Trailblazers level is not a substitute for swim lessons or water safety classes, but is a springboard between lessons and the swim team, designed to encourage younger swimmers’ development in the basic strokes.  For the safety of all of our swimmers, coaches may recommend lessons through Woodland Aquatic Center for anyone who isn’t quite ready for the Trailblazers level. At the end of each session, coaches may inform you if your swimmer is ready to move up to the Basecamp level of the full Peak Swim Team. 

Trailblazers may typically be ages 5-10. 

Schedule: 2x/week for 30 min. each practice for 8 weeks. 

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BASECAMP

This is the foundational competitive level for Peak Swim Team.  Children should be able to independently swim the freestyle (face in water) and backstroke comfortably, for 25 yards. Swimmers must be able to work well on a team, participate, listen, and respond to coaches.

Swimmers will learn proper techniques of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and components of butterfly. Swimmers will learn racing starts, streamline, and turns, and build endurance.  Swimmers must try out for this group or be recommended through the WAC Learn to Swim program and/or the Trailblazers pre-team program.

Swimmers are encouraged to participate in developmental/splash meets when available, and may also be recommended by the coach to participate in certified swim meets.

Practice is 1 hour, offered 3 days/week. However, on occasion, there may be days where a practice is cancelled due to weather, pool maintenance, meet schedule or the like.

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FOOTHILLS

Swimmers may typically be aged 9 on up, but placement of swimmers in each level is based on ability and readiness of each next level, not solely on age.

Swimmers should be able to independently swim the freestyle (face in water, side breathing) and backstroke comfortably and legally. Swimmers must be able to work well on a team, participate, listen, and respond to coaches.

Swimmers will learn proper techniques of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Swimmers will further develop swim techniques in all four of these competitive swim strokes. Athletes will also be introduced to and refine flip turns, open turns, block starts, streamlines, and breakouts.

Practice is 1 hour, offered 4 days/week. However, on occasion, there may be days where a practice is cancelled due to weather, pool maintenance, meet schedule or the like.

Swimmers are encouraged to participate in developmental/splash meets when available, and may also be recommended by the coach to participate in certified swim meets.

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MONTANE 

This group is for the swimmers who are competition ready in all four strokes, with or without competitive experience. Swimmers must be able to swim competitively and legally in all four strokes, be able to legally complete flip turns, open turns, and proper competitive starts. Yardage and race pace increase through the season to prepare swimmers for competition and to advance their abilities as competitive swimmers.

This group is competitive and represents the highest caliber  athletes on the swim team. Montane swimmers will refine techniques in each stroke, starts, breakouts, and streamlines. Swimmers will also advance their turns and IM skills. Montane swimmers have more consistency in training and technique, developing the mature swimming form. Swimmers must be able to work well on a team, give their best effort during practice and meets, listen, be respectful of other swimmers, officials, and coaches, and attend to coaches' instruction.

Montane swimmers experience higher levels of training and expectations. Through age-appropriate training, these swimmers are learning (and are often expected/encouraged) to push their limitations and rise to a select level of youth sport.

Swimmers will participate in certified meets throughout the year in events scheduled by the coaches.  The meets in which the team will participate is decided by the coach, and in which of those meets the swimmer would like to participate is choice of the swimmer/family.

Depending on the age, practice may be 1.5-2 hours, offered 5 days/week. However, on occasion, there may be days where a practice is cancelled due to weather, pool maintenance, meet schedule or the like.

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** On occasion, coaches may move swimmers to groups above or below their current group. This may be due to various considerations like ability level, effort provided during practice, differently-abled considerations (and lane availability and age of those athletes), and whether or not swimmers are attending to coaches' instructions or respecting other swimmers' training time. ** 

PRACTICE:

Unlike on high school teams, where attendance is mandatory and coaches must be notified prior to absences, Peak Swim Team has a more relaxed policy to allow parents greater flexibility of their schedule. Practices are not mandatory, but it is recommended that swimmers attend as many practices as possible, although frequency of attendance is up to the family. Because of facility lease, coach salary, and other fees, full payment of monthly fees are due, whether swimmer chooses to attend practice 50%, 75% or 100% of the time.

** Fees are explained on the Fees page. **

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EQUIPMENT:

Please be sure that all swimmers have:

1-piece competitive suit (girls) or jammers or similar performance swimwear (boys)

Swim caps (they will also receive team caps for  meets)

Goggles 

Long blade training fins (similar to these on SwimOutlet, but you can purchase whatever brand you like. Make sure swimmer's name is on their fins) 

Montane swimmers will also need a snorkel. 

Please see more under Swim Gear