Jim Fowlie
Head Coach
New South Wales Institute of Sport
Swimming New South Wales
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Seasonal Planning, Racing Tactics,
Strategies, Philosophies, Parents
and oh yeah…. Swimmers?
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Seasonal Planning, Racing Tactics,
Strategies, Philosophies, Parents
and
OH YEAH! SWIMMERS!
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Kids Just Wanna Have Fun(?)
What is FUN?
A sense of
accomplishment
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Racing is
FUN !
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
So, What is Coaching?




Goal Setting
Planning
Monitoring
Evaluating
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
But where to begin?

Monitor


Know where you are at.
Test Swims and
Competitions.

Repeatable
Reliable
Challenging
Purposeful

Talent Identification




Rate of improvement!
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Monitoring

The Hawthorne Effect


Initial improvement in a
process of production
caused by the obtrusive
observation of that
process.
Recording


Athlete or Coach
Pencil and paper

When we write, we think…
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Test Swims

Training

Functional fitness tests

Step tests 7 x 200

Aerobic component and
swim ability.
T-400 even split


Speed Tests




Neuromuscular
recruitment and activity
Dive 25’s and 50’s
Limited anaerobic power
and lactate activity
because of growth and
development stage in kids.
Kicking and Pulling

25 – 400’s timed swims
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
I.M. Based Swim Program

Developing all round, fully
skill based swimmers.


People will always fall to
their lowest skill level under
the combination of fatigue
and stress.
Transfer of skills from
weakest to strongest is
very high in motor learning.


Pushing off on left and
right sides.
Medley based camps 12
years and under.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Weekly training ‘Schedules’

Tied to academic
schedules?




Academic schedules
have been tied to
agricultural calendar
for 150 years, why
don’t they change?
Holiday camps
Weekend training
Big City traffic and
work schedules of
families
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Alternative
School Year Training Plan
Traditional
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
AM SWIM
SWIM
X
SWIM
SWIM
SWIM
X
PM SWIM
SWIM
SWIM
SWIM
SWIM
X
X
New Alternatives
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
AM SWIM
X
X
SWIM
X
SWIM
SWIM
PM SWIM
X
SWIM
SWIM
SWIM
SWIM
X
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
AM SWIM
X
X
SWIM
X
SWIM
SWIM
PM SWIM
X
SWIM
SWIM
SWIM
SWIM
X
Swim alternatives
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Weekly training ‘Plans’

Change the stimulus, not just
the volume.


Having said this, don’t break
things up, just to entertain.
Stimuli
Short Term Fitness
(developed quickly and lost
quickly)



Functional – Cardiovascular
fitness
Neuromuscular – speed and
skill
Long Term Fitness (developed
slowly and last a long time)


Structural – Strength and
Power development
Physical attributes – muscle
development and hormone
activity.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Control the Training





Reduce stroke count
Reduce breathing
Reduce heart rate
Increase speed
INCREASE POTENTIAL
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Swim Training

Training Volume (km)



ADOLESCENCE
Increase between 13-15 years
of age.
Training Intensification




anaerobic threshold and
above – 160 HR+
ADOLESCENCE AND
ADULT
After 15 years of age
Skill acquisition (technique)


PRE-PUBERTY AND POST
ADOLESCENCE
Before 15 and after 18 years
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
% Aerobic vs.
Anaerobic Training
Heart Rate
120 - 140
140 - 160
160 - 180
180 - 200


Adult
75%
15%
5%
5%
Adolescent
40%
30%
20%
10%
Control technique at all
intensities and all speeds
(stroke count)
Adult - Minimal short rest
training, but lots of
continuous training
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Weekly Training ‘Programs’



% Aerobic,
Anaerobic, technical,
speed and quality
work.
VS.
% Challenges,
Games, Relays and
FUN things to do.
Mixing these things
well is good
programming.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Weekly training ‘Diaries’

Log Books




Great, but swimmers
won’t fill them out if
they don’t get
feedback from you!
Ken Wood – weekly
reads the log books
Rohan Taylor and Ian
Pope – Visual Coach
software program.
Weekly meetings to
review
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
NAME:
DATE:
DAY: MON
WEIGHT:
SLEEP
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
MON
8:00 PM
8:30 PM
9:00 PM
9:30 PM
10:00 PM
10:30 PM
11:00 PM
11:30 PM
12:00 AM
12:30 AM
1:00 AM
1:30 AM
2:00 AM
2:30 AM
3:00 AM
3:30 AM
4:00 AM
4:30 AM
5:00 AM
5:30 AM
6:00 AM
6:30 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 AM
8:00 AM
8:30 AM
9:00 AM
QUALITY
E 1-5 (1=LOW / 5 = HIGH)
NAP (hrs)
RESTING HEART RATE
NUTRITION : RATE 1-5 ON QUALITY
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
DINNER
SNACKS
SUPPLEMENTS
TOTAL
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
NAME:
DATE:
DAY: MON TUE WED THU
SWIMMING RECORD VOLUME IN KMS.
VOLUME
TRAINING: RATE 1-5 ON QUALITY
QUALITY
DRYLAND RECORD IN TIME
TIME
QUALITY
RECOVERY RATE 1-5 ON QUALITY
TIME
QUALITY
PHYSICAL WELL BEING RATE 1-5 ON QUALITY
FRI
SAT
SUN
MON
EYES/EARS/NOSE/THROAT
MUSCLE SORENESS
FLEXIBILITY
GENERAL WELL BEING
SWIM ABILITY RATE 1-5 ON QUALITY
FEEL
RANGE OF MOTION
POWER
ENURANCE
PSYCHOLOGICAL RATE 1-5 ON QUALITY
DETERMINATION
FRUSTRATION
PERSONAL MANAGEMENT
CONFIDENCE
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
Competitions and Carnivals

“I always swim fast in
this pool!”… “How
many times have you
swum here?”….
“Once.”

Realize Kids and
Parents have no
experience and their
first experience is all
their experience.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Competitions and Carnivals

“If you are going to be a
swim coach…. Commit
yourself, surrender, give
yourself to it. I love this
lifestyle and I wouldn’t
trade it for the world.”

Tom Johnson

2007 World Champion
100 Free Brent Hayden’s
Coach and 6 time
Olympic Coach for
Canada
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Competitions and Carnivals

Develop Racing Skills and
Routines


Reduce Stress > increases focus
on task > chance of success >
sense of accomplishment > FUN
Questions are the same as you
have when you swim





Where’s the ready room?
What time do I race?
When do I warm up?
What should I eat and when?
Questions are the same for
parents as kids.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Competitions and Carnivals

Race instructions

Talk Before and After!



Ask questions - be
specific…. “Howzzat?”
Goal sheets are great
question helpers!
Simple or complex….
Make your own





Splits
Technical cues
Tactical cues
Physical expectations
Good to learn differences
in expectations between
swimmer and you!
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Competitions and Carnivals

Video




Most under used tool in
coaching, yet the most
valuable tool.
Swimmers only need to
watch once to get the idea.
2004 research with SNC
showing reduced anxiety in
swimmers after viewing
failed swims.
Nancy and Mariam
Sweetnam – daughter and
mother…. 3 times coach of
the year in Canada.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
IF: Tournament Readiness is
important…

Golf


Tennis


Increased skill and
focus on task
Increased skill and
specific endurance
Basketball

Increased skill and
team play
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
IF: Extended Competitive Phases
are productive…

Ice Hockey


Baseball


160 games
Cricket


78 games in season,
plus 28 games in
playoffs
3 month tours
Cycling and Rowing

Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
3 – 6 month tours
Why: Are swimming competitive
phases so short?

Sport is dominated by
Age Group Programming.


Youth – athletes are
growing providing
tremendous benefits from
training process
Confidence of athletes and
coaches



Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Repeat performances
Avoid expectations and
pressure
“Don’t know how they did
it… or how to repeat it…”
Relays

Team based component
in swimming


Sense of responsibility to
others.
Sense of accomplishment.


Swim faster then in
individual events stimulates
the imagination.
Essential skill to foster

To create opportunities
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Keep Racing?

Jodie Henry and Ian
Thorpe

Post 2004 Olympics



Jodie kept racing
Ian stopped racing
Result?

Not racing creates
huge obstacles and
expectations
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Successful Competitive
Strategies

Alex Popov

Feb – Aug 1992


Tracy Calkins

1978


113 swims under 50.5
6 world records 200 IM,
rotating improved splits on
fly, back and breast
USA High School and
University Swimming

Traditional duel meet
seasons of 10 - 13 meets
in 16 weeks
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Australian Competitive
Strategies

Michael Klim


1998 started fast.
Traditionally, Australia had
difficulty racing early in
major competitions.
Strategy of every race
between (Jan. 1997 and
Oct. 1998) was a potential
World Record creating the
belief and experience that
he could swim fast
anytime, anywhere against
anyone!
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Australian Competitive
Strategies

Relays

Swimmers and coaches
realized they could win a
medal and multiple medals by
swimming great relays

1995 World S/C - Brazil



Suzie O’Neill and Sam Riley
– first 5 gold medal haul for
swimmers since Dawn
Fraser
15 of 21 swimmers came
home with medals
“The guy who finishes fastest
Wins.”

Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Laurie Lawrence
1988 Olympic Games
Australian Competitive
Strategies

Eamon Sullivan



June and July 2006 – 15
races under 50.5
June and July 2007 – 15
races under 50.0
Winter Competitions




Mare Nostrum
West Coast Tour
Short Course State and
Open Championships
NSW Duel Meet Series
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Australian Competitive
Strategies

Follow on Competitions

Major International followed
by other competitions.



Stabilize result
Take another step
Big taper, one event?


Brooke Hanson


Post 2004 Olympics – 6
Gold Medals at World
Short Course
Championships
Grant Hackett

Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Small sense of
accomplishment for
effort
Post 1997 Pan Pac’s –
World Record SC in
Perth
Australian Competitive
Strategies

Duel Meet Series



Australia vs. USA
Trans Tasman Series
NSW Duel Meet Series

Metro’s, Trans Tasman,
NSW Duel Meets series



Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Up to 65 races in two
weeks!
Alternative?
Result!
 Increased skill,
reliability,
repeatability and
reduced pressure
Physical Adaptations from
Competitions

Physiology





Specific Motor Skill Learning
Anaerobic and MVO2 systems
stressed to limit
Lactate P/T systems stressed
to limit in adults
Endocrine activity peaked –
Cortisol, Testosterone and
HGH
Biomechanics

Specific Skill



Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Starts, turns, finishes (50% of
100 meter events)
Pace – Stroke length (SC)
and Stroke rate
Race Modeling for training
Race Preparation

Warm ups –

Timing optimal –


Swim 20 – 30 minutes
prior to race
Food and Fuel



Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
60 – 90 minutes prior
‘Bite’ and drink 20
minutes prior to race
Fuel for only the energy
required – not winter
stores!
Recovery Techniques

Warm Downs

800 – 1200 meters


Stretching


4 x (200 + 4x50)
Very effective! Long
slow, soft, breathing
Food and Fuel



Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
NO Lollies
Chocolate Milk –
Perfect
Whole grain breads –
low glycemic indexed
foods
Parents




We all have them, some of us
are them…
Be firm, fair, open and able to
finish a conversation.
Be specific to the child and do
not allow generalizations or
other names to be brought into
the conversations
Have a board member, other
non-connected parent or staff
member in attendance to
ensure you don’t get run over
and to stop you before you go
to far.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Parents

Regular Monthly
Meetings


10 – 30 minutes
Be prepared




What we’ve done in the
past month.
What we’re doing now.
What we’re going to be
doing in the next month.
Regular Contact Times

10 minutes – 2 – 3 times
per week after training to
get information or ask
questions.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Parents and Kids

Socializing

Be careful dating single
parents.


Be careful drinking and
partying with club members.


Be professional and
respectful
Don’t open yourself to
scrutiny
Do Not be alone with a
swimmer ever!



Do not drive swimmers home.
Do not have swimmers stay
over at your home.
You are in a position of
authority and control. This
can be used against you!
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Swimmer Character



‘Character is what you do,
when no one is watching.’
Often reflective of the teacher
or coaches interest, focus and
attention towards the activity.
Discipline

Self control first


Group control second



Internal
External
Peer vs. autocratic
Values

Can be imposed by leader,
but the must be maintained
consistent and apply to all or
TRUST will be jeopardized.
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Training Templates?

Sport is a business of
personal contacts.



You as athletes have
these contacts.
Visit experienced
coaches. Ask
questions, listen,
observe. Spend time.
There are some good
software programs


Visual Coach
Pencil and paper
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Team New South Wales - First
Philosophy





The Team NSW - First philosophy, is a key to the success of the
delivery of the technical program
The role and responsibility coaches and swimmers take on, when
representing NSW is one of mutual respect, trust and cooperation
To represent and be involved in a Team NSW program is a
great honor and responsibility
No recruiting and all coaches and swimmers will work in a
cooperative manner despite club affiliations
All camps will be open to all NSW coaches to participate in
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW
Thank you
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach SNSW and NSWIS
0400987815
jim.fowlie@nswis.com.au
Jim Fowlie
Head Coach NSWIS / SNSW