Young Learning or re-learning (acquired disability) a wide range of fundamental movement skills and participating in a learn to swim program.
Athlete Profile
Young and developing athletes can grow at different rates with chronological age. To add, they can enter and progress through maturation at different chronological time points. The speed and magnitude of physical and cognitive maturation can differ markedly, and such development can affect swimming performance to a greater or lesser extent.
Young and maturing swimmers could potentially reside in the matched FTEM categories, and so understanding the stage and influence of growth and maturation on performance relative to the developmental stage will be important.
- Typically associated with 6-11years.
- High – lowering gains in height/weight over time
- High potential for skill coordination, agility and physical literacy in swimming.
- High capability & interest to play, watch & imitate, create, invent, explore, repeat & role-play.
Training emphasis:
- Enjoyment
- Technique
- Simple Speed
Training purpose:
- Transition from LTS
- Skill Development
Pool:
- Simple training & games
- Introduction to technique across all strokes
- Introduction to racing skills and sculling drills
- Simple speed
- 15m (6 secs)
- Starts/turns/relays
Land:
- Group/Team activities
- Overall physical literacy
- Flexibility
- Movement coordination
10 – 16 Weeks per season
- Participation in play activities that may reflect sport/sporting skills.
- Participation with peers or family without structured control. To find out more, visit: sportaus.gov.au
- Basic swimming skills and techniques.
- Are competent in each of the strokes.
Optimal acquisition of all Fundamental Movement Skills across object control (e.g. throwing), body control (e.g. balancing), locomotive skills (e.g. running) and aquatic skills (e.g. floating).
Learning through games, swimming and personal development activities. Building confidence in the water in a fun, safe, social and non-competitive environment.
Mastering fundamental movement skills such as locomotor skills and body/stability skills.
Ability to socially communicate, engage & exchange with peers/instructors & coaches.
SYSTEM LEADERSHIP
National:
- General Manager Participations and Sport Development
State:
- Club Development Managers/Officers
Regional:
- Regional Development Managers/Officers
Olympic pathway programs:
- Learn to Swim programs
Paralympic pathway programs:
- Learn to Swim programs
National bodies:
- Australian Sports Commission
- State Sporting Associations
- Australian Swimming Coaches & Teachers Association
- Parents
- Clubs
- National Sporting Organisations
- National Sporting Organisations for People with Disabilities
The Safe Sport Framework (SSF) confirms the shared responsibility we all have for keeping each other safe in swimming – children and adults alike. For more information on the SSF, visit: Swimming Australia: Keeping our Sport Safe
Personnel and accountability:
- Learn to Swim Teachers
Programs:
- Swim Australia Teacher or equivalent
Focus:
- Teach the fundamentals of swimming and water safety
- Parents
- Pre-school education providers
- Learn to Swim Teachers
Coaching personnel:
- Learn to Swim Teachers
Coach education:
- Learn to Swim
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Alliance with industry partners, other NSOs & Academic partners reinterventions to improve Basic Movement Foundation.
Potential collaborative partners:
- Australian Sports Commission
- University Network
- National School Network
- National Club network
Potential themes emanating:
- Participation strategies
- Fundamental Movement Skills and Age-modified formats
- Club member retention
- Transition of athletes into High-Performance pathways
- Relative Age Effects in swimming – corrective adjustment procedures as a strategy to remove the influence of maturation in competition
