West Fargo Flyers Swim Club Groups
The West Fargo Flyers provides a safe, positive and productive instruction environment for all ages and abilities. There are different swim groups that the West Fargo Flyers have in place based on your swimmers’ abilities. Before you start with the Club, your swimmer will attend a Future Flyers class where a coach will put them through a basic skills test to determine what group your swimmer will practice with.
The West Fargo Flyers Swim Team offers six different swimmer levels, each developed and structured with a purpose of creating a long-term passion for competitive swimming. To create this long-term passion, we do our best to make swimming fun, exciting, and fulfilling for each team member. Whether your child is a member of the State Team, a Futures qualifier, has had a great high school experience, or recently went through one of our Future Flyer classes, there is a place for your swimmer on the Flyers.
The West Fargo Flyers swim team groups are structured to ensure that each swimmer has the ability to swim with their peers, both in terms of age group and by ability. The coaching staff works very hard to ensure that each swimmer is in the best group for that individual and their success in the water. The goal is for the swimmer to advance through the groups as they gain maturity and master the skills. Please see the drop down menu for more information on each group.
Technique, kicking, cardiovascular endurance, and stroke efficiency make up the foundation of our program levels. We believe in allowing young swimmers to develop as they mature, supporting them as they grow into strong, efficient, well-rounded swimmers.
Minimum requirement at each level are intended to allow our coaches to work more effectively within their practices, not to isolate or segregate. Assessments are ongoing throughout the season and every February, July and December a group placement for the following season will be communicated to each family. Our coaches always have your child's best interest and long-term development in mind. The decision to consider, initiate, and approve a move in swim groups is the responsibility of the coaching staff alone. When coaches move a child from one level to another, they will use the 3-legged stool model when helping them make their decisions. The following areas of the child will be taken in for equal consideration when determining whether the child is ready to be moved:
- The emotional readiness of the child,
- The age of the child, and
- The physical abilities of the child.
If any one of these "legs" is not in place, the coaches believe it is not the best time to move your child. That being said, when the coaching staff has observed that all three of the "legs" are in place, they will begin initiating your child's move to a new and more appropriate level.
Athletes will not be promoted based on social promotion (to be with friends), because of ridesharing or if they have been in a training group for more than one season. Swimmers that complete a season of High School swimming will not necessarily be invited to the High School training group but should still register as a High School athlete.
As always, if you have any questions, please contact Talia Butery, West Fargo Flyers Head Coach, at [email protected].
Equipment Needed
The team colors are black, orange, green and purple. One of the required items to wear is a team swim cap during swim meets. A latex or silicone swim cap is available for purchase from the Club. The Club places at least one order each year of personalized swim caps for purchase. Caps are available for purchase at Flyer Parent Meetings and additional dates communicated in Flyer Mail.
The team suit should be worn for all competitions. For boys, they must have a Jammer or regular brief style suit for practices and meets. No swim trunks will be allowed for boy swimmers. Girls must wear a one-piece suit for practices and meets. The team every few years selects a team specific suit that should be worn at all meets by both the girls and boys. If you do not purchase a team suit, then a black one is preferred. Our team is sponsored by TYR so we encourage swimmers to compete in TYR swimsuits. No tie-back suits or swimsuits with sleeves.
Equipment for athletes in each group are listed under the specific training groups. Equipment bags can be left at the pool in the Flyer equipment bins.
