Herndon Aquatic Club
2025 - 2026 Group Descriptions
Our main swim program runs for 9 months from September through May. Registration opens May 1 for returning families and June 1 for new families.
Pre-Competitive Program
| Age Group Mini 10 & Under 2 hours/week |
- Bridges the gap between swim lessons and competitive club swimming (USA Swimming)
- Refine freestyle and backstroke and learn breaststroke, butterfly, racing dives, flip turns
- 2 swim meet style racing opportunities during the season
- Prepares swimmers for future placement in Age Group Bronze or Age Group Silver
- Must be able to swim 25 yards of freestyle with rotary breathing and 25 yards of backstroke independently
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Age Group Competitive Program
| Age Group Bronze 9 & Under 2 hours/week |
- Introduction to competitive swimming - refine technique, race strategies, endurance building
- Approximately 5 swim meets throughout the season
- Prepares swimmers for future placement in Age Group Silver
- Must be able to swim all four strokes legally and be able to complete one-hour long practices
- Previous summer league experience or club experience is expected
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| Age Group Silver Ages 9 - 12 3 - 4.5 hours/week |
- Continues to refine the four strokes, starts, and turns, with increased focus on endurance and race strategies
- Expected to participate in 1 swim meet opportunity per month
- Prepares swimmers for future placement in Age Group Gold 1 or 2
- Must be able to swim all four strokes legally, dive, do flip turns, and participate in high intensity practices
- Previous competitive swim experience expected
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| Age Group Gold 2 Ages 12 - 14 4 hours/week |
- Refines the four strokes, starts, and turns, while building endurance and race strategies
- Regular swim meet participation is encouraged
- Prepares swimmers for future placement in Senior Bronze
- Must be able to swim all four strokes legally, dive, do flip turns, and complete one-hour long practices
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| Age Group Gold 1 Ages 12 - 14 6 - 8 hours/week |
- Highly competitive, high intensity training
- Required swim meet participation with the goal of qualifying for championship meets
- Minimum 80% practice attendance required
- Participation in the summer program is expected
- Prepares swimmers for future placement in Senior Silver or Senior Gold
- Previous competitive swim experience required
- Swimmers must have achieved at least three B times across multiple strokes
- USA Swimming 2024-2028 Motivational Standards
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Senior Competitive Program
| Senior Bronze 14 & Over 2 - 3 hours/week |
- Designed to keep swimmers in shape for high school swim team and summer league seasons
- Swim meet participation encouraged
- Must be able to swim all four strokes legally, dive, do flip turns, and complete 1 hour practices
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| Senior Silver 2 13 & Over 6 hours/week 1 hr strength training |
- Senior Silver 2 is designed for swimmers ready to train at the level of Senior Silver 1 who can commit to no more than 4 days per week. (See Senior Silver 1 description)
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| Senior Silver 1 13 & Over 9.5 hours/week 1 hr strength training |
- Highly competitive, high intensity training + Afternoon strength training workouts
- Required swim meet participation with the goal of qualifying for championship meets
- Minimum 80% practice attendance required - Participation in the summer program is expected
- Prepares swimmers for future placement in Senior Gold or college level swimming
- Previous competitive swim experience required
- Swimmers must have achieved at least three BB times across multiple strokes
- USA Swimming 2024-2028 Motivational Standards
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| Senior Gold 15 & Over 15 hrs/week 1 hr strength training |
- Our most advanced training group - swimmers are committed to training at the highest levels
- Swim Meet participation is required - goal of qualifying for National Level competitions
- Minimum 85% practice attendance required, including doubles practices and strength training
- Required to participate in the summer program
- Designed to prepare swimmers to swim at high levels in college
- Swimmers must have achieved at least three A times across multiple strokes and are expected to have qualified for PVS Championship meets
- USA Swimming 2024-2028 Motivational Standards
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Practice Schedule 2025 - 2026
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Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
| Senior Gold |
5:00 - 7:00 am Strength Training 4:00 - 4:30 pm 4:30 - 6:00 pm |
5:00 - 7:00 am |
5:00 - 7:00 am Strength Training 4:00 - 4:30 pm 4:30 - 6:00 pm |
5:00 - 7:00 am |
5:00 - 7:00 am |
5:00 - 7:00 am |
| Senior Silver 1 AM Senior Silver 2* AM *Choose any 4 days |
5:00 - 6:30 am Strength Training 4:00 - 4:30 pm |
5:00 - 6:30 am |
5:00 - 6:30 am Strength Training 4:00 - 4:30 pm |
5:00 - 6:30 am |
5:00 - 6:30 am |
5:00 - 7:00 am |
| Age Group Gold 1 AM |
5:00 - 6:30 am |
5:00 - 6:30 am |
5:00 - 6:30 am |
5:00 - 6:30 am |
|
5:00 - 7:00 am |
| Age Group Gold 2 AM |
5:30 - 6:30 am |
5:30 - 6:30 am |
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5:30 - 6:30 am |
5:30 - 6:30 am |
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| Age Group Silver AM *FULL* |
6:30 - 7:30 am |
|
6:30 - 7:30 am |
|
6:30 - 7:30 am |
6:30 - 8:00 am |
| Age Group Bronze AM |
|
6:30 - 7:30 am |
|
6:30 - 7:30 am |
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| Age Group Mini AM |
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6:30 - 7:30 am |
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6:30 - 7:30 am |
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| Senior Silver 1 PM Senior Silver 2* PM *Choose any 4 days |
Strength Training 4:00 - 4:30 pm 4:30 - 6:00 pm |
4:30 - 6:00 pm |
Strength Training 4:00 - 4:30 pm 4:30 - 6:00 pm |
4:30 - 6:00 pm |
4:00 - 5:30 pm |
5:00 - 7:00 am |
| Senior Bronze |
7:30 - 8:30 pm |
|
7:30 - 8:30 pm |
7:30 - 8:30 pm (Sept - Oct) |
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| Age Group Gold 1 PM |
7:00 - 8:30 pm |
7:00 - 8:30 pm |
7:00 - 8:30 pm |
7:00 - 8:30 pm |
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5:00 - 7:00 am |
| Age Group Gold 2 PM |
3:30 - 4:30 pm |
3:30 - 4:30 pm |
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3:30 - 4:30 pm |
3:30 - 4:30 pm |
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| Age Group Silver PM *FULL* |
6:00 - 7:00 pm |
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6:00 - 7:00 pm |
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5:30 - 6:30 pm |
6:30 - 8:00 am |
| Age Group Bronze PM *FULL* |
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6:00 - 7:00 pm |
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6:00 - 7:00 pm |
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| Age Group Mini M/W or T/TH *FULL* |
5:00 - 6:00 pm |
5:00 - 6:00 pm |
5:00 - 6:00 pm |
5:00 - 6:00 pm |
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