High Performance/Performance Winter Training Camp

 

1. Rationale

Training camps are a yearly tradition for Canadian clubs and university programs.  All programs, from high performance down to “middle of the road” clubs seem to participate in training camps each season, regardless of the cost.  In the USA, NCAA programs take part in annual “training trips” in order to prepare for their conference championships.

 

Training camps have multiple purposes:

1. To augment/enhance the daily training environment by travelling to a more desirable location.
2. To take advantage of “warm weather adaptation” a physiological benefit of training in a warm climate.
3. To remove the stress of school and the distractions of the home environment.
4. To eliminate the typical excuses that the status quo home environment allows athletes to make.
5. To eliminate the time constraints imposed by school and commuting.
6. To take advantage of all the above to teach athletes what they are truly capable of in training.  Once this experience/knowledge is gained, the work they are able to accomplish upon their return home is permanently augmented.  This fact alone makes the camp worthwhile.

 

Types of training camps:

1. Traditional, warm weather camp
   1. Capacity based training
   2. Broad benefits to end of season and beyond
2. Staging Camp
   1. Utilisation based training designed to benefit a single competition or administered in conjunction with a single competition.
   2. May also be used to acclimatise to a new time zone or a similar altitude or climate relative to a specific competition.
3. Altitude Camp
   1. High or mid altitude training designed to alter the efficiency of blood cells.
   2. Must be timed out with a specific competition, has no long term benefit, must be administered carefully and is unpredictable when administered to teens in rapid growth phase.
4. Race Simulation Camp
   1. Designed to simulate the stress level encountered during a 5-7 day competition.  Must possess an atmosphere/demand that is consistent with that of a swim meet.
   2. Must include metrics and analysis for racing portions.
   3. Must include a busy day to simulate the tight schedule and management required at a high level competition.
   4. Requires a team of managers, coaches and officials to be successful.

 

2. Objective

 

The objective of the season’s camp is to augment the effectiveness of the capacity based training phase of the middle part of the season that leads into Provincials and Western Championships.  This phase is crucial for swimmers wishing to achieve Western Times at Provincials, or Olympic Trials cuts at Westerns.  The camp provides a faster return to utilisation training and a longer final training phase.

 

The design of our program fluctuates between two forms of training: capacity and utilisation.  This does not mean “speed” and “endurance”.  The best examples regarding how to think of these two aspects of training are “how big is your cup” and “how full is your cup”.  Capacity based training increases the structures within your body, essentially, your capacity to produce a given output and also your capacity to withstand stress; essentially it makes your cup bigger.  Utilisation changes or improves how full your cup is, and what is in it.  How well adapted to the specific requirements of a given race are you?  Can you get out fast, hold protocol, finish fast, etc.  Many athletes have very full cups, however, if your cup is the size of a thimble, you are still going to lose the race.  Conversely, many athletes have big cups with nothing in them.  Lastly, once you have totally filled your cup, how do you expect to continue improving?  A big cup, that takes many years to fill, is thus the best size.

 

The benefit of the Coral Springs Camp will not be evident immediately.  Athletes and parents can expect to see increased improvement throughout the rest of the season and into the next season as a result of the camp.

 

3. Expectations

 

Athletes will be expected to adhere to the following requirements in training:

• All athletes will be held to the SAME STANDARD.  This means athletes that do not complete practice according to the given protocol will repeat portions or the entire set before returning to the hotel.
• This camp is NOT a vacation.  Careful balance of training, rest and recovery, and very importantly school and homework will be scheduled every day.  There will be time for team activities and fun as well, but the emphasis will be “this is a training camp, not a vacation”.
• This camp will be a world class opportunity to produce world class training results.  
• This camp will teach athletes to take care of themselves, be responsible and anticipate problems before they arise.  This includes stretching, icing, sleeping, foam rolling, and behaving.  The Coach/Chaperones are not present to do these things for you.  The Coaches are there to guide you to ensure maximum success from the training camp, the Chaperones will feed you and give you every opportunity to stay hydrated and healthy.
• Athletes who break team rules at this camp will face a disciplinary hearing with a committee to determine the course of action approved by the board.

 

4. Location

 

Training camp 2024 will be located in Coral Springs, Florida.   Coral Springs is located 30 minutes from Pombano Beach, 35 minutes from Fort Lauderdale, and right next to the Everglades.  The average temperatures for February range from 25-30C, so sunscreen will be mandatory for outdoor training and beach days.

 

5. Facility

 

The Coral Spring Aquatic Center is a newly renovated, world class facility with an Olympic Standard pool, dive tank and two 25m and 25y swimming pools.  We have secured the majority of long course training and a few short course training lane space over the 10 days.  

 

 

6. Accommodation and Food

 

The team will be staying at the Residence Inn by Marriott Coconut Creek hotel, located 12 minutes from the training centre, 17 minutes from Pombano Beach and 35 minutes from the airport.  Each room will house 4 athletes of the same gender with two queen beds so no one has to sleep on a pull out couch.  There is plenty of space for resting as well as desk space for homework!  Chaperones will have no problem cooking healthy homemade meals every day.  The hotel includes a full american and hot breakfast every day allowing athletes to fully fuel for the day and pack extra fruit, taking some pressure off the chaperones to focus on other duties in the mornings.  We also have secured space for a BBQ to enjoy some outdoor cooking as well.

 

 

7. Chaperones

 

Chaperones will be responsible for the following:

• Airport management
• Passport management including parental consent forms for under 18 travelling to the USA
• Food list and grocery shopping
• Driving athletes to and from the pool to hotel
• Morning room check and wake up checks
• Food preparation, supervision and assistance
• Cook team dinners
• Afternoon nap check
• Nightly room check

Chaperone cost:

• Chaperone cost will be absorbed by the camp participants

Chaperone selection:

• All those interested in chaperoning this trip should contact Coach Lesley.  
• Minimum 1 female and 1 male chaperones
• Camp will require 3 chaperones minimum, a 4th chaperone will only be needed if more athletes sign up for the camp.

 

8. Eligibility

• This camp is open to High performance and Performance athletes who meet a minimum of 80% attendance from September to January.
• Athletes must have a permission to travel to the USA letter signed from parents and legally notarized.  Applies to all athletes under the age of 18.  
• All athletes must have a valid passport for 3 months after the return flight home.

 

9. Flight Information

Departure:

AC332 YEG to YUL 16 Feb, 2024 01:00 to 07:10.
AC1002 YUL to FLL 16 Feb, 2024 08:55 to 12:51

Return:

AC1627 FLL to YYZ 26 Feb, 2024 16:15 to 19:30

AC179 YYZ to YEG 26 Feb, 2024 21:35 to 23:58

 

10. Cost Breakdown

 

Travel Cost: $1442.41

Training Cost: $116.41

Accommodations Cost: $1308.88 

 

Total: $2867.69/athlete 

 

All participants are asked to pay a $500 deposit by October 31st to reserve a spot.  The cost estimate is based on 25 participants going to the camp.  The overall cost will fluctuate depending on the number of participants going, with the more swimmers attending bringing the cost down.  

 

Payment Plan:

$500 Deposit due October 31st

$500 Payment #1 - November 30th

$500 Payment #2 - December 22nd

 

Remaining costs will be billed at the conclusion of the camp once all costs have been calculated.