Group Descriptions

***All group placement is subject to coach discretion, and the guidelines below are basic explanations of group structure. Meeting all requirements does not automatically lead to squad changes.***

Developmental, Bronze, Silver squads have sub-grouping by age group. These sub-groups will have a primary coach and receive the same opportunities as their main squad.

Uniform for all groups:
  • Appropriate swimwear
    • One piece suit for girls
    • Briefs or Jammers for boys
    • NO Two-Piece Swimsuits, NO swim trunks, NO rash guards
  • Team TTSC Cap
  • Goggles
  • Long hair must be tied back, or in a swim cap
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Developmental I ($135 per month)
 
This is the group for our youngest swimmers. This group primarily trains with the 9-10 developmental group. Still, it allows younger children to swim with their peers while nurturing their love for the sport, growing their confidence, and learning the ins and outs of swimming.
Group Requirements
  • Ability to swim freestyle and backstroke effectively and safely
  • Fall into the 8 & Under age group for the duration of the season
  • Desire to learn and grow in the sport
Group Goals
  • Learn proper technique and gain legality in all four swimming strokes
  • Learn how to execute dives
  • Learn freestyle and backstroke flip-turns
  • Learn basic IM transitions
  • Begin learning how to read a pace clock
  • Begin understanding basic age-appropriate intervals
  • Learn basic swimming terminology
  • Encourage fun and excitement related to swimming
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy (recommend Junior size), Water Bottle
 
 
Developmental II ($135 per month)
 
This group is for kids in the 9-10 age group who are still learning how to swim all four strokes legally. They will continue learning techniques for all things swimming while learning more age-appropriate intervals and general swimming knowledge. A significant emphasis is placed on finding ways to have fun while still learning and gaining confidence in the pool.
Group Requirements
  • Ability to swim freestyle and backstroke effectively and safely
  • Fall into the 9-10 age group for the duration of the season
  • Desire to learn and grow in the sport
Group Goals
  • Learn proper technique and gain legality in all four swimming strokes
  • Learn how to execute dives
  • Learn freestyle and backstroke flip-turns
  • Learn basic IM transitions
  • Begin learning how to read a pace clock
  • Begin understanding basic age-appropriate intervals
  • Learn basic swimming terminology
  • Encourage fun and excitement related to swimming
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy (recommend Junior size), Water Bottle
 
 
Developmental III ($135 per month)
 
This is an excellent group for any middle schoolers looking to get into swimming or swimming is not their priority. Athletes who cannot swim all four strokes legally or don’t want to compete in meets will train here. They will work on growing their confidence and knowledge of the sport while having a fun environment filled with their peers.
Group Requirements
  • Ability to swim freestyle and backstroke effectively and safely
  • Fall into the 11-14 age group for the duration of the season
  • Desire to learn and grow in the sport
Group Goals
  • Learn proper technique and gain legality in all four swimming strokes
  • Learn to execute dives/turns effectively
  • Learn to read a pace clock
  • Learn to execute intervals
  • Learn swimming terminology
  • Begin learning how to complete complex swimming tasks (e.g., building and descending)
  • Encourage fun and excitement related to swimming
  • Meet requirements for Silver group standards
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy (recommend Junior size), Fins, Water Bottle
 
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Bronze I ($200 per month)
 
This group is for those 9-10s who can maintain legal strokes throughout an hour-long practice and want a little more. They will still focus on proper technique and growing their confidence while engaging in fun ways. The swimmers will also complete more challenging sets and practices and learn more complicated skills to prepare them to move into the 11-12 competitive groups.
Group Requirements
  • Must attend meets
  • Must be able to complete all 9-10 IMR events each season.
    • 50 butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke
    • 100 IM
    • 100 Freestyle
  • Able to complete a flip-turn
  • Basic interval knowledge
  • Motivation to succeed and grow in their skills
  • Fall into the 9-10 age group for the duration of the season
Group Goals
  • Continue honing their technique
  • Grow swimming endurance
  • Begin working towards the 11-12 IMX/Silver standards
  • Learn IM Transitions
  • Begin learning how to build/descend effectively
  • Continue practicing interval skills
  • Learn how to complete a set/practice to the standards of the 11-12 bronze/silver groups.
  • Continue growing their love for the sport.
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy, Fins, Snorkel (optional), Water Bottle.
 

Bronze II ($200 per month)
 
Every swimmer in this group is legal in all four strokes and can complete/has completed the IMR events for the 11-12 age group. In this group, athletes will continue practicing the skills they learned at younger ages, but their priorities begin to shift into training skills and increasing endurance in preparation for extended events/practices.
Group Requirements
  • Must attend meets
  • Must be able to complete all 11-12 IMR events each season.
    • 50 butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke
    • 100 IM
    • 200 Freestyle
  • Must have coach approval for maturity, practice behavior, and coachability
  • Must have motivation to learn and grow their skills/knowledge
  • No older than 12 for the duration of the season
Group Goals
  • Work towards 11-12 IMX/Silver standards
  • Continue practicing swimming skills
  • Learn swim practice pacing
  • Grow endurance
  • Learn race-pacing and goal setting
  • Continue practicing complex swimming tasks (e.g., building/descending/holding)
  • Learn basic stretching routine
  • Participate in simple dryland exercises
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy, Fins, Snorkel (optional), Water Bottle
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Silver I ($220 per month)
 
Every swimmer in this group is legal in all four strokes and can complete/has completed the IMX events for the 10 & Under age group. In this group, athletes will continue practicing the skills they learned early in their careers, but their priorities begin shifting into training and increasing endurance for more extended events and practices in age-appropriate ways.
Group Requirements
  • Must attend meets
  • Must be able to complete all 10 & Under IMX events each season.
    • 100 butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke
    • 200 IM
    • 200 Freestyle
  • Must have coach approval for maturity, practice ability, and attitude
  • Must have motivation to learn and grow their skills/knowledge
  • No older than 10 for the duration of the season
Group Goals
  • Work towards improving on their IMX score
  • Continue practicing swimming skills
  • Learn how to accomplish swim-practice pacing
  • Increase endurance in practice and races
  • Participate in appropriate goal-setting behavior
  • Learn how to accomplish race-pacing designated by coaches
  • Practice complex swimming tasks (e.g., building, descending, holding, aerobic pacing)
  • Learn stretching routines to complete before practices/meets
  • Participate in basic dryland exercises
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy, Fins, Paddles, Snorkels, Water Bottle, Tennis Shoes
 
 
Silver II ($220 per month)
 
Every swimmer in this group is legal in all four strokes and can complete/has completed the IMX events for the 11-12 age group. In this group, athletes will continue practicing the skills they learned at younger ages, but their priorities become training and increasing endurance for more extended events and practices. They also will practice their stroke and event-specific skills.
Group Requirements
  • Must attend meets
  • Must be able to complete all 11-12 IMX events each season.
    • 100 butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke
    • 200 IM
    • 500 Freestyle
  • Must have coach approval for maturity, practice ability, and attitude
  • Must have motivation to learn and grow their skills/knowledge
  • No older than 12 for the duration of the season
Group Goals
  • Work towards 13-14 IMX/Gold standards
  • Continue practicing swimming skills
  • Effectively accomplish swim-practice pacing
  • Increase endurance in practice and races
  • Participate in appropriate goal-setting behavior
  • Accomplish race-pacing designated by coaches
  • Continue practicing complex swimming tasks (e.g., building, descending, holding, aerobic pacing)
  • Learn stretching routines to complete before practices/meets
  • Participate in dryland exercises
  • Learn health and wellness management in relation to sport
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy, Fins, Paddles, Snorkels, Water Bottle, Tennis Shoes
 
Silver III ($220 per month)
 
Every swimmer in this group is legal in all four strokes and can complete/has completed the IMR events for the 13 & over age group. In this group, athletes will continue practicing the skills they learned at younger ages, but their priority is training ability and increasing endurance in preparation for more extended events/practices.
Group Requirements
  • Must attend meets
  • Must be able to complete all 13-14 IMR events each season
    • 100 butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke
    • 200 IM
    • 200 Freestyle
  • Must have coach approval for maturity, practice behavior, and coachability
  • Must have motivation to learn and grow their skills/knowledge
  • No older than 14 for the duration of the season
Group Goals
  • Work towards 13-14 IMX/Gold standards
  • Continue practicing swimming skills
  • Learn swim practice pacing
  • Grow endurance
  • Learn race-pacing and goal setting
  • Continue practicing complex tasks (e.g., building/descending/holding)
  • Learn basic stretching routine
  • Participate in simple dryland exercises
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy, Fins, Paddles, Snorkels, Water Bottle, Tennis Shoes
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Gold ($235 per month)
 
Every swimmer in this group is legal in all four strokes and can complete/has completed the IMX events for the 13 & over age group. In this group, athletes will continue practicing the skills they learned at younger ages, but their priority is training and increasing endurance for long events and practices. They also will practice their stroke and event-specific skills. Gold swimmers will gain access to specific opportunities due to their dedication and skill level.
Group Requirements
  • Must attend meets
  • Must be able to complete all 13 & Over IMX events each season.
    • 200 butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke
    • 200 and 400 IM
    • 500 Freestyle
  • Must have coach approval for maturity, practice ability, and attitude
  • Must have motivation to learn and grow their skills/knowledge
  • No older than 14 for the duration of the season
Group Goals
  • Continue practicing swimming skills
  • Effectively accomplish swim-practice pacing
  • Increase endurance in practice and races
  • Participate in appropriate goal-setting behavior
  • Accomplish race-pacing designated by coaches
  • Continue practicing complex swimming tasks (e.g., building, descending, holding, aerobic pacing)
  • Learn stretching routines to complete before practices/meets
  • Participate in dryland exercises
  • Prepare skills for completing Senior IMX practices
  • Learn mental health management in relation to sport
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy, Fins, Paddles, Snorkels, Water Bottle, Tennis Shoes
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Senior I ($235 per month)
 
Most swimmers in this group are legal in all four strokes and can complete/have completed the IMR events for 13 and over swimmers. In this group, athletes will practice appropriate swimming techniques while working towards the Senior IMX standards and growing their endurance to prepare for the IMX group.
Group Requirements
  • Must attend meets
  • Must be in high school
  • Must have a working understanding of all four swimming strokes
  • Must be motivated to learn and grow in their knowledge/skills
Group Goals
  • Work towards 13 & Over IMR/IMX standards
  • Continue practicing swimming skills
  • Learn swim-practice pacing
  • Grow endurance in practice and races
  • Participate in appropriate goal-setting behavior
  • Learn complex swimming tasks (e.g., building/descending/holding)
  • Learn stretching routines to complete before practices/meets
  • Participate in dryland exercises
  • Learn mental health management in relation to sport
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy, Fins, Paddles, Snorkels, Parachutes, Water Bottle,  Tennis Shoes
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Senior II ($250 per month)
 
Every swimmer in this group is legal in all four strokes and can complete/has completed the IMX events for 13 & over swimmers. Athletes prioritize training skills and increasing capabilities for events and swim practices in this group. They also practice their stroke and event-specific skills with specialized sets and practices for specific events. IMX swimmers will gain access to extra opportunities due to their dedication and skill level.
Group Requirements
  • Must be working toward Senior Sectionals time standards
  • Must attend ALL scheduled drylands, meets, and dryland workouts
  • Must be dedicated to the sport of swimming and growing their abilities
  • Must have prior coach approval for maturity, practice ability, and attitude
  • Must be able to complete all 13 Over IMX events
    • 200 butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke
    • 200 and 400 IM
    • 500 freestyle
Group Goals
  • Work towards individual swimming goals and prepare for elite swim meets
  • Continue practicing swimming skills
  • Effectively accomplish swim-practice pacing
  • Increase endurance in practice and races
  • Participate in appropriate goal-setting behavior
  • Accomplish race-pacing designated by coaches
  • Continue practicing complex swimming tasks (e.g., building/ descending/ holding/ aerobic pacing)
  • Learn stretching routines to complete before practices/meets
  • Participate in dryland exercises
  • Prepare skills for completing Senior IMX practices
  • Learn mental health management in relation to sport
Required Equipment: Kickboard, Pull Buoy, Fins, Paddles, Snorkels, Parachutes, Water Bottle, Tennis Shoes
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The Tigard Tualatin Swim Club employs a progressive age group program designed to develop the swimmer physically, mentally and emotionally in a systematic fashion. A well-defined, long-term approach of gradually increasing the degree of commitment is essential to reach peak performance levels during a swimmer’s physiological prime. The emphasis in the early stages of participation is placed on developing technical skills and a love for the sport. In the later years, a more demanding physical and psychological challenge is introduced to the training program. 

TTSC training groups contain swimmers who are compatible with respect to abilities, commitment levels and goals. Swimmers progress through training groups at different rates. 

The coaching staff makes training group assignments and advancements in accordance with the swimmer’s physical, mental, and emotional level of development.