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Team BC - Provincial Team Program

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Development of a Yearly Training Plan (YTP)

The Yearly Training Plan (YTP) is a coaching tool used to plan an athlete’s annual program of training.  An athlete’s YTP can provide the coach and athlete with a general outlook of the entire season, in addition to providing organizations (Water Polo West, Water Polo Canada) with a snapshot of an athletes planned activities, Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and targets during a specific year.  The YTP is an important guide/road map in an athlete’s development and can provide the athlete with high degree of confidence as they approach the competitive season knowing that they are well prepared.

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The development of a Yearly Training Plan is led by an athlete’s personal coach through communication with the athlete and the athlete’s support system.  The athletes support system should include service providers (massage therapist, chiropractor etc.), medical providers (athlete’s primary doctor), parents (depending on the athletes age) and other personnel utilized by coach and athlete.  Consultation amongst coach, athlete and service providers should be indicated on the YTP in the form of a face to face meeting (when possible) at the start and end of the Yearly Training Plan.

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To start the development of a Yearly Training Plan and Competition Plan, it is recommended that the personal coach begin with a planning session with the specific intent to develop the annual goal for the athlete.  An annual goal can include specific performances (time/distance), achievement of a performance level (placing/teams) or technical goals (attainment of improved technique).  Once the goal setting session has taken place, and a goal is identified, the coach should “begin at the end” and plan backwards from a specific date (ie. National Championships, Selection Event, Tournament).

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The Yearly Training Plan and Competition Plan should include, but are not limited to, the following notations:

  • Athlete’s Name;

  • Coach’s Name;

  • Event(s);

  • Seasonal Goal(s);

  • Key Performance Indicators (KPI's);

  • Start Date;

  • Planning and Debriefing Meetings (with coach and athlete support system);

  • Planned Training Phases (Mesocycles);

  • Planned Training Dates (Microcycles);

  • Planned Competitions (Competition Plan);

  • Planned Testing and/or Evaluations;

  • Planned Volume and Intensities;

  • Planned Training Camps;

  • Event Specific Information (ie. technical emphasis, special/specific strength);

  • Recovery and Prevention Sessions (ie. massage, nutrition)

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The successful plan should be dynamic in order to account for unseen issues that can arise during the training year (exams, injuries, qualifying for teams). 

 

Please see below for 2 examples of YTP formats from the sport of athletics:

  1. Format 1 (credit: Ron Parker);

  2. Format 2 (credit: brianmac.co.uk)

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Water Polo West recognizes that, due to various schools of thought on programming, coaches may have differing opinions on the format of a YTP.  For this reason, it is recommended that while a training plan format may differ from the suggested formats above a coach should indicate clearly the items listed above when submitting a YTP.

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Competition Plan

Within the Yearly Training Plan, athletes and coaches must indicate their Competition Plan.  This plan will indicate clearly which competition the athlete is planning on competing in during the year.  The competition plan should include the following:

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  • NCL League Play

  • NCL Championships;

  • National Provincial Team Championship

  • WPC AGNT Events​

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Athlete Support Programs

Yearly Training Plan's, as part of both the NDC-BC/Team BC Program, must be developed and maintained in order to retain eligibility to train under the NDC-BC banner and be selected to Team BC.

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