Comprehensive assessment of children's preparedness at the initial training stage in swimming

The article discusses the issues of identifying the key markers for evaluating the preparation of swimmers aged 7-9 years at the initial stage of sports training. The purpose of the study is to identify markers that allow for assessing the level of preparedness of children at the initial stage of swimming education during the process of sports orientation. Research methods and organization. The study utilized an analysis of specialized literature, surveys of leading coaches and experts in the field of swimming, as well as the implementation of a pedagogical experiment. This enabled the identification of the most informative physiological, psychophysiological, and pedagogical criteria for evaluation. Research results. Among the psychophysiological indicators, the following most informative markers have been identified: the strength of the nervous system, lability, mobility, the balance of nervous processes, and the type of leading sensory system. There is a weak correlation between the mobility of the nervous system and coordination abilities; however, no significant differences were established by the third year. The balance of nervous processes has a significant influence on the speed of motor skill formation, proprioceptive sensitivity, and coordination abilities. Conclusions. The most informative tests have been established, which should be used for a comprehensive assessment of children's preparedness at the initial stage of sports training in swimming. With the help of a comprehensive assessment of the athlete's current preparedness, the coach will be able to approach the structuring of the training process more effectively, without losing the motivation and interest of the child.