Coaching a developmental swim team is a rewarding and exciting experience. I totally enjoyed guiding swimmers from total beginners into competitive swim team participants.

You can find an exhaustive guide on how to structure your Developmental Swim Program in the new Developmental Swim Team online course! It includes everything from planning out your group structure to practice templates, and guidance on the merging of mediation, deliberate practice, and how coaches can be the best they can.

Developmental Swim Team Coaching

Developmental Swim Team Coaching

Circle Swimming:

What is circle swimming?

What not to do:

• Scream at kids to “circle swim” without explaining what it is.
• Ignore it for 3 months and then expect people to do it automatically.
• Have a vision for lap swimming but don’t say anything, just expect people to do it.

Some of these are a little tongue-in-cheek, but believe it or not, I’ve seen coaches do these things and then express frustration on why their swimmer aren’t doing what they want.

Swimmers will only do the things that you teach, reinforce, and hold them accountable for.

Introduce circle swimming and set expectations

You have to tell swimmers that are new to the sport everything that they don’t know. That means being explicit with all of your vision and where you want to go and all of the small organizational things you want to have happen.

New swimmers do not know what circle swimming is. They don’t understand that swimmers should go down the right side of the lane and move across the lane at the end, then return on their right side. The lane line should always be immediately next to their right side.

YOU have to tell swimmers what circle swimming is. You have to show them what it looks like, and what it means.

“Swim down the lane on the right side, then “set up your lane.”

Tell swimmers to do a 25, or one length of the pool of freestyle. They should swim on the right side of the bottom line, and then set up the lane at the end.

“Swim down the lane on the right side now, or the OTHER side from the one you used to get here.”

Swimmers have crossed the pool once, now we’re going back on the other side of the lane. Tell swimmers explicitly which side of the lane to use by standing in front of it, showing them, and describing with your words where exactly they should be.

“We’re going to swim another 25, or one length of freestyle to the other side.” Position yourself on the right side of a lane and stand behind it. Point down the lane and point at the lane line on the bottom of the pool. “Swim between the lane line and the line on the bottom of the pool to the other side. Point to the right side of your lane with your hand now.” Correct those that get it wrong. Then say, “Okay! First person. Ready go!”

Enforce circle swimming

Coaches must remain vigilant during practices, constantly observing swimmers’ adherence to circle swimming protocols. It’s not enough to teach the skill once and expect perfect execution; reinforcement is key. Verbal cues, such as reminders and corrections, should be given frequently to guide swimmers’ positioning and movement within the lane. Non-verbal feedback, such as hand signals or positioning yourself strategically on the deck, can also be highly effective in maintaining order and flow during sets and group activities. By providing continuous feedback, coaches help swimmers internalize circle swimming as a standard practice rather than a sporadic expectation.

Effective circle swimming becomes second nature to swimmers only through consistent practice and reinforcement. Coaches play a pivotal role in this process, ensuring that each swimmer understands their role and responsibilities in maintaining lane discipline. Whether it’s through structured drills focused on circle swimming or integrating it seamlessly into every practice set, the goal is to make this skill a habitual part of every session. By doing so, coaches not only foster a more organized and safe training environment but also instill a fundamental aspect of swim culture that swimmers will carry with them throughout their swimming careers.

• Provide Frequent Reminders: Regularly remind swimmers of the importance of circle swimming during briefings and practice sessions.
• Use Hand Signals: Develop and use consistent hand signals to non-verbally guide swimmers when needed.
• Strategic Deck Positioning: Position yourself at key points around the pool deck to better observe and manage swimmers’ adherence to circle swimming.
• Structured Drills: Incorporate circle swimming into structured drills repeatedly throughout practice to reinforce the habit.
• Positive Reinforcement: Offer praise and positive feedback when swimmers demonstrate proper circle swimming techniques.
• Constructive Corrections: Address mistakes immediately and kindly, using them as teaching moments to reinforce proper technique.
• Set Clear Expectations: Clearly outline the expectations and standards for circle swimming and ensure all swimmers understand them.
• Monitor & Adjust: Continuously monitor swimmers and adjust your approach based on their needs and progress.

By focusing on these actions, coaches can establish and reinforce circle swimming as a natural and fundamental part of swim practice. Good luck with your session planning! 😊🏊‍♂️