BISC Training Groups
The Bainbridge Island Swim Club offers training and practice groups for swimmers of all ages and ability levels. It is our goal to offer age & ability specific training for all of our athletes geared towards challenging each individual and developing each individual to the best of THEIR abilities.
Advancement to the next level is ultimately done with the coaches’ discretion. It is imperative that parents and swimmers allow the coach to make group placement decisions based on the coaches' experience and their familiarity with the swimmers. Decisions will always be based on what is fair and best for the swimmer and fair in relation to the group. Please see our Group Comments and Considerations.
Below are some guidelines coaches use to ensure readiness for advancement with the goal of continuing the swimmer’s improvement in a challenging but manageable training level. Please do not consider these guidelines as an exhaustive. Generally, things are related to training, times, technique, and team.
Note: target age represents a norm there will be exceptions as not all swimmers develop at the same rate.
Please email us to schedule a tryout, or Click Here to send us an email request for more information.
Bronze
Minimum Requirements: Be able to complete 100 yds without stopping and good command of all four strokes. Athletes are expected to attend at least 2 training sessions a week with a maximum of 3. Athletes are strongly encouraged to participate in our home meets and local Challenge meets.
Target Age Range: 7-8 y.o.
Coach: Leilani Tonsmann / Kathrine Fort
Silver
Minimum Requirements: Need a recommendation from your current coach and be able to complete 4 x 100 IMs on the 2:20, demonstrate proper drills technique, and achieve PNS silver times. Athletes are expected to attend a minimum of 3 training sessions a week with 4 being offered (two makeup options are available) Athletes are expected to attend our home meets and local Challenge meets. Age range 9-10 y.o.
Coaches: Leilani Tonsmann / Katherine Fort
Copper
Minimum Requirements: Need a recommendation from your current coach and be able to complete 6 x 100 IMs on the 2:00, demonstrate proper drills technique, and strive to achieve PNS gold times for their age. Athletes are expected to attend a minimum of 3 training sessions a week with 4 being offered. Athletes are expected to attend our home meets and local Challenge meets. Age range 10-13 y.o.
Coaches: Leilani Tonsmann / Katherine Fort
Gold
Minimum Requirements: Need a recommendation from your current coach, be able to complete 6 x 100 IMs on the 1:50, demonstrate proper drills technique, with the goal of achieving PNS gold times and then Champs times for their age group in the next year. Athletes are expected to attend at least 4 training sessions a week with 6 being offered. Some practices are 90 min. some are 60 minutes. Athletes are expected to attend our home meets, monthly Challenge meets and Championship meet if they qualify. This is our top training group for 10 & unders and includes older swimmers. Age range 10-12 y.o.
Coaches: Leilani Tonsmann / Monique Shelton
Champs
The Champs Division is our first official commitment level group for swimmers focused on challenging themselves and upping their level of dedication to the sport of swimming. This group transitions to focus from learning to train to, training to train and what it takes to reach new heights of swimming. Swimmers in this group routinely want to push the threshold and challenge their abilities both physically, mentally, and technically. The 400 IM and 200 Fly becomes major event focuses for this training group. 7 practices are offered at 90 min. each. They compete at our home meets, local challenge meets and invitationals and Championship level meets. Some meets may require travel.
Age Range: 11-13 Grades 5-8
Group Considerations:
- Needs a recommendation from your current coach
- 6x200 IM's on 3:20
- Average 4 or more training sessions a week including a morning
- Attend most meets on the calendar as well as the highest-level championship meet qualified for
- PNS Champs times for their age or have 12 y.o. champs times if over 12 or 11 y.o. champs times if under 11 y.o.
Coach: Leilani Tonsmann / Monique Shelton
Senior Groups
Our senior groups typically consist of all high schoolers on the team broken up into the three following tracks. Occasionally younger swimmers may practice with the Senior group if they are exceptional in certain areas. Just being in high school does not guarantee group placement as there needs to be a basic understand of the four strokes as well as the ability to train with the current training group based on coaches’ experience and expertise.
Regional
Regionals begins the start of our senior swim program and is focused on an introduction into high performance training that leads to competition at higher level meets such as Regionals and Sectional. Swimmers are typically have achieved PNS Champs time for their age and are competitive at the Champs meet. Swimmers in this group are expected to attend all prescribed meets and act with the utmost integrity on a daily basis. Training becomes more specialized with a more individualized training approach, but all swimmers still compete heavily in the 400 IM.
Target age range:14-16 Grades 8-10 (High School)
Group Considerations:
- Needs a recommendation from your current coach
- Show a commitment to meets and the team championship meet
- Average 5 of more training sessions a week including morning workouts
- Complete 8x200 on 2:55
- 14&O champs times w/ goal of achieving Sectional times. (13&U must have 13-year-old AG champs times as well as regional times for their current age group in at least 6)
Coaches: Monique Shelton
Sectional
Our Sectionals Division is primarily based on performance more than any of the previous training groups. It is our first high-performance focus group. A high expectation is placed on maturity and independence as well as a thorough knowledge of training times, performance times, and stroke metrics (stroke count, kick counts, drills and their reasonings). Swimmers in this group know how to execute the basics without being reminded (practice disciplines, warmup and cooldowns during practice and meets). Swimmers in this group also have a solid handle on school and swim life balance. Families have an expected commitment to the team that involves goal setting and planning meetings with the head coach in addition to high levels of communication and commitment to the goals of the program.
Target Age Range: 14-18
Group considerations:
- Needs a recommendation from your current coach
- Show a commitment to attending coaches' designated meet and be committed to team championship meets which may require travel.
- Average 6 or more training sessions a week including morning workouts
- Complete 8x200 IM's on 2:45
- Achieved sectioonal time standard(s)
Coaches: Monique Shelton
Jr. National
The Junior National Division is our highest-level training group. Swimmers in this group must have reach a high level of performance and demonstrate a complete year-round commitment to the program with very limited exceptions. Leadership is expected within this group. Swimmers and families in this group meet with the head coach more often than other groups and work to plan the year together so that vacations, school, etc. are planned with the swimmer’s long-term goals in mind. It is important that parents acknowledge that a child’s commitment at this level in some ways is also a family commitment. Parents are invited to fully participate by volunteering for the board, events, or other committees and supporting newer families.
Target Age Range: 15-18
Group Considerations:
- Needs a recommendation from your current coach
- Show a commitment to attending coaches' designated meet and be committed to team championship meets which may require travel.
- Average 8 or more training sessions a week including morning workouts
- Complete 8x200 IM's on 2:35
- Achieve Futures time standard(s)
Coach: Monique Shelton
