2025-2026 Information package:
Everything you need to know from A-Z!
Contents:
- Welcome
- Our Value Statement
- Competitive Programs: Our Training Groups
- Expectations of our Torch Swimmers
- Attendance Expectations
- Parents
- Injury and Illness
- Code of Conduct
- Proper Practice Attire
- Attire at Competitions
- Equipment
- Registration
- Swim Meets
- Group move-ups
- Out of Country Training Camps
- Olyms Kids Swimming for Sick Kids
- Fundraising
- Team Events
- Time Standards
- Olym’s Swim Shop
- Billing
- Practices and Stroke Lab Sessions at the Bullock Location
- Practice Cancellations
- Friday morning performance practice
- That’s a wrap!
We’re pleased to offer the following information package about Torch Swimming. This is to help ensure we’re on the same page and to (hopefully) address any questions that you may have. As always, please reach out to us with any questions or for further clarification.
Contact information:
Shauna Devine: [email protected]
Gary Nolden: [email protected]
A) Welcome:
Welcome to the 2024-25 Toronto Olympian Swim Team, Torch Swimming! We look forward to working with our swimmer(s)! Torch Swimming is a year-round, competitive swimming team offering instruction, training, and competition. The team is operated by the Olympian School of Swimming. The owners of Olympian Swimming, Shauna Devine and Gary Nolden, along with the team coaching staff, supervise the management and operation of Torch Swimming.
Torch Swimming has established itself as one of the top teams in Toronto as well as one of the top teams in the province. The aim of the team is to compete in local, regional, national, and international competitions sanctioned by Swim Canada, the national governing body for amateur swimming in this country, and by FINA, the international governing body for swimming.
The Olympian School of Swimming supports Torch Swimming through the establishment and care of the swimming facilities, and administrative support. The operation of Torch swimming reflects the values, mission, and procedures of the Olympian School of Swimming.
B) Our Value Statement:
Olympian Swimming strives to reflect in each of our lives respect for the individual. We embrace this philosophy and teach our swimmers that it is important to work hard, to strive for excellence, to respect parents, coaches and teammates, to look out for those less fortunate and to give back to the community. The sharing of ideas, ideals, and accomplishments with one another brings mutual respect and often mutual advantage. Embracing these ideals helps develop desirable personal values such as generosity, honesty, hard work, sharing attitudes, high ethical standards, and pride in community. These values reflect our philosophy of moral growth:
• Respect for the property and opinions of others
• Responsibility for our actions
• Hard Work to achieve mental and physical excellence.
• Concern for Others, especially for those less fortunate
• Pride in our community
C) Competitive Programs: Our training groups
National 1 and National 2+:
- National 1 is the top group on Torch. These groups requires a very special commitment aimed at success on the National and International level. Swimmers are expected to attend between 7-9 workouts including dryland. Through a positive training setting, technical and physiological appropriate workouts, goal setting and a commitment to excellence from both coach and athletes—the vision is to produce provincial, national and world class athletes! Group Goals Trials, OJIS, SC Champs + National Teams.
Gold 1 and 2:
Where Perseverance Meets Excellence:
- The goal of this group is to compete at provincial and national events
- The group follows a comprehensive seasonal plan designed for high performance
- We place a premium on technical proficiency, ability to train in a variety of environments, and to compete at high level provincial, national and international competitions
- Athletes must be committed to high performance and excellence and maintain a high standard of attendance
- Dryland is a big part of the training
Silver 1:
- This group is for Torch Swimmers ages13-18. The goal of Silver 1 is to compete at the local, regional and provinical level and to grow as a competitive swimmer through rigorous training and dryland. Coaches will develop lanes and practices appropriate to the swimmer’s goals within the group.
Torch Age Group Programs:
Bronze 1-3—Torch Age Group Programs:
The Torch Age Group Program provides training to athletes in 8th grade and younger. Swimmers are typically placed into a group based upon age and ability level. The Torch Bronze groups strive to ensure that there is a place for all athletes who have a desire to swim competitively, whether the swimmer is new to year-round swimming or is preparing to compete at the regional and provincial level. The coaching staff is also careful to maintain a swimmer-to-coach ratio that allows for an optimal teaching environment. Quality coaching is focused on progressing athletes technically from Bronze 3 to Bronze One. This is a focused practice group structure that results in better prepared swimmers entering our Performance or Senior Silver group. By the time the Bronze one’s are ready to move up, they are able to:
Perform:
- Tight streamlines; able to complete 25’s underwater kick with no break
- 7 Dolphin Kicks off walls for Fly/Back; 3 Dolphin Kicks off walls for Free
- Able to maintain breathing patterns in Fly/Free
Provincial Olympians:
- The goal of this group is to compete at OAGs en route to OSCs
- Swimmers are 11&under and have achieved at least 3 OAG standards
- The group follows a comprehensive seasonal plan designed for high performance
- We place a premium on technical proficiency, ability to train in a variety of environments, and to compete at high level provincial and national competitions
- Athletes must be committed to high performance and excellence and maintain a high standard of attendance
- Dryland is an important component
Bronze One:
- The Bronze One’s take on a much more rigorous training load than the Bronze Two’s while continuing to build upon the skills acquired at the Bronze 2 and Bronze 3 levels. Practice times are longer in conjunction with higher yardage requirements. The increases in physical demands require that swimmers regularly attend practices. Swimmers will be expected to understand interval training and will learn how to train at different effort levels and speeds. There will also be a greater emphasis on race strategies and execution. The Bronze One’s represent the final step in the Torch Swimming age group program. Group Goals--you don't have to hit these targets to swim in this group but these are the targets: Festivals to OYJS and beyond!
Bronze Two:
- Bronze Two swimmers must be able to legally swim each of the four competitive strokes (in other words—aim for no DQs!). In this group, the coaches work on sharpening the 4 competitive strokes through drills and kicking. As the swimmers progress through the season, the coaches will increasingly move the swimmers from primary stroke and technique instruction to more emphasis on training. Drill work and kicking will continue to make up a large portion of the practices; however, more challenging swimming sets will be added. At this level, goal setting will be introduced, and swimmers will be expected to be more accountable for their swimming progression. Consistent practice attendance is necessary for continued improvement and advancement to the next group. Group Goals--you don't have to hit these targets to swim in this group, but these are the targets: Division 1 ans 2, OAGs
Bronze Three:
- The Bronze three swimmers are composed of our 11 and under competitive swimmers in the Torch age group program. The main emphasis of this group is to teach the fundamentals of the 4 competitive strokes. This consists of kicking, drilling, streamlines, and the development of the skills necessary for competitive swimming along with an introduction to training. Drill work and kicking will continue to make up a large portion of the practices; however, more challenging swimming sets will be introduced in this group.
D) Expectations of our Torch Swimmers:
All members of Torch Swimming are expected to strive for competitive swimming improvement. The value of our program and expertise of our coaches are designed for the growth of our competitive swimmers and the expectations are set accordingly. We expect our swimmers to adhere to the following practices:
- Be respectful– to your teammates and coaches, listen when a coach is speaking.
- Be on-time – to practices and all activities, respect others by respecting their time.
- Be ready– to practice with the right equipment, suit, clothes, and attitude.
- Be positive – in all that you do. Positivity goes a long way and helps create the kind of environment we all want be a part of!
- Have fun—Swimming is fun—you will enjoy your time on Torch and will swim, train and perform better if you smile and have fun!!
- Be present!! Swimmers should attend practices as consistently as possible.
E) Attendance Expectations:
Each training group has specific attendance expectations appropriate for the objectives of that group. As a rule, the least possible interruption in the training schedule will produce the greatest amount of success. It is thus important that each swimmer aims to attend all practices offered, based on the goals and desired outcomes for that swimmer. Work with your coaches to develop a plan so that you can reach not only your goals but your full potential as an athlete!
F) Parents:
For the safety and protection of the swimmers they should arrive at the pool no more than 15 minutes before the start of practice and be picked up immediately after practice. It is important that the swimmers arrive on time so that the coaching staff can efficiently use the allotted time; however, it is also extremely important that children not be left unsupervised at the pool prior to or after practice.
The coaching staff is NOT responsible for supervising athletes either prior to or following a practice session. Each swimmer should plan to stay the entire practice as each practice is designed to be most beneficial when completed in its entirety. If your child needs to be dismissed early from practice, please notify the coach prior to the beginning of practice. All practice groups are expected to be at their designated starting place with their practice equipment ready to start practice on time. Swimmers must notify their coach if they leave the pool and/or pool deck at any time during the practice.
The coaches and support staff will aim to return any emails back to you within 24-48 hours at most. If you have questions about practices, seasonal planning, progress of your swimmers etc., the coaches will be happy to discuss your swimmers with you. We will all work together with the goal of achieving the highest performance possible for Torch and the swimmers!
The coaches will submit progress reports monthly about the swimmers, groups, programming and progress, which will be communicated to the team via email/and or newsletter.
Remember to always respect the coaches and other parents!
G) Injury and Illness:
Whenever possible, please inform your coach if you have an illness or injury, regardless of how serious or minor it may be. If your swimmer will be out of the water over a long period of time with an injury or illness, please notify your swimmer’s coach by phone or email. If the swimmer must suspend participation due to injury for over 1 month, please contact Gary Nolden regarding billing.
H) Code of Conduct:
1. Olympian Swimming rules are always to be followed, in all facilities including during travel or away competitions. Instructions from any coach are always to be followed.
2. The consumption or purchase of alcohol, smoking or use of any other illegal drug or substance of any kind is prohibited.
3. Disrespectful or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. It is the responsibility of each swimmer to make every effort to avoid others engaging in these activities.
4. Use of proper language is always expected.
5. All athletes are expected to treat team members, coaches, staff, parent volunteers and competitors with respect, support, and kindness. These expectations apply to all forms of conduct and communications, whether physical, verbal, written, or electronic.
6. Each swimmer is responsible for replacing accidentally lost or damaged equipment.
7. All athletes are expected to abide by the dress code and apparel policy determined by the coaching staff of Torch Swimming at all practices, competitions, and during team travel.
8. Athletes will use the team locker rooms for changing only. Inappropriate behavior in the locker room will result in a loss of locker room privileges.
9. ALWAYS represent the team positively in your behavior, appearance, and sportsmanship.
10. Work hard at each practice—always give it 100%!!
I) Proper practice attire:
1. Swimmers are required to have a one-piece competitive training suit of their choice.
2. Torch Swimmers are required to have a Torch Swimming Cap
3. For dryland training, swimmers will wear proper attire. This includes shorts, running shoes, socks, and team t-shirt. Swimmers will also have a water bottle on hand for in water and dryland training.
J) Competitions:
1. Swimmers should wear a plain black swim suit for meets; however, if you have a high end technical suit of a different color, that is acceptable.
2. During competitions swimmers must wear the designated Torch team T shirt (Torch Nation or We The Torch) or Torch hoodie, and team cap to represent Torch.
K) Equipment:
Required equipment (fins, paddles, etc.) is used to help develop the swimmer. We work closely with equipment manufacturers to recommend equipment suitable for each swimmer at their respective ages. Please refer to the team website to see the list of required and suggested items for your swimmer’s group.
L) Registration:
To register for Torch Swimming simply open the registration portal on Team Unify and follow the prompts. At the end of the registration process a credit card will need to be placed on file. The cost of the season will be broken up into ten equal credit card payments, with the exception of the first payment, which will include your registration fees (your insurance payment, Swim Ontario and Swim Canada affiliation). Please note that if you register for the new season in August and pay your first month payment, that is your September fee, and your card will not be charged again until October 1st.
M) Swim Meets:
Swim meet selection is entirely up to the coaches in conjunction with ownership. Appropriate meets will be selected for the swimmers and will coincide with the training goals of the coaches and their seasonal plans. Swimmers will attend the highest-level meets qualified for, and the coaches will ensure that the swimmers are challenged and racing at the appropriate level.
In terms of signing up for meets the process is simple. First, check out the events page on team unify, which will have a list of all the meets that Torch plans to attend posted in advance of the season (or the meet schedule will be updated as meet information in Ontario and Canada becomes available). This will help you plan your schedule.
Beside the name of each meet you will see the following headings: invitational, selected, qualifiers. You will also see your child’s group listed—this means that that particular meet is for the group (s) listed. If you have been selected to attend a meet, you will then receive an email from your coach. The email will direct you to team unify. Simply follow the prompts—you can decline to attend the meet and no further action is required. Or you can accept the invitation to attend the meet and follow the prompts which will confirm your participation in that particular meet.
Please note—you do not pay for the meets up front. Team Unify will generate a charge on the Monday following the meet and your card on file will be charged. If you sign up for the meet, even if you do not swim, you will still be charged for the cost of the events.
The cost of each event is usually between $7-12 along with splash fee of $10.00.
N) Group Move-Ups:
Swimmers are constantly evaluated and no swimmer will be training in the wrong group. Our number one goal on Torch is to see high performance. Therefore swimmers will be continuously challenged and if they outgrow their current group, they can be moved at any time during the season. Group movement is the discretion of the coaches along with ownership.
If a swimmer is not meeting the expectations of their current group, they can also be moved to another training group commensurate with their commitment level.
O) Out of Country Training Camps:
Torch Swimming endeavours to have at least one international training camp per season. Invitation to this training camp is performance based and will be at the discretion of the Performance coaches and ownership. Information about training camps including dates, locations and selected athletes will be posted late Fall.
P) Olyms Kids Swimming for SickKids Foundation:
In the spring of 2022 we ran our first ever swim-a-thon, Olyms Kids Swimming for SickKids, a swim-a-thon in which Olym’s Kids swam for SickKids Foundation, an event which raised $14,000 for the foundation. In our second swim-a-thon 2023 we raised $21,139 bringing our total to $35,139!! This is an annual event and will be held this season on April 27th, 2024. If Torch swimmers are at a meet that day, they can do their swim-a-thon on the following Monday. The minimum cost to participate is $25.00 or a donation amount of your choice. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised are donated to SickKids Foundation.
Q) Fundraising:
Torch is privately owned and is operated through Olympian Swimming. There are NO fundraising requirements to swim on Torch.
R) Team Events:
We believe it is important for the swimmers to enjoy the social aspects of being part of a team. We therefore aim to have team building events every couple of months. Information about team events will be communicated to you via email.
S) Instagram:
Follow us on Instagram—torchswim. This is also a great way to learn about events or follow the successes of your teammates! Do you want to be featured on the Instagram? Great—send pictures to [email protected]!
T) Time Standards:
Each of our training groups has target goals that we encourage the swimmers to aim for! Swimmers should know these targets and know the times they need in which to reach their goals. Time standards can be found here:
https://swimontario.com/uploads/Meets/Standards/SwimON20212022_Standards_ALL.pdf
https://www.swimming.ca/en/resources/teams-selection-policies/national-standards/
U) Olym’s Swim Shop:
As part of Olympian Swimming we have two swim shops, located in our swim schools at Warden (2541 Warden Avenue) or Bullock (150 Bullock Drive). All of your swimming needs including equipment, team clothing, suits, goggles, torch caps, apparel and more… are available in the shops. All Torch swimmers get a 20% discount on everything in the shop. Visit us online at www.olymswim.com We also deliver from the two shops to Midland pool at no charge.
V) Billing:
All billing is done via team unify and the credit card that you have on file will be charged for meet fees, registration fees and team events. If you notice any discrepancies or have any questions about your account, please contact Gary at [email protected]
W) Practices and Stroke Lab Sessions at Bullock location:
As a part of Olympian Swimming, Torch Swimmers have access to our Swim Schools, which includes our state of the art stroke lab at our Bullock Location. Contact us for more information.
X) Practice Cancellations:
If we must cancel a practice due to weather, a day off after a swim meet, during a taper, illness of a coach etc., we will always notify you as early as possible via email. However, also check out the Instagram for things like this—we also use the Instagram to make announcements.
Y) Morning Gold and Performance Practices:
During tough work blocks we may add practices for the performance and gold swimmers. This will be communicated via email.
Z) That’s A Wrap!
We think this covers the most pressing issues for the moment. However, if you have any questions or ever need elucidation on any matter related to Torch or Olympian Swimming please do not hesitate to contact Shauna or Gary.
GO TORCH!!!!
