Training Cycles, Sport Science & Dry-Land Overall goal Assist - PDF document

Training Cycles, Sport Science & Dry-Land Overall goal Assist sporting parents to: The Sporting Parent’s Journey  Enrich the parents’ journey  Raise the awareness of the swimmer’s experience  Inform about LTAD: facts & purpose Stephan Widmer SSA National Head Coach & Performance Director NYSI Youth Coaching Conference, February 2018 Head Coach Widmer Head Coach Widmer Athletic achievements of my swimmers: Education & professional experience: 5 Olympic Gold Medals Swiss heritage 20 individual World Records Studies: Bachelor in PE & Masters of Science 5 years Lecturer at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology 16 World Championships Gold Medals 20 years of Experience in High Performance in Australia Head Coach Widmer Help me to do it by myself My personal coaching Achievement: My Swimmers achieved: Education & Experience: Medal of the Order of Australia – service to swimming • 5 Olympic Gold Medals • Swiss heritage 4 times Swimming Australia Coach of the Year • 20 individual World Records • Bachelor in PE 2004, 2008 and 2012 Australian Olympic Team Coach • 16 World Championships Gold Medals • Masters of Science 5 times Australian World Championships Team Coach • 15 years at QAS Stephan Widmer Habitual Excellence 1

Training Cycles, Sport Science & Dry-Land The journey of an athlete’s parent Parenting methods vs. development stages 1) What does athlete appropriate parenting look like? 2) Should parenting change throughout the athletes’ What’s the parents’ role? developmental stages? Junior Intermediate Performance level level level What’s your role? Four roles in swimming The successful long- The successful long- term development of term development of a swimmer requires a swimmer requires the combined effort the combined effort of three main of three main “partners”, athlete , “partners”, athlete , parents & coach parents & coach and on each of and on each of those partners doing those partners doing “their role” to the “their role” to the best of their ability. best of their ability. The four unofficial roles in swimming Short-term rewards Swimmer Four roles, choose one. Don’t officiate. Don’t watch. Don’t coach. Swim! Coach Four roles, choose one. Don’t officiate. Don’t watch. You are too old to swim, coach! Official Four roles, choose one. Don’t coach. Don’t watch. You love the sport, but you don’t want to get wet anymore, officiate! Parent Four roles, choose one. If you want to coach, apply for the job. If you want to officiate, they always need help. Join your own masters group if you want to swim. Otherwise parent! Stephan Widmer Habitual Excellence 2

Training Cycles, Sport Science & Dry-Land The real lessons of sport… Short-term rewards “The world of sport is not separate from the rest of the world. Sport breaks down barriers, promotes self-esteem, and can teach life skills and healthy behaviour.” Jacques Rogge, former IOC president Or long-term life skills Or long-term life skills The real lessons of sport… Successful Journey – an act of balance CAMARADERIE CAMARADERIE WORKING TOGETHER WORKING TOGETHER CONTROLLING EMOTIONS CONTROLLING EMOTIONS TIME MANAGEMENT TIME MANAGEMENT RESPECTING AUTHORITY RESPECTING AUTHORITY SELF-ESTEEM SELF-ESTEEM PRACTICE PATIENCE PRACTICE PATIENCE DEDICATION DEDICATION SELFLESSNESS SELFLESSNESS RESILIENCE RESILIENCE Stephan Widmer Habitual Excellence 3

Training Cycles, Sport Science & Dry-Land Balancing life Balancing life Athlete Work & Social Life Education Support – encouragement – interference “Parents, this is your child’s thing!”  All their successes are theirs Appropriate Make sure your kid is safe!  All their failures are theirs guidance  All their problems are theirs Emotionally & physically safe! Teach your child Teach your child  How to deal with  How to deal with their own emotions their own emotions  How to solve their  How to solve their own problems own problems  How to talk to  How to talk to authority figures authority figures Teach them to do it by themselves! Prepare them for their own life! Stephan Widmer Habitual Excellence 4

Training Cycles, Sport Science & Dry-Land The parent trap The parent trap  Parental involvement  Competing with other parents  Constructive or destructive interaction MUMS – ”Helping” CHILD – wants you to solve their CHILD – avoids you… problems and you actually do it!!!  Confusing investment with sacrifice  Over-identification  Children learn from watching their DADS – We – us – our team… parents  Selfish dreaming The parent trap Preparation for life Prepare them for life!!! The athletic journey Preparation for life “A thing is not good or bad. Only your perception makes it so!” Unknown Prepare them for life!!! Stephan Widmer Habitual Excellence 5

Training Cycles, Sport Science & Dry-Land Early bloomers vs. late developers – 1 The 10 & under wonder 100m freestyle, age 17-18 (boys) Your child is on an own unique developmental timetable: 1) Understand reasons for early athletic performances: Top 100  Be realistic about possible reasons for early athletic age 17-18 performances early success vs. slow start!  Early success does not guarantee future success! 2) Take a balanced approach. 2 swimmers 6 swimmers 11 swimmers 29 swimmers  Do not to get too down if your child is not Top 100 Top 100 Top 100 Top 100 immediately a superstar or too high if he is. age under 10 age 11-12 age 13-14 age 15-16  The important thing: she continues to play, to develop and learn new skills. Source: USA Swimming TOP 100 statistics Source: USA Swimming TOP 100 statistics Peak height velocity - females Early bloomers vs. late developers – 2 3) Help your child to see herself/himself as a whole person , not just as an athlete! 4) Develop an all-round athlete before sport specific abilities (up to 12 -14 years)! 5) Emphasise process & journey , not outcome:  Avoid praising the outcome & instead praise effort 6) Age for peak times for growth in height for Boys & girls: Peak height velocity - males Athlete development model Ian Olbrecht Stephan Widmer Habitual Excellence 6

Training Cycles, Sport Science & Dry-Land Emergence of Physical Literacy ASC – FTEM Model through LTAD models ASC – FTEM Model Foundation Canadian Sport Centre LTAD Plan (2006) Swimming Sport Canada developed by Istvan Balyi Coach The importance of sport sampling Abstract - parental guidance before specialising  Love your child unconditional  Love your child unconditional  Develop the person you’d like them to become  Develop the person you’d like them to become  High proportion of elite Australian athletes took through life, education and sport through life, education and sport part in a diverse variety of sports before  Develop the character  Develop the character specialising around 13 – 15 years old  Instil values  Instil values  A diversified investment in sports before  Model virtues  Model virtues specialisation minimises injury and reducing later dropout and burnout from sport  Australian athletes at senior international events participated in an average of four different sports before specialising in their main sport Abstract - parental guidance  Listen carefully  Listen carefully  Encourage independency  Encourage independency  Support your child, no matter what results  Support your child, no matter what results  Reward process, not performance!!!  Reward process, not performance!!!  No two children are exactly alike  No two children are exactly alike  4 most powerful words…  4 most powerful words… I love watching you Stephan Widmer Habitual Excellence 7