Personalized Training and a Focus on Personal Growth as Keys to Reducing Dropout and Promoting Lifelong Sports Participation

Swimming stole my heart, but it also broke it. I discovered early on that Olympic dreams were not in my cards and that the existing system wouldn't allow me to reach my full potential, even if I dedicated everything to the sport. While I had the passion to earn a scholarship, the support network I needed for a more personalised path was missing – not due to a lack of love or support from my coach or parents, but due to limited resources at the time. Swimming, however, taught me invaluable life lessons. It broadened my horizons socially, professionally, and educationally. And that's why, even with the heartbreak, I'm profoundly grateful for my swimming journey. It's also why I believe I have something meaningful to contribute to the sport's future.

In this article, I want to address key ideas that can significantly impact the world of swimming and help solve the issue of sports abandonment. First, it is essential to solve the sports abandonment or dropout problem to ensure athletes remain engaged with the sport for life. Second, we need to shift the focus from purely competitive outcomes to personal growth and development, ensuring athletes find joy and purpose in their journeys. Third, there's a pressing need for personalised training programs to promote individual fulfilment and foster a lifelong bond with the sport. Finally, leveraging technology to lower entry barriers and support grassroots development is crucial for the sport's sustainability. By focusing on these areas, we can create a more inclusive, supportive, and enjoyable environment for swimmers of all levels.

Understanding the Multifaceted Nature of Sports Dropout

The reasons athletes choose to leave their sport are varied and complex. A lack of enjoyment and fun is a frequently cited factor, often stemming from the pressure to perform and win (Crane & Temple, 2015; Salguero et al., 2003). This pressure can be exacerbated by a hyper-focus on competition results, leading to stress, burnout, and a diminished love for the sport. Young athletes may feel that their worth is solely determined by their performance, leading to anxiety and a loss of intrinsic motivation (Fraser-Thomas et al., 2008).

Training intensity and volume also play a crucial role. Overtraining, a common issue in many sports, can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, injuries, and ultimately, dropout (Crane & Temple, 2015). Conversely, undertraining, where athletes do not receive adequate training stimulus, can result in a lack of progress and feelings of frustration, also contributing to dropout (Monteiro et al., 2018). A personalised approach can address both ends of this spectrum, ensuring that training is challenging yet manageable for each individual.

As athletes progress through adolescence, competing priorities, such as academic demands and social engagements, can create challenges in maintaining sports participation (Fraser-Thomas et al., 2008; Molinero et al., 2006). Additionally, changes in physical maturation and the onset of injuries can also contribute to dropout (Crane & Temple, 2015).

Shifting the Focus: Personal Growth Over Competitive Outcomes

A fundamental shift in the sports culture is necessary to prioritise personal growth and development over competitive outcomes. This involves setting individualised goals, tracking progress based on personal bests rather than comparing athletes to each other, and celebrating individual achievements. By emphasising effort, skill acquisition, and personal bests, coaches can cultivate intrinsic motivation, which is a powerful predictor of long-term sports engagement (Nielsen et al., 2023). This shift can also alleviate the pressure associated with constant competition, making sports a more positive and enjoyable experience.

The current competitive model in swimming, and many other sports, places a heavy emphasis on winning, which can lead to high levels of frustration and burnout among athletes (Salguero et al., 2003). It's challenging to shift from a "we are here to win" mentality to a "we're here to grow" mindset. However, this shift is crucial for fostering a healthier, more supportive environment. By focusing on personal growth and enjoyment, we can help athletes develop a long-lasting relationship with the sport.

To put this into perspective, out of the 8.119 billion people in the world (UNFPA, 2023), only 852 will participate in swimming at the Paris Olympics (World Aquatics, 2024). This means that the chances of any individual becoming an Olympic swimmer are approximately 0.0000105%. The chances move in your favour if you were born in Australia, with a 0.0001498% chance to go to the Summer Olympics.

High-level competitive athletes should be the byproduct of a supportive environment, not the sole objective. The thrill and challenge of competition are undeniable motivators, and the contributions of Olympic heroes as role models are invaluable. However, emphasising personal growth, lifelong learning, and health benefits can help athletes and their support networks see the broader value of swimming beyond medals and records. If someone is swimming, they are already winning. Every swim stroke brings not just physical benefits, but mental clarity and a sense of achievement.

The Transformative Power of Personalised Training

Personalised training programs offer a promising solution to address the multifaceted challenges that contribute to athlete dropout. By tailoring training to the individual needs, abilities, and goals of each athlete, coaches can foster a more enjoyable and sustainable sporting experience (Crane & Temple, 2015). This approach allows for adjustments in training intensity and volume, preventing overtraining and ensuring athletes are appropriately challenged to foster continued progress and skill development. It also helps athletes develop a sense of ownership and autonomy over their training, leading to increased enjoyment and motivation (Fraser-Thomas et al., 2008).

A personalised approach acknowledges the unique developmental stage of each athlete, considering their physical and psychological maturity when designing training plans. This can be particularly beneficial for adolescent athletes who are navigating various transitions and may have different needs and priorities compared to younger or older athletes.

One of the most exciting developments in sports today is the use of technology to support personalised training. Platforms leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis can provide training plans tailored to each swimmer's individual needs and goals. This approach not only optimises performance but also reduces the risk of injury and burnout, promoting a healthier, more sustainable relationship with the sport. It has the potential to significantly contribute to the retention of athletes and the expansion of the swimming community.

Platforms that leverage AI and automation can significantly augment coaches' capabilities, enabling them to offer tailored training sessions that meet the individual needs of each athlete. The notion that AI tools can replace a qualified and experienced coach is misguided. The primary goal of using AI is to augment coaches' capabilities, not replace them—except in cases where access to a knowledgeable and experienced coach is not possible. In such instances, AI can help mitigate the problem, aligning with the "human in the loop" approach to AI development and integration.

This integration of technology allows for quality, sustainable, personalised training at scale, helping swimmers reduce the risk of injuries, burnout, and frustration. Leveraging technology for personalised training ensures that athletes receive the support they need to thrive. This not only enhances their performance but also fosters a deeper, more enjoyable connection with the sport. By making high-quality training accessible to a broader audience, technology can help democratise the sport of swimming, ensuring that everyone gets a “fair go” regardless of their starting point and has the opportunity to achieve their personal best.

Moreover, while personalised training is often introduced at the advanced stages of the competitive cycle, the benefits can be even more pronounced if introduced earlier. This early personalisation can help ensure swimmers receive the right amount of training, avoiding both overtraining and undertraining. Generalised training often fails to accommodate athletes whose physical and psychological development doesn't match the group's average, leading to the exclusion of late-maturing athletes. These athletes might be unfairly viewed as less skilled by coaches or perceive themselves as less talented. Research suggests that introducing personalised training earlier can reduce this luck factor in long-term athlete development, giving every swimmer the chance to realise their potential fully.

The Benefits of a Holistic Approach

Research has consistently demonstrated the positive impact of personalised training and a focus on personal growth on athletes' well-being, motivation, and performance (Fraser-Thomas et al., 2008; Jõesaar & Hein, 2011; Nielsen et al., 2023). By creating a supportive and enjoyable environment that caters to individual needs, athletes are more likely to remain engaged in their sport, experience fewer injuries, and develop a lifelong love for physical activity.

This approach is not only relevant for athletes participating in organised sports but also for those who prefer casual or unstructured swimming. A platform that provides personalised recommendations and activity tracking can be beneficial for individuals who may not want to or cannot afford to belong to a club or organisation. This inclusivity ensures that the benefits of personalised training and goal setting are accessible to a wider range of swimmers, promoting overall health and well-being in the Australian community.

Long-term Vision for Swimming: Nurturing a Lifelong Passion

Changing the culture of swimming is a long-term endeavour. It will take a concerted effort over multiple generations to shift the predominant focus from winning to lifelong enjoyment. Emphasising the physical, mental, and social benefits of swimming can support this cultural shift. Promoting cardiovascular health, cognitive function, stress reduction, and social connections will help reinforce the value of swimming as a lifelong activity.

This cultural transformation can create a ripple effect, fostering personal realisation and fulfilment, developing a more sustainable relationship with the sport, increasing the support base, attracting more investment, widening the talent pool, and increasing our chances of being amazed by more Olympic heroes. By focusing on the holistic benefits of swimming, we can create a culture where the sport is valued not just for competitive success but for its broader contributions to health and well-being.

Swimming has higher entry barriers compared to sports like soccer, rugby, basketball, or eSports. It requires specific facilities and knowledgeable guidance to start. Therefore, sports and government bodies must invest in swimming facilities, subsidized swimming lessons, and support the professional development of coaches to lower these entry barriers. Balancing resources between high-performance and grassroots investment is crucial. High-performance competition creates role models and a sense of unity, but supporting non-competing populations is equally important to keep them engaged and supportive of the sport.

Swimming is one of the few sports that can be practised from just a few weeks after birth until advanced age, providing multiple benefits at each life stage. Promoting a lifetime relationship with swimming can have a lifelong positive impact. Competitive swimmers should never retire but instead, we should encourage a transition to "swimming for wellness," a phase where the focus shifts from competition to personal well-being and enjoyment. This reframing can help athletes maintain a lifelong connection with the sport, reaping its physical and mental health benefits for years to come.

By nurturing a love for swimming at all levels and across all ages, we can create a more inclusive and sustainable swimming culture. This approach not only benefits individual swimmers but also strengthens the sport as a whole, ensuring its continued growth and impact on the health and well-being of our communities.

Conclusion

The journey to transform the culture of swimming from a focus on competitive outcomes to one of lifelong enjoyment and personal growth is a multifaceted and long-term endeavour. By addressing the issue of sports abandonment, emphasizing personal growth over competition, implementing personalized training programs, and leveraging technology to lower entry barriers, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for swimmers of all levels. This holistic approach not only enhances the well-being and motivation of athletes but also fosters a lifelong passion for the sport. By nurturing this love for swimming from an early age and across all stages of life, we can ensure that the sport continues to thrive, benefiting individuals and communities alike. Together, we can build a sustainable and vibrant swimming culture that values personal fulfilment, health, and well-being as much as competitive success.

Original LinkedIn post here.

Note: The original text of this article was written in English and has been translated using automated AI tools with the aim of sharing knowledge with a broader audience. While we strive to maintain accuracy, we encourage community members to help improve translation quality. In the case of discrepancies between the original and translated versions, the English version will take precedence.

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