Group Description and Skill Improvement Goal
Group 1
To be able to join the team at this level, your swimmer should be able to swim across the pool on their own. Group 1 is an introduction to competitive swimming. Once in Group 1, the focus is:
- Build on the confidence of the swimmers' own ability
- Become proficient in Freestyle and Backstroke
- Ability to Dive and do streamline
- Work on Butterfly and Breaststroke, as well as turns.
Development Goals of Group 1:
- Proficient in all four Strokes (Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle)
- Ability to do all turns with each Stroke
- Dive and hold streamline until swimmer surfaces
- Side Breathing mastered
- Be able to follow Start commands as needed in a swim meet setting
- Should be able to swim a 100 free with turns and side breathing
- Should be able to do a 50 of Butterfly, Backstroke, and Breaststroke
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Group 2
Minimum standards to move up to Group 2:
- Proficient in diving off the blocks with Commands
- Hold streamline until the surface
- Introduction to the use of a pace clock with sets
- Can do a 100 Freestyle, 50 Butterfly, Back, and Breast
Development Goals of Group 2:
- Introduction to aerobic conditioning
- Advance technique skill in all 4 strokes
- Advance swimmer’s proficiency in turns of all four strokes
- Dives focus on competitive edge, tight streamlines, farther, faster
- Develop all 4 strokes breakouts
- Consistently does turns correctly
- Consistently does streamline off all walls
- Ability to swim a 500 free/200 IM/200 choice of stroke
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Group 3
Minimum Standards to Promote to Group 3:
- Be able to do an 800 Free without stopping
- Can do a 200 Back, Breast, and IM
- Expected attendance is 75%
- Enter at least 3 meets per year (All our Piranha Meets)
- Can use a pace clock to accomplish workout
Development of Goals of Group 3:
- Strong aerobic base
- High Proficiency understanding of all the strokes, turns, and dives for high-level racing
- Ability to develop an individual race strategy
- Development of Goalsetting and mental fortitude to handle the highs and lows of the sport
- Development of individual preparation process (race ready and warm down)
- Understand season planning and participate in Goal setting accordingly
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Junior Group
Minimum standards to promote to Juniors:
- Can swim a 1.5-hour workout
- Expected attendance is 85%, and Higher
- Regularly competes in local swim meets
- The goal is to be Top Age Group and/or strong High School swimmers
- Minimum age 11, unless otherwise approved by Head Coach
Development Goals of Juniors:
- Increase aerobic training capacity and introduction of anaerobic training
- Continue Goal setting and advance individuals understanding of the process
- Introduction taper phase for peak swimming
- Clear development of individual needs for warm-up, warm-down, nutritional, and sleep requirements
- Improve individual time standards in most of the swimmers' age group events ("B time" or better). See age group time standards.
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Pre-Senior
Minimum Standards to Promote to Pre-Senior Group:
- It is possible to promote to the Pre-Senior group from Group 3
- Can swim for 2 hours
- Can swim sets on intervals such as 6 x 50 @:55, 10 X 100 @ 1:30
- 85% attendance or higher expected
- Regularly swims in local meets and regional meets
- Goal to be a strong club or High School swimmer
Development Goals of Pre-Senior Group:
- Increase aerobic and anaerobic capacity
- Individual sets their own goals and implement individual preparedness for races
- Goal to achieve several B and A time standards in age group events
- Participates in season planning and all phases of training
- Regularly participates in local swim meets
- Partakes in nutritional learning to improve workout ability and swim meet energy needs
- Participation in Dryland to develop swimmers understanding of cross-training and improve swimmer’s overall strength and core strength
- Minimum age 14, unless approved by Head Coach
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Senior
Minimum Standards to Promote to Senior Group:
- Advanced understanding of all 4 strokes
- Strong development of race strategies
- Strong understanding of Goal setting procedures
- Can swim strongly for the length of the workout (2 hrs)
- Strong High School swimmer and/or Club swimmer
- Goal to participate in Junior Nationals, Senior Nationals, Olympic trials, Futures, Sectionals, and Senior meets
- 90%or better attendance expected
- Regularly competes in local and National meets
- Minimum age 14, unless approved by Head Coach
Development Goals of Senior Group:
- Highest aerobic and anaerobic capacities achieved
- Highest and best race strategies developed
- Strong mental fortitude developed to deal with the highs and lows of competing
- Development of leadership and time management skills
- Highest participation in Season and Goal Planning
- Understands all phases of training from Base to Peak/Taper phase
- Will achieve peak performances 2-3 times per year
- Improve individual time standards in as many age group events as desired
- The overall goal is to achieve lifetime best standards to advance to the collegiate level or end on the Highest note possible
- Maximize marketability to achieve scholarship