Goal Setting for Age-Group Swimmers in the New Year
The first practice of the New Year always feels a little different.
The pool deck maintains the same chlorinated smell. The water is just as freezing. The beep from the clock on the wall still seems louder than it should. But something about January brings a quiet sense of possibility with new goals and a new sense of motivation.
For many age group swimmers, the new year is a natural moment to think about goals both small and large. You might hear teammates talking about making a first cut for a championship meet, dropping time in multiple events, or maybe even qualifying for a championship team. Goals are exciting and motivating, but they can also feel overwhelming if you don’t know where to start.
So how do you set goals that actually help you swim better, not just dream bigger? Start With Your Story, Not Someone Else’s.
It’s easy to scroll through social media and see highlight reels: Medals, podiums, record boards. But goal setting works best when it’s personal. Comparison can steal your joy. Before writing anything down, take a moment and reflect on who you are and where you want to be. What did last year teach you? What was hard? What are you proud of even if no one else noticed?
Maybe you showed up consistently even when school was stressful. Maybe you learned how to race smarter, even if the time didn’t drop yet. Maybe you stuck with swimming during a tough season when all seemed against you.
Those moments matter. They are part of your story and your goals should build on that, to make this year better than the last.
Dream Big and Small
Big and scary goals are important as they give you direction and purpose that can last years. Big goals alone, however, can feel far away, especially in a sport where progress often comes in thousandths of a second.
Instead of stopping at “I want to qualify for Junior Nationals” or “I want to make my varsity high school team,” ask yourself: What does someone who reaches that goal do every day?How do they train? How do they recover out of the water?
This is where smaller, process-based goals come in.
For example:
- Attend 90% of practices this season
- Add one more dolphin kick off each wall
- Get eight hours of sleep
- Drink more water
These goals may not sound as important, but they’re the ones you can control and over time, they’re the ones that create real change.
Goals Aren’t Just About Times
Swimming is about more than the scoreboard. Some of the most important goals have nothing to do with seconds or medals.
Consider setting goals around: Building confidence, staying positive after a tough swim, encouraging teammates during hard sets, bouncing back after a disappointing meet. These qualities don’t show up on results pages, but coaches notice them and they often translate well beyond your years in the pool.
Progress Is Not Linear
Here’s something experienced swimmers know: Progress is rarely linear.
You will have meets where the time doesn’t drop. Practices where nothing clicks. Weeks where you feel stuck. That doesn’t mean your goals were wrong; it means you’re training.
During these times it is important not to abandon your goals, but to remember your why. Remember why you set the goals in the first place, and why you fell in love with the sport. Sometimes the biggest growth happens in the quiet stretches between breakthroughs.
Write It Down!
Goals feel powerful when they live in your head. They become real when you write them down. And even more real when you tell a friend, coach, parent, or teammate about them. Put your goals somewhere you’ll see them; perhaps inside your swim bag, on your mirror, or in your notes app on your phone. Be sure to revisit your goals often and adjust them if needed. Celebrate all progress, even if it feels small.
Goal setting isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being intentional.
The Bigger Picture
Swimming teaches lessons that last far beyond age group meets and time standards. Learning how to set goals, work toward them daily, and stay committed when motivation fades is a skill you’ll carry for life.
As the new year begins, remember this: You don’t have to become a different swimmer overnight. You just have to take the next step forward – one practice, one repeat, one goal at a time.