GAMES-GIMMICKSCHALLENGES NEWSLETTER FREE

G A M E S G IM M IC K S - C H A L L E N G E S
The Swimming Coaches FREE Idea NEWSLETTER
W H Y? March 2010 Vol 1 - #1

A FREE once a month newsletter sent to coaches with ideas that challenge swimmers in an FUN way to assist learning, thus success and retention. Just print, save and use. Share your creative ideas with over 3,000 coaches and tell your coaching friends to subscribe by emailing: fastswimmin@gmail.com. Enter the Team Cheer Contest too by sending your best cheer.

AGE GROUP

Rock, Paper, Scissors- This relay works best in a 50 M pool. Split the team into two teams and place them at each end of th pool. If the squad is big have more than on e team. The first swimmer on each team starts from their end of the pool an races until they meet the person from the other end. When they meet they play rock, paper, scissors. The winner keep sprinting to the opposite end and the loser gets at the back of their teams .line. The second swimmer on the R,P,S losin team sprints to the winner and does R,P,S with the same outcome. Continue with all the swimmers until one relay team reaches the opposite end of the pool. The team needs to keep winning R,P,S and having a head-start for each race VARIATION: Place pull-buoys 6 apart along the deck limiting distance swum by the winner. Tom Kleibocker

Bucket O Blood - Swimmers kick a 25 holding a pull buoy on the kickboard. At the 25 they drop the kickboard and use th pull buoy. At the next 25 they drop the pull buoy and swim. This is ONE Bucket O Blood. Warm-up with 3 to 6 BOBs. Starting Progression Make certain the USA-S Starting Checklist is completed for every swimmer.

Whistle Pulls The team starts and over-distance pull (400). On the 1st whistle they drop their pull-buoy and sprint and o whistle #2 they grab the nearest pull-buoy and resume pulling with a long stroke. Provide a breathing pattern and use as new warm-down combining short bursts of speed with long recovery work.

SEN IOR
Kick Steelers The goal is to kick 20 X 25 @ 20 SO. Since few swimmers can do this a swimmer kick until they fail at which point they get 20 seconds rest so the entire squad is leaving on the 0 20 or 40 second mark. However, if they failed on the fourth one of twenty, they have 16 remaining; however, they must add one for the one they missed; therefore, they would have 17 left to do. This continues until every swimmer on the team makes 20 @ 20 sec SO. Those that finish early should go to a vacant lane and work on 15 M streamlining experimenting with different underwater kick/combination.

Descending Distance Fast Feet Pace Set- The coach gives his time to the distance group through this whole set by yelling ou the 25 yard pace at every stop and the 100 time as the set progresses (start and stop the watch an re-set at the 100s. Obviously, it must fit your personnel and their ability; however, this is a great set to get a swimmer ready to race distance events, especially if they dont like distance training. Start with distances they can handle holding desired race pace for whatever the distance and gradually move them up! They MUST get faster as the set goes! ALL 25s are done to a FAST foot-touch. Catch-up Tubes - Cap both ends of an 8 piece of 1/2 PVC and have swimmers perform catch-up strokes thinking about a proper stroke pattern one hand/arm at a time. To develop real-feel have them place a slice of inner-tube around their ankles and add a breathing pattern too. The catch-up tubes float which helps in clean up. New Book: The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. Essential for EVERY coach. Explains the physiology of skills and how to be Master Coach. Its all about correcting mistakes and wrapping myelin around millions or nerves. You are ESSENTIAL.

MORE IDEAS - For tons of great ideas from hundreds of coaches along with clinic presentations and Gear-Head Circuit info see: www.gamesgimmickschallenges.com. PLEASE SHARE YOUR IDEAS AND TEAM CHEERS! Yours for FAST swimmin Bob Steele

G A M E S G IM M IC K S - C H A L L E N G E S
The Swimming Coaches FREE Idea NEWSLETTER
TODAY IS APRIL FOOLS DAY April 2010 Vol 1 - #2

A FREE monthly newsletter for coaches with ideas that challenge swimmers in an FUN way to assist; learning, success, engagement, thus retention. Print, use and save in a binder. Share your creative ideas with over 3,000 coaches and tell you coaching friends to subscribe by emailing: fastswimmin@gmail.com.

C ON TEST W IN N ERS: Last year we conducted a contest for the most popular contributions to the GamesGimmicks-Challenges for Swimming Coaches. Here are the overwhelming favorite based upon responses and reaction of hundreds of swimmers and where to see them. The $500 prize is being split between Age Group and Senior. AGE GROUP: Rock, Paper, Scissors-Tom Kleiboeker Tsunami S.T.- Kansas City (March newsletter or pg 12 in GGC book) SENIOR: No Breath/Brains Out (NB/BO): John Dussliere-Santa Barbara S.C. (below or pg 74 in GGC book)

C H EER C ON TEST : Your or your team can win $300 by sending your best team cheer. The #1 cheer will be selected

on July 1st by a panel of national level swimmers and coaches that appreciate team enthusiasm. In time for JOs, Zones, Jrs, Srs, forever. Leaders are; Swim Belton, Gustavus Adolphus College, Joliet Jets, Oshkosh Y, and Rapid City Racers. JUMP ON IT-WIN. Giver your swimmers the email above and have them send in their favorites or creations.

AGE GROUP BAC KSTROKE P ROGRESSION : Include it in your USA-S starting checklist. Teach starting, NOT diving.

RELAY RUN -D OW N S: EOP sprints. Pair up a slow and fast swimmer, side by side in the same lane for 25s. Start the slower and after a fair lead the fastest. The looser gives the winner a quarter or does push-ups. ROC K BAN D or RAC E H ORSE : Used as a send-off on whatever. Yell out the name of a rock band or race SEN IOR N B/ BO: No Breath/Brains Out (NB/BOs) - At the end-of-practice have every swimmer swim a 100 on the pace clock

horse. Say rock band then say, race horse. The swimmers guess by raising their hand. Tell them what it is and enjoy th reactions. Go on-line or the newspaper for names of each or pg 76 or 274 in GGC.

getting times on the finish. Record everyones times. During the swim they may only breathe while on the wall but it adds to their time. While swimming they may NOT breathe. Record for men is 53 and women is 58. Supervision is essential. Try it! The title No Breath/Brains Out is what they feel like while swimming. John Dussliere-Santa Barbara S.C. WON $250

LC TO SC : Get commitments for summer training by converting next SC season goal times to LC training. Use simple

conversion factors per 100; 6 sec Free, 8 sec Back/Fly, 10 sec Breast. Work with H.S. only coaches to help motivate H.S. kids to train in the summer. See chart pg 288. Relate training to goals pg 250.

RAC E RYAN LOC H TE : A H.S. LC set; Pull 100 @ 1:20 for O2 debt followed immediately by 2x50@50 each stroke

w/2 MR/round. #1 FAST adding times for a 200 IM and #2 fast OVERKICKING. Ryan swam 26 fly, 28 back, 33 breast, 25 free for 1:52. Have kids do the set and figure 200 IM times. During the rest they tell you how many seconds they were under or over Ryans 1:52. On the next rounds they have to say the number of seconds faster or slower than their first one. Great SC for developing swimmers to compare to LC training.

SP RIN G TRAIN IN G Create teams for a LC Intrasquad Meet just prior to Final Exams with LC Thursday Time Trials. N EW BOOK: Romancing the Water Ron Johnson The art and science of coaching by a great coach at;
romancingthewater.com. $25. Its a great resource for your coaching library.

M ORE ID EAS Over 600 ideas from 500 coaches and clinic presentations, skills DVD, Gear-Head Circuit info see: www.gamesgimmickschallenges.com. SHARE IDEAS AND CHEERS at fastswimmin@gmail.com
Yours for F AST swimmin Bob Steele

G A M E S G IM M IC K S - C H A L L E N G E S
The Swimming Coaches FREE Idea NEWSLETTER
May 2010 Wish swimmers moms HAPPY MOTHERS DAY and a big THANKS for all they do. Vol 1 - #3 A FREE monthly newsletter for coaches with ideas that challenge swimmers in an FUN way and assist in; learning, engaging, recruiting, retention.improvement, and success. Print, use and save in a binder. Share your creative ideas with over 3,000 coaches and tell your coaching friends to subscribe by emailing: fastswimmin@gmail.com. C H EER C ON TEST: Your or your team can win $300 by sending your best team cheer. The #1 cheer will be selected on July 1st by a panel of national level swimmers and coaches that appreciate team enthusiasm. In time for JOs, Zones, Jrs, Srs, forever. JUMP ON IT-WIN. Give swimmers the email above and have KIDS send favorites or creations.

AGE GROUP
SPRING TRAINING Create teams for a BLUE vs GOLD Intrasquad Long Course Meet just prior to summer season. Have local media sports personalities serve as captains. Outfit them in team gear. Have them swim a 25 or 50 to kick it off. BREASTSTROKE DRILL Swim widths with one stroke per lane rubbing back and seat on the laneline to stay on the surface. Dont start pull until the hands are on the black line. See surface on breath and bottom on glide. BOREDOM Its hard to have your face on a black line for nine months yet collecting dues is essential. If it works make some goals or use kickboards and have some water polo skill drills and make-up games. Seniors play 50 meter games with three balls and AG kids use water walking belts using two hands. Create athleticism. T-SHIRT RELAYS- The ever popular t-shirt relay requires swimmers to switch t-shirts before continuing the relay. Kids need to know the switching technique. Keep elbows straight, head down, hands clasped with switching teammate as fellow team members stand on the sides and pull the waist of the shirt up and over one swimmer and down onto the next. INDY 500 (Memorial Day)- Handicap the team by ability for kicking. Slowest starts first at corner and the fastest last leaving 5-10 seconds apart. Kickers must touch each corner as they go around perimeter of pool. Kick around 10 times with prizes.

SEN IOR
DARTBOARD- Not the most scientific way to design a practice; however, its a fun way for early season yardage. 1. Sections Design four workouts that achieve the same yardage but with entirely different methods. Perhaps through sprints, kicking/pulling, speed play, and distance. Draw two crossed lines on the chalkboard with a workout in each quadrant. Have the swimmers throw a knotted towel from about 10 for their set! If they miss the board they do the hardest one. This speeds things up considerably. P32x25-20 P16x50-40 Lanes 1-2 32x125-1:30 16x250-3 Lanes 3-4 K16x25-30 K8x50-1 P8x100-1:20 P16x200-2:40 Lanes 5-6 8x500-6 4x1000-12 Lanes 7-8 K4x100-2 K2x200-4 STATION CIRCUIT SCORESHEETS Each swimmer monitors the number reps or points scored on a dryland circuit. Monitor the first several sessions of repeats to determine rep-values (1 -10) or have a recording sheet for every swimmer and record total reps/session. Set-up squads on test days based upon average score on reps; boys vs girls, H.S. classes, strokes, eye color. Prize: pick an end of practice game or challenge. CIRCUIT TRAINING- Great way to have variety. Set-up stations (kick, sprint, pull, V kick, starts, streamline, and TEST) and assign stroke groups with 15 min/station. Dont have a group after distance for a 30 min for TEST. The coach operates specificity at the TEST station.

N EW BOOK: The Swimmers EDGE by Nathan Manley. A log book for every swimmer on your team to monitor skills,
fitness, and motivation. Coaches can use it to create/follow a seasonal plan. On Amazon.

M ORE ID EAS For tons of ideas, clinic presentations, skills DVD, Gear-Head Circuit info, Team Camps see:
www.gamesgimmickschallenges.com. SHARE IDEAS AND TEAM CHEERS at fastswimmin@gmail.com

M OTTO : Your level of expectation and attention determines swimmer success and yours!
Yours for F AST swimmin

Bob Steele

The Swimming Coaches FREE Newsletter June 2010 SCHOOLS OUT LETS GIT READY FOR LC MEETS! Vol 1 - #4 Challenge swimmers in a FUN way to assist in; recruiting, retention. improvement, and success. Forward, print, use and save in a binder. Share your creative ideas with 3,000 coaches and have friends subscribe at: fastswimmin@gmail.com.

G A M E S G IM M IC K S - C H A L L E N G E S

C H E E R C O N T E S T : Your team can win $300 by sending your best team cheer. If you snooze, you lose. F OR ALL C OAC H ES
After having visited over 100 USA-S teams there is an obvious disrespect for coaches despite their desire to help kids swim faster, since NOBODY wants to get slower. Coaches shout a warm-up 3-5 times because swimmers were into themselves. DO NOT TALK OVER from the Setting and Maintaining High Behavioral Expectations chapter in Teach Like A Champion. If what youre saying is truly worth attention, then every student has a right and responsibility to hear it. If what youre saying is not that important, maybe you shouldnt be saying it. When you need them to listen, your words must be far and away the most important in the room, so make a habit of showing that they matter. Before beginning, wait until there is no other talking or rustling. By ensuring that your voice never competes for attention, you will demonstrate to students that their decision to listen isnt situational (that is, you do it if it seems as if maybe it really matters this time). Controlling who has the floor is the mark of your authority and a necessity to your teaching. Repeat ten instructions per day at 30 seconds per instruction and you waste two full days per child in the year. You cannot afford to talk over students. Start a sentence and break it off until you have full attention. If necessary start again with only two words. Teach listening with the eyes and dont talk unless theyre looking at you. Point at your eyes with two fingers, say nothing. Stare at talkers and teammates will tap on them, i.e. underwater ADD kids. Sherri Stoddard stands on the corner of the pool, says, excuse me and its quiet for directions. Stress that fact that youre trying to help them get FASTER not slower. Coaches of world class kids dont shout over chatting. It starts with 8-Unders and should be staff policy. Teach Like A Champion Doug Lemov A book for classroom teachers that has eight chapters for coaches that increases effectiveness and success with swimmers.

AGE GROUP P AC E C LOC K: Swimmers need to know their best friends are the coach and the pace clock. Teach them to use the
clock properly and if they leave early the cheat on others and if they leave late they cheat on themselves. Have the person at the end of the circle (usually a slower kids needing something to do) yell out a 9 for those leaving on 0 and 4 for those on 5. Do it so they know when to react and everyones feet leave the wall together. Clock readers lead lanes to help the clock clueless.

SEN IOR SC f or LC : Ideas for LC preparation in a SC pool. Train at 1 distances so 100s become 125s Swimmers get
accustomed to the times with help. Warm-up LC timing 2 turn 50s. Texas 40s SC (no breath), LC stroke rate/DPS on SC sets (1.1=1.2), 250 IM w/75s of 2 weakest strokes,

M OTIV ATIN G F OR LC TRAIN IN G: Since most swimmers are more intent on the SC season use this form to
relate their next SC season goal times to LC training THIS summer. Its a good way to get H.S. only coaches on your side by asking them what times they want kids to swim next SC season. Do the math for them. Swimmers must average one-half their goal time on push-sets; 6x50@2 for 100 and 5x100@5 for 200 any stroke. Simple per 100 conversion is; free +6, fly/back +8/brst +10. SH ORT C OURSE TO LON G C OURSE GOAL SETTIN G _______ _______ _______ _______ SC Goal SC Goal LC Goal LC Goal

P AIGE P USH ERS KIC K SE T: 750 yds down columns fit-send-offs to swimmer ability- YOUR expectation rules
1 x 25 (-15)@ :20 1 x 100 (-1:30) @ 1:50 1 x 100 (-1:30)@ 1:50 1 x 100 (-1:30)@ 1:50 1 x 50 (-35)@ :45 1 x 50 (-35) @:45 1 x 75 (-1:00)@ 1:15 Target time in ( ) 1 x 75 (-60)@ 1:15 1 x 75 (-60)@ 1:15 1 x 100 (-1:30)@ 1:30 From:Jason Paige (New Canaan YMCA) Coaches need a set named after themselves. Kids love to hate em!

M ON TH LY M OTTO SAVE YOUR FORK! (Dessert comes at the season ending championship meet. Tell parents!) TON S OF ID EAS Games Book, Clinic Materials, Skill Drills DVD, Gear-Head Circuit, Team Camps, Coaches Clinics
go to: www.gamesgimmickschallenges.com and SHARE COACHING IDEAS AND TEAM CHEERS at fastswimmin@gmail.com Yours for F AST swimmin , Bob Steele

GAM ES GIM M IC KS C H ALLEN GES - N EW SLETTER

July 2010 HAVE A FRANTIC FOURTH Vol 1 - #5 A FREE newsletter to challenge swimmers in a FUN way to help; recruit, retain, improve, and succeed. Use and save newsletters in a binder. Have friends subscribe and/or share your ideas with 3,000 coaches at; fastswimmin@gmail.com.

C H E E R C O N T E S T : Win $300 by having swimmers email their best cheers by July 10th for judging panel. 25 entries
to date.

AGE GROUP ROCK BAND OR RACE HORSE: Use rock bands or race horses for send-offs. Kids love it. After each swim yell the name of
a listed rock band or race horse. Then say rock band. Swimmer raise hand to vote. Then yell a race horse, with voters raising their hand. Yell the correct one and start the next swim. See page 76 in Games-Gimmicks-Challenges. Race Horses Hip Twenty-five Count It Up Out Coached Boston Blitz Drews Delight Chain of Miricles Jordans Party Cast No Shadow Country Fair Magic Berti XYZ Album Leaf Mill Street Blues Stormy Hostage Phone First Stray Cat Blues Poolhall Three Ladies Man Shoalihs Tale Esther Egg Colihan Decipherance Meta Flew Imamyto Rock Bands Leftlane Cruisin Coal Kitchen Green Machine Longshot Spazmatic Black Mambazo Aceyalone Nouvelle Vague Grazyna Auyisuk AFI Rose Hill Drive Starflyer Electric Eel Shock Two Gallants Talkdemonic Darlyne Cain Steel Train Drowning Pool Kill Hannah Suffocation Shadows Fall Kid Beyond Frisbe Buzzcocks

LAST SWIMMER SWIMMIN: Each swimmer prints their name on the whiteboard. Then do hardest drill 25s and if they make a mistake their name is erased or score em to see who is most coachable. Drills: Back-vertical catch-up, Kick 10-8-6-4-; Breast; cross pool under lanelines, Wilkie (rt foot w/lf hand-switch); Fly; U/W recovery, 3 Ks, 3 Ps, 3 Swims; Free; Rowdy head-up watch recoveries, Kick 10-8-6-4; Streamline;15m less 7sec, Fishtail, 6 sec whistle. SEN IOR RACE THE AMERICAN RECORD: Times were done swimming in presently approved suits for more accurate comparisons.
MEN EVENTS LCM SCY 1:42 Phelps 1:32 Phelps 200 Free 1:53 Lochte 1:36 Lochte 200 Back 2:08 Hansen 1:51 Hansen 200 Brst 1:52 Phelps 1:39 Phelps 200 Fly 1:54 Phelps 1:40 Lochte 200 IM WOMEN 4X{P3x100@1:20 (short rest to set-up an O2 debt LCM SCY {4x50(BO)@1:00 1:55 Hoff 1:41 Coughlin Swim best or developing event and add the four 50s for a 2:06 Hoelzer 1:49 Coughlin 200 time. Tell coach the seconds below (-) or above (+) 2:20 Soni 2:05 Kirk the AR. On successive rounds swimmers say, faster OR 2:05 Hyman 1:51 Coughlin slower and the seconds over/under the record 2:09 Hoff 1:52 Smit

RACE RYAN LOCHTE: Swimmer performs set and compare 200 IM Lochtes time in H.S. long course. After each round swimmers tell the number of seconds below (-) or above (+) Lochtes 1:52 LC (26+28+33+25). The odd 50s are FAST, even 50s are OVERKICKING. In successive rounds swimmer says, faster OR slower and the number of seconds. 4X{P 100 @1:30 (start on 30 so the 50s start on the top) {2x50 @ 50 fly {2x50 @ 50 back {2x50 @ 50 breast {2x50 @ 50 free {Recovery 200 Back or P 400 ?? FIRECRACKER 400: On July 4th divide the team into two groups, alternating heats, on a 400 Fly, 400 Back, 400 Breast, 400
Free, and 400 IM. Each swimmer records times on a card. Total times determine places. The winner gets a cherry pie. Handicap times by subtracting the difference ON EVERY SWIM, between their 400 IM and the teams best 400 IM.

M ON TH LY M OTTO: Crazy Beats Fast Hornet.SC- Bay Bateman-Like a foot in the grave and one on a banana peel. ID EAS TH AT W ORK Games-Gimmicks-Challenges for Swimming Coaches - over 600 ideas from over 500 fine coaches, Clinic Materials, Skill Drills DVD, Gear-Head Circuit, Team Camps, and Coaching Clinics go to:
www.gamesgimmickschallenges.com Also SHARE IDEAS and CHEERS at fastswimmin@gmail.com Yours for F AST swimmin ,

Bob Steele

GAM ES GIM M IC KS C H ALLEN GES - N EW SLETTER

August 2010 FALL TRAINING IDEAS Vol 1 - #6 A FREE newsletter to challenge swimmers in a FUN way to help; recruit, retain, improve, and succeed. Use and save newsletters in a binder. Have friends subscribe and/or share your ideas with 3,000 coaches at; fastswimmin@gmail.com.

C H E E R C O N T E S T W I N N E R : THE 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP CHEER Marin Pirates CA Coach Warren Lager

All swimmers (wearing suits and a t-shirt) set up in 5 lines. Captains have team assume the position of strength (jumping up and down wildly like as in a mosh pit). All team cheers start in the position of strength. Captains ask, are you ready? In unison the team comes to attention responding in unison ready!. Captains have team assume the posing position in unison, pull off their t-shits, come to attention growling. Captains point to the first line and shout M and assume a Mr. America muscle pose. The next lines A with a different pose until M-A-R-I-N is spelled out. They do this 2 more times, faster and faster in unison. When MARIN spell out is done the team then immediately does a set of jumping jacks spelling out P-I-R-A-T-E-S. Captains count off 1-2-3 for a final GO PIRATES! to finish the cheer. 2nd Place Rapid City Racers - 3rd Place Oshkosh YMCA. FOR 10 TEAM CHEERS go to: www.gamesgimmickschallenges.com

AGE GROUP
IMPROVING LISTENING SKILLS Have swimmers perform a set and on each swim REQUIRE them to do something different as per different type of turn, underwater KO, variation in stroke and see what swimmer listens AND performs properly. CALESTHINICS CHALLENGE Give swimmers a scorecard w/pencil and record the number of PROPERLY performed exercises. A variation is to have colored stones worth different numbers of reps. Have a different swimmer draw a stone from a hat to determine how many reps are done by the group. Create even ability squads by age or reps and compete by squad to see which squad does the most PROPERLY for 30 or 60 seconds. Draw exercises by roll of dice or color of M and Ms. EXPLANATION-DEMONSTRATION-PRACTICE-EVALUATION-CORRECTION-PRACTICE We often forget DEMONSTRATIONS. Since fall practices include newcomers, and move-ups its very important for them to see what you want in order to understand and perform it. Peer checks with three working together and Buddys helping each other works well. For lower skilled, older swimmers motivate them by having them serve as leader of the more recently advanced swimmers! TEAM BIATHLON A great Saturday morning that includes parents, siblings, and coaches followed by a picnic. Divisions and distances; 8&U- 1/4 Mile run-200 Meter swim - 9&10-1/2 Mile run-400 Meter swim - 11&12 - 3/4 Mile run- 600 Meter swim 13&14- 1 Mile run-800 Meter swim - 15&O- 2 Mile run-1500 Meter swim - The Seniors start with 8-U last. I observed this event and its a winner. Brent Boock Elmbrook Swim Club

SEN IOR
OVERCOMING BOREDOM Swimming training is by nature boring and tedious requiring individual commitment with thingspeople perhaps more motivated by self and people-people more motivated by the team-mates. Therefore, its important to consider both types of swimmer in training/practice designs. While the seasonal training plan will change as fitness improves and racing experience gained its also important to infuse training activities that foster involvement of both types of swimmer. Monthly change and variety not only helps swimmers, it entertains the coach. INTER-SESSION FITNESS - When the summer season ends many swimmers start a vacation IMMEDIATELY. Encourage them to keep some level of fitness/feel. Encourage them to swim a set (i.e. 10x100@1:30 or 3x400@1MR) or around the lake while dad rows a support boat (impresses neighbors too), so they dont start from scratch in September. FALL SCULLING SESSIONS Since sculling helps develop feel checkout the Sculling chapter for great ideas. Make certain kids are performing the sculls properly because the tendency is to assign the task and not evaluate/correct. Ernie Maglischo did 1,000 yds of sculling/practice and Don Watkinds did ONLY sculling the first month in the fall. Add Boomer Balance drills and swimmers develop a foundation for perfect technique.

M ON TH LY M OTTOS: Work while it hurts not until it hurts. Its not what you do, but how you do it.
Motto: "No Doubts - No Limits" Muskegon Catholic Central Co-op Swim Team - Mick Homan

ID EAS TH AT W ORK Games-Gimmicks-Challenges for Swimming Coaches - over 600 ideas from over 500 fine coaches, Clinic Materials, Skill Drills DVD, Gear-Head Circuit, Team Camps, and Coaching Clinics go to:
www.gamesgimmickschallenges.com Also SHARE IDEAS and CHEERS at fastswimmin@gmail.com Yours for F AST swimmin , Bob Steele

GAM ES GIM M IC KS C H ALLEN GES - N EW SLETTER

September 2010 Vol 1 - #7 A FREE newsletter to challenge swimmers in a FUN way to help; recruit, retain, improve, and succeed. Use and save newsletters in a binder. Have friends subscribe and/or share your ideas with 3,000 coaches at; fastswimmin@gmail.com.

AGE GROUP
ROPE D RILLS n M ORE Buy r ope a t H ome D epot $ 9 F REESTYLE Rope C l imber - With improvising tie a stretched rope the length of the pool about 4 deep. Tie knots about every 5. Have the swimmers SWIM Freestyle using the rope to learn anchoring and moving the body past the knots. B A C K STROK E - St ea d y-St a t e Tie the rope about 3 to 4 above the water and have the swimmers swim below the rope; grazing it with fingertips, head still, counting strokes. BREASTSTROKE Boun c e n Gl ide Stretch the rope the length of the pool about 16 off the water. Swimmers swim Breaststroke hitting the BACK of the head to the rope so they see water on the breath and the bottom on the glide. Swim widths with one stroke per lane and hitting the lanelines with the head, back and butt as the swim across the pool. BUTTERF LY Body Posit ion Have swimmers lie on three stacked kickboards with the flat end on the waist and the rounded end at the knees. Chest on the deck for the feeling they should have on the entry. Use a low rope to keep the head down. STREAM LIN IN G- W in n in g La n e With 6-8 swimmers per lane and next to people of similar ability start in waves and the first person to the 15 M mark scores a point for their lane. See what lane wins? Have all the winners go last for the winner of the day. It causes swimmers to really think about the fastest way and working on streamlining in practice. TIM ED TURN S UN D ER ON E SEC . Start the watch when the head passes the pennants. Get split #1 when the head drops and #2 when the feet hit the wall. Stop the watch when either the head passes the flags or they breakout. Always less than ONE second on the wall and under 5 seconds pennant to pennant. WHISTLE PULLS Have the swimmers do an over-distance pull. Any time you blow a whistle they drop their pull-buoy and sprint full stroke until the whistle blows again, where upon they take the closest pullbuoy and use a long stroke again. TIM ED EXC H AN GES Start two watches and let them run continuously, only using the split. One person stops the split on the incoming swimmers touch and the second person stops the split on the feet leaving the block. Figure safe/jump.

SEN IOR LEF TOVERS Two swimmers of equal ability do a long short rest set (20 x 100 @ 10 SR). The first swimmer in gets the
full 10 seconds and the second swimmer get whats leftover. Swimmer #1 tells swimmer #2 when they leave again.

SEB C OE SPEC IAL Assign a time each swimmer MUST hold on a set of 10 x 400 @ 5. If the swimmer fails to hold
the pace they cut the distance and SO in half but double the number of swims left, so failure on #3 means they shift to 14 x 200 @ 2:30. W ORKOUT IN VITATION AL Divide swimmers into two teams of equal ability. Create training sets that would challenge each specialty group and have a meet scoring 5-3-1 based upon total time swimming the set. Youll need a timer on each swimmer, starting and stopping the watch. Create an order of events for a Saturday practice and keep those not in the event busy with kicking, pulling, sculling, whatever. The winning team gets a reward of some kind. LOW SCORE WINS Create a long series of kicks, pulls, swims with and without equipment. Have the swimmers leave together and award individual points based upon time on every effort. The fastest person getting 1 point and the slowest person getting a point for their number on the squad, i.e. swimmer #30 would get 30 points. Keep rankings on white board. REST N GO Do a long set, i.e. 20 x 300 @ 3:30 and challenge every swimmer in a circle by having everyone lead. After leading they get to sit one out and the remaining swimmers move up one place in the circle until they too lead. This forces slower swimmers to step it up and not just slipstream behind faster swimmers through the practice. H ERO On a moderate send-off have send the swimmers off on a handicap start, i.e. the slowest in a wave leaves on O and one ten seconds faster on 10. If youre correct they should finish together. Make adjustments as the set proceeds. The swimmer that finishes first get a magic marker award. Girls get a red star on their shoulder and boys get a black hair on their chest. Some kids will save their badge of courage for the whole week. Let the winner pick a relay at the end of practice.

M ON TH LY M OTTOS: Thunder is good. Thunder is impressive, but lightning does the work. ID EAS TH AT W ORK Games-Gimmicks-Challenges for Swimming Coaches - over 600 ideas from over 500 fine coaches, Clinic Materials, Skill Drills DVD, Gear-Head Circuit, Team Camps, and Coaching Clinics go to:
www.gamesgimmickschallenges.com Also SHARE IDEAS and CHEERS at fastswimmin@gmail.com Yours for F AST swimmin , Bob Steele