Fixed position, front on and behind the swimmer (from one end of the pool), fixed position side on, moving with the swimmer above and slightly side on. Underwater: front on and behind moving with the swimmer, moving with the swimmer side on, below and slightly side on.

Range of correctness issues for a swimmer of this age and experience were documented (Table 1.4). It should be noted that consideration was given to development of beginner to advanced skill analysis guide (Abendroth-Smith, Kras, Strand 1996) but was not undertaken given that this swimmer should have been at an advanced level of skill. The three categories for range of correctness were used to measure range of correctness (insufficient, excessive, and optimal). Speed of movement: The trials were conducted at near race pace. In the pre-test


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situation the swimmer had worked at maximum and less than maximum pace with the quality of the movement being similar. In this case the observer did not believe observation in a race would show any significant differences to observation at slightly less than race pace. Number of observations: As previously noted several observations were made with the swimmer undertaking at least 20 laps of 25 metre pool to allow for videotaping from several vantage points. Evaluation Details of the evaluation are provided on the criteria sheet (Table 1.3). In summary, the anatomy of the swimmer is sound, they are fit, and there is no physiological reason for the flaws in their technique. While they are only twelve years of age there is no reason that there development should not be sufficient to maintain proper technique. The swimmer is capable in a number of other activities and shows no developmental delay. Both fine and gross motor skills are generally good. As indicated in the detailed evaluation, the swimmer has poor body alignment and stability in the water. This leads to a number of other symptoms including exaggerated movement in their torso, legs and head, a fast stroke cycle rate in which a lot of energy is wasted, poor timing of movement sequences (particularly in arm movement patterns) and a poor catch and propulsive phase in the stroke. Diagnosis Psychologically, the swimmer will first need to address issues regarding their security in the water. Her tendency to lift her head when breathing is indicative of a lack of control over their primitive survival instinct to lift their head for the air. Until such a fear is reduced, biomechanical information and attempted changes will be of little use. The swimmer’s posture and body alignment in the water is flawed. The swimmer will need to be taught how to correctly align their spine for the aquatic environment, allowing for greater buoyancy and balance in the water and improved, relaxed whole body rotation. With adequate rotation and realignment of the body the swimmer’s recovery should be more relaxed with the arm recovering in front of the scapular plane. This will minimise the chance of injury to the athlete, as will changes to the position of the arm during the recovery. At present the swimmer internally rotates their arm during recovery, putting pressure on the rotor cuff joint. This will lead to injury in the longer term. The swimmer at the moment has hypermobile shoulders but as she reaches puberty this mobility may lessen. The swimmer’s motor program for Freestyle is also flawed. Changes to this program will take a major effort on behalf of the swimmer and her

instructors. However, the swimmer is motivated and their emotional status is secure. Intervention Essentially, the swimmer will need to be re-taught their Freestyle swimming. To assist the cognitive awareness of the athlete of the videotaped will need to be played to her with the observer explaining what he is seeing. The swimmer could also be shown the criteria sheet to add to their knowledge of both correct performance and their errors. The prevention of injury will also be necessary to explain to the swimmer and parents. The observer/coach will then need to explain to the swimmer the intervention that will be necessary for them to successfully swim freestyle with the critical elements within the range of correctness. This should be done positively with assurance that the swimmer can do this successfully. As indicated above, the swimmer will need to firstly be taught how to control their instinctive reactions in search for air. This can be achieved through a series of drills and exercises in which the swimmer is taught to control and alter their breathing patterns. These drills and exercises can also be used to assist the swimmer to learn proper body alignment for the aquatic environment (e.g. Boomer 2002). These drills will emphasise the need to locate the centre of buoyancy of the athlete and learning to control their balance and alignment around this centre. Again, this will take considerable time and effort on behalf of the coach and the swimmer. When the swimmer is able to control their alignment in the water a series of other drills will need to be used to rebuild the motor program of the swimmer for Freestyle swimming. As suggested by Magill (2002) the progressive part method of learning the first part of the skill as an independent unit before practicing second and subsequent units before putting them together, would be very suitable for teaching this swimmer the proper movement sequences for front quadrant freestyle swimming. Such an intervention would also involve augmented feedback to the swimmer throughout each unit of instruction. Care will need to be taken to not overload the swimmer with information but to lead the swimmer into performing the technique correctly. Care will need to be taken that practice sessions are not too long or too infrequent to lead to optimal learning. In this case a distributed schedule of regular intervention will be necessary rather than trying to correct the swimmer in a concentrated session. This could be for example, several one-hour sessions over a week or four sessions of one and half-hours duration with at least 90 minutes between the session.


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From experience, this distributed schedule works very well on changing motor programs so long as there is concentrated practice and reinforcement after the initial changes to the motor program is made. References

James N. Johnson, MD, Jason Gauvin, PT, ATC, Michael Fredericson, MD, Swimming Biomechanics and Injury Prevention, New Stroke Techniques and Medical Considerations,The Physician and Sportsmedicine – Vol.31 – No.1 – January 2003, www.physsportsmed.com/cover.htm Felix Gmünder, Schwimmverein Limmat Zürich,Swimmer's shoulder: Anatomical background, causes and prevention,William L Boomer, Velocity Impulses and Spaces,Eastern States Clinic, 2003, www.parametrix-inc.com/library.php

Magill, R. A. (2001). Motor Learning: Concepts and applications (6th Ed), McGraw-Hill. Chapter 4 Motor Control Theories, p. 43. Abendroth-Smith, J., Kras, J., & Strand, B. (1996). Get aboard the B-BOAT (Biomechanically based observation and analysis for teachers). Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 67(8), 20-23. Boomer Chronicles: Video I – 5. USA Swimming 2002. www.usa-swimming.org/programs/template.pl?opt=news&pubid=908 Magill, R. A. (2001). Motor Learning: Concepts and applications (6th Ed), McGraw-Hill. Chapter 4 Motor Control Theories, pp.301-303.

Table 1 .1 – OBSERVATION V ARI ABLES & THEIR LEVELS T ime Var iab le Leve l

Knowledge of intervention Pedagogical, Psychological, Biomechanical, and Physiological. Observational models Gestalt, Temporal and Spatial Knowledge of skill Experience, Experts, Research Observational strategy General to Specific, (Balance, Importance) Knowledge of the performer Novice-Expert,

Prior

The senses Vision, Audition Ecology Environmental Constraints Vantage point Top, Side, Front, Back, Bottom Range of correctness Insufficient, Excessive, and Optimal Speed Close to Applied Speed

During

Number of observations Minimum Five Table 1 .2

GEST ALT OBSERVATION AL MODEL – FREESTYLE SWIMMING IN 12 -YEAR-OLD ATHLETE Body Orientation

Feet: Good flexion. Don’t appear to rotate much with hips. Sometimes cross over and come apart too much (to assist rotation afterbreathing).

Knees: Small bends most of the time – good. Come apart too much to aid rotation after breathing. Hips: Rotation not linked to trunk, shoulders and legs. Trunk: Considerable movement up, down, sideways, twisting. Curve in back. Shoulders: Movements up and down. Not stable and not linked to rotation. Arms: Behind scapular plane on recovery. No catch underwater. Fast stroke cycle. No front quadrant timing. Hands: Thumb first entry, fingers spread. Head: Gross movement up, down, sideways, at an angle on the breath. Execution:

1. Poor body alignment leading to “rubber raft” movement of trunk and body to maintain flotation in the water. 2. Recovery and all movements are rushed – high cycle rate to avoid sinking. 3. Major head movements indicative of poor trunk control and rush to get air (primitive instinct). 4. Hand entry is flawed (thumb down) but initial direction forward is good. 5. No catch to stroke – energy is going straight down (to lift body up) until 90 degrees under body. Leads to very limited propulsion.

Table 1 .3 – FREESTYLE SWIMMING Observer’s Name: David Murphy … Date: 1

st April 2003 … Performer: Female Swimmer 12 years

Skill to be diagnosed: Freestyle swimming with acceptable skill and smoothness.

ILLUSTRATION CRITICAL ELEMENTS YES NO RANGE OF CORRECTNESS-COMMENTS-

REMARKS

Preparation Phase

Balanced, side lying, horizontal body.

Above surface arm and hand slides in towards the far wall, no splashes and no bubbles formed. Lead arm elbow near but under surface, wrist in-line fingers pointing to end of pool. Exhaling has almost finished.Start of rapid transition of the hips and body from one side to the other. Catching water with the forearm and hand only starts when the snappy roll started.Hips are the engine for the body snap. Do not put too much emphasis on pulling.

X

X

X

X

X

Insufficient. Poor alignment – “rubber raft” body to get stable in water. Insufficient. Slaps water, thumb leading. Lots of splash and bubbles (see underwater video).

Insufficient. Arms opposite, no overlap. Fingers do point to end of pool (good).

Insufficient. Rotation is uncontrolled and “lumpy”. No catch.

Insufficient. Hips dominated by shoulder and head movements and pull (straight down).


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ILLUSTRATION CRITICAL ELEMENTS YES NO RANGE OF CORRECTNESS-COMMENTS-

REMARKS Execution Phase Balanced, side lying, horizontal body.

High elbow position on catch and pull by both forearm and hand. Shoulder and arm in line with the body with gap between rear head and arm minimal. Stroking arm accelerates until the hips (not thigh) reached. Elbow bent at the completion of the propulsive phase.Stroke rounds off and palm partially turns toward body (supination).

X

X

XX

X

X

Insufficient. See above. Insufficient. Straight arm – no catch.

Insufficient. No glide, major gap.

Excessive. Hand accelerates to thigh.

Optimal. Good initial bend of elbow.

Optimal. Good initial rounding off. Tendency to internal rotation half way through recovery.

Follow Through Phase Balanced, side lying, horizontal body. Inertial and free-swinging release, recovery, and catch. Recovery starts slowly and accelerates when the shoulders have been passed.Side-lying gliding position reached, body almost in one line. The head is only turned at the same time as the body when taking a breath.

XXX

X

X

X

Insufficient. See above. Optimal release & recovery. Thumb first entry poor – leads to injury. Insufficient catch.

Excessive. Arms fast from onset of recovery – no glide to counteract.

Insufficient. No glide, body not in line.

Excessive head movement all the time.

Table 1 .4 DESCRIPTION OF MOVEMENT & RANGE OF CORRECTNESS

LEFT ARM RIGHT ARM RANGE OF CORRECTNESS Catch and initiation of rotation Balanced, side lying, horizontal body. Lead arm elbow near but under surface, wrist in-line fingers pointing to end of pool. Exhaling has almost finished. Start of rapid transition of the hips and body from one side to the other. Catching water with the forearm and hand only starts when the snappy roll started.

Hand Entry and commence rotation Balanced, side lying, horizontal body.

Above surface arm and hand slides in towards the far wall, no splashes and no bubbles formed. Hips are the engine for the body snap.

Body in horizontal balanced position. 25-45 degrees rotation counter-clockwise. Early catch, high, stable elbow with hand pointing to bottom of pool 35-80 degrees.

Extended arm points directly forward in horizontal position or slightly higher/lower with elbow slightly bent to locked. Do not put too much emphasis on pulling but on forward momentum of reach in time with body rotation.

Pull and full rotation. Breathe to left. Balanced, side lying, horizontal body.

High elbow position on catch and pull by both forearm and hand. Stroking arm accelerates to hips. Elbow bent at the completion of the propulsive phase.Stroke rounds off and palm partially turns toward body (supination). Head turns with body to breathe.

Extension (and reach full rotation) Shoulder and arm in line with the body with gap between rear head and arm minimal.

Body in horizontal balanced position. Rotation – 45 - 85 degrees. Head turns with body, with no lift and then returns to balance looking straight down. Right arm sweeps under/beside the body – should not cross centre line of body. Stroking arm accelerates until the hips (not thigh) reached.Extended arm points directly forward in horizontal position or slightly higher/lower with elbow slightly bent to locked. The head is only turned at the same time as the body when taking a breath

Recovery Inertial and free-swinging release, recovery, and catch. Recovery starts slowly and accelerates when the shoulders have been passed.

Extension Balanced, side lying, horizontal body.

Side-lying gliding position reached, body almost in one line.

Body in horizontal balanced position.

Left arm commences recovery action between waist and thigh. Two broad options for recovery – high elbow leading relaxed lower arm to alongside the head or circular recovery with bent arm. Recovering arm should be in front of scapular plane (best 15 degrees in front) to avoid injury. Some athletes with hyper-mobility of rotor cuff joint may be able to have less. Extended arm points directly forward in horizontal position or slightly higher/lower with elbow slightly bent to locked.


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LEFT ARM RIGHT ARM RANGE OF CORRECTNESS Hand Entry and commence rotation Balanced, side lying, horizontal body. Above surface arm and hand slides in towards the far wall, no splashes and no bubbles formed. Hips are the engine for the body snap. Do not put too much emphasis on pulling but on forward momentum of reach in time with body rotation.

Catch and initiation of rotation Balanced, side lying, horizontal body. Lead arm elbow near but under surface, wrist in-line fingers pointing to end of pool. Exhaling has almost finished. Start of rapid transition of the hips and body from one side to the other. Catching water with the forearm and hand only starts when the snappy roll started.

Body in horizontal balanced position. 25-45 degrees rotation.Early catch; elbow high with hand pointing to bottom of pool 35-80 degrees. Extended arm points directly forward in horizontal position or slightly higher/lower with elbow slightly bent to locked.

Extension (and reach full rotation). Balanced, side lying, horizontal body.


Pull and full rotation Balanced, side lying, horizontal body. High elbow position on catch and pull by both forearm and hand. Stroking arm accelerates to hips. Elbow bent at the completion of the propulsive phase. Stroke rounds off and palm partially turns toward body (supination).

Body in horizontal balanced position. Rotation – 45 - 85 degrees.Extended arm points directly forward in horizontal position or slightly higher/lower with elbow slightly bent to locked. Right arm sweeps under/beside the body – should not cross centre line of body.

Extension Balanced, side lying, horizontal body.


Recovery Inertial and free-swinging release, recovery, and catch. Recovery starts slowly and accelerates when the shoulders have been passed.

Body in horizontal balanced position. Extended arm points directly forward in horizontal position or slightly higher/lower with elbow slightly bent to locked. Right arm commences recovery action between waist and thigh. Two options for recovery – circular recovery with bent arm or high elbow leading relaxed lower arm to alongside the head. Recovering arm should be in front of scapular plane (best 15 degrees in front) to avoid injury. Some athletes with hyper-mobility of rotor cuff joint may be able to have less.

Catch and commence rotation Balanced, side lying, horizontal body. Lead arm elbow near but under surface, wrist in-line fingers pointing to end of pool. Exhaling has almost finished. Start of rapid transition of the hips and body from one side to the other. Catching water with the forearm and hand only starts when the snappy roll started.

Hand Entry and commence rotation Balanced, side lying, horizontal body. Above surface arm and hand slides in towards the far wall, no splashes and no bubbles formed. Hips are the engine for the body snap. Do not put too much emphasis on pulling but on forward momentum of reach in time with body rotation.

Body in horizontal balanced position. 25-45 degrees rotation.Early catch; elbow high with hand pointing to bottom of pool 35-80 degrees. Extended arm points directly forward in horizontal position or slightly higher/lower with elbow slightly bent to locked.

NATIONAL AGE GROUP COACH Salary: Negotiable

British Swimming is the National Governing Body for Swimming and its associated disciplines in Great Britain with its headquarters situated in the centre of Loughborough. An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, committed coach to take responsibility for the World Class Start Training Program for Swimming. This includes leading the coaching program at various training camps and competitions. The successful applicant will be a qualified coach with a proven track record of coaching swimmers to National and International levels. The position is a full time appointment. British Swimming is an equal opportunity employer and has a non-smoking policy. To obtain an application pack please contact the British Swimming Employment Line on +44 (0) 1509 618 704 (24 hours), email [email protected] or write to Leona Allen, Personnel Officer, British Swimming, Harold Fern House, Derby Square, Loughborough LE11 5AL.

Details can also be downloaded from the British Swimming Website … www.britishswimming.org


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SPORTING PARENTS – SUPPORT, SMILES & SWIMMING

By Wayne Goldsmith Moregold Sports Pty Ltd – www.moregold.com.au

This article appeared in American Swimming Magazine, Volume 2003 Issue 6

It was also presented at the ASCTA 2003 Convention

FIVE THINGS ALL PARENTS HAVE IN COMMON

They love their children They want the best for their children They are incapable of being objective about their children They believe there is something special or unique about their children (that no on else can see) They don’t believe me when I tell them every parent has the first four things in common

THINGS AREN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE AND THEY NEVER WERE

Kids today are different (but so were we) They want it all They want it now They want it to be fun If they can’t have it all, have it now and if it is not fun they don’t want it

WHY SWIMMING SOMETIMES STRUGGLES! Swimming is often seen as focusing on traditional values of dedication, work ethic, commitment, team work, learning to deal with adversity and pressure These values are (unfortunately) out of step with many of the “fast food” attitudes of today’s kids

WHY ARE SWIMMING COACHES IN THE “FIRING LINE”? The three most important things to a parent are…

KIDSTIME MONEY They give you MONEY to coach their KIDS at inconvenient TIMES!!!!!!

TOP 10 QUESTIONS ASKED BY SWIMMING PARENTS

1.

How many times should a child train each week?

As many as they can recover from As many as their goals determine As many as they enjoy As many as their coach deems necessary

Key comment – It is an individual thing!


2.

When should a child specialise in a stroke or event?

There is no such thing as a 10-year-old champion whatever This year’s champ is next year’s chump

Key comment – LONG TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT is the key to success

3.

Do swimming kids need a special diet? No ... unless they have special needs or health issues Providing they eat a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins and fats

Key comment – Vitamins and minerals do not make champions.

4.

How do kids balance school and swimming? School comes first ... NO BRAINER! SWIMMING kids usually are high achievers and good students as they learn time management skills, dealing with stress, team building, communication skills and other important skills

Key comment – School and Swimming DO MIX

5.

When should my kids start strength training? Does not matter what age … depends on

what they do Body weight exercises and light exercise

with perfect technique OK at most ages Key comment – Technique before tonnes!

6.

What types of exercise are best for young (i.e. pre-teen) athletes?

6-12 is the perfect time to learn techniques and skills – the foundations of sporting success in later years Learn their A-B-C’s (Agility, Balance, Coordination and Speed)

Key comment – Patience is a true virtue.

7.

How do I choose a good coach for my child? Qualifications, experience, coaching record are all important Are they capable of providing a safe, ethical, positive, skills based, stimulating training environment?

Key comment – Does your child like the coach?

8.

What are the common characteristics of champion athletes?

Confidence/self esteem/self belief The ability to deal with tough times and adversity A love of what they are doing A positive attitude

Key comment – Champion athletes are champion people first.


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9.

What can I do to help my child achieve their swimming goals?

Be patient with progress Be tolerant of mistakes and poor performances Be calm and dignified at swim meets Learn to accept wins or losses graciouslyAllow (the athletes) plenty of breathing space Offer praise with success Encourage involvement in other pursuitsEncourage independence and self-sufficiency Above all, keep swimming in perspective Be supportive rather than intrusive

Key comment – Love them.

10.

How can I tell if my child is doing too much? Tired all the time ... generally lethargic Irritable, quiet, moody – maybe even sad Little illness or health issue that doesn’t seem to go away Doesn’t sleep well Social problems with school, friends and or family

Key comment – Just like you when you are tired!

SUMMARY

In this century, swimming can provide an opportunity for kids to learn important social and personal skills that they may not be able to learn in any other institution. Health, fitness, movement and activity are life long habits … and habits for a long life. Kids don’t care how much you know, they want to know how much you care (Forbsism). The single most important thing you can give your kids is unconditional love and support. Learn to separate the performance from the person … critical point.

THE CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US

Use swimming to teach and enhance the traditional values which apply to all people in all walks of life.

But ... encourage kids to take part in swimming and sell swimming in a way which appeals to their world – where entertainment is as important as education.

A SWIMMING TEACHER’S PET HATE By Katie Clarke, Fish Links Swim School

PO Box 566, Pascoe Vale Vic 3044 www.fishlinks.com.au

The topic of chlorine allergies is one that is raised regularly lately and definitely a teacher’s pet hate. I personally have allergies to both chlorine and bromine. After seeing a recent request for information in the last Swim Australia “Swim Bytes” I thought I would do some further research and write an article that may be of some assistance to those with similar allergies.

Please remember that every person is different and, first and foremost, if your skin is reacting to the water … be sure you seek

medical advice. The most common reaction to sodium hypochlorite (pool chlorine) is a red dermatitis type rash – like little paper cuts – that will start in small patches and spread sometimes all over your body. Some other common signs of an allergy to Chlorine and its by-products include…

Dry Skin Itchy Eyes and face Runny nose, sneezing or sinus trouble Sore throats Sore Ears Asthma or restricted breathing Signs of Nausea Feeling Lethargic Urine and bowel difficulties

We are all aware that our body has a certain tolerance to infections and disease and that the immune system is kept healthy through proper diet and exercise as well as a healthy lifestyle. What may be alarming to some is that Chlorine can actually breakdown the immune system in many people – particularly those with allergies. When the body does not recover 100% from an allergic reaction your immune system may be down leaving you MORE prone to infection. The reaction itself can and usually does take place while in the water, though many will not recognise the side effects until several hours later. Your body can react to both the amount of chlorine in the water and the chloroform which is a small layer of gas that sits just above the surface of the water. This layer is usually only found in heated swimming pools.

Common Swimming Pool Chemicals Chlorine—CL or CL2 is a general term used for the sanitisation of swimming pools. Chlorine in its raw form however is a gas which is used only in some Commercial Swimming Pool Treatment. Sodium Hypochlorite—Liquid pool chlorine – is the most common form of chlorine for swimming pool disinfection and sanitisation. Sodium Hypochlorite has a high pH and will increase the pH of the water in to which it is added.


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Calcium Hypochlorite—Powder or granulated chlorine reacts instantly on contact with the water. Calcium Hypochlorite has a high pH in its own right and will raise the pH of the water rapidly. It will also greatly increase the Calcium Hardness level of the water over a period of time. Salt Chlorination – form of Sodium Hypochlorite—Salt chlorinated pools seem to be better regarding the amount of chlorine exposure that I personally can tolerate. The chlorine output seems to be less harsh from the salt cell than that of liquid or granulated chlorine. Not all pools are salt of course and even the salt pools do generate chlorine output so again it is a matter of knowing what you can and can not tolerate. Ozone Treated Water—Ozone-treated pools are great because they use only minimal amounts of chlorine or bromine for additional water disinfection. Ozone in these cases is usually the primary source of water treatment. There is not a lot of documentation I could find as to adverse effects of Ozone on teachers or swimmers. Ozone gas itself is deadly in its pure form though by the time the water re-enters the pool it is harmless. Ozone is more effective as a disinfectant that most chemical alternatives. Bromine—Bromine is a product that was originally formulated for spas and heated swimming pools as it is far more stable under higher temperatures. Bromine pools, from feedback I have received, seem to often be OK for those with mild-to-severe chlorine allergies. Speaking with Ted Tullberg who previously worked at a chlorine-treated pool for many years, now has a pool that is treated with Bromine. He explained that, as a general rule, those who are allergic to chlorine are NOTallergic to Bromine. In comparison to hundreds of people showing allergic signs to chlorine pool at the previous venue in his time … at this new pool there have been only three cases of people who were allergic to Bromine (me being one of them).

WHAT MAY SEEM THE SIMPLE OPTION TO SOME

If you’re allergic to chlorine don’t get in the water. For most of us who are incredibly passionate about our teaching – staying out is just NOT AN OPTION! Below are some suggestions that have helped me over the years and other suggestions from fellow teachers. The No.1 priority for anyone showing signs of an allergy to pool chlorine is to see a health care professional. Once your allergy is under control, it is recommended you focus on building your body’s immune system so it can tolerate certain levels of pool chlorine exposure. Eliminating your exposure to this chlorine altogether will mean your body’s immune system will not build up a tolerance level – meaning that next

time you’re exposed to the chemical your body’s reaction may be much worse.

Depending on the type of reaction you have most people can tolerate some levelof pool chlorine exposure. I know myself that, at lower levels, my skin does not react nearly as much as when the chemical levels are much higher. Try to determine what an acceptable level is for you and, where possible, provide feedback to pool staff so they can keep you informed of any irregularities. Keep in mind that all swimming pools must maintain adequate disinfection ratios so you will need to learn to work within their minimum-maximum ranges.

Learning what your body can and cannot tolerate and building up your immunity to

chlorine will take time, so it is important to try and stay positive throughout the process.

Carefully schedule the amount of time you spend in the water and always allow at least a day between each session where possible. This seems to reduce the side effects allowing your body time to recover and begin to build up a better immunity. For example, I teach in 4-hour blocks Monday, Wednesday, Friday so there is always a day in between long shifts for my skin to recover. Recently, I have added Saturday mornings to that schedule and find that by the end of my shift my skin is very itchy, red and sore. I also find I am exhausted after Saturday – more so than after the other shifts – I put this down to no break between Friday and Saturday. Avoid extreme changes in temperature. My personal experience is going from warm weather to cold water can aggravate the allergy and vice versa. The same has been shown for extreme changes in pool temperature. A rash vest has many advantages as a teaching tool – allowing children to grab hold, as a uniform – so teachers are easily identifiable and to limit the skin rashes – which you can get from a chlorine allergy. Be sure it is form-fitting as if they are too big or too small they may only irritate the rash further. Wetsuits are OK for some people, though personally I find they only aggravate the problem, especially around the areas of where the wetsuit ends. Vaseline can be rubbed on key areas that may react more so than other areas and baby oil is even better because of its moisturising effect (I use baby oil). As teachers, we must be wary that if using these oils you will be more slippery – when you’re dealing with children who are slippery enough in the water – it can make your job more difficult. Have a cloth or chamois on hand to be able to wipe off any excess Vaseline or baby oil from your hands. If you can find a moisturising sunscreen that has a water barrier or resistance you will find that this will work just as well as the above oils and if working outside – oil burns – so the sunscreen option would obviously be your best bet!


38

It is important to rinse the excess chlorine off once you’re out of the pool. Be wary though that probably the last thing your body needs at that point is more water to soak out its natural moisture. It is a better idea to simply rinse off the pool water and avoid a long hot shower until your skin settles. Soaps will also aggravate the skin, so initially just rinse and rub some cream into any affected areas to avoid the skin drying out. After the skin settles a long shower is fine to remove any excess chemicals from the skin. Use a daily moisturiser for dry skin each and every time you shower. Sorbaline cream is excellent; moisturisers for dry skin add back the much-needed moisture to the skin that these chemicals can remove. You will learn what works best for you and, with time, will know what is needed to control or minimise your allergic reaction. Be sure to maintain this moisturising routine even once your symptoms have subsided as it will help build that resistance I’ve been emphasising. During long breaks – such as over Christmas where you’re not in the water for a period of time – try to make a conscious effort to get in the water several times so your body can maintain the tolerance level you have built up. Otherwise, when you are in the water next, your skin will often have a more severe reaction than normal and your body will take longer to build up that bearable tolerance level again.

For many the reaction they have will depend primarily on the quality of the pool water and how much of the chemical that you’re allergic to is active in the water. Your reaction will depend on your skin and the severity of the allergy so please use caution. Though I have looked carefully at resources this is simply a summary of information found on the internet and in newspaper articles. It by no means is an expert scientific opinion. It can not be stressed enough that you need to seek medical advice if you have any signs of an allergic reaction or any concerns. Once you have a positive mind set about your allergy and you can accept that you need to learn to control the allergy – not allow the allergy to control you. The path to recovery and building your immunity will be easier. Hopefully this information has helped ease your suffering in some way so you can get on with enjoying teaching. The running joke at our pool is … we don’t need a $1,000 pool test kit – just put Katie in the water and see how she reacts!

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY TEACHING! Resources

Pool Operators Handbook, published by Dept. of Human Services, Victoria Swimmers can find Chlorine a Major Irritant – Australian Doctor Newspaper 7-10-1994 Chlorine Risk to Swimmers, The Age 21-11-1997The Two Faces of Swimming Pool Chlorine – DrGreene.com 02-06-2003

INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW TEACHERS/COACHES

By Alex Bory

Alex & Susan Bory PO Box 5, Baulkham Hills NSW 1755

Phone: (02) 9639 3924; Fax: (02) 9639 3923 9th March 2003 Dear Michael, Please find enclosed a set of instructions for new teachers/coaches to be trained to join our team of teachers. The instructions have served us well for nearly 50 years. What is even more important — that it works. Yours in Sport, Alex Bory

INTRODUCTION Alex Bory was representing Hungary at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games in the 400 and 1500 metres Freestyle. After the Games, asked for political asylum and stayed in Australia. In 1961, he turned professional and started a coaching career that pioneered many aspects of swimming in the west of Sydney. Starting in Granville, Wentworthville, Merrylands and Penrith Olympic pools – building a huge following. All these swimmers needed an indoor pool to swim in the winter, so the first indoor pool (12½ metres) was built at Toongabbie. In 1971, a second 25m pool was added and in 1972 a separate 55-feet indoor pool was built in Emu Plains. This large organisation required the training of dozens of swimming teachers and coaches to run the swim schools. The following is a collection of staff training instructions for hundreds of young coaches. Many articles have been written about how to teach swimming. Different strokes were analysed with scientific data. All the articles I have read were either aimed at the serious competitors or the beginners. This article intends to enthuse the young coach to try a proven method or use a solution offered to a stumbling block. It is our young coaches who are on the lookout for the talents who will rewrite the history of Australian swimming. The 7-10 year-old age group is where a coach can establish good technique. I dedicate this article to all those young aspiring coaches who will continue the work of some of the past great Australian coaches.

TEACHER’S INTRODUCTION LESSON’S STRUCTURE 3-5 year-old

In most cases, you should try and repeat the same exercise several times as children will gain


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confidence during the lesson. The following set of exercises will demonstrate how a different rate of progress is applicable to the 2-year-old age group. Of course there are always exceptions. It helps if the parents take their child into a pool and have “Fun Time” – it’s amazing how fast water confidence will develop. Parents should be encouraged to take part in their child’s swimming lessons. We give the professional finish – the parents can make lessons more enjoyable. Parents are not required to get into our pool while we teach. 3-YEAR-OLD

The most difficult age to teach anything. This group will have play time in the water with toys. Float on their backs. Communicate with parents about how they can have fun at home preparing for swimming lesson. The first two or three lessons you only get to know each other. Try Dog Paddle – holding hands, face to face. You will feel the tension going gradually from the squeeze on your hand, when the child is ready to “take off”. The child will gradually stretch out on the kicking board and will put their face in the water and will blow out (15 lessons). Dog Paddle – face in water – jump – you did well in 15 lessons.

5-YEAR OLD Dog Paddle with float. Float face down for 5-10 seconds. Torpedo across pool with kicking. Hold breath – torpedo plus arm strokes. Teach breathing only when arm strokes are well established. Teach breathing – facing wall. Breathing is controlled by the RIGHT arm cycle. Practise breathing at the wall – you standing behind the child – you are in a controlling position. You need to observe at least 5 repeats of the arm cycle. Watch for bubbles while practising. Try kicking board across the pool first – then the length. First one arm breathing – then two arms – breath on the right side only. Now is the time to explain how important it is to hold their breath during the LEFT arm cycle.

Breathing is coordinated to the RIGHT arm cycle anti-clockwise. Starting position is very, very important!!! 3 o-clock-12 o-clock – breathe in. 9 o’clock till 6 o’clock – holding breath. 6 o’clock to 3 o’clock – blow out – by 3 o’clock the head and arm is back in the breathing position. From now on, the child needs lots of practise. All the above with float and kicking board.

AB METHOD … 3-7 OVERVIEW OF TEACHING SWIMMING

Discussion age group 4-7 You must realise that you cannot teach a 4-year-old the same things that you can to a 7-year-old. If you can enquire from the parents the swimming history of the child, you can start to assess what you can teach. We would like to start teaching all children the same – step by step – by it is not always possible. Ideally, a child should put their face underwater and hold their breath for 10 seconds. Next step – move from the step and float face down for 6-8 seconds. Now the child is ready to do the “torpedo” across the pool, holding their breath all the way to touching the other side of the pool (4 metres). The above should be your standard – to assess this child and what you can teach. A 4-year-old may only reach this stage in 2-3 months or less for a 6-8 year-old. Assuming that most children have one lesson per week. In the meantime, for a 4-year-old, you teach Dog Paddle, kicking on the board and back float. Parents are requested to supervise their offspring at home in the bath, holding their breath for 10 seconds. Watch out for a very agile child who may have a pool at home – they may have a self-taught water confidence. After the “torpedo”, arm strokes should be tried. Reach arms out to the front of the head; push the water under the tummy, to the side of the legs coming out of the water at the back, arms still straight. Only when propulsion from arm strokes is solid – then we proceed teaching breathing. Why is it that girls will learn faster than boys? Because boys will use excessive force. It is the teacher’s job to reduce power in favour of smoothness. Look at the movements separately and reduce excessive power with easy breathing. The last five minutes of the lesson – try back float and kicking. Teaching breathing

The child faces the wall of the pool – standing.Put both hands on the edge.


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Starting position is left hand resting on the edge – right hand starting from behind, at water level. The child will breathe in while the right arm comes over to join the left hand. Now the left hand starts to pull through the water – holding the breath. The two hands join together. When the right arm begins to pull, the child blows out. The arm leaves the water – the child is in perfect position to breathe in. Must be able to repeat breathing cycle 5 times before we can try it on the kicking board. Watch the “starting position” … your guarantee for smooth progress. We use only back float and kicking boards.

AB METHOD … INTERMEDIATE 7-10 year-old

FREESTYLE We presume that we are coaching a serious and ambitious swimmer – committed to 3x45-minute sessions per week. Our target is to improve the condition of the swimmer where he/she can swim 400 metres Freestyle non-stop. Such a standard requires a good breathing pattern, good coordination and physical strength. The point is that the swimmer is not safe in the water unless he/she can swim this distance. We set aside a special session to test our swimmers. To improve the Freestyle technique of the swimmer, we use the following program…

8x25m – kicking on the board 8x25m Freestyle – with the board 8x25m Freestyle – gradually reducing the use of the kicking board, and… At the same time increasing the non-stop volume of the distance – 6x50m Freestyle, 8x100m, 6x200m, etc.

The above program usually delivers the following … good rhythm, feel of the water and confidence to learn other strokes, tumble turns and dives. In three months you have had enough of Freestyle and you will look for a challenge to teach a new stroke. The most practical stroke to follow Freestyle is the… BACKSTROKE A good Backstroke needs strong propulsion from kicking. Starting to build a good technique, your swimmer will need to practise a lot of kicking. You are to look out for two pitfalls at the beginning – i.e. the continual moving of the head (to look!) and, because of looking; the body will take up a sitting position in the water. To

keep the body flat on the back and keep the legs kicking efficiently, the swimmer will hold a kicking board over the legs, thus achieving the most efficient level for the kicking. It helps if you space your swimmers in the lane so that they can less likely bump into each other. Explain that a little courtesy will help everyone stop each other from hitting the wall when the head is unprotected. Your swimmers need to be reminded the basic rules of training. Keep to the left side of the black lane – observe the “Backstroker Flags” – and explain why it is a standard distance from the wall in every swimming pool. Your next task is to teach the correct arm strokes. Start with a straight arm recovery that brings the shoulder to almost touch the ears – with the little finger entering the water first. The most common mistake for swimmers with flexible shoulders is to over-reach and drive the hands too deep and the stroke looks like a Freestyle arm with fingers pointing towards the bottom of the pool. To correct this, do one arm Backstroke with the other hand holding onto a kicking board. To stop the head moving – put a tennis ball under the chin, holding it against the chest. BREASTSTROKE If you were observing your swimmer’s Freestyle kick on the board, then you would have picked the natural talent for Breaststroke. The ones who were struggling is because of a lack of flexibility in their ankles. Unable to point their toes, their feet will take a sweep under the water with a spread of the legs. A natural Breaststroker learns faster when it comes to his/her preferred stroke. It is now your job to accommodate the talent of a Breaststroker in your training and teaching program. The first thing you should try to achieve is symmetry in the Breaststroke kick. When you have your new talent gliding through the water, start working on the breathing and the timing of it. Let us not forget the rest of the squad. There will be the talented Freestyle swimmers struggling with the symmetry. With a little discipline – and your strict supervision – your Freestyler will develop a reasonable symmetrical Breaststroke kick. Keep them at the wall where you can keep your eyes on them. The drill for Breaststroke is…

Hands on the wall, holding breath The swimmer will repeat 5 Breaststroke kicks, holding breath, and concentrating on symmetry and finishing the kick with the legs fully stretched, holding the feet


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together for 2 seconds before attempting the next kick Patience is needed to develop the correct kick Younger swimmers may need a set of exercises for homework to control a consistent turning of the feet (see under “Homework” heading) When the Breaststroke kick is reliable, practise on the kickboard may commence Watch for retaining symmetry

First, it is kick-and-glide with face in the water, holding the breath until three kicks are completed – each kick with two seconds stretch. The retention of the two seconds is very important at this stage. In Breaststroke, the kick gives the larger propulsion. At this stage, your swimmer may prefer to use the arms – where there is more power. Now that is all going well, you can change the breathing pattern. Bring head out of water the same time when the knees come forward but return the head into the water before the thrust of the legs. Get your swimmer to look at the bottom of the pool (for balance). It will also lengthen the slide. Now, you can give away the kicking board and practise the same timing without the arm stroke. The longer you hold onto this pattern, the less important it is to use the arms. As competition heats up, the arms will no longer be idle. Use the arm stroke sparingly – support the head whilst breathing. The rotating hands should not go further than the chin, with elbows against the body. BUTTERFLY Unless the group you are trying to teach is well developed in the other strokes – Freestyle, Backstroke and Breaststroke – you can only hope for some basic drills that will add up to Butterfly when they are 8, 9 or 10 years old. The use of flippers is strongly recommended. Use the following drills.

Dolphin kicking with the arms stretched in front – hands in the water at 11 o’clock – 1 o’clock Thumbs slightly lower than the rest of the handUse the head to duck under the surface three times before coming up for air Flippers should be underwater all the time Can use dolphin kick with the hands at the side of the legs Use the hip movements – up and down – to propel the body with dolphin action

Next drill is to use the arm strokes without breathing. Short distance to use 4-6 strokes with a 2-second stretch before the pull. When hands are in position in the front – hips push

upwards – when arms are ready to recover, push up again. Homework to strengthen arms is required. Push-ups or rubber pulleys – 25-metre sprints with dive starts – breathing every second stroke. Distance work is up to the main squad coach. DIVING You are teaching the racing dive. Start with a “torpedo” from a step of the pool. Standing on the edge of the step, bending over, head locked between the arms, fingers pointing towards the other side of the pool. This is the halfway point between a dive and a torpedo. The dive is meant to push the body towards the bottom of the pool. The use of the arms against the water will enable the swimmer to control how deep the dive will be. It depends which way the fingers point. Gradually increase the height of the dive. Not so ideal to teach diving when there are no steps in the pool. Use a kicking board in flush with the edge of the pool. The swimmer will kneel at the edge of the board and roll into the water, holding the arms as described above. You need a deeper point in the pool to practise this. Yet another way to practise dives is when your swimmer stands at the edge of the pool.

Left foot 1 metre from the edge Right foot raised to step onto the edge of the pool Arms extended as before Shift weight of the body onto the right leg Holding the right leg rigid, swimmer will tip into the water

Note: All the above dives need many sessions to practise for swimmers who are adversely affected by going underwater. TUMBLE TURNS It starts as a fun session. Children like to show off what they consider daring – such as standing on their hands on the bottom of the pool. Showing off doing summersaults – forward or backwards. From now on they are looking for any challenge to prove themselves. Easy to teach if you follow the drills step-by-step. First…

Who can do a Roly Poly? This is a forward summersault in the water Keep chin on the chest – pull knees up to the chest

Second… Push off the wall and do a mini-torpedo When your swimmer gets to the wall (other side of the pool – 4 metres?), do the Roly Poly


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If you are standing at the wall, you can grab the ankle of the swimmer to help to find the wall. Stop now and explain that for the sake of balance, the swimmer must stay on his/her back facing skywards with feet on the wall. Before the push-off, you help with the twist – your hand pushing the knees away from you. Now the swimmer can follow-up with the second torpedo to get back to the side where he/she started from. BACKSTROKE TUMBLE TURN is the same as the Freestyle but without the twist.

The swimmer’s back is toward the wall on which you want to turn Start with the right arm (1) left arm (2) Now roll onto the tummy – look for the wall under the water Third arm stroke as on Freestyle – dolphin kick and roll over

The swimmer is pushing off on the back. Do not let your swimmer come up to take a breath just before they get to the wall. Judging distance and speed must be done underwater. Both Freestyle and Backstroke turns. HOMEWORK FOR BREASTSTROKE KICK Most children are natural Freestyle swimmers. Because of their Freestyle kick, they have difficulty turning their feet out. Therefore, there is no symmetry in their kick. The swimmer will sit on a low chair, with feet together and knees slightly bent, heels resting on the ground. Rolling on the heels, knees and feet turn outwards, then return to starting position. Repeat this exercise for 5 minutes every day under the supervision of a parent. TUMBLE TURNS There are swimmers who will not complete the roll because, at the deepest point, they will throw their head back. To understand where the body will end up when the roll is completed, have the swimmer kneel down on a mattress, put the forehead in front of the knees and roll over onto the back. Repeat it many times.

AB METHOD … JUNIOR SQUAD COACH 7-10 year-old

Your role in our organisation is very important. We would like to think that one day you will be in charge of a swimming squad that will produce the next Olympic Champion for Australia. The level of coaching you are starting is the basic competitive level. Your pupil needs to know everything that you know. Do not take it for granted that because your swimmers have been around for a few months, they necessarily have picked up some sound advice. You should speak to the parents and, after a positive remark, take the opportunity to tell them your plans for the next 3-6 months.

Predict a positive result. Most swimmers in your group are hoping to do well in school competition. How well will they do if they quit at the end of March and do not start back in the pool until October? Not well!!! Your first aim should be to get them to join the Swimming Club. The club competition is a great motivator – great experience – and is addictive. The club swimmer will train to stay fit and improve his/her technique. You will often see swimmers who attend lessons once a week – stagnate on 55 seconds for the 50 metres. You can offer with confidence that if the swimmer joins your program – within six weeks will break 50 seconds. The cumulative mileage will deliver the promised improvement. You will be 10 feet tall!!! Offer more modest improvements next time. Get yourself a set of Race Calendars, District Race Programs, Qualifying Times – photocopy them and hand out to the parents to get involved. Always be positive – give a plan that you want to work towards. You will get the parents’ support because, ultimately, the glory goes to the swimmer. Swimmers eventually need to choose between swimming or other sports. Swimming is offering an injury-free-no-body-contact alternative. No other sport can match the tradition, the success that swimming has achieved at the Olympic Games.

GOOD LUCK

““HHEEAADD SSWWIIMM CCOOAACCHH WWAANNTTEEDD””

SQUAD TRAINING 3-4 HOURS A DAY 5 DAYS A WEEK

DURAL, NEW SOUTH WALES MUST BE ASCTA ACCREDITED

REMUNERATION IS NEGOTIABLE FOR THE RIGHT PERSON

For further details or to arrange an Interview…

Contact Jan on 0412 895 517 or (02) 9651 3447


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THUMB-THING SPECIAL By Allan Kopel

[email protected]

OK, so the title is corny. The thumb is special though. It does not get the attention it deserves. In anticipation of our colleagues who say to focus on gross movements, I agree. In athletics we should focus on large movements and the coordination and application of forces from larger body parts. Consider still that it helps to recognise some roles of the thumb. Some of these are light hearted but they are offered sincerely and have proven effective. Please use any or all of this as you see fit for yourself or your athletes. Hopefully you get “Thumb good ideas from this”. -Thumbs Up (for encouragement) We can all benefit from a positive, reassuring “thumbs up” signal from a friend, parent or coach. Thumbs Up (during land exercises) Use a thumb up position for side, front and 45 degrees to the front shoulder raise exercises, especially if you have had any rotator cuff issues. The thumb down, “empty the can” position with these exercises may have some benefit, but I suggest that the risk of shoulder irritation with “empty the can” position warrants a thumb up position. This applies when using weights, body weight, or tubing. Thumb Lead The arm recovery on long axis strokes, free and back, should be done with a relaxed wrist and thumb lead. Thumb lead relaxes the upper arms muscles and the entire shoulder girdle. This saves energy, allows for a quicker motion and reduces tension, therefore avoiding one of the causes of shoulder tenderness in swimmers. The rotation of the wrist and hand for the correct entry follows largely as a function of rotating the core and the shoulder. Thumb Drag When swimming Butterfly, the arms should recover in a smooth, relaxed manner that has minimal to zero negative impact on body position or rhythm. Thumb drag is a drill to help swimmers achieve a loose, smooth, low recovery. Mistakes some swimmers make early in the Butterfly recovery are lifting the elbows straight up out of the water, or rotating the hands so the fingers point up or forward. Thumb drag is a slight exaggeration drill to teach the correct recovery motion.

Thumb Tucked The grab and track starts in swimming can be more effective if the thumb is relaxed and tucked next to the index finger. On the forward start, many swimmers put the thumb on the

top of the starting platform. The initial movement in the forward start is a quick pull on front,

underside of the block. With the thumb resting next to the

index finger, the four other fingers are “hooked” under the front edge

of the block. That contact point provides the anchor by which to apply

the quick pull on the front, underside of

the block. A swimmer that applies force with her hands against the front of the block does so with the fingers. Rest the thumb next to the index

finger when using that technique also. On Backstroke starts, some swimmers wrap

the thumb around the Backstroke grip in a closed grip manner. The swimmer should leave the thumb on the front of the grip, next to the index finger in an over hand, open grip position. This frees the hand to push back against the grip without having to remove the thumb from around the grip. Thumb Resting

When using hand paddles, some swimmers place the thumb over the edge of the paddle to maintain control of the paddle. Try resting the thumb on the surface of the paddle and see if you can maintain control of the paddle by adjusting your stroke pattern or your hand pitch. This will let your hand relax and you will improve your ability to hold positive pressure against the water. Some coaches have their swimmers practice sculling with paddles without the aid of any straps on the paddles. This is a great drill to improve feel of the water. Do not grip the sides of the paddle with your thumb or fingers. Try to keep the paddle on your hand by adjusting your hand pitch or stroke pattern to maintain positive pressure between the paddle and the water. Thumb Wrap

Swimming requires strong wrist and forearm muscles. Using a squeeze ball, a rubber donut, or a weight attached to a rope on a stick, wrap your thumb to squeeze or roll and improve your wrist and grip strength.


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Thumb Rubbing

If you have a smooth “worry stone” then you know that there is a recess in the stone which you rub with your thumb. Using your thumb to rub or squeeze items like a worry stone, a ball or a stuffed animal can help you relax if you feel tense.

Thumb Snap

It is hard to snap your fingers without using your thumb. If you liked the movie Legally Blonde Two, then perhaps you share “snap jar praise” with teammates.

I hope this helps you and your swimmers. Have “Thumb kind of special day”! -

Note: Allan Kopel is a swimming coach and certified personal trainer. He is not an athletic trainer or a physical therapist. His suggestions about the proper thumb position in athletic movements are simply from reading and personal experience.

Allan Kopel has coached age group, senior, masters and college swimming in the United States. He has coached with the New England Barracudas, The Sunkist Swim Team, The Albany (OR) Aquatic Club, The Fort Lauderdale Swim Team and the North Carolina Aquatic Club. He coached college at Auburn, Florida

Atlantic and UNC – Chapel Hill. He has an M Ed in physical education (Auburn) and an MBA (Boston College). A fitness enthusiast, Allan loves swimming, body surfing, trail running and all forms of resistance and functional training.

Allan encourages everyone to enjoy fitness and says whatever sport or fitness endeavour…

BE VERY CONSISTENT AND JUST MOVE BABY!

THE GIFT OF OZ LIES WITHIN TRUST – BELIEVE – PERSIST –

ACHIEVE!

THOUGHTS ON“THE PERFECT RACE”

By Allan Kopel [email protected]

Whether in print, video or audio format, I could spend all day enjoying and reliving fantastic sports moments. I love the ESPN channel Classic Sports. I just read the terrific summary of the USA Men’s 800-metre Freestyle Relay victory at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. If you have not read this, you can find it at www.usswim.org. It is the most recent in a series of postings at that site under the heading, “The Perfect Race”. USA Swimming provides excellent race analysis. I am sure we all learn from this. Thank you USA Swimming. The article provided lots of data such as break out time; break out distance; splits for each 50; distance per stroke and stroke rate for each 50. The article recalled that Coach Don Gambril and his staff decided that since Michael Gross tends to take his races out particularly fast, that if the Americans could get a lead going into the anchor leg, perhaps Gross would take this tendency of going out fast to a higher level. If Gross went out too fast in order to make up a deficit quickly, perhaps he would over swim the race and not be as strong coming home. The American strategy and the resolve of our athletes with Bruce Hayes as the anchor proved correct. The Americans got the Gold! As I read the article and the data, five questions remained somewhat unanswered for me. This, by the way, does not suggest that the data and discussion from USA Swimming is not valuable. In fact, their work is not only tremendous and valuable, but it is perhaps only as a result of their great work that I was able to raise the following questions. I wish to preface my questions with the observation that successful racing seems to be predicated on efficient swimming and effective back half racing. I admit that I tend to emphasise easy or controlled speed going out in order to allow for excellent racing coming home. Race splits, stroke rate and distance per stroke may be the critical numbers to look at when analysing races. My questions are based on the belief that these numbers result from things each swimmer does in the race, and in one’s daily training. Perhaps my questions reflect the interesting interplay between art and science in coaching competitive athletics? My comments and questions therefore are… 1. What is the influence of breathing pattern,

especially early in a race? I rarely see race analysis that includes data on frequency of breathing. It seems to me that a long course 100 or 200 metre race is very demanding, and therefore warrants that the swimmer breathe liberally early in the race. 2. What can we do to teach swimmers to not

only breathe enough, but to also breathe


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fully and in a relaxed enough manner each time he/she exchanges air?

When teaching relatively inexperienced swimmers, particularly swimmers who might be a bit anxious in the water, we often observe a shallow, rigid attempt to exchange air. Experienced competitive swimmers certainly know how to breathe while swimming, but I wonder if we should invest some time to address rigid air exchange in order to promote full, fluid air exchange? After all, relaxation seems to be an important component of swimming economically. 3. What is the role of the legs in race

strategy? This article noted that a number of swimmers (Michael Gross, Jeff Float, David Larson) struggled coming home in their race. I wonder if their quick early splits were the sole cause of their back half fatigue, or if the way they got to their fast opening splits played a role? Is it possible to get to a similarly quick first 50 or 100 with just a little lighter leg activity? Could letting the legs go along for the ride early on possibly set one up with a reasonable opening split, and have the reserves for a stronger finishing kick (no pun intended)? 4. What do we do in daily training to develop

or teach economy of effort, controlled speed and back half swimming?

This is not meant to suggest that coaches all over America are not doing a terrific job teaching and training their swimmers. The question is simply intended to raise the discussion about what can we do on a consistent basis to help our athletes develop a feel and a rhythm that transfers to effective race management? 5. What can we do on a consistent basis that

lets us teach effective race management so that come race time, our athletes can trust themselves and their preparation and not think?

Thoughtful preparation is helpful. Let’s never forget however that racing and sports really are fun and that when we have fun we often do our best. Can we get so married to the numbers that we create paralysis by analysis? We should aim to do things correctly, but should we really aim to be exact or perfect? Let’s prepare well so that come race time, to paraphrase Coach Jack Nelson, our swimmers can simply wrap their toes over the front edge of the block and just race baby! Thank you for your patience. Perhaps these questions seem elementary but I for one believe I can look further for answers. My goal of course is not to create the perfect swimmer or script the exact race, but rather to discover positive, perhaps subtle ways to help swimmers race to the best of their ability. Best wishes for lots of fun and success. Once again, congratulations to Mike Heath, David Larson, Jeff Float and Bruce Hayes for their tremendous Olympic victory and the well-deserved nick name “Gross Busters”.

From Allan Kopel Friends, Following is a wonderful item from the NOVA of Virginia web site. I thought you would enjoy it. I not only enjoyed it but it reminded me both why I coach and of the many philosophical and interpersonal mistakes I have made. I can do better, as a person and as a coach. This little item from NOVA’s web site helped remind me of that. many of you know of NOVA but their head coach is Geoff Brown [email protected]. I forget their LSC but they are in Virginia under “link city” at www.usswim.org. I did not ask but I imagine NOVA, like any accomplished swim team, is proud when their traditions and success are helpful examples for others to learn from. As long as we give credit to whomever deserves it, why not borrow great ideas from wherever we can?! Credit for this obviously goes to NOVA of Virginia. Have a great day.

THE ARTICLES OF OUR STAFF CONSTITUTION

What can I teach today? I will seek to understand, then to be understood – I will display patience in understanding, perseverance in being understood. I will respect the law of the harvest. A child is a living thing that requires planting, cultivating and nurturing before any harvest can be expected. I will seek the win-win situation.

Who can I mentor today? I will praise in public – reprimand in private. I will remember that competition is a classroom, that it is merely a part of an ongoing process of development. Risk taking and failure are important parts of this process. I will invoke and teach the abundance mentality — there is enough success for all teams and all swimmers. I will display leadership and seek to teach it at every opportunity. My task as a coach is four-fold…

To sell a dreamTo distil a dream into specific goals To convert specific goals into specific deedsFinally, to give a swimmer ownership of his/her accomplishment


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INSURANCECORNER

By Les Beattie, Senior Account Executive ASCTA Insurance Brokers

Once upon a time the world was a very different place. Not that long ago my favourite country town didn’t even have a set of traffic lights. Now not only are there traffic lights there is … even a McDonalds! The place will never be the same!! One of the more serious sides of change is the attitude of people particularly our expectation of others. Well aware of our legal rights and the evolution of NO WIN-NO PAY solicitors our legal system is weighted down with civil litigation. We are all aware of the crisis within the insurance industry particularly Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance with many industries being affected with huge increases of premium or even worse not being able to source appropriate insurance – at any price. The leisure industry has been amongst the hardest hit. Back to my favourite town again. Notice on the gate of a large family fun park…

Closed – unable to af ford #$?! insurance premiums

Interestingly enough this facility included two large waterslides – very popular in the summer months and certainly a tourist attraction for the town. Dismantled – sold for scrap – gone forever. Various state governments have introduced laws that aim at making it harder to sue for minor injuries. It is unfortunate that each State have gone their own way, when a national approach would have assisted the insurance broker dealing internationally to explain what is happening in Australia to reduce litigation. Nonetheless, legislation is a step in the right direction and these worthwhile initiatives will have a positive effect provided they are supported by our courts. Clearly we all would like to see the retention of common law rights for a person to sue if injured by another’s negligent act but at what cost to the community? There needs to be a common sense approach to the awarding of damages. The aquatic industry have not been immune from premium increases and it is now important to understand your DUTY OF CARE to others and to ensure you do everything reasonably possible to protect others from injury whilst conducting your swim schools/teaching and coaching activities. Slips and trips on wet surfaces are obvious hazards but there are many more. Over the coming editions we will discuss the importance of risk management and the benefits provided by our Combined Liabilities Swim Teachers/Coaches and Schools policies. In addition if you would like to suggest a topic for discussion that would be of interest to others I would welcome your suggestions. A small prize will be awarded for each topic used.

Lethal Leisel In Sydney, at 14, Leisel Jones became

the youngest swimmer to make the Austral ian Olympic Team in 24 years. She already has Olympic and World

Championship si lver medals to her credit but she’s aiming for gold come Athens.

By Stephen J. Thomas, one of Swimming World’s Australian correspondents, is a former editorial consultant to Australian Swimming and Fitness

Magazine This article appeared in Swimming World and

Junior Swimmer, February 2004

One month before the Australian Olympic Trials in May 2000, an unknown Queensland teenager lined up for the final of the 200 Breaststroke for 14-year-olds at her first National Age Group Championships. Her name was Leisel Jones, and she was about to begin her journey toward—quite probably—becoming the greatest Aussie Breaststroker of all-time. Jones easily took the 100-200 double at that meet in the eye-catching times of 1:08.30 and 2:28.38—results that vaulted her to second and third, respectively, in the Aussie all-time record books. Fast-forward to Christmas Eve 2003. Jones has kindly given me an hour of her very brief Christmas break to discuss her progress in what has been a very eventful year for her. It’s late afternoon at her aunt’s home in Sydney, and she started the day at 4.30 a.m. with training at her home pool at Redcliffe, a northern suburb of Brisbane, then flew down with her mother, Rosemary. What is certain on my arrival is that her young niece and nephew are more anxious about the immediacy of Santa’s impending visit than our interview. A Very Good Year By her own admission, this past year has been a very good one for the now 18-year-old. “Lethal Leisel,” as the media Down Under have nicknamed her, lowered three world records


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and seven Aussie marks as well as collecting one silver and two bronze medals at the World Championships in Barcelona. She also captured her third straight 100-200 double at the long course nationals. She even delved into the 200m Individual Medley at Trials—“so I would have a swim early on in the meet,” she admitted. The result was a new Aussie record 2:14.21 and another race to add to her program in Barcelona. However, she assured me that Athens will be a different story. She will be fully focused on the two Breaststroke events. Recently, Jones stroked world short course records in the 100 and 200m Breaststroke on consecutive nights at the World Cup in Melbourne. Her 1:05.09 in the four-lap race was just 3-hundredths of a second under Swede Emma Igelstrom’s world record, but it was her brilliant 2:17.75 the following night that slashed more than one second off Chinese Qi Hui’s global mark—and a PR by over three seconds-in the longer distance that really had the Breaststroke aficionados nodding their collective heads in appreciation.

But as good as 2003 was for Leisel, there was one significant glitch to her year-the 100m Breaststroke final at the World Championships in Barcelona. Jones was the favourite, having swum a brilliant semi-final of 1:06.37 to break the world record held by South African legend Penny Heyns by 15-hundredths of a second. However, Leisel could only manage third in finals. The reigning title-holder, China’s Luo Xuejuan, took the race out incredibly fast. Her daring plan to lead all the way paid off, and she held on to win in a PR 1:06.80. Jones touched in 1:07.42. Leisel was understandably bitterly disappointed after the race, admitting she had been “spooked” by the Chinese swimmer’s aggressive tactic, thereby losing focus on her own stroke rate. But she now accepts it was an important learning experience. “It’s something that I have learned from-to expect the unexpected. I went through it with my coach and the psychologist afterward. We’ve done a lot of work since then. I did not expect her (Luo) to be there. I got some valuable race experience. I learned to focus on my own swim and not to watch everybody else,” she explained. Tender Teen The young Miss Jones has packed quite a bit into her swimming career to date. Her first major meet was the 2000 Olympic Trials a little

more than three-and-a-half years ago. She clocked a very satisfactory 1:08.71 to qualify fastest for the 100-metre event and, at 14, became the youngest swimmer to make the Olympic team in 24 years. “Going into the Olympic Trials, there was no real pressure on me,” she recalled. “I didn’t have to make the team. I was prepared just go back to school the next week. I didn’t think it would change my life, but it certainly did. Once I made the team, it was pretty daunting. I hadn’t made a national development squad or even been on any junior camps, then suddenly I was on the Australian Olympic team. “There was so much hype in the lead-up to the Olympics, so much media attention, and I hardly knew anyone on the team, which made it very difficult. I pretty much stuck with my roommate (Sybilla Goode), who was also new to the national team,” she recalled. The record book shows that Jones dealt pretty well with the expectations of a nation, finishing her first “international meet” with two Olympic silver medals. “At the time, I took it a little bit for granted since it was a ‘home’ Olympics. Now I look back and realise how special an experience it was,” she said. Stronger and Wiser In 2001, at her first World Championships in Fukuoka, Jones took silver in the 100m race, again behind China’s Luo, and placed fourth in the deuce when she clocked a new PR 2:25.46. Earlier, she collected her first gold medal in a major championship, as part of the Aussie team that set a new Championship record in the 400 Medley Relay. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Jones took the 100-200 double and a third gold in the Medley Relay. Three weeks later in Yokohama at the Pan Pacific Championships, she added silver in the 200 Breaststroke and another Relay gold. In the case of “Lethal Leisel,” there has been no stopping her momentum at an age when many female swimmers blossom early, then lose motivation and direction.

Her coach of the past five years, 74-year-old Ken Wood, describes Jones as the best trainer he

has ever coached. “Leisel is so dedicated to her sport. You have to admire the way she conducts herself, and she has the natural talent to be the best. People


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forget she’s only just-turned 18. I remember in Fukuoka, she was crying when she came up to me after finishing second in the 100 Breaststroke. I reminded her she now had silver medals from both the Olympics and World Championships. She started to laugh at herself-she was only 15,” Wood recalled. Jones trains about 65-70,000 metres per week, with 10 sessions in the pool and three trips to the gym. Interestingly, her coach says she does up to 60% of a session swimming Breaststroke. The big change to her program has come after her disappointing 100 Breaststroke final in Barcelona. Wood felt that they needed to work on building her confidence in pressure situations. “I want her to move away from walking out behind the blocks with an air of anticipation to one of total confidence,” he explained. He has been doing this by giving her more work at race pace with shorter rest. The hard work is already starting to show fruit—two short course world records and a pair of wins over rival Amanda Beard, who beat her in both the 100 and 200 in Barcelona. “Leisel is a wonderful competitor,” admits the 200 Breaststroke co-world record holder Beard. “I know when I have her in a lane next to me, it’s gonna be a real good race. She never backs down. I like racing people who will push me to be outside my comfort zone. It will only bring out the best in both of us.” The determined Queenslander says she intends to be around in swimming “for as long as I continue to love it, perhaps until I’m 28,” which computes to three more Olympics. There is no question this is one determined young Aussie who will surely stand up to the challenge in Athens next August, where a silver medal just won’t be good enough.

THE JONES FILE

Name Leisel Jones Nicknames “Lethal Leisel” and “Weasel” Date of Birth August 30, 1985 Age 18Born Katherine, Northern Territory Height 5-9 (176 cm) Weight 132 pounds (60 kg) Club Redcliffe Lawnton, Queensland Coach Ken Wood Family Members Rosemary (Mother) School Southern Cross, Redcliffe Pets King Charles Spaniel (Cloe), Rat

(Minx) Favourite Band Grinspoon Relaxation Reading Favourite Car Ford Favourite Food Cold Rock Ice Cream Sponsorships Uncle Tobys, Speedo, Innoxa and

Ford After Swimming Perhaps to design her own clothing

label

Reproduced from February 2004, No.14

AQUATIC SPORTS & DIET Manipulation of the weight

Effects on the body and on performanceBy Dr. Blake Woodside & Dr. Saul Marks

Edited by Dr. Margo Mountjoy, FINA Sports Medicine Committee Chairman

Over the last four decades there has been an explosion in the diet and exercise industry. The populations of most first world countries have become obsessed with being “fit and trim”, even though the rates of obesity have never been higher. There is so much information available regarding health, diet and exercise, not all based on hard fact, that it is confusing for anyone trying to remain healthy. For many of the revolutionary diets and ideas, the final word is still not in, and scientific studies are continuously underway. Although the swimming pool is one of the safest and most efficient ways to get fit, it is important to be aware of the nutritional health of aquatic athletes. For this edition of the FINA Magazine, we will explore the different ways in which people manipulate their weight, the effects such changes have on the body, and the effects on performance. We will look at the special pressures the aquatic sports can bring in relation to one’s ideas about body weight. We will also examine the warning signs of when the body is being overwhelmed by too much exercise or too little food. Lastly, we will make some recommendations. The following are the key points of the article…

Why do those in the aquatic sports diet? How do aquatic athletes change their appearance? What are the effects dieting on the athlete’s body?What are the warning signs of eating disorders? Recommendations when diet becomes a “Four letter word”.

How does one’s weight affect performance in the aquatic sports? There are many ways that an elite or recreational athlete’s weight can affect outcome on competition day or any other day. In addition, our society promotes that competitive edge almost universally.


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Weight and Performance: There is a psychological advantage in most of the aquatic sports in “looking good”. As one walks out onto the pool deck looking in the best shape and weight of their life, undeniably coaches and other athletes notice. So does the performer. The athlete’s speed can be increased in every aquatic sport, if the weight is brought to perfect balance between muscle and fat. The overall result at the end of the day can be changed, which is the ultimate goal driving the need to manipulate body weight. In a judged sport, it can add to the “artistic” look of the presentation. Synchronised swimming includes an artistic mark; diving does not, but either way, it counts. Weight loss or gain has long been used as an “ergogenic aid” (performance enhancer) in the weeks prior to an event. For all of the reasons listed above, athletes will go on a “crash” diet, or put on weight for buoyancy.

Any or all of these factors make the aquatic athlete, who spends much of his or her day in a bathing suit, overly aware of body image. He or she may become increasingly fixated on exercise, weight, and the manipulation of the body’s shape, and hence at risk of an eating disorder. How do aquatic athletes change their appearance? There are several ways to change the body’s appearance. Traditionally people have turned to a combination of diet and exercise, but diet alone is still by far the number one attempted way to lose weight. Over ninety five percent of those people who diet eventually put back on the weight they lose and gain more. Ways athletes change their appearance

1. Dieting: Diet is the first thing that comes to mind when altering one’s body mass. We are a society of dieters. From the Scarsdale Diet of the 1970’s, to the Atkins’ Diet and the South Beach Diet of today, we continue to turn to fad dieting to alter our appearances. Whether it be low fat, high protein, high carbohydrate diets, everyone is looking for the “magic” recipe to thinness. The question is, does it exist?

2. Exercise: We can also alter body weight by increasing activity and exercise. In moderation, consistently, this can work wonders.

3. Purging: Some people will go so far as “purging” behaviours. These include vomiting and the use of laxatives to rid the body of

nutrients that have been ingested. 4. Surgical Manipulation: Lastly, some

aquatic athletes have undergone cosmetic surgeries to reduce resistance in water and/or to create a particular aesthetic appearance (i.e. breast reduction, liposuction). One can understand how this is a consideration in producing a champion. What happens to the athlete’s body when they diet? The athlete can change their diet by altering caloric intake or by purging behaviours. Presently, the most popular way to manipulate caloric intake to lose weight is by reducing total calories, while increasing total protein intake and decreasing or almost eliminating carbohydrate intake. As the process continues, the body begins to perceive an increasing state of starvation. With a lack of carbohydrate intake, the body does not release insulin, necessary for nutrients to be absorbed into the body’s organs and tissues. A state of starvation ensues, as the body begins to adapt in several ways. This occurs eventually with any restrictive diet…

Protein preservation Resting metabolic rate decreases by at least 10% Decrease protein turnover Decrease nitrogen loss in urine by 65% (protein breakdown product) High protein diet, possibly leading to kidney damage Decreased energy Difficulty concentrating Possible depression Irritability

Thus, the more one diets, the more often the body perceives starvation. This leads the metabolic rate to continue to slow down, making weight loss increasingly difficult, as the body tries to ready for the next starvation. If the anorexic or starving state continues a life threatening condition ensues with many complications listed below…

Profound weight loss Hypothermia Decreased heart rate Hypotension (low blood pressure) Lanugo (soft fuzzy hair on the body) Cardiac abnormalities Gastric (stomach) dilation

What are the effects of purging behaviours? The effects of purging behaviours are listed below. These can be serious, life-threatening complications, and often require medical intervention.


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Effects of purging behaviours Behaviour Effect on Body function

Vomiting

Lowers potassium which may lead to cardiac arrest and death

Bleeding and tears in the esophageus – may lead to anaemia or fatal bleeding

Dental caries & tooth loss

Swelling of the salivary glands in the face

Reflexive fluid retention with increase in weight gain

Laxative use

Laxative dependence

Perforation or bursting of the bowel

Bleeding from the bowel – may lead to anaemia

Diuretic use

Lowers potassium which may lead to cardiac arrest

Impairment of renal function which may lead to kidney failure

Ipecac use (vomiting inducing substance)

Causes cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscle

What are the early warning signs of an eating disorder? There is a typical constellation of signs that suggest a more serious situation. These signs are reviewed below. All are associated with a long-term pattern of either dieting or alterations in dietary habits.

1. Dieting that becomes associated with ever-decreasing weight goals is a frequent early warning sign. An athlete may initially wish to reduce his or her weight slightly to try to achieve a better mass/strength ratio, and then continue to lose weight past the point where it is clear that his or her performance is suffering. Such an individual will be oblivious to their own condition and may not listen to comments from others. 2. The second warning sign is related, that is dieting that is associated with increasingcriticism of the body. In this case, an athlete may decide or be told that a certain amount of weight loss of body sculpting would enhance the visual appeal of their performance. The individual who is getting into trouble will become hyper-critical about their appearance and always have a new goal for how they should look, one which is associated with ongoing weight loss. 3. The third early sign is dieting that is associated with social isolation. Emotional withdrawal from coaches, family and friends in the context of ongoing dieting and weight loss is a serious sign that something is amiss. 4. The fourth warning is purging – whether by laxatives, vomiting, or diuretics. This should always be taken seriously, regardless of what the athlete has to say about it. 5. The final warning sign is a change in the menstrual cycle for female athletes. Many

competitive female athletes are already not menstruating and there are mixed feelings within the medical community as to whether this is a problem or not. Certainly any female athlete who has had a stable pattern of menses, who then stops menstruating while dieting or losing weight, is a concern. Warning Signs of Eating Disorders

Excessive dieting Self criticism of body shape Social isolation Purging behaviours Change in menstrual cycle in women

Recommendations When an athlete wants to change their appearance, one must think of both nutritional intake and activity. Small changes, over long periods of time make the difference. Evolutionary change makes the winning difference, not revolutionary change. Slow but sure wins the race! “Diet is a four letter word” for all the reasons mentioned above. Diets only works against the athlete to lower muscle mass in the long run, and slow the metabolic rate, making long term fitness very difficult. It also can start a very dangerous cycle, which can lead one to life long problems with body image, and a possible eating disorder.

What should coaches, friends or families say when anorexic or purging behaviour is suspected? 1. The best approach is to be direct and

empathic. It is usually not helpful to beat around the bush or to drop hints. Find a quiet, private place where you can speak to the individual without interruption. Tell him or her that you are worried about them and be specific why. For example, if teammates have said that the person is vomiting after meals, say exactly that.

2. It is important to avoid threats or manipulation. Tell the person that if they have a problem that it is their problem – not yours – and that you will help them get assistance to treat the problem if they need such help. In the face of denial of obviously serious illness, stand your ground in a firm, compassionate manner. It sometimes takes more than one attempt to get the person to believe that you actually want to help.

3. If an athlete refuses help and there is enough reason to be concerned, then a coach or parent should consider removing the athlete from the sport until professional intervention is sought. This


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could potentially be a life-saving intervention.

SUMMARY In summary, aquatic sports and diet is a very important and at times a concerning topic for athletes, coaches and parents. We have looked at the ways in which athletes alter their bodies for the aquatic sports. The changes that body shape manipulation brings have been examined, as have their possible life-threatening effects. We have also made recommendations on how to deal with healthy eating and also on how to deal with eating disorders.

ABSTRACT There is an increasing pressure on aquatic athletes to mould and sculpt their bodies to enhance performance. The drawback of fad and revolutionary diets used for the last four decades are a slowing of the metabolic rate, a propensity to produce starvation and an increase in weight over time. The major hazards of such diets are distortion of body image and eating disorders, which can lead to life-threatening situations. Recommendations are given on a healthy balance of nutrition and exercise, and on the recognition of the early warning stages of the eating disorders.

BIO’S Dr. Blake Woodside – Director, Inpatient Eating Disorder’s Program, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Associate Professor, University of Toronto. Dr. Woodside Graduated from Queen’s University for Medicine and University of Western Ontario for Psychiatry. He is presently the Head of the Canadian Psychiatric Association. He is married with three children and enjoys sailing. Dr. Saul Marks – Acute Care Psychiatry, Emergency Assessment Unit, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. Lecturer, University of Toronto. Dr. Saul Marks was a former National Senior Diving Team member, Graduated from University of Toronto in Nutrition, then Queen’s University in Medicine and University of Toronto for Psychiatry. He is presently on the Board of Directors of Diving Plongeon Canada, with a special interest in Sports Psychiatry.

Reproduced from March 2004, No.15

15th FINA World Sports Medicine Congress

Indianapolis (USA) October 12-13, 2004

A SUPERIOR LEARNING EXPERIENCE By Bill Benner, Indiana Sports Corporation

The 7th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) will provide both a superb competitive experience and a superior learning experience. The day after the October 7-11 swimming competition concludes in Conseco Fieldhouse,

the six-person FINA Sports Medicine Committee, led by its chairman Dr. Margo Mountjoy, will conduct the 15th FINA World Sports Medicine Congress at the Indiana Convention Center.

The Fieldhouse and the Indiana Convention Center are just three short blocks away from each other. International aquatic fans, physicians, scientists and certified athletic trainers will be pleased to find the “walkable” convenience of both competition and congress from their downtown hotel accommodations. The Congress, which will take place October 12-13, draws high-level scientific presentations in the field of aquatics medicine. Indiana Sports Corporation and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have joined hands to produce the most memorable and educational FINA World Sports Medicine Congress (funded by St. Vincent Sports Medicine) to date. Preceded by Moscow in 2002, program planners are looking forward to showcasing a first rate Congress in Indianapolis in 2004. ACSM’s Executive Director, James Whitehead, adds, “ACSM is thrilled to co-sponsor this world-class, educational event featuring international researchers and clinicians presenting sport-specific, timely, relevant information.” “We have lecturers coming from all over the world who are experts in their field to discuss a wide range of topics,” said Dr. Jim Miller, the Program Committee Chairperson and a doctor for USA Swimming’s national teams. “We’ll discuss everything from travel medicine to infectious disease to the aging athlete to aspects of elite level swimming. This should interest not only doctors and upper level trainers, but the medical community itself.” In addition to the lectures, the Congress will include panel discussions and poster sessions featuring original abstracts. “It’s uncommon to have a world championship event in combination with a FINA World Congress in such an easily accessible and desirable place as Indianapolis,” Miller said. “This will really bring the world of swimming – elite level athletes, coaches and trainers, as well as the medical entourage that supports them – together so they can learn from each other.”


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Shoulder injuries will be discussed during the Congress

The Program Planning Committee is privileged to announce the 15th FINA World Sports Medicine Congress faculty… “Taffy” Cameron Lecture An announcement is forthcoming for the feature presentation of the event. Dietary Supplements – Ron Maughan, PhD, FACSM… Visiting Professor, School of Sport & Exercise Science at Loughborough University (GBR); Secretary, Sports Nutrition Committee, International Olympic Committee Medical Commission. Doping Control – Andrew Pipe, MD, FACSM… FINA Doping Control Review Board Chairman, Medical Director, Prevention & Rehabilitation Center, University of Ottawa Heart Institute; Chair, Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport. Special Needs for Masters Athletes – JoenStager, PhD, FACSM… Director, Human Performance Laboratory at Indiana University. Disorder Eating/Female Athlete Issue – HeidiSkolnik, M.S., C.D.N., FACSM… Member of USA Swimming’s Network Task Force on Disordered Eating; Nutrition Consultant to the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and School of American Ballet. Biomechanics/Muscular Skeletal Issues – Scott Rodeo, MD… Chair of USA Swimming’s Network Task Force on Injury Prevention; Associate Team Physician, New York Giants (National Football League). Travelling Athletes – Ed Ryan, ATC… Director of Sports Medicine, United States Olympic Committee. Note: FACSM indicates Fellow of American College of Sports Medicine.

Frequent travelling to the competitions can be a concern

The Congress has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of American College of Sports Medicine and Indiana Sports

Corporation. ACSM is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians and takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CME activity. Registration is $250 USD for professionals, $110 USD for students. Registration fees include a complimentary Abstract Compilation Book upon arrival; Continuing Medical Education credits, World Swimming Championship tickets, two lunches and coffee breaks.

For registration and housing information and future updates, please visit

worldswim2004.com. Participants can expect to leave the Congress with the ability to…

Explain the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 and its impact on the supplements industry, the consumer and the competitive aquatics athlete. Identify issues commonly faced by aquatic delegations during international travel and competition. Identify recent doping control efforts involving the IOC, FINA, USADA and WADA and the control of doping in aquatic sports worldwide. Identify the clinical and non-clinical needs of Masters Athletes. Identify the spectrum of clinical disorders associated with Disordered Eating and explain their etiologies and consequences. Discuss the relationships between shoulder pain and various physical characteristics and how these relationships can be optimised during training and performance.

A call for abstracts is listed on the event website with information regarding rules related to preparing and submitting abstracts and the topics suggested for submission. If you are interested, please visit www.worldswim2004.com.

Female-athletes problems on debate

A highly esteemed group of professionals have been gathered to organise the 2004 FINA World Sports Medicine Congress, under the


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consultation of Dr. Mountjoy and the FINA Sports Medicine Committee. The following individuals form the Program Planning Committee…

Ms. Charlene Boudreau, Director, High Performance Network, USA Swimming Dr. Dave Costill, Former Director, Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State Mrs. Sue Hilt, Director of Education, American College of Sports Medicine Dr. Mark Hutchinson, Director of Sports Medicine Services, University of Illinois at Chicago Mrs. Amy Katzenberg, Assistant Executive Vice President, American College of Sports Medicine Dr. Margo Mountjoy, Chairman, FINA Sports Medicine Committee Dr. Jim Miller, President, US Masters Swimming; Chairman, USA Swimming Asthma & Diabetes Task Forces Mr. Ralph Reiff, Director, Medical & Health Services, St. Vincent Sports Medicine Dr. Scott Rodeo, Chairman, USA Swimming Sports Medicine/Science Committee & Network Task Force on Injury Prevention Mr. James Whitehead, Executive Vice President, American College of Sports Medicine

Reproduced from April 2004, No.16

DUBAI (UAE) MARCH 11-13, 2004 By Pedro Adrega

Editor-in-chief of “FINA aquatics World” Under the leadership of the FINA President Mustapha Larfaoui, the F1NA Bureau held its first 2004 meeting in Dubai (UAE) from March 1113. The main decisions were as follows… ATHENS 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES After the recent meetings with the Greek authorities, IOC and ATHOC, FINA received an official letter from the Greek Government assuring that the construction of the main swimming pool’s temporary roof would be finished by 15th July 2004. The FINA request for the temporary roof is directed not only for a better condition of TV production but mainly for the athletes, media, spectators and in general to create the best possible conditions for the running of the swimming competition. The dates for the swimming test event will be established subject to the schedule of the con-struction of the roof.

BEIJING 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES The construction plans for the swimming Olympic venue are impressive and will respect all the FINA requirements concerning the competition facilities, seating for athletes, media and spectators. The construction of this complex already started in December 2003. FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 7th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) – Indianapolis 2004

It was emphasised the expected level of participation – presently 120 National Federations have expressed their intention to be present, a new record in the history of this competition. Details concerning communication and marketing were also given. Tools like an electronic newsletter or the launch of the website are proving to be efficient in this strategy. Several sport events throughout the year in Indianapolis will also be a vehicle to promote the FINA Championships. The issues related to broadcasting and sales are also running without major problems. The priority in terms of sales is presently the ticketing program. The plan for the set-up of the venue is also in advance and the spatial planning is now complete. The key priorities for the next months are the technical operations, public ticket sale and promotions, pools in production, continued communications with national and international partners, visa assistance to National Federations.

12th FINA World Championships – Montreal 2005

The marketing program is very family-based and the efforts are on the way to assure the maximum awareness of the championships. The website was launched six months ago and includes information about school programs, one of the priorities of the Organising Committee (OC).The major sponsors and partners will be intensively engaged in the marketing plan and a video is programmed to be displayed in 140 places around the province. In July 2004, a guided visit for the media representatives to the facilities is on the program. Final negotiations have taken place concerning the ticket sales. A transportation plan was completed and delivered. A special electrical train is scheduled to be working around the venue


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during the Championships. In terms of the venue’s construction, it will be finished in August 2004, as scheduled in the bid plan of the Championships. A marketplace will be created within the area of the championships venue in order the people to stay close to the facilities. The OC will analyse the feasibility and the cost of covering the main swimming pool.

6th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) – Shanghai 2006

The OC structure will soon be formed. The Vice Mayor of Shanghai, the Director of Shanghai Administration of Sports, and the President of the Chinese Swimming Association will be part of the OC. The venue, which has already received some important international competitions, will be renovated in order to meet with the FINA requirements to the organisation of the championships. The emblem and mascot will be found through a public solicitation.

The “Frontiers Group”, a British company based in Shanghai, will be acting as the national marketing program agent for the event. 12th FINA World Championships – Melbourne 2007

The Honourable Premier of Victoria, Mr. Steve Bracks, leading the Melbourne 2007 delegation

The Honourable Premier Minister of Victoria State, Mr. Steve Bracks, assured that his Government is actively supporting the organisation of the Championships and that a strong engagement across every governmental department is guaranteed. Moreover, the Minister confirmed that Steve Wizard was appointed as Chairman of the Organising Committee, and Lynne Bates as Deputy Chief Executive Officer. John Devitt, President of Australian Swimming Inc. will also occupy important tasks within the OC. Along with the budget issues and the mode how the operations will be handled, the scheduling of the competition dates is one of the OC priorities. The final design of the venue, in conjunction with the existing facilities, is

underway. FINA COMPETITIONS FINA Swimming World Cup 200412005 The dates and sites of the competition are as follows…Africa/Oceania/Asia

19-21 November 2004 – Durban (RSA) 26-28 November 2004 – Melbourne (AUS) 2-3 December 2004 – Daejon (KOR)

Europe 18-19 January – Stockholm (SWE) 22-23 January – Berlin (GER) 26-27 January – Moscow (RUS)

Americas 11-12 February 2005 – New York (USA) 18-20 February 2005 – Rio de Janeiro (BRA)

Decision on National Federations organising 2006 FINA events

4th FINA Open Water Swimming World Championships: Cayman Islands 15th FINA Diving World Cup: Nanjing (China) 13th FINA Men’s Water Polo World Cup: Budapest (Hungary)14th FINA Women’s Water Polo World Cup: Tianjing (China) 11th FINA Synchronised Swimming World Cup: Japan11th FINA Masters World Championships: San Francisco (USA) 16th FINA Junior Diving World Championships: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) 10th FINA Junior Synchronised Swimming World Championships: Guangzhou (China)

Bidding Presentation The future bidders should make a presentation to the Bureau for all FINA World Championships and World Cups. The bid should be accompanied by a document including all the information related with the organisation of the respective competition. FINA RULES The Bureau approved the following NEW By-Laws (BL) Rules…

BL 6.3.4.2 (NEW) Each competitor at World Championships and FINA competitions must wear on the chest over their track suit such advertising as supplied by FINA when being introduced prior to the start of each event and during the victory ceremony.

Renumber existing rule BL 6.3.4 to be BL 6.3.4.1

BL 8 CHAMPIONSHIPS/GAMES FINA SANCTION (NEW) Continental and Regional Organisations must before announcing dates and place for Championships/games seek sanction by FINA. The FINA sanction shall include the following approvals… Dates for the Championships/Games


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Competition programs Doping control organisation Any modifications of the FINA rules and requirements.

The approval shall include the conditions and requirements in accordance with the FINA Rules and Regulation, whilst the appointment of FINA Delegate(s) shall be granted by the FINA Executive. All competitors must comply with FINA eligibility rules.

BL 9 WORLD CALENDAR (NEW) BL 9.1 (NEW)—FINA shall establish a World Competition Calendar. This Calendar shall serve as a guideline for Continental and Regional organisations, Federations and organizers of International Competitions when deciding dates and place for Championships-Games and other competitions. BL 9.2 (NEW)—the calendar shall include… (a) FINA Championships and other FINA

competitions (b) Continental and Regional

Championships/Games (c) Other Championships/Games of major

international importance, and (d) Other international competitions to be

approved by FINA. BL 9.3 (NEW)—Championships/Games and other international competitions may be added to the calendar provided that they have been presented to FINA for sanction in accordance with BL6. BL 9.4 (NEW)—No Championships-Games, or other International Competitions shall take place within one month prior to or during the Olympic Games and FINA World Championships, with the exception of Masters competitions. BL 9.5 (NEW)—Cancellation of fixtures or change of dates or place for a fixture on the calendar must be reported to FINA at least six months before the commencement of that competition. BL 6.3.7.4 (NEW)—When Automatic Officiating Equipment is used for timing of competitions in accordance with rule SW 11, microchip transponder technology should be added to the Equipment. Use of microchip transponder technology is mandatory for competitions at the World Championships. The Bureau approved the recommendation of the Legal Commission in relation to the FINA Rule GR 2.7 as follows… “The Bureau should not consider any applications for the reduction of twelve month residential qualification until the matter is resolved by the FINA General Congress in 2005”. The Bureau approved the following

interpretation of existing rules… GR 6.4 In swimming competitions the competitor must wear compact swimsuits (one-piece or two piece) that shall not extend beyond the ankles, the wrists and the neck. An arm band or leg band cannot be considered as part of a swimsuit. GR 7.1 The manufacturer’s logo is allowed on goggles but only on the spectacle frame or band.

SWIMMING—the list of the Technical Officials for the 7th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) –Indianapolis 2004 was approved. OPEN WATER SWIMMING—the “Rules & Regulations” for the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup 2004 were approved. MASTERS10th FINA World Masters Championships – Riccione/San Marino 2004 The Masters Commission will visit Riccione/San Marino in April to actively follow up the preparation of the Championships. The technical officials for this event were approved. FIGHT AGAINST DOPING—for 2004 the number of FINA unannounced out-of competition tests (namely for the detection of EPO and THG) will increase. For both substances, the blood test has been cancelled as in case of a positive test the decision is made based on the results of the analysis of the urine sample only. ATHLETES COMMISSION—Appointment of new members: Karine Schuler (FRA, synchronised swimming) and Francesco Attolico (ITA, water polo) replace respectively their compatriots Muriel Hermine and Carmela Allucci.DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM—for 2004 the number of clinics and seminars per continent will be as follows: Africa: 33; Americas: 33; Asia: 32; Europe: 10; Oceania: 8. Total: 116. AWARDS—The Bureau decided to award the “FINA Order” to Son Altesse Serénissime Le Prince Héréditaire Albert de Monaco, President of the Federation Monegasque de Natation for his contribution to the development of our sports. Prince Albert was a former competitive swimmer and presides the Federation Monegasque de Natation for the last 20 years. NEW FINA FEDERATIONS—three new National Federations are now members of FINA: Lesotho, Somalia and Chad (the latter two subject to the payment of the affiliation fee). Total number of FINA Member National Federations: 187. NEXT BUREAU MEETING—the next FINA Bureau Meeting will be held in Athens (GRE) in August 2004 with the occasion of the Olympic Games.


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AFTER DUBAI By Mustapha Larfaoui

President of the Fédération Internationale de Natation

Having presided the recent FINA Bureau meeting on March 11-13, I came from Dubai confident that FINA is getting stronger and is progressively becoming more aware of its value as a means of generating Aquatic shows worldwide.

Two items in our discussions are of significant importance in this domain – the need for a better harmonisation between FINA’s calendar and rules and the continental and regional competitions and respective regulations – and secondly the necessity of having bids for FINA events more carefully prepared and publicised. The first item has been one of the FINA’s main concerns for the past years. As world governing body of Aquatic Sports, FINA should have the priority in defining the yearly major international rendezvous in order to assure the best level of organisation and participation. So far this has been difficult to achieve. Despite some notable progress in negotiating with the Continental and Regional Associations, we still have cases of events that clash in time and oblige the athletes to choose one competition instead of another. Moreover, the rules and the program of a continental or regional event sometimes do not respect entirely the standard fine Rules. Even if there are specificities that must be taken into account, the unity and cohesion of our Sport must be respected whenever possible. In order to favourably improve these matters, a series of By-Laws have been approved by the Bureau (see “FINA Bureau Meeting”). From now on, FINA will be more involved in the approval of a continental or regional organisation and will establish a World Competition calendar. Only this way, the image of FINA can be raised. On the other hand, these measures will be a precious tool to enhance the value and recognition of each of these competitions. The Bureau Members also suggested an apparently minor change in the bidding process for the FINA events, but which will be of crucial significance. Until now, only formal presentations for the organisation of either the FINA World Championships (in the five FINA disciplines) or the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) were asked to the bidders. The international exigencies and standards are becoming progressively higher. FINA’s efforts in assuring the best possible

competitions, in all the disciplines and at all levels, are also more demanding. That is why it was agreed that all bidders for FINA world events (at least on senior level) should, in the future, present their proposal to the Bureau, through the display of multimedia material. FINA is constantly seeking for an optimal level of organisation. Taking into account, with time, more organisational details, such as the budget, facilities and accommodation plans, and the official support from the national and local authorities, FINA will have more elements to make an appropriate decision and to award its event to the best prepared candidate. Through the impact of our competitions, the brand “FINA” acquired today a worldwide reputation. In conjunction with our marketing program and our negotiations with the TV networks, the protection of the FINA property must remain a priority. The safeguard of an international calendar that respects the interest of the athletes, the establishment of rules and competition programs that preserve the unity of the FINA disciplines and the better preparation of the bidders for the FINA events are three more ways of ensuring the progression of our Federation. The FINA Family is taking the right steps in these directions. With the active support and commitment of our Continental Associations, National Member Federations, Committees and Commissions, but also our partners in the areas of sponsoring and TV broadcasting, the realisation of these goals will materialise.

FINA CALENDAR FIN A Championships , Wor ld Cups & Olympic Games2004

Jul 11 Marathon SW. World Cup No.3

Capri-Napoli ITA

Jul 31 Marathon SW. World Cup No.4

Lac St-Jean CAN

Aug 7 Marathon SW. World Cup No.5

Around the Island, Atlantic City

USA

Aug 13-29 OLYMPIC GAMES ATHENS GRE

Aug 15 Marathon SW. World Cup No.6

Sabac SCG

Sep 11 Marathon SW. World Cup No.7

10km for the USA, Atlantic City

USA

Sep 19 Marathon SW. World Cup No.8

Suez Canal EGY

Oct 1 Marathon SW. World Cup No.9

Hong Kong HKG

Oct 7-11 7

th FINA WORLD

SW CH (25m) Indianapolis USA

NovMarathon SW. World Cup No.10

Cancun MEX

Nov 19-21 Swimming World Cup No.1

Durban RSA

Nov 26-28 Swimming World Cup No.2

Melbourne AUS

Nov 26- Dec 2

3rd

FINA World OWS Champs

Abu Dhabi UAE

Dec 2-3 Swimming World Cup No.3

Daejon KOR

TBAMarathon SW. World Cup No.11

Matrouh EGY


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2005

Jan 18-19 Swimming World Cup No.4

Stockholm SWE


Berlin GER


Moscow RUS

Feb 11-12 Swimming World Cup No.7

New York USA

Feb 18-20 Swimming World Cup No.8

Rio de Janeiro

BRA

Jul 17-31 11

th FINA WORLD

CHAMPS MONTREAL CAN

2006TBA 4

th FINA World OWS Champs TBA CAY

TBA 11th FINA Synchro SW. World Cup TBA JPN

TBA 11th FINA Masters World Champs

SanFrancisco

USA

TBA10

th FINA Junior Synchro SW.

World Champs Guangzho

uCHN

TBA 8th FINA World SW Champs (25m) Shanghai CHN

2007TBA 12

th FINA World Championships Melbourne AUS

2008Aug 8-24 Olympic Games Beijing CHN

F IN A MEETINGS 2004

August FINA Bureau Meeting Athens GRE

Oct 12-13 15

th FINA World Sports

Medicine Congress Indianapolis USA

2005Jul 13-15 FINA General Congress Montreal CAN Jul 13-15 FINA Technical Congresses Montreal CAN

Cont inenta l / In ternat iona l Compet i t ions /o ther Games

2004Sep 18-23 Asian Swimming

ChampsDubai UAE

Dec 9-12 European SC Champs Vienna AUT 2005

Jan 6-16 20th Deaflympic Games Melbourne AUS

Jan 19-23 Australian Youth Olympic Festival

Sydney AUS

Jun 24- Jul 3

15th Mediterranean Games Almeria ESP

Aug 11-21 Universiade Izmir TUR Dec 1-15 West Asian Games Doha QAT

2006Jul 27- Aug 6

28th European Swimming

ChampsBudapest HUN

Dec 1-15 15th Asian Games Doha QAT

ATHLETES CAUGHT IN A CATCH-22 By Phillip Whitten

This article appeared in Swimming World & Junior Swimmer, February 2004

This is the first part of a two-part editorial on a taboo topic: swimmers who test positive on drug tests despite, apparently, not having taken any illegal substance.

Just about 10 years ago, Swimming World launched a campaign to alert the world of international sport to the fact that China was systematically doping its swimmers. It was an uphill battle, but eventually severe penalties for doping were imposed and the integrity of our sport was preserved. It was a proud chapter in the proud history of this magazine, and it led directly to the

creation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and a serious attempt at fighting the scourge of drugs in sport. But it’s not always a good thing when a moral impulse is transformed into a bureaucracy. Bureaucracies have a universal tendency to abandon their creative spirit. Recently, we began to notice a disturbing pattern: several swimmers from countries around the world—including Kicker Vencill from the U.S.—have tested positive for 19-norandrostenedione, a precursor to the powerful steroid nandrolone. But, strangely, with only miniscule amounts of the drug: four or six parts per billion. In every case, these athletes have insisted they were innocent, that they had meticulously avoided any substance that appeared on the IOC’s and WADA’s extensive list of prohibited substances. Now, from time immemorial, just about every athlete accused of doping has sworn that he or she was innocent. However, in the cases of the athletes testing positive for these tiny amounts of 19-norandrostenedione, their protestations had the ring of truth-in part because such microscopic quantities have absolutely no effect on performance, and in part because the pattern of their performances, by and large, are inconsistent with drug-taking. (This is in stark contrast with the pattern we observed among Chinese and East German swimmers.) So we decided to investigate. Turns out, we were beaten to the punch. More than a year ago, the IOC and WADA conducted a broad study of the manufacturers and distributors of legal supplements. They found that about 18% of the companies were selling legal supplements that were tainted with illegal, performance-enhancing substances. That’s about one in five! This doesn’t mean that every fifth pill sold by Company A was tainted. It means that one in five companies sold some legal pills, powder, liquids or capsules that were contaminated. These legal products, taken by an athlete, could lead to a positive test. Amazingly, the IOC and WADA have never made this list of companies public. Athletes are still told only to avoid illegal substances and admonished to “be careful.” Why hasn’t the list been made public? Our guess is that these august organisations do not want to risk costly lawsuits. If so, they are abdicating their primary responsibility to the athletes in order to safeguard their bureaucratic butts. Another possibility is that such a list might imply that the other 82% of companies have products that are clean, and that is not necessarily the case. In next month’s editorial, I will examine where we go from

here.


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TECH TIPS: BACKSTROKE PULL

By Kevin Milak; Photos by Michael Aron Demonstrated by Attila Czene

This article appeared in Swimming World & Junior Swimmer, March 2004

Kevin Milak is the newsmaster of Swimlnfo.com and the technical editor of Swimming Technique magazine.Attila Czene was the 1996 Olympic champion in the 200m IM in Atlanta. Swimming in lane 1, the Hungarian made a ferocious move to break away from the pack during the Backstroke leg, finishing in a then-Olympic record of 1:59.91. THE FIRST DOWNSWEEP As you begin the first part of the Backstroke arm stroke, your arm enters the water fully extended over your shoulder, pinkie finger first with the palm of your hand slightly pitched out to the side. Your body should be rotated onto your side. In Photo #1, you can see the entire front side of Attila’s body. His feet are kicking side-to-side with one shoulder and the corresponding hip at or above the surface of the water. Once the entry is made, rotate your hand so that your fingers are pointed down and your arm begins to press down and outward (Photo #1). As your arm progresses through this phase of the pull, your hand and forearm will rotate to their deepest and widest point.

Continuing the downsweep, bend your arm slightly, with your wrist flexed so that your hand and fingers are in alignment with your forearm (Photo #2). This bend in your elbow will allow you to generate more power from the muscles in your bicep and chest than if your arm were straight.

As soon as you begin to bend your arm, begin to rotate your hips to the opposite side. In Photo #2, Attila’s left arm is well into the recovery and is near vertical. This timing for Backstroke is very similar to that of “half-catch-

up” on Freestyle, as the recovering arm moves much quicker through the air than the pulling arm through the water. THE UPSWEEP The upsweep is the first real propulsive part of the stroke. Begin by rotating your hand slowly until your palm is facing upward (Photo #3). Your hand will not be completely pitched upward until your hand passes by your elbow on its way up.

Continue bending your elbow, bringing your thumb almost to your bottom rib. Throughout this part of the stroke, your hand remains in alignment with your forearm. This will help you to use both your hand and forearm as a paddle (Photo #4).

In this position, Attila’s recovery arm is passing by his head and will shortly be in the water. Let your body continue rolling toward the other side during the upsweep, with the next sweep-the second downsweep – finalising the rotation. THE SECOND DOWNSWEEP The second downsweep begins when your hand is at its highest point (as your hand passes your navel) and continues as your arm sweeps downward, finishing below your thigh (Photo #5).

Rotate your hand quickly, palm down, initiating a quick snap at the end of the sweep. This snap will also help you to finish your rotation to your other side with the final downward press. At the same moment that you


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complete the second downsweep, let your recovering hand enter the water, preparing to start the next stroke. THE SECOND UPSWEEP AND EXIT The second upsweep consists of the final press and the quick movement that brings your hand out of the water. This sweep begins with the completion of the downsweep and ends when the palm of your hand is almost touching the back of your thigh. During this sweep, your wrist will be hyper extended, similar to a waitress holding a tray overhead. This sweep is sometimes ignored because of its speed. Once your hand is nearly touching the back of your thigh, let it release its pressure on the water and quickly accelerate, thumb first, out of the water.

BREASTSTROKEText & Photos by Kevin Milak

This article appeared in Swimming World & Junior Swimmer, January 2004

Beginning in the stretch phase (Photo #1), the arms are fully extended with legs straight and toes pointed. The eyes are looking straight down at the bottom of the pool, the hips close to the surface.

The pull (Photo #2) begins with the hands sweeping outward. During the outsweep, the palms are pitched outward, with the thumbs down. There should be a straight line starting from the elbow, down the forearms, and to the middle finger beginning with the outsweep and maintained through the insweep. The arms accelerate steadily as they move outward, backward, down, then in.

The insweep (Photo #3) is the power phase of the pull. The fingers point down toward the bottom of the pool. The elbows stay high in the water, with the hands and forearms rotating around them. Once the hands pass under the elbows, the pitch of the hands is rotated inward (fingertips facing each other).

There are two parts of the insweep from which you gain propulsion — the downward phase (Photo #4) and the inward phase (Photo #5).

The water is pushed backward during these two phases due to the pitch of the hands and forearms driving the water backward. As the arms recover, shrug the shoulders and drive them forward, pushing the elbows forward, keeping them close together out in front of the chin.

While your arms are recovering back into a streamline (Photo #6), try to keep your elbows as close together as possible. This will decrease the amount of resistance you will get from the recovery.


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Backstroke to Breaststroke:

CROSSOVER OR MODIFIED ROLL TURN WITH PULLOUT

By Kevin Milak Michael Phelps demonstrates the difficult

crossover or modified roll turn from Backstroke, the following Breaststroke pullout and the

breakout. Photos by Kevin Milak


Before the rule change that allowed a rollover turn on Backstroke, the modified roll turn was the quickest way to turn from Backstroke to Breaststroke in the IM. However, this turn has not faded into technique history as “what we used to do before they changed the rule.” Many elite athletes continue to use this turn during IM transitions from Backstroke to Breaststroke. The rule regarding Backstroke to Breaststroke transition turns states…

“The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the breast when the swimmer leaves the wall, and the prescribed Breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke.”

In this article, we will be taking an underwater view of this difficult turn, the following Breaststroke pullout and the breakout. Not only will we have a fish-eye view of the turn, but it will be demonstrated by the best IM swimmer in the world, Michael Phelps.

APPROACHING THE WALL Swim into the wall the same way you would approach the wall for a Backstroke flip turn. Your distance from the wall when you initiate the turn should be slightly less than it is for your normal Backstroke turn. This may require you to lengthen your last several stroke cycles slightly in order to get yourself closer to the wall (Photo #1).

On the last arm stroke, instead of rolling over onto the chest, your body will roll halfway onto the chest so that you are perpendicular to the bottom of the pool, with your chest facing the

lane line. Your last arm stroke (Michael’s right arm) will reach behind your head (Photo #2).

TOUCH AND ROLL Drive into the wall, bringing your hand and forearm behind your head. During this final moment before you make contact with the wall, you must be careful not to let your shoulders pass vertical (which would be illegal). Plant your hand fairly deep on the wall, just behind your opposite shoulder (Michael’s left shoulder). Your fingers will be pointed down and behind you (if the wall were a clock, Michael’s fingers would be pointed at 7 o’clock), with the palm of your hand flat on the wall (Photo #3).

Once your hand is on the wall, continue to roll onto your stomach and somersault. Bring your other arm (the one that did not touch the wall; Michael’s left) down toward the bottom of the pool, which will help you to bring your body into alignment and stop you from flipping too far (Photo #4).

Roll onto your side—not all the way onto your stomach—as your feet come in contact with the wall. Your feet should be relatively high on the wall, fairly close to the surface, and your toes should be pointed parallel to the surface. Bring your arm that came in contact with the wall overhead to meet your other arm so that you can get ready to push and streamline (Photo #5).


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PUSH AND STRETCH Push off on your side with your eyes looking toward the side of the pool, tightening your streamline as your legs straighten. Streamline with your elbows close together behind your head and your torso flexed and straight (Photo #6).

As you get set up for your pullout, rotate onto your stomach by turning in a corkscrew motion as you push off the wall. Your legs should be squeezed together with your toes pointed. Make sure to exhale as you streamline, so that you do not float to the surface before you are ready to make your breakout. Be sure not to hold your streamline so long that your body begins to lose momentum and slow down (Photos #7 and Streamline).

THE PULLING PHASE The arm motion of the pullout can be described as an exaggerated Butterfly stroke: the pull and press of the arm strokes are very similar motions. Begin to sweep your hands out with the palms pitched slightly outward and upward so that the hands are outside the shoulders. Once your hands are outside the shoulders, the palms of the hands will begin to face backward. This motion is primarily a stretch to get your hands into the correct

position for the next catch of the pull (Photos #8 and #9).

Flex and bend your elbows nearly 90 degrees until your hands nearly come together under your chest. Then press the water under your body from the point at which your hands pass under your chest until they pass by your navel, accelerating your hands as they go through the pull. Throughout most of this phase, your hands will be close together, with your thumbs and index fingers forming a diamond pattern (Photo #10).

The final phase of the pull is the upsweep, where your hands push out from under your body to push slightly upward. Your hands will stop against your thighs, with your fingers pointed down your leg. This final part of the pull should be the fastest your hands will move during the pullout. During the momentary glide, shrug your shoulders and squeeze your arms close to your sides (Photo #11).


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KICK TO SURFACE & ARM RECOVERY The closer you can recover your hands and forearms to the body, the less drag you will encounter. Flex your elbows enough that your arms move forward with your hands almost sliding across your body. As your arms are passing under your stomach, your feet should begin to recover by bending your knees slightly. Your feet should recover very gently so as not to cause too much drag (Photos #12 and #13).

Use the propulsive phase of the kick to finish the recovery of the arms. Your body should be close to the surface, and as soon as your arms are back up into a streamline, they should begin to press outward to begin the first Breaststroke pull. Your eyes should always be looking down throughout the entire pullout, from streamline to breakout. You will only begin to raise your eyes during the first breath of the first stroke cycle of Breaststroke (Photos #14 and Breakout).

Tips on Technique – Sponsored by FINISFACTORS AFFECTING

PERFORMANCEBy Greg Cronauer

This article appeared in American Swimming Magazine, Volume 2003 Issue 6

Are fewer strokes always better? Is a longer stroke always more efficient than a shorter one? Is gliding between strokes always the best way to gain efficiency in swimming? The answer to all of the above is NO. Stroke count, stroke length, and glide are important in swimming, but the overriding KING of efficient swimming is rhythm. If you take too few strokes per lap, you lose your rhythm and flow. You give the water an opportunity to build up too much friction and slow you down. If you glide too long between strokes, you lose too much momentum and then have to work hard to regain your speed. Remember that old physics lesson (or was it the couch-potato’s rule): A body at rest tends to remain at rest. Simply put, if you’re not propelling yourself forward in the water, you’re slowing down. The best way to avoid slowing down is to make sure your body is streamlined and horizontal, allowing it to cut through the water with as little drag as possible. Once you’ve mastered an efficient body position, you’ll want to go FAST. That’s where rhythm comes in. And cadence. A versatile swimmer can go fast at various rhythms and stroke cadences. For example, when a swimmer wants to swim a really fast 100 Freestyle, she will use one rhythm. If the same swimmer wants to swim a fast 500 Freestyle, she’ll use a slightly slower rhythm and cadence. Put her in an Ironman, and she’ll need yet another cadence in order to perform her best. What’s clear is that the swimmer needs to feel comfortable at several DIFFERENTcadences, and that she needs to develop more than one gear for her Freestyle. This holds true for any stroke. When I swim a 50 Breaststroke, I use a gear that spins FASTER than the one I use for a 200 Breaststroke. If I swim Breaststroke across the Chesapeake Bay, I’ll be using a gear that spins SLOWER than the one I use when I race my 10-year-old twins across the backyard pool. In my training, I’m constantly experimenting with stroke rhythm and cadence, so that I become comfortable with different rhythms, and so that I can find the optimum cadence for each race distance.


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I’ve found that the Tempo Trainer is ideal for helping me expand my “gear box” for each stroke, and to systematically find my optimum cadence for each distance. The Tempo Trainer is an electronic training device, about the size of a fat poker chip, which you can slip inside your swim cap. It transmits an audible beep, and you can adjust the frequency of the beep. It’s kind of like a metronome for jocks. For example, if you want a hand to enter the water every 1.07 seconds (that just happens to be one of my optimum rates for Freestyle), you can set it for that ... or for any tempo you want. The Tempo Trainer makes it really easy for me to focus my attention on my stroke, and what my body is doing, without having to count strokes or sing the same rock song over and over again to keep a steady rhythm with my strokes. All I have to do is choose a beep frequency and GO SWIM. I’m still experimenting with the Tempo Trainer, but here’s an example of a practice set that I’ve done to develop more gears in my Freestyle, and to home in on my optimum cadence for a 50 Freestyle. You could do the same type of set based on 100s or 200s – or based on any stroke. The set is 4 x (4x50) Freestyle on :45 (yes, that means 16x50s Freestyle). If a :45 send-off is too fast for you, choose a send-off that gives you about 10 seconds rest after each 50. I do this set in two different ways. I either bring down my time and make my stroke cadence FASTER, or I INCREASE my time and make my stroke cadence SLOWER. I usually start my Tempo Trainer at a tempo of 1.07 (one and seven-tenths second per stroke. This is where the fun begins. Let’s say I’m going to try to make my stroke longer, I’ll be increasing the time on the Tempo Trainer to make it a longer interval in between strokes. So the first four 50s would be a base set with the Tempo Trainer set @ 1.07. For the next four 50s I would set the Tempo Trainer at 1.12. On the next four 50s, I would set it at 1.15, and on the final four 50s I would set it at 1.17. I try to maintain the same speed (measured by how long it takes me to swim each 50), regardless of the tempo or cadence of my stroke. You can see that I decrease the increments toward the end of the entire set. That’s because, it my stroke cadence is slower than one stroke every 1.17 seconds, I’m not really swimming, I’m waiting S-O-O-O-O long between strokes that I slow down too much ... and then have to work too hard to get moving again.

The benefit of slowing my cadence to 1.17, however, is that after all this slow stroking, when I reset the TT back to 1.07, EVERYTHINGfeels like a piece of cake. At the slow, 1.17 cadence, I have to focus on everything in order to hold my speed. I have to focus on my balance and rotation, and on how my hands anchor and pull. I have to reawaken the hidden parts of my stroke. The other thing that I learn when I try to swim fast at a slower cadence is that I don’t like my stroke too long for a 50 Freestyle. At a slower cadence I lose so much speed between strokes that I have to work EXTRAhand on each stroke to maintain my speed. This makes my heart rate go up. If I do the 4x( 4x50) set the other way, that is, make my stroke rate faster on each of the four 50s (1.07, 1.02, .97, .92), then it becomes easier to hold my speed. BUT... at .97 and .92, my heart-rate is way up there again because I’m spinning my arms so fast. Again, when I get back to my 1.07, it just feels right, or much better. If you want to try this set for yourself, your first question will be: How do I know what cadence to start with? The answer is that you have to experiment first. Just choose any random setting on the Tempo Trainer, within a range of, say .90 to 1.20. Swim a lap or two and see how you feel. Then try another setting and continue until you feel the cadence is comfortable and that you’re flowing through the water. Then try the 4 x (4x50). You may have to do the entire set a few times until you hit your optimum cadence. The key to finding your best cadence for your goal event is experimentation. Don’t always swim at what you think is your optimum cadence. You want to end up with many gears that you can use in many different events. If you are a competitive swimmer, you adjust your speed within a more narrow range of stroke cadences. If you are a triathlete, you want to find a sustainable cadence, and perhaps one that lets you use your upper body more. With these things in mind, swim standard sets while varying the number of strokes you’re taking per lap, or by increasing or decreasing the cadence of your strokes. After a few weeks, you’ll figure out exactly where you need to be in order to accomplish your goal swim.


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Establ ish ing an Aerobic Base

By Michael J. Stott Michael J. Stott is a contributing editor to

Swimming Technique, Swimming World andSWIM magazines.


The first step for any successful swim team begins with the building of an aerobic base. One of the best builders is Eddie Reese, Head Men’s

Coach at the University of Texas.

Coach Eddie Reese knows how to build a good aerobic base for his swimmers at the University of Texas. The statistics, alone, would seem to confirm that.

Eddie Reese, head men’s swimming coach at the University of Texas, was also

named the coach of the 2004 U.S. men’s Olympic team.

Reese—has led his Longhorns to nine NCAA titles (including eight of the last 16) and every conference title (Big 12 and SWC) since 1980. He’s coached 31 NCAA champions, 25 national champion relay teams, 120 All-Americans and 18 Olympians who have won 19 gold medals in four Olympics. He also coaches current world record holders Ian Crocker, Aaron Peirsol and Brendan Hansen.

Ian Crocker Aaron Peirsol

Brendan Hansen

“My basic philosophy is that the work just needs to get harder every year,” he says. Reese claims there are four things that make you better. You can…

Get bigger and stronger Develop better technique Swim harder Offer harder practices

“Physiologically, the way you increase aerobic ability is to get the heart to contract and expand as completely as possible. That takes doing different amounts of work at different intensities.” Reese utilises 100s and 200s with ample rest, which allows swimmers to go fast enough for maximum heart contraction and expansion. For example, assume sets of 100s on 1:15 where swimmers are asked to hold :55. Freshmen may do 8-12 two times a week, whereas some of his superstars grind out 20 100s three times per week. The 100s notwithstanding, Reese is a proponent of longer swims. While many coaches have gone to a race pace style of training, Reese has not. Neuromuscular stimulus is critical and swimmers get a load of it through tube and pulling systems, weight room overloads and overdistance and over-speed regimens. “I believe in keeping 30-minute swims in the program,” he says, “because if you have people of similar ability, the ones who’ve been in the longer programs always seem to finish better whatever the distance.” It Starts with a Plan All the logic starts with a season plan, a mix-and-match amalgamation that Reese admits doesn’t work all the time, although the results seem to belie such self-effacement. At Texas after two to three weeks off following summer nationals, Reese’s charges work “gently” into the season. The eye on the prize is clearly late March (NCAAs) and the championship meets thereafter. “With the season ending in late March, there’s not much time from April to US. Nationals to make a lot of physiological changes, so we try to do it from the middle of September to the middle of January,” he says. Weeks 1 and 2 consist of daily workouts that include 3,000 swim/kick, 1,000 technique. Week 3 has daily doses of 4,000 aerobic practice/1,000 technique. “If we work up gradually, the body adjusts better. It may take us longer than some other teams, but when we get there, we seem to stay up at peak performance four to six weeks longer than other teams.”


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For instance, from early October through mid-November, Texas middle distance swimmers embark on three two-week cycles that produce 4,000 yards in 50 minutes in the following manner… 400 on 5:00 (100 free, 100 back, 100 free, 100 back EZ) 4 x (100 free on 1:05, 100 back on 1: 10, 100 breast or fly stroke drill on 1:20)

300 on 3:45 3 x (100 free on 1:05, 100 back on 1:10, 100 breast or fly stroke drill on 1:20) 200 on 2:30 100 on 1:15

In the fourth week, middle distance swimmers do a 2,000 free; in the fifth week, a 2,000 IM mix with some moderate recovery; in the sixth, a 3,000 swim; and in the seventh, a 3,000 IM mix. Distance swimmers do greater yardages. “As we move toward the end of November, we start doing more fast stuff in practice,” he says. Examples for those once-a-week sets are 20 50s on 1:15, eight 200s on 5:00 or broken swims, 100s on 6:00 (or 5:00) and 200s on 6:00. In2003, the regimen was augmented by the following weekly progression beginning in mid-October…

Relay meet (fast swimming) Meet with the University of Southern California Six to eight 100s fastSix to eight 200s fastFour to eight 100s fastTwo-day meet with University of Michigan (LCM on Friday, SCY on Saturday)

In mid-November, the middle distance group was alternating days of doing 7,000 yards with days of doing 11,000 yards. Distance swimmers were doing upwards of 10,000 to 12,000 in a session, while sprinters were logging closer to 5,500. Coaching by Instinct Programmed rest is not part of the Reese equation. Again, he’s a man who coaches by feel, taking the pulse of his team members through observation. “If they look like they are getting tired or wearing out mentally—whether it’s from school or whatever—I’ll take a break and do relays, or sit down and talk. I try to watch my swimmers and go from there. We do recovery days, but we just don’t call them that. It depends on where we are in the season and who is coming up,” he says. Unlike some teams, Reese’s do not shave to make NCAA cuts, and he admits that when the guys are lifting and swimming hard, they are “not very good. Most of our losses occur in November and the first half of January because we are just training, but we can live with that. We work for the end of the year.”

With a touch of humility, Reese acknowledges, “I’m not sure any of this is right or it’s working. That’s the scary part. Each year, I try to find a way to make the program harder. You can put out any formula you want, and if you don’t have the people who are doing the work, then it doesn’t matter. I’ve got a very hardworking group.”

TEXAS WORKOUTS Really Early Workouts (before Sept. 15) 400 free on 5:00 300 free/100 kick on 5:20 200 free/200 kick on 5:40 100 free/300 kick on 6:00 12 x 100 free (breathe every 5) on 1:20 or 10 x 100 (75 free/25 stroke) on 1:25 (during the rest period, do 8 sec. vertical kick) 1,000 stroke work-mostly 25s (takes about 30 minutes)

Early Workout (early October) 800 (100 free/100 back) on 11:00 600 (100 free/100 back) on 8:15 400 (100 free/100 back) on 5:30 200 (100 free/100 back) on 2:45 400 (100 free/100 broken fly drill) on 5:30 600 (100 free/100 broken fly drill) on 8:15 Freestylers: 3 x (200 free on 2:20, 4 x 50 stroke on :50, 2 x 50 drill on :60)Non-Freestylers: 3 x (200 stroke*, 4 x 50 free on :40, 2 x 50 stroke drill on :60)* Stroke = back on 2:30, fly/free on 2:30, breast on 2:45

Goals for Early Aerobic Training 4

th week of training:

1 x 20-30 min. swim per week 1 x 20-30 min. kick per week 5

th and 6


1 x 30-40 min. swim 1 x 20-30 min. kick 7

th and 8


1 x 40-50 min swim 1 x 30 min. kick (Once every two weeks, the long swim will be timed) Examples of non-free or stroke straight swim: 1 fly/1 back/1 breast/1 free; 1 fly/1 back/1 breast! 2 free; 1 fly/1 back/2breast/2 free continued for a distance (up to 3 or 4 of everything or timed) 50 free, 50 weak IM stroke, 50 free, 50 weak IM stroke for 30 minutes or 12 rounds 5 x (100 stroke/100 kick, 75 stroke/25 kick, 50 stroke/50 kick, 25 stroke/25 kick)-5 x or just go down and up, never repeating for a period of time 20 x (50 swim/50 kick) (Team record for this 100 is 1:08.4)

Workout (Nov. 12, 2003) 400 free on 5:00 500 free on 6:00 2 x 400 IM on 6:00 (regular order on the first; back or breast on the second, i.e. fly/back, fly/back, back/back, back/back, breast/back, breast/back, free/back, free/back) 300 kick on 5:00 8 x 50 swim on 1:00 Easy 100 on 2:00


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400 free on 5:00 4x

1 00 free on 1 :05 100 back on 1:10 100 breast or fly drill on 1:20

300 free on 3:45 3x {above set 200 free on 2:30 2x {above set 100 free on 1:15 1x {above set 2x

200 kick on 3:00 4 x 25 fly kick on :25 4 x 25 fly swim on :25 4 x 25 back kick (arms locked over head/:25) 4 x 25 back swim on :25 4 x 25 breast kick on :25 4 x 25 breast swim on :25

Swim-down 5,00082 minutes

Middle of the Year (late November) 12 x 100 (75 free/25 stroke) on 1:30 (10 secs. vertical kick during rest) 12 x 100 IM (reverse order) on 1:30 4x 100 kick on 1:40 2 x 50 drill on :50 3 x 100 kick on 1:35 2 x 50 drill on :50 2 x 100 kick 2 x 50 drill on :50 1 x 100 kick on 1:25 2 x 50 drill on :50 20 x 100 free on 1:00 If you miss one, swim an easy 50 and get back on the interval 15 min. kick – speed play 200 swim-down

Jan. 15 (moving toward more pace work) 800 free/back on 11 min.4 x 100 kick on 1:35 Easy 100 kick on 1:50 4 x 100 kick on 1:30 Easy 100 kick on1:50 4 x 100 kick on 1:25 Easy 100 kick on 1:50 4 x 50 stroke on :60 6 x 50 swim at 95% effort on 1:15 4 x 50 stroke drill on :60 4 x 50 swim at 95% effort on :60 4 x 50 stroke drill on :60 4 x 50 swim at 95% effort on :50 4 x 50 stroke drill on :60 2 x 50 swim at 95% effort on :40 4 x 50 stroke drill on :60 2 x 50 swim at 95% effort on :35 4 x 50 stroke drill on :60 2 x 50 swim at 95% effort on :30 4 x 50 stroke drill on :60 800 pull at moderate pace 400 kick at moderate pace Turns


13-14 year-olds By Steve Wilson, Head Coach

3 Days Out (from Championship Meet) Swim 5 x 100 on cruise interval (Cl) + :10 Kick 1 x 300 alternating 25 hard 25 relaxed choice Kick 16 x 25 hard: first 10 choice, last 6 flutter Swim 1 x 50 relaxed choice Swim 1 x 300 breathe every 5 free Swim 4 x 100 on Cl hard 1 x 50 relaxed free 3 x 100 on 4:00 with :10 at each 25 Swim 6 x 50 on 1:10 breathe 2 down/2 back Swim 8 x 25 on 1:00 25 under/25 choice sprint Swim 6 x 50 on 1:00 drill of choice 2 Days Out Swim 5 x 100 on Cl + :05 Kick 1 x 300 choice alternate relaxed/very hard Swim 1 x 200 breathe every 5 Swim 4 x 50 on 1:30 build choice Kick 3 x 100 on 2:30 odds hard flutter, evens hard choice Kick 4 x 25 on :45 choice hard Swim 2 x 200 on 5:30 choice (Rest :15 after each 50; 85% pace) 8 x 25 fly hypoxic hard 4 x 25 for time on coach 300 ascend by 100 1 Day Out Swim 4 x 100 on Cl + :10 Kick 1 x 200 IM alternate 25 relaxed/25 very hard Kick 4 x 100 on 2:30 1+4 hard flutter, 2+3 hard choice Swim 1 x 50 relaxed choice Swim 6 x 50 on 1:10 breathe 2 down/2 back Swim 3 x 125 on 3:00 (Rest :10 at each 25

1 cruise 2+3 all out) Swim 8 x 25 on 1:00 odds no breath choice, evens sprint choice Swim 1 x 300 relaxed choice

11-12 year-olds By John Dissinger, Head Age Group

Coach3 Days Out 200 swim/200 drill Swim 12 x 25 drill on :35 Swim 4 x 25 perfect stroke on coach Kick 10 x 25 half fast/half relaxed on :40 Swim 10 x 25 build on :35 working full-speed finishes Swim 10 x 25 half fast/half relaxed; odds work turns, evens work starts Swim 3 x 100 broken :10 at each 25 choice on 3:00 Turn work 6 x middle pool 25 working turns


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Swim 8 x 25 stroke drill warm-down 2 Days Out 200 swim/100 kick/100 drill Kick 8 x 25 fast on :40 12 x 25 drill on :35 Swim 8 x 25 perfect stroke on :35 Swim 8 x 25 build on :35 working full-speed finishes Swim 8 x 25 half fast/half relaxed; odds work turns, evens work finishes Starts Turns Swim 4 x 50 fast on 2:00 from a dive 8 x 25 stroke drill warm-down 1 Day Out 300 swim 200 kick 200 drill 4 x 50 drill/swim on 1:05 6 x 25 on :35 working full-speed finishes 6 x 25 half fast/half relaxed; odds working turns, evens working starts Turns 200 relaxed swim, fast flags to flags working turns 4 x 25s timed on coach Selected swimmers 2 x 50 pace 200 warm-down

9-10 year-olds By Rachel Garry, Assistant Coach

3 Days Out 200 swim/200 kick 4 x 50 Blue Tide Tumblers—underwater flags to wall to flags Kick 10 x 25 with fins, 6 free 4 back Swim with fins 10 x 25; odds fast, evens relaxed, all choice Swim 4 x 100 IM

1-drill; 2-relaxed; 3-medium; 4-fast from a dive Swim 4 x 50 free working on turns fast from flags to wall to flags 2 Days Out 300 swim warm-up 8 x 25 drill 2 of each stroke 8 x 25 perfect stroke Kick 3 x 100 choice Swim 12 x 50 three sets of four

1-25 fast/25 relaxed; 2-25 relaxed/25 fast; 3-50 fast; 4-50 relaxed Set one-free; Set two-best stroke; Set three-choice

100 relaxed warm-down 1 Day Out Warm-up 200 swim/200 IM drill Kick 4 x 75 IM order Swim 3 x 50 build choice Swim 2 x 50 free from a dive, 25 all out/25 catch-up Swim 2 x 50 best stroke from a dive, 25 all out/25 drill Swim 4 x 25 underwater Swim 100 of best stroke. Medium pace with visualise race pace Turns 200 Easy

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT COACHING SO FAR

By Mark Schubert From The World Clinic Series 34th Annual World

Clinic Las Vegas, Nevada – September 2002 This article appeared in American Swimming

Magazine, Volume 2003 Issue 6

You chuckle when you hear “Coach of the Year,” and “Coach of the Year” certainly is a tremendous honour, but as I look back over the years that I have coached, usually the years that I have not been Coach of the Year are the years that I have done the best job. As you look back on your career, you know what I am talking about, the years that are challenging, the years that are not easy. The years that you do not have super talents to work with, but that is really what coaching is about. I have been blessed to have coached some outstanding athletes, but I can honestly tell you that I have just as good a feeling helping a person make nationals for the first time as I do helping a person win an Olympic gold medal. I should mention my mentor, Dick Wells, who was the Head Coach at Firestone High School, Akron Ohio, when the school first built its pool. I was not an Age Group swimmer. I started off in high school, and Coach Wells really got me fired up about swimming. My goal, and I wrote a paper on this my junior year in high school, was to be a swimming coach like my swimming coach. I wanted to create the enthusiasm that my coach created for me. I wanted to create a team feeling that our high school team had, and that was really my only goal. When I was in college, I got a job coaching at a summer swim club, and I remind my daughters of this when they complain about working for minimum wage, for a $1.10 an hour. I would have done this free, and that is when I realised that I had a gift to coach. I really think that gift came from excitement and enthusiasm, from the love of running training sessions, from a love of motivating a group to swim fast for a group goal. I was only an assistant coach for two years during my junior and senior years of college. I never had a desire to be an assistant coach. I always wanted to be a head coach. I always wanted to go out and learn on my own, stumble, and hopefully rise again. I returned to my hometown of Falls in Ohio and coached for one year. When I tried to get them to put a bubble over a 50m pool so that I could form a club team, the recreation director probably did me the best favour of my life when he said, “Mark, you will be a great coach some day, but it is never going to be in Falls, Ohio. After that meeting, I applied for six different jobs in California. I did not get the one that I wanted at Santa Ana High School. A friend of mine, who was a graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky, got that job, and I took


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a job at a small Age Group program that had two 25-yard pools in Mission Viejo, California. My goal there was to develop a program where people could say, “He runs a good program.” That was my goal – plain and simple. The first year I was there, we qualified one girl for the national championships. I remember when that girl qualified, I told myself, “Mark, if every year you can just qualify one swimmer for nationals, make sure that you are happy.” I have always remembered that and I am always happy. If I can qualify one swimmer, I feel blessed and I feel grateful. Two years later, I was standing soaking wet next to the greatest swimming coach of all time, who was also soaking wet. His name was George Haines. George and his Santa Clara team, and it was the last Santa Clara team that he coached, won the combined team championship and the men’s championship, and Mission Viejo won the women’s championship. He walked over to me; we were the only two guys in the locker room, and shook my hand and congratulated me. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I could not believe it. How did I get from wanting to be a high school coach to coaching some great teams and some great swimmers? The number one thing is the need for knowledge. I remember when I went to California I actually asked for a job that paid $200 a month and they turned me down because they said that I was over-qualified. However, I wanted to be there so bad because there were so many great coaches that I could observe – that I could watch. You have to create a belief, a confidence, and I needed to learn how to do that. I think you can attend a clinic and listen to people talk about their programs and talk about how they train people, but you really need to observe how they work with people, because that is the key. In fact, one of the blessings of college coaching is the fact that I get to go around and observe club programs and coaches, and learn every day. Every time I go watch, either I learn something, or I am reminded of something that I had forgotten. You need to develop a championship environment. It is different for everybody. Nevertheless, you need to look at what your environment is and it needs to be an environment for excellence. As I look back on that recreation director in Falls, Ohio, I sometimes wish that I would have stayed there and proved him wrong. I think a lot of us see our coaching positions as the key to whether we are going to be successful or not, as opposed to the effort put into the coaching that makes the position what it is. I truly believe that. You need to expect excellence, but you need to do it in steps. You need to create relationships with your athletes, your parents, and with your assistant coaches. The first summer I was hired at Mission Viejo, I came to within a whisker of being fired. One of the championship meets at the end of the summer was the Orange County Swim

Conference. This was big time and we had won the sectionals. The parents wanted to throw me in the pool. I refused and I said, “I am not going to be thrown in the pool until we win Nationals.” Well, they looked at me as if I was some kind of wild man. Who does this guy think he is? The Vice President of the company called me in and he said, “Mark, I want you to know something. These parents are important. We are in the business of selling houses and you get a lot more bears with honey than you do vinegar and every once in a while you need to give in to what they want.” Therefore, the next meet, which was the championship for the Orange County Swim Conference, we won and I did let them throw me in the pool. We had a T-shirt that we came up with in the fall that said, “Think Nationals.” That is where we started to head from that point on. I do think, although my relationship with the parents of Mission Viejo started off rocky, that eventually the respect that we developed for each other was tremendous. I thought it was important for me to listen to their goals, for them to listen to my goals, and for them to listen to the swimmers’ goals. I am a great believer of a coach-run and coach-owned club program. I know that it is not always possible, but even if the parents own the club and they pay your salary, somehow you need to get to the point where they feel they are working for you. I think that you can do that, though it does take some work. Remember, you get more bears with honey than you do with vinegar.

Loyalty ... loyalty is an interesting subject and what I have learned about it in coaching, is that it is important to give it, but never to expect it in return. If it comes back to you, it is a gift. I appreciate so much the few people, no matter how good they were, who write me a note or send me an email 20 or 30 years later. I received a fax one time at the Olympic Trials from a girl just telling me what a great experience she had had at the Olympic Trials 20 years beforehand. It is important that you know that it is your job to be loyal and that it is your job to express gratitude to your swimmers and to your parents. If it comes back to you, it is a gift. The other thing that I learned, and I actually did learn this at the ASCA Clinic from one of Karen Moe’s talks, or at least it started me thinking about the subject, is the coach needs to act like a parent. When I started coaching, when I was young, I really had to be a disciplinarian. I was a very tough disciplinarian. You break the rules and in many cases, you were gone. In some instances, I was a year or two older than the swimmers I was coaching, and I had to make sure that I did not socialise with them on their level. It had to be a distinct coach/swimmer situation. The same went with the parents. The parents were very much used to drinking beers with the coach and things of that nature. I felt that it was important to gain their respect, that I act like a coach and act like


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a professional. Since I have become a college coach and seen the situations that one of my responsibilities in working with young people, particularly when they go away from home for the first time, is to help them grow up. I am a lot more willing to give them a second chance. I have very little tolerance for not learning from a second chance, but I am very willing to give it and I think it is important on every level, because you should be like a parent. You are like a parent and in fact, when you think about it, you spend a lot more time with them, unfortunately more than their parents do. Another way I have changed is technique. I was a kind of a book-learned technique guy. I can remember the first book I read on swimming was written by Forbes Carlisle. I also think I had a good knowledge after reading Doc Counsilman’s book and a number of books like that about technique, but I never really emphasised it in practice when I was young. I remember going to a clinic one time in northern California and hearing Howard Furby talk. At Nationals, we had seven of eight girls make the finals in the 1500 Freestyle and the winning girl broke the world record, and I was proud of that. I thought that it was a good team accomplishment. Howard had made the comment about the thrashers from Mission Viejo. At first, I got mad. Then I started to think about it a little bit and then I realised that we could probably be doing even better by focusing as much on technique as we focus on training. I think that is probably a way I have gotten better. I do not learn about technique as much from books anymore as I do from observation. I really believe in observation of underwater film of the world’s best swimmers. I think there are a couple of things that you can learn from that. Not only can you learn how to do things properly, but also how to do things creatively. I think that is where you find the next step in going faster. I try once a week with my team to sit down and watch underwater films of the Olympics, the Pan Pacs, the World Championships and talk about technique. I do not do all of the talking. I let them do a lot of the talking, a lot of the questioning. Then when we film them, they know what they are striving to achieve. Sam Vancura’s underwater camera is probably the best coaching tool there is. We use it every day. However, if you just film somebody and they do not know what the goal is, what are they striving for? For some of them it is hard to make adjustments. You can tell them verbally, but it is hard to make adjustments. A lot of times, I will stop somebody in the middle of a set and just have them sit on the edge of the pool and watch someone who is doing something correctly, and that can be pretty powerful. First, it pisses them off a little bit that I stopped them in the middle of the set. But that is all right, because I am telling them that this

is important and then it is amazing how they get back into the set and start working on that aspect of technique, or turn, or push-off that they were not thinking of before. I am not much for socialising on the pool deck during practice. When I watch a football practice at USC, those coaches are not socialising. They are coaching. I think that it is important when we are on the pool deck that we are coaching all the time, and that we have 100% focus on the athletes in the water, that we make comments to them and find ways to help them make changes. It is different for everybody. I have some people that I tell them the same thing over and over again, 365 days a year, but you will be surprised how sometimes it will just click in, particularly in the big competition. A lot of times if you film your competitions and you show them, it can make a big difference. You can say, “Remember what we talked about in practice all season long ... do you see this? Do you see how this guy pushed off versus how you are pushing off? Do you see what the difference is?” I think it can make a big difference. I think that you need to create an environment where the swimmers feel safe correcting each other. We need to remember that even though we can stick that camera in the water and watch what is going on, nobody sees the swimmers as they see each other. Sometimes egos can become involved. Somebody is correcting Lenny Krazelburg’s stroke, but he is very open to it and he does not hesitate correcting somebody else’s stroke. I think that is a very important environment to create. With your kids, I think that you have to be a little bit more careful to make sure that they are making the corrections that are the right corrections. If you have educated them well, you will be surprised at how well they can do that.

The importance of starts and turns. The reason that this comes up is something that I have done a lot better job on in recent years. I recently went back and watched all of the 1976 Montreal Olympics; because I made some tapes for Eric Vendt of Brian Goodell, and God did we turn awful. It was terrible. However, sometimes it is kind of fun to show the kids how it used to be done versus how well it is done today. Sometimes I will say to somebody, “Hey, you are turning like you are swimming in Montreal in 1976.”

Enthusiasm is probably the most important thing about coaching. It is contagious. You have to demonstrate it yourself. You have to teach it. You have to encourage it and if somebody demonstrates and another person squashes it, you need to pull him or her out and talk to them about it. Being positive, being enthusiastic is important and I think that it goes along with developing and fostering team leadership, because talk is not just in the pool, in team meetings, or in the locker room. It is important away from the pool and you need to spend some


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time talking to your swimmers about that. Often times if there is anything that I neglect, it is teaching out of the water and I try to make an effort to do more of that in team meetings. I try to really help them to teach each other, because it is a lot more effective if they hear it from the more experienced swimmers. For coaches, I think that it is important to coach little kids. If I were to go back and do it over again when I coached club, I think that I would take the time to coach the little kids more often. I ran camps when I first became a college coach at Texas; I rather resented running those camps. I had to run these camps so I could make enough money to supplement my salary and I really resented it. Then I went to Southern Cal and I had to start from scratch and it became “my thing”. My attitude was completely different and I would say it is one of the more fun things that I do throughout the year. Not only do I learn a lot about my coaching and what I need to do with my athletes, but also for my athletes who work with the campers, it is an invaluable experience. They learn more technique in trying to teach it to others than anything that I could do for them. In addition, they appreciate me a lot more in what I go through on the pool deck. It is important to take advantage of people’s strengths and cover their weaknesses. We complain about people’s weaknesses instead of really concentrating on their strengths and this applies to the head coach, the assistant coach, the swimmer and to the parents. With an assistant, if you have somebody that is administratively weak, do not spend your time trying to make a strength out of a weakness when you have somebody else that can do that job and you can get this coach to be working on people’s technique. Focus on people’s strengths. If somebody is not doing a good job in a certain area, tactfully get them working on a new project and get somebody else working on that area. There are many strengths out there. You also need to recognise your own strengths and make sure that you are hiring people to cover your weaknesses. This is very important and I have always been blessed with tremendous assistant coaches. I think that the only time I ever got in trouble hiring an assistant coach was a time I hired an assistant coach who was like me. I thought, “Man, you know this coach is something else, just like me.” Bad move, because I needed assistant coaches who complemented me so I could play on my strengths and they could cover my weaknesses. I tend to be a very intense guy and it helps to have a more low-keyed assistant in my situation. If you are a head coach and you were very intense or real low-key, it might help to have an assistant who is different. My advice to you is to do a few things well and delegate. I would rather take on a few tasks and do them with true excellence than to take on too much, become frustrated, and do a bad job on the

things that are important. As far as I am concerned, the things that are important are helping your athletes go faster.

Do not try to be somebody you are not. I made that mistake at Mission Viejo. We were winning championships, all of a sudden, another coach came along and was doing a terrific job and winning championships, and we were coming in second. I thought, “I have to do it this guy’s way.” We never swam worse for the two years when I tried to do it that guy’s way. Everybody has their own personality, their own style. Play to your style. It is okay to watch other people, learn from them, and add to that style. However, do not try to make yourself into somebody that you are not. It just will not work. Personally, I never keep score and the reason for that is very simple. When I first coached at Mission Viejo in the short course season, we were second to Santa Clara. I figured out every single point before we went into the meet. We lost by 50 points. I thought to myself, “Mark, if you just concentrate on helping every one of your swimmers to do the best they can and do a great job at the meet, the score will take care of itself,” Moreover, it did. That is when I stopped keeping score. At a championship meet, I will read the score at a nightly team meeting for motivation, but I will not keep score. If the meet is close, like a dual meet situation where a tactical change may need to be made, I am going to have the assistant coach keep score because I do not want to be distracted from watching the athletes, helping them to swim fast, motivating them, and watching the dynamics of the meet by the team score. I will play out all the scenarios and I will know what changes I am going to make if something does not go our way, but I do not keep score.

Be demanding. Find ways to develop superior practices. Superior practice performance always equals superior meet performance. Do not be afraid to be demanding. Make sure that it makes sense and that it is progressive. Make sure that your athletes understand that occasionally you may ask them to do a set that they may not make. Sometimes they will surprise you and surprise themselves. When they do, continue to be demanding. I think that along with that, you have to be demanding in competitions as well. I see a lot of coaches fall into the “we will swim well when we taper.” “We will drop big at the end of the year.” “Do not worry about how you are swimming unshaved.” If you want to truly swim fast, competition is part of training. Plan your competitions well. Have them be progressive throughout the year and have expectations for them. You might not always make them, but have them. Maybe the expectation is to swim well six out of six events. If you have somebody who does no more than two events well and falls off, maybe it is swim four events well. Maybe it is best unshaved time or best time in October, but make sure that you are progressively asking


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them to go faster in competitions and to swim at one level higher than their comfort zone. If there is anything that I did right at Mission Viejo, it was taking athletes to meets that really opened their eyes. Again, you have to do this in a progressive fashion. If you have a “B” swimmer, you cannot take him/her to Senior Regionals, but you have to take them to a meet that is one level above their comfort zone. I will never forget Brian Goodell’s reaction when we got on the bus to go to LAX to swim in the Santa Clara meet and he did not make it. He missed his flight. He was so upset. He was 14 and he was so upset. Obviously, he never missed another one. But, we went from winning the Orange County Swim Conference Championship the year before to being pissed off about not going to Santa Clara the next summer simply because we were going to meets that were a level above our comfort zone. You have to be very careful with how much credit you give yourself. I think that you need to look at yourself as a facilitator. You are creating an environment. You are helping the athletes to learn more about themselves and hopefully you are helping the athletes to be self-sufficient. There is nothing as a coach that I take more pride in that if I look at the results of the World Championships, and I am not there, and my athletes had performed well. I feel like I have done my job. Now obviously I do not like not being there. I would rather be there every single time, but you want to make sure that you teach your athletes about themselves, so that they could coach themselves if they had to, and that they are not dependent on you. You want them to be self-confident and independent. That way when they get up on the block, they will know what to do. You cannot do anything for them when the referee says, “Take your mark.” Also, be careful how much blame you put on yourself. I think that many times, coaches beat themselves up and maybe unfairly so. If you make a mistake, you made a mistake. I do not think that it is bad to admit to the athlete, “We are not going to do that again.” Great swims at the end of the season do not come from great tapers. That is a myth. Great swims come from superior practice performances. Tapering is just resting. It is just fluff. Sure, you build some confidence. You work on the little things. But, I get so tired of hearing, “Coach, I missed my taper” and I am thinking to myself, “No, you missed your season.” I also think that you have to be a little bit careful making the statement to your swimmers that you blew the taper. If you keep saying that, they are going to lose faith in your taper and that is why I really try to play down the taper. Try to ride it out and meet with all of them. Have them agree on it, sign off on it, and that is it. It is not a debatable item during the season. Teach them that great swims come from great performances in practice and in competitions. Watch, listen, and talk. You need to constantly be observing them, listening to them, and getting a feel for where they are. That

goes for your team as individuals and that goes for your team collectively. That is where you learn. I have probably the greatest assistant coach in the world in Larry Liebowitz. He always has these great philosophies. Here is a great “Liebowitzism,” he says, “Mark, the swimmers have the right to complain and you have the right not to listen to them.” I think that is true to a sense, because you know they are going to complain and some of it you need to kind of let go over your head. However, some of it you need to pay attention to because whether it is valid or invalid, if they think that it is wrong ... it is wrong. Therefore, some type of educational process is very important. Do not stop talking to your swimmers individually and as a team. When I was named the Head Coach for Sydney, I sent out an email to quite a few of the former head coaches. I got one response back and that was from George Haines. He said, “Don’t assume anything.” To me, that was one of the best pieces of advice that a coach could ever have. Do not assume that people know things about swimming. You would be surprised, even on the national team level, about the little points that people do not know. It is kind of like girls not shaving their legs. If you do not tell them not to do it, they are going to do it. You have to tell them every season and you have to tell them why you do not want them to do it. It is kind of like nutrition or drinking. Some of them are going to listen to you and some of them are not but you just have to keep hammering way. Keep talking, and believe me, more are listening than you think.

Going back to team leadership. I think that this is a very powerful tool and usually when I have successful teams, I have had great team leadership. Team leadership is something that you foster, that you encourage, that you point out when it is happening and when it is not happening. People need to lead by example every day in the pool. They need to lead by their talk in practice, and if people are being excessively negative, the team needs to take care of it. I can take care of it, but if the team takes care of it, it is a lot more effective. When people are positive in practice the team needs to praise that as well as express gratitude, as I do. Encourage them to talk in meetings. I hate meetings that are like this talk where I sit up there and lecture. I want interactive meetings, meetings where they talk. Where they talk about what is important to them, what the problems are, and what the solutions are. Sure, I am going to put my two cents in and sure, I have my share of meetings that are just like this, and those are not very pleasant when I have to have one of those. I would much rather have an interactive meeting and then you can really see where the leadership it. You can see it from the people who have the experience, the ones who have been there before. You probably have some young people in there who have not been there before and need to learn this. They


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are the ones in there faking it, saying, “Oh yeah, I am in this group you know, I am good, I am hanging with these guys, no problem.” You need to talk to them. They need to learn. Do not assume anything. Talk away from the pool. This is probably the most powerful, and in team meetings, you need to talk about talk away from the pool, because a lot of times our swimmers are going to spend time with each other away from the pool. What is talk like away from the pool? Talk about how important that is for team success. I have two final things that I would like to touch on before I take questions. The first one is the importance as a coach to take care of you first. You cannot be successful if you do not take care of yourself first. If you are not doing all the things that you are preaching to your athletes, then you are not taking care of yourself first and eventually it will catch up with you. Exercise, sleep, and the ability to say “no” are the important factors. Filter out what is important and what is not. The reason you need to say “no” is because you should not take your family for granted. I think the toughest thing about being a swimming coach is the fact that we spend more time and have more influence over other people’s children than we have over our own. If there were one thing that I could do over again, it would be to spend more time with my family. Although, I have to say that my family has always supported me, and I am very grateful that I have learned that lesson. We are closer than ever. Say “no” a little bit more often and try hard not to let that happen. Are there any questions? The question is… at what point do I allow my assistant coaches to write a workout on their own and do I give them a framework? I think that it is very important to allow them to write workouts on their own. I think that it really gives them a great sense of self-esteem. Usually I sit down with the assistants before practice and we talk about the practice. I might give them my ideas and then they throw in their ideas. Many times their ideas are better than mine are for that day, so I will go with theirs. Sometimes I will just have them write their own. We do have a framework of what we are doing at certain times of the year and what we are doing on a weekly basis, so I will expect that practice to fall into the framework. Larry Liebowitz likes to throw what he calls the “curve ball” practice, which is something completely off the wall. Whenever that happens the kids always know that it was written by him and that is always fun. He is thinking about having fun and that is a good thing. The question is… what would you touch upon at a coach’s meeting for 13-14 year olds? I think that the first thing that I would talk about is the schedule. I would ask them what their expectations are of the season and try to get a little input from them. Start to get the goal process going. Talk about the meet

from the season and just start working a little bit on the importance of hard work and how we are going to accomplish that. Then I would also talk a little bit about fun. What are we going to do for fun this year, other than just swim up and down the pool? Those are probably the things that I would touch on. The question is… how often during the season would I meet with my team as a group? That is an interesting question, because I have found that in the summer I always meet with the men and women together, and in the winter I always meet with them separately. I do that simply because the goals are a little bit different and they need to be talked to a bit differently too. However, it is funny, that in the summer they do not need to be talked to differently because the goals are the same. I try to have a meeting at least once a week, whether it is separate meetings or meetings together. If it is a meeting together, it is probably one on technique where we are showing a videotape. I might take clips of people on the team if we have just filmed the team and show them the people that are doing things very well. We might show underwater films or both as if we would if we were looking at Breaststroke turns. I have used Ed Moses. For example, his turn at the Olympics in 100 Breaststroke when he broke a minute, and Michael Klim’s Butterfly turns, and Jenny Thompson’s turns. Things of that nature, and then we will play some of our kids’ turns. Some of them are good and some of them say, “Oh, wow ... we need to work on that.” At least once a week I want to try to have some kind of meeting. It may just be 30 minutes where we watch technique and then we go out and work on it. The question is… how do young and ambitious coaches intern with me in present days? We have certainly had interns and we would welcome interns, but again, my feeling is to observe the good coaches. Do not feel like you have to spend the whole season with one to be a good head coach. You are going to learn as you go along. All of you have good coaches in your area that you can watch. All of you have good meets that you can go to and watch good coaches. Make sure that you do that. When I was at Mission Viejo, I never missed women or men’s NCAAs in all the years I was there. Many times, I would sit at the top with Ernie Maglischo and listen to him talk about technique. There is an awful lot to be learned by that. The question is… what is the form that we use to show videotape to the swimmers? I am not in the digital age yet only because I am happy with my Super 8 camera. Therefore, I use a Super 8 camera and a Super 8 playback machine. We film them above and below during practice. We transfer that onto a VHS tape and make three copies so that we have four copies and then all the assistants and I review those with the swimmers several times during the year. During the season, we film every meet.


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The meets have always been filmed from above and the swimmers can come in at any time and review their races by themselves or ask a coach to review it with them. Recently I have started to film the meets underwater, which is really interesting, and I am finding that we are actually getting a lot more out of that at times than we are when we film from above. Sure, you can see what side of the lane they are on and what the turn is like, what the push-off is like, but you cannot see what is going on underwater, which is the most important thing.

Do I evaluate my assistants and my team on a regular basis? Well, usually at the end of the season the team will sit down and we will evaluate ourselves and talk about what we did well, what we need to keep, what we need to discard, and what we need to do better. As far as assistants go, I have a form that I use to go down and talk about strengths and weaknesses. I really think that it is more important for me to teach them throughout the year on what I expect, compliment them on what they are doing well, and ask them to do things differently. I really try to give the assistants a lot of autonomy and I never criticise an assistant in front of the team. If they make what I consider a mistake, I will take them inside afterwards and discuss it with them, ask them why they made that decision, and if I disagree with it, I will ask them to do it differently in the future. Usually I will always try to stand behind the decision that an assistant coach makes. The question is… are you related to John Leonard? John gave me this topic and what came to mind visually was if you saw the interview in 1996 of Amanda Beard when she made the Olympic Team and they asked her a question, and she looked at the camera, smiled, and said “I have absolutely no idea.” I would love to coach at Southern Cal until I retire. When I retire, I would love to be an Age Group coach. I really enjoy working with young kids and I think that I have a lot to give in that area. That is what I would like to do. Maybe not doubles, but once a day. Thank you very much.

TECHNIQUE — A PRE-REQ FOR SWIMMING REALLY FAST

A Chat with Coach Eddie Reese

Coach Eddie Reese

By Phillip Whitten [email protected]


Swimming Technique: Coach Reese, how important is technique in the success of your program? Coach Eddie Reese: (Pauses…) I’m trying not to give you a one-word answer, like “very”. ST: Thanks. If you did, there would be an awful lot of blank paper in this issue. Reese: OK, let’s try it this way. I have two theories relating to technique. The first is that most swimmers — the vast majority — only reach about 90% of their potential. A swimmer who goes beyond 90%, that’s rare, but that’s the nature of the beast. Now, if you don’t have fundamentally sound strokes, you can only achieve about 90% of your 90%. That equals 81%. So a lot of swimmers with great natural talent and potential are consistently beaten by swimmers with much less in the way of natural gifts — either because they are more committed and train harder, or because they have superior technique, or both. ST: That’s very interesting. What’s your second theory?Reese: My second theory is that swimming technique is like yard work. If you don’t tend to it, it looks bad as hell. And the longer you let it go, the harder it is to fix. In my program, we work on technique every day. We go over and try to perfect all the little things — stroke, starts, turns, breakouts. But these little things add up to one monumentally big thing: the ability to swim fast ... .and up to one’s potential. ST: So to make sure you keep your yard looking good, how often do you work on technique, and how much time do you devote to it? Reese: Daily. I talk to my swimmers daily. Sometimes it’s on an individual basis, sometimes it’s on a team basis. Generally, we spend 15 minutes to half an hour on technique. It may be on a general topic like balance, or it may be on a specific skill, such as the underwater fly kick. On a formal basis, in the first three weeks of the season, we spend four days on each of the five strokes — underwater kicking counts as a separate stroke — and cover everything related to that stroke. Let’s say you have a freshman: he’s fast, but limited because of faulty technique. Right now he swims as fast as his strength will take him. I want to get him to be as fast as his strength can carry a sound mechanical stroke. ST: Do you do any underwater video? Reese: Yes, though not as much as we’d like to do. Right now, essentially it’s just Chris (Kubik) and me coaching. What I’d like to do is set up a Tivo system. ST: Coach, which type of swimmer gets more technique training in your program-the superstars, such as Ian Crocker, or the naive


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freshman who isn’t yet an NCAA qualifier? Reese: Both. They get equal amounts of technique training. ST: Speaking of Ian, what are you working on with him now? Reese: Well, we were pleased with his butterfly this summer (world record 50.98 for 100 metres at World Championships). Right now we’re trying to get Ian’s Freestyle right again. ST: That’s right! He first burst onto the scene as a 200m Freestyler. What about Aaron (Peirsol)? Reese: Aaron’s one of the few swimmers with outstanding technique who can also articulate what he’s doing and why. When we work on Backstroke, I have him take charge of a few guys who need to improve their Backstroke for their IM. In that sense, he’s a lot like Rick Carey and Clay Britt, who were geniuses when it came to technique. ST: And Brendan (Hansen)? Reese: As you know, Phil, Breaststroke is the hardest stroke. When you’re tired at the end of a race or in practice, and you try to swim fast, it just messes up your stroke. At those times, Brendan has a tendency to squeeze his elbows too far back. In Breaststroke, the paradox is that to swim your fastest, you can’t go all-out. There’s no way to speed up your stroke and go faster, as there is in the other strokes. Do you remember when (Mike) Barrowman came to the last 15 metres of a race — he’d shift into a spin drill? Then he realised he actually was going slower, so he went back to his long, efficient stroke. But that’s why he never really swam the 100 (Breaststroke) in top-level competition even though he probably could have won — he was worried about maintaining the integrity of his stroke count and rhythm for his key event, the 200 Breaststroke. ST: Who among all the swimmers you’ve coached is or was the most technically proficient? Reese: Me. (Phil Whitten laughs...) No, really, it’s me. I’m not kidding. I’m a finished product — finished in more ways than one. ST: OK. Who’s the next most technically proficient swimmer you’ve coached? Reese: (Muses...) I’d have to say a kid named Matt Ulrickson — from around your neck of the woods (Arizona). Pound for pound, he was the best I’ve ever coached. Matt’s about 6-feet, 150 pounds, and his Butterfly, Backstroke and Freestyle were incredible ... flawless. He went 47.3 for the Butterfly, 47.2 for Backstroke and 43s for Freestyle on our relays during mid-season. Then there was Bill Stapleton, who was on the ‘88 Olympic team. He had a great Butterfly, and his Backstroke was technically perfect, but he wasn’t strong enough to go faster. Then there was Nate Dusing. He went 1:42 for 200 yards IM, so you have to figure his strokes-particularly underwater-were very good.

ST: Do you have any advice for age groupers? Reese: Yes. Never forget it (technique). That goes for everyone — from 10-and-unders to Masters. For age groupers, typically, we’ll have a group of 12-and-unders in camp, and they have pretty good strokes. Then they’ll come back as 14, 15 and overs, and their technique has disappeared. ST: Why is that? Reese: I’m the wrong person to ask. Ask their coaches. No, technique can be boring, and trying to get kids to change can be frustrating. You can tell them the same thing for 18 months sometimes and nothing changes. Coaches are human, too, and after months of trying to pound the same thing into a swimmer’s head, they can become frustrated. Then they bring in an “expert.” He says the same thing and, poof,the kids make the change. (Pauses...) Do youknow the definition of an expert? ST: (Laughs...) No. What’s the definition of anexpert? Reese: It’s someone from two minutes out oftown. It’s ironic. Here you have the kids’ coaches — people who know these kids and care about them as individuals — and they are ignored. Not only by the swimmers but by their parents as well. Then along comes a guy like me, an “expert.” I say the same thing their coaches have been saying, the changes are made and everyone thanks me. I’m a genius! ST: Yeah, well of course that’s a general phenomenon-the prophet has no honour in his own country. Any final thoughts you’d like to leave us with, coach? Reese: Yes. Kids can use technology to improve their technique by seeing how really good swimmers swim. There are some excellent videos and DVDs that let you compare yourstroke with that of an Ian Thorpe or a Tara Kirk. Look, stroke work can be painful and, let’s admit it, unexciting-until you go really, really fast. There’s nothing like the feeling you get from going fast. And perfecting technique is essential to making it happen.

By Erik Hamilton This article appeared in Swimming Technique

January-March 2004 Erik Hamilton, who covered swimming for the

Los Angeles Times, is a free-lance writer living in Irvine, Calif.

With arguably the world’s top two Backstrokers — Aaron Peirsol and Lenny Krayzelburg — likely to be training together at Irvine Novaquatics, Coach Dave Salo is excited about what should be an exceptional summer leading up to the Olympics.


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Dave Salo will be the first to tell you that this summer will be different from all the rest. Let’s rephrase that: “It will be an exceptional summer,” Salo said from his office at Soka University in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Salo, who coaches the Irvine Novaquatics swim team, will be in high gear this summer as he prepares his swimmers for Olympic Trials in July at Long Beach. Not that Salo is a stranger to the routine. He’s been placing athletes on the Olympic team since Barcelona in 1992, including medallists Amanda Beard, Jason Lezak and Aaron Peirsol. This time, however — ah, there’s the rub.

When asked about coaching both Krayzelburg and Peirsol, Coach Dave Salo (above) beams

with enthusiasm: “What more can a coach ask for?”

It was Salo who coached Backstroker and world record holder Peirsol in his high school and age group years and is one of the big reasons why he won a silver medal in the 200m Backstroke in the 2000 Olympics in Australia. A couple of years before the 2000 Olympics, Peirsol was steadily blazing his trail and making a name for himself as a force to be reckoned with at the 2000 Games. Indeed, at the age of 15, Peirsol became the youngest American to break two minutes in the 200m Backstroke. While not cocky, there was no mistaking the young teenager’s swagger as he rose up the ranks, becoming a bona fide challenger to the then world record holder, Lenny Krayzelburg. At that time, the University of Southern California swimmer was the indisputable kingpin of the stroke. However, a year before the Summer Games, no matter the meet in which the two were competing, Peirsol was always a pesty second. The Krayzelburg-Peirsol duel was an ongoing event leading up to the 2000 Olympics. In fact,it seemed like the question wasn’t which country would claim the gold in the 200 Backstroke, but whether it would be Krayzelburg or Peirsol who would win the event. Not that there was any animosity between the swimmers-far from it! Instead, there was a deep respect and intense competitiveness between the two. Just for a recap, Krayzelburg swam an Olympic record of 1:56.76, while Peirsol, who was 17 at the time, finished in

1:57.35. Lenny Makes the Call So it’s understandable that Salo was a bit taken aback last May when he received a phone call from Krayzelburg, asking him if he could train with him.

“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things as to why Lenny gave me the call,” Salo said. “Some of it has to do with the fact that his injuries don’t allow him to train-with the mentality that he has-in an environment such as Mark’s (Schubert), where it’s going to be very yardage-based. I think he recognized that it was going to be hard for him to train at that level, and my workouts were more compatible with what he needed.” Salo added, “Lenny needed something that was different. He’d been with Mark for a long time. I think he felt he was in the waning period of his career, that maybe something a little bit different would give it a little different edge. And Aaron being here was certainly a selling point.” Nonetheless, regardless of whose workout he would be using, Krayzelburg’s reputation preceded him, and his workout ethic is legendary. “I’ve heard stories about Lenny and Brad Bridgewater when they were both at (USC) Trojan Swim Club. And it helped Lenny a lot. And what it will do for Aaron (as a training partner) should be unbelievable. “Talent wise, he’s not like Aaron. Not that he doesn’t have tremendous talent, but from his standpoint-and I’ve watched him do this now-it’s not good enough just to be better. He wants to be the best at what he’s doing, whether it’s dryland, kicking sets or sets we’ll throw at him that he’s not familiar with. “You can see him analysing how other people are successful or where he’s lacking a skill. Then he tries to be better at that skill-no, not just better, but the best. And that’s something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before in an athlete.” At this point, Salo is smiling like a kid who was just handed a Never-Ending Gob Stopper from Willy Wonka. Listening to him talk, he almost gets giddy thinking about the potentials involving the two athletes. “I think from hearing the background on Lenny and from what I’ve seen, he’s really good in training. But with the two of them playing off of each other, it will make (training)


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exceptional,” Salo said. Not Afraid to Compete “Aaron likes to compete in practice. He’s not afraid to compete in practice. Lenny can do it without anybody there, so the potential of the two of them working together could be very exciting.”

So, picture this: two thoroughbreds in the water, probably wanting to race each and every set. Competition is flowing throughout their bodies, and there’s literally electricity flowing in the pool. So, what as a coach are you going to do to channel this energy? “Well, it sort of lends itself to my program where volume isn’t essential. In an environment where Lenny is so willing to push the envelope and train hard, we can rein in that overtraining a little bit. And in the contents of our program, I don’t think Lenny will be overtraining,” Salo said. As for Peirsol, he’s used to the Salo method, which helped the Irvine resident develop into one of the sport’s greatest. Nevertheless, what about these two studs in the same water? It’s like having Michael Vick and Peyton Manning fighting for the QB spot. “Yeah, well, you have to understand that there’s a real sense of competitiveness between Lenny and Aaron,” Salo said. “Lenny is still having shoulder problems, so we have to nurture that and take care of it. But unlike so many other athletes I’ve had who’ve had shoulder problems; Lenny doesn’t let that stop him from doing the work. I’m talking about giving 100% in every workout. He’ll kick, but he’ll kick at a level I’ve never seen before.” Salo points to a hockey player to summarise Lenny’s approach to workouts, let alone races. “Like a hockey player, if he gets knocked up or cut on the face, he’ll get stitched up and be right back on the ice.” Said Salo: “He gets frustrated when he can’t do what he’s asked to do swimming-wise, because of his shoulder. I have to pull him aside and tell him, ‘Lenny, if you do 85%, you’re better than most people, because nobody is training at that level. Nobody is training at the level at which he trains.” The bottom line, said Salo, is that Krayzelburg wants to be better. Past Accomplishments In 2003, Krayzelburg’s accomplishments

included second in the 100 and 200 metre Backstroke at the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool. He won his 11th U.S. national title, taking the 100m Backstroke at spring nationals. He was also second in the 200m Backstroke. “He doesn’t care about winning the gold medal, and I believe him when he says this. He wants to be better, and if that means coming in second, but still bettering his best time, then he’ll be satisfied,” Salo said. As for Peirsol, he’s currently a sophomore at the University of Texas, where he trains with the legendary Eddie Reese, who is also the 2004 men’s Olympic coach. Last year, Peirsol won gold at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona in the 100 and 200 metre Backstroke (both in Championship record time) and the 400 Medley Relay, which broke the world record. He also won silver on the American record-setting 800 Freestyle Relay and was eighth in the 50 Backstroke. He won the 200m Backstroke and was third in the 100, and he led off the 400 Medley Relay that broke the U.S. Open record at the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool. He also broke the American record in the 200 yard Backstroke, becoming the first person to swim it under 1:40, winning his first NCAA title. Peirsol was also second in the 100 yard back at the NCAA Championships. Will he come back and train with his mentor and coach? “For the first time ever, he (Peirsol) called me and left a message about his workout. He’s never done that. So I don’t know what he was trying to tell me. I don’t know, but he might stay in Texas and train. My sense is that he will come home, rather than being quiet about it. But he’s real excited about Lenny being out here. And that could be the deciding factor as to whether he comes back and trains with me.” If the two do train together— and they most likely will — one thing is for certain: for a coach, an experience like this generally comes around once in a lifetime. If ever! “It’s something that is really satisfying for me,” Salo said. “To have the opportunity to coach these two great athletes and to have them want to train with me — what more can a coach ask for!” Sample Workout for Lenny and Aaron By Dave Salo Lenny is currently restricted to non-swimming as we continue his rehabilitation of his twice surgery impacted shoulder. He is doing a great job, primarily kicking. Warm-up: 400 + 4 x 100 + 4 x 50 12 x 50 @ Heart Rate 23 (10-sec. heart count is 23 beats or lower; initial heart rate should be above 28) With fins on – Head up “AB KICK” 25 – flip – four dolphin kicks off the wall into V-sit kick


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(AB KICK refers to relatively flat body position on the surface of the water, where the propulsion is generated more from the abs rather than the legs) (V-sit position: sculling head first with shoulders and straight legs out of the water, forming a V position)

Kick (with tennis shoes) 300 (last 50 full speed @ 30-sec. rest) 4 x 75 (descend with the final 25 always fast @ 25-sec. rest)200 (last 50 full speed @ 20-sec. rest) 4 x 75 (descend with the final 50 always fast @ 15-sec. rest)100 (last 50 full speed @ 10-sec. rest) 4 x 75 (fast @ 5-sec. rest) 1 minute rest 4 x 75 (fast @ 5-sec. rest; NO SHOES) 100 (last 25 full speed kick) 4 x 75 (fast @ 15-sec. rest) 200 (last 75 full speed kick @ 20-sec. rest) 4 x 75 (fast @ 25-sec. rest) 300 (last 125 fast) 3 x 50 stretch @ 1:00 Little paddles or no paddles 6 x (100 + 4 x 25) @ 1:20/1:25/1:30/1:35/1:40/1:45 (100s);:20/:25/:30/:35 (25s)

(100s: overkick with very easy “light” arms without turnover rate; descend 1-3; 4-6) (25s: alternate fast-fast-easy-fast; work rate and power from the kick and transitional speed from underwater to surface)

3 x 50 stretch @ 1:00 CORDS: attached to “tight” stretch cord (maximum resistance – have to work pretty hard to make 25 yard distance) 7 x 150 @ 1:00 rest between rounds

(Alternate odd 25s: with resistance dolphin kick, flutter kick, dolphin kick) (Even 25s: fast flutter kick with assistance) (At the end of each odd 25, kick against the wall with FLAT HANDS for 10 seconds)

3 x 50 stretch @ 1:00 2 x (10 x 50) @ choice interval (swimmer decides how many and the interval-for maximum speed)

WORKING OutBy David Grilli

This article appeared in SWIM Magazine, March/April 2004

THE SELF-COACHED SWIMMER A Clear & Present Danger

Burnout is a clear and present danger to the self-coached swimmer. You swim by yourself, and you always do similar sets. Your workouts can become stale—same time of day, same pool, same bathing suit! It is wise occasionally to refresh your swimming commitment. I like to use training cycles. Pick a meet—anymeet—and set it as your end goal. It could be LMSC Champs, Zones or Nationals; Short Course Yards, Metres or Long Course Metres Champs. Don’t rule out an open water event. Then, construct your training cycle and get to

work! A typical cycle includes four components…

Conditioning Speed work Maintenance Taper

These components must be blended properly. You want to be inspired by your training, but boring sets (10 x 200 on 3:00) are usually the more productive ones. AEROBIC CONDITIONING The cycle should start with an emphasis on aerobic conditioning. About 60-75% of the workout should be sets such as 5 x 300s, 10 x 100s or even 20 x 50s. All are good examples of aerobic conditioning sets. These sets can be done on an interval that allows for a short amount of rest, or on a rest interval. I prefer and recommend using a definite interval. Choose one that allows 10-15 seconds rest between swims. As your conditioning improves, you should be getting more rest. Once the rest is more than 15 seconds, shorten the interval by 5 seconds. Eventually, you will get to an interval that will be difficult to maintain. At that point, consider expanding the set. Instead of 10 x 100, do 12 x 100 on your hard-working interval. The remaining part of your early cycle workouts should focus on speed and technique. These sets are to be swum at 80-90% race pace. Allow more rest between repeat swims. A good set for this phase is the broken set. Broken sets have stops or breaks during the repeated swim. For example, if it’s a broken 200, you might swim a 50, rest 10 seconds, swim a 100, rest 10 seconds, and swim a 50 for a total of 200. Try repeating this type of swim on an interval that allows a minute or more of rest between repeats. The key is to swim fast and use the breaks and the long rest period to recover. Look at your overall time to swim the 200. Subtract your break time and get your swim time. As the cycle progresses, measure your improvement by the cumulative swim time. SPEED-BUILDING PHASE After 4-6 weeks of this routine, work into the speed-building phase of the cycle. Cut back the aerobic yardage and increase the speed yardage. Make sure your aerobic yardage is no more than 50% of your total workout yardage. At this point, your speed workouts need to get more intense. Continue to do broken sets, but give yourself a little more rest between repeats and increase the break time. Make sure your cumulative swim time is faster than it was in the earlier stage of the season. You can do these sets with any combination of Freestyle or stroke. I suggest alternating the sets within a workout so you can do an aerobic set, then a speed set, followed by another aerobic set, and so on.


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When you are two weeks away from your big meet, you should begin to taper. Drop-dead sprinters can typically taper a little longer than distance swimmers. There are numerous little tricks to tapering, but the general concept is to swim a shorter total distance with more rest periods and longer rest. This type of training allows your muscles to recover. Come race day, you will be stoked. After the big event, consider taking a break from swimming for a week or two. This break will get you ready to start your next adventure.

ASK THE COACH Question: I love swimming so much that I always find myself wanting to do more. However, when I increase the number of days that I swim and the number of competitions I attend, I sometimes find myself burning out. How can I avoid burnout? When increasing your workout distance, a good rule of thumb is to avoid increasing the total average yardage you swim by more then 10% per week. Try to maintain that for at least a week before increasing it again. This allows your body and mind to adjust to the changes. It is equally important to listen to your body and to determine how it is feeling. A good daily monitor for determining how your body is adapting to your workouts is to take your resting heart rate each morning. To get your true resting heart rate, it is imperative to take it immediately when you first wake up. Even better, try to wake up naturally—in other words, without an alarm clock. Before you move, simply lie in bed and take your heart rate for one minute. Write it down, and keep track of it daily. Whenever your heart rate is elevated above your normal resting heart rate, your body is generally tired or sick, so it’s important to take it easy when this happens. By paying attention to these two suggestions, you can help eliminate those feelings of burnout. Janet Renner, Valley Isle Masters Swimmers Maui, Hawaii Some people always stick to what is familiar and predictable. I knew a swimmer/coach who always did the exact same 4,000-yard work out every time he swam! Some coaches have signature styles to their workouts (mine always end with a kick set). When you swim regularly, you may fall into the trap of doing something usual or remaining in the comfort zone or always swimming with the same group or same coach. To do more of the same may be an indication of boredom overload—not necessarily burnout. Perhaps you could try something different to relieve that boredom…

Occasionally try joining a different workout group Visit the USMS and SwimInfo websites and download some workouts from

different coaches Find completely different ways to swim a workout (the options are vast—one workout could be with fins, another all kick)

Be creative! Since you love swimming, the variety can’t do you any harm, and it may even enhance what you do well already. When participating in meets, you could try swimming only sprints in one, distance events in another, or focus on different strokes at still another. Varying the events you enter in meets may also give you an opportunity to vary your training in preparation for those meets. Jacki Hirsty, New England Masters

UNDERSTANDING PAIN Good Pain vs. Bad Pain

By Steve Thompson This article appeared in SWIM Magazine,

Mar/Apr 2004

Without a doubt, a swimmer will experience pain at some point, so it’s important to understand whether the pain is normal, or if it is a warning sign of an underlying problem. Pain may be felt as sharp, dull, burning, aching or just as a mild discomfort. Swimmers often ask themselves, “Is this pain normal? Should I just keep pushing through it?” or “Did I injure myself? Should I stop, rest or see a doctor?” Most swimmers who experience pain conclude that the symptoms are a normal part of training. Unfortunately, sometimes the pain may be a sign of a more serious injury. Understanding the behaviour of pain and the symptoms of an injury can help determine when it is advisable to continue exercising, and when it’s time to seek professional treatment. There are several types of normal pain, and other types that are more indicative of an injury. Good pain usually occurs when you push yourself at 90-100% effort. A swimmer may feel fatigue and/or burning in the muscles. After performing a maximal effort kick set, a swimmer may feel burning and fatigue in the leg muscles. Another common symptom is burning in the chest and lungs when you’re trying to catch your breath. This type of “good” pain typically diminishes after a minute of rest. DELAYED ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS It is normal to feel soreness and tightness in the muscles one to three days after an intense work out. This condition is called delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS. Swimmers often experience soreness in the abdominal muscles several days after beginning a new core muscle


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routine. Typically, DOMS can progressively worsen from the second to third day after a hard workout. The best way to alleviate DOMS is to perform an easy work out doing the exact same exercise that brought it on. The soreness usually lessens or disappears by applying heat and by gently stretching. DOMS can also be alleviated with regular exercise of all muscle groups and stretching afterward. The best time to stretch is when the muscles are significantly warmed up—after a workout. Hot tubs and Jacuzzis are great for alleviating muscle soreness. One common misconception about DOMS is that it results from the build-up of lactic acid in the muscle. Current research does not support this notion. During hard training, such as sprints and other anaerobic exercise, or during times when there is an inadequate supply of oxygen to the muscles, the muscles produce lactic acid. This lactic acid is utilised by the muscles and recycled to help restore the energy supplies in the muscle. Blood lactate levels generally decrease within hours after exercise, so generally they do not contribute to muscle soreness 2-3 days later. The currently accepted theory is that micro-injury to the muscle fibres from the strain of overload causes DOMS. With each muscle contraction, microscopic muscle fibres are broken and reformed. The breakdown and reconstruction of these muscle fibres help muscles adapt and get stronger. STRESS Stress is one factor to consider when understanding pain. Physical and psychological stress can adversely affect muscle performance. When a person is under chronic stress, muscles are held in a state of tension, and the blood flow is compromised. Oxygen is carried by the red blood cells. If the blood flow is compromised due to muscle tightness, the muscle receives less oxygen and is in a state of relative ischemia. An oxygen-deprived muscle may become tender to the touch and painful during a contraction. Chronic muscle tension can also lead to early fatigue and potentially lead to injury. One example of chronic muscle tension is tightness in the neck muscles, which may affect the neck and the arms. If a set of muscles found deep in the side of the neck—the scalenes—is very tight, both the nervous supply (via the brachial plexus) and the arterial supply (via the subclavian artery) to the arms and shoulders may be compromised. Compromise of the artery may lead to arm

fatigue and poor performance. Symptoms of nerve involvement may include numbness, pain, tingling or any other odd sensation in the shoulder, arm or hand. Either of these conditions needs to be diagnosed by a medical professional. Bad pain is often very specific to an area of the body—such as the top of the shoulder, the inside of the knee, the neck, the back or the inside of the elbow. Bad pain is often described as sharp, stabbing, radiating, nagging, nauseating or persistent for four days or more. The onset of bad pain is often sudden, but it can develop slowly over several days or weeks. Bad pain is often present before exercise, decreasing or abolished at the beginning of the exercise, but nearly always returning-worse than before-two to three hours after the exercise. It can arise from tendinitis, bursitis, strain of muscles and tendons, sprain of ligaments or a joint problem in the neck or back causing nerve pain. The cause may be the result of over-exertion, poor technique or poor training. Pain is a natural warning sign that the body’s connective tissue (muscle, tendon or ligament) is under stress and has undergone microscopic injury. With chronic tendinitis—or inflammation of the tendons—the initial injury may have occurred several workouts prior to the onset workout. Over time, the tissue repairs itself with scar tissue. Normal connective tissue is aligned in a parallel fashion to withstand the load of a muscle contraction or joint movement. When the connective tissue is injured and scar tissue is formed, the scar tissue forms in random fibre orientation. As the swimmer returns to the next workout, the muscles contract. This contraction places stress on the newly formed scar tissue. If the scar tissue fibres are not oriented in the proper direction to tolerate the stress of the muscle contraction, those scar tissue fibres are torn from their attachments. Then, the newly torn fibres create another inflammatory response and the healing process is repeated. Chronic, repeated stress to an injured tissue leads to tissue disorganisation, pain and weakness. INFLAMMATION Inflammation is an important part of the healing process. If healing is not complete, or is prolonged or out of control, the injury may become chronic. Chronic injuries can be treated easily if caught early in the injury/repair cycle. Typical treatments for soft tissue injuries may include ice, rest and possibly non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDS). When appropriate, gentle stretching and


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strengthening will help the tissue to withstand the load of a workout and allow the soft tissue to move through its full range of motion. It is recommended to consult a physical therapist, physiatrist or chiropractor for assistance with strength and stretching exercises. Remember to listen to your body when it gives you the warning signs of pain. Then, decide if the pain is good or bad. You will get the most out of your training-and continue to swim for your entire life-if you understand when pain is good or bad.

Steve Thompson, MPT, CSCS, is a registered physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist in practice in Novato, Calif. He is co-owner of Novato Back Care and Sports Physical Therapy, Inc., and has worked with many high-level Masters swimmers. He works at the USMS/USA Swimming High Altitude Camp as the ROM/Flexibility Coach, and is a member of the USA Swimming Sports Medicine and Science Network. Comments and questions can be emailed to [email protected].

GOOD PAIN BAD PAIN 1. Occurs when you push yourself at 90-100% effort in a workout.

1. Very specific to an area of the body.

2. Feels like fatigue, burning or ache in the muscle group exercised.

2. Feels sharp, stabbing, radiating, nagging or nauseating.

3. Typically diminishes in a few minutes. 3. Persists for more than four days. 4. Results in muscles that are tight and sore for 1-3 days after a workout.

4. Can have a sudden onset, tight and progressively worsens over many days/weeks.

”I have been having a lot of shoulder problems and I suspect it’s the bad kind of pain!”

WHO YOU GONNA’ BELIEVE? By Phillip Whitten, Editor-in-Chief

This article appeared in SWIM Magazine, Mar/Apr 2004

It seems almost everyone in America wants to lose weight. And just about everyone agrees that the way to do it is through diet and exercise. That’s the road to health, fitness and (it is implied) happiness. But somewhere along the way to that destination, we’ve taken some wrong turns. This, after all, is a nation in which millions get their exercise advice from Richard 5immons. And an even larger number turn to a clearly-overweight Dr. Phil (the other Dr. Phil) for pointers on how to lose weight. So you’d hardly be astonished to read that many folks have learned that you can’t lose weight by swimming from Dr. Gabe Mirkin. Dr. Mirkin is a physician and syndicated radio commentator who offers advice on fitness. Most of his offerings are middle-of-the-road recitations of widely-accepted advice on fitness and health. But about once a year, Dr. Mirkin, a fitness runner, digs up a study that purports to

show that you can’t lose weight by swimming. Typically, these studies are so poorly designed—the level of swimming corresponding to a slow walk—that it’s hard to believe anyone would take them seriously. But when it comes to knocking swimming, no research design is too shoddy for the good doctor. Never mind the studies that show the opposite. Or the evidence that anyone can turn up simply by looking at swimmers, regardless of level—age group, high school, college, Masters, elite. These are among the fittest people on the planet. They positively ooze good health and fitness. But who you gonna’ believe: Dr. M or your lyin’ eyes? Contrary to what some “experts” claim, swimming is one of the best ways to lose weight, especially when combined with a prudent diet. Far more important, it is an ideal way to decrease body fat. Let’s say you swim a mile in a modest 40 minutes. That will burn about 415 calories—more if you swim a stroke other than Freestyle. If you swim your mile four times a week, you’ll lose about a pound a week, most of it fat.


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Take, for example, a 180-pound man with 25% body fat. He is lugging around 45 pounds of fat on his frame. Although that’s about average for a 35-year-old American male, it is well over the 19% that signals the onset of cardiovascular risk, and only two percent from the classification of “morbid obesity.” Five months after beginning a program of swimming a mile a day, four days a week, our typical American male will have dropped to a svelte 160 pounds and, no doubt, will be out purchasing a new wardrobe. More significant, he will have reduced his body fat to about 18.7%—far from the “ideal” 15% experts say indicates physical fitness, but below the threshold for developing cardiovascular disease. Bring it on, Dr. M!

40 GREAT IDEAS FROM THE 2003 WORLD CLINIC

By Bill McKeon This article appeared in American Swimming

Magazine, Volume 2003 Issue 6Richard Quick – Taking Risks 1. Little things done right on a regular basis

are more valuable than spectacular things done occasionally

2. The most talented people don’t make the Olympic team-those with high goals make the team

Bill Sweetenham – Energy Systems 3. You will compete below the level at which

you train due to pressure and fatigue 4. The way you deliver a workout is more

important than the workout itself 5. Short interval training is of limited benefit

to males who generally need more recovery time than females

6. Never train for speed to the point of fatigue

Eddie Reese – Easy Gain, Hard Gain 7. Any workout will cause young kids to

improve 8. To prevent injuries incorporate well-

rounded activities into training program (e.g. gymnastics)

9. Make swimmers achieve strength standards before moving on to weights (e.g. 20-30 push-ups)

10. To increase aerobic ability, increase stroke volume of heart (e.g. hard 100s with 15 sec rest)

Teri McKeever – Training Natalie Coughlin 11. Train swimmers 6 mornings a week

because it encourages regular sleeping pattern

12. There is a cost to every stroke drill-it works on something but it may be bad for something else

Doug Hankes – Tower of Ten 13. The best athletes in the world keep

competition in perspective-maintain balance in the rest of their lives

14. Optimism and hopefulness can be taught 15. Recognise that many athletes have a

love/hate relationship with their sport 16. Excellent performers embrace obstacles-

they view them as part of the performance process

17. Goals not written down are nothing more than wishes

18. Let athletes know they can have conversations with themselves

Paul Bergen – The Coach Within 19. Design programs that will work in your

situation regardless of restrictions 20. Find kids and families committed to

something beyond mediocrity Jon Urbanchek – Middle Distance 21. 55% of people have mixture of fast and

slow twitch muscle fibres-good for middle distance swimmers

22. Intensity of training sessions-if you don’t ask for it you won’t get it

23. Middle distance swimmers: like to train, have good sense of pace, have ideal stroke rate, like to kick

Eddie Reese – Senior Swimming 24. Most Olympians come from the 20% of

athletes who “hate to lose,” not from the group that “likes to win”

25. There are no secrets, just experience Michael Collins – Check-mark Push-offs 26. Don’t breathe out too soon on push-off –

need the buoyancy to make the body rise to the surface

27. Teach comfort underwater – air and effort management

Jim Montrella – Freestyle 28. Help swimmers develop shoulder and

back muscles to counteract tendency to slouch forward brought on by swimming development

Bob Steele – Backstroke 29. Any correction to a stroke will feel weird to

the swimmer for a week 30. Reinforcement: Use flashlight-if light is

on, the swimmer is doing it right-if light is off, the swimmer is doing it wrong

31. Visualisation: If they can’t see it, they can’t do it

32. Expose swimmer to as many movement experiences as possible-the brain sorts it out and they become athletic

33. Using fins can accelerate development of Backstroke swimmers

Tom Weltchek – Breaststroke 34. Breaststrokers have to make choices

about which “hinges” they use – must eliminate the hinge at the neck

35. When arms recover forward, visualise “shooting arms through a pipe”

Wayne McCauley – Advanced Breaststroke 36. One inch head lift = 2 inch hip sink 37. Breaststroke kick: the last 6 inches

generates 50% of the power


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38. Resistance underwater is squared; resistance on the surface is cubed

Bob Steele – Forcing Stroke Change 39. Forcing change is the only way to get it

done 40. Swimmer must be at least 13 inches deep

to avoid surface tension

Personal Responsibility Concept of the Week

April 7-12 By Jeff Pearson, Head Coach

Sierra Marlins Swim Team This article appeared in American Swimming

Magazine, 2003 Issue 5 Having personal responsibility means that you take ownership over everything you do. That means that when you do something well, you feel satisfaction for a job well done. When you do something poorly, you accept that you “dropped the ball” and take responsibility without imposing blame on others. Here is an example… Bill is late to morning practice because his mother didn’t tell him to set his alarm. Bill knows that he will get in trouble from the coach if he is late, so he gets in his car and speeds to workout. On the way he is pulled over by the police and given a ticket. Now, who do you think is responsible for Bill’s ticket? Bill feels that his mother is responsible because she didn’t tell him to set his alarm. He also feels that the coach is responsible because of her strict policy toward tardiness. Of course, if Bill had taken personal responsibility by setting his own alarm, he wouldn’t have been late. Also, had he shown up to practice late, without speeding, and told the coach, “I’m sorry I was late. I made a mistake and it won’t happen again”. The coach would respect the fact that Bill realised the importance of being on time. By blaming others, Bill appears to have not taken personal responsibility. The bottom line is this… You and you alone are responsible for your success and happiness in this life. While you will certainly get help along the way from family and friends, in the end, you are responsible for you. If you are unhappy or are not as successful as you like, you need look no further than your own mirror. In most instances, life is not inflicting things on you without your control. Most of the time, you create your own happiness and your own problems. Unfortunately, many people do not seem to get this basic principle and spend their time finding ways to blame others for their shortcomings. If you happen to mess up this week, take a moment and think about how you could have

done it differently. If you could have prevented it, take responsibility for it. You will find that parents, coaches, teachers and friends will respect you for taking personal responsibility.

WSCA NEWSLETTER WORLD SWIMMING COACHES ASSOCIATION

1st Floor, 461 Olive Street, Albury NSW 2640

Phone: (02) 6041 6077 – Fax: (02) 6041 4282 Email: [email protected]

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESS Notes from Talk in 1980 – New Orleans

By Dr. Tom Tutko These articles appeared in ASCA Newsletter

Volume 2003-11 The area I am going to talk about usually turns out to be a dilemma for most coaches. It is great that people can get together at clinics like this and share their knowledge and meet buddies. A lot of people come to clinics like this with the idea that they are going to find the magic solution to being successful. To be honest, if I were a successful coach who had found a magic key, I would not give it to you. Why should I chance losing my job by telling you my secret? So my view of clinics like this is a little different from some other points of view. I feel very fortunate that I am not in the predicament of telling you secrets, I’m in the position of sharing with you. I am sharing with you something that I have found to be the coach’s greatest dilemma, one of his greatest problems, yet there are very few places where you can get information on these subjects. In the last five years there have probably been more bits of information about the dilemma of coaching than in any other single period of time. I don’t know how many of you had a chance to read the “Newsweek” article about what’s happened in the world of sports. The article had to do with the corruption in athletics, particularly the lying and cheating. It’s another symptom of the dilemma that you coaches are finding yourselves in. It’s another symptom of the “win-at-all-costs” philosophy, the “win-at-all-costs” craze. I will be honest with you, I do not approve of this craze but I will try to tell you how to win. The secret is to get someone who swims very fast, that is the simplistic key to winning. No matter how many


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techniques you employ, you are going to have to get someone who swims very fast. It may sound like I am putting you on, there’s obviously a hell of a lot more to it. That is where the psychological aspect comes in. I would like to speak about the psychological aspect of coaching. I’d like to speak about this nebulous thing called Motivation. When you talk about motivation, what are you really talking about? What does it mean? What are you really dealing with? Motivation is difficult for most coaches, and for most people who deal with other people, because they really want motivation to be an intrinsic part of their nature. What do I mean by that? I mean that you want the athlete to come to you already motivated. You don’t want to have to bother with that stuff. You want him (or her) to come to you motivated, wanting to win and all the other things that make up a winner. A lot of them don’t come to you that way; a lot of them have to be motivated by you. So you have a very unique situation, where you become part of the process. The tragedy of the process is that very rarely are coaches trained in the area of motivation. What is motivation? How do I do it? How do I pull it off? How do I bring it about? That is what I would like to talk about today. I’m going to talk about motivation in a very simplistic way because there are some very critical things that we often fail to observe. What is involved in motivation? I’d like to tell you a story that, for me, was a great insight into motivation. I had been working in the area of sports for something like four or five years. We were testing the Dallas Cowboys. We had tested this one athlete who was to be all-pro. He really had an immense amount of ability. His tests were fantastic. He had all the ability! In two weeks, HE QUIT. Naturally, I went to him to follow up on what went wrong. I mean, he had everything. He had the psychological characteristics and the talent. I asked him why he had quit. He said something to me that I think is absolutely critical for every coach to keep in mind, because it may be at the core of why the individual is not motivated. He said, “I don’t like football.” It kind of took me back, and I said, “Then why are you here?” He said, “They promised me $2,000 if I came to camp for two weeks, I need the money for medical school, that’s why I’m here.” Very simple, but it’s critical. Let me tell you why. Have you ever asked the kids or thought, “Why are they here?” You may find that those who are not motivated do not particularly like swimming. Then why are they there? It is very important that you understand that some of the people you are working with may be in swimming for very different reasons. In which case, you are going to get all kinds of weird behaviour. Later, we will talk about what to do

about someone who doesn’t want to swim. For now, let’s say that they do want to swim. The sport is really important to them. What do you do then about motivation? Way back in the 60’s we talked about IT. At that time I was fascinated by the fact that there seemed to be a lot of people who had IT, but didn’t make it in the sport. Then there were those people who didn’t have IT, but did very well. They were exceptions to the rule. One of my great heroes was Dick Groat. He was a great basketball player at Duke and was a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates the year they won the world championship. Groat was described as the guy who couldn’t run, couldn’t hit and couldn’t throw. He just happened to be the most valuable player on the team! Not too long ago I was reading about a baseball player who had been in the major leagues for 12 years and his batting average for that period was about .170. You don’t ordinarily have a guy with a .170 average in the major leagues. How did he manage to make it? These are the people who are Motivated. When we first started to talk to coaches about motivation, a funny thing would happen. Every coach thought it was important and tried to shotgun a method of defining it or finding its characteristics. “What do you really mean by motivation? How do you define it? But more importantly, can you do anything about it?” I mean, knowing it is one thing but doing something about it is quite another thing. You could stand there and say, “Damn, that’s a big tidal wave coming right at me.” You know it is there, but you can’t do anything about it when it hits you. When the coaches said they had an individual who was motivated, we would observe that individual. We would go to the practices and watch the person practice. Then we would go to the events and watch the person perform at the event. We studied a lot of literature to see what had been done up to that time in the area of psychological study. We found only one or two studies available. We decided to do our own testing which over a long period of time resulted in a test we called the AMI (Athletic Motivation Inventory) which has 11 characteristics. Whether or not they are aware of it, most coaches are involved in these characteristics. In many instances knowing how to identify these and what to do about them poses the major problem. What are these characteristics? They fall into two major categories. I will try to delineate these areas. One is an area called Drive. These are the characteristics with which you are most familiar. We will discuss these in a short while. The area that most people have difficulty with and the area in which they have minimal ways of handling are the EmotionalCharacteristics. We found that there was a


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great deal of pressure when the coach had to actually perform his duties. We found that within each of these categories, there were specific characteristics about which you can do something. Once again, all of this grew out of research we happened to be doing. It involved a number of different sports because we wanted to make sure it held up in any sport. We found that invariably whatever sport you are dealing with, these characteristics seemed to be an integral part of that sport. I am going to use examples that may not be in the area of swimming, but the examples still apply. I might mention that some of our first groups that we tested were the Olympic swimmers back in the days of Don Schollander. They were part of the original sample. As I discuss the following characteristics I would like to make it perfectly clear that these are distinct characteristics and an athlete may have some of these but be lacking in others. That’s why sometimes some athletes may appear confused or kind of flaky. They may have any combination of these characteristics. The first characteristic is DESIRE. What are you talking about when you say, “Desire”? I’d like to talk about what it’s like to be high in this area and what it’s like to be low in it as well; also, what a coach can do about it. What is desire? There’s a whole bulk of literature in the psychological dimension on what they call need achievement. They have found two types of people when they investigated “need achievement.” One type of person is the one who really likes to be successful. How do you recognise this person? This is a person who really likes competition. This is a person who really likes challenges. This is the person, for example, who is unhappy when the top people are not at a swim meet. They want the top people there. In fact, many of them like to be right next to the person they feel they can beat. They like odds that are even or chancy. They really get a joy out of winning. The competitive aspect of the meet is really exciting. They look forward to competition. In different sports, for example, let’s say they are on the third place team; these people actually look forward to competing against the first place team. They look forward to that game and to the next games on the schedule. Competition is the important factor; it’s the thing they look toward. Then there is the type whose desire is low. Here’s the person who is basically not concerned about winning. They are afraid to lose. There is a big difference between these two people. The individual who likes the competition likes to win, but is not that concerned about losing. What they are concerned about is the competition and they enjoy trying. The individuals who are afraid of losing worry; they

constantly see themselves in a secondary position. They see themselves not making it. They begin to make excuses. They like to play against the weaker opponents. They like to have the odds predictable. Research in this area shows that when they are put in a position of challenging someone, they will challenge only someone they are sure they can beat, or someone they know will beat them. They like the odds already taken care of. It’s like a foregone conclusion. They don’t like challenge. The person who is not high in desire is the person who feels himself to be a loser, a failure, and he’s more worried about that failure. I’ve known outstanding athletes who probably win 85% of the time, but when you are speaking to them, all they can talk about is the 15% of the time where they lost. I’ve spoken to other athletes who possibly have lost 85% of the time, but they’re speaking about the next match or challenge. “I’m going to beat that mother the next time!” That’s what they’re talking about and you can see the difference even in the performance, the difference in the attitude toward competition. Obviously, for the most part, the person who is high in desire is the person who sets goals. They know where they are going and how to achieve getting there. Here is where the coach comes in. How do you create desire if you know the person is not high in this characteristic? What you do is to set attainable, intermediate goals. In scheduling activities for them you discover their average and for a period of time you have them work at their average. In swimming, look at the times they are presently doing and try to decide what times they are capable of attaining. You convince them the time is attainable. “Hey, you’re capable of doing this time.” He looks at it and attempts to do it every time. If they don’t do it every time, they begin to get more and more frightened. The fear can beget the desire. You can have all kinds of lofty goals in your head. You can have all kinds of things you want to attain, all kinds of things you want to do. To achieve these goals you must have the next characteristic, DETERMINATION. Of all the characteristics I speak of, probably none is more critical than determination. Determination is basically hard work, that’s the second effort. Determined people are individuals who put in extra time on their own, they put in extra practice, they make sure that they schedule everything and continue to put in more of their own extra time. If there is any single characteristic that you want to make sure of, particularly in swimming, it is determination. How do you tell if a person is determined? They are usually out early, they stay late and they have their own schedules. How do you tell if a person lacks determination? They don’t like to practice, they put in a minimal amount of time, they arrive exactly on time or even a little


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late and want to leave early, and they show signs of begging off during practice. These are the critical factors in determination: practice, reaction, and contest reaction. You will have some athletes who do great at practice but they clutch when it comes to competition. We’ll talk about those people when we get to the emotional factors. How can you build determination? What can you do to help an athlete discover determination? I think that starts with the rules you set for your own club. It begins with your showing up on time or early and putting in the amount of time that’s required plus a little extra. Watch your athletes. Are they willing to do this too? Those who don’t want to do this for the sake of the club should be questioned as to whether or not they are with the right sport. Does this athlete like challenge, is he afraid to lose, is he willing to put forth the second effort, or does he sluff off? Another characteristic is ASSERTIVENESS.Recently assertiveness has become a big word in our language. It really means someone who makes things happen. This is the person, for example, who internalises things and turns anger into productivity. This is the person who is creating the action. In other sports it is a little more obvious. This is an individual who, for example, sees that things are not going well, gets really angry, and converts that anger into the second effort, activity. The opposite of assertiveness is the athlete who turns it inward and begins to decline, becomes depressed. The assertiveness very often shows itself when a person is beaten by somebody they should have beaten, or they don’t meet the time they’re supposed to have beaten. You have a swimmer who, all of a sudden in one meet he’s supposed to clearly beat this other person, how does he react? What does he do? Is he the kind of person that you can just see beginning to steam, does he get overly angry? In the case of John McEnroe, I think the use of that energy is in some ways good, it is cathartic. What you want to do is take that energy and make it productive; you want to use that energy outwardly. It’s a critical time whenever someone loses. For example, you want to spend time talking about where did things go wrong. You want that time to be able to look into a new system so that it’s not going to happen again. How about a person who’s not assertive? He begins to get depressed, feels down on himself, and feels badly. I would like to point out that this too is anger, except that it is turned inward. One of the dilemmas of coaching is that when the athletes get angry inwardly, they get depressed, the times are affected, and the first thing you know, he’s punishing somebody, he is usually punishing himself. What is the coach’s role in being able to develop assertiveness? His role is to allow the

athlete to get angry, express it and then convert it into activity. A few years ago while I was working with a professional basketball team there was this athlete who wasn’t assertive. He had all the attributes of a great athlete; we didn’t know what was wrong with him. The coach and I talked about him and it became apparent that the player was not assertive and he had difficulty with authorities. Here is what we worked out. Some of the things I talk about are gimmicks, but they allow the coach time to get an idea across to the athlete. I pointed out to the coach that this athlete had a difficult time being angry and he should tell him this and get the athlete angry at him. The coach looked at me and said, “Let me get this straight, you want him to get angry at me, right? I’m the coach, and NOBODY gets angry at me.” I said, “Well, that’s why he’s not assertive.” What he needed was to be permitted to get angry. The coach took him aside and they spent a lot of time talking. As it turned out, the athlete had a lot of anger. But when somebody in a game started to work him over he covered up his anger and he would begin to show less and less. He would begin to feel more and more depressed. His playing would be affected, his timing would get worse. This coach worked on getting the player angry at him, he would say, “Hey, get angry at me, tell me you’re mad at me. You may not even feel it, but tell me you’re mad at me. Swear at me or something.” The weird part of this situation was that the player got really angry at the coach and some of the language at the end of that meeting was some of the most creative swearing you have ever heard. What the coach was really telling the player was that it was all right to get angry. But just getting angry isn’t the key; you’ve got to change that anger into performance. I’ve seen a number of great athletes get angry in tight situations, but they never showed their anger directly. I remember a defensive back who never showed his anger directly, but, oh, the poor wide receiver on the next play! I’m now working with a long distance runner who has been humiliated for years and has been turning his anger inward. As a result, when he is in a meet, running cross country, and feels he is falling behind, he recalls all those moments when others made fun of him and he feels apologetic. He almost stops. He knows when that critical moment occurs, so now when he catches himself in that position, when somebody is taking advantage of him, he thinks about all those people who made him angry. We have worked on the idea that it is all right to be angry. What he does is take that anger out when it comes time for the kick; he recalls all those people who have screwed him in past races, he flashes their names or faces through his memory and he runs like it is the 100 yard


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dash at the end of the race. He has now externalised his anger. I must point out that anger and frustration are a natural part of sport. Turning that anger into productive behaviour so that one is rewarded is the critical part, that’s assertiveness. The next characteristic is DOMINANCE;another term for it is Leadership. We found in early research that one of the critical factors that emerged was the athlete who felt freedom to be able to speak out and tell others what to do. You have seen the determined athlete who gets angry at a fellow teammate who is screwing off. Coaches frequently overlook this critical factor of motivation, when you have an athlete who gets mad at other athletes for screwing off, he’s motivated. That player is saying, “Here I’m doing all these good things and these guys are screwing off.” In some way he is saying, “We have to get together here; these guys aren’t doing their job.” This is a motivated athlete. Athletes who are not so motivated along these lines are happy that others are screwing off because then they can screw off too. By dominance and leadership I do not mean a person who automatically becomes team captain or one who dictates and pounds others around. That can create problems with cliques. Another part of dominance is the ability to ask the coach questions, not belligerently or negatively, but honestly. “Coach, I really don’t understand, why are we doing this?” This may sound threatening, but the critical factor of this athlete’s dominance is his ability to speak out and your ability to respond. Both of which help to establish even more motivation. There are some coaches, however, who are really uptight about respect and dignity. Like when a coach assumes that if one asks a question, he is not showing respect. However, athletes who are motivated want to know and they are going to ask. Don’t put them down; answer them in such a way that it becomes diplomatic. Train them how to ask questions, but don’t stop them from asking. Athletes who are low in dominance never ask anything, they never question. I feel that isn’t too good because you don’t know their position. You don’t know where they are on the dominance level. They can’t serve as an inspiration to other team mates. Maybe they themselves will go only so far and they will go where other people tell them to go. You can also tell dominant athletes by the fact that they aren’t easily led. They want to know why and question. Frequently parents are uptight because their children are easily led. This should not be a major concern so long as these kids have plenty of friends but are not hesitant to disagree if they don’t like what their friends are doing and they feel free to tell them. This is an important factor to develop. CONFIDENCE is the next important

characteristic we found. I’m sure everyone realises confidence is important. Confidence is a disguised dimension. We find that people who are confident are not necessarily cocky, so don’t be deceived by cockiness. Coaches are often deceived by the athlete who says, “I can do it; I’m capable.” Anybody who goes out of his way to brag or to get your attention is really a person who is insecure. The athlete who is doing this is reassuring you that he is capable. The confident athlete is the one who does the job and does the job well. They will frequently volunteer when the team is in a tight spot. You can see the confidence by the way they perform and respond to certain things. I have seen kids, forexample, who, just before they enter the water, announce without blinking an eye, “I will do this speed.” They aren’t bragging, they just know they are capable. Confidence also comes from the feeling of success. How do you build it? One of the ways is to know where the athlete is right now and what he is capable of attaining. Talk with him a little about a goal he would like to set, let him set it, and once he accomplishes it point out now how capable he is. Confidence is a part of a dichotomous dimension. People lacking in confidence are frequently the same people who are not high in desire. They don’t know how to desire to do a certain time and as a result, they can’t gain the confidence to achieve that time. You must help to build that confidence. Start by pointing out what they have going for them. Diagnose what they are capable of and point out the possibilities of attaining that or even better. Help them to see the strengths they may not even be aware that they have. By doing that a funny thing can happen, they feel an immediate improvement and a sense of worthwhile-ness. Lastly, COACHABILITY is a characteristic of an athlete who is a winner. This doesn’t mean they are mealy-mouthed, that they will do everything you ask, that they never question or doubt and go along with everything. Sometimes what you have is someone who is passively aggressive. “You want me to do that, coach?” Inside they are thinking, “Well, that’s pretty stupid, even for you, Coach, but I’ll go ahead and do it anyway.” They never tell you their true feelings. Then you have some athletes who are very open about their feelings. They say, “Coach, that doesn’t make any sense.” This is not necessarily a defiant person. This is most often a person who really wants to know. Passive aggressives are trying to disguise their failure by pointing out what you don’t know. They like to say, “See the coach, see the big dummy.” This athlete is uncoachable. The coachable athlete is really trying to discover what you know. If you don’t know in a particular area but admit it and attempt to find out, he is grateful and you’ve gained favour with that athlete. This is a critical factor, the


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athlete’s positive awareness of your humanness and his continued desire to have you coach him. All of these characteristics are very important. They are necessary and can be built by cooperation between you and your athletes. The real problems are the emotional ones, the flakes. How do you deal with flakes? There’s the little kid who wets himself before he gets into the pool and is shaking like a leaf. His mother is in the stands, stopwatch in hand, timing him all over the place. Or there’s the kid who throws up five times before every event. Or the kid who stomps his feet and says over and over, “I can’t do it. I can’t do it.” Or there’s the kid who freezes and can’t move. How do you help these kids? How do you handle the emotional factors? Here’s where you perform as a role model, very adult and very stable. EMOTIONAL CONTROL is an absolute, necessary, vital part of your character as well as that of your athletes. It is especially important at the beginning of events and at the high pressure points of the event. It seems that those who have a great deal of emotional control almost become different persons when this control is exhibited. Take Jerry West, forexample. I always liked to watch Jerry West, but especially in tight situations. He was like an automaton. He could perform the right way at the right time. The greatest single shot I have ever seen in basketball was a shot against the New York Knicks in a playoff game which covered over half the court. Think about the precision that was necessary to make that shot. That ball travelled over half the court and went into that little hole. That is what we are talking about when we say emotional control; the ability to convert anxiety into clear, precise thinking and action. Last year at this clinic, I talked about a book I co-authored, “Sport Psyching”. There is more research now than in any other single time on what is called mental rehearsal and imagery. If you want to get an idea of what I’m talking about, read an article by the Symitans in “Psychology Today.” In this article, they are relating mental imagery to the cure of cancer. Mental imagery is being used in many areas besides sports. We used it in our book, Sports Psyching, as a way of converting a flake into a precise thinker. It is really very simple: when an athlete starts to feel anxious about his performance, he must picture himself doing whatever it is he does well, capture that image and perform in a similar fashion. Even professional athletes are talking about mental imagery. Jack Nicklaus talked about this subject in his original book on golf. He pictures where the ball should be going and where it should land. In swimming, one must picture where you are going and how you will feel when you accomplish this. Not just picture

it in your head but have the same feeling. Exclude all outside extraneous things; just think about what you are capable of doing. The mental part of any game needs as much practice as the physical part. Unfortunately, we have a tendency to emphasise the physical hoping that it will carry over to the mental. Some recent research indicates that with simple mental rehearsal much improvement can be shown. A second emotional characteristic, MENTAL TOUGHNESS, shows itself in two particular ways: reaction to harsh coaching and reaction to defeat. The individual who accepts a loss and shows signs of bouncing back is one who is mentally tough. The individual who cannot accept a loss and gets progressively worse is mentally sensitive. This will show itself particularly in reaction to coaches. I don’t know what style of coaching you use. If you use a tough style of coaching, I’m sure you have seen athletes who will shy away from you. If you are over here, they are over there. When you look at them, they look away. If you chew them out, they slump. If you say something harsh, they immediately think, “What did I do wrong?” It’s interesting that the lack of mental toughness can very clearly interfere with performance. If an athlete is worried about his performance, he is trying to please the coach. I think the mental toughness aspect is a critical one, because you are intricately involved, your personality is involved. You may not see yourself as being harsh, but the athletes see you that way. I did some work in Canada recently and one of the things we found was that the way the coach perceived himself and the way the athlete sees him are not the same. The coach may experience some sense of disbelief about the difference. He may think, “They don’t see me as I am. They don’t see me as lovable, and kind and considerate. They see me as mean, how could they make such an error?” I’m pointing this out because the athlete’s perceptions come from their own sensitivity. With younger people particularly, mental toughness is a critical factor. Let’s say you run across someone who’s sensitive and really withdrawn. A critical factor is to let that person know you are sensitive and aware of what they are going through. They must be made aware that if, in the future, you chew them out; they should not take it personally. They must be made to realise that it doesn’t have to do with them as a person, but only as an athlete or performer. The difference is this: the athlete who is very sensitive has been brought up in an environment where he/she has always been attacked as a person. They can’t see that you’re not attacking them as a person, and when you yell at them, what they see are sharp teeth, sweaty brows and big muscles. Instead, what you need to tell them is, “Hey, I think it is really important that we


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change this stroke or that time.” One way to get through about mental toughness is to have them feedback to you. Give them the information and have them repeat it back to you. Do they really understand what you are telling them? Athletes who are not tough-minded generally can’t repeat the instructions because they weren’t really picking up on it, they were mentally defending themselves. Work on this. Work on making them repeat the instructions. Establish a rapport with them. Exchange with them. The next mental (emotional) characteristic is RESPONSIBILITY. This is an extremely difficult one because too much is as bad as too little. We are also able to describe it as GUILTPRONENESS. When something goes wrong, when you don’t do .well, the critical factor is to be able to find out what went wrong. One of the things that’s crazy about the “win at all costs” philosophy is the strange attitudes we develop about winners and losers. We see people who can win as people who can leap tall buildings, faster than a speeding bullet, and they glow in the dark. I’m not just blowing smoke. We did a study not too long ago. We had people tell us who were winners and who were losers. We had them fill out rating forms, and the winners were those who had all those marvellous characteristics. They were prettier, brighter, etc. Losers were typified as exactly the opposite. “Losing” is a message that needs to be changed. At times it’s appropriate to lose. Let’s say I am a 5 foot 4 inch basketball player, I’m playing centre on my team and playing against a guy 7 feet tall. Guess who is going to score more; guess who is going to be the winner. Hell, the seven-footer is closer to the basket; there are times when we just have to face the facts. There are times when we are simply facing a lot more talent. All we can do is the best we are capable of doing, and if we do that, losing that saying, “No matter how you lose, you are supposed to feel bad about it.” Responsibility is putting it into perspective, take a loss and say, “What was the reason? Was it my fault or did I do anything wrong? Could I. have changed it?” People who are too high in responsibility go overboard. They blame themselves for everything. An example is Jerry Kramer’s book on the Green Bay packers and Vince Lombardi. Kramer tells about a game film that was shown to the team. Lombardi started and about two hours later was still ranting and raving about all the stupid mistakes. It was terrible. Kramer says he lost perspective about who had won the game and who had lost. Actually the Packers had won, 40 to 14. What I am getting at is that one can go overboard with too much Responsibility. If you have been trained to feel bad, routinely, then you internalise that feeling. The trouble with too much Responsibility is that

the athlete begins to feel guilty and it affects their performance, and then they begin to feel negative about their sport. On the other hand is the case of not enough responsibility. “I could have won that race. I had a retarded coach, the water was too wet, these swim suits are all wrong, it’s the wrong technique. How come a great person like me, with all the potential I have, is never able to bring out my full potential.” Sometimes it isn’t the athletes saying this, it’s their parents. You are in an impossible spot when the parents say to you, “I give you a Mark Spitz and what do you do? Nothing!” You’re trapped. You were supposed to bring out the champion in this kid. It’s never going to be their kid’s fault. They have to have someone to blame. Now, how do you deal with either of these two ends of responsibility? With the athlete who beats on himself too much, you, the coach, have to take the responsibility and share it with them. You can not beat on yourself too and not at the same time. You say, “This is the technique, this is the plan I want you to follow, here’s the agreement we have. I want you to do your very best and whatever the result, I will share the responsibility for the win or loss with you.” Take part of the burden from them and share it. Don’t blame yourself totally either. You can’t complain, “How come I get all the frogs and no fish?” This is another dilemma and we don’t need those kinds of problems. Personalities should be removed as much as possible as the basis for your coaching. Use things like times, films, charts, and be objective. Don’t take all the blame. Rather than complaining about how hard you or they work, be factual and specific. I have heard that Paul Brown, uses this technique. He says that if we do this and this and this, we are going to win, and if we do this and this and this, we are going to lose. Those are the facts; now, do we win or do we lose? It’s objective, straightforward, and direct about what needs to be done. If we do it all correctly, we may win; if we do it all wrong, we certainly will lose. That’s responsibility. The two final characteristics I want to mention are slightly more nebulous. The first is CONSCIENTIOUSNESS. This is a form of self-discipline. You have a plan of approach, and from a self-discipline point of view, the athlete must internalise that plan. You have an outside schedule that he needs to work on his own. You assume that he will carry out this plan. Here’s where you run into the con men. Athletes who are not conscientious become some of the greatest con men. They can become clever little psychopaths, shifting and bending the rules. They give everything with their mouths, but little with their bodies. They are full of excuses at practice. They talk a lot and always blame something or someone else. In other words, if


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we are talking about the opposite of conscientiousness, it’s the lack of self-discipline and responsibility. Conscientious people have a feeling for right and wrong, good and bad, and if you have regulations, they will internalise them. That’s why it’s important to have rules and regulations, and they must in part be set up by the athletes themselves, and then even enforced by the athletes rather than by you. They will learn control from this, too. I think it is important for them to establish the penalties too. There is nothing more treacherous to a coach’s career than a talented con man. You could be depending on him, and he can screw you over like you can’t believe. If such an athlete wants to, he can do poorly; he looks upon this as payback. This may be either conscious or unconscious. Without internalising the rules and regulations, he may feel that it’s hurray for me and the hell with you. That’s the attitude of some athletes. In my opinion, that’s why rules and regulations should be documented, factually, on paper, in the form of an agreement. Very often, when a school system has problems with the kids, they have contracts with the kids to improve their discipline. They agree to do this and here’s what will happen in return. It almost gets to the point where if it’s down on paper you have to follow it, and if you don’t here are the end results. When you start bending over backwards for the con man, you have not only lost the con man, you’ve lost the team. Because if Fenwick is talented and if we bend the rules for him, then the poor athlete who is working hard is going to say, “Wait a minute, this isn’t fair.” The coach cannot bend the rules for the more talented athlete. I’m working with several teams now with some very talented athletes, some of whom are very selfish and are not following the team rules. One coach is biting the bullet; he has had to tell a top athlete he will not be starting because that was the rule if agreements were not kept. That benched athlete is ranting and raving, but the rest of the team is giving the coach an even greater second effort. The team is saying indirectly to the coach, “Thank you; he was screwing us over, too.” I have a great deal of admiration for Bear Bryant. I don’t know how many of you may remember that he punished Joe Namath while he was at Alabama. Namath broke one of the team rules just before a bowl game; Bryant would not let him start the game. That was unheard of in those days. Quite frankly, that kind of attitude can make a difference. In some way you are saying to the athlete, “You are not more important than the team, even if you are talented; the team remains more important than you.” Last, but not least, is the characteristic of

TRUST; trust between the athlete and the coach; trust between the athlete and his team members. It is a little spoken of attitude but certainly most critical. For years I have spoken of trust and people have looked at me as if I were stupid. What part does trust play in sports? “He’s bending the rules for someone, he’s screwing me over for someone else, he’s giving me a rough time. How can I trust him?” Trust is a vital factor in any part of life. A man named Gibbs has written a book dealing with this subject in big industry. He points out that in any industry at all, if there is going to be success, there must be trust at the core. People must be able to trust, especially those people they are working with. So, if I say something to you, I had better be prepared to follow through. There must be something solid there. So, whatever you do, once rules and regulations have been established, and the team is part of these rules and regulations, you must be prepared to follow through, no matter how difficult. This contributes to the conscientiousness of the coach and the entire team. These are the factors which I feel to be most important for the wellbeing of any team and any sport. I hope that somewhere in all of these, you have found something of value to you. If you feel that something is not included, please feel free to ask.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q. Doctor, assuming that a lot of our injuries are psychosomatic, how would you handle a suspect case of tendonitis? A. In any suspected ailment you must ask, “What is the payoff?” In this case, the payoff may be that the athlete can no longer swim. Maybe he doesn’t really want to swim, so this is a reward. I have also seen athletes get a lot of attention as a result of an injury. Try to discover the payoff and go from there. When you discover what the reward is, cut it off. I worked with a football team that had a chronic injury problem. We decided to explore all alternatives. We found that when a player was injured, he would come to the practice but would spend all of the time on the sideline, talking to the players and acting like an assistant coach. So the team decided that injured players would wear a special purple uniform when they came to practice. Also, they were sent two fields over, and told to practice whatever they could, but away from the other players. They were still injured, but they couldn’t receive the payoff of being assistant coaches. Once you have ascertained that there isn’t really a medical problem, and you think you may have discovered the payoff, comes what I call positive confrontation. Tell the athlete you would like to speak to them in private, meet the athlete behind closed doors, and say something


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like this to them: “This conversation will not leave this room, but I think it’s important for me to be honest with you. You have been complaining of tendonitis, but frankly, you have been examined and there is no evidence of that. I’m wondering if there is something going on here that might be a problem for you. Perhaps we could talk it out.” Frequently, this type of positive confrontation can build a bond between you and your athlete. If coaches will allow themselves to serve as psychologists for their athletes, they can be of more assistance than many professionals. Avoid being accusatory. That would certainly destroy any relationship between you and your athletes. The injury factor has or may have many things behind it. It may serve as a means of payback to the team or to an individual. When you discover that payoff or payback, generally the injury disappears. Q. I can see where my own team has certain traits which need work; how do I get hold of the AMI test or something specific to see if I have overlooked a particular category? A. The Athletic Motivation Inventory, that we have developed over the years, has 185 questions and takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour to administer. The athletes usually take the test as a group. I will send you the test; you send me back the results. In about one week I will be able to mail you the findings, we will tell you where each athlete falls in each characteristic. There will also be a graph and a chart showing where each athlete is and what you can do in that area. In addition, in order to help the coach, we send a team profile that shows the team as a whole. Write to me in care of the Psychology Department, San Jose State University, 95191. I will send you the literature on the AMI, some trait descriptions and maybe a copy of the exam and you can decide from there. You will get a booklet showing all of the athletes alphabetically and a team profile. The athletes get their own individual profiles in a folder which can be used when you discuss this information confidentially with the athlete. The cost is $10 per athlete. Usually, for minors, the permission of the parents is needed.

STROKE TECHNIQUE REFINEMENTS TO MAXIMISE

ENERGY FLOW By Todd Kemmerling

INTRODUCTION Coach Todd Kemmerling coaches Eastern Express in New Jersey. He is presenting a unique perspective. He started his team in 1987 with 16 kids. Coach Kemmerling encourages coaches to pick the things that you like and develop your own coaching style.

Technique has always been important to Coach Kemmerling. He realised that he needed to get kids to understand how the best athletes do it. Coach Kemmerling has a Martial Arts background.

ENERGY Metabolism = using energy Anabolism = releasing energy Definition – capacity for vigorous activity and the exertion of such power Athletic definition – the capacity to exert power during vigorous activity Stroke shaping

Energy = active power potential Balance/Eastern philosophy/Yin-Yang To heal is to increase energy flow Martial Arts = break the energy flow Energy intensity … energy volume x rate of energy flow … active power

TALENT Superior or inborn capacity for special field Superior or inborn capacity to move through and/or across a body of water Superior or inborn capacity to produce and deliver energy efficiently Lack of limitations If talent is all that matters — why go to workout?

ACTIVE POWER SEQUENCE Energy originates in the middle and lower aspects of the torso It is propelled by the hips It travels down the thigh, into the lower leg and into the toes It travels up the other lower leg and into the thigh It is propelled up by the hips It travels from the hips, through the torso to the shoulder and head It then travels across the head and back down the other side of the body Down Energy (Yang)

Flexing Limb Movement o Catch o In-sweep/Up-sweep o Initiate finish o In-bound energy Extending Limb Movement o Down kick o Outbound energy

Upward (Yin Energy) – moving up the body Flexing Limb o Up Kicko Heel recovery in turns o Inbound energy Extending Limb Movement o Finisho Entry and forward extension o Initiation of Catch o Outward bound energy

Key thoughts on joints Synovial – free movement


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Angular movements – Flexion, extension Circular movements – Rotation, pivot, circumduction Special movements – Elevation

Skeletal Muscles Muscles span at least one joint Muscles pull one bone across the joint to another bone Muscles can only pull – they cannot push Individual muscle cells obey the all-or-none law … this is fine if they get enough stimuli to perform Muscles contract according to the graded strength principle

Muscle contractions Isometric Isotonic

Muscles act in group Prime movers

Central Nervous System Nerves divide and branch out Somatic motor pathways o Away from the CNS o Muscle contract in groups or in

sequence based on the information that they receive

Specific nerve tracts supply stimulation (energy) to specific muscles Muscles only contract when stimulated o They cannot be willed into

contraction Examples

Jump shot = Yin (arm extends), Yang (legs bend) Butterfly o Yin – arm entry and extension o Yang – snap down kick o Yang – Catch and in-sweep o Yin – Up kick … Yin – Finish …

Yang – Down kick ENERGY DELIVERY SYSTEM

Range of motion Breadth of joint – effective diameter Elasticity of joint – openness

Muscle Elasticity Contract and relax easily Expand and relax easily

Muscle Function Muscle strength and size; thickness Durability; muscle endurance

Aerobic Fitness Threshold pace – cannot flush lactate as quickly as producing it From warm to hot energy Flow allowance – diameter of energy tube

Three Key Joint Areas In Breaststroke, the knee is the fourth key joint area

Muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones all come together Shoulders … Hips … Ankles (need for flow through these areas)

Strength, range of motion, flexibility Dryland can improve these areas Work on weaknesses in dryland

Range in energy patterns Beach ball pattern Torpedo pattern o Long energy pattern o Torpedo longer than the body o Yin energy in extension Most swimmers are in between these two shapes Left and right side of the body have variations of energy flow Tracy Caulkins had great energy system delivery even in Streamline The top of the energy system is level at the surface in long axis strokes The top of the energy system is above the surface in short axis strokes

Energy Pattern Identifiers – see Chart 1 Energy and Energy Pattern

The mind is the most important point in the energy pattern Active release technique o Muscle tension = frozen power,

stopped energy o Tense neck blocks energy flow

through shoulders o Legs accelerate the energy – not

produce it o Hips = energy value o Tempo keeps the beach ball

pattern spinning and moving Dryland is the best place to length and strengthen the energy pattern Stroke shape should match energy pattern

Technique is a choice Lasting technique improvement demands commitment from the coach and the athlete and it causes discomfort Physical abilities – energy pattern limitsDecision-making – coach’s ability to see the power change Communication – effective transfer of information from coach to athlete Self-esteem – Athletic self-esteem, endure the discomfort of change Focus – athlete’s ability Persistence – coach and athlete committed to change

Stroke Shaping )simple works best) Head and neck completely relaxed o Tension = stopped energy


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o Stretching forward with Yin energy – Coach Kemmerling saw National level athletes doing this

Relax or “root” core with the top of the energy pattern o Chest press; body roll; balance o Often we teach the limbs first

without the core Shape the limbs Progress sets o 50’s o Rounded stroke to elongated

stroke o Yin flows through the fingers Energy delivery and streamline Injury happens when one is forcing stroke in the wrong energy pattern o Find an energy pattern to shape

the stroke o If the athlete can elongate

without causing a disruption in the energy flow, then do so – otherwise, stay rounded and keep the tempo continuous

Front and down focus of stroke o Recovery should involve no

energy o Direct energy flow with mind Most athletes can hold stroke under low speed and low intensity conditions o Judge the stroke on race

intensity o Search out and discover

limitationso Work with worst stroke first –

they will be more receptive to change in the stroke in which they are not performing well

The best male swimmers have good flow/Yin energy The best female swimmers have good power/Yang energy

CH ART 1 Drill Beach Ball Pattern Torpedo Pattern

Ankle stretch Tightness Easy ankles

Hamstring stretch Difficulty bending

forward Easily reaches toes

Hip stretch Resistance or

tightnessMoves easily in move ranges

Shoulder stretch Resistance or

tightnessMoves easily in

most ranges

Closing Points Give and take between energy flow and decreasing resistance Great technique will make up for poor mental approach and/or ineffective trainingStroke shaping gives the coach more power to work effectively with a greater range of athletes

Show them their individual approach to stroke technique

4-YEAR PLAN FOR NTTS By Jonty Skinner

In order to best serve all coaches in the USA Swimming family, the National Team Technical Support staff will follow a 4-year plan that coincides with the normal quadrennial pattern. These are the service/project areas that the NTTS covers. 1. Top 20 to 25 potential individual Olympic

Medallists and their coaches 2. Top 5 to 10 National Team athletes

currently in programs with limited resources

3. Research/investigations into areas that have a direct effect on performance

4. General service, testing and education on complex

5. General service, testing and education off complex

6. Development of general coach education material (tools, software, educational CD’s)

7. Developing educational material from gathered data

8. Information dissemination 9. Service and support at Grand Prix level

competitions 10. Service and support at National

competitions 11. Service and support at International

competitions To better organise the work year, I have divided the working into three periods…

September to December January to April May to August

Periods will be divided into four areas of Emphasis…

Primary – this will be the #1 focus of the majority of the staff and will take precedent over all tasks on the table Secondary – time will be put aside to manage tasks within this area Maintenance – tasks will be picked up as they fit into the schedule and will be completed with the lowest priority position On the shelf – no action will be taken regarding projects/services in this area

I have also attached an overall grid that reflects the areas of emphasis and where the NTTS services/projects fall into that grid.

MAIN EMPHASIS OVERVIEW YEAR 1 The main emphasis will be on sifting through the data accumulated during the last four years and putting together articles and information that will be of benefit to all coaches in the pipeline. The emphasis during the latter part of the year will be to present this information to coaches via print and presentation opportunities. YEAR 2


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The pattern established in the first year will be maintained through the first two periods with a slight shift in emphasis to competitions and off complex testing during the summer. YEAR 3 This year will have the most flux as the first period will be the last of the focus on general service and support and blend into identifying athletes that will be our best bet at the Olympics. During this period we will identify those athletes located in programs with limited

resources and focus our support on these programs in an effort to raise them to a Top 25 level prior to the beginning of Year 4. YEAR 4 Focus during the year will be on those athletes and coaches who are our best bet at winning individual medals at the Olympic Games.

NTSS 4 -YEAR PLAN Primary

Emphasis%

AllocSecondary Emphasis

%Alloc

MaintenanceEmphasis

%Alloc

On the Shelf

YEAR 1 Sep to Dec 4,6,7,8 70 3 30 0 1,2,5,9,10,11 Jan to Apr 4,5,6,7,8 70 3,10 30 0 1,2,9,11 May to Aug 5,8,10,11 60 4,6,9 30 1,3 10 2,7

YEAR 2 Sep to Dec 4,6,7,8 60 3 30 9,10 10 1,2,5,11 Jan to Apr 4,5,6,7,8 60 3,10 30 9 10 2,11 May to Aug 5,10,11 55 4,6,9,8 30 1,2,3 15 7

YEAR 3 Sep to Dec 4,7 50 2,3,8,9,10 35 1,5,6 15 11 Jan to Apr 2 40 1,4,8,9,10 40 3,5,6,7 20 11 May to Aug 2,9,10,11 60 1,8 30 3,5,6 10 5,7

YEAR 4 Sep to Dec 1,2 60 4,9,10,11 30 3,6,8 10 4,7 Jan to Apr 1,9,10,11 50 0 3,4,8 20 2,5,6,7 May to Aug 1,9,11 50 0 8,10 20 2,3,4,5,6,7

The following articles appeared in ASCA Newsletter, Volume 2003 Issue 12

AN INTERVIEW WITH PETE RAYKOVICHBy George Block

In a year of incredible swimming stories, perhaps the most important one of 2003 was that of Coach Pete Raykovich and his DACA program. Coach Raykovich demonstrated what is possible for a CEO Coach. The CEO Coach concept has been central to ASCA’s efforts to professionalise coaching for nearly two decades. Coach Raykovich took the CEO Coach concept to an entirely new level, at the same time maintaining an outstanding in-pool coaching record. As so often is the case, “no good deed goes unpunished.” Coach Raykovich took a struggling DeAnza-Cupertino program; stabilised it both financially and technically; built an outstanding staff; and developed enviable community relationships. A disgruntled, ex-employee got the San Jose media to focus on Coach Raykovich’s unusually high (only by coaching standards) compensation. Instead of finding a man who was enriching himself at the expense of his community, the San Jose media found a man who enriched his community and in the process of doing that was also able to create over 100 high-paying jobs in that community (and in our profession). Coach Raykovich’s loss of privacy was our gain in insight and inspiration. The ASCA Newsletter had a chance to follow-up with Coach Raykovich a year later.

ASCA: You had a public examination of your professional accomplishments and finances unlike any swimming coach has ever experienced. It was more like what the Press gives to politicians. How much media got

involved? PR: Primarily, it was the San Jose Mercury News and local papers. I had interview requests from a few TV and radio stations. I chose to not respond to the requests. No one likes to see their finances on the front page and I didn’t want to fan the flames if the article didn’t warrant it. ASCA: How “personal” did it get? PR: The genesis of the article was personal. An unhappy former employee drove the majority of accusations that something must be wrong. The reporter actually told me that his editors were “looking” for improprieties, but their information turned out to be untrue. He further added that the piece would be primarily about the remarkable growth/success of our program. I was not surprised at the focus being on our (financial) gross and my compensation. I’ve been at DACA over 10 years and the San Jose Mercury has never been interested in us before in any major way. Other than several letters to the editor (all favourable) it didn’t develop into a major story. There were insinuations in the story that I deeply resented and people making the insinuations always hid behind anonymity. Within the DACA membership, there was only one, single, negative response (by email). In fact, it was quite the contrary. I was unprepared for the amount of positive feedback and support that we received. I would hope that indicates that our members are receiving a good value for


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their dollar. ASCA: What did YOU learn from the process? PR: What did I learn? BE PREPARED! Asour company grew, I knew that eventually we (I?) would come under scrutiny. As an example, as a non-profit, public-benefit organisation, you can depend on an IRS audit as your financial picture grows. Of course we have been audited. We have ALWAYS depended upon our accounting and our legal firms to review our practices. In fact, four years ago, we hired Grey/Carey, a law firm that specialises in non-profits, to review all of our practices, by-laws, contracts and compensation packages. I believe that it is important to have an outside review of your program every couple of years to ensure that you are in compliance with all legalities and also to examine any new regulations that may enhance or affect your business opportunities. Grey-Carey also hired a Human Resources company to evaluate our compensation packages. As a result, when the reporter started pursuing his story, we were prepared to provide the information he asked for. I first heard about a potential article from ASCA. Guy Edson called to tell us that a reporter from the San Jose Mercury News was asking financial questions about our program, so I was aware of what was happening. I talked to several of our board members and we agreed on how to best deal with the situation. Again, we prepared in advance. When the reporter called, I asked him to meet with several board members and me. He was provided with contact information for all of our support firms, as well as our answers to his questions. In addition, he was encouraged to speak with DeAnza College District officials and our customers at any of our sites (which he did). Essentially, we try to always have “our ducks in a row” in case of any review of our program. “The more visible your program becomes, the brighter the spotlight will be,” sums up our attitude. ASCA: How much of what you have done at DACA is possible because of “the stars aligning,” i.e. DeAnza Community College being your site and being receptive; your unique relationship with the City of Cupertino, etc. PR: I believe good timing and being in a thriving community (then) contributed greatly to our rather sudden growth. The hard work of our staff, rather than my supernatural business acumen, was largely responsible for the gains we made.

Since we do not own our facilities, developing our relationships with the City of Cupertino, DeAnza College and the Foothill-DeAnza College District was – and is – extremely important to us. Recently we have begun a relationship with the Saratoga School District, as well. The City of Cupertino, thanks to the past leadership at DACA, considered us a “co-sponsored” group. The advantages were free office space, some postage and advertising help. In addition, we were considered an extension of the city’s park and recreation programs. This enabled local residents to continue swimming beyond what the city offered. ASCA: Is this model “exportable”? PR: Yes. We have “exported” it several times, ourselves, and will keep “exporting” it in the future. As our pre-competitive and swim team programs grew, we looked for additional pools. Across the street from DeAnza College, the City owned and operated a “Sports Centre,” offering fitness programs, tennis, racquetball, handball, etc. In addition, they operated lessons out of a 40,000-gallon pool for 2½ months of the year. The pool was too small for lap or recreational use. We asked the City Parks and Recreation Department about the possibility of renting the pool for a year-round lesson program. With the support of the Parks and Recreation Director and City Council, we contracted with them. We were able to negotiate a favourable rent for several reasons. The sports centre was losing money every month. We were a co-sponsored, non-profit, public-benefit program, and we offered a program that did not conflict with Parks and Recreation financial interests (swim lessons). While our relationship with the City of Cupertino has always been good, we are looking at additional sites, as well. You never know when your landlord may make rental requests that may jeopardise your business. We employ over 100 people in our programs of which approximately 30% are full time. The quality of our product depends upon the quality of our staff. They are highly paid for their positions and do an excellent job. It is my responsibility to protect their livelihoods now and in the future. For example, I had concerns, since validated, that certain city staff would have adverse reactions to the San Jose Mercury News article. Specifically, my compensation and how much money DACA grosses. Many of these employees do not manage businesses and fail to recognise that we also have an expense column, or that every year is not as successful as another, or that we need to have contingency funding to protect our staff and customers in case of


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calamity. We very much enjoy being a long-standing member of this community and hope that we provide a real benefit to residents. However, for these reasons planning ahead is a necessity. DeAnza College (in particular) and the College District have been increasingly open to creating mutually beneficial partnerships with DACA. Thanks to two very receptive Deans of Physical Education and Athletics at DeAnza over the past 10 years, we have developed revenue streams for the College District, apart from pool rental. The DACA staff now manages the school’s swimming, diving and water polo programs, the lap swim program, and a summer swim lesson-water polo-lap swimming program. In addition, we generate income through swim meets and parking fees, and reduce their expenses through employment of DeAnza College students and covering the costs of assistant coaches. The college has a “community” charge, that is, to reach out to its community and allow them to be involved in and with the school. We provide that for them in large numbers. DACA has provided the District/College with over ½ million dollars in the past 10 years, excludingpool rent. Again, we always try to anticipate a worst-case scenario, but at the moment, they see us as an asset. ASCA: If you were going back in time, could you have done something like this in previous locations? PR: Looking back, I certainly could have done more things like this at previous locations. Like many coaches, my earlier years were spent engrossed in a passion for swim training. It wasn’t until I fully realised how much of my professional life was out of my control and how much that limited what I could offer athletes, staff and myself, that I fully recognised that I needed to put the same energy into the business of swimming. By the time I accepted the position at DACA, I knew that I did not want to depend upon a Board of Directors or Athletic Director to determine my salary, or those of my staff. ASCA: If you became “Pete’s Consulting Company”, how would you advise someone to put something together under a different set of circumstances? PR: Can someone put together a similar business plan under different circumstances? Assuming that we stay successful over time (and I’m never secure in that feeling), my opinion would be “Yes, if they are willing to assume the responsibilities required of a staff-driven program.” It’s different than the customary model of a

parents’ organisation being responsible for the three areas of fundraising, running swim meets and team administration that coaches typically defer to them. In our model, volunteerism is dramatically reduced and the funding must come from the revenue produced by the programs. It is a lot of hard work and if your staff “just wants to coach,” or if the CEO/Head Coach wants to get things set up and then turn it over to someone else to run so they can concentrate on just coaching, I believe that the odds are it will fail. If the CEO/Head Coach and the staff want more say in determining their futures, they all need to buy into the shared responsibilities. As a non-profit, we are all answerable to somebody and this is not a private business model, it is a non-profit. ASCA: Many have said that you raised the bar for “coaching pay” (and for that we thank you), but you really aren’t paid for “coaching”. You are really the CEO of an aquatics sports “holding company” who also is an international-level coach. Does coaching detract from your ability to manage a complex organisation? Does managing the business detract from your coaching? PR: That is correct. I was hired as Director/CEO of what we hoped would become a fairly comprehensive aquatics program. I chose to hire myself to coach my particular group. I have some strong feelings about this. I believe that a lot of good coaches have had their careers limited because “all they wanted to do was coach”. The old/current model of a swim club was that the parents’ group was responsible for fundraising, running swim meets and assisting the coach in whatever administrative duties he/she didn’t have time for. The coach ran the “wet” side (practices, meets). This model gave the parents’ board, and the related committees, a lot of control over the finances, the staff and the overall direction of the club. Does one area (coaching/management) detract from the other? At times things can get pretty busy, but I believe that both are equally important. They are important not just for the staff, but for your athletes and what you can offer them, as well. I personally think that managing both areas gives me a better sense of balance than I might have if I “just coached”. If the priorities are to offer a program that can enable any swimmer to reach his or her potential and to provide career opportunities to coaches, then operating the business side is essential.


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Mark Schubert wrote an article/talk entitled “The Business of Swimming” that I recommend to everyone. As accomplished a coach as he is – and I heard him say that he considers himself a coach first – he has always made running his business a priority. I believe that his athletes and staff have had great opportunities because of it. People like Chris Davis, Pat Hogan, Rick Curl and John Trembley, to name but a few, proved to me that this could be done and done well. ASCA: The professional sports teams follow a Head Coach-General Manager Model. Although there are a few combined positions, most Head Coaches have relinquished their GM roles to focus on coaching. Have you thought of becoming the Head Coach and hiring a GM, or vice-versa? That seems to be a model that large clubs are moving toward. PR: A Head Coach/GM model could be in the future for large programs. Right now, we have developed “Department Heads” for various areas that essentially function as the GM of their departments. This may sound like we are larger than we really are, but at some point you realise that you can’t be everywhere. This builds good managers and an effective communication of responsibilities, both of which are critical. I know that we need to get better at it. Pat Hogan, when he was at Dynamo, was the first coach I know of who separated the CEG/Head Coach from the Business Manager. Certainly, at DACA, I have looked at this possibility for the future. ASCA: Can DACA get too big? If so, how will you know? Do you have a plan for that day? PR: Can we get too big? The short answer is “Yes”. Any business has to be very deliberate and thoughtful about expansion. We are not that large yet, but we are expanding. I hope carefully. New facilities and potential customers are always an exciting prospect, but there is an expense and income side to this equation, as well. I believe that most clubs, if they are to be successful, will be relatively low-cost, high- volume businesses. It takes large numbers of participants to pay for quality coaches, instructors and facilities. From that, you also need to prepare for that rainy day. Contingency funds for staff, facilities and expansion also need to be priorities in a strategic plan. In addition, areas such as demographics, increased competition and the economy (and how they may change) should to be considered. Our “plan”, should we get too big, would be the same as any business. Eliminate or reduce the programs that are least profitable and put

our focus into the programs that are working the best. Obviously, it wouldn’t be that easy, but that would be where we would start our priority list. (A question from Coach Tim Hill): “When you were first starting, what did you do when a long-time, excellent coach either wouldn’t “contribute” (just wanted to coach), or wouldn’t buy-in to your concept? PR: Unfortunately, I believe that you would need an exit plan for this type of employee. In some instances, it may be affordable to pay someone “just to coach”, but they would likely not be earning a salary commensurate with other skilled coaches who choose to buy in to a staff-driven program. .

BUTTERFLY CHECKLIST By John Leonard – Editor

The following great checklist is from a new book by Coaches Bill Sweetenham and John Atkins, called CHAMPIONSHIP SWIM TRAINING, published by Human Kinetics. It’s a very fine new addition to any coach’s library and we recommend it highly.

The swimmer should work on controlled-frequency breathing patterns when asked, such as breathing every three, four, or five. Holding the stroke length is of vital importance in Butterfly. The swimmer should try to hold stroke length at the end of sets in training, while aiming to maintain or even increase the stroke rate (distance per stroke). The coach should insist that the swimmer touch the wall with two hands in training on both turns and finishes. The swimmer should not grip the poolside guttering when turning. If possible arrange for the touch pads to be placed into the pool for training so that swimmers can practice flat wall turns as often as possible. The swimmer should have the ability to turn both ways (left and right). The Butterfly swimmer should perform Butterfly kick sets so that they are specific. Kick is important, and the Butterfly swimmer must have good conditioning in the legs. The swimmer should be timed performing Butterfly kick. For example, the coach should know that the swimmer covered 12m in 12 kicks in a certain length of time. The coach should plan to include Butterfly training on all types of sets, both sprint and endurance sets, so that swimmers use the specific muscle fibres required in Butterfly. Freestyle is similar to Butterfly, but not the same. Ankle flexibility and extension are important for the Butterfly swimmer in


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performing effective kicks. Short rest sets can be used for endurance Butterfly sessions. Some endurance Butterfly sets can be done using a combination of full stroke with two, two, four or three, three, three Butterfly drills being incorporated into the set. On all push-offs in training the swimmer should maximise streamlining, including push starts and turns. The swimmer should practice the number of Butterfly kicks he or she wishes to use in a race. The swimmer should practice Butterfly kicking on the front and on the side. Butterfly kicks should be practiced for speed in preference to distance. The differences in time should be compared between kicking on the front and on the side. Following all push-offs and turns with streamlined kick; the swimmer should do at least two strokes before taking the first breath. The swimmer should also note that the better the streamline off the turns and from the start, the less distance remains to swim. The swimmer should strive in training for a smooth flowing stroke, working on distance per stroke and minimising resistance. The minimum-maximum drill, outlined in Chapter 3, is great for developing this. A race model should be developed taking into consideration stroke counts, stroke rates, splits, starting times, turning times, and finishing times. The swimmer should know exactly the individual checking speed values at distances of 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m. The coach should monitor the individual checking speed values weekly to confirm a recovered athlete. The coach normally uses this test 24-36 hours after a training break or the morning after a competition to check the recovery status of the swimmer. Whenever possible the swimmer should aim to swim straight down the middle of the lane in training to keep the stroke even. Butterfly sets in training should commence in frequent small amounts rather than infrequent large amounts. For example, swimmers may do 800-1000m of varied Butterfly work in each training session (10 sessions a week) rather than 3000-4000m of Butterfly at each of three training sessions in a week. As mentioned previously, Age Group Butterfly swimmers must build to doing at least two or three sets of 2000-2400m each week, involving

repeats of 100m, 200m, and 300m. A flat-back position should be observed from the head to the base of the spine, upon entry of the arms, following the recovery. This position maximises the swimmer’s traction on the water, with the kick forcing forward propulsion and therefore maximising early application of force from the arms. Swimmers should practice Butterfly swimming and changing the stroke rate of the arms by changing the tempo of the kick. .

By Sweetenham 1990

THE TRUE MEANING OF SWIMMING A letter from a Swimmer to her High School

Coach “So tell me, is this what you expected?” “No, Coach, I never expected it would be this much ... fun!” Quite suddenly, after all the hours, days, months, and years I spent swimming lap after lap, I realised how much I really enjoyed it. In this one moment of realisation, it all became clear – swimming is fun! Ever since I can remember, I have been swimming. Swimming, swimming, swimming, all summer, all winter. It was never voluntary. I remember days where I sat and cried for hours on end, because I had to go swim. Don’t get me wrong – I love being in the water. But there’s swimming and there’s swimming. Such fear was associated with the “s” word, and hearing it sent shivers up my spine. Who knew such fright was harboured in this four letter word? To top it off, I went to the Dolphin Swim Club. This by itself was not bad, but the coach was none other than John Casadia! If there was anything that gave me more fear than swimming, it was Coach. I tremble at the very thought. So as the years passed, and I approached the age when all good girls go to high school, I learned of the Vineland High School Girls Swim Team. This was a new concept to me: people who actually want to swim, even if their coach was John Casadia. I was expected, no destined, to be on the team. Alas, there was nothing I could do to stop the impending doom of November 15th. The date came and went. It was an endless season, but the months flew by, and I still abhorred swimming (or so I thought). I would tend to forget all the times my teammates were there for me. There was so much encouragement, cheering, and praise that would bombard me every time I felt blue, but all forgotten. Completing the killer set, gliding through the water, “Down, grab look back, lift up” contained such a wonderful feeling, but was somehow lost. Even the feeling of camaraderie and animosity I felt. As I look back, I don’t know how I could not see the positives. I don’t think I will ever forget the exact moment of my realisation. Coach (Yes! Oh


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horror of horrors!) turned to me at our state finals dual meet and said “So tell me, is this what you expected?” For the first time, I truly considered swimming. I looked deep down into the recesses of my memory and called up every image of swimming I could find. I was overwhelmed with vivid pictures of my teammates, cheering and screaming. I recalled the feeling of gliding through the water, how smooth and sleek I felt. Every possible enjoyable memory was brought forth in the few moments I considered Coach’s question” No Coach, I never expected it would be this much ... fun!” Was that me? Did I really say fun? As in F-U-N? I considered his question again and again, as I have ever since, and I’m always delighted when I tell myself “Yes! Swimming is fun!” As the hours, days, months, and years pass, and I leave high school (and yes, my beloved team), I will always remember my moment of profound introspection. “Swimming” will no longer hold the connotation of horror and fear, but the feeling of fun and enjoyment. I know that because of this team, swimming will be a part of my life forever. But right now, I’ve got two more years to go!

There is MORE to swimming than pract ice, meets, and swimming fast! ! !

YES! Swimming is fun!

MAKING THE SALE By John Leonard

In every class I teach, regardless of Level or content, I make the point that if a young coach wants to improve their coaching they should go to one key section of the bookstore and start reading. Not physiology, not biomechanics, not nutrition and heaven forbid, not psychology ... no, they should go to the … SALES section. (Twelve coaches in the front row vomit. Another three pass out. Four more get up with disgust and head for the coffee...) Then I explain. “Look folks, all you do all day is Sell. You sell athletes on coming to AM workout. You sell them on the first set “8 x 400 IM, upsides down, backwards, underwater, with no breathing, Ready GO!” You sell the pool manager on giving you another hour of training time on Saturday. You sell your parent group on the idea of an out-of-town competition trip. You sell a lot of people on the idea of building a new pool for the program ... you sell people on the idea of volunteering their time to help the program function. It’s what coach does all day ... Sell, Sell, Sell. If you can’t sell that 11-year-old girl on the idea of doing 4 x 500 on a lower rest interval than she’s ever done before, you can’t coach. If you can’t sell your ideas, you can’t coach. Read that one more time, please. If you can’t sell your ideas, you can’t coach. Go work for Motor Vehicles; they don’t have to sell much. So, if you are going to be selling for your

success, you ought to consider getting good at it. Luckily, the USA is based around selling and the most brilliant salesmen and salesmen educators are in the USA. And whether you are selling the 8 x 400 IM, or the out of town competition, or a used 1968 Ford Falcon, it’s all the same. Sales are sales. So, here’s what I‘m going to do. I’m going to write 12 articles, one for each of the coming months, and explore three great ideas in each, so at the end of the year, you’ve had an opportunity to learn 36 wonderful ideas on how to be a better salesman (coach). And all included in the price of your ASCA membership. These three come from one of the greatest salesmen/educators of out time, Mr. Zig Ziglar. 1. ASK, don’t tell—Good salesmen solve problems. First, they have to find out what the problems ARE, so they are solving the right ones. LISTEN to your athletes, ask questions, find out what they care about, what they are concerned about. Only then do you decide what sale you are going to make. Same for every other sale ... ask first. Example:” How did you feel that 200 IM went?” “OK, I guess, but I wasn’t very strong coming home.” Response: “Gee, maybe we ought to do some more IM work in training so you can work on your transitions from stroke to stroke, what do you think?” “Yes, OK, that sounds like it might help.” Sale Made: Monday morning: 8 x 400 IM, upsides down, backwards, underwater, no breathing. ASK QUESTIONS. 2. Expect Every Sale—Expectation is half of selling. Selling is an emotional act, as is purchase. People decide on emotion. If your expectations are high, the sale will be made. Expectation makes your language assume the “assumptive close.” Example: “You know, Mrs. Smith, I really believe that if Emily joins us for this out of town trip next week, it will help her break out of her routine and end her current slump. Different competition, different environment, they can set her loose to be herself and achieve. Don’t you think that would be great?” EXPECT THE SALE. 3. “NO” means they don’t KNOW enough for you to make the sale—A “no” initial answer is just an invitation for more dialogue. It means they have not heard sufficiently convincing reasons to do what you ask. It’s an invitation to you to give them more and better information to make the right choice. Give them more information and help them thus make the choice they need to make. As Mark Schubert said in an ASCA World Clinic talk, “just keep talking to them, keep on talking. You’ll be amazed that more gets through than you think it does. Just keep talking to them.” That’s all for this month. Put ‘em into action and watch the results.


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Collins-Technique™The ultimate guide for improving core-

strength, speed and power for swimming by Paul Collins

$44(inc GST) + $11 P&H

COACHES: Learn everything you need to know about improving ‘core-strength for swimming’ with this world-

class coaching training manual.

The most specific and comprehensive book ever written on core-strength for swimming aims to provide a unique edge in the development of your overall swimming program by providing a system of dry-land exercises for all levels of swimmers in a step-by-step format that are so advanced they actually look simple!

Author of the ‘Collinsthenics Medicine Ball Workout’ core-strength expert Paul Collins combines the latest scientific knowledge with extensive practical application working alongside NSWIS elite swimmers and coaches to provide a series of collective tests, exercises, activities and example training programs specific to improving swimming performance.

This new approach introduces back-to-basic training applications for ensuring correct movement patterns in a progressive manner that enable greater strength, improved posture and streamlined body position in the water. A first of its kind, consideration is also provided for ‘hyper-mobile’ swimmers to ensure adequate support and strength is maintained throughout muscles and joints to improve performance and reduce the risk of injury.

The excellent collection of exercises includes… Isometric Drills Collins-Lateral Fly Series Activities for Developing the Abdominal Muscles and Lower Back Activities for Developing Leg Strength Activities for Developing the Back and Arms Activities for Developing the Chest and Arms Activities for Developing the Shoulder Girdle Medicine Ball Training Fitness Ball Training Dumbbell Circuit Stretching Core-strength Routines

AND MUCH MORE…

PO Box 824, Lavington NSW 2641 Phone: (02) 6041 6077 … Fax: (02) 6041 4282

E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.ascta.com

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