BASH Group Expectations and Equipment Requirements

Dolphin /Pre-Competitive

• 6 to 9 year old inexperienced swimmers who can swim freestyle and backstroke.
• Emphasis on teaching the fundamentals, and on learning new strokes and starts.
• Swimmers sign up for 1 or 2 days per week, 10 week program sessions.
• Will have the opportunity to swim in beginner swim meets. 

Age Group 4

Age Range: 6 to 9 year olds

Entrance Criteria: Must be able to swim 25 yards of freestyle with side breathing as well as 25 yards of backstroke. Has been introduced to breaststroke and butterfly (doesn't need to be proficient).

Practice Expectations: 2-3x/ week

• Emphasis on learning all four strokes, starts, and turns
• Streamline off every wall
• Introduce circle swimming
• Introduce how to use a pace clock; Begin to learn how to leave the wall on an interval without the coach’s “go”
• Use proper flipturns and open turns
• Complete sets with certain intervals
• Introduce 2-3 drills for each stroke

• Equipment:

• Fins - TYR Flexfins 2.0
• Kickboard - TYR Classic Kickboard (please write name upon)
• Goggles - 2 Pairs (for summer it's nice to have a mirrored pair, and an extra pair just in case)
• Water Bottle - Swimmer's Choice
• TYR Meshbag - Not required for this group, but a great way to carry wet equipment.

• Competition Expectations: complete (by end of season) legal 25s and 50s of all strokes, 100 IM, and 100 FR

• Participate in at least 3 meets per season to qualify for Championships

Age Group 3

• Age Range: 8 to 11 year olds

  Entrance Criteria: Must be able to swim all 4 competitive strokes and dive from the starting blocks.

  Practice Expectations: 3-4x/week

• Start and finish on the wall at all times
• Understand circle swimming, when to pass, when to lead, etc
• Be able to use the pace clock to complete sets with certain intervals
• Legal turns and flips turns off every wall with dolphin kicks; legal pullouts
• Master 2-3 drills for each stroke

• Equipment:

• Fins - TYR Flexfins 2.0
• Kickboard - TYR Classic Kickboard (please write name upon)
• Goggles - 2 Pairs (for summer it's nice to have a mirrored pair, and an extra pair just in case)
• Water Bottle - Swimmer's Choice
• TYR Meshbag - Not required for this group, but a great way to carry wet equipment.

• Competition Expectations: Complete legal 50s and 100s of each stroke, 100 IM, and 200 FR

• Participate in at least 3 meets per season to qualify for Championships

Age Group 2

• 9 to 12 year old swimmers who can swim all 4 strokes
• Swimmers in this group still focus on refinements in stroke mechanics and improve turns and starts
• Swimmers are expected to swim an 800 Free and 200’s in practice.
• Dryland training will be introduced and swimmers will be expected to participate in the “out of the water” training
• Swimmers are expected to swim in YMCA swim meets, and will swim some distance events  (200’s & 500’s) in meets
• Training paces per 100 – Free/ 1:45, IM/2:00, Kick/2:00
• Swimmers are recommended to attend 3 to 4 practices per week.
• Equipment:
  • ​Fins - TYR Crossblade Fins
  • Hand Paddles - Catalyst Stroke Training Paddles (1/2" longer than middle finger)
  • Pull Bouy - TYR Classic Pull Bouy 
  • Kickboard - TYR Classic Kickboard (please write name upon)
  • Snorkel - TYR Ultralite Snorkel 
  • TYR Meshbag - Color of Choice
  • Goggles - Swimmer's Choice, 2 pairs 

 Age Group 1

• 10 to 13 year old swimmers and some YMCA Zone level 10 year old swimmers who are ready for a challenging swimming and training experience
• Swimmers are selected by the coaching staff for this group.
• Must swim in YMCA and USA Swimming Meets (90% of those offered), and are expected to swim all their age group’s distance events in meets.
• Winter YMCA AA time standards are required (current or previous winter season)
• Stroke mechanics will be improved and an increase in training will be offered
• Training to Swim 1000/500 Free/400IM/200IM in practices
• Advanced dryland training and conditioning will be incorporated in the practice sessions.
• Training paces per 100 – Free/1:30, IM/1:45, Kick/1:50
• Swimmers are required to attend 4 or more practices per week.
• Equipment:
  • ​Fins - TYR Crossblade Fins
  • Hand Paddles - Catalyst Stroke Training Paddles (1/2" longer than middle finger)
  • Pull Bouy - TYR Pull Foat
  • Kickboard - Swimville USA Kickboard (please write name upon)
  • Snorkel - TYR Ultralite Snorkel 
  • TYR Meshbag - Color of Choice
  • Goggles - Swimmer's Choice, 2 pair

Senior 2 Group (New)

• 14 and over swimmers who have aged out of Age Groups (AG1/2), but aren't quite ready for national level training. 
• Swimmers must attend 5 practices per week to remain in this group.
• Equipment:
  • ​Fins - TYR Hydroblade Fins 
  • Hand Paddles - TYR Catalys Stroke Training Paddles (1/2" longer than middle finger)
  • Pull Bouy - TYR Classic Pull Bouy 
  • Kickboard - TYR Classic Kickboard
  • Snorkel - TYR Ultralite Snorkel Elite 
  • TYR Meshbag - Color of Choice
  • Goggles - Swimmer's Choice, 2 pairs

 Senior 1 Group

• 13 and over swimmers who are ready for the challenge of a serious training program, that will prepare them for high levels of swimming.
• Practices can be up to 2 hours in the pool, and before school practices are available.
• Weight training is introduced, and dryland training is more challenging; both are required for swimmers in this group.
• Swimmers are required to swim all their age group events in swim meets.
• Swim training will incorporate drills and cycles using hand paddles and snorkels.
• Training paces per 100 – Free/1:20, IM/1:30, kick/1:40
• Swimmers are expected to attend 6 or more practices per week. 
• Equipment:
  • ​Fins - TYR Hydroblade Fins 
  • Hand Paddles - TYR Catalys Stroke Training Paddles (1/2" longer than middle finger)
  • Pull Bouy - TYR Classic Pull Bouy 
  • Kickboard - TYR Classic Kickboard
  • Snorkel - TYR Ultralite Snorkel Elite 
  • TYR Meshbag - Color of Choice
  • Goggles - Swimmer's Choice, 2 pairs