|
NEW JERSEY WAVE
MULTI-LEVEL DEVELOPMENT APPROACH
The New Jersey Wave Club program has been
structured on the premise that there are basic phases of athlete
development in age group swimming. At each level of the program, we
continually try to evaluate and adapt to the multitude of factors,
both scientific and sociological, that impact the growth and
development of young athletes. Experience has taught us that the
perfect age group program is a moving target that changes as the
population we serve changes and as we learn more and more about the
development of young people.
Following is
an outline description of the phases of development and the basic
premises that currently guide our thinking at each of these
levels.
Novice and Advanced Novice Groups:
Basic Skills-Ages 11 & under.
These groups
are introductory level groups to competitive swimming. Novice
meets 2x per week and Advanced Novice meets 3x per week. In
order to begin at the Novice level of our program, swimmers must be
able to swim a minimum of 25 yards freestyle and backstroke.
The teaching to conditioning ratio is 80-90% teaching and 10-20%
conditioning.
Age Group 2 and Age Group: Basic
Skill Development – Ages 9-12.
These two
groups focus on fundamentals and basic motor learning skills and
coordination in the water. Both groups swim 4x per week, but
Age Group swims slightly longer practices than Age Group
2. The swimmers at these levels learn more complex stroke
drills and continue to work on developing basic technical skills in
all four strokes. The percentage of basic swimming
endurance increases at this level. The ratio of teaching to
conditioning is 65-70% teaching and 30-35% conditioning.
Swimmers in Age Group also begin swimming on a year round
basis. An optional summer program is offered to
swimmers in Age Group 2.
Competitive Prep Group: Basic
Skill Development – Ages 11-16.
This group focuses on basic skills for the
athlete that has limited skills between the ages of 11-16. The
minimum requirement for this group is proficiency in at least 3 of
the 4 competitive strokes. The goal of the group is to help
develop the skills of those athletes that still need more
improvement in basic fundamentals before beginning a more demanding
physiological conditioning program. Participation in
swim meets for this group is voluntary but
recommended.
Senior Prep: Basic Training
Development - Ages 9 to 12.
At this age
advanced swimmers who have already demonstrated a high level of
commitment to the sport move into the Senior Prep program. Swimmers
who move into this practice level are able to swim all four strokes
and maintain good technique on low intensity interval work.
Practice is held 5-6x per week. This phase is a transitional
level where the emphasis begins to change from primarily teaching
to a relatively equal balance of technique work and physiological
development (i.e. building an engine for future success). The
ratio of teaching to conditioning is 40-50% teaching and 50-60%
conditioning. It is of prime importance that these athletes
train on a year round basis.
Senior Advanced: Progressive
Training - Ages 13 to 18.
Most team
members move into the senior levels of our program at age 13. The
Senior Advanced Group has built in flexibility in the schedule for
those swimmers who have made swimming one of several activities
they participate in or are still developing their skills,
conditioning and /or commitment. Commitment level is decided
upon jointly between the athletes, parents and coaches on an
individual basis. Practices are offered 5-6x per week.
For most, the program structure calls for more time to be
devoted to physiological conditioning than to teaching
fundamentals. The ratio of teaching to conditioning is
generally 35% teaching and 65% conditioning (but can be highly
individual), after early season technique emphasis
work.
National / Sectional Group and Senior Elite: Elite
Training
- Ages 13 &
Over.
Swimmers with the appropriate dedication,
desire, experience, and talent move to the advanced training level
of our program at 13-18+ years of age. The training program in
these groups is very demanding with a heavy emphasis on
distance-based and IM physiological training for most athletes.
Practices are held 6-10x per week. The ratio of teaching to
conditioning is 25% teaching and 75% conditioning once the early
season technique emphasis has been set into place (3-5
weeks). Attendance and commitment expected.
|
