Who Are We?

   The Gaston Gators are a year-round competitive swim team. The club has provided local youth an alternative to more traditional main stream sports for over thirty years. Swimming teaches discipline, leadership and teamwork as well as personal goal setting and time management skills. Our swimmers will begin swimming with a training group that is appropriate for their age and ability. As they grow and improve they will move through our multi-leveled program. Due to this they learn to take charge of their goals which in turn allows them to be a positive part of a team. We're a smaller team that gives each child the opportunity for needed attention. That individual attention on a daily basis gives our swimmers an excellent training experience on a personal level. Participating with Gators gives your kids the opportunity to achieve in a sport that will help them become physically fit. They are in an environment in which they will make many friends, have the opportunity to travel with the team and most of all have fun. We are sanctioned through USA Swimming and NC Swimming and we participate in the Blue Ridge Swim League. A typical practice schedule during school (September to early May) is in the afternoons and during the summer (Early June to early August) is in the mornings. 

Gator Groups and Descriptions

• Gatortots:  ages 5-8
  •   must be at least 5 years old and entering or in kindergarten: must be able to swim unassisted across deep end of pool: must understand freestyle with rotary breathing and swimming on back: practice twice a week for 40 minutes each

• Li'l Gators:  ages 6-10
  • must be at least 6 years old and entering or in first grade: must be able to swim 25 meters(1 length) of at least 3 strokes(freestyle,backstroke,breaststroke,butterfly) unassisted: must be able to swim 100 meters without stopping: this group concentrates mainly on stroke technique and correct starts and turns: practice 4 times a week for 40 minutes each
• Gator Bits: ages 7-14
  • must be at least 7 and entering or in 2nd grade: must be able to swim 25 meters of each stroke(freestyle,backstroke,breaststroke,butterfly) and complete a 100 meter IM unassisted: must be able to swim 300 meters without stopping: this group continues working on technique: introduction to training, sets and clock management: practice 5 times a week for 60 minutes each
• Gatorines:  ages 9-18
  • must have completed sets of: 8 x 50 free @ 115 or 5 x 100 free @230 and 8 x 50 @ 130 of back,breast or fly and 3 x 100 IM @ 300
  • must be at least 9 years old and entering or in 4th grade: must be able to swim 50 meters of each stroke(freestyle,backstroke,breaststroke,butterfly) and complete a 200 IM: must be able to swim 800 meters without stopping: this group continues technique work: continues learning training techniques by consistence set work: practice 4 times a week for 90 minutes each plus 10 minutes of dryland training
• Junior Gators:  ages 11-18
  • must have completed sets of 8 x 100 @ 210 or 4 x 200 @ 430 and 5 x 100 @ 240 of back breast or fly and 3 x 200 IM @ 445
  • must be at least 11 years old and entering or in 6th grade: must be able to swim 50 meters of each stroke and 100 meters of 3 srokes(free, back, breast, fly) and complete a 300 IM: must be able to swim 1500 meters without stopping: continue technique training: continue training techniques: begins consistence interval training and continues consistence set work: practice 5 times a week for 90 minutes each plus 15 minutes of dryland training
• Senior Gators White:  ages 12-18
  • must have completed sets of 10 x 100 free @ 150 or 5 x 200 free @ 345 and 8 x 100 @ 215 of back,breast, or fly and 5 x 200 IM @ 415
  • must be at least 12 years old and entering or in 7th grade: must be able to swim 100 meters of each stroke and complete a 400 IM: must be able to swim 3000 meters without stopping: continue technique training: continue training techniques interval training and consistent set training: begin season to season training: practice 6 times a week for 120 minutes each
• SENIOR GATORS GREEN: ages 14-18
  • must have completed sets of 15 x 100 free @ 140 or 8 x 200 free @ 330 and 10 x 100 @ 205 of back,breast, or fly and 8 x 200 IM @ 4
  • must be at least 14 years old and entering or in 9th grade: must be able to swim 100 meters of each stroke and complete a 400 IM: must be able to swim 3000 meters without stopping:  continue technique training: intensive internal training working toward yearly goals set forth by coach: this group has attendance and training goals: must be in this group to be eligible for any meets faster than state championships on a Senior level.