PRICE REFLECTS ON RESURGENCE OF SYNCHRO
A year ago Canadian-born Biz Price took over the reigns as
British Synchronised Swimming National Performance Director
and guided by a vision with the 2012 Olympics as the prize
she has transformed the sport and taken it to new heights.
Price came to Britain to revolutionise a sport that had struggled
to make an impact on the international scene for many years
and within 12 months she has made huge gains as she guides
Britain's talent to the London Olympics.
Twelve months later and Price's impact is apparent. Britain's
duet had a successful World Championships earlier this year
and climbed up the world rankings but for Price this is just
the start.
"The prospect of this job was really exciting for me,"
said Price. "I felt I could start over and, with my experience,
put an excellent programme in place that could get Britain
on to a world-class level ready for the London Olympics in
2012."
Since her arrival Price has helped to implement a new National
Performance Centre at an army garrison in Aldershot where
she works day-to-day with Britain's young prospects for the
team event as well as the duet of Jenna Randall and Olivia
Allison.
"I first saw Jenna and Olivia at the Commonwealth Games
in 2006," explained Price. "I remember thinking
they have natural talent but they would benefit from a better
programme around them. They have raw potential but they needed
to be trained to improve, they needed to become full-time
athletes.
"When I took over the job I knew the programme I put
in place would only help the girls. I knew what standard they
were at and in my head I knew where I needed to take them.
I knew my programme would give them the opportunity to move
forward and compete on the world stage."
With the national duet aiming for Olympic qualification for
Beijing 2008, this year has proven to be one of the most successful
for the sport in the past 10 years.
Looking back at the results, Price is pleased with what synchro
has collectively achieved and is confident there is much more
to come.
"The first competition the athletes went to was the
World Championships in March and they dealt with the pressure
excellently," said Price.
"I sat them down in February and had a chat with them
about competition plans and they tried to tell me they didn't
need them but I made them sit through it nonetheless and it
opened their eyes to what is needed for a major competition.
"They were the second youngest pairing at the World
Championships, Olivia is still a junior athlete, so I knew
how important it was to keep their nerves at bay. I put in
place a plan that would help them to prepare better for competitions
and after I had gone through it the athletes agreed how important
it was.
"Having a competition plans builds confidence and going
into the Worlds the athletes were calm and did well. We got
our first score of nine in Melbourne which was good and it
showed me the work was beginning to pay off. Now the girls
go through these plans all the time so their nerves can be
easily managed."
Price has taken her time with the development of the programme
in Britain and instead of going for instant gains, she has
implemented a programme of training designed to increase the
strength and stamina of the athletes both physically and mentally.
Synchro requires strength and stamina in massive measures,
and it is only with this background that the real gains be
attained. To this end athletes can expect to train for up
to eight hours a day, six days a week.
Swimming coach Ben Lafferty has been a successful addition
to the programme and coaches the athletes as he would if they
were competing in the Olympic 50m pool.
Both Jenna and Olivia now swim the 400m Freestyle in under
five minutes and the effect this has had on their overall
fitness levels and abilities in the water have been very apparent
in the results achieved internationally.
"In June, we competed at the Rome Open where we were
solid but I would have liked more from the girls," said
Price. "We achieved some good scores but, given the stage
they were at, I knew we could have placed higher.
"However, the Swiss Open was a real breakthrough for
the duet. They performed with more intensity and attacked
the routine. If they feel confident about the routine then
this shows in the performance and this will get them the higher
marks."
In September, under Price's guidance, British Synchro centralised
at the British Army Barracks in Aldershot. The High Performance
Centre is now home to a group of swimmers and their coaches
dedicated to turning the fortunes of a sport revived by the
promise of a home Olympics. For Price this was a huge stepping
stone in the development of her programme.
"One of the biggest highlights for me this year has
been setting up the High Performance Centre in Aldershot.
This was great because it meant that we could get the programme
up to speed.
"For the first time in British Synchro's history we
have athletes training full time at a centralised High Performance
Centre. This will enable us to compete at the highest level
and provide the best preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games.
"We now have 12 girls training together and it is really
moving along. This is the foundation year for 10 of these
athletes. Apart from Jenna and Olivia, they have not been
competing as I want them to improve their fitness and their
strength.
"We have the English Institute of Sport involved and
speciailist physios and a psychologist to work with the girls
to help us improve their fitness and competitiveness. There
was not much experience in this country in working with synchro
so to get the professional support now is just fantastic.
"Another highlight for me is being able to prove the
steps forward the girls are making. We have been testing the
athlete's endurance and have seen massive improvements. This
will lead to stronger performances in the pool."
The National Championships, held in December in Gloucester,
provided the perfect platform for all athletes to showcase
how much they had improved in such a short period of time.
"I wanted all the girls to show their clubs and their
families what they had been working on so I gave them the
chance to work on their solo routines. I was pleased with
all of them. They showed improved height and speed through
the water - it was all I could have asked for.
"For the duet the National Championships were the perfect
chance for us to show our new technical routine. We have used
really funky music that I don't think all of the audience
was prepared for. But the first time I played it for the girls
they responded instantly and they felt they could work and
build a routine to it. They are really enthusiastic about
the music and this shows when they perform it.
"I would have liked the girls to have attacked the programme
a bit harder at nationals. But it is harder to gain high marks
in the technical programme because you need physical strength
to be able to perform the required elements. The girls have
improved their fitness and strength massively but they are
not quite up to the level that I need them to be at. I believe
in four or five months they will be there."
The Olympic year will be demanding from the outset but Price
is keen to give the athletes as much appropriate competition
in readiness for the rigours of what lies ahead.
"I think they can go into the German Open in January
with a lot of confidence they can build on their first performance.
We will also have a new free routine for the girls that I
have choreographed. It is designed to push them further and
get the higher scores. I'm really excited about its debut,"
said Price.
"It is so important to do as many international competitions
as possible so the judges begin to recognise you and you are
not just a faceless athletes. I get feedback after every competition
and the judges will be looking to see if we take that on board
at the next event. They will be paying attention to see if
we make the changes that they recommend."
Price appreciates the pressure and importance of a home Olympics
and believes the girls have the will to strive for success
in London 2012.
"By 2012 I am hoping the duet will be in the top six
in the world. I am quite confident that we can achieve this
and potentially get a medal. With the team I am also aiming
for a top six finish, I think this is achievable with the
programme that is now in place.
"We have about four years to prepare and the girls have
a desire to do well in London, they know how important the
home crowd will be as a booster to them.
"I know that I have the beginnings of an excellent support
staff in place. I have worked with Adele Carlsen since I took
the role and her work has been so valuable. We hired Loredana
Montico as assistant coach in the summer and she has settled
into the team perfectly. Their help this year has been so
important in the growth of the programme. I know that they
can help me push British Synchro forward to success in the
Olympics in 2012."
|
