Funding Another Quad, Pt. 2
Funding Another Quad, Pt. 2
In Part 2 of FloSwimming's "Funding Another Quad" series, we look at how swimmers aiming for a run at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics must balance profitable competition schedule with a meaningful training plan.
By Davis Tarwater
The Rio Olympics is losing its new-car smell with each passing week, and the scuttlebutt around the sport is turning to swimmers' retirements and recommitments. For those athletes looking to dip their toes back in for a Tokyo 2020 run, one of the most difficult balancing acts post-Olympics is positioning a profitable competition schedule with a meaningful training plan.
Knowing how to compete globally can be half the battle, but it's also critically important to formulate relevant intermediate and long-term goals. As was discussed in Part 1, a swimmer's financial reliance on USA Swimming APA funding places a critical importance on both a high world ranking and selection to the 2017 World Championship Team.
In observing how athletes approach competition opportunities following an Olympic Games, I have noticed three trends:
The "Don't Bother Me I'm Fine" Approach: This athlete is financially stable enough to take on a light competition schedule and the 2017 World Championships is not a critical cog in the path to 2020.
The "Europe Seems Nice For Awhile" Approach: "Eh, when am I going to travel like this again? Let's just try to make a little cash, enjoy a little breather, and see you in January (or as in my case, never again)."
The "Aye, Aye, Captain" Approach: This athlete is back to the grind and encompasses much of the Olympic Team with college eligibility remaining (In Part 3, I will argue a statistical correlation between athletes who return to collegiate programs and the composition of the following year's World Championship Team).
Competing domestically on the Arena Pro Swim Series is pretty straightforward, and more information can be found HERE.
However, taking a crack at the international FINA World Cup Series (or other paid independent meets like Raia Rapida or the Bolzano Swim Meeting) largely depends on your ability to find funding either through USA Swimming or local organizers. The ability to network and locate these opportunities, and most importantly the ability to "cash in" while there, are critically important. For certain athletes, many international competitions set up much better due to their A) short course and B) equal footing that is given to the 50s of stroke and the 100IM.
The incentive for Tom Shields, who could consistently score at multiple meets in the 50-200 fly, 50-200 back, and 100IM (sure Tom, a little love on your 200 back is merited, especially when you kick with the kind of back-and-forth speed rivaled only by my use of NFL Sunday Ticket) is much different than say of Connor Jaeger, who may only swim the 400 and the 1500 (congrats on your retirement, though).
The point is that while many athletes use heavy competition schedules as an important complement to an overall training plan, it is often important to stay in a peak performance state, or as we would say "be rested," in order to really capitalize on the financial side of the equation. For American athletes, the decision of how long and arduous their competition schedule will be must be seen within the framework and importance of their summer performances.
As is always the case, the most intuitive and disciplined athletes with well-formed plans manage their competition opportunities without sacrificing the longer-term vision.
The Rio Olympics is losing its new-car smell with each passing week, and the scuttlebutt around the sport is turning to swimmers' retirements and recommitments. For those athletes looking to dip their toes back in for a Tokyo 2020 run, one of the most difficult balancing acts post-Olympics is positioning a profitable competition schedule with a meaningful training plan.
Knowing how to compete globally can be half the battle, but it's also critically important to formulate relevant intermediate and long-term goals. As was discussed in Part 1, a swimmer's financial reliance on USA Swimming APA funding places a critical importance on both a high world ranking and selection to the 2017 World Championship Team.
In observing how athletes approach competition opportunities following an Olympic Games, I have noticed three trends:
The "Don't Bother Me I'm Fine" Approach: This athlete is financially stable enough to take on a light competition schedule and the 2017 World Championships is not a critical cog in the path to 2020.
The "Europe Seems Nice For Awhile" Approach: "Eh, when am I going to travel like this again? Let's just try to make a little cash, enjoy a little breather, and see you in January (or as in my case, never again)."
The "Aye, Aye, Captain" Approach: This athlete is back to the grind and encompasses much of the Olympic Team with college eligibility remaining (In Part 3, I will argue a statistical correlation between athletes who return to collegiate programs and the composition of the following year's World Championship Team).
Competing domestically on the Arena Pro Swim Series is pretty straightforward, and more information can be found HERE.
However, taking a crack at the international FINA World Cup Series (or other paid independent meets like Raia Rapida or the Bolzano Swim Meeting) largely depends on your ability to find funding either through USA Swimming or local organizers. The ability to network and locate these opportunities, and most importantly the ability to "cash in" while there, are critically important. For certain athletes, many international competitions set up much better due to their A) short course and B) equal footing that is given to the 50s of stroke and the 100IM.
The incentive for Tom Shields, who could consistently score at multiple meets in the 50-200 fly, 50-200 back, and 100IM (sure Tom, a little love on your 200 back is merited, especially when you kick with the kind of back-and-forth speed rivaled only by my use of NFL Sunday Ticket) is much different than say of Connor Jaeger, who may only swim the 400 and the 1500 (congrats on your retirement, though).
The point is that while many athletes use heavy competition schedules as an important complement to an overall training plan, it is often important to stay in a peak performance state, or as we would say "be rested," in order to really capitalize on the financial side of the equation. For American athletes, the decision of how long and arduous their competition schedule will be must be seen within the framework and importance of their summer performances.
As is always the case, the most intuitive and disciplined athletes with well-formed plans manage their competition opportunities without sacrificing the longer-term vision.