Perspectives towards training approaches to skill achievement in swimming athletes: mixed methods

Background and Study Aim. In recent years, the performance of swimming athletes in South Kalimantan Province has improved at the national level. The number of athletes in junior and student categories has also increased, and their average performance times have shown significant improvement. Therefore, further studies are needed to explore how coaches train swimming skills from the initial training stages to the development of athletes. This study aims to analyze the perspectives of swimming coaches on the training methods or approaches applied to athletes. Materials and Methods. This research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The sample consisted of ten coaches aged 35-55 years, with an average of 17.8±7.8 years of coaching experience. All participants had at least a B license and were former athletes. The qualitative method involved 30-40 minute interviews, while the quantitative method involved questionnaires covering coach-athlete communication (12 items), coaching style (10 items), and coach-athlete relationship (11 items), using a 1 to 5 scale. Results. The analysis revealed that training initially focuses on freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly strokes, with attention to technique evaluation. Endurance is the primary physical component, which changes with the athlete's specialization. Coaches determine athlete specialization based on ability, recommending participation in a few events with medal targets and maintaining the same events even with different strokes. During pre-competition and competition stages, coaches tailor specific training programs to the athlete's events. The concept of long-term athlete development (LTAD) is understood by coaches, although not consistently applied. Quantitative analysis showed that more than seven coaches achieved sufficient to excellent category results. Conclusion. The use of mixed methods in this study provides a comprehensive understanding of coaches' training approaches to developing swimming skills, as evidenced by athlete achievements. The study highlights the importance of applying long-term athlete development (LTAD) principles, as LTAD offers significant benefits to athletes across all sports.