SWIM FOR LIFE - life skills, life friendships and life health.
It is the goal of the London Aquatic Club to develop, support and promote competitive swimming for all ages and abilities in a positive, caring and safe environment. Competitive swimming encourages fitness, friendship and health, and produces people who are a credit to their sport and their community.
Our competitive swim team offers high quality professional coaching for all ages and abilities. Our team consists of approximately 320 swimmers (divided into 14 different groups) from Introductory to Senior Gold. Swimmers range in age from 6 to 18 and from beginner to Olympic champion. Our swimmers train and compete for 10 to 11 months each year from the middle of September to the beginning of August.
Under the direction of our 6 full-time and 25 part-time coaches, new swimmers to the club, after an individual pool assessment are placed in the group that best suits their ability and age. At a minimum, we require that a potential swimmer be comfortable in the water and have the ability to complete one continuous length of a 25-metre pool (any stroke at any speed) as well as be at least 6 years of age. The majority of new swimmers aged 12&under who register with us will begin in our first group, Development.
The first few years (starting in Development) focus on stroke development and learning competitive swimming basics. Many children improve rapidly and it is not unusual to see tremendous growth in these first few years. It is important to remember that each child will develop at their own rate and is on their own path. Swimming should be fun and pressure free, especially at the younger levels. As your child progresses, their group placement will be re-evaluated to ensure continued training and competition challenges are provided to enhance their development.
GROUP STRUCTURE
Intro to Para Swimming Program
The Intro to Para Swimming Program aims to introduce individuals with physical disabilities to competitive swimming, starting at whatever level of experience and skill a swimmer may possess. To participate in the program, swimmers must be comfortable in the water and have a desire to improve their swimming skills. If necessary, and whenever possible, we strive to provide in-water support to help swimmers build confidence, strength, and have a positive swimming experience. Water sessions are structured similar to a traditional competitive swimming practice, with swimmers participating in warm up, technique development, aerobic conditioning, and warm down, all scaled to meet individual swimmer's needs.
The ultimate goal of the program is to assist swimmers in increasing their skills and confidence to a level at which they are able to smoothly transition into other training groups within the London Aquatic Club.
Para Coach: Darda Sales
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: FUNdamentals
Introductory
Ages 6-10. Introduction to basic stroke mechanics & swimming skills in a fun and encouraging environment. Swimmers do not compete at this level. Practices are 45 minutes once per week.
Head Development Coach: Kim Charteris
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: FUNdamentals
Development FUNdamentals
Ages 6-11. Introduction to basic concepts of training and competition in a fun and encouraging environment. Swimmers compete in club-hosted and regional meets. Practices are usually 60minutes, 2 times per week.
Head Development Coach: Kim Charteris
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: FUNdamentals
Development Skills
Ages 7 - 11. Enhancing basic concepts of training and completition in a fun and encouraging environment. Swimmers compete in club-hosted and regional meets. Practices are usually 60 minutes, 3 times per week.
Head Development Coach: Kim Charteris
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: FUNdamentals
Age Group Orange
Ages 8-11. Main objectives of this group is to refine the basic strokes and skills, introduction to a group training environment and basic training and competition principles. Swimmers compete in club-hosted and regional meets. Practices are usually 60 minutes, 4 times per week.
Primary Coach: Hilary Bruce
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: FUNdamentals
Age Group White
Ages 11-13. Main objectives of this group is to refine the basic strokes and skills, introduction to a group training environment and basic training and competition principles. Swimmers compete in club-hosted and regional meets. Practices are usually 60 minutes, 4 times per week.
Primary Coach: Maxwell Burton
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: FUNdamentals
Age Group Blue
Ages 11-14. This group is for swimmers that are older than Age Group Bronze, have demonstrated a good grasp of the main techniques in all 4 strokes and the ability to handle a slightly higher training level. Swimmers in this group are aiming for regional and provincial time standards. Swimmers compete in club-hosted, regional and provincial meets. Practices are 60-90 minutes, 5 times per week, including some dryland.
Primary Coaches: Gabbi Whitlock
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: Learn to Train
Age Group Bronze
Ages 9-11. These swimmers have demonstrated a good grasp of the main techniques in all 4 strokes and the ability to handle a slightly higher training level. Swimmers in this group are aiming for regional and provinicial time standards. Swimmers compete in club-hosted, regional and provincial meets. Practices are 60-90 minutes, 5 times per week, including some dryland.
Primary Coaches: Emma Tarrataca
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: Learn to Train
Age Group Silver
Ages 11-14. Swimmers in this group have advanced from any of the previous Age Group levels and are ready to handle an increased water and dryland training program. They will have attained regional times and should be aiming for the provincial level. Swimmers compete in club-hosted, regional and provincial meets. Practices are 1-2 hours, 6 times per week, plus dryland sessions.
Primary Coach: Head Age Group Coach Liz Moskal
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: Train to Train
Age Group Gold
Ages 12-14. Swimmers in this group are our top Age Group swimmers (pre-high school) and are competing at the provincial and aiming for the national level. These swimmers are capable of handling an increased workload in all 4 strokes, and will start some training specific to their primary stroke(s). Swimmers compete in club-hosted, regional, provincial and national level meets. Practices are 1-2 hours, 7 times per week, plus dryland sessions.
Primary Coach: Head Age Group Coach Liz Moskal
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: Train to Train, Train to Compete
Senior Bronze 2
Ages 14 and older (high school). Swimmers in this group are interested in fitness and swimming for life. Competitions include club-hosted and regional meets. Practices are 60 minutes, 6 times per week, plus dryland sessions.
Primary Coach: Jonathan Korchuk
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: FUNdamentals and Active for Life
Senior Bronze 1
Ages 14 and older (high school). Swimmers in this group are interested in fitness and swimming for live, with a higher emphasis on training and racing commitment. Competitions include club-hosted, regional and provincial meets. Practices are 60-90 minutes, 7 times per week, plus dryland sessions.
Primary Coach: Jonathan Korchuk
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: Learn to Train and Active for Life
Senior Silver
Ages 14 and older (high school). Swimmers in this group are striving towards the provincial and national level, and are working on both aerobic and anaerobic development in all 4 strokes with some stroke specialization. Competitions include club-hosted, regional, provincial and national meets. Practices are 1.5-2 hours, 7 times per week, plus dryland sessions.
Primary Coach: Kelly Steeves
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: Train to Compete
Senior Gold
Ages 14 and over (high school). Swimmers in this group are 100% committed to swimming. It is their primary focus other than school, and these swimmers are striving to compete at the national level. Training in this group is focussed on aerobic and anaerobic development and refinement, stroke and event specificity, and race execution at a championship level. Competitions include club-hosted, regional, provincial and national meets. Practices are 1.5-2 hours, 9 times per week, plus dryland sessions.
Primary Coach: Kelly Steeves
Long Term Athlete Development Stage: Train to Compete, Compete to Win
For more information on any of our programs please contact: 519-857-SWIM (7946) or [email protected]
