Distance Events for Age Groupers

by Briana Sacco and USA Swimmings Age Group Planning Committee A number of years have passed since USA Swimming first recognized op!"# times for the $%%m&'%%yd freestyle for "%(Unders and )%%s of stro*e+ the $%% ,- and longer distance events for ""!")s in competition. At the time+ coaches agreed that this was a crucial step to improving the sport of swimming and the abilities of our growing athletes. /ow+ those individuals responsible for our athletes+ mainly parents and coaches+ are interpreting the application of this rule change differently. Should our swimmers be re0uired to swim longer events simply because they are offered in the meets1 2ho among our younger athletes are better suited to swim these longer events1 he Age Group Planning Committee of USA Swimming collected thoughts from age group coaches originally involved with the proposal to add longer events to the list of possible events for swimmers twelve!years!old and younger. 2hen as*ed about their position on this issue+ the coaches agreed3 longer events are beneficial to age group swimmers. According to -ichael 4awrence+ who coaches at 4a*e 5orest Swim Club+ the purpose of adding longer events was to encourage an aerobic training base that benefits the long!term development of our swimmers. 6, thin* the sprint events really favor the early maturer+7 says 8erry 9eed :llett of Curl! Bur*e Swim Club. :llett also feels that distance events are more physiologically suited for swimmers under the age of twelve+ since they have not completely developed an anaerobic system. -i*e 4ewellyn+ coach for the 8ansas City Blazers+ felt that allowing young swimmers to ease into the longer events in competition would create a transition period+ allowing the athletes more time to ad;ust the training and mentality involved with swimming longer distances. ,n addition+ the coaches had originally suggested that a strong coach and parent education effort be put into place to ensure that these new events served their intended purposes. -any issues have arisen after the addition of longer events for ") ( under swimmers. Perhaps the original purpose has been forgotten or is already being implemented in your swim club. ,n either case+ we have gathered information to supplement current methodologies and practices in an effort to create the best environment possible for our developing athletes. <o our twelve and under athletes have to swim the longer events simply because they are offered1 /o they dont+ according to the coaches we as*ed. :llett+ 4awrence+ and 4ewellyn agreed that swimmers who are able to swim the longer races correctly should be given the opportunity to swim them in competition. echni0ue is what counts+ not speed. ,f a swimmer can hold his&her stro*e for the entire )%% yards+ then he&she is ready to compete in that event. Are our swimmers specializing in events too early as a result of their anaerobic training1 he coaches agreed that a broad stro*e base is best for swimmers in the long term. 4awrence does believe that anaerobic training at a young age forces specialization to 0uic*ly. 4ewellyn feels strongly that parents and coaches are to blame when swimmers are encouraged to swim only one stro*e in a meet. As :llett puts it+ 6its the coachs ;ob to help the athlete develop with a wide variety of events.7

Are younger swimmers being over!trained as a result of introducing longer events in competition1 =ard training+ as well as good stro*es+ is necessary for success+ according to 4ewellyn. =e also points out that training for distance allows swimmers to compete in both distance and sprinting events+ whereas swimmers who only train anaerobically are only prepared to swim sprints. All the coaches agree that aerobic! based training is critical for the longevity of our swimmers. Are longer events driving young boys out of the sport of swimming1 4ewellyn believes that other issues+ not the addition of longer events+ are to blame for boys dropping out of the sport. Activities that allow boys to bond with other boys on the team have been beneficial+ as well as separating boys and girls into separate lanes during practices. According to :llett+ swimming loses young boys to other sports+ and it is also possible that some coaches are simply not a good fit for age group swimming. ,n fact+ one of the reasons longer events were added was to help *eep boys in the sport. 4ate bloomers have a better chance of succeeding in distance events+ while the early maturers generally dominate sprints. >ther pressing issues involve more administrative tas*s. -eet timelines can be a problem. -eets are running too long+ and host teams are struggling to *eep within the four!hour rule for younger swimmers. Some people are worried that teams are more focused on ma*ing money at meets than they are about their swimmers. -eets should be viewed and used as 6growth tools7 for swimmers+ according to 4ewellyn+ not ;ust moneyma*ing events. imeline issues do not have to be a problem. 4SCs simply need to be creative and use meet formats to attract swimmers. he Age Group Planning Committee will discuss meet format ideas at the USAS Convention in San <iego this fall. ,n addition+ scoring at championship meets+ time standards+ and op "# have become problematic. he coaches agreed that while problems may e?ist+ they are not reasons to be concerned. And while scores+ ribbons+ and times are issues that concern some parents+ the focus needs to be on the best interest of the swimmers+ not the adults involved. Also+ the longer events were added recently+ and :llett suggests that the *in*s will be wor*ed out over time. As with anything new+ unforeseen problems arise. 2e hope that this discussion is a step toward resolving the issues that have been raised. he *ey to developing our young athletes into long!term swimmers is education. 6Parent and coach education must be a priority+7 says 4ewellyn. he addition of longer events for age group swimmers has numerous positive possibilities+ so it is imperative that coaches and parents be informed about aerobic training and how that fits in with longer events in competition. he Age Group Planning Committee would li*e to than* -ichael 4awrence+ -i*e 4ewellyn+ and 8erry 9eed :llett for ta*ing the time to discuss these issues