BAC GROUP DESCRIPTIONS 

***All group advancements are completely at the Coaching Staff's discretion, there will be overlaps in group ages as swimmers develop at different rates***

Future Stingrays
(1st Competitive Level)
  • Ages: 5-8 years old
  • Practice attendance advised for optimal results:  2 practices a week.
  • 2 hours of training offered per week. 
    • Tue & Thur 6-7pm.
  • Swimmers in this group need to be able to complete 12.5 yards (half the length of the pool) of Freestyle and Backstroke to join.
  • Swimmers must be comfortable putting their face in the water and getting a breath.
  • Coaches may be in the water or out of the water during each practice.
  • Required Equipment: Kickboard, Short Fins
  • The Main Focus of this group is introducing swim team as well as improving Freestyle and Backstroke, and introducing Breaststroke Kick, Butterfly Kick and Diving.

Junior Stingrays
  • Ages: 6+
  • Practice attendance advised for optimal results: 3 practices a week.
  • 5 hours of training offered per week. 
    • Mon-Thur 4:30-5:45pm.
  • Swimmers in this group need to be able to complete one length of the pool in Freestyle and Backstroke and have learned Kicks for Breaststroke and Butterfly to join.  
  • Main focus for this group is learning all 4 competitive stroke techniques as well as proper starts, turns, and streamlines.
  • Required Equipment: Kickboard, Short Fins
  • Move up requirements to Bronze:
    • 6 x 50 Free swim on 1:20
    • 6 x 50 Kick on 1:30
    • Racing all of the 25's of Stroke (Fly, Back, Breaststroke) as well as the 100 Free legally.

Bronze
  • Ages: 7-13
  • Practice attendance advised for optimal results: 4 practices a week.
  • 7.5 hours of training offered per week. 
    • Mon - Fri 5:45-7:15pm.
  • Swimmers in this group need to have a knowledge of all 4 competitive strokes.  
  • Main focus is completing the 100 IM legally by the end of the season.
  • Technique is still a focus in this group not training, 50% of practices are kick and drill based with the intention of developing good habits and a good foundation for the future.   
  • Dryland is also introduced at this level.
  • Required Equipment: Snorkel, Short Fins, Kickboard
  • Move up requirements to Silver: 
    • Ages 9+
    • 6 x 100 Free swim on 2:00
    • 6 x 100 Kick on 2:30
    • Racing all of the 50's of Stroke (Fly, Back, Breaststroke) as well as the 200 Free and 100 IM legally.

Silver 
  • Ages: 9-15 
  • Practice attendance advised for optimal results: 5 practices a week. 
  • 9.5 hours of training offered per week. 
    • Mon-Fri 5:45-7:15pm
    • Sat 8-10am. 
  • Swimmers in this group need to be able to train all four competitive strokes.
  • The main focus is to swim the 200 IM legally at most meets.
  • Once again kicking is a main focus of practices, but swimmers will train in longer distances as well as complete test sets to prepare them for the Gold Group.
  • Required Equipment: Snorkel, Fins, Paddles (the size of swimmer's hands)
  • Move up requirements to Gold:
    • Ages 11+
    • 6 x 100 Free swim on 1:30
    • 6 x 100 Kick on 1:50
    • Racing all of the 100's of Stroke (Fly, Back, Breastroke) as well as the 500 Free in a swim meet legally.

Gold
  • Ages: 11+
  • Practice attendance advised for optimal results: 6 practices a week. 
  • 13 hours of training per week offered including morning practices and dryland. 
    • Mon-Thur 7:15-8:45pm
    • Fri 3:45-5:45pm
    • Mon & Fri 6-7:15am
    • Sat 8-10am
    • Dryland: Wed 6:45-7:15pm
  • Swimmers in this group need to be able to train all four competitive strokes and can complete on average a 4,000+ yard practice daily.  The main focus of this group is to take swimmers to the Montana State Championship Level and above.  
  • Required Equipment: Snorkel, Fins, Paddles, Pull Bouy
  • Move up requirements to Elite:
    • Ages 13+
    • 6 x 100 Free swim on 1:15
    • 6 x 100 Kick on 1:40
    • Racing all of the IMX Event Slate (400 IM, 500 Free, 200 Back, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 200 IM) in a swim meet legally.
    • Racing one of the 800/1000/1500/1650 Free events in a swim meet legally.
 
Elite
  • Ages: 13+
  • Practice attendance advised for optimal results: 8 practices a week including morning & dryland workouts (These practices can be any combination of afternoon practices, dryland and morning. Dryland is considered it's own practice.) 
  • 18 hours of training per week offered including dryland. 
    • Mon-Fri 3:45-5:45pm
    • Mon/Wed/Fri 5:30-7am
    • Sat 8-10am
    • Dryland: Mon & Wed 5:45-6:30pm
  • Dryland is expected and mandatory for this group and participation in our dryland program/progression is essential. 
  • Swimmers in this group need to be able to train all four competitive strokes for 200 yards each and longer in practices. 
  • The main focus of this group is to prepare swimmers to compete Collegiately in College as well as to achieve a Sectional Cut and above, with the Group Goal of achieving Futures & Junior Nationals cuts. 
  • Swimmers are expected to complete the IMX events each season as well as a distance event slate. 
  • Swimmers are expected to double each week as well as participate in the dryland workouts after morning practices and evening workouts at specified times. 
  • Training Expections
    • 6 x 100 Free swim on 1:05 
    • 6 x 100 Kick on 1:30
 
***All group advancements are completely at the Coaching Staff's discretion, there will be overlaps in group ages as swimmers develop at different rates***