Split Time Features Discussion of High School Swimming Vs. Club Swimming -- November 4, 2009
PHOENIX, Arizona, November 4. OUR newest episode of Split Time features an in-depth discussion of the pros and cons of choosing to compete for your high school swimming team, with host Garrett McCaffrey.
McCaffrey is joined by Shawn Klosterman, head coach of the Webb City Cardinals in southwest Missouri. The two talk about the choices swimmers have to make when deciding if a few months representing their high school team will affect their career in the long run. The high school meets are some of the most exciting events in swimming, so why would any high school age swimmer not want to participate? Because some of the top level high school swimmers are also top level club swimmers. Watch the full interview in the video player below and visit SwimmingWorld.TV for more video interviews.
Reaction Time Comments
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November 4, 2009 For someone not in college swimming yet, there is nothing like the experience of HS swimming. It is one of those rare occasions in life that a swimmer gets recognition from their peers. I believe it is a trade off worth making, and I will give up HS swimmers for 13 weeks.
We have an interesting situation here in Lincoln, NE. We just adapted dual participation and will have to see how things pan out. I do not have the space, time or money to train the HSers that leave in two weeks for the season. The decision is left to the HS coach, as to how much a swimmer can do both and if there are penalties for missing HS practice/meets. This is ultimately where the conflict lies here in NE.
It is my goal to try and bring that experience back to club swimming, but it is a long road. Club swimming is bypassed around here because of other sports and the fear of commitment by many. The thought of being "hard core" and sacrificing life for swimming is too much for many. I have the younger kids as well, with the desire to excel. I can only hope they continue to want it. I am trying to make it a them VS me, collectively racing and pushing each other, trying to out duel me and my practice on the chalk boards. Only time will tell.
On a side note, I was at the Central Zone this summer in ND and found one of your Killer Whale caps in a grab bag box. Was going to give it a way to a swimmer at some point, but now I don't think I will be able to part with it knowing the Viking had something to do with it. Submitted by: HC_HLA
November 4, 2009 Shawn tabled many of the main issues, and it seems like he has a situation and communication that is enviable. Unfortunately it is not like this in many areas, and the main people hurt are the swimmers. They are forced to make difficult choices, often at ages when they are ill equipped to do, and forced to fit within rules dictated by school athletic boards that have little knowledge of swimming and have one rule for all sports, inevitably based on the sports they are familiar with (football, basketball etc). High school swimming is intense fun, and gets both peer and press recognition: a swimmer's dream. However, in many areas the high school coach has far less swim coaching experience than the club coach. That's not a criticism, it is just a reality of school budgets, low population densities and the fact that the club coach is a professional, this is his/her job! Secondly, the high school coach has a very different goal and time horizon than the club coach. The former gets a swimmer for 2-3 months and then not until (maybe) next year. The training is completely geared for 1 meet at the end of the season. The club coach is investing in a swimmer for 5-10 years, with multiple and complex long term goals including stroke development, regional, national and maybe college. In regions where high school swimming is very competitive, likely the training, attitude and commitment are similar to clubs, but in many areas, high school swimming is basically a participation sport, with no cuts, and many participants for whom the high school season is their only swimming. Again, not a criticism, I think this is a good thing. But, pools filled with these swimmers, and practices geared at handling these swimmers cannot hope to meet what a good club swimmer is used to, or needs for development. Lastly, the high school championship in many areas creates a shave and taper event at a critical time in the USA season, throwing off an entire year of planning and training. This whole situation is exacerbated by the local press who report high school sports but not club results, so you have the strange spectacle of the headlines boasting of the winning swimmer / time at the high school dual meet that was easily bested by club-based swimmers at their unreported meet. In my view, some accommodation should be made for club swimmers to represent their high school and get the benefits of the high school experience without giving up all club training/events. Surly this can be done without ruining the camaraderie and team-nature of the high school team or, cashing in their future (and still uncertain) long-term swimming development and goals fostered at their club. Broad minded adults who understand swimming and put the swimmers first should be able to come up with a middle ground.
Submitted by: actnow
November 5, 2009 Continue this topic on several levels.
1) Explore the restrictions under which high school coaches must operate in various states. Some states have few restrictions (Virginia) while others have numerous.
2) Talk about the battle of egos (club vs. H.S. coaches). Very real in some cases. I've had a swimmer crying on deck because of threats made to her if she participated in a certain high school dual meet.
3) Ideas for increasing the dialogue between club and H.S. coaches which is the real key to making this work. Submitted by: Virginia Coach
November 5, 2009 Virginia Coach--
I agree. there is a lot more that can be said on the topic. I would also like to hear what other coaches are doing to make it work, and the battles that coaches are facing in one state vs another.
I know that in Michigan there was a lawsuit that finally pushed the state association to allow high school coaches to be USA coaches. What has gone on in other states?
Egos are another issue altogether. When I was coaching club, it was pretty hard to set mine aside when the high school coaches didn't want to cooperate at times. I think that both sides have to give a little and accept that they can learn from one another and come to an agreement on how to best take care of all swimmers and keep them on the right path.
Often, the larger issue is that many swimmers who are developed in a USA club, when they get their first taste of high school swimming, start to treat their clubs as secondary... as though USA is just off-season swimming. I think it is disgusting to sell out your club just because you had fun in high school. High school swimming should be an important part of the whole process, but not the be-all-end-all of the sport. In that situation, many athletes sell themselves and their coaches short. Submitted by: The Screaming Viking!
November 5, 2009 actnow--
i certainly don't disagree with you. remember, i was on the club side of it before missouri relaxed their rules. it was a difficult ride. i had to create my enviable situation by using my club to bring all area high schools to a higher expectation level. even with Missouri's changes and swimming in my area at new heights, we still have a long way to go.
in our effort to promote the sport, USA teams around here have not only made an effort to help high school coaches to see the big picture and realize that they are blessed to have athletes come in as freshman who are already at a high level... we have tried to help the high schools find coaches, assistants and VOLUNTEERS who have been involved in the larger world of swimming so that high school swimming can accomodate the kids for whom conference and state are just one of many major meets.
one coach mentioned to me that he is surprised that the NFHS hasn't made a sweeping national stance on the issue. I am too. maybe that is what we need to push for. Submitted by: The Screaming Viking!
Reaction Time responses do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Swimming World Magazine or SwimmingWorldMagazine.com.
Reaction Time is provided as a service to our readers.
