Well, that didn't go according to plan

[awaldram]

Originally Posted by Apostle

Can I just make it clear that Oswim mentioned Mr Butt. I had neglected to include him in a big list of swimmers. I wasn't trying to single out anyone in particular.

As for relays. The Tractor boys are coming! and we are in the south

Sorry that was my fault.

Yep and providing you don;t beat the 'fins' I'll cheers you on

seriously though think
Rushmoor, Thanet, Southamton , Bluefins, Poole, Bournmouth and Hatfield should all be able to muster some serious relay squads for Youth. Not to mention some of the London clubs who will have a say in proceedings.

Then of cause you have the small clubs that if they submit teams under HN etc banner might cause some problems ..put Oli Jermy in any team and its suddenly quick

Oh the anticipation should be great ... and we get Arena appetisers then Zonal dry runs.

[awaldram]

Originally Posted by saturdaynighter

Three quick thoughts for a change in the planning for our NGB

1. delay the post-Olympic trials until June 2013 (test whether we can double-taper like the americans)

2. establish formal connections with the best U.S. collegiate swim clubs - for swimmers to train, study and compete - encourage it, rather than penalise it.

3. incentivise old and tired ('past it') swimmers to retire quickly once they are past their best - the lottery/UK Sport funding is too generous for swimmers that can swim once a year in the top, but can never again make a world final - do we want them hanging on for Commonwealths, for instance, when our youngsters could be cutting their teeth competitively.

100%

and looking what our kids did in the US open they'll need the practice

[Apostle]

Originally Posted by awaldram

Sorry that was my fault.

Yep and providing you don;t beat the 'fins' I'll cheers you on

seriously though think
Rushmoor, Thanet, Southamton , Bluefins, Poole, Bournmouth and Hatfield should all be able to muster some serious relay squads for Youth. Not to mention some of the London clubs who will have a say in proceedings.

Then of cause you have the small clubs that if they submit teams under HN etc banner might cause some problems ..put Oli Jermy in any team and its suddenly quick

Oh the anticipation should be great ... and we get Arena appetisers then Zonal dry runs.

We are in the London league so not likely to come up against Basingstoke, but I reckon we'd be ok

Normally Hatfield and ourselves and camden and ealing provide pretty good competition to the other relay squads in the country and regularly make finals as well as the A&B finals of the arena.

[Happi Blue]

Originally Posted by awaldram

100%

and looking what our kids did in the US open they'll need the practice

Those guys in the US Open (I know quite a few of the lads) have been through taper upon taper upon taper with Trials 1, Trials 2/Nationals and then Nationals again. PL's Joe Patching was invited to go but declined.

[Apostle]

Originally Posted by awaldram

100%

and looking what our kids did in the US open they'll need the practice

So far without todays session we have had 13 finalists, 27 inside the top 16, 1 relay win and 1 relay silver.

In the U.S. Open (The strongest swimming nation in the world). I'd say that was a pretty good return.

[Breaststrokemum]

Originally Posted by awaldram

100%

and looking what our kids did in the US open they'll need the practice

I can't believe you wrote this!

[awaldram]

Originally Posted by Breaststrokemum

I can't believe you wrote this!

The whole point of the meet was because BS said the kids were not getting enough international practice .

So acknowledging performances were lower than you'd expect from these up and coming swimmers showing they need international practice is some kind of crime?.

take my comment in context as a reply to Saturdaynight 3 point plan and you can see I'm saying the Olds should move on allowing space for the youngsters to develop.

[awaldram]

Originally Posted by Happi Blue

Those guys in the US Open (I know quite a few of the lads) have been through taper upon taper upon taper with Trials 1, Trials 2/Nationals and then Nationals again. PL's Joe Patching was invited to go but declined.

Pretty much a system off the rails then (oh that's where we started.)

[Breaststrokemum]

Originally Posted by awaldram

The whole point of the meet was because BS said the kids were not getting enough international practice .

So acknowledging performances were lower than you'd expect from these up and coming swimmers showing they need international practice is some kind of crime?

I would hazard a guess that these performances are perhaps what could have been expected, given what a busy year these swimmers have had! More international experience is what they do need....that's what the rowers get.

[selkie]

The Americans are using the US Open as the selection meet for their World University Games team and their Junior National team, and the Aussies, Canadians, and French have also sent some good developmental squads. So tough competition and big time racing is afoot, including a number of swimmers like Megan Romano who just missed making the US Olympic team. I'd call it a good experience even if they don't return home with a lot of hardware.

[Breaststrokemum]

Originally Posted by selkie

The Americans are using the US Open as the selection meet for their World University Games team and their Junior National team, and the Aussies, Canadians, and French have also sent some good developmental squads. So tough competition and big time racing is afoot, including a number of swimmers like Megan Romano who just missed making the US Olympic team. I'd call it a good experience even if they don't return home with a lot of hardware.

Indeed it is!

[awaldram]

Originally Posted by Apostle

So far without todays session we have had 13 finalists, 27 inside the top 16, 1 relay win and 1 relay silver.

In the U.S. Open (The strongest swimming nation in the world). I'd say that was a pretty good return.

Finals were 3 heats so 24 swimmers made every final , if that was the Olympics almost everyone gets a final


As a country swimming against state, Universities and independent swimclubs I'm not so sure it a good return.

How much did it cost to send 21 swimmers half way round the world say £2000 per person including board plus coaches say £50,000

Does £50,000 sound good value for what was achieved (not results but performance improvement for the 21 swimmers ? )



GB are lying 2nd in team scores on 230 Vs Australia 356

In 3rd is Ohio swim club on 168
But at least we've beat Canada, France and Swim Wales.??
Many other UK clubs present Bath ITC , Exeter etc.

Hang on how do you get to swim as GB when Welsh team is present ??

[awaldram]

Originally Posted by selkie

The Americans are using the US Open as the selection meet for their World University Games team and their Junior National team, and the Aussies, Canadians, and French have also sent some good developmental squads. So tough competition and big time racing is afoot, including a number of swimmers like Megan Romano who just missed making the US Olympic team. I'd call it a good experience even if they don't return home with a lot of hardware.

Hardware isn't the question.

The question is have those 21 swimmers got £50,000+ of improved swimming over the 5 days?

If not it was a waste of resource and the swimmers time.

We are also the largest country sent team by some margin

[BIGBrian]

Statement from British Swimming performance director Michael Scott following the London 2012 Olympic Games:

Following our collective disappointment at not meeting our high expectations at these Olympic Games, we will be undertaking a thorough performance de-brief.

I have met with British Swimming Chief Executive David Sparkes this week to begin this process so we don't lose momentum as we implement the strategy for Rio.

In the Olympic cycle to London the British swimming team has achieved best ever results at world, Commonwealth and European level but in London we failed to continue this trend and we need to fully understand why.

I will lead a performance de-brief team that will include a member of the British Swimming board with vast experience of international and Olympic competition, Craig Hunter, as well as two independent appointments of high standing and regard to look at both our pool performance and our marathon swimming efforts.

No appointments have yet been made but dialogue to fill these appointments has begun.

In order that we can continue to improve as a swimming nation this will be done quickly but thoroughly with a view to completing by the end of October.

What we have seen this week within swimming is a major step forward for the sport with more nations than ever before making the podium, nine world records and 25 Olympic records being broken.

Within all of this Britain had more finalists than ever before with 23 in the pool but we were not able to convert the two fourth and six fifth places into medals and that is what we hope to better understand with the performance de-brief. We will also look at the fourth and fifth places we achieved in the open water events.

So Scott and Sparkes are reviewing the performance of everyone else. Who's reviewing Scott's performance?

[Linny]

Originally Posted by BIGBrian

I will lead a performance de-brief team that will include a member of the British Swimming board with vast experience of international and Olympic competition, Craig Hunter, as well as two independent appointments of high standing and regard to look at both our pool performance and our marathon swimming efforts.

Let's hope it doesn't end up being for diving too!