Most teams say skills matter.
 

Very few have a clear, written plan for how every coach will actually develop them.

 

The result is slower swimmers, inconsistent coaching, and kids leaving the program earlier than they should.

 

This service is for clubs and school programs that want a concrete, team‑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

• More speed and better retention, because development is intentional instead of random

 

Call it what it is: a simple, documented way to teach skills across every group so they don’t depend on one coach’s memory or skill set.

 

The Problems This Solves

 

Without a skill system, you usually see some version of this:

 

• Inconsistent coaching. Each coach runs their group “their way.” Some do a lot of skills, some do almost none. Swimmers get a different message every season. 

• Random progress. A few swimmers figure it out. Many plateau. Skill development depends more on talent than on any plan. 

• Lost swimmers (and revenue). When kids don’t feel improvement, they quit. That’s thousands of dollars per athlete in lost dues over their “lifetime” with your club. 

• Staff headaches. It’s hard to hire, onboard, or hold coaches accountable when there’s no shared standard for skills.

 

You can keep changing sets, trying new drills, and sending coaches to conferences…
 

But without a system, very little of it sticks.

 

What Changes When You Have a System

 

When we’re done, you’ll have:

 

• Clear skill goals for every group. You know what an 11‑year‑old in Group 2 should be able to do technically, and what a senior swimmer should be able to do. 

• Benchmarks that actually mean something. Not just “good skills,” but specific sets and tasks your swimmers should hit if development is on track. 

• Aligned training. Coaches write workouts knowing which skills must be addressed each week, not just which energy systems to hit. 

• Better retention. Swimmers and parents can see and feel progress. It’s easier to stay when the path is obvious. 

• Less dependence on any one coach. If someone leaves, the system stays. New staff can step in and know what to do.

 

And for you, it becomes much easier to see whether the program is on track without having to stand over every lane.

 

Who This Is For (and Not For)

 

This is a good fit if:

 

• You run a club or school program with multiple training groups and multiple coaches

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

• You’re willing to adjust how you plan practices so skills are built in, not bolted on

 

This is not a good fit if:

 

• You only want a drill list or one‑off clinic 

• You’re a learn‑to‑swim program (this is built for competitive pathways) 

• You’re not willing to change how your staff plans and reviews training

 

What You Get

 

We’ll work together over several weeks. By the end, you’ll have:

 

1. Program Skill Map

 

• Defined fundamentals of speed for your program 

• A clear picture of the “finished product” you’re trying to develop 

• Group‑by‑group skill goals (what each group should be able to do technically)

 

2. Training & Benchmark Framework

 

• Group‑specific training goals (what types of work each group should focus on at each stage)

• Benchmark sets for skills and fitness in every group 

• Optional intermediate benchmarks so you can track progress mid‑season

 

3. Skill Development Playbook

 

• The specific strategies and progressions you’ll use to teach key skills 

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

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

 

This is what coaches use when they sit down to write practices for the week.

 

4. Documentation & Tracking Tools

 

• Written system your whole staff can access 

• Simple planning and tracking sheets so coaches can see at a glance what they’ve covered and what’s still missing

• A process for updating and improving the system each year

 

Why Work With Me

 

• I’ve built this system for a USA Swimming Club Excellence recipients, across all training groups, including a Gold Medal club. 

• I wrote A Constraints‑Led Approach to Swim Coaching (Routledge), used by coaches worldwide to rethink how they develop skills. 

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

• Over 30,000 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. In addition to our original training plan, we designed two of our cycles specifically with a focus on open turns and flip turns. The swimmers have benefitted from the repetition every day along with the progression of the turns. Andrew’s plans have opened a world of possibilities to train both skills and fitness at once."

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-Conor Hassard, Head Coach, Cavalier Aquatics

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How It Works

 

1. Application & fit check.
 

You fill out a short form about your program. If it’s a fit, we schedule a 30‑minute call.

 

2. Assessment.
 

We map your current groups, coaching staff, and pain points. I review your existing structure and materials.

 

3. System build.
 

We work together (mostly via email and shared docs) to build your skill map, benchmarks, and weekly targets. You review and give feedback as we go.

 

4. Coach rollout.
 

We prepare a simple way to present this to your staff and integrate it into their planning.

 

5. Refinement.
 

We adjust based on early feedback and put a process in place for updating the system each season.

 

I typically work with 3–5 full‑system clients at a time so I can go deep with each program.

 

Most programs complete the initial build before the end of a season or cycle, so you can roll it out cleanly.

 

Common Questions

 

How long does this take?
 

Initial build is usually 8–12 weeks, depending on the size of your program and how quickly you respond.

 

How much time does it take from our staff?
 

Most work happens between me and your head coach/technical lead. Other coaches are pulled in where it makes sense, but we keep their time focused.

 

Does this replace our current training plan?
 

No. You do not have to abandon how you train athletes. This sits on top of your current philosophy and makes it clearer.

 

We already have some drills and progressions. Can we keep them?
 

Yes. We’ll keep what’s working, remove what isn’t, and organize it so coaches know when and how to use it.

 

What does it cost?
 

Full‑system builds are a multi‑month engagement and are priced accordingly. We can discuss specifics on the initial call once I understand your program size and needs.

 

A Simple Summary You Can Share

 

In plain terms: this is a done‑with‑you project to define the skills we want at each level, the benchmarks we expect swimmers to hit, and the weekly targets for each group. The outcome is a written system any coach on staff can follow so our swimmers develop skills consistently over time.

 

Next Step

 

If you want a clear, written skill development system for your whole program, start here:

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Short application form; if it’s a fit, I’ll email you within 48 hours to set up a call.

 

This is for clubs and school programs with multiple groups and coaches who want a long‑term skill framework, not a one‑off clinic.

 

You already know skills matter. This simply makes sure every coach, in every group, is developing them on purpose.