As presented at the Competition Committee Meeting - January 14, 2007
PVS Camp Program
2007-2008 Season
USA Swimming has developed a camp program to help educate its member and foster the love of the sport for all level of athletes. They encourage each LSC to offer these camps to their athletes throughout the season. Although USA Swimming provides a lot of structure, information and materials to be used for the camps, they also encourage each LSC to be creative and flexible by addressing the wants and needs of their swimmers and coaches.
Potomac Valley used to be very involved in running camps and other programs for our athletes, but in recent years have fallen behind. Now is the time, with this new program, to begin to offer some exciting new programs for our athletes. USA-S’s goals and objectives for the camp program are: to provide an educational experience for each participating swimmer, educate participants on the history and heroes of USA Swimming, improve swimmer’s self image, promote LSC unity through camp participation, retain athletes, transfer information back to swimmer’s home club and to provide an opportunity for education, observation, communication and motivation for coaches.
Each level developed by USA Swimming targets key elements of development through which our young swimmers are progressing. The suggested levels are:
Level I: Novice, pre-competitive level swimmers, suggestions for main focus; sportsmanship, stroke skills and simple training technology.
Level II: Beginning competitive swimmers, suggested topics include; nutrition, starts, turns and finishes, advanced training terminology.
Level III: Advanced competitors, with topics such as; goal setting, visualization, relaxation, racing strategies and leadership.
Level IV: Older swimmers (high school age), this level is aimed to help motivate and retain advanced swimmers who are ready to step up to regional and/or national events, topics of interest include; injury prevention, college preparation and banned substance education.
All of the topics listed above are suggestions, as an LSC we can decide which topics to include in each camp and can add others as we see fit. It is also encouraged to use guest speakers when necessary.
In addition to the information that USA Swimming provides, they also provide many of the materials to be used in the camps. Each coach receives a camp T-shirt, honorarium (upon completion of the camp), USA Swimming gear and the necessary manuals. Athletes participating receive a camp T-shirt, swim cap, and certificate. USA-S also sends various prizes to give out during the camp. All video and some of the presentation materials are also provided, but must be returned at the conclusion of the camp.
In the contract with USA Swimming, the LSC is required to staff the camp with the following ratio (minimum):
0-20 swimmers 3 staff
21-35 swimmers 4 staff
36-50 swimmers 5 staff
There must be at least one male and one female on the coaching staff and all staff members MUST be current registered USA Swimming Coaches. It is also suggested to use senior swimmers for additional assistance as needed. USA S will provide staff T-shirts for up to 2 senior assistants.
These camps are not intended to be a money maker for the LSC, although it may be necessary to charge the swimmers a fee to help offset the cost of the facility rental, meals, additional speakers, and their fee should simply help cover the costs of the program. At the spring House of Delegates, I will be asking to add money back to the annual budget to help support this program. The length of the camp is entirely up to the LSC and the Camp Director. In most cases the camps are an all day event, however they may run over two days and/or include an overnight experience.
A sanction by the LSC is also a requirement from USA Swimming in order to take advantage of the camp program.
My proposal for PVS Camps
As the Potomac Valley Swimming Camp Coordinator, I will be the primary contact between the LSC and USA Swimming in regard to all administrative duties for the camp program. In addition, I will work with the Age Group Chairman in planning and setting up 4 camps throughout the 2007-2008 season, one of each level. For these camps I will also act as the Camp Director by securing the facility, selecting the staff, registering the athletes and supervising the all aspects of each camp.
Although this is a great opportunity for all Potomac Valley swimmers it would be nearly impossible for one person to offer enough camps to include all swimmers in our LSC. Therefore other coaches may also offer camps of any level, and act as the Camp Director. I am highly recommending that all PVS coaches think about this great opportunity and take advantage of all of the assistance offered by USA Swimming to further educate their swimmers as well as themselves and become a camp director for one or more camps. In these cases, I would then act as the camp coordinator, and be your primary contact with USA Swimming, and assist with the administrative duties that go along with running a successful camp.
I see this being run similar to how swim meets are run in PVS; each year PVS “runs” several open meets, by only asking for someone to run the meets. Then clubs are invited to hold their own meets throughout the year to help fulfill their own needs. At the club run meets, the host club can either make the meets just for their own club or can pick and choose what other teams they would like to invite. I see the camp program running in a similar fashion.
First camp in April
Time and Place: Sunday April 29 at Fairland Aquatics from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Target Swimmers: Level III (11-14 year olds)
Swimmer Requirement: Swimmers must have minimum of 2 JO cuts as of the first day of the meet in their age group at the meet.
Format: 2 hours pool time in am, 4 hours of classroom time with lunch, 2 hours pool time in the afternoon (very similar to a sample sent by USA Swimming)
Coaches: Looking for applicants. All Applications due by the end of Jan. Open
Topics: Camp Coordinator, Age Group Chair and Head Coach together will plan the topics and schedule