TRAINING GROUP STRUCTURE

 

Issaquah Swim Team offers a progressive program designed to develop each athlete technically, physiologically, and mentally in a systematic, safe and fun fashion. Quality of execution is the top priority at all levels of the team.

Athlete progression and placement is based on skill acquisition and development, meet and practice attendance, meet and practice performances, and coachability.

STEELHEAD PROGRAM

STEELHEAD A, B

 

DEVELOPMENT LEVEL: Precompetitive

AGE/GRADE RANGE: Ages 6-11; Grades 1-5

PRACTICE SCHEDULE: 3 practices per week totaling 2.25 hours.

DRYLAND: No Dryland.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Swimmers must be proficient in freestyle and backstroke and know the basic motions of breaststroke and butterfly. Additionally, they must be able to swim at least 100 yards continuously.

DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES: Learn and become familiar with the introductory aspects of IST’s progressive skill development curriculum. Swimmers will address body awareness, water rhythms and general athleticism. Steelhead athletes will work to improve all four competitive strokes such that they can be done legally, and will begin to learn the basic movements essential to competitive swimming such as starts, turns, and breath control.

EXPECTATIONS: Steelhead swimmers should attend at least 60% of offered practices. Swimmers should attend both Time Trial meets.

COMPETITIVE GOALS: Steelhead swimmers should achieve times in all four competitive stroke disciplines at the 25Y, 50Y, and/or 100Y distances as age appropriate at observed competitions.

 

SURGE PROGRAM

BARRACUDAS, PIRANHAS, SHARKS

 

DEVELOPMENT LEVEL: Developmental

AGE/GRADE RANGE: Ages 6-11; Grades 1-5

PRACTICE SCHEDULE: 3-5 practices per week totaling 3-6 hours depending on the group.

DRYLAND: 1-2 group sessions per week for a total of 30-60 minutes.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:  Surge Groups are limited to athletes in elementary school. Swimmers must be legal in all four competitive stroke disciplines and have the developmental capacity to thrive within the group learning and team training environments.

DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES: Develop competitive swimming fundamentals including aquatic postures, body awareness, aquatic rhythms, listening skills, coachability and the core values of being a part of Issaquah Swim Team. Starts, turns, and efficient use of the body in the aquatic environment will be introduced as essential pieces of fast swimming.

EXPECTATIONS: Surge Swimmers should attend at least 60-75% of in-water and dryland practices. Athletes should plan to attend at least two (2) non-championship meets and any qualifying championship meet(s) during each competitive season (September – December, January – March, April – July).

COMPETITIVE GOALS: Surge swimmers should strive for the following competitive goals.

  • Barracudas: PNS Silver times in all 4 strokes; PNS Gold times
  • Piranhas: PNS Gold times in all 4 strokes; PNS Champs times
  • Sharks: PNS Champs Times in all 4 strokes; NWAG Regionals times; Age Group Zones times

 

SOCKEYE PROGRAM

BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD

 

DEVELOPMENT LEVEL: Age Group

AGE/GRADE RANGE: Ages 11-14; Grades 6-8

PRACTICE SCHEDULE: 4-6 practices per week totaling 6-10 hours depending on the group

DRYLAND: 2-6 sessions per week totaling 1-6 hours based on athlete commitment.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Sockeye Groups are limited to athletes in middle school. Swimmers must be legal in all four competitive stroke disciplines and must fit the age/grade level requirements to enter the Bronze Groups. Silver Group athletes must demonstrate greater skill, dedication, and competitive prowess. Gold Group swimmers represent the top of the Age Group Program and are selected accordingly.

DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES: Continue developing competitive swimming fundamentals including aquatic postures, body awareness, aquatic rhythms, listening skills, coachability and the core values of being a part of Issaquah Swim Team. Starts, turns, and efficient use of the body in the aquatic environment will be reinforced as essential pieces of fast swimming. Sockeye Group swimmers will transition from a learn-to-train to train-to-train model as they progress through the program.

EXPECTATIONS: Expectations will vary depending on the training group.

  • Bronze Groups: Swimmers should attend at least 60% of in-water and dryland practices. Athletes should plan to attend at least two (2) non-championship meets and any qualifying championship meet(s) during each competitive season (September – December, January – March, April – July).
  • Silver Groups: Swimmers should attend at least 70% of in-water and dryland practices. Athletes should plan to attend at least three (3) non-championship meets and any qualifying championship meet(s) during each competitive season.
  • Gold Group: Swimmers should attend at least 80% of in-water and dryland practices. Athletes should plan to attend all assigned non-championship meet(s) and all qualifying championship meets during each competitive season.

 

COMPETITIVE GOALS: Sockeye swimmers will strive for the following competitive goals.

  • Bronze: PNS Silver times in all 4 strokes; PNS Gold times
  • Silver: PNS Gold times in all 4 strokes; PNS Champs times; NWAG Regionals times
  • Gold: PNS Champs times in all 4 strokes; NWAG Regionals times; Age Group Zones times

 

SENIOR PROGRAM

SENIOR, SENIOR PERFORMANCE, NATIONALS

 

DEVELOPMENT LEVEL: Senior

AGE/GRADE RANGE: Ages 13-18+; Grades 8-12+

PRACTICE SCHEDULE: 5-8 practices per week totaling 8-16 hours depending on the group.

DRYLAND: 2-6 sessions per week totaling 1-6 hours based on athlete commitment.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Requirements will vary depending on the training group.

  • Senior: Athletes must be in high school and must be legal in all four competitive stroke disciplines.
  • Senior Performance: Athletes must be in 8th Grade, high school, or returning college students. Swimmers must demonstrate exceptional quality of movement, previous competitive success, dedication to meet and practice attendance, and a desire to achieve at the highest levels.
  • Nationals: Athletes must be in their sophomore year of high school or older. Swimmers are selected to enter the Nationals group based on quality of movement, competitive achievement, meet and practice attendance, and coachability.

 

DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES: Objectives will vary depending on the training group.

  • Senior: Athletes in the Senior Groups will continue developing their skills in the team training and competition environments. Swimmers in these groups are primarily focused on achievement at the level of seasonal high school swimming. Coaches will balance skill refinement and training loads accordingly.
  • Senior Performance: Athletes in the Senior Performance Groups will focus primarily on skill refinement while increasing their training and competition loads for performance at the Regional, Sectional, and National levels of competition.
  • Nationals: Athletes in the National Group will focus primarily on skill refinement while increasing their training and competition loads for performance at the Sectional and National levels of competition.

 

EXPECTATIONS: Expectations will vary depending on the training group.

  • Senior Groups: Outside of high school season, swimmers should attend at least 60% of in-water and dryland practices, at least two (2) non-championship meets, and any qualifying championship meet(s) during each competitive season (September – December, January – March, April – July). During high school season, swimmers should attend at least 30% of in-water and dryland practices.
  • Senior Performance Groups: Outside of high school season, swimmers should attend at least 80% of in-water and dryland practices, all assigned non-championship meets, and any qualifying championship meets. During high school season, swimmers should attend at least 60% of in-water and dryland practices.
  • Nationals Group: Outside of high school season, swimmers should attend at least 90% of in-water and dryland practices, all assigned non-championship meets, and any qualifying championship meets. During high school season, swimmers should attend at least 75% of in-water and dryland practices.

 

COMPETITIVE GOALS: Senior Program athletes will strive for the following competitive goals.

  • Senior: Participate in high school swimming; qualify for Conference; achieve PNS Silver times in all four strokes; PNS Champs times
  • Senior Performance: PNS Champs times in all four strokes; Senior Zones times, Sectionals times, Futures times, Juniors times
  • Nationals: Sectionals times, Futures times, Juniors times, Nationals times, Olympic Trials times