Supporting Canadian Swimmers Objectives
Our primary objectives over the next five years are:
- Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games and prepare several medalists for the 2012 Olympics
- Have 4 swimmers in the Top 25 in the world each year
- Have another 4 swimmers in the Top 50 in the world each year
- Increase our presence at all international competitions such as the Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, and World Championships.
- Win CIS and National Swimming Titles each year
- Implement a gifted swimmer program that identifies gifted swimmers and provides enhanced programming for them
Description of Core Components
Coaching: World class coaching is the key to better performances for an by our swimmers. Enhance the knowledge base and skills of our coaches through systematic opportunities to learn from other world elite coaches. Recruit and keep the most talented coaches available.
Major Competition and Camps: To become champions, young people need top learn to cope effectively with both success and failure. Opportunities to race the nation and the world, to compete with the top swimmers from the top swim countries, need to be more accessible. We must pursue opportunities for our swimmers and coaches to train and compete wherever the best congregate.
Recruiting: Establish funding to enable the University of Calgary to keep the talent developed here in Calgary. Create incentives such as scholarships and bursaries to attract swimmers from elsewhere to come to Calgary. Compete successfully with U.S. colleges and universities to attract and retain top Canadian gifted swimmers.
Sport Science: Top athletes in any sport must have access to the best science has to offer in assisting them to develop and perform successfully. Research and provide specialists and comprehensive programs in Physiology, Nutrition, Psychology, Strength Development, Life Management, and Injury/Illness Management.
Pools: Better access to the University of Calgary facilities, both in volume of time and the quality of the environment.
Analysis of Competitive Position
Our main competitors in Alberta are primarily at the Age Group level and below. Our programs are currently the top at all levels. Our swimmers compete nationally as a team with the University of British Columbia Dolphins and individually with a host of other swim organizations-none of which are a consistent threat to our swimmers. The biggest threat to Calgary's developing swimmers are:
- Being drawn by scholarships to average U.S. swimming universities. The history of continued international improvement of athletes is limited in that environment.
- The huge money being put into sports in B.C. at this time will soon cause a drain of staff and swimmers westward.
We have advantages to build on, such as excellent facilities, pool time, great coaching, altitude factors, and cost of living. Geography is a disadvantage when compared to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, or the U.S. as it pertains to proximity to competition. We are also under-funded compared to the U.S. university programs, Australian Institute of Sport, and now British Columbia Swimming Programs.
We must nurture our talent and better recruit new talent more specifically and relentlessly.