STAR Meets Zoom Meeting Summary

Meeting summary for GoSwim LIVE - Technique First Coaching - STAR Meets - Race without times.

Watch the entire Zoom meeting here.

‍Glenn and Aleks discussed the development of the Star Meet, a competition aimed at shifting the focus of athletes from times to other elements vital to long-term success. They emphasized the importance of strategy, technique, and pacing goals for swimmers, with parents involved in scoring. The meeting also highlighted the challenges of keeping swimmers focused on strategy and technique rather than just pace, and the importance of proper technique in swimming.

‍Next steps‍

• Coaches to implement "star meets" concept in practices or inter-squad meets to shift focus from times to technique and strategy.
• Coaches to educate parents on scoring criteria for star meets and involve them in the scoring process.
• Coaches to experiment with varying underwater dolphin kick counts and breakout points to optimize race strategy for individual swimmers.
• Coaches to work on improving swimmers' breathing technique, aiming for later breaths to maintain body position and momentum.
• Coaches to consider implementing peer coaching or having older swimmers observe and score younger swimmers' races to build team culture.

‍Summary Celebrating Legends and Upcoming Star Meets

‍Glenn announced the passing of two legendary swimmers and urged everyone to take care of themselves. Aleks discussed his new, exceptionally social baby. The meeting focused on discussing the upcoming star meets, a topic previously raised by Aleks and Rachel.

‍Developing Star Meet and Fostering Strategic Swimming

‍Glenn and Aleks discussed the development of the Star Meet, a competition aimed at shifting the focus of athletes from times to other elements vital to long-term success. They emphasized the importance of strategy, technique, and pacing goals for swimmers, with parents involved in scoring. Glenn introduced the idea of a whiteboard for brainstorming and encouraged the team to contribute more ideas. The discussion also highlighted the challenges of keeping swimmers focused on strategy and technique rather than just pace.

‍Fostering Positive Attitude and Individualized Coaching

‍Glenn and Aleks discuss how fostering a positive attitude and respect for competitors is crucial in coaching young swimmers. They emphasize individualized coaching approaches based on each athlete's abilities and goals. Glenn shares his experience of coaching athletes to swim faster by taking fewer strokes, a counterintuitive technique that athletes had to figure out themselves. He also mentions a recent meeting with coach Milo Cabbage, whose swimmer won a gold medal by a narrow margin.

‍Implementing "Star Meets" Scoring System for Swimmers

‍Glenn discussed the implementation of a scoring system called "Star Meets" to encourage swimmers to focus on technique and sportsmanship. The system involves setting goals for each swimmer, such as not taking more than 15 strokes for a 50-yard race, maintaining a constant kick, shaking hands before and after the race, and not breathing inside the flags. Points are awarded for achieving each goal, with the total score depending on the swimmer's performance and adherence to the goals. The system was designed to be positive, rewarding swimmers for doing things right rather than penalizing them for mistakes. Glenn also mentioned that the system was used for swimmers of all ages, including 5 and 6-year-olds. The conversation ended with a brief discussion on the origin of the Star Meets system and its potential for use in practice sessions.

‍Improving Swimming Technique and Strategies

‍Glenn discussed the importance of proper technique in swimming, emphasizing the need for swimmers to maintain a stable position as they enter the water. He highlighted the example of Staciana, who demonstrated excellent technique, and contrasted it with Davo's less stable approach. Glenn also introduced the concept of 'dolphin strategies', where swimmers experiment with different numbers of dolphin kicks to improve their performance. He used Bruno as an example, noting that he tends to over-practice and take fewer dolphin kicks than necessary. Glenn stressed the importance of learning proper technique and race strategy to achieve success in swimming, and encouraged the team to experiment with different approaches to improve their performance.

‍Swimmer Technique and Consistency Discussion

‍Glenn discussed the technique of a swimmer, focusing on the importance of consistency in the breakout point during a breaststroke. He used the example of an Olympic medalist, Bruno, to illustrate these points.

‍Swimming Techniques and Strategies Discussion

‍Glenn discussed various swimming techniques and strategies, emphasizing the importance of consistency and body rotation in breaststroke and freestyle. Glenn also stressed the importance of proper head position and consistent kicking throughout a swim. He suggested having two people at the end of each lane to monitor technique and count strokes.

‍Swimming Techniques and Rest Ratio Discussion

‍Glenn discussed the swimming techniques of Joao de Luca and Bruno, emphasizing their precision and late breaths. Steve asked about the rest ratio, to which Glenn responded that it was likely around 1:2.

‍Exploring Meet Engagement Strategies and Ideas

‍Glenn and Barbara discussed strategies for engaging athletes during meets. They considered having junior swimmers on deck as timers, using cards to record scores, and having older swimmers watch younger ones. They also discussed the idea of a "skins game" where the winners of each heat compete against each other in a final heat. Glenn attempted to use a whiteboard for brainstorming but encountered technical difficulties. The conversation ended with Glenn emphasizing the importance of coaches being known for their swimmers and the potential for a "plunge" event at a future meet.