Ever wondered why the Grandstands and bleachers at your Club Swimming Carnivals and Swim Meets are empty?

Ever wanted to know how to get lots of people to come along to your Swim Meets?

Ever wanted to know how to get the support of Coaches so that they actively support your Swim Meet and send large numbers of their swimmers along to race?

Then design and deliver Complementary Carnivals!

The simple answer to all these question is this: Design your Swim Meet program to reflect the needs of the swimmers and coaches you are hoping to attract: Complementary Carnivals (i.e. as in the dictitionary definition - acting as or providing a complement – something that completes the whole.

Too many Clubs, Regional Associations, State Swimming Associations and even National Swimming Associations conduct swim meets which are designed around the four Cs:

• Cash – using Swim Meets as Cash-cows and designing a program to deliver the maximum possible financial return rather than the best result for swimmers and coaches;
• Convenience – making the Swim Meet fit into the schedule of the Administration rather than the optimal fit into the training and competition cycles of swimmers and coaches;
• Continuity – repeating the same program over and over again, year after year;
• Committee – doing what the “committee” or Board think is what’s best for swimmers and coaches rather than consulting with them, collaborating with them and asking them what they really need from a Swim Meet.

Too many times we hear these three comments:

From Coaches: “I am not going to send my team to that Swim Meet because it does not work in with our training or competition goals”;

From Swimmers: “I am not going to that Swim Meet. The events are always the same, it’s boring and I get sick of going there every year to do the same stuff” and then…………….

From Swim Meet Organisers: “Why aren’t swimmers and coaches supporting my Swim Meet?”.

Well, duh!

The secret to success in Swim Meet organisation is to design and deliver a program which provides swimmers and coaches with the opportunity they need to enhance their training and competition goals.

There are two ways of doing this.

1. At Club and Regional level, design and deliver Swim Meet programs which complement the training and competition goals of the swimmers and coaches;
2. At State and National level, design and deliver Swim Meet programs which reflect the competition schedules and competition formats of the next level meet, i.e. State Level Swim Meets should replicate and simulate the competition conditions swimmers will face at National Level Swim Meets and National Level Swim Meets should replicate and simulate the competition conditions swimmers will face at their targeted International Level Swim Meet.

Swim Meet organisers have to think in reverse to make this happen.

Instead of thinking “let’s put together a program which generates the most possible revenue for our Club or Region or State” , they need to think, “what is it that our swimmers and coaches need from a Swim Meet that can best help them improve and realise their performance goals?”.

At Club level this concept is critical. If the Club’s coach is working hard on developing the swimmers’ endurance, improving their aerobic capacity and building the team’s stamina in training, then it makes sense to help the coach and the swimmers by delivering a Club Night racing program which is based around endurance, aerobic capacity and stamina!

This should be a no-brainer: the Club competition program should reflect and support the Club’s training program. Again…well, duh!

This is not a hard concept to understand folks – so why do so many Swim Meet organisers get it so wrong?

All over the world, Swim Meet organisers are coming together to discuss and plan their next competition program: format, structure, order of events, timing etc etc.

The smart ones have consulted the swimmers and coaches they represent and have designed a Swim Meet program which delivers something of real value and relevance.

The not-so-smart ones have just rolled out the same program they have used since 1961, thrown in 200 extra events to try and milk every possible cent out of swimming parents and created the whole Meet to suit their own timing, own needs and their own agendas.

Smart or Not-So-Smart………..which one are you?

Wayne Goldsmith

© 2010, Swim Coaching Brain. All rights reserved. This post can not be reproduced in full or in part without the expressed consent of the author Wayne Goldsmith.

Related posts:

1. How to Put Together a Great Championship Program – 50 ideas for a Positively, Powerfully, Perfect Program – Part One.
2. How much training is right for me (or how cake baking can help you swim faster!!!)
3. The Engagement Factor – the essential element in designing training sets and swimming workouts.

Part three of How to Put Together a Great Championship follows….almost immediately:

The next 15 ideas on a great club championships program:

36. Dads’ dinner – How about getting all the “swim dads” together at the lunch break for a bbq and give them a chance to catch up?

37. Mum’s make over – Why not ask a local beauty salon to come in and offer “swim mums” a makeover while they watch the swimming?

38. Club spirit awards – award prizes and give recognition to the swimmers and families who embody all the positive qualities about the sport, e.g. friendliness, encouragement of others, supporting other team members, humility in losing, etc.

39. KPS races – Swimmers have to race 100 kick, then 100 pull. Add their 100 kick time plus their 100 pull time and compare the combined time to their 200 swim time!

40. Stroke count / speed award – for the swimmer who improves both their PB time and decreases their stroke count – i.e. awarding both speed and stroke efficiency.

41. First 15 award – a prize for the swimmer in each age group who has the fastest first 15 metres, i.e. awarding starting and underwater work – critical in developing fast sprinters.

42. Iron man / Iron girl award – for the swimmers who complete the most races or the greatest distance over the Club Championships.

43. Double up award – for the swimmers whose times at each distance are the closest to the “double up” – e.g. If a swimmer swims 35 seconds for a 50 metre event, DOUBLE IT = 70 seconds (1:10) as the goal for their 100 metre event. The swimmer who gets the closest to their double up time gets a prize.

44. Finish the day with a party – celebrate swimming and being a Club together!

45. Excellence Awards – if someone breaks a Club record – recognise the achievement – loudly and proudly.

46. State / National / World record attempts – lots of fun. Pick a tough record, e.g. Michael Phelps 400IM world record. Have 8 senior swimmers swim as a relay team (swimming 50 metres each) to try and break Phelp’s record as a team.

47. Organise cheer squads – have each age group organise their own cheer squad. Award prizes to the loudest, best organised, most original cheer squad.

48. State and National awards – award prizes to the swimmers who achieve times closest to the State and National records in that event.

49. Hold Club Championships on (or close to) special days – e.g Mother’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanks giving, etc and make the day the theme of the Club Champs. For example if you hold them on Mother’s Day, all moms get a rose and some chocolates. If you hold them around Easter, everyone gets Easter Eggs and organise an Easter Egg hunt for the little kids.

50. Ask the coaches to award prizes to the swimmers whose training and preparation has been outstanding. Club Championships are a great chance to recognise the swimmers who work hard all year and give total commitment to improving.

Summary:

Club Championships programs should be:

• Fast – create an environment where swimmers want to compete and race fast;
• Family orientated – embrace families like they are part of your own;
• Fun, fun, fun – make the day the most enjoyable fun filled day of the year.

It is easy to roll out last year’s Club Championship program and simply change the date on the front cover!!

But with a little effort, a lot of creativity and some passion to make it work, you can have an outstanding Club Championship program – every year!

Wayne Goldsmith and Helen Morris

© 2009 – 2010, Swim Coaching Brain. All rights reserved. This post can not be reproduced in full or in part without the expressed consent of the author Wayne Goldsmith.

Related posts:

1. How to Put Together a Great Championship Program – 50 ideas for a Positively, Powerfully, Perfect Program – Part Two.
2. How to Put Together a Great Championship Program – 50 ideas for a Positively, Powerfully, Perfect Program – Part One.
3. Five New Ideas that will Change Swimming Forever.

Part One of this Post covered a lot of ground – (or water) – enjoy part two!

More ideas to make your club championships one to remember:

16. Do the same thing but with 100s / 400 IM.

17. Personal Best prizes, e.g whoever does the biggest PB for the meet, wins a prize.

18. Invite a local school band to play for the beginning of the evening / day. It will set the tone of enjoyment and fun.

19. Give the senior swimmers a 25m race. They’ll love it and the younger kids will love watching them.

20. Award the medals / ribbons / prizes after each race. Everyone loves immediate feedback.

21. Music not medals…..Give the older swimmers one song I-tunes download for third place, two songs for second place and three songs for first place.

22. Ask a state or national level swimmer to attend for a short time to present awards and make a short speech to the club.

23. Invite the local member of government or state member to attend for a short time – tell people what a great club you are.

24. Turn awards – give prizes for the fastest turns. Time swimmers from the time their heads go under the flags on the way in to the wall until their feet get to the flags on the way out.

25. Stroke technique prizes. Appoint a judging panel  (the head coach, team captain and a former great club swimmer for example) who award points for the best technique in each stroke, the best turns, the best dives, the best racing skills, the best finish, the best underwater work……award technical excellence not just winning times.

26. Encourage multi eventing. Award special prizes to swimmers who do PBs in more than one stroke.

27. Big kid / little kid relays. Grab a swimmer over 15 and another swimmer under 10. Add their ages together, e.g. a 16 year old plus a 9 year old = 25 year team. Add their PB times together and the combined age of their year team, e.g. 30 seconds plus 41 seconds plus 25 years = 96 seconds. The winning team is the team who beats their overall score (in this case 96 seconds) by the greatest margin.

28. Family relays. Mom, dad and all the family enter their best times for 25 or 50 metres. (They can even do time trials in the morning to get a time). Add all the family times together for a total family score. Then have handicap relay races between families.

29. Handicap races. Millions of variations. Use your imagination.

30. Brains and brawn awards – ask kids to enter a list of their most recent report card grades from school. Then add the number of PB swim times to A, B and C grades and award prizes to the kids who have improved their minds and their muscles in the past year!

31. Fancy dress – there are no limits to this idea. How about come as your favourite movie star? Or musician? Or athlete?

32. Talent challenges – each age group has to come up with some entertainment, e.g. 8 year olds could sing something mid morning, 10 year olds could perform a funny skit at the lunch break.

33. Form a Club Championships committee which includes a few swimmers – there is a big difference between adults putting together a program which they think kids will like and a program which kids will actually enjoy.

34. Even better – let the kids come up with their own Club Championships program (with a little help from the coach).

35. Use Club Championships to educate parents – why not organise lectures on sports parenting, sports nutrition, life / school / sport balance and use Club Championships as a learning experience for families.

Check out Part three of this great post……..coming soon.

Wayne Goldsmith and Helen Morris

© 2009 – 2010, Swim Coaching Brain. All rights reserved. This post can not be reproduced in full or in part without the expressed consent of the author Wayne Goldsmith.

Related posts:

1. How to Put Together a Great Championship Program – 50 ideas for a Positively, Powerfully, Perfect Program – Part Three.
2. How to Put Together a Great Championship Program – 50 ideas for a Positively, Powerfully, Perfect Program – Part One.
3. Five New Ideas that will Change Swimming Forever.

Club championships programs are not easy to put together – after all, you are usually racing the same people you see day after day after day after day after day……. (you get the idea).

Many clubs lament that their Club Championships are not well supported and are generally disappointing in terms of attendance and commitment from swimmers and families. Well guess what??? It’s your – (as in the organisers of the event) – fault!

If people don’t want to buy the “product” you are selling, sell something else! If people do not attend your Club Champs – don’t blame the people – don’t blame other sports – don’t blame the economic crisis – change what you are selling!

If you want a really great Club Championship program, the trick is to combine the four Ps:

• Performance – Club championships are- after all-about racing.
• Parents – Get them involved and get them wet! This is the one chance all year to have some family fun.
• Practice – Club Championships are not the end of the story….for many swimmers Club Championships are the beginning of the competitive season and it’s a great opportunity for practicing skills, strokes, technique, dives, starts, turns, finishes, warm ups, cool downs, stretches, race day diet and other racing skills.
• Party – have a really fun day with the families, friends and other fantastic people who make swimming the wonderful sport it is!

And, here are four really dumb things to avoid unless you want to have a really rotten Club Championship program – the four Cs:

• Coaches – as in leaving them out of the planning of Club Championships. Big mistake. Coaches must be an integral part of the Championship program committee so that the program reflects what they are trying to achieve with their overall planning and periodisation strategy.
• Change – as in “don’t change”. Some Club Championship committees just keep rolling over the same program year after year then wonder why people stop coming! Make it different, interesting, innovative and enjoyable by throwing in some new ideas every year.
• Catering – as in offer junk food. Big challenge for all Clubs is to raise money for things like equipment, coaching fees, competitive travel etc. But try not to do it by taking the easy options like providing junk food at Club Championships which might be great for profits but sends the wrong messages to swimmers and parents.
• Competition – as in don’t make it one! The greatest challenge in creating a great Club Championship program is balancing fun with fast racing. It is important that Club Championships are really enjoyable but make sure they also provide the right environment for real competition and challenge swimmers to produce their best. Don’t award frivolous prizes just for attending the Club Championships – it devalues the hard work and effort of swimmers who really want to achieve something.

Here are the first 15 of 50 ideas to help you create a Positively, Powerfully, Perfect program:

1. Radical relays – boys vs. girls, older swimmers vs. younger swimmers, dads vs. mums, coaches vs. swimmers………..millions of relay ideas.
2. Make sure your CLUB championship program mirrors the program of the next level meet, e.g. If the next level meet is your State Championships, try to make your Club Championship program the same  – i.e. same events, in the same order – so that your Club Championships are preparing your team to be successful at the next level.
3. Have parents’ races!
4. Have parents and kids relays!
5. 50s of each event.
6. 100s of each event.
7. 200s of each event.
8. Fin races. i.e. race fly, back and free with fins on.
9. What about throwing in some Kicking races?
10. Invite qualified, experienced State or National level race starters, judges and officials to make sure the quality and standard of your meet is the best it can be. And ask them for a written report so you can fine tune skills and techniques before your swimmers race at high level meets.
11. Change your Club Championships program and format EVERY year. Nothing turns off swimmers and families more than having to sit through the same races, in the same order for the same prizes year after year.
12. Make everyone welcome. Parents and families who are new to the Club and who are attending their first ever Club Championships should be made to feel like old friends and part of the swimming club “family”.
13. More is less………don’t be tempted to make the day longer just because you can! Families are busier now than ever and if you want them to keep coming back, make Club Championships enjoyable and short! Leave them wanting more.
14. Make awards relevant for age groups. Another big mistake Clubs make is to award the same medals, ribbons and certificates to 6 years olds as they do to 16 year olds. This is a guaranteed way to push your teenage swimmers towards other sports! How about DVDs as prizes? Or gift vouchers for cool clothing stores? Or Nintendo Games? Or gift vouchers for the I-Store (if you don’t know what this is, you are in real trouble). Or gym memberships? Or training equipment?
15. Combined events scores, e.g. add together each swimmer’s times for their 50s in each stroke and compare it to their 200 IM time. Whoever gets the 200 IM time closest to the 4 x 50s wins a prize, e.g. 50 fly time plus 50 back time plus 50 breast time plus 50 free time added together compared to 200 IM time.

See Part Two of this Post – coming soon!

Wayne Goldsmith and Helen Morris

© 2009 – 2010, Swim Coaching Brain. All rights reserved. This post can not be reproduced in full or in part without the expressed consent of the author Wayne Goldsmith.

Related posts:

1. How to Put Together a Great Championship Program – 50 ideas for a Positively, Powerfully, Perfect Program – Part Three.
2. How to Put Together a Great Championship Program – 50 ideas for a Positively, Powerfully, Perfect Program – Part Two.
3. Complementary Carnivals: Why Swim Meets Fail.