JCC Swimming: Practice Groups
JCC Swimming offers training and practice groups for swimmers of all ages and ability levels. It is the goal of the JCC Swimming to offer age specific training for all of our athletes geared towards challenging each individual and developing each individual to the best of THEIR abilities. Twice-a-year meetings with individual coaches to set goals and evaluate progress is highly recommended (and mandatory for senior groups.)
Please call us at 410-559-3536 to schedule a tryout, or Click Here to send us an email request for more information.
Junior Barracudas (Ages 8 & Under)
Pre-Team
The Pre-Team program is for swimmers aged 8 & Under who either cannot perform all four of the competitive strokes, or cannot successfully complete the team’s swim test, but who want to participate in Swim Team activities to the extent possible.
Swimmers in the Pre-Team must register for the team and for USA Swimming like all other participants. Pre-team participants pay a monthly program fee like regular swim-team members, but participate in twice-a-week swim lessons instead of traditional practices. These lessons are aimed at developing the core competitive strokes, as well as diving skills and turns for the main competitive strokes.
Swimmers in this group may participate in League Dual Meets, and in appropriate USA Swimming Meets.
8 & Unders
This beginning competitive group is for swimmers aged 8 & Under. In addition to League meets, there is generally one USA Swimming meet aimed at younger swimmers each month. This group generally practices for an hour (15 minutes of dryland exercise, 45 minutes in the water) twice a week during the winter Swim Team season.
Age Group/ Barracudas (Ages 9 - 15)
The majority of our swimmers ages 9 & up will be assigned to practice groups based on age. We currently anticipate two main practice groups:
- Ages 9 & 10
- Ages 11 & up
Practices for these groups are offered four times a week, and swimmers are expected to attend at least two practices per week.
Meet Participation
Swimmers in our “Age Group” practice groups are expected to attend all of the scheduled League meets, and are expected to participate in at least one session of six USA Swimming meets throughout the year.
Senior Development Group
The Senior Development Group is for swimmers who are working towards participation in the older/ more advanced senior groups. The level of expectation for participants in this group is significantly higher than swimmers in regular “Age Group” practice groups. Selection for this group is based on previous performance as an indicator of potential for achievement at the state or national level. The current minimum objective criteria for participation in this group is the achievement of “B” times during the previous year of competition, though coaches may consider a trend of improvement that indicates probable senior-level performance as sufficient to warrant an invitation to participate in this practice group. [The Coaching staff anticipates that the objective standard for the Senior Development group in 2014 - 2015 will be a minimum a minimum age of 11 and at least one “BB” time.]
Senior Levels
For some of the athletes on our team, Swimming is their main year-round sport. For swimmers who have demonstrated a consistent ongoing commitment to the team through their participation in practices and meets AND who have demonstrated better-than-average talent through consistent performance at meets, the team offers extended training opportunities.
Silver Group
The Silver group is for athletes age 13 and over who are preparing for State-level competition. The current minimum objective criteria for participation in the silver group, besides the minimum age requirement, is the achievement of at least one BB National Age Group time within the previous year of competition.
Athletes over the age of 13 who have qualified for State Championships or the State Junior Championships may also be invited to join this group, based on availability of space within the training group. [The Coaching staff anticipates that the objective standard for the Silver group in 2012 – 2013 will be a minimum of one “A” time.]
The Gold group identifies swimmers who are training and preparing for Regional or National-level competition. The current minimum objective criteria for participating in the Gold group are achievement of a AAA National Age Group time within the previous year of competition. Athletes who have qualified for Nationals or Junior Nationals, or for one of USA Swimming’s national Select Camps may also be asked to join this group. Currently, the Gold group practices together with the Silver group.
