AGE 10 and Under Groups(Bronze, Silver, and GOLD)

Bronze:

This group offers an introduction to competitive swimming that encompasses ages 10 years old and younger, all are beginners and have a very basic knowledge of the four competitive strokes. An emphasis is placed on the basic stroke development and stroke technique. Swimmers also learn to improve start technique and perform the proper turns. Swimmers are offered 3 practices per week of 1 hour duration. Coaching emphasis is on correct strokes and not distance. Swimmers have fun with swimming games and drills. Swimmers can still compete at the developmental mini-meets and with the direction of the coach, compete at the United States Sanctioned Meets.

Minimum Requirements

• Age: 10 and under 

• Attend a minimum of 2 out of the 3 practices per week                              

• Ability to swim each of the four strokes legally and efficiently  

• Proper push off with streamline

SILVER:

The Silver group takes the four strokes to the next level by introducing the athlete to interval, endurance, and speed training while still maintaining strong form and balance in the water.  Swimmers will also be introduced to invitational swim meets and an expectation on committing to competitions is required. 

Minimum Requirements

• Age: 10 & Under

• Attendance: Must attend a minimum of 3 out of the 5 practices per week

• 10 & Under "B" Time 

• Understanding of how to use a pace clock and proper practice etiquette 

• Prior experience in a competitive swim team environment 

• Times from a swim meet (either recreational or sanctioned)

• Strong foundation in the fundamentals of all four strokes, turns, starts, and finishes     

GOLD:  

The GOLD group is an advanced group that takes the athlete's ability to use interval, endurance, and speed training to the next level, while still maintaining strong form and balance in the water.  Swimmers in this group are expected to achieve Florida Age Group Championship cuts. Swimmers in this group are expected to compete year round and not take any prolonged breaks throughout each season. 

Minimum Requirements

• Age: 10 & Under   

• Attendance: Must attend 4 out of 5 practices per week  

• 10 & under “BB” Time 

• Must have prior competitive swim experience 

• Must have sanctioned USA swimming times 

• Comprehensive understanding of all four strokes, underwater, turns, starts, and finishes  

AGE 11 Years Old and Up GROUPS (Bronze, Senior Dev , Senior Prep, Senior, and Senior Elite)

BRONZE 11 and Up :

This group is for swimmers who want to improve their stroke technique and/or their conditioning level, but desire a more flexible training environment with less focus on required time commitments. This group's main goal is to teach proper stroke technique and learn how to start training for competitive swimming. 

Minimum requirements

• Age: 11 and Up

• Attendance: Must attend a minimum of 3 out of 4 practices per week

• Prior swim experience is strongly preferred 

• Basic understanding of all four strokes 

• Proper Streamlined push offs

• Basic understanding of Starts and Turns  

SENIOR DEVELOPMENT :

This group is for swimmers who want to improve their stroke technique and/or their conditioning level, but desire a more flexible training environment with less focus on required time commitments. The group’s main goal is to teach proper stroke technique and train on a higher level than one can achieve on their own or by swimming with the area high school teams.

Minimum Requirements:

•  Age: 11 & Over

• Required to attend 4 out of 5 practices per week.

• Expected to compete at all required meets

• Prior competitive swim experience 

• Sanctioned USA swimming times 

• Strong understanding of all four strokes, starts, turns, and underwaters

Senior Prep:

This group is designed for advanced age group swimmers who have developed firm basic swimming proficiencies in all four strokes and are ready to make more of a commitment to the sport. A desire to improve and the willingness to take the steps necessary for competitive progress are expected. Proper stroke technique is emphasized along with speed work, interval training, and aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, along with dry land and stretching, race planning, nutrition, mental attitude, video stroke analysis, and swimmer-coach conferences on goal setting and individual training progressions. These swimmers are willing to train at a higher level than before in order to achieve goals such as achieving 11-14 Florida Age Group Championships (FLAGS), Florida Senior Championships, Southern Sectionals, Zone Championships, and National Age Group Top 10 times. 

Minimum Requirements

• Age: 11-14   

• Attendance: 95% minimum attendance is required on a monthly basis

• Must attend all meets

• Age Appropriate”A” time or Age Appropriate FLAGS Cut  

• Advanced comprehension of all four strokes, starts, turns, and underwaters

• Prior competitive swimming experience 

• USA Swimming sanctioned times 

SENIOR:

This group is for swimmers that are ready to make more of a commitment to the sport and seeking to progress to the Senior level. This group is a high performance group where the expectation of commitment to training and competitions are extremely high. This group is designed for FLAGS and Senior Champs level swimmers. 

Minimum Requirements:

• Skill will be evaluated by the coach.

• Must attend 90% of monthly practice and strength and conditioning.

• Meet attendance is mandatory and swimmers will be signed up for every session.

****Swimmers will be expected to attend all SouthWest practices during their high school season August to November. Swimmers will be excused from workout for a high school meet only. There will be no exceptions.

SENIOR Elite:

This group is designed to prepare athletes for competition in Senior Championships, Sectional, Junior Nationals, and other selected meets. Selection to this group is by invitation only and is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, talent, work ethic, a desire to train and compete, attendance, and a commitment to personal and team excellence. Coaching equally emphasizes conditioning and fundamentals offering the determined swimmer an excellent opportunity to improve. Athletes will compete in local Florida Swimming events, STARS hosted events, and travel meets. Swimmers who meet the prerequisites and choose to enter this group will be presented with a challenging training program geared towards future success.

Minimum Requirements

• Coaches Discretion

• Must attend 95% of monthly practice and strength and conditioning.

• Work ethic and attendance are taken into serious consideration.

• Meet attendance is mandatory and swimmers will be signed up for every session. Swimmers will be automatically signed up for every meet and every session. 

****Swimmers will be expected to attend all SouthWest practices during their high school season August to November. Swimmers will be excused from workout for a high school meet only. There will be no exceptions