The Swim Chronicle: Issue #18 – Swim Smarter... AND Harder: Teaching Your Young Swimmer Strategic Thinking

TLDR: Developing strategic thinking in swimming involves understanding personal strengths and weaknesses, seeing the big picture, and fostering independent thought. This guide explores how to cultivate these skills in young swimmers.

In swimming, success isn't just about strength, speed, or endurance. While these are important, what often separates a good swimmer from a great one is the ability to think strategically. At higher levels, everyone can swim fast—what matters is who can swim smart. As a swimmer, I used to struggle with this myself. But once I learned how to train and race with strategy and purpose, everything changed.

1. Understanding Your Strengths and Weaknesses

The foundation of strategic thinking in swimming is self-awareness. Encouraging your young swimmer to recognize their strengths and weaknesses is crucial for targeted improvement and confidence building.

In my years of coaching, I've seen countless examples of how this self-awareness can transform performance. Take Sarah (Anonymised name) , a 14-year-old freestyler I coached. Sarah had a super good breaststroke kick, very natural, very strong and she was really flexible in her knees as well. She thought she could only do sprints (50m) but of focusing solely on her sprinting prowess, we worked together to strategically improve her Distance per stroke and how she swum the 100m and she started getting much better at the 100.

We started by analyzing her stroke efficiency and her stroke counts. Sarah learned to make subtle adjustments to conserve energy over longer distances. By leveraging her natural speed and systematically addressing her endurance, Sarah not only improved her performance in longer events but also enhanced her overall versatility as a swimmer for other events as well.

To foster this kind of self-awareness in your swimmer, encourage them to keep a training journal. After each practice or meet, they should note one strength they leveraged and one area for improvement. This habit not only builds self-awareness but also guides focused, strategic improvement.

2. Thinking from a Big Picture Perspective

Strategic swimmers don’t just train for the next meet—they train for where they want to be in 6 months, a year, or more. They see how every drill, every set, and every stroke fits into their long-term goals.

Tom (name changed), a talented 12-year-old I worked with, started losing motivation halfway through the season. Together, we created a visual timeline of his goals—from where he was to his next championship. We broke it down into monthly focuses and weekly checkpoints. Suddenly, practice had purpose. Each day felt like a building block rather than a grind.

Parents can do this too. Sit down with your child and map out a "Swimming Roadmap." Celebrate the small wins along the way. It reinforces the idea that growth is a journey, not just a result.

3. Fostering Independent Thinking

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of strategic thinking is the ability to think independently. As coaches and parents, our role is to guide, but we must also empower young swimmers to take ownership of their journey.

I always encourage my swimmers to ask questions about their training and technique. I want them to understand the 'why' behind what we're doing, not just blindly follow instructions.

During a recent meet, I asked Emma  (Anonymised name) , a 15-year-old swimmer, to develop her own race strategy for the 400m freestyle. Instead of dictating her approach, I guided her through the process of creating a plan that played to her strengths. Emma decided to negative split the race, starting conservatively and building speed in the second half.

The race didn't go perfectly, but the experience of creating and executing her own strategy was invaluable. Our post-race analysis was far more impactful because Emma had a deep understanding of the reasoning behind each decision.

This encourages them to think critically about the purpose behind each set and develops a deeper understanding of training principles and why we do certain things.

Conclusion

Strategic thinking in swimming is about understanding oneself, seeing the big picture, and thinking independently. By developing these skills, young swimmers can approach their sport with greater insight and effectiveness.

Remember, strategic thinking is a skill that develops over time. Encourage your swimmer to practice these approaches consistently, and you'll see growth not just in their athletic performance, but in their ability to tackle challenges in all areas of life.

As we continue to nurture the next generation of swimmers, let's focus not just on building stronger bodies, but on developing strategic, independent thinkers who are equipped to excel both in and out of the pool.

The Bottom Line

Strategic thinking transforms swimmers. It helps them understand their strengths, work toward long-term goals, and take ownership of their progress. It’s about swimming smarter—not just harder.

And remember: this is a skill that grows over time. Encourage your child to reflect, set goals, ask questions, and stay focused on the bigger picture.

Support Your Swimmer’s Growth

If you’re looking to help your swimmer develop a strategic mindset, Coach Danny Yeo offers:

• Goal-Setting Workshops: Tailored sessions that help swimmers set achievable goals and stay motivated.

• MySwimJournal: A powerful tool for swimmers to track progress, reflect, and build self-awareness.

• Swim Clinics in Singapore: Focused on stroke improvement, strategic planning, and long-term growth.

Let’s help your swimmer train with purpose and race with confidence.