2010 GLST Practice overview Ages 9-10

 

Throughout the season I will focus on technique and what needs to be improved overall as a group and individually. Practice everyday will begin with minimum of 250 yards of warm-up including swim, drill and kicking. Through out the season I intend to stress sportsmanship and create a successful and fun swimming experience for every swimmer. Because I will be absent for the first two weeks of practice I will send work outs to Coach Mike and Coach Katie. 

Week One: 9-10 afternoon practice is from 5:45-6:30 pm on weekdays. Practice is for new swimmers on Monday and Tuesday, returning swimmers begin on Wednesday. Stroke progression drills for freestyle and backstroke only. Monday will be solely freestyle drills, Tuesday will be solely backstroke. As the returning swimmer begin practice the freestyle and backstroke drills we be repeated and introduced to the new swimmers. Friday will be a review  again, this is to ensure that the swimmers will keep the good habits introduced to them by the drills. Swimmers will swim shorter distances in practices focusing on stroke progression. These practices will also include a lot of instruction, technique evaluation and stroke correction. To begin building stamina and a strong kick; the first two weeks will include an excessive amount of kick sets. 

Week Two: Stroke progression drills for butterfly and breaststroke. This week will build up both butterfly and breaststroke piece by piece, again repetition is key to creating necessary legal and efficient habits.  Warm up this week will most likely revolve around review of the freestyle and backstroke drills.  We will also spend some time continuting to develop or freestyle and backstroke.

Week Three: As the swimmers have learned the basics of every stroke the amount of yards in each practice should increase, but not to an overwhelming amount. This week we will introduce the I.M. Along with focusing on the I.M and stroke technique in week 3 the swimmers will concentrate on starts, finishes and turns. Each day will be a mix of two strokes, and on some days the swimmers will have the choice of their favorite stroke.

Week Four: Leading up to the Blue/Green meet, practices will stress remembering technique while swimming FAST. This week I will express what I expect from the swimmers at each meet. Each day of the week will be a different stroke. Thursday practice will consist of mostly sprints, turns, starts and finishes ( and will be a major theme in each practice before every meet).

Week Five: Morning practice begins this week! (9-10 practice is 8:00-9:00 am at the Grand Brooks pool). This Saturday is our first REAL meet against South Ranch and it is an AWAY meet. Practices will focus on frequent mistakes and DQ’s in the Blue/Green meet. My goal for this week is to eliminate any illegal tendencies the swimmers have. . 

Week Six:  Our Next meet will be this Saturday, at HOME against Willowfork. Again practices will focus on stroke techniques and correcting problems found at the South Ranch Meet.  Friday practice will contain mostly of starts, turns, and sprints.

Week Seven: This week will mainly focus on our upcoming meets. Tuesday is an AWAY meet against Nottingham and Saturday is a HOME meet against Green Trails. This is also the last week of regularly scheduled practice!

Week Eight: : Meet of Champs practices begin. These practices will focus on specific stroke in which the swimmers have qualified. As the meet nears starts, turns and finishes will be stressed. Meet of Champs is on Saturday, June 26 and All-stars on Sunday, June 27. 


I hope this practice overview is helpful, and communicated my main goals and focuses for the season. If there are any questions concerning this or anything else my e-mail is 
kmo004@tamu.edu Throughout the season if your 9-10 child is unable to make a meet this is the BEST way to let me know, that way when we meet to make heat sheets I have it on record. I look forward to coaching each swimmer and I am very excited about the upcoming Gator season!!