Design a Basic Sport Program (4 hours)

Outline the structure of the sport program using training and competition events. Compare the major orientations of the coach’s own program to those proposed by the NCCP in terms of long-term athlete development. Assess the athletic development opportunities offered through the program, and identify possible options to address identified weaknesses. Interpret information contained in a sample program designed for a family of sports and identify training priorities and objectives at certain periods. Establish a link between a program’s training priorities and objectives and the content of practice sessions on a weekly and daily basis.

Teaching and Learning (6 hours 30 minutes)

Assess own beliefs regarding effective teaching. Analyze certain coaching situations to determine whether or not they promote learning.  Create conditions that promote learning and self-esteem through;

1. appropriate consideration of the affective, cognitive, and motor dimensions of learning;
2. use of words and methods that relate to the athlete’s preferred learning style;
3. a sound organization;
4. active supervision; and
5. provision of feedback that is well-formulated, and offered at the right time and frequency.  Use teaching assessment grids to gather objective information on teaching effectiveness. Interpret these data to develop an action plan to enhance teaching effectiveness.

Basic Mental Skills (3 hours)

Recognize certain signs showing that an athlete may need to improve his/her skills in areas such as goal setting, focus, and anxiety control. Develop an action plan that will enable the athlete to improve in these areas. Run simple guided activities that will enable the athlete to improve these basic mental skills.

The Swimming 201 pre-course workbook contains three tasks;

• Describe your coaching role
• Administrative Authority & Responsibility
• Competencies of a Comp-Int Coach
  

All required resources are contained within the online workbook.

To begin your online Swimming 201 pre-course workbook

Click here

REGISTER NOW FOR THE COURSE: https://registration.swimming.ca/Courseslistpublic.aspx

1. INTRODUCTION (1:15)

This module provides everyone with an overview of the weekend, what is expected of the coaches and most importantly what coaches can expect to get out of attending the Swimming 201 course.

2. DESIGN A SEASONAL TRAINING PLAN (1:30)

This module introduces coaches to the cornerstone of the Swimming 201 course, the Seasonal Training Plan (STP). By the end of the course coaches will have gone through the process of completing a STP and will be prepared for the post course portfolio activity.

3. DEVELOP SWIMMERS ABILITIES (2:30)

This module builds off what the coaches learned in the Theory Part B course, by introducing them to athletic abilities, workloads, recovery periods and an introduction lecture to sport training principles.

4. PLAN A PRACTICE (1:15)

This module emphasizes the importance of planning not only for swimmer development, but also to ensure coaches are prepared in case of an emergency.

5. KEY PERFORMANCE FACTORS (KPF) (2:15)

This module reviews three videos and analyzes them to break down each skill’s “key performance factors”.  After this module coaches should be able to easily breakdown the key components of a swimming skill and clearly explain all of its components to their swimmers using language the swimmer can easily understand.

6. DETECT AND CORRECT (1:30)

This module reviews with the coaches, what the most common causes of error are as well as practice on detecting and correcting errors through video analysis.

7. PREPARE A MENTAL PLAN (2:00)

This module reviews the complex topic of the athlete’s mental state. The module is divided up into two parts. The first section covers the mental state of the athlete and how to prepare them mentally for competitions. The second examines communication styles and teaches coaches how to appropriately communicate with swimmers in a positive manner.

8. NUTRITION (1:00)

This module reviews the importance of proper nutrition and hydration, particularly at a competition.

9. MANAGE A GROUP (1:00)

This module reviews the various duties a coach has within the club, but also examines how roles and responsibilities are spread out among coaches, staff and the board of directors.

10. SWIMMER PERFORMANCE TRACKING (1:00)

Data collection and analysis is an important part of coaching and improving your swimmers results at competition. This module reviews with coaches the appropriate method to track swimmers stroke rate and stroke count with a stop watch through video analysis.

11. PREPARE SWIMMERS FOR COMPETITION (1:15)

This module examines two components of preparing for competition, the administrative logistics that are required of a coach leading up to a competition and swimmer preparation for competition.

12. POOL SESSION + CLASSROOM PREP FOR POOL (2:30)

The 2-hour pool session provides the coaches with hands on practical coaching opportunity with stage appropriate swimmers. The module reviews the importance of pool deck safety, provides coaches the opportunity to teach a skill to swimmers, have their coaching session videotaped and receive suggestions for improvement from both their peers and the learning facilitators.

13. WRAP-UP AND REVIEW (1:00)

The wrap-up and review module is used to recap the course objectives, where the coaches now stand on the certification pathway and review what is expected of them during the portfolio evaluation.


TOTAL COURSE HOURS: 20 HOURS

REGISTER NOW FOR THE COURSE: https://registration.swimming.ca/Courseslistpublic.aspx

Portfolio Task List Summary: 

Task #1 Design a Seasonal Training Plan

Activity: Create a seasonal training plan that covers 16-28 weeks of training and competitive opportunities for the group of swimmers you coach.

Task #2 Developing Swimmers Abilities

Activity: Using the One Week Practice Plan Template provided, you will start by noting the week # from your seasonal plan, and then identify your "Top 2 Objectives" for dryland and in the water, for the week. Complete your planned schedule for the week, indicating the timeslots for morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) dryland and water sessions.

For each planned training session, provide a very brief note referencing the athletic abilities you will focus on for each session.
You will be required to provide three plans, representing a week from each of the three phases of the season;

• General Preparatory Phase
• Specific Preparatory Phase
• Competition Phase 

Task #3 Plan Effective Practices

Activity: Using the three one week plans created in Task #2, create one detailed practice plan for a morning or afternoon session from each of the one week plans.

The selected practice shall all be from the same session in each of the three plans. (e.g. Wednesday PM from each of: General Preparatory Phase, Specific Preparatory Phase and Competition Phase)

Task #4 Key Performance Factors (KPF)

Activity: Coaches will review guides and videos to help them further their knowledge of starts, turns and finishes technique.

Task #5 Detect and Correct Performance

Activity: Coaches will watch video while reviewing their reference guides to aid them in detecting and correcting technique errors.

Task #6 Prepare a Swimmer For a Competition

Activity: Using the Competition Plan Template, coaches will be asked to create a competition plan which covers the final 21 days leading up to the first day of competition at a medium or high priority swim meet from your seasonal plan.

Task #7 Prepare a Mental Plan

Activity: Three key mental skill areas were covered in your Multi-Sport Part B and Swimming 201 training;

• Attentional Control
• Emotional Control
• Goal Setting

FOR EACH mental skill area, use the Mental Plan Template to describe and schedule 5 activities you will integrate into your Seasonal Training Plan.

Task #8 Group or Program Management

Activity: Coaches will be asked demonstrate their management ability by implementing a communication plan covering key aspects of their Club and group.

Task #9 Tracking Swimmer Performance

Activity: Coaches will demonstrate their ability to manage and interpret collected competition data using the Swimmer Data Tracking Template Tool. The coach will then be asked to select a swimmer that they have personal best benchmark data for, and specific goal times for and upcoming competition. Then at the competition, record the swimmers new times and complete the assessment of performance factors impacting the final result.

EVALUATION: Complete the Comp Int Coach Portfolio