Race Club Article

Originally posted by seltzer I'm not sure about the "any coach can teach technique" statement, in my opinion this is the most challenging area of swim coaching, but wonder what you think USA swimming should do in the area to help coaches tailor swim training programs? BTW, I am aware that lots of people have written articles on this subject and coaches spend lots of time trying to figure out how to best accomplish this. The scientific literature also includes a number of studies on this topic. Its my experience that coaches try their best in this area but it is pretty complicated task especially when you are dealing with younger athletes that are still growing physically and mentally at very different rates. Hall made a number of points that are valid re training and specialization but also are well-known issues that many people are trying to address from a prespective of experience and knowledge that I'm not sure that he can claim beyond his experience as a swimmer and coach at the Race Club. I think that Hall's comments/suggestion re marketing of swimming are far more interesting and valuable than his personal opinions on how to train swimmers, other than himself. I agree that technique is one of the hardest things to teach. It is easy to send the kids up and down and get them swimming yards. But swimming them smart is another story. Many coaches are dealing with lack of pool space. In our age group program, when you have 10-15 kids per lane, it is very hard to focus on that technique, and the energetic 12 and under loses focus very fast if it is all technique. It is a talented coach who can intermix the yardage and the technique well with this age. I have seen coaches that are excellent at this, and I have seen coaches that I would like to go down and shake them and say, can't you SEE what all your kids are doing(I don't, because I do know how hard it is). Aerobic base, and technique are probably the two most important things to the 12 and unders(10 and under much more technique focused), and crowded pool conditions help neither.

Originally posted by seltzer I'm not sure about the "any coach can teach technique" statement, in my opinion this is the most challenging area of swim coaching, but wonder what you think USA swimming should do in the area to help coaches tailor swim training programs? BTW, I am aware that lots of people have written articles on this subject and coaches spend lots of time trying to figure out how to best accomplish this. The scientific literature also includes a number of studies on this topic. Its my experience that coaches try their best in this area but it is pretty complicated task especially when you are dealing with younger athletes that are still growing physically and mentally at very different rates. Hall made a number of points that are valid re training and specialization but also are well-known issues that many people are trying to address from a prespective of experience and knowledge that I'm not sure that he can claim beyond his experience as a swimmer and coach at the Race Club. I think that Hall's comments/suggestion re marketing of swimming are far more interesting and valuable than his personal opinions on how to train swimmers, other than himself. I agree that technique is one of the hardest things to teach. It is easy to send the kids up and down and get them swimming yards. But swimming them smart is another story. Many coaches are dealing with lack of pool space. In our age group program, when you have 10-15 kids per lane, it is very hard to focus on that technique, and the energetic 12 and under loses focus very fast if it is all technique. It is a talented coach who can intermix the yardage and the technique well with this age. I have seen coaches that are excellent at this, and I have seen coaches that I would like to go down and shake them and say, can't you SEE what all your kids are doing(I don't, because I do know how hard it is). Aerobic base, and technique are probably the two most important things to the 12 and unders(10 and under much more technique focused), and crowded pool conditions help neither.