BILL SWEETENHAM, AM ASCTA CONFERENCE, MAY 2013 HIGH PERFORMANCE PREPARATION

ESSENTIALS 1.Provide opportunities to improve quality of training based on different challenges, stimulus etc. 2.Create a framework that allows coaches to repeat and refine the process. 3.Promote rehearsal of protocols. 4.Increase winning exposure to international competitions.

OBJECTIVES 1.Athletes and coaches realise what it takes to prepare to perform at their best at the Olympic Games or major international competition. 2.Athletes and coaches have access to international protocols and first class resources for Olympic or major international event preparation. 3.Athletes to be the best prepared athletes in the world at Olympic Games or major international competitions. 4.Athletes to achieve podium results at Olympic Games and major international competitions.

CHARACTERISTICS 1.Repeatable week cycles in the lead-up to the major event. 2.Use of all aspects of sports science as a means to building up endurance and speed, and helping to increase the specificity of training for 200 and up swimmers. 3.Seize the opportunity to compete in domestic in the lead-up to the selected meet. 4.High exposure to competition from January to the major event (domestic international or time trials). 5.Camps and competitions included in the plan to be confirmed a minimum of one year in advance.

PRINCIPLES OF OLYMPIC PREPARATION 1.Specificity of stimulus. 2.Progressive training and competitive overload. 3.Speed of recovery. 4.Repeatable excellence. 5.Training and competitive mindsets.

High Performance Youth and Age Learn to Swim Capacity of the Programmes Number of Programmes

GOALS AND TARGETS 1.Do we have enough high performance programmes to achieve the targets? 2.How many programmes are feeding the itinerary to high performance? 3.How can we increase these numbers?

CAPACITY AND PROTOCOLS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE PROGRAMMES 1.10X2 hour sessions per week available (minimum). 2.Systematic access to training 50 metre pool. 3.Land training 5X1 hours per week with basic equipment weeks per year of training with no more than 2 weeks off. 5.Sensible ratio and homogeneity of swimmers per lane (6/50 - 4/25).

CAPACITY AND PROTOCOLS FOR YOUTH AND AGE PROGRAMMES 1.10X1.5 hour sessions per week available. 2.Frequent access to 50 metre training pool. 3.Land training 4X1 hours per week with basic equipment weeks per year of training with no more than 3 weeks off. 5.Sensible ratio and homogeneity of swimmers per lane (8/50 - 6/25).

CAPACITY 1.Organisation that supports the programme. 2.Board. 3.Recruitment/feeding capacity (LTS Y&A HP) 4.Sustainability.

CAPACITY + CAPABILITY Training and coaching athletes on a high performance environment or develop them to access to high performance = ROLE ON THE SYSTEM

SUPPORT SYSTEMS OF INTERNATIONAL HIGH PERFORMANCE 1.Identify programmes capable of developing athletes on the high performance pathway. 2.Challenge coaches and athletes. 3.Support the improvement of the capacity and capability of the programmes. 4.Assist the development of the programmes.

COACHING/SPORTS SCIENCE TEAMS Coaches and athletes preparing using world and Olympic level training and coaching strategies on an hourly, daily and weekly basis in club programmes ahead of all opposition and competition.

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