Age Group Performance Goal Setting

Parent Guide Series

Goal setting becomes increasingly important as swimmers move into the Age Group Performance stage. Training volume increases, competition standards rise, and swimmers begin to experience the pressure of expectations, both internal and external.

At this stage, goals are no longer just about what swimmers want to achieve, but how they approach their training, racing, and daily habits.

This guide explains how Outcome, Performance and Process Goals work together and why getting the balance right matters more than ever.

The Three Types of Goals

Effective goal setting is built around three distinct types of goals, each serving a different purpose.

Outcome Goals: The big dream

Outcome goals focus on end results. They are often linked to external benchmarks such as qualification standards, medals, rankings, or records.

Examples might include:

• Achieving a County or Regional Qualifying Time

• Making a final or podium place

• Breaking a club record

Outcome goals are powerful motivators, but they are not fully within a swimmer’s control. They depend on competitors, conditions and performance on the day.

That is why outcome goals should guide direction, not define success.

Performance Goals: The stepping stones to get there

Performance goals focus on measurable improvements in performance, regardless of placing.

Examples might include:

• A target time in a specific event

• Improving splits, pacing, or consistency

• Holding technique under fatigue

Performance goals are more controllable than outcome goals and help swimmers see progress even when results do not go exactly to plan.

They bridge the gap between ambition and action.

Process Goals: The daily habits

Process goals are the most important goals, especially at Age Group level.

They focus on:

• Technique

• Habits

• Behaviours

• Effort and focus in training

Examples include:

• Underwaters to a specific distance

• Breathing patterns

• Stroke counts or stroke quality

• Recovery routines

• Nutrition and sleep habits

Process goals are fully within the swimmer’s control, every single day.

If swimmers commit to strong process goals, performance and outcome goals tend to follow.

Starting With Strengths and Weaknesses

Before setting process goals, swimmers are encouraged to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses.

This helps ensure goals are specific, relevant and focused on genuine development, rather than generic ideas of training harder or trying more.

At Age Group Performance level, this reflection is a vital skill in itself and forms the foundation of meaningful goal setting.

Why Process Goals Matter More at Age Group Level

As swimmers progress, improvement becomes harder to achieve through fitness alone. Margins are smaller and progress depends increasingly on:

• Technical efficiency

• Consistency

• Attention to detail

• Good decision making

Process goals teach swimmers how to train properly, not just how to chase times.

They also provide stability when results fluctuate, which they inevitably will.

The Role of Coaches in Goal Setting

At Age Group Performance level, goal setting should be collaborative.

Swimmers lead on:

• Their ambitions

• Their motivations

• Their personal process goals

Coaches support by:

• Refining priorities

• Keeping goals realistic and development focused

Coaches may also add a small number of coach-led process goals to support areas of development the swimmer may not yet prioritise themselves.

This balance helps swimmers stay accountable while still feeling ownership over their journey.

What Good Goal Setting Looks Like

Good goal setting at this stage is:

• Clear

• Simple

• Reviewable

• Focused on development, not pressure

Goals should be revisited regularly, not just written down and forgotten.

These goals are reviewed and refined over time. They are a guide for development, not a judgement of success.

Final Thought

At Age Group Performance level, the swimmers who progress best are rarely the ones with the biggest outcome goals.

They are the swimmers who:

• Train with intent

• Focus on the details

• Take responsibility for their process

• Learn from setbacks

• Stay consistent over time

Get the process right and the results take care of themselves.

Download the Bluefins Goal-Setting Worksheet

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