When skills are left to chance, you get:

 

• Inconsistent or stagnating performances

• Each coach “doing it their own way” 

• Swimmers and parents not seeing progress and leaving early

 

I help you fix that in two ways:

 

1. Build a written skill development system for your whole program

2. Develop and align your coaching staff around that system

 

1. Building A Skill Development System

 

Build a skill development system for your entire program.

 

Most teams say skills matter. Very few have a clear, written plan for how every coach will actually develop them.

This is for programs that want a concrete, program‑wide skill system so that:

 

• Swimmers learn the right skills at the right time .

• Coaches know exactly what they’re responsible for in each group.

• Speed and retention improve because development is intentional, not random.

 

In plain terms: we create a simple, documented way to teach skills across every group that doesn’t depend on one coach’s skill set or memory.

 

The problems this solves

 

Without a system, you usually see:

 

• Inconsistent coaching: each group is run “their way,” with mixed messages year to year. 

• Random progress: a few swimmers figure it out; many plateau. Talent matters more than coaching. 

• Lost swimmers (and revenue): when kids don’t feel improvement, they quit. 

• Staff headaches: hard to hire, onboard, or hold coaches accountable with no shared standard.

 

You can keep tweaking sets and drills… but without a system, very little of it sticks.

 

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What changes when you have a system

 

By the end, you’ll have:

 

• Clear skill goals for every group.

• Benchmarks that actually mean something for skills and fitness. 

• Aligned training: coaches plan workouts knowing which skills must be addressed each week .

• Better retention: swimmers and parents can see and feel progress.

• Less dependence on any one coach: if someone leaves, the system remains.

 

You can see at a glance whether the program is on track without standing over every lane.

 

What you get

 

We typically work over 8–12 weeks to create:

 

1. Program Skill Map

   • Fundamentals of speed for your program.

   • A clear picture of the “finished product” you’re developing.

   • Group‑by‑group skill goals.

2. Training & Benchmark Framework

   • Group‑specific training focuses by stage.

   • Benchmark sets for skills and fitness.

3. Skill Development Playbook

   • Strategies and progressions for key skills. 

   • How and when to use drills, training aids, and constraints. 

   • Weekly targets for which skills are addressed and how often.

4. Documentation & Tracking Tools

   • A written system your whole staff can access.

   • Simple planning and tracking sheets.

   • A process for updating and improving the system each year.

 

Who this is for

 

• You run a competitive program with multiple groups and coaches

• You want consistent skill development from entry level through your top group. 

• You’re willing to adjust how practices are planned so skills are built‑in, not bolted‑on.

 

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2. Coach Development & Education

 

Help your coaches develop race‑ready skills in real training environments.

 

Once a system exists, coaches need practical tools to run it under real‑world constraints: big groups, limited time, and the pressure to train hard.

 

I work with programs, organizations, and federations to help coaches:

 

• Identify the skills that truly drive speed in each stroke and event.

• Use task design and constraints, not just more cues, to improve skills in groups. 

• Build skills at speed and under fatigue, not only in warm‑up. 

• Integrate skill development into weekly and seasonal plans.

• Design benchmarks and progressions so they know if their work is effective.

 

The goal is always the same:

Make the practices they already write more effective at developing race‑winning skills, without turning every session into a technique clinic.

 

Formats

 

Coach development can take different forms, depending on what you need:

 

• Program staff development

  • In‑person or virtual sessions with your staff. 

  • Focused on your swimmers, your structure, and your constraints.

• Clinics and workshops

  • Single or multi‑session events for coaches in a region or league. 

  • Practical sessions on task design, skill systems, and integrating skills into training.

• Conferences and federation events

  • Talks and sessions for national or international audiences. 

  • Can be combined with follow‑up virtual sessions or resources.

• Coach education projects

  • Designing or refining skill development frameworks and materials. 

  • Support for courses, modules, or resources that need a clear, skill‑based approach.

 

Who this is for

 

• Programs and schools that want their coaches aligned around a shared skill approach. 

• Organizations and leagues that want practical education for their coaches. 

• Federations and NGBs that want to improve how skills are taught across their systems.

 

Why work with me

 

• Built full skill development systems across all groups for multiple USA Swimming Club Excellence programs, including a Gold Medal club. 

• Author of A Constraints Led Approach to Swim Coaching (Routledge), used worldwide. 

• Contracted by World Aquatics to create the swimming skill development framework for their global coach education program. 

• Over 35,000 coaches and swimmers follow my work across social media. 

 

“Working with Andrew allowed us to take our thoughts on skill development and put them into action in a meaningful way… The whole program is now aligned from our youngest swimmers to our senior swimmers… Andrew’s plans have opened a world of possibilities to train both skills and fitness at once.”

– Conor Hassard, Head Coach, Cavalier Aquatics

 

Want to see more examples? See additional coach results here →​

 

How we get started

 

Because program sizes and needs vary, there’s no single fixed format or fee.

 

Step 1 – Quick fit check

Fill out a short form about your program or email me with “System Build” or “Coach Development” in the subject line.

 

Step 2 – 30‑minute call
 

We clarify where you are now, what you want your skills and staff to look like, and whether a system build, coach development, or both make the most sense.

 

Step 3 – Plan & proposal
 

I send a clear proposal with scope, timeline, and investment. If it’s a fit, we lock dates and start.

 

Next step

 

If you want a clear, written skill development system and staff who can run it in real training, start here:

 

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You already know skills matter. This makes sure every coach, in every group, develops them with intention.