Any suggestions from anyone? Here's the deal:
We started 5 years ago with 27 gung ho masters swimmers--of very mixed ability. There are 2 of us left standing...
We work out with the kids who are trying to maintain fitness for highschool swim season or are trying to get into more challenging age group workouts. Again mixed ability.
$173 per trimester
4 workouts a week..ALL at 7:45 pm.
The triathlon group in town has 60 + members.
Triathletes get discouraged because of the stroke work
One of our coachs is great, the other is only fair.
6 coaches in 5 years.
What are we doing wrong? The program is on life support!
PS: Personally, I am never going to stop, ever.
Parents
Former Member
I swim masters with 2 main groups and both have a few triathletes. But I notice that stroke work is kept at a minimum. In a typical 3,300 yard workout there's a 300-400 yd FS warmup, 200-300 yard pull and a 200-300 yard kick drill to start things off. A transition set might have catch up drills or simply state "drill" for some sets of 50's or 100's. But that's usually it for drills as the main set is all FS or with some IM mixed in. The Masters programs here are very cool with the Triathletes and don't expect them do do IM stuff, nor are snotty about it. To get your numbers up I suggest appealing to the local triathletes which means you might have to reduce drills/strokework etc. I understand the need for strokework but sometimes you've got to change the menu to attract customers. Triathlon is a very fast growing sport and might get a kick start this year if Lance Armstrong signs up for KONA.
O.K. I mis-interpreted "stroke work" for drills etc. But again, when all others are doing butterfly, backstroke, breastroke etc. the triathletes are doing freestyle. It sometimes is a challenge due to ability (fs vs bs in same lane) but we seem to work through it O.K.
I've seen many triathletes take on stroke work just to mix it up a bit, even butterfly!
The key is to make them feel comfortable in the group.
I swim masters with 2 main groups and both have a few triathletes. But I notice that stroke work is kept at a minimum. In a typical 3,300 yard workout there's a 300-400 yd FS warmup, 200-300 yard pull and a 200-300 yard kick drill to start things off. A transition set might have catch up drills or simply state "drill" for some sets of 50's or 100's. But that's usually it for drills as the main set is all FS or with some IM mixed in. The Masters programs here are very cool with the Triathletes and don't expect them do do IM stuff, nor are snotty about it. To get your numbers up I suggest appealing to the local triathletes which means you might have to reduce drills/strokework etc. I understand the need for strokework but sometimes you've got to change the menu to attract customers. Triathlon is a very fast growing sport and might get a kick start this year if Lance Armstrong signs up for KONA.
O.K. I mis-interpreted "stroke work" for drills etc. But again, when all others are doing butterfly, backstroke, breastroke etc. the triathletes are doing freestyle. It sometimes is a challenge due to ability (fs vs bs in same lane) but we seem to work through it O.K.
I've seen many triathletes take on stroke work just to mix it up a bit, even butterfly!
The key is to make them feel comfortable in the group.
