1/25/2017

10 & UNDER DEVELOPMENT

INVESTING IN THE BEGINNING OF A
SWIM CAREER – COACH & SWIMMER
Alexis Keto
Head Coach & CEO
New Trier Swim Club
Winnetka, IL

ALEXIS KETO
• Head Coach & CEO of New Trier Swim Club
• 2005-2016: Head Coach Colorado Athletic Club
-Olympic Trial, Nationals, Junior National Qualifiers
• 2004-2005: Head Site Coach, YMCA of the Triangle
Area
-Coached Age Group Sectional and Zone Qualifiers
• 1998-2004 Division 1 College Coach
Northwestern University; NC State University
• Numerous Summer League, high school & developmental
age group coach positions, 1994-2016
• Camp Manager & Clinic Coordinator for Colorado
Swimming & within the USA Swimming structure.

1
 1/25/2017

10 & UNDER
DEVELOPMENT
• Defining 10 & Unders
• How 10 & Unders learn & how to put it into
practice
• 10 & Unders within a large program
• Suggested Drills for 10 & Unders
• Selecting & Guiding 10 & Under Coaches
• Assessing 10 & Under Success
• Reminders & Q&A

LEARNING STYLES:
USING CLASSROOM THEORY TO INFORM
COACHING 10 & UNDERS
Learning Styles
* Visual, Verbal & Kinesthetic
* Addresses how students interact with information
* Informs instructors on alternative ways to instruct
* Instructors should work to accommodate athletes’ learning styles rather than the other way
Multiple Intelligences
* Similar to Learning Styles – how kids demonstrate skill and mastery
* Visual/Spatial; Verbal/Linguistic; Logical/Mathematical; Bodily/Kinesthetic; Musical/Rhythmic;
Interpersonal; Intrapersonal
Test your learning style – (Visual/Auditory/Tactile only)
http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml

2
 1/25/2017

10 & UNDER EDUCATION THEORY

8 & Unders = Kindergarten thru 3rd Grade
Developing all sides of their learning
Learning styles will emerge gradually
Important to address ALL styles
Have a lot of cross education – art/music/PE on a daily basis
• Kindergarten (ages 4-6)
- Color, movement, short creative lessons
- First experience in a controlled education setting
- Introduction to writing and reading
• 1st Grade (Ages 5-6)
- Use of formal desks and controlled space
- Learning to follow written instruction
- Basic Math skills
• 2nd Grade (Ages 6-7)
- Formal desks, introduction of consequences
- Learning to work in groups on projects in class
- Working to write a paper, reading chapter books
- Multiplication, Division, Time are explored at length
• 3rd Grade (Ages 7-8)
- Following extensive and detailed instructions
- Regular projects and group work
- Very structured day and yearly plan

10 & UNDER EDUCATION THEORY

9 -10 Year Olds = 4th & 5th Grade

Social interaction and gender striation begins to occur
Learning styles will become prominent
Students are more physically divided by academic performance
Have a lot of cross education – art/music/PE on a daily basis
• 4th Grade (Ages 8-9)
- Social work – emphasis on larger projects
- Reading chapter books & writing reports
- Fractions, Conversions
- Social Studies – learning history and how government works
• 5th Grade (Ages 9-10)
- At some schools, they start switching classes, independent learning
- First presentations in front of the class or teacher
- Most schools will have a “school play” where the entire grade will
work to create a large-scale production
- History and Science are now formal classes during the day
- Some students are entering puberty – sex ed is also introduced

3
 1/25/2017

TRANSLATING CLASSROOM THEORY TO

THE POOL
Verbal
* Gaining cues from spoken lecture or instruction
* Using Words to process and solve problems
* Get cues from intonation and word choice
• These swimmers will listen to coaches and need to hear the workout read to them and explained
clearly.
• Written workouts will be helpful for these athletes as will reciting the workout to them
• Explicitly state your goal for the workout and these athletes will work to achieve that; They will
particularly like motivational quotes and articles
• Team-Building: These athletes will enjoy activities that involve writing, talking and communicating
both with coaches and others
• Post Race: These athletes will need to talk through their swims and have you give them a lot of
feedback, they will also enjoy looking at splits

TRANSLATING CLASSROOM THEORY TO

THE POOL
Visual
* Using Pictures and Images to understand problems
* Color creates impressions and triggers memory processes
* Get cues from body language and stature
• These swimmers will love workouts accompanied with pictures or quotes
• Watching the coach write the workout up on the board or use different colors to emphasize
pieces of the workout will add meaning
• Use of underwater mirrors will be particularly useful for these athletes
• Team-Building - These athletes will enjoy activities that involve drawing, color or imagery –
they will be the athletes that enjoy making team posters or vivid bulletin boards or websites
• Post Race – these athletes will need visual interpretation of their races – draw the skill they
miss, draw a graph of their race, things like stickers are impactful rewards

4
 1/25/2017

TRANSLATING CLASSROOM THEORY TO

THE POOL
Kinesthetic/Tactile
* Using movement and body to coordinate action to solve problems
* Touching and moving items to be engaged
* Athletes gain cues from coaches movement on deck
• These athletes will need to mimic movement to generate mastery of a skill
• Creating opportunities for these athletes to move while giving the workout – pointing at parts
of the set, having them show you what they’re doing in the water
• Using dryland movements to match skills in the pool will resonate with these athletes
• Team-Building - These athletes will enjoy activities that involve movement – human knots,
team challenges, chain swims
• Post Race – these athletes will need to demonstrate their movement to you and will appreciate
if you have them show you what they felt in the pool, be ready for a lot of movement from them

TRANSLATING CLASSROOM THEORY TO

THE POOL
How do you evaluate athletes learning styles/intelligences? TALK TO THEM!!!
* Favorite classes
- Math vs Art – what they like may indicate how they learn
- Ask about their teachers – what they like about them
* Listen to their feedback
- Do they talk a lot? Do they move around? Do they look very intently at you?
* Watch in group settings
- Visual Learners will watch the group first
- Verbal Learners will want to write things down/talk
- Kinthestic Learners will be moving around and encouraging others

5
 1/25/2017

NEW TRIER 10 & UNDER STRUCTURE

Ten Training Groups Introductory
bridge group from swim lessons; rudimentary swim skills; new to swim team structure;
• Addresses all the levels of skill set – intro competitions
from beginning athletes to up level Level 1 : K-2
10 & Unders Level 2 : 3-4
Novice
• Designed around grade levels FIRST Swim team experience; familiar with all four strokes; learning/refining dives & turns;
beginning competitions
and then ability in the pool SECOND
Level 3 : K-3
• Mimics education track so athletes Level 4 : 4-5

can have similar educational Developmental

experiences
• Allows for athletes to create social
bonds that can continue through the
program until age 18
• Staffed with 2 Full-Time, Salaried
Coaches and 5-7 Part Time Coaches
dedicated to the 10 & Program
1-2 years of swim team experience; Legal in 3-4 strokes; Competitive Athletes evaluated on
competitive & practice performance and swimming acumen; swimmers are placed by
ability
Levels 5-7: Grades 2-4
Age Group
1-2 years of swim team experience; Legal in 3-4 strokes; Competitive Athletes evaluated on
competitive & practice performance; swimmers are placed by ability
Levels 8-10: Grades 5-6

SUGGESTED 10 & UNDER STROKE DRILLS

Things to remember when coaching younger athletes

- Keep your description short and vivid
- Encourage athletes to physically practice the drill before trying it
- Quickly correlate the drill to implementation in the stroke
- Speak, Write, Show – repeat expectations three times in three
different ways
- Get them IN the water and swimming as MUCH as possible.
- Limit how much you talk to under 10-15 minutes.

6
 1/25/2017

FREESTYLE DRILL
HEAD LEAD
FREESTYLE
• Works length of the stroke

• Simple to communicate to athletes

and practice on land and in the water
before trying it out

• Isolates one arm at a time to help

pull on both sides of the body

• Helps eliminate crossover

https://youtu.be/VjrA5qSy7rw

BACKSTROKE
DRILL
BACKSTROKE
PROGRESSION
• Works body rotation
• Simple to communicate to athletes and
practice on land and in the water
before trying it out
• Also helps kids work on head position
and keeping good body posture in the
water
• Helps communicate synchronization
between hips & shoulders. https://youtu.be/lrdW3En-KXM

7
 1/25/2017

BREASTSTROKE
DRILL
3 UP & 1 DOWN
• Simple to communicate to athletes and
practice on land and in the water
before trying it out

• Focuses on timing between hands and

feet

• Helps swimmers focus on scull motion

to eliminate incorrect elbow position

• Really great drill outside because

https://youtu.be/QmLPDHECl1Q
swimmers can watch their shadow

BUTTERFLY DRILL
DIVING BOARD
• Helps kids feel the undulation
movement

• Simple to communicate to athletes

and practice on land

• Translates quickly into the pool

especially with fins

• Encourages full body movement

https://youtu.be/delRTWsChM4

8
 1/25/2017

CREATING A 10 & UNDER WORKOUT

Set Technique Goals Develop Plan
50 Minute Developmental Workout Workout for a 100 Backstroke

• Warmup arms/legs/engage them • 100 Swim/50 Social Kick

• Drill of the Day (pick one) • 4 x 25 Body line Drill with TYR burners
-have assistants at both sides of the pool giving feedback
-Relate to Specific Race to every kid and sending off regularly

• Aerobic focus • 3x
-Specific Race 100 Free @ 3:00
• Game of the Day 50 Back @ 1:30 – remind flipturns
-Importance of FUN 2 x 25 Back @ 1 – good underwaters, focus
on fast finishes & hard kick
• Regroup & Announcements
• Matchbox cars on the bottom of the pool to
-Awards/Meet Sign-ups
work on underwaters

STAFFING A 10 & UNDER WORKOUT

Importance of finding the right employee
- Fun, energetic
What the workout looks like:
- Committed to the team a whole
- Desire to teach technique FIRST Lead Coach:
10 & Under Coordinator [Full-Time] * Read, Write, Show workout components
- works with upper level age group staff to establish * Sends first group off
expectations & programming * Move from lane to lane with feedback
- Communicates expectations with parents
regarding meets & practices
Assistants:
Part-time Staff * Reiterate concepts with swimmers
- Pre-K teachers or coaches/instructors are great * Handle send-offs
-Understand their most recent swimming experience
* Address concerns or injuries
MAY be senior/masters swimming, so be patient and
break down the expectations of strokes/workouts

9
 1/25/2017

ASSESSING 10 & UNDER SUCCESS

• Retention
How many swimmers continue with the program OR return to the program
Consistent Practice attendance

• Technique
Number of DQs at meets
Learning Terminology and baseline expectations for team participation

• Meet Participation
Percentage of participation in meets
Variety of events participating

• Parent Feedback
Positive – 10 & Under parents will THANK YOU
Negative – an uptick of negative feedback may have some worth investigation

• Program Commitment
Do they attend team events?
Do they wear team t-shirts at school?

WHY 10 & UNDERS MATTER FOR THE

HEALTH AND LONGEVITY OF A PROGRAM
10 & Unders will try many other sports
throughout the course of their athletic career –
if they love swimming early on – they’ll return
to the sport fully later in maturity
The social bonds formed in the 10 & Under age
group will continue through their career and
help stay in the sport
The 10 & Unders are the base of your pyramid
& become a microcosm of the team as a whole
– they are the fans of your bigger kids!
And financially, they will be the bulk of your
program – invest in their investment.

10
 1/25/2017

REMINDERS & EXTRA THOUGHTS

• Talk briefly – use the rule of three – Speak, Write, Act
• Be cognizant of parallels from school to swimming
• Encourage relationships between older & younger
swimmers
• Drills should build on the aerobic set of the day
• Talk to kids on their level – squat, sit, speak quietly
• Hire coaches who LOVE working with little kids and the
sport of swimming
• Educate and pay the coaches that work with your youngest
swimmers – encourage their involvement with the whole team
• Evaluate 10 & Unders on more than just performance in the
pool – it’s a lifelong sport, make sure you’re instilling lifelong
skills!

RESOURCES FOR
10 & UNDER COACHES
• Head Coach
Most Senior head coaches have spent a few years in the
10 & Under arena
• Pro-Swim Workouts
• New Trier YouTube Drill of the Week
Director of Sports Performance Matt Zachan
• Elementary Education Theory
• Watch a Class from another sport
Dance, Gymnastics, Soccer
• Attend ANY local clinic and learn more about stroke
technique in general

11
 1/25/2017

Q&A
AND
CONTACT
INFORMATION

Alexis Keto
Head Coach/CEO
New Trier Swim Club
www.swimntsc.org
303.619.8587
aketo@swimntsc.org
Instagram: CoachKeto
Twitter: @CoachAlexisKeto

12