Age Group: Racing Technically Correct

Editors Note: The following terrific "instruction sheet" is developed by Coach Cathy Manthey for her age group swimmers. Complete, thorough, but not overwhelming for young minds, it is a great example of what age group coaches teach in racing skills.

Coach Manthey has recently "temporarily retired" from coaching at San Jose Aquatics, where she was a mainstay of one of the finest coaching staffs in the USA, working for Head Coach Bill Thompson. Coach Manthey will undoubtedly return to coahcing when her life circumstances allow. We’re eager to have her back! Good Luck Coach Cathy! --JL

FREESTYLE

Distance Pattern Pace
25 yards As few as possible Sprint
50 yards Every 6 or 8 Sprint
100 yards 2-2-4 Build 1st 50
or every 3rd (Bilateral breathing). Spirit 3rd lap
Last lap takes care of itself.
200 yards 2-2-4 or 2-2-3 or 2-2-2-3 Build 1st 100

Sprint 3rd 50
Last lap takes care of itself.
Starts No too deep
Kick and streamline
Do not breathe 1st stroke
Turns Accelerate inside the flags
Snappy flip turn
Streamline and kick off wall
Do not breathe 1st stroke
Finishes Accelerate inside the flags
Do not breathe last 5 yards
Reach and touch the wall underwater - no extra stroke
100IM Breathe 2 down - 1 up in the fly
Build your backstroke
Faster pace on breaststroke - stretch & streamline
Finish strong in freestyle and remember your breathing pattern
Good transitional turns
Do not breathe last 5 yards at the finish
200IM Breathe 2 up, 1 down in fly
Build the 1st lap and sprint 2nd lap of each stroke
Remember your zones - accelerate in and out of all turns
Good transitional turns - long streamlines off all walls
Stick to your breathing pattern and do not breathe last 5 yards in freestyle

BREASTSTROKE

Distance Breathing Pattern Pace
25 yards Every stroke Sprint
50 yards Every stroke Sprint
100 yards Every stroke Build 1st 50
Sprint 3rd lap
Last lap takes care of itself
Starts A little deeper than freestyle
3-2-1 pulldowns
Accelerate inside the flags
Turns "Karate chop" - telephone call"
Touch with 2 hands
Snappy flip
A little deeper than freestyle
3-2-1 pulldowns
Finishes Accelerate inside the flags
Stretch for the wall - do not take an extra stroke
Always touch with 2 hands under water

BUTTERFLY

Distance Breathing Pattern Pace
25 yards As few as possible Sprint
50 yards 2 down - 1 up Sprint
100 yards 2 up, 1 down or every other Build 1st 50
Sprint 3rd lap
Last lap takes care of itself
Starts A little deeper than freestyle
Long streamline and dolphin kick hard to surface
Do no breathe the first stroke
Turns "Karate chop" - "Telephone call"
Touch with 2 hands
A little deeper than freestyle
Long streamline and dolphin kick hard to surface
Do not breathe the first stroke
Accelerate inside the flags
Finishes Do not breathe the last five yards of your race
Accelerate and charge the wall
Always touch wall underwater with two hands
Reach for the wall
Do not take an extra stroke on your finish

BACKSTROKE

Distance Breathing Pattern Pace
25 yards As few as possible Sprint
50 yards 2 down - 1 up Sprint
100 yards 2 up, 1 down or every other Build 1st 50
Sprint 3rd lap
Last lap takes care of itself
Starts Hands on gutter
Long streamline 2-4 dolphin kicks then flutter
Strong breakout stroke - 1 arm only
Turns Accelerate inside the flags
Know your stroke count from the flags without looking for wall
Snappy flip
Long streamline 2-4 dolphin kicks then flutter
Strong breakout stroke - I arm only
Finishes Accelerate inside the flags
Know your stroke count
Last stoke-head goes back and kick
Charge the wall
Always touch wall under water
Do not breath the last 5 yards
YES, even in backstroke!

REMEMBER
FOCUS ON THE PROCESS AND THE RESULTS WILL COME.

With our final "peak performance" of this season upon us, it is essential that we all focus on being "technically correct." Most other teams and our competitors are in good shape, physically. Winning races comes down to who swims smarter and which athletes swim technically correct. The following reprint is especially appropriate as we approach Peak Performance.

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect
I have always felt that the single most important thing to teach 12 and under swimmers is how to be technically sound in race situations. I want our swimmers to know what to do at each step in their races and to be able to execute these techniques and strategies like clockwork. I do not believe in focusing on the outcome of a race because there are just too many factors that are uncontrollable. What I do believe in is focusing on the process of what you can do to give yourself the best possible performance. Swimming or racing technically correct is my term for describing the ideal way to swim a race. Swimming technically correct is now the number one task in our training plan. All of our age group swimmers need to establish flawless basic racing skills before individual race strategies can be determined. Once a swimmer can consistently demonstrate these basic principles during a race, we can then individualize variations in racing techniques that will continue to enhance the swimmers performance. Every time a swimmer swims a race technically correct, it is like putting money (i.e. experience) in the bank. When peak performance meets come along, these swimmers have the greatest reserves to draw from. These are the swimmers that have trained hard at being technically sound, rehearsed their races correctly several times at meets, and in practice, and with a taper and proper rest they are consistently able to do their personal best times when it really counts. These swimmers are also better prepared to handle the transition from the age group agenda to the senior development program.