| |
|
|
| |
Head
Coach's Message for Long Course Season
May 2010
|
Murray
Drudge
NYAC Head Coach |
| |
With
the 2010 Team Champs just over, NYAC is in full swing for the LC season.
Our Team Champs performance was outstanding with great cheering and
support from swimmers, coaches and parents.
This summer we have exciting opportunities for each level within our
club. Below are the three categories that outline the approach to
each of these levels: |
| |
- Level
1 - Central Region Level Swimming
This level of swimming encompasses a wide variety of swimmers
in our beginner groups. It is the first rung in the ladder of
progression of meets. You are now climbing out of the Provincial
"C" standards and moving into the "B" level.
The Pickering meet and Grootveld Invitationa are practice meets
and you should be practicing skills that will allow you to sharpen
your performance. Turns, kicking well throughout the race and
finishing with great effort come with experience, so take the
time to think about your race before you swim it. Look forward
to Top Cup in May if your 10 & under and our own May Performance
Meet if you are 11 & over as the last chance to make Central
Regions! The qualifying times for Central Region LC are a little
harder than in short course season, so don't assume you have made
it. At this level you should try to qualify in more than one event.
Traditionally the Central Region SC Summer Team Champs will be
held in Etobicoke June 19-20 and typically has been an exciting
team event for NYAC in the past. This is because we always challenge
for the win and it would require every swimmer's best effort.
This means we need our swimmers to complete the season and be
ready to race and finish with their best effort of the season.
Wouldn't it be nice to start your summer holiday with the knowledge
that you have finished the season's race schedule successfully
at the end and didn't decide to skip the last team meet due to
other activities or distractions. It will take all of our families'
commitment to finish the season. Keep in mind that the Red, Black
and White meet will be held June 26 at Douglas Snow. Training
groups might like to schedule a year end celebration following
this meet.
|
| |
- Level
2 - Provincial Level Swimming
Moving from the Central Region level to Ontario Provincials is
a big step. Your first Provincial time is a big moment and you
will remember it. Keep it in perspective though and don't think
it stops there. Most swimmers spend a long time at this level
before moving onto the next. Be versatile in your events, because
what stroke was on top yesterday may not be on today's menu. Swim
your 400 IM, 200 IM, 400 Free and the distance events to give
you a solid foundation. Practise getting better while you're getting
faster! This means stuff like splitting races correctly or understanding
stroke range before stroke rate. I often see youngsters making
mistakes because they can't get past the "was it a best time
mentality". Parents also can help by not emphasizing one
event over the other or putting too much emphasis on placing.
Kids mature at different rates both physically and mentally, so
keep it in perspective. Coaches understand the long term development
of the sport but that's not as apparent to the over ambitious
parent. Being a qualifier at this level doesn't stop the quest
for success: this is where swimmers usually decide if this is
their sport and ask the question "how far can I go?"
The answer to this question is directly related to how much ownership
the swimmers feel they have. This inevitably determines the "drive"
within each of them - the ability to get the most out of themselves!
The Provincial Long Course Championships will be held in the Nepean
Sportsplex July 1-4.
|
| |
- Level
3 - National level and beyond
The first step is Age Nationals and then on the way to Senior
National and International swimming. This is an exciting summer
starting with Age Group Nationals in Winnipeg July 22-25, followed
by Senior Nationals in Victoria July 29-Aug 1. Most athletes will
go to one or the other meet, based on their highest level of placing.
You will want to ensure an opportunity to a second swim and therefore
you'll make your meet selection based on this premise. Preparation
for these meets has already begun back in April. This is Long
Course swimming, so these factors in order should be emphasised
throughout the preparatory phase of getting ready to race your
championship meet:
1. Stroke, rhythm, and flow
This means modifications need to be done early and training time
allowed to hone your stroke towards efficiency and consistency.
Distance per stroke and swimming at the appropriate heart rate
levels in training is critical. You've got to swim tough, train
fast , but be smart. Listen to your coach! When they tell you
to descend - then descend, and get faster! Don't hold the same
pace. All out effort is 100% - so empty your tank and leave it
all in the pool.
2. Use your 'in season meets' to split your race with the correct
ratios.
Correct ratios are different for each distance. For example, in
freestyle, its 1.5 to 2.0 seconds between 50's or 100's - for
the 100 and 200 metre event. Let me illustrate this: for a race
time in a 200 Free, your splits would be out in 103.8 at the 100
and back in 106.6 to go 2:10.40. The difference is +2.8 - so use
your in season race opportunities to make sure you finish races
strong and that you don't go out too hard.
3. Mentally prepare for the end of the season meet and work your
mind backwards. Athletes at this level will not get their best
performance without mental preparation. We need a warrior mentality
with an inner calm that stresses the visualized race before it
happens. The focused athlete will take 6-8 breaths per minute
while imagining their swim. Working out your goal splits in advance
for the championship meet tends to sharpen the body and mind towards
this expected result. The best coaches and athletes see the final
destination before it happens. This level is for the goal oriented
determined athlete with a high level of drive.
|
| |
- NYAC Position
on Racing Suits
The FINA Congress, on July 24, 2009, voted 168 for and 7 against
on FINA legislation marking the end of the super swimsuits of
2008-2009. FINA decided that starting in 2010, swimsuits will
only be made of fabric. Men's suits will be waist to knee (jammers)
and women's suits will be below the neck (shoulder straps) to
above the knee. This decision by FINA has caused NYAC to change
our policy with regards to what technical racing suits we allow
our swimmers to wear. Previously, it was recommended that swimmers
attain at least a Senior National level of competition before
they suit up in a technical racing suit such as a Laser. Now that
the FINA approved suits no longer enhance swim performance, NYAC
swimmers can race in whatever suit they wish. But this is not
a free license to purchase suits that may be beyond the swimmer's
level of performance. We continue to recommend that swimmers race
in suits that are appropriate for their age and performance level.
We want our swimmers to focus on proper technique and race strategy
and not to put emphasis on the racing suit to make the athlete
swim fast.
|
| |
Murray
Drudge
May 3, 2010 |
| |
|
|
|
