British Swimming – 2012 -14

The Swimmer Support Pathway

Review, Evaluation, Key Findings and

Implementation Strategy

- Ian Freeman – ASA/British Swimming -

Coaching Systems - Research, Training and Development

LTAD and Sport Science

A 10 Year Journey of Change

• Early adopter of LTAD – No previous model.

• Background and evolution of the LTAD Change

Management Programme from 2002

• Progress and lessons learned to date

• Driving forward changes and innovations within our

coaching system

• Embedded into wider NGB programmes - improving

participation, skill development and performance at all

levels

Post London 2012 “Disappointing!”

• Extensive Review - ALL systems

• Coaching

• Talent ID

• Talent Development

• Club Structure

• Coach Education

• Athlete Pathway and Implementation

Strengths

- A well researched, (evidence based) structured, lifelong

participant development model

- World Class performances have improved

- Size and quality of the talent pool increased

- Beijing Olympics – ‘first real LTAD generation’ - Significant

performance improvements

- LTAD embedded in Teacher / Coach / Tutor education system

- Athlete centred – Coach and Performance Driven (thanks Istvan!)

- Elite swimmers - competing longer at the highest level -

Average age 22.2 years (23.9 (Men); 20.4 (Women))

- Coaches (LTCD), parents, administrators and athletes have a

better long-term outlook

Constraints • Is a more ‘holistic’ approach required?

• The current ASA LTAD model may require even more flexibility in

design and delivery

• Current ASA LTAD model is perceived by some as too

complicated

• Some still think that the model must be followed literally, without

consideration for individual athlete needs

• Lack of Teacher / Coach, athlete, parent, club and NGB

understanding of the model. Is the model still not being applied

as effectively as it could be?

• Some Coaches just don’t like change!

Opportunities LTAD as ‘The Swimmer Pathway’ – (we were) non-holistic in

design, overly scientific and non-user friendly

Develop simple tools to help parents, Teachers / Coaches,

athletes and clubs to better identify stages of development

athlete’s are in

e.g. online resources - E-learning (coaching iLearns) and enhanced CPD

Use the most appropriate components of LTAD and aspects of

other models e.g. DMSP, Morley’s Model of Talent Development

Better alignment of Club (swim21) categories

More Opportunities

Collect raw data from participating nations in the following

areas:

- International success at age group levels and gender specific

medals, records, national times, etc

- Retention rates at each stage of development

- The ‘culture’ of coaching and the training environment

The Ultimate Goal:

To base more training and competition structure on indicators of

biological development

To truly embed the model into the delivery system of the sport

Research • System-wide implementation

- ALL key staff need to understand, support, promote the model

• Teacher / Coach workforce needs to continuously support and

promote LTAD

• Coaches losing focus on coaching ‘the whole athlete’

• Not collecting sufficient, relevant longitudinal data

• Not monitoring the effectiveness of the model over a period of

time

• The model still being perceived as too complex

The Immediate Future

• A reviewed, re-modelled / re-branded and re-launched Swimmer

Support Pathway model.

• Blending key aspects from existing LTAD practice with more

holistic guiding principles

• Simple, accessible education tools - to identify stages of

development and what coach/athlete key motivators are

• To promote the athlete inventory to help guide coaches in how to

they implement key measurements and how often

• To pilot the design and delivery of competition structures based

on stages of development

Many Thanks

Ian.freeman@swimming.org

www.swimming.org