Swim 21

Swim21 is the ASA’s (Amateur Swimming Association) club development model – a planning tool, enabling clubs to help swimmers, coaches and administrators achieve their full potential. It is centred around the needs of swimmers and regarded as the backbone of the ASA’s development programme.

Ware SC received its club’s Swim21 Accreditation at Teaching Level in July 2005 and has been re-accredited in July 2006.

Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD)

There are many types and levels of swimming club. The level for a club will depend on the number of hours of pool time available.

Each club should provide a well structured programme of training and competition for all its members.

Background

Scientific research has identified it takes 10 years or 10,000 hours for talented athletes to achieve sporting excellence.

Summary

To establish a clear swimmer development pathway.

Identify gaps in current swimmer development pathway.

Re-align and integrate programmes for developing swimmers and swimming.

Provide a planning tool for coaches and administrators.

LTAD Framework

LTAD Sport Development framework is based on growth and development.

Train to Win		Performance
Train to Compete		Competitive Development
Train to Train		Competitive Development
Swim Skills		Skill Development
Learn to Swim		Teaching
LTAD Level		Swim 21 Club Level

LTAD Club Level	Female Age	Male Age
Fundamental	5-8	5-9
Swim Skills	8-11	9-12
Training to Train	12-14	13-15
Training to Compete	14-15	16-17
Training to Win	16+	18+

Stage 1 – Fundamental (basic movement literacy)

Master basic stroke, technique and skills

Develop racing techniques

Train more than once a week

Enjoy your swimming

Stage 2 – Swim Skills (building technique)

Build on technique

Increase number of training times and length of sessions

Learn to train and develop skills including basic technical/tactical skills

Training to competition ratio is 75%-25%

Stages 3&4 - Training to Train (building the engine) and Training to Compete (optimising the engine)

Improve technique

Increase number of training times and length of sessions

Select competitions carefully - ensure appropriate for your stage of development

Training to Train

High volume, low intensity workloads to develop suppleness

Specific targets for each competition undertaken

End of stage = develop strength

Know how to warm up and down, how and when to stretch, how to optimise nutrition and hydration, mental preparation, how and when to taper and peak, pre-competition, competition and post competition routines should be established.

Training to Compete

Emphasis on physical conditioning with focus on maintaining high volume workloads with increasing intensity.

Emphasis on developing individual strengths and weaknesses based around specific strokes or distances Training to focus on development of max strength through use of weights

Stage 5 – Training to Win (maximizing the engine)

Complete training programme including land work

Work cycles to build on previous training

Commitment and hard work

Emphasis on specialisation and performance enhancement

Physical, technical, tactical, mental and ancillary capacities fully established

Athletes training to peak for specific competitions and major events

Training to continue to develop strength, core body strength and maintain suppleness

Ware Swimming Club

Swim 21 Level: Fundamental (Teaching)

AREA	ACTION
Number of Competitions	-
Competition Profiles	-
Competition Targets	-
Competition Events	25m all strokes 4/8/16 x25m relays all strokes Local Development Camps
Competition Types	Club Championships Inter club competitions Local/mini Leagues
Swim 21	Teaching
Coach Education	Level 1
ASA / British Swimming Programmes	National Level Teaching Plan ASA Awards
Chronological / Biological Age	Chronological/Biological Age Male 6-9 years Female 5-8 years
Development Phases	Movement literacy
Progression	Fun and participation General Overall development ABCs Agility, Balance, Co-ordination, Speed RJT Running, Jumping, Throwing KGBs Kinesthetics, Gliding, Buoyancy, Striking with the body CKs Catching, Kicking, Striking with an implement Speed power and endurance through fun and games Introduction to simple rules and ethics of the sport
Growth and Development Considerations	Emphasis on development of skills
Swimming Specific Skills	Development of all 4 strokes
Periodisation	No periodisation but well structured programmes with proper progression
Session Numbers	General sport participation 5-6 times per week. This should include land work and multi sport activity
Session Length	30-45 minutes