Here are the notes from our end-of-season coaches' meeting. Please let me know if you have anything to add to our strengths and weaknesses or if you have any suggestions for team improvements in the future. In addition, if you see an area of improvement with which you would like to help, PLEASE let me know and we'll get you to work right away!
GMA Monthly Coaches’ Meeting: April 2012
Attended:
Tim Bard, Brad Fallon, Jarett Fitzpatrick, Eileen Hall, Laura Matuszak, Mary
Ubert
STRENGTHS
of the GMA 2011-2012 Short Course Season
- · Coaching staff with a love and passion for the sport of swimming (Eileen Hall).
- · Coaching staff with a willingness to try new things and learn and grow within the sport of swimming (Laura Matuszak).
- · Coaches who honor the performances of the athletes over their own personal egos (Mary Ubert).
- · Coaches with a great deal of knowledge and experience in the sport who are able to work efficiently (Eileen Hall).
- · Coaching synergy, especially between the Age Group coaches under the leadership of Brad Fallon and Maria Cimonetti (Laura Matuszak).
- · Longevity and experience of the coaching staff provides our athletes with a consistent and effective program year-in and year-out (Brad Fallon).
- · Decrease in injuries in all of our athletes (Brad Fallon).
- · Increase in the physical capacity of our athletes through dryland training (Tim Bard).
Areas of
WEAKNESS from the GMA 2011-2012 Short Course Season that we want to improve
(with
ideas for improvement)
- · More regular and casual interactions among the entire coaching staff (Tim Bard).
o
Schedule
regular coaches’ social times (with snacks and coffee) right before or right
after practice times to foster more coaching camaraderie.
- · Better coaching synergy among ALL of the coaches (Laura Matuszak).
o
Ask
for guidance and suggestions from Brad and Maria.
o
Provide
guidance for better communication and coordination among coaching staff.
o
Discuss
and prioritize coaching synergy as a whole staff.
- · Recruiting younger athletes to the team (Mary Ubert).
o
More
promotion of the programs in local papers and schools.
o
Grow
Knights Swim Team.
o
More
fliers out to summer league teams and include the per hours costs for families
for better cost analysis and less sticker-shock.
o
Offer
a “Middle School Meet” and/or All Team Dual Meet (bring a friend) at the start
of the season to help summer recreational swimmers bridge the gap to winter
swimming.
o
Invite
all past and present GMA swimmers to some of our team activities.
o
Offer
a developmental program in Saint Albans.
o
Foster
stronger partnership with Annie Cooper and Swim! At the Essex.
- · The Buddy System (Brad Fallon).
o
Establish
the Buddy List in October and add new athletes to the list as needed rather
than waiting until November or December to release the list.
o
Establish
between 4 and 6 Buddy Teams and include the Upper Valley swimmers for ease of
organization and larger team connections.
- Provide organized expectations
- Provide in-practice activities and Buddy experiences
- · Provide coaching staff with a seasonal uniform budget and uniform options to maximize usable GMA gear (Brad Fallon).
SUGGESTIONS
for the 2012 Long Course Season
- · Open Water Mondays (Tim Bard).
- · More regular monthly reminders next year to promote and attract Regional and Age Group swimmers to do long course and to do BOTH long course and summer rec. (Brad Fallon).
- · Have 2013-2014 Short Course fliers and registration READY by July 1st, 2012 (Brad Fallon).
- · Have 2013 Long Course fliers and registration READY by January 1st, 2013 (Laura Matuszak).
