How They Train: The Work of Y Nationals Champ Billie Sherratt of FSPY

After years as a mainstay among seniors at Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, 5-7 Billie Rose Sherratt has taken her considerable free, fly and IM talents to the University of Kentucky. As a team leader, she has helped FSPY to four top-10 combined finishes at the last four short course and long course YMCA Nationals:

• 2023 SCY (April): Women 4th, Men 6th, Combined 4th

• 2023 LC (July): Women 4th, Men 13th, Combined 6th

• 2024 SCY (April): Women 5th, Men 26th, Combined 10th

• 2024 LC (July/Aug.): Women 5th, Men 15th, Combined 8th

In July, Sherratt kicked off Y-Nats by winning the first event, the 200-meter fly, in 2:16.06. Over the next four days, she placed third in the 200 and 400 IM (2:21.74, 4:58.32) and ninth in the 200 free (2:08.57). She also swam the 200-400-800 freestyle relays, which finished fourth, third and seventh. She split 28.24 and 1:02.11, swimming fly on the fourth- and fifth-place FSPY medley relays.

At 2024 short course Y-Nationals, Sherratt went 1:58.70 in the 200 fly (2nd) and 4:19.75 (5th) in the 400 IM. At the 2023 long course meet, Sherratt placed second in the 200 fly (2:16.31) and 400 IM (4:58.33), fifth in the 400 free (4:29.50) and sixth in the 200 free (2:07.36).

“Billie has been a member of our team since she was an 8-and under,” says her coach, Chris Karelus. “She is very goal-oriented, has an outstanding work ethic, and is a terrific teammate. Billie loves daily practice challenges, and meets each one successfully. She truly enjoys hard work and is a fun person to have on deck.

“Billie trains the same way as the rest of the group. Early in the season we do a lot of IM training, focusing on a different stroke each day. As we get closer to our mid-and-end-of-the-season focus meets, we incorporate more race pace training. This allows our swimmers to concentrate on their primary events,” says Karelus.

Fins

• 400 @ 5:00-FR

• 4 x 100 @ 1:30-FRIM

• 4 x 50 @ : 50

Odds: TS*/DPS

Evens: Build fast turn + 8 DK underwater + 2 cycles

* TS = triple switch (freestyle drill – 6 kicks/3 strokes

breathing on the middle stroke

Fins off

Week 4: DK progression

• 12 x 25 @ :20 – 12 fast underwater DKs – rest smooth

• 2 x 25 @ :30 – swim fast

• 8 x 25 @ :30 – 12 fast underwater DKs + 2 fast cycles

6 w/ SOX, 2 without

* * *

BR

3x:

• 4 x 25 @ :35 – BR w/ FR kick – focus on fast hands

• 1 x 50 @ 1:00 – BR kick @ purple-focus on fast heels

• 1 x 100 @ 1:40 – (25 – 3k/1p + 25 free) x 2

• 3 x 75 @ 1:20 – BR – Descend 1-3

• 1 x 75 – smooth FR w/ TT

* * *

FR

• 5 x 150 @ 2:00 – Best 200 time minus :12-:14

• 1 x 100 @ 2:00 – Smooth BK

• 4 x 150 @ 2:10 – Best 200 time minus :14-:16

• 1 x 100 @ 2:00 – Smooth BK

• 3 x 150 @ 2:20 – Best 200 time minus :16-:18

• 1 x 100 @ 2:00 – Smooth BK

• 2 x 150 @ 2:30 – Fastest possible pace

• 1 x 150 – Smooth BK

• 1 x 150 – All-out from a start

* * *

Warm-down

300

“The magic you are looking for is in the work you’re avoiding!”

Fins

• 400 @ 5:30 – 75 FR/25 BK kick

• 4 x 75 @ 1:10 – Stroke/TS/DPS

• 200 @ 3:00 – 75 FR/25 DK on BK

Fins off

• 8 x 50 @ 1:00

Odds: FR

Evens: Stroke – build to fast turn + fast breakout + 2 cycles

* * *

Week 5: DK progression

• 16 x 25 @ :20 – Fast 12 DKs underwater – rest EZ

• 2 x 25 @ :30 – As fast as possible swim with great underwaters

• 8 x 25 @ :40 – Fast 12 DKs underwater + 2 fast cycles

6 w/ SOX, 2 without

* * *

FR Kick

• 2 x {3 x 100 @ 1:45 – 25 silent (no splash) / 75 build each 25

• 4 x 25 @ :30 – Max effort kick

• 200 @ 3:00 – FR swim @ pink w/ pads

* * *

Main STR – FL, BK OR BR – split up by strokes

2 Rounds (FL/BK/BR: Together 175 fast for time; 225 FR @ white):

FL

• 2 x 50 @ 1:00 – 25 drill / 25 FR

• 3 x 100 @ 1:30 – 25 FR / 75 FL – Descend 1-3

• 150 @ 2:00 – FR @ pink

• 4 x 25 @ :30 – FL w/ FR kick

• 2 x 75 @ 1:20 – 25 single/double/single/50 fly @ red

• 50 EZ FR

BK

• 2 x 50 @ 1:00 – 25 drill/25 BK

• 3 x 100 @ 1:30 – BK – Descend 1-3

• 150 @ 2:00 – FR @ pink

• 4 x 25 @ :30 – 12/5 spin drill/12.5 BK

• 2 x 75 @ 1:10 – BK @ red

• 50 EZ FR

BR

• 2 x 50 @ 1:00 – 25 drill / 25 FR

• 3 x 100 @ 1:40 – 25 FR / 75 BR – descend 1-3

• 150 @ 2:00 – FR @ pink

• 4 x 25 @ :30 – BR w/ free kick

• 2 x 75 @ 1:20 – 25 3k/1p + 50 BR @ red

• 50 EZ FR

Together: 175 Fast for time

225 FR @ white

* * *

Warm-down

16 x 25

Understand – Learn – Develop – Execute

Fins

• 2 x 300 @ 4:00 – #1 FR/BK kick by 50, #2 All FR

• 4 x 75 @ 1:10 – STR/FR/DK

• 6 x 50 @ :50

Odds: Scull/DPS

Evens: TS/DPS

Fins off

• 10 x 100 @ 1:30 – FR @ white – minimum 4 DK off each wall – no breath on 1st stroke

* * *

Week 7: DK progression

• 16 x 25 @ :30 – Fast 12 DKs underwater

• 2 x 25 @ :30 – As fast as possible – #1 start, #2 push

• 8 x 25 @ 1:00 – Fast 12 DKs underwater + 2 fast cycle

6 w/ SOX, 2 without (1 from a start, 1 from a push)

* * *

Main Stroke – No FR

• 2 x {2 x 65 @ 1:30 – kick – focus

FLY: 200 FLY tempo

BR: 200 BR tempo

BK: Fast kick

• 4 x 100 @ 1:30

#1 & 3 – 25 drill / 25 swim stroke / 50 FR

#2 & 4 – 25 stroke – fast – focus opening speed of 200 + 75 FR @ pink

• 4 x 150 @ 2:40 – stroke – focus – fast end to your 200 while staying true to underwaters/pullouts, tempo, stroke count, etc.

#1 – 75 FR @ red / 75 stroke

#2 – 100 FR @ red / 50 stroke

#3 – 75 FR @ red / 75 stroke

#4 – 125 FR @ red / 25 stroke

RD 1 = :05 rest – RD 2 = :15 rest after red

• 1 x 150 @ 2:40 – FR @ pink

• 1 x 150 @ 2:40 – 50 FR @ red / 100 stroke – as fast as possible

RD 1 = :10 rest – RD 2 = :15 rest after red

50 EZ

* * *

Warm-down

200 EZ

Fins

• 400 FR

• 4 x 150 @ 2:10 – FR/DK on BK/FR

• 10 x 50 @ :50 – FR

Odds: Scull / DPS

Evens: TS / Build to race finish – no breath last 12.5

Fins off

* * *

Week 8: DK progression

• 16 x 25 @ :30 – 12 fast underwater DKs

• 2 x 25 @ :30 – As fast as possible – #1 start, #2 push

• 8 x 25 @ 1:00 – 12 fast underwater DKs = 2 fast cycles

6 w/ SOX, 2 without (1 from a start, 1 from a push)

* * *

Main Stroke – Choice of stroke by round

• 4 x {200 @ 3:00 – FR & BK – swim – focus techniuqe

FL – 25 single/double/single/25 fly/50 free x 2

BR – 3 kicks/1 pull/25 breast/50 free x 2

• 2 x 100 @ 1:45 – kick – stroke of round @ purple

• 3 x 25 @ :30 – opening speed

• 1 x 100 @ 1:30 – FR @ pink

• 1 x 125 – all-out

• :05 rest into 50 – all-out kick

After the 125, get your time and go right into the 50 all-out kick (same stroke)

* * *

Warm-down

450 mix