Distance Events for Age Groupers
 

Thanks to USA Swimming and Briana Sacco.

by Briana Sacco and USA Swimming’s Age Group Planning Committee

A number of years have passed since USA Swimming first recognized Top-16 times for the 400m/500yd freestyle for 10&Under’s and 200’s of stroke, the 400 IM and longer distance events for 11-12’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.  Now, those individuals responsible for our athletes, mainly parents and coaches, are interpreting the application of this rule change differently.  Should our swimmers be required to swim longer events simply because they are offered in the meets?  Who among our younger athletes are better suited to swim these longer events?  The 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.

When asked about their position on this issue, the coaches agreed: longer events are beneficial to age group swimmers.  According to Michael Lawrence, who coaches at Lake Forest Swim Club, the purpose of adding longer events was to encourage an aerobic training base that benefits the long-term development of our swimmers.  “I think the sprint events really favor the early maturer,” says Kerry Reed Ellett of Curl-Burke Swim Club.  Ellett 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.  Mike Lewellyn, coach for the Kansas 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 adjust the training and mentality involved with swimming longer distances.  In 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.  Many issues have arisen after the addition of longer events for 12 & under swimmers.  Perhaps the original purpose has been forgotten or is already being implemented in your swim club.  In 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.

Do our twelve and under athletes have to swim the longer events simply because they are offered?  No they don’t, according to the coaches we asked.  Ellett, Lawrence, and Lewellyn agreed that swimmers who are able to swim the longer races correctly should be given the opportunity to swim them in competition.  Technique is what counts, not speed.  If a swimmer can hold his/her stroke for the entire 200 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 training?  The coaches agreed that a broad stroke base is best for swimmers in the long term.  Lawrence does believe that anaerobic training at a young age forces specialization to quickly.  Lewellyn feels strongly that parents and coaches are to blame when swimmers are encouraged to swim only one stroke in a meet.  As Ellett puts it, “it’s the coach’s job to help the athlete develop with a wide variety of events.” 

Are younger swimmers being over-trained as a result of introducing longer events in competition?  Hard training, as well as good strokes, is necessary for success, according to Lewellyn.  He 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 swimming?  Lewellyn 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 Ellett, 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.  In fact, one of the reasons longer events were added was to help keep boys in the sport.  Late bloomers have a better chance of succeeding in distance events, while the early maturers generally dominate sprints.

Other pressing issues involve more administrative tasks.  Meet timelines can be a problem.  Meets are running too long, and host teams are struggling to keep within the four-hour rule for younger swimmers.  Some people are worried that teams are more focused on making money at meets than they are about their swimmers.  Meets should be viewed and used as “growth tools” for swimmers, according to Lewellyn, not just moneymaking events.  Timeline issues do not have to be a problem.  LSC’s simply need to be creative and use meet formats to attract swimmers.  The Age Group Planning Committee will discuss meet format ideas at the USAS Convention in San Diego this fall.  In addition, scoring at championship meets, time standards, and Top 16 have become problematic.  The coaches agreed that while problems may exist, 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 Ellett suggests that the kinks will be worked out over time.

As with anything new, unforeseen problems arise.  We hope that this discussion is a step toward resolving the issues that have been raised.  The key to developing our young athletes into long-term swimmers is education.  “Parent and coach education must be a priority,” says Lewellyn.  The 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.

The Age Group Planning Committee would like to thank Michael Lawrence, Mike Lewellyn, and Kerry Reed Ellett for taking the time to discuss these issues.  If you have any concerns or questions regarding this article, please contact Briana Sacco at babysplash@yahoo.com