USA Swim Team Parent Meeting September 24, 2015

Head Coach Andy Clifford

Agenda• Welcome

• Goals

• How the team works and TeamUnify

• Schedule

• What Swimmers are learning

• USA Boosters

• Questions

GOALS• Teach and develop sound fundamentals and

proper technique• Promote team unity• Teach healthy habits and good life skills• Have Fun• Swimming fast is fun

• Team management website:– Schedule of all Team Events– Meet Entries Availability• Please complete Commitment for each swimmer and

each day of every meet. Please Decline if you can’t make it. Not specifying “Commit” ensures that your child will not be entered into a meet.

– Communication Pipeline• Event Reminders, Schedule Updates

– Location for Team Information • Meets Sheets, Gear ordering info, Roster, Photos

Schedule of Fall 2015 Events• Oct. 3-4 DACA C/B/A+ Meet, DeAnza College All Swimmers

• Oct. 9 Candy Meet Group I

• Oct. 12 No Practice - Columbus Day

• Oct 23 Candy Meet Group I

• Oct. 31/Nov 1 Sunnyvale C/B/A+, Sunnyvale HS All Swimmers

• Oct. 29 Halloween Party / Scary Lane All Swimmers

• Nov 7-8 Santa Cruz Travel Meet Group III and Up

• Nov. 11 No Practice – Veterans Day

• Nov. 14-15 DACA C/B/A+ Meet, Saratoga All Swimmers

• Nov. 26 & 27 No Practice - Thanksgiving

• Dec. 4-6 Pac. Swim. 14 & Under JO’s Qualified Swimmers

• Dec. 4-6 Pac. Swim. Senior Champ’s Senior Group Swimmers

• TBD Dec. Holiday Dinner Party All Team Families

See TeamUnify for complete descriptions and details

What Swimmers are learning

Group I• Basic fundamentals of each competitive stroke• Basic fundamentals of flip turns, 2-handed turns and dives• How to work in a structured swimming environment• How to work within a group• Goal-setting• Basic conditioning• Basic race plans• Basic practice sets and distances• A love of the sport of swimming

Cont’dGroup II

• Basic fundamentals of each competitive stroke• Basic fundamentals of flip turns, 2-handed turns, and

race starts• How to “work together to get better” – group dynamic• Goal-setting• How to use the pace clock• Basic Training sets• More advanced race plans• How to have fun with swimming

Cont’dGroup III

• More advanced stroke technique• More advanced racing skills (Starts, turns, finishes)• The importance of working with a training group• More advanced training set design and pace clock

usage• How to relate training to competition and race plans• Goal-setting• How to work towards goals• USA Swimming time standards (A, JO, FW, )• Preparing for Pre-senior training• Swimming fast is fun

Cont’dPre-Senior Group

• More advanced stroke technique• More advanced racing skills (Starts, turns, finishes)• A strong group dynamic is critical for individual and team

success• More advanced training and increased volume• Dry-land training• Long term goal-setting• Learning from mistakes and continuing to work towards goals• Best times don’t come that easily• Connecting training to long-term goals• Learning to manage time• Showing an increased level of commitment• Preparing for Senior Level training/high school swimming

Senior Group• Continuation of all Pre-Senior Group curriculum• Focus on High School and College preparation• Attendance at Senior level competitions• USA Swimming time standards (Far Westerns, Sectionals,

Senior Championships, and Junior Nationals)• Increased practice volume including weekday early morning

workouts• High commitment level at practice and competitions• Athletes take ownership of their swimming

Cont’d

Parent Volunteer Commitment• For the team to operate at it’s highest potential every family is

needed and required to volunteer for the team• Timing at Swim Meets– Swim meet timing is our team’s largest volunteer

responsibility. If your child is attending a meet, you will be required to time at that meet. Officials and families attending their first meet are exempt.

– Timing assignment is based on the number of swimmers entered in the meet. Please attend all meets that you sign up for.

– Boosters Leadership chairs are exempt from timing.

Boosters• Team Socials

– Help coordinate two socials a year, one during the Holiday Season, the other at the end of the USA swim season

– Holiday Dinner Chair or Co-Chairs needed

• Officiating– Recruit potential volunteers for officiating, targeting parents of

younger swimmers

• Team Building– Work with coaches of each specific swim group to build team

spirit and confidence. This could be accomplished through group socials, outings, etc.

• Team Travel– Coordination of team travel events including full team travel

meets, JO, Far Western, and Senior travel meets– Travel Coordinator needed