CLE 
SWIMMING

CLE SWIMMING

 

What sets CLE apart from other clubs?

 

At CLE Swimming, we believe that the quality and dedication of the coaches, the support of the parents, and the enjoyment of the swimmers is what determines a successful club.

 

CLE Swimming is a coach owned club. Many successful clubs are now turning to coach ownership as a way of avoiding the red tape, board power struggles, and institutional instability that hurts many clubs. As a coach-owned club, it is the coaches that determine everything from practice times and meet schedules, to what equipment to buy for the team to help the swimmers reach their full potential.

 

We also believe that every swimmer should continually progress throughout their swimming career. This means that we do not believe that having young swimmers perform overly long workouts and massive amounts of aerobic training is the proper way to develop a swimmer. The point of any practice should be to become a better swimmer at the end of practice, not just to become a tired swimmer. While doing massive amounts of aerobic training can yield impressive results while swimmers are young, it often leads to increased injury rates and little or no improvement as those swimmers reach high school or above. We focus on proper technique, drill work, and correct swimming with our younger swimmers, therefore providing the foundation for continued development and success!

 

What roles are there for the parents?

 

At CLE Swimming, we believe that the most important thing a parent can do to support their child's swimming is to love and support their child; leave the coaching and management to us!

 

CLE Swimming is supported by a Parent Advisory Council that serves as a liason between the coaches and the team.  They help plan team events, registers swimmers, and run meets during the year. There are lots of opportunities for parents to be involved with the team, including in our swimming outreach programs.

 

What is the CLE philosophy on training swimmers?

 

At CLE Swimming, we believe in constant progression that grows from a strong base. We want our swimmers to love swimming as much when they are adults as they do as kids. Many clubs believe that high-yardage intense training is the only way to swim fast. CLE Swimming believes in technique and proper age appropriate training. Swimmers at CLE will naturally progress through our program as their skills and stamina improve. Each level at CLE builds on the skills learned in the previous level and each level uses a common core of drills that remain the same; so that the swimmers have a familiarity and continuity to their training as they progress through the program. At our upper levels, swimmers train to qualify to national level meets and to swim in college.

 

What is the CLE philosophy on meets?

 

At CLE Swimming, we do not require any meets. However, swimmers progressing to the Elite levels are strongly encouraged to attend selected meets.

 

Lake Erie and USA Swimming do a tremendous job of providing competitive meets for swimmers at every ability level. Many meets are specifically designed for new swimmers, swimmers who have not achieved a National Age Group Motivational Time Standard, and swimmers 10 & Under. 

 

What if I have additional questions?

 

Feel free to contact Head Coach, Rich Szczepinski, at

440-574-0CLE or email him here.