Long-term athlete

DEVELOPMENT
P L A N for
rowing
AN OVERVIEW
 www.rowingcanada.org

We acknowledge the financial support of Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier du

the Government of Canada through gouvernement du Canada par l’entremise de
Sport Canada, a branch of Sport Canada, une direction générale du
the Department of Canadian Heritage. ministère du Patrimoine canadien.
 contents table
des matières
Foreword 4 Avant-propos 30
Introduction 5 Introduction 31
Why do we need LTAD? 6 Pourquoi avons-nous besoin du DLTA? 32
The 10 Key Factors Influencing LTAD 8 Les 10 facteurs principaux influençants le DLTA 34
Trainability 10 Capacité d’entraînement 36
Stages of LTAD 12 Les phases du DLTA 38
RCA Long-term Athlete Modèle de développement
Development Framework 13 des participants de RCA 39
Active Start 14 Enfants actifs 40
FUNdamentals 14 S’amuser grâce au sport 40
Learning to Train 15 Apprendre à s’entraîner 41
Training to Train 15 S’entraîner à s’entraîner 41
Learning to Compete 16 Apprendre à faire de la compétition 42
Training to Compete 17 S’entraîner à faire de la compétition 43
Training to Win 17 S’entraîner à gagner 43
Training to Win 2 17 S’entraîner à gagner 2 44
Active for Life 18 Actif pour la vie 44
Practical Implications of LTAD 19 Implications pratiques du DLTA 45
Implementation 22 Mise en œuvre 48
Conclusion 23 Conclusion 49
Glossary of Terms 24 Glossaire 50
Selected Bibliography 25 Bibliographie 51

Appendix 1 26 Annexe 1 52
Long Term Athlete Development Modèle de développement à long terme pour
Model for Canadians with Disabilities les participants ayant un handicap
Appendix 2 27 Annexe 2 53
Sport Canada: Sport Canada :
Strategic Leadership for Sport Leadership stratégique pour le sport

Acknowledgements 28 Remerciements 54

ROWING CANADA AVIRON 3

 foreword

t he concept of LTAD has grown out of a recognition of the many gaps in athlete talent identification and development in the
current Canadian sport system, a system that has been built in haphazard layers over time, that has a strong reliance on vol-
unteer initiative and intuition combined with elements of sport science and coaching education, and that, by design, has had
to focus more on short-term needs rather than on the long-term health of sport and lifestyle programming. However, with the agree-
ment by the major sport funding partners in Canada to better align and integrate their financial and human resources into a com-
prehensive Canadian Sport Policy, the opportunity to create clear building blocks for sport development has arrived, with LTAD being
one of the key structural elements in a new Canadian sport system.
LTAD is the product of many years of research and analysis into athlete development models throughout the world.The Canadian
version uses the core concept of “a training, competition, and recovery program based upon developmental age – the maturation of
an individual – rather than chronological age” but takes into consideration the unique nature of the Canadian sport system and cul-
ture. Many national sport organizations are now involved in the further customization of this model to meet their athlete develop-
ment needs and are taking this opportunity to re-examine the myriad of support services provided to support such development.
For Rowing Canada Aviron, the implementation of LTAD provides a clear path for athlete and program development throughout the
country, it reflects the unique nature of athlete development in rowing, and it identifies the most appropriate methodologies and
structures to support both excellence in performance and life-long benefit to individuals who are touched by this sport.
It is clear that we must be cognizant of somewhat polarized objectives in Canadian sport – we expect excellence from our athletes
in Olympic Games and world-class competitions, yet we must also recognize the importance of individual participation in rowing for
personal growth. LTAD allows both these priorities – it provides a measured approach to individual development, whether that be
toward competitive or recreational goals.
For true world success we, as an organization, must be prepared to embrace a more systematic approach to athlete development,
as the other world leaders in the sport have done. LTAD gives us the framework to build a truly competitive program within the real-
istic confines of our budget capabilities. I commend our LTAD volunteers for their insight and leadership in bringing this project to
fruition and I look forward to working with them and our membership to ensure that this model has the impact that it deserves
within our programming.
Ian Moss
Executive Director
Rowing Canada Aviron

A
“ love of sports is one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children. And being active for life is a joy that more
Canadians deserve to experience. Without realizing it, my parents followed their own version of a long-term athlete development
model for rowing as they exposed me to a fabulous variety of water sports, including swimming, canoeing, sailing, and rowing a row boat at
the cottage.
As a result, I’ve always loved being in and around water and when I tried crew rowing for the very first time, at age 21 at McGill University,
it felt so natural, easy, and fun that I couldn’t believe it was a sport.”
Alison Korn, two-time world champion and two-time Olympic medallist

4 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN


introduction
L TAD is about making sure that athletes get optimal
training, competition, and recovery throughout their
career in order to allow them to
• reach their athletic potential.
• enjoy life-long participation in rowing and other physical
activity.
Training, racing, and recovery programs are based on an athlete’s
developmental age rather than chronological age and are designed
to optimize development during critical periods of accelerated
adaptation to training. LTAD also takes into account the physical,
mental, emotional, and cognitive development of all participants.
LTAD recognizes that athlete development is long term – there
are no short cuts. Children need to build physical literacy – the
mastering of fundamental movement skills and fundamental
ROWING CANADA AVIRON
sport skills – by participating in a wide variety of
sports and physical activity when they are young.
A solid foundation of movement skills and fitness
is critical for everyone, especially athletes partici-
pating in late-specialization sports such as rowing.
LTAD also contributes to health and a life-long
enjoyment of rowing and other physical activity.We
should be reassured that children do not need to
start rowing early (that is, before 11 to 16 years of
age) in order to excel. In fact, early specialization in
rowing can harm long-term development.
LTAD defines a clear, seamless development
pathway. It gives coaches, administrators, clubs, and
others involved in rowing a clear understanding of
how they can best support the athletes for whom
they are responsible.And it gives athletes a clear idea
and understanding of what they need to do and when
they need to do it in order to excel at the elite level.
LTAD will
• establish a clear and consistent development
pathway for rowers.
• guide the examination of the current system to
identify strengths, gaps, and inconsistencies.
• guide coaches in planning training, racing, and
recovery programs that are consistent with the
principles of growth and maturation, allow athletes
to achieve optimal performances, and encourage
them to stay in the sport for life.
• guide coaches in developing remedial programs
for late-entry rowers.
• improve recruitment and development of early-
entry rowers.
• help Canadian rowers to perform better and
more consistently at the elite level, across pro-
grams, and from year to year.
This overview
• describes the principles on which LTAD
is based.
• identifies critical periods of accelerated
adaptation to training and how these relate to rowing.
• outlines the LTAD framework for rowing, including the
objectives, key outcomes, and elements for each stage.
• highlights some of the practical implications for regattas,
equipment, clubs, athletes, parents, recruiting, and how and
when to learn to row.
• outlines some of the steps needed to implement LTAD.
The overview focuses on the optimal development pathway
for an athlete who starts rowing between 11 and 16 years of age.
We recognize that in Canada, many athletes come to rowing rel-
atively late in their development. Similarly, we recognize that
adaptive rowing is a growing element of the sport and should be
encouraged and supported.The specific needs of late-entry and
adaptive rowers will be addressed in subsequent documents.
5
 Why
do we need LTAD?

C anadian rowers have excelled on the world stage and Canada is considered a strong rowing
nation. So why do we need LTAD? In short, we need it so that we continue to excel.

Successful athletes LTAD will also

who want to con- contribute to
tinue to do well domestic develop-
must continue to ment. It can help
learn and improve. If clubs address issues
their development such as
stops, they will get • how to attract
beaten. people to rowing and
The same is true retain them.
for the Canadian • how to provide
rowing system. We effective and enjoy-
must continue to able programs for
learn and improve if all rowers.
we want to remain
• how the regatta
successful. As well,
system can meet
the success of Canadian rowers at the international level has not
the needs of rowers across Canada and at all stages of
been consistently strong across years and across programs.There
development.
have been ebbs and flows, and some programs have had more
consistent success than others. What can we do to reduce the • what programs should be developed to encourage athletes
ebbs and make all our programs consistently strong, year after with a disability.
year? How and to what extent does the existing system enhance
athlete development and performance? How does it interfere? Shortcomings
Where can we improve? LTAD will guide us in analyzing the Sport technical experts have identified a list of shortcomings
Canadian rowing system, highlighting its gaps and shortcom- in the Canadian sport system and their consequences for ath-
ings, and developing solutions. letic participation and performance. LTAD was developed by

6 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

sport scientists and technical experts to address these short-
comings. Some of the key observations are listed below.1
• training and competition are based on chronological age,
rather than developmental age.
• training programs fail to take full advantage of critical
periods of accelerated adaptation to training.
• training and competition in the developmental stages place
too much emphasis on short-term outcomes (winning),
rather than on process (training and development).
• development athletes tend to under-train and over-compete
(although this is generally not a problem in rowing).
• adult training and competition programs are imposed on
developing athletes.
• training methods and programs developed for male athletes are
imposed on female athletes.
• fundamental movement and sport skills are not taught properly.
• physical education programs in schools, recreational pro-
grams, and elite competitive programs are poorly integrated.
• the most knowledgeable and experienced coaches are
encouraged to work at the elite level; coaches who work
with development athletes often lack the necessary training,
skills, expertise, and experience.
ROWING CANADA AVIRON
Consequences of these shortcomings include
• children not having fun because the programs are designed
for adults and focus on outcome rather than process.
• children and adults with poor movement abilities, poor
skills, and lack of a proper fitness base.
• athletes pulled in different directions by school, club, provin-
cial, and national team demands.
• athletes who “fall through the cracks” in the system (that is,
who fail to achieve their potential and leave the sport).
• athletes frustrated by the lack of consistent and integrated
support that will help them to perform well.
• no systematic development of the next generation of interna-
tional athletes.
• inconsistent international performances.
• injuries, burn-out, and frustration.
The overall sport system and the rowing system must con-
sider the principles of growth and maturation in order to pro-
vide athletes with what they need at different stages in their
development.
1 Fora more complete list of the shortcomings and their con-
sequences, see Canadian Sport for Life, page 17.
7
The 0
1factors Influencing LTAD
key
The following factors are the research, principles, and tools upon which LTAD is built.

The 10-year Rule Specialization (refer to chart on page 13)

Scientific research has identified that it takes at
least 10 years and 10,000 hours of training for a tal-
ented athlete to reach elite levels. For example, the
United States Olympic Committee found that, on average, it took
13 years for an athlete to make the Olympic team and 15 years to
win an Olympic medal. Athlete development is not a short-term
process. Short-term performance goals must not be allowed to
undermine long-term athlete development.
The FUNdamentals
Fundamental movement skills – agility, balance,
co-ordination – and fundamental sport skills –
running, jumping, throwing, kicking, catching, and
swimming – are the basis for all other sports. Children should
develop these skills before the onset of their growth spurt in
adolescence. An individual who is not competent in the basic
movement skills will have difficulty participating in a range of
sports and will have fewer opportunities for athletic success and
life-long enjoyment of physical activity.
Rowing is a late-specialization sport. We depend on
other components of the sport system such as
schools, recreation centres, and other sports to pro-
vide children with opportunities to develop physical lit-
eracy (during the FUNdamentals stage) and early speed and sup-
pleness (during the Learning to Train stage). Athletes need to par-
ticipate in a variety of sports and physical activity during the
FUNdamental and Learning to Train stages in order to succeed in a
late-specialization sport such as rowing.
LTAD actively discourages early specialization in late-specializa-
tion sports. Specializing before the age of 10 in late-specialization
sports contributes to imbalanced physical development, inade-
quate development of the full range of basic movement and sport
skills, overuse injuries, and early burnout.
Developmental Age
LTAD is based on developmental age, not chronolog-
ical age. We all follow the same stages of develop-
ment from early childhood through adolescence,but

Figure 1.

LTAD is based on developmental age. 10

During late childhood and adolescence,

9
8
GIRLS MENARCHE

athletes who are the same chronological 7

age may be four to five years apart 6
HEIGHT (cm/yr)

developmentally. The athletes shown here 5

4
are the same chronological age, but are
3
at different stages of maturation and 2
require different training regimes. 1
0
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

AGE BREAST

PUBIC HAIR

8 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

the timing, rate, and magnitude of development differs amongst
individuals. During late childhood and adolescence, athletes who
are the same chronological age may be four to five years apart
developmentally. Coaches need to understand these develop-
mental differences and take them into account when they design
training programs and select athletes.
Trainability
All physiological systems are always trainable, but
there are critical periods in development when the
body is particularly responsive to specific types of
training. To reach their genetic potential, athletes need to do the
right type of training at the right stage. Otherwise, they can still be
very fast,but they will never be as fast as they might have been.They
cannot recover fully from inadequacies in their early training.
Physical, Mental, Cognitive, and Emotional
Development: A Holistic Approach
Coaches should consider the whole athlete. At
each stage, coaches should consider the emotional,
mental, and cognitive development of each athlete, in addition to
their physical development, when they plan training, racing, and
recovery programs.
Periodization
Periodization provides the framework for organ-
izing training (for example, mode, volume, intensity,
frequency of training),racing,and recovery into a log-
ical and scientifically based schedule in order to achieve optimum
performance at the required time.A periodization plan that takes
into account growth, maturation, and trainability principles should
be developed for each stage of athlete development.
Figure 2.
10
9
8
BOYS PEAK
STRENGTH
VELOCITY
7
6
HEIGHT (cm/yr)
5 for programs, coaching, equipment,
4 regattas, and other services that will
3 support their long-term development.
2 In a system where the various elements are integrated and aligned,
1
0
4 6 8 10 12 14 16
PENIS
AGE
TESTES
PUBIC HAIR
ROWING CANADA AVIRON
Calendar Planning for Competition
The system of competition makes or breaks
athletes. The regatta system and calendar should
support and be consistent with LTAD. Different
stages of development have different requirements for the type,
frequency, and level of competition. At some stages of develop-
ment (for example,Training to Train), training and development
should take precedence over formal racing and short-term suc-
cess. At later stages, it becomes more important for athletes to
experience a variety of competitive situations and to perform
well at high-level regattas.
System Alignment and Integration
LTAD recognizes that physical education, school
sports, recreational activities, and competitive sports
are interdependent. For example, as a late-specializa-
tion sport,rowing depends on schools,recreation centres,and other
sports to provide children with opportunities to develop physical lit-
eracy and early fitness. LTAD recognizes that enjoying a lifetime of
physical activity and achieving athletic excellence are both built on
a foundation of physical literacy and fitness. All elements of the sport
system must be integrated and aligned with one another to achieve
these goals.
Similarly, all parts of the Canadian rowing system – clubs, schools,
provincial associations, Rowing Canada Aviron, and regattas – across
all regions, must be integrated and aligned with one another. Each
element in the system plays a crucial role in athlete development.
For the system to work well,they must be mutually supportive,clear
in their roles and responsibilities, and clear in how they contribute
to the “bigger picture”of athlete development.Just as the athletes in
a fast crew must integrate and align their movements, the compo-
nents of the rowing system must integrate and align their activities.
Rowers will do best in a rowing (and sport) system that is clear,
seamless,and based upon a consistent set of principles.LTAD allows
rowers to identify the opportunities available to them and to under-
stand the pathway they need to follow. If they want to row at an
elite level, they will know (in general terms) what type of training,
racing, and recovery they should be
doing at each stage,when they should
start to specialize in rowing,and what
they need to do to move up through
the system. They (and their parents)
will have the knowledge to advocate
rowers will be less likely to “fall through the gaps.”
18 Continuous Improvement
LTAD is based on the best available scientific research
and empirical evidence, but knowledge and under-
standing evolve. LTAD should respond to, integrate, and,
in some cases, stimulate research and rowing-specific innovations.
9
 trainability
t rainability refers to how responsive an individual is to a
training stimulus at different stages during growth and matu-
ration.Although all physiological capacities are always train-
able, there are critical periods in the development of a specific
capacity during which training has the most effect. These are
referred to as “critical windows of accelerated adaptation to
training.” Correct training during these critical windows is essential
for individuals to achieve their genetic potential.
Scientific evidence shows that humans vary considerably in the
magnitude and rate of their responses to a given stimulus. This vari-
ability underlines the need for a long-term approach to athlete devel-
opment,so that athletes who respond slowly are not short-changed.
Sport scientists have identified five physical capacities (the
five S’s of Training and Performance): Stamina, Strength, Speed,
Skill, and Suppleness. For stamina and strength, the critical
periods of trainability are based on developmental age; specifi-
cally, the onset of the adolescent growth spurt. For speed, skill
and suppleness, the critical periods of trainability are based on
chronological age. Note that, on average, girls reach these win-
dows of trainability at a younger chronological age than boys.
Stamina (Endurance)
The critical window of trainability occurs at the onset of Peak
Height Velocity (PHV), which is the adolescent growth spurt.
Athletes should focus on aerobic capacity training as their growth
rate accelerates; aerobic power should be introduced progres-
sively after growth rate decelerates. Aerobic capacity and power
are crucial for rowing.
Strength
For girls, there are two critical windows of trainability for
strength:the first is immediately after PHV and the second is at the
onset of menarche. For boys, there is one strength window and it
starts 12 to 18 months after PHV.
Speed
There are two critical periods for trainability of speed. During
the first speed window, training should focus on developing
agility and quickness; during the second speed window, training
should focus on developing the anaerobic alactic energy system.
For girls,the first speed training window occurs between the ages
of six and eight years and the second window occurs between
the ages of 11 and 13 years. For boys, the first speed training
window occurs between the ages of seven and nine years and the
second window occurs between the ages of 13 and 16 years.
Skill
For girls, the window for optimal skill training occurs between
the ages of eight and 11 years; for boys, it occurs between the ages
10 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Figure 3.
CURVES OF HUMAN GROWTH
Size attained (% of postnatal growth)
120
Nervous System
100
80
60 General Curve
40
20 Hormone System
0
0 5 10 15 20
Age (years)
On average, a child’s nervous system is fully developed by 10 years of
age. Thus, the optimal period for developing fundamental movement
skills and a range of basic sport skills is before 10 years of age.
The hormonal system undergoes rapid development during adoles-
cence. This is the optimal period for developing anaerobic capacity and
strength.
The general growth curve describes overall growth of the skeletal
system, organs, and cells.
of nine and 12 years.During this window,children should be devel-
oping physical literacy; that is, competence in the fundamental
movement and sport skills that are the foundation for all sports.
Competence in these skills makes it easier for children to learn and
excel in late-specialization sports such as rowing.
Suppleness (Flexibility)
For both girls and boys, the critical window of trainability for
suppleness occurs between the ages of six and 10.In addition,spe-
cial attention should be paid to flexibility during PHV.
The critical windows of trainability for speed, skill, and sup-
pleness occur before children start rowing.We rely on schools,
recreation centres, and other sports to provide children with the
correct training and opportunities to develop these capacities.
We should consider building relationships with these organiza-
tions to advocate and support appropriate training.
For athletes who miss these training periods, coaches will
need to design and implement individualized programs to
remedy any shortcomings.
 Figure 4.

PacificSport
Optimal Windows of Trainability (Balyi and Way 2005)

FEMALES PHV

SPEED 1 SKILLS SPEED 2

STAMINA
SUPPLENESS
Athletic excellence and STRENGTH 1 & 2

enjoyment of life-long RATE OF GROWTH

physical activity are both DEVELOPMENTAL AGE

built on a foundation of Chronological
Age younger 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20+
doing the right type of PHV
training at the right stage MALES
of development.
Developmental SUPPLENESS
Age STAMINA
SKILLS
STRENGTH
SPEED 2
Chronological SPEED 1
Age

RATE OF GROWTH

PHYSICAL, MENTAL – COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ROWING CANADA AVIRON 11

 Stages
of LTAD
for ROWING
T he LTAD framework outlined below describes the optimal development pathway for an athlete who starts rowing between
11 and 16 years of age and continues through to racing successfully at the elite level. The early stages of development
will be the same for all rowers. When the volume of training starts to increase during the Training to Train stage, the pathway of those
who choose to compete at a high level will diverge from those who choose to row and compete for enjoyment and fitness.
Any training, racing, and recovery program should reflect the goals of the athlete for whom it is designed.

Figure 5. Learning
to Train
Females 8 to 11
Males 9 to 12 Training
FUNdamentals to Train
Females 6 to 8 Females 11 to 15
Males 6 to 9 Males 12 to 16

Active Start
0 to 6 years
Active for Life Learning
to Compete
enter at any age 15 to 19+/-

Training Training
to Win 2 to Compete
23+ 19 to 23+/-
Training
to Win
23+

12 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

 Long-term Athlete Development Framework
Active FUN Learning Training Learning Training Training Training Active
Start damentals to Train to Train to Compete to Compete to Win to Win 2 for Life

AGE females 0 to 6 6 to 8 8 to 11 11 to 15 15 to 19 +/- 19 to 23 +/- 23 +/- 23 +/- Anytime

males 6 to 9 9 to 12 12 to 16

FUN / Movement Skill Physiological Physiological Competitive

PHASE and Competitive Performance Health
Development Development Development Development Development

SKILL Fundamental Fundamental General Rowing Sweep and Sculling

Sport Skills; Technique under Refining Technique Goal Specific
DEVELOPMENT Movement Skills Boat Skills Skills (Sculling) Race Conditions

Skill General Improve and Fitness, Fun,

TRAINING FUN Play Sport Specific Endurance, Maintain Strength,
FOCUS Development Endurance Strength, Speed Speed, Endurance + Well-being
Ancillary Capacities

Speed Strength
Flexibility

ROWING CANADA AVIRON

CRITICAL Speed 1 Skill Speed 2 (f) Strength 1 and 2 (f)
WINDOWS OF
TRAINABILITY Suppleness Stamina (f)
Speed 2 (m)
Stamina (m)
Strength (m)
REGATTAS Club / High School / Regional
Provincial / Canada Games
University
National
International
PERIODIZATION Single Single / Double Double Double Double / Triple Double / Triple

13
 The LTAD framework highlights the key elements of each stage for
rowing. Subsequent documents will provide a more comprehensive and
detailed explanation of each stage. Keep in mind that athlete development
is a continuous process, not a sequence of distinct steps. It is a process
during which skills, training, and racing become progressively more specific
be aware of the learning differences between individuals with congen-
ital disabilities and those with disabilities acquired at different life
stages, and provide learning opportunities that recognize these differ-
ences. Subsequent documents will include more specific guidance for
late-entry and adaptive rowers.

1
and specialized. For example, children progress from learning fundamental
movement skills, to building fundamental sport skills and water skills, to
ACTIVE START
learning general rowing skills (sculling and sweeping in a variety of boats),
to specializing in either sculling or sweep, and eventually, to specializing in
a particular seat and boat class. Age: 0 to 6 years
Specialization does not, however, mean to the exclusion of all else. For Objective: Learn fundamental movements and link them
together into play.
example, athletes who specialize in rowing bow seat in a pair should do Key Outcomes: Fun and movement skills.
some training in other seats and boats, including sculling boats. This pro- Physical activity should be fun and a natural part of a child’s
vides variety, prevents injuries, maintains versatility, stimulates additional daily life, not something required.Active play is the way young
children are physically active.
development, and keeps an athlete mentally fresh. Similarly, an athlete in
Rowing does not have a direct role to play during the Active
the Training to Win stage, whose training and preparation are focused on Start stage other than to support organizations that promote
2000m racing, should continue to race in head races and sprint races as physical activity.

2
part of their training and preparation. In addition, in regions where athletes
cannot row during the winter, they should be encouraged to participate in
complementary sports.
FUNdamentals
In Canada, many athletes come to rowing relatively late in their devel-
opment (16 years of age or older). In fact, it is not uncommon for Age: females 6 to 8; males 6 to 9
national team rowers to have learned to row in university. This overview Objective: Learn fundamental movement skills and build overall
motor skills.
does not address the specific needs of these late-entry athletes. Nor
Key Outcomes: At the end of this stage, children will
does it address the specific needs of adaptive rowers, although the • be competent in the fundamental movement skills.
Canadian Paralympic Committee’s LTAD model is appended. We need to • know how to swim.
Figure 6.

Participation in Life-long Physical Activity LTAD supports both life-long

participation in rowing or other
Recreation physical activity and excellence at
Training
Active for Life
the high performance level. Both
to Win
Excellence
participation and excellence are
Life-long built on a common foundation of
Training to Compete Physical
Training to Train Activity fundamental movement and sport
skills developed during the early
Sport for All stages (Active Start, FUNdamentals
Learning to Train and Learning to Train). Athletes
Physical Literacy may make the transition to
FUNdamentals life-long participation for fun and
Active Start fitness at any stage in LTAD.
14 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
 Skill development in the FUNdamentals stage should be well-
structured and FUN, with the emphasis on participation. Children
should be encouraged to participate in a variety of sports and phys-
ical activity in order to develop fundamental movement skills:
• Agility, Balance, Coordination, and Speed (ABCs)
• Kinesthetics, Gliding (“run”), Buoyancy, Striking with a body
part (KGBs)
• Running, Jumping,Throwing (RJTs)
• Catching, Kicking, Striking with an implement (CKs)
In addition, children should learn water safety and how to swim.
Rowing does not have a direct role to play during the
FUNdamentals stage other than to support organizations that pro-
mote physical activity and the development of fundamental move-
ment skills.
structured, water-based activities and camps for children.
In addition to developing fundamental sport skills and water
skills, the training program at this stage should
• introduce concepts of mental preparation and the basic rules
and ethics of sport.
• introduce basic ideas about warming-up, cooling-down, hydra-
tion, nutrition, stretching, and other ancillary capacities.
• develop flexibility.
• include exercises that develop strength through the use of the
Swiss ball and the medicine ball and exercises that use the
child’s own body weight.
• include frequent opportunities for children to compete, as
part of training.

3 LEARNING TO TRAIN
messing around in boats

Age: females 8 to 11; males 9 to 12

4 TRAINING TO TRAIN
learning to scull and
building aerobic monsters

Age: females 11 to 15; males 12 to 16

(ages are dependent on onset of PHV)
Objectives: Objectives:
• Learn overall sport skills. • Build general endurance.
• Build water-sense and basic boat handling skills. • Develop speed and strength.
Prerequisite: Children must be familiar with basic water safety • Learn to scull.
and be able to swim before they can participate in organized Key Outcomes: At the end of this stage,athletes will have developed
activities that use boats.
Key Outcomes: At the end of this stage
children will be
• physically literate (competent in funda-
mental movement skills and fundamental
sport skills).
• comfortable and confident in boats and
playing in, on, and around the water.
The Learning to Train stage coincides with
the skill window, one of the most important
periods of motor development for children.
During this stage, children should be encour-
aged to participate in a wide variety of sports
and to participate in sports and physical
activity every day.
During the Learning to Train stage,children
should also be introduced to a variety of
water-based activities, including sculling.
“Messing around in boats” will build chil-
dren’s confidence on the water, water-sense,
and basic boat handling skills as they
become familiar with how boats move, turn,
tip, balance, flip over, and are affected by
wind and water. Children who are confident and comfortable • a strong aerobic base.
around the water and handling boats will find it easier to learn to • core strength.
row.These early water and boat skills should be developed through • proficiency in sculling (1x).
fun activities in a safe environment. Rowing clubs could consider • experience in crew boats (2xs and 4xs).
forming partnerships with schools and recreation centres and with During the Training to Train stage, the emphasis is on building
sports such as canoeing, kayaking, and sailing to offer fun, well- general endurance. Aerobic training should be a priority at the

ROWING CANADA AVIRON 15

onset of PHV, although athletes should continue to develop skill,
speed, strength, and flexibility. In order to build their aerobic
base, athletes should be training 6 to 9 times per week; 3 to 6 of
these sessions should be rowing specific (using the ergometer or
on the water), depending on the season and the athlete’s skill
level. In the early part of this stage, rowers may not be skilled
enough to get good aerobic training in a boat. Coaches can sub-
stitute ergometer workouts and/or cross-training, particularly
weight-bearing activities.
For girls, there are two windows for strength development.The
first is immediately after PHV and the second coincides with the
onset of menarche.For boys,there is one window of strength devel-
opment, and it starts 12 to 18 months after PHV. This is the stage
when athletes can really benefit from specific strength training.
An athlete’s developmental age determines how their body
responds to both aerobic and strength training. Coaches should
adjust the training program for each athlete, depending on
whether they mature early, average, or late. Accommodating dif-
ferent rates of maturation can be challenging in a team-based sport
like rowing. It will be easier for coaches to individualize training if
athletes are able to train in small boats. In determining training
groups, coaches should take into account an athlete’s emotional
and social development, as well as their physical development. For
example,at this age it is important to keep athletes with their peer
group. One option is to group athletes according to their training
needs (that is, pre-PHV, PHV, and post-PHV) while keeping them
with their peers. Because athletes vary widely in how quickly they
mature,coaches should be particularly careful during this stage not
to recruit or select athletes on the basis of size. Putting too much
emphasis on size is detrimental to the long-term development of
both early- and late-maturing athletes.
Athletes should race in a variety of boats (1x, 2x, 4x) and in a
variety of events (head races, sprint races, 2000m races) at local
and regional regattas. Fun races that build technique, racing skills,
and confidence can also be incorporated into training.Athletes can
strive to win, but the emphasis should be on fun, effort, improve-
ment, and good technical performances.
During this stage, racing should be secondary to training and in
particular to developing general endurance. Spending too much
time racing or on race preparation will limit the amount of time
available for developing general endurance.The annual plan should
be based on single or double periodization.
During this stage, athletes should also
• continue to develop speed (that is, neurological adaptations)
by doing short bursts (for example, 10-stroke pieces) at the end
of the warm-up, throughout the year.
• develop good boat-handling skills, learn to take responsibility for
handling their boat, and learn to take a problem-solving
approach to training, in line with their cognitive development.
• be encouraged to participate in complementary sports such as
cross-country skiing, running, cycling, speed skating, and swim-
ming, but begin to focus on two competitive sports.
• learn to cope with the physical and mental challenges of competition.
• develop a good general understanding of ancillary capacities
16 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
such as warm-up and cool-down, stretching, tapering and
peaking, regeneration, mental preparation, nutrition and
hydration, and proper hygiene to prevent sickness.
5 LEARNING TO COMPETE
learning to sweep and
building racers
Age: females 15 to 19 +/-; males 16 to 19 +/-
Objectives:
• Refine and consolidate sculling skills.
• Learn to sweep, with an emphasis on small boats.
• Develop sport-specific endurance, strength, speed, and skills for
2000m racing.
Key Outcomes: At the end of this stage, athletes will have
developed
• proficiency in 1x, 2x, 4x and 2- under a variety of conditions.
• confidence in a variety of regatta and race situations (including
seat racing and time trials).
• competence in steering and bowing.
• good decision-making skills with regard to training and boat-
handling.
• high levels of sport-specific endurance, strength, and speed.
During the Learning to Compete stage, training increasingly
emphasizes the development of sport-specific endurance,
strength, and skills for 2000m racing. Coaches should introduce
anaerobic training and continue to include short bursts (10 stroke
sprints and starts) at the end of the warm-up. For girls, anaerobic
lactic training should be introduced at the onset of menarche
(during the second strength window); for boys, it should be intro-
duced 12 to 18 months after PHV. For both boys and girls, anaer-
obic endurance training should be introduced once they have
reached full sexual maturation.Athletes should be training six to 12
times per week.
During this stage, rowers should begin sweeping, with an
emphasis on small boats. Coaches can include some training and
racing in bigger boats for fun and variety and to develop skills in
team (crew) dynamics.
Athletes should continue to race in a variety of events and boat
classes, but there should be increasing emphasis on 2000m
racing. Racing in local, regional, and provincial regattas as a reg-
ular part of training will help rowers learn to row technically
well in competitive situations. It will also give them experience
racing in a variety of conditions such as rough water, head, tail
and cross winds. They will also gain experience in sweep and
sculling events and learning to cope with the mental and phys-
ical demands of racing. Athletes should strive to win, but the
focus should be on learning from each race, developing racing
skills, and racing technically well under a variety of conditions.
During this stage, the training, racing, and recovery program
should be based on double periodization.
In addition,
• training and practice in mental preparation will help athletes to
cope with the stresses of training, racing, and selection and will
 contribute to their development as racers.
• athletes should have access to specialized support such as
sport psychologists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and other
members of the Performance Enhancement Team.
• towards the end of this stage, athletes who want to race at
the elite level should be encouraged to focus on rowing,
although they can continue to use complementary sports for
cross-training.
• coaches should provide athletes with information on the
development pathway and should encourage athletes to edu-
cate themselves about the opportunities available so that
they can make informed decisions about where to attend
university, where to train, whether to try out for the junior
team, and so on.
• coaches should encourage late-entry athletes and integrate
them into existing programs. Coaches should assess these
athletes and develop individualized remedial programs to
address any shortcomings in their early training and devel-
opment.
• athletes should refine and start to individualize their ancil-
lary capacities.
• planning for the competition calendar should be optimal.
6 TRAINING TO COMPETE
taking responsibility
as athletes and racers
Age: females 19 to 23 +/-; males 19 to 23 +/-
Objectives:
• Further develop and refine sport-specific endurance,
strength, speed, and skills for 2000m racing.
• Further develop and refine racing skills, including mental
preparation, race strategies, and the ability to handle a variety
of conditions and situations.
All the objectives of Training to Train and Learning to Compete
must be achieved before the athlete can begin Training to
Compete.
Key Outcomes: At the end of this stage, athletes will
• race well under a variety of conditions, maintaining good
technique under pressure and fatigue and at high rates.
• be empowered to take responsibility and be accountable for
their training, performance, equipment, and other aspects of
their rowing life, in co-operation with their coach.
During the Training to Compete stage, athletes should con-
tinue to develop and refine their sport-specific endurance,
strength, technique, and racing skills. They should continue to
work on speed and flexibility. Coaches and athletes should
work together to tailor training, racing and recovery programs,
psychological preparation, and technical development to meet
the athlete’s individual needs.
Athletes should select one sport, although training can con-
tinue to include complementary sports for cross-training.
Athletes should start to specialize in a particular boat class (1x,
2x, 4x; 2-, 4-/4+, 8+) and seat, although they should maintain
ROWING CANADA AVIRON
their skills in other boat classes and seats.At this stage in devel-
opment, athletes can specialize in lightweight or heavyweight
events.
The annual calendar should emphasize 2000m racing,
although other races can be included for variety. The calendar
should be based on a framework of double periodization.
During this stage, athletes mature as racers and as high per-
formance athletes. Making mistakes and learning from them is a
crucial part of becoming a mature high performance athlete:this
is the stage to make mistakes.Athletes need to race in tight, chal-
lenging races in order to refine their racing skills. They should
strive to win, and indeed may achieve some success in national
and international regattas, but the primary focus should still be
on learning how to race hard and well, particularly in national
and international regattas. Race simulations and competitive
pieces with a training group should be a regular part of training.
These, together with racing at national and international
regattas, will help an athlete refine and individualize their racing
skills, such as pre-race preparation, race strategy, warm-up, and
cool-down, and learn to cope with the challenges of racing at a
high level. During this stage, athletes should become increas-
ingly independent, responsible, and accountable.
7
Age: 23 +
TRAINING TO WIN
going fast:
no regrets, no excuses
Objective:
• Refine training, technique, and racing skills so athletes are as
fast as they can be.
Key Outcome: At this stage, athletes will produce
• podium performances by winning medals at world champi-
onships and Olympic Games.
Training to Win is the final stage of athletic preparation. The
emphasis is on refining an athlete’s physical, technical, racing,
mental, and ancillary capacities so that they are as fast as they
can be. By this stage, athletes will have reached their physio-
logical genetic potential. Although an athlete can continue to
improve technically, the most significant gains will come from
racing experience and maturity, psychological preparation, and
refinement of ancillary capacities. Athletes should peak for
major regattas, using a framework based on double or triple
periodization. Frequent breaks should be built into the calendar
to prevent injuries and physical and mental burn-out.
Athletes should consider themselves full-time athletes and
should manage and organize their lives accordingly.
8 TRAINING TO WIN 2
going fast:
training and racing smarter
Age: Athletes who have been at the Training to Win stage for one
or more quadrennial cycles.
17
Objectives:
• Continue to enjoy racing and training at the highest level.
• Maintain or, where possible, improve technical, physical,
racing, and ancillary capacities.
Key Outcome: At this stage,
• athletes will continue to race consistently well (that is, win
medals) at the highest level for more than one quadrennial
cycle.
The training, racing, and recovery needs of an athlete who has
been at the Training to Win stage for one or more quadrennial
cycles are not the same as those for an athlete who is just
entering the Training to Win stage. During the Training to Win 2
stage, the focus should be on keeping the athlete injury-free and
enjoying racing and training at the highest level while main-
taining physical, technical, racing, and ancillary capacities. It may
be possible for an athlete to improve in some areas such as tech-
nique or ancillary capacities, but the program will need to be
individualized to achieve these improvements. Gains in speed
will come mainly from
• tailoring training, racing, and recovery programs to a high
degree to work on specific areas.
• further refining ancillary capacities such as taper/peak,
warm-up and cool-down, and recovery.
• race experience.
During this stage, athletes can benefit from modifications in
training stimuli such as changes in training partners, venues,
coaches, boats, and workout structure. Sometimes a change itself
can stimulate improvement, regardless of what that change is.
aspects of rowing, throughout their lives. For example, an ath-
lete may move from high performance rowing to competing in
another sport, to rowing recreationally, to competing again as a
Masters rower. A strong foundation of fitness and skills, built
during the early stages of development, will make these transi-
tions easier. For example, a rower who can scull and sweep (on
both sides) in a variety of boats will find it easier to fit rowing
into his/her life while handling other demands. The rowing
system should make it easy for people to continue rowing and
to move from one aspect of rowing to another. A range of
opportunities should be provided for people to be involved in
the rowing community, and such involvement should be
actively encouraged and supported. Programs should be pro-
vided for people who start rowing later in life and who may not
have a base of skills or physical activity.
Training, racing, and recovery programs should fit the needs
and goals of the athletes for whom they are intended. For
example, Masters rowers need programs that take into account
how aging affects strength, flexibility, and endurance. Programs
for Masters rowers that are adapted from programs designed for
athletes in the Training to Train or Training to Win stages are not
appropriate for their physiology or their goals.

ACTIVE FOR LIFE

Age: This is when an individual makes the transition from com-
petitive sport to life-long physical activity and it may occur at
any age.
Objectives:
• continue to be physically active in rowing and/or other
sports and activities.
• continue to be involved in the rowing community, as an ath-
lete or in other capacities.
Key Outcomes:
• Health, well-being, and fun.
In remaining Active for Life, individuals may move from
• rowing to another sport.
• one rowing program to another; for example, from competi-
tive rowing at the elite level into recreational, masters, or
touring.
• highly competitive rowing; for example at the elite level to
life-long competitive sport such as Masters rowing.
• participating as an athlete to participating in another
capacity such as coaching, officiating, club management, or
mentoring, whether as a career or as a volunteer.
Athletes may move in and out of rowing, or between different

18 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

 practical
implications LTAD
of

L TAD has practical implications for parents, coaches, clubs, recruitment, the regatta system, and equipment as well as for the optimal age for
learning to row and the optimal way of learning to row. All stakeholders will be actively encouraged to provide input in developing
the details of each stage and in implementing LTAD. Together, the rowing community must build the environment that will allow LTAD to be
effective. In some cases, this will demand a change in the way of thinking about athlete development; in some cases, LTAD will support and
provide further impetus to coaches and clubs who are already implementing changes based on the principles of long-term athlete development.
LTAD is endorsed by Sport Canada and by the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation.
All sports in Canada will be developing LTAD plans and together will contribute to athlete development during the
FUNdamentals, Learning to Train, and Training to Train stages.

Parents
LTAD will provide a framework for parents to understand
physical literacy and its importance for a healthy lifestyle
and for success in competitive sport. It will help parents to
understand physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional devel-
opment and how these affect participation, training, and per-
formance. LTAD will also help parents to understand the par-
ticular hydration, nutrition, and recovery requirements of
growing children.
LTAD will provide athletes with a clear picture of the
pathway(s) open to them and what they should, and should
not, be doing at each stage of development. It will give athletes
and parents more knowledge with which to advocate for the
programs, coaching, equipment, regattas, and support services
that are critical to long-term development. A development
pathway that is seamless, laid out clearly, and based on a consis-
tent set of principles will help everyone in the sport system
identify how they can best support the development of the ath-
letes for whom they are responsible.
Coaches
To be successful, LTAD requires highly skilled and educated
coaches at the development level. Development coaches must
understand how mental, cognitive, emotional, and physical
development affect participation, training, racing, and
recovery.They must understand and be able to apply the LTAD
recommendations. LTAD will significantly influence the cur-
riculum of the National Coaching Certification Program,
including the material that is specific to rowing.
Canada’s sport system needs to create the conditions
that will ensure there are well-trained, well-paid, full-time
coaches at the development level, not just the elite level.
This will provide a foundation for future athletic excel-
lence and for a physically active population.

ROWING CANADA AVIRON 19

Clubs
As the backbone of the Canadian rowing system, clubs will be
affected by changes to regattas, coaching, and equipment as a
result of LTAD.
In addition,
• LTAD will provide clubs with valuable guidance in devel-
oping successful Learn-to-Row, Junior, Senior, Masters, and
Adaptive programs.
• physical and water literacy developed during the
FUNdamentals and Learning to Train stages will make it easier
for athletes to learn to row and will affect how Learn-to-Row
programs are structured and taught.
• clubs should consider forming partnerships with schools, recre-
ation centres, and other sports to deliver programs that build
water and boat skills during the Learning to Train stage.
Recruitment
LTAD will form the basis of a more systematic, balanced, and
informed approach to recruiting athletes. For example, the princi-
ples of LTAD suggest that coaches should recruit athletes from
sports that have similar physiological demands to rowing such as
20 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
cross country skiing, cycling, swimming, and speed skating.They
should recruit athletes from sports where the training, racing, and
recovery programs support LTAD, and in particular, the develop-
ment of endurance and strength during the Training to Train and
Learning to Compete stages.
Coaches should understand and apply principles of growth and
development when they recruit athletes. For example,during ado-
lescence, size is an unreliable criterion for recruiting athletes
because of the wide variation in rates of maturation.
Regatta System
The regatta calendar and events influence, and in some cases
drive, the way rowing programs are structured and run. For LTAD
to be effective, it must be supported by a regatta system that
reflects the principles on which it is based.A regatta system that
supports long-term athlete development might, for example,
• focus on sculling events (1x, 2x, 4x) at the junior level, with
sweep events introduced during the Learning to Compete stage.
• focus on small boats (1x,2x,2-) at the junior level, with big boat
events offered for variety and fun.
• provide a variety of race experiences for athletes in the Training
to Train stage.
• introduce lightweight events once athletes have stopped
growing.
• be structured to encourage and allow development of general
endurance during the Training to Train stage.
• be structured to recognize that up to and including the Training
to Train stage, training and maturation should take precedence
over performance.
• define event categories that, as much as possible, support
training and racing based on developmental age.
• be structured so that all rowers can compete in regattas that
match their skill levels and can experience success at some
level, whether local, regional, provincial, or national.The regatta
system should promote close racing and avoid situations where
boats cross the line far apart. It should also provide rowers with
challenges and a vision of the possibilities, particularly for those
who want to race at the elite level.
Equipment
Encouraging athletes to start rowing at a younger age than is cur-
rently the norm and in sculling boats has implications for equip-
ment and boat fleets.
• Athletes should learn and train in equipment that is appropriate
for their size (height, weight, and proportions). Boat fleets
should include some equipment that is suitable for smaller,
lighter bodies such as smaller hulls and shorter oars.
• Boats should be rigged appropriately for the size, strength, and
proportions of those using them.
• Boats should give learners the “feel” of rowing in terms of bal-
ance, run, and rhythm. Ideally, children should learn to row in
1xs with a racing hull shape. Children will have a foundation of
water sense, balance, and confidence, built during the
FUNdamental and Learning to Train stages, that will make it
easier for them to learn in “tippy” boats.

• Safety is of paramount importance. Rowing clubs and coaches
will need to consider carefully how to provide equipment that
facilitates learning, such as “tippy” boats, within a safe environ-
ment. Flipping is fine - provided the conditions are safe.
• Athletes should be proficient scullers before they learn to
sweep, and they should learn to row in small boats. For some
clubs, this will mean a change from learning to row in 8+s.
When to learn to row
In Canada,many rowers don’t start rowing until they are 18 to 20
years old.We do a good job of developing these late-entry athletes.
In fact, many Canadian rowers who have won medals at Olympic
and world championships started rowing “late.” However, we can
do a better job of recruiting and developing early-entry athletes to
ensure optimal development of their aerobic base and strength
during the Training to Train stage.This will make us less dependent
on other sports to provide the correct training programs during
these critical periods of development.
Encouraging more athletes to start rowing at 11 to 16 years of age
should not preclude athletes from starting when they are older.
Coaches need to carefully assess late-entry athletes and provide reme-
dial programs to address any gaps or weaknesses in their development.
Early specialization, that is, before 10 to 12 years of age, in a late-
specialization sport like rowing is neither necessary nor recom-
mended. It contributes to one-sided, sport-specific development,
poor development of fundamental movement skills and basic sport
skills, overuse injuries, and early burn-out.
ROWING CANADA AVIRON
How to learn to row
There are different approaches to teaching people how to row.
Coaches should adapt their approach to fit the emotional, cog-
nitive, mental, and physical development (and temperament) of
the athletes they are teaching. The most suitable approach for
teaching 13-year-olds will not be the same as for teaching 18-
year-olds or 40-year-olds.
The principles of LTAD have practical implications on how to
teach rowing. Specifically,
• more athletes will learn to row at a younger age than is now
typical. In other words, there will be more early-entry athletes.
• athletes who have developed physical literacy and general boat-
handling skills during the FUNdamentals and Learning to Train
stages will be comfortable and confident around water and
boats.They will have a sense of balance in a boat and a sense of
how a boat moves.
• athletes should learn to row in a boat where they can learn
motor patterns and balance such as a 1x with a racing hull
shape. Coaches and clubs must also consider safety in deciding
what boats to use.
In general, children are more relaxed, less fearful, and have a
shorter attention span than older adolescents and young adults.
They learn best when all modes of learning are engaged –
visual, kinesthetic, and oral. Children need to see, hear, and DO.
Children who have a strong foundation of fundamental move-
ment and sport skills, and who are confident and comfortable
in boats, will learn to row more easily than those who do not.
They will have a basic sense of balance in a boat and of how a
boat moves, which will make it easier for them to pick up
rowing skills. Compared to older adolescents or adults, they will
be relatively unconcerned about flipping, provided the condi-
tions are safe.
21
 implementation

t his document is the first step in developing LTAD for rowing. It provides an overview of LTAD, defines the principles on which LTAD is based, out-
lines the framework of the stages and the key aims and elements of each stage, and highlights some of the practical implications for the Canadian
rowing system.

In subsequent steps, Rowing Canada Aviron intends to

• develop and describe in detail the training, racing and recovery programs for the five stages from Training to Train to Training to
Win 2.
• prepare separate supporting documents that will communicate the principles of LTAD and provide specific guidance for coaches, ath-
letes, parents, and clubs.
• use LTAD to review the existing rowing system, identify gaps and weaknesses in the system and in the development pathway, and
develop solutions that will support LTAD.The immediate priorities include a review of the regatta system and coach education.

w e recognize that implementing LTAD will require changes to the regatta system, club programs, equipment, and coach education,
and that clubs, regatta organizers, schools, and coaches will need support in its implementation. Some of these changes can be
made quickly;others will be more gradual.Many of the changes are interdependent.For example,LTAD recommends that athletes
learn to scull before learning to sweep, and that they learn in small boats.To implement this recommendation, some clubs will need to
change their fleet of boats to include more 1xs, 2x/-s, 4xs.This is expensive and can only be done gradually. In addition, it may require
changes in boat storage. It must be coordinated with changes to the regatta system so athletes will have boats that match the events
offered. Clubs will also have to consider how this recommendation and the shift in boat fleets will affect safety, program structure and
timing, revenue generation, and their relationship with other water-users.
LTAD is a “work in progress.” It will be reviewed and adapted to incorporate new research, empirical evidence, and innovations. Rowing
Canada Aviron welcomes and will actively solicit feedback from coaches, club administrators, athletes, and others concerned about and
affected by LTAD. However, we also recognize we need to “get on with it”if LTAD is going to benefit rowers.We want to develop a usable
and useful plan that is based on the best available information, and then adapt it as necessary.

22 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

 conclusion

L TAD is about doing development right. It is about taking a long-term, clear, and systematic approach that focuses on athletes and
what they need — at all levels.Rowers who benefit from the right training,racing,and support at the right time will have the foun-
dation they need to reach their athletic potential and enjoy rowing throughout their lives. Good preparation is crucial to an ath-
lete’s success. LTAD is about extending the concept of good preparation to all stages and all aspects of athlete development.
LTAD allows all rowers and those who support them to see what they should (and should not) be doing throughout their develop-
ment. It helps individual athletes to identify the pathway that suits them and their goals.
LTAD is a foundation for a rowing system that is successful in terms of both number of participants and the number of medals at the
high performance level. It makes sense to invest in a framework that will develop athletes who enjoy rowing, succeed at the elite level,
and stay involved in the sport for the long term.

"I was fortunate that throughout my rowing career opportunities came up at the right stage in my development and in the right order, so that I
was able to take full advantage of them. This was partly luck. LTAD takes the luck out athlete development, by creating a systematic development
pathway based on science and coaches' experience."
Jon Beare, former National Team member, Olympian, coach and Vice-President of Athlete Development, Rowing BC

23 ROWING CANADA AVIRON 23

 Glossary of Terms
Adaptation refers to the functional and/or morphological
changes in an organism that are induced by a stimulus or a
series of stimuli. The general patterns of adaptation are con-
sistent amongst individuals and have been clearly delineated
by physiological research. However, the degree of adaptation
will depend on an individual’s genetic endowment.
Ancillary capacities refer to the knowledge and experience
base of an athlete. The ancillary capacities include warm-up
and cool-down procedures, stretching, nutrition, hydration,
rest, recovery, regeneration, mental preparation, and taper and
peak. When athletes reach their genetic potential and physio-
logically cannot improve anymore, they can still improve per-
formance by using the ancillary capacities to full advantage.
Chronological age refers to a person’s age according to their
date of birth.
Critical periods of development refers to a stage in the
development of a specific capacity when experience or training
has an optimal effect on development. Physiologically, these
are the periods during which an individual’s body is most
responsive to particular stimuli. The same training introduced
at an earlier or later time would have little or no effect or
would even retard later development.
Developmental age refers to an individual’s stage of
development, based on physical, emotional, social, and cog-
nitive criteria.
Development refers to “the interrelationship between
growth and development, in relation to the passage of
time. The concept of development includes the social,
emotional, intellectual, and motor realms of the child.
Fundamental movement (motor) skills refers to
the set of movement skills that form the basis for all
sports and physical activity. • Double Periodization: two preparatory and two competitive periods
within the year
Fundamental sport skills refers to the set of sport skills that form the
basis for all sports. • Triple Periodization: three preparatory and three competitive periods
within the year
Growth and maturation are often used together, sometimes synony-
mously. However, each refers to specific biological activities. • Multiple Periodization: competing all year round while maintaining phys-
ical and technical skills
Growth refers to “observable, step-by-step, measurable changes in body
size, such as height, weight. and percentage of body fat.” Peak Height Velocity (PHV) refers to the maximum rate of growth
in height.
Maturation refers to “qualitative system changes, both structural and
functional in nature, in the organism’s progress towards maturity.” Physical literacy refers to proficiency in the skills required for a large
number of team and individual sports.
Menarche refers to the onset of the first menstrual cycle.
Trainability refers to the genetic endowment of athletes as they
Periodization refers to the structuring of short- and long-term training,
respond individually to specific stimuli and adapt to it accordingly.
competition, and recovery periods to provide optimum performances at the
Malina and Bouchard (1991) defined trainability as “the responsiveness
required time or time series.
of developing individuals at different stages of growth and maturation
• Single Periodization: one preparatory and one competitive period within to the training stimulus.”
the year
24 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
 Selected Bibliography
Alpine Integration Model.Alpine Canada Alpine, High Performance
Advisory Committee, 1999
Athletics Canada.Run, Jump, Throw: Reference Guide. p.12. 2004.
Diagram adapted from from Scammon, R.E. "The Measurement of
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Man. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. 1930.
Balyi, I. Sport system building and long-term athlete development
in Canada.The situation and solutions, in Coaches Report, Summer
2001.Vol.8, No.1, pp.25-28.
Bar-Or, O. (ed). The Child and the Adolescent Athlete. Blackwell
Science Ltd. Oxford, UK, 1996.
Bloom, B. Developing Talent in Young People. New York:
Ballantines, 1985.
Canadian Sport for Life. Long-term Athlete Development Resource
Paper. Canadian Sport Centres, 2005.
Ericsson, K.A. and Charness, N. Expert Performance. Its Structure
and Acquisition. American Psychologist,August 1994., pp. 725-747.
Malina, R.M. and Bouchard, C.
Growth, Maturation, and Physical Activity. Champaign, Ill.:
Human Kinetics, 1991.
ROWING CANADA AVIRON
Robertson, S. and Way, R: Long-term Athlete Development: A Made-
in-Canada Model. Coaches Report,Vol.11.No.3, pp. 6-12.
Rushall, B. The Growth of Physical Characteristics in Male and
Female Children. In Sports Coach,Vol.20,Summer,1998.pp.25 - 27.
Sanderson, L. Growth and Development Considerations for the
Design of Training Plans for Young Athletes. Ottawa: CAC,
SPORTS,Vol.10.No.2.1989.
Scammon,R.E. The Measurement of the Body Childhood. In Harris
et.al., eds. The Measurement of Man. Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota Press. 1930.
SportMap: A Blueprint for Sport Excellence. PacificSport, 2001.
Stafford, I.
Coaching for Long-Term Athlete Development. The National
Coaching Foundation, Coachwise, Leeds, 2005.
Tenner, J.M. Growing Up. Scientific American, 1973, 9.
Viru, A. Adaptation in Sports Training. CRC Press, Boca Raton,
1995. 310.p.
Viru,A, Loko, J.,Volver,A., Laaneots, L., Karlesom, K., and Viru, M.Age
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Warsaw,V., 15 (4) 1998, 211-227 pp.
25
 26
Appendix 1.

Long-Term Athlete Development Model for Canadians with a Disability

Athlete/Participant
Awareness needed to inform potential athletes, coaches and support personnel
AWARENESS
First Contact/Recruiting

FUNdamentals

Learning to Train

Training to Train
Funding
Officials

Coaching
Competition

Environment
Training to Compete
Daily living support

Sport Science/Evaluation

Sport Medicine/Counselling

LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Training to Win
Competition/training support partner

Accessible Facilities, Equipment and Services

Retirement/New Involvement

High performance athletes and high visibility events create awareness of athletes with disability

Sport Leadership
 Appendix 2.

Sport Canada: Strategic Leadership for Sport

Why sport is supported Where athlete development happens Stages of LTAD

Coaching ACTIVE FOR LIFE

Improved quality Volunteering
Officiating
of life Administrating TRAINING TO WIN 2
Sport Institutes
Economic Canadian Sport Centres
National Training Centres TRAINING TO WIN
development
Universities
Community Colleges Canada Games
Provincial Rep. Teams TRAINING TO COMPETE
safety Provincial Training Centres
High Performance Clubs
Sport Schools LEARNING TO COMPETE
Environmental Sport Academies

ROWING CANADA AVIRON

sustainability
Regional Training Centres
Provincial Games TRAINING TO TRAIN
Improved Age Group Rep. Teams
Clubs and Schools
population
LEARNING TO TRAIN
health Schools
Community Centres
Clubs and Home
National, Provincial and Local Sports Organizations

FUNdamentals

Local, Provincial/Territorial and Federal Governments

Higher
educational Clubs
Community Centres
standards Daycare ACTIVE START
Home

27
 Acknowledgements
This overview of the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) plan for rowing
was produced by a working group that included
Dr. Istvan Balyi National Coaching Institute, PacificSport Victoria and
Advanced Training and Performance Ltd.
Ian Moss Executive Director, Rowing Canada Aviron
Dr.Volker Nolte Head Men’s Coach and Assistant Professor, University of Western Ontario
Rebecca Orr Domestic Development Officer, Rowing Canada Aviron
Terry Paul National Development Coach, Rowing Canada Aviron
Alan Roaf High Performance Director, Rowing Canada Aviron
Brenda Taylor World and Olympic Champion
Carolyn Trono Director of Coach Development, Rowing Canada Aviron

We thank those coaches who contributed their ideas and comments.

In particular, thank you to those who participated in an initial workshop in March, 2005, where some of
the key rowing-specific ideas were discussed and who subsequently reviewed this overview.
Laryssa Biesenthal, Rowing Canada Aviron Terry Paul, Rowing Canada Aviron
Howie Campbell, British Columbia Courtney Pollock, Ontario
Rick Crawley, British Columbia Craig Pond, British Columbia
Carol Love, Ontario Gwen Prillo, Sport Canada
Walter Martindale,Alberta Anne Renée-Thibault, Quebec
Chuck McDiarmid, Manitoba Alan Roaf, Rowing Canada Aviron
Ian McFarlane, Ontario Bob Sawler, Nova Scotia
Siobhan McLaughlin, Saskatchewan Karol Sauvé, Quebec
Al Morrow, Rowing Canada Aviron Mike Spracklen, Rowing Canada Aviron
Dr.Volker Nolte, Ontario Brenda Taylor, British Columbia
Kim Norris, New Brunswick Lesley Thompson-Willie, Ontario
Rebecca Orr, Rowing Canada Aviron Mike Thompson, Ontario
Carolyn Trono, Rowing Canada Aviron

Long-Term Athlete Development Plan for Rowing: An Overview is based on the LTAD model
developed by Dr. Istvan Balyi. We thank Dr. Balyi for the guidance, expertise, and experience that he
contributed to this overview. We also acknowledge the assistance provided by Richard Way, LTAD Advisor,
Canadian Sport Centre, Vancouver. Thank you to Jon Beare and Alison Korn for contributing their thoughts
on long-term athlete development and the factors that contributed to their athletic success.

Writer Brenda Taylor
Editor Sheila Robertson
Translation MATRA•gs inc.
Photo Credits Volker Nolte (p. 5), Joel Rogers (p. 19),
Jackie Skender (p. 6, 11, 20, 23, 24), George Blumel (p. 22),
Renate Hodges (p. 11), Jacqueline Sava (p. 15, 21),
Mike Wilkinson (p. 7),Thomas E. Butscher (p. 18),
Joe Ho (page 21), Rebecca Orr (p. 21), Kristina Molloy (p. 25).

Design Barbara Moore Production Co-ordinators Rebecca Orr, Jackie Skender

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through Sport Canada,
a branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

28 LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PLAN