Club Mission Statement & Philosophy
The purpose of this organization shall be to encourage, promote, organize and publicize competitive swimming activities for members of Rocket Aquatics(RA) in accordance with the current USA SWIMMING and Wisconsin Local Swim Committee (WI LSC) rules. RA values in the highest regard the future of all youth members of society, and will provide an environment for willing and honest individuals and families to develop physically, mentally, socially, and to further develop character and healthy life style through swimming.
To provide meaningful competitive experiences for swimmers at all levels to help them develop values such as good sportsmanship, team unity, responsibility, dedication and self-discipline.
To provide a competitive swimming program which will give all members the opportunity to attain their goals in swimming, whether they are at the local level or the international level.
Sessions
The swim season is divided into 2 seasons:
Short Course - Short Course runs from September to late February
Long Course - Long Course runs from April to late July
Evaluation Dates
Upcoming Evaluation Dates: Please contact Coach Dave (see information below) to schedule an evaluation.
During the evaluation one of our coaches will evaluate your swimmer's strokes and endurance and determine which of our groups your swimmer will be placed into for registration.
Location
RA trains at Menomonee Falls High School and Germantown High School. The MFHS pool is located at the back of the high school near the tennis courts. Follow the sidewalk between the building and tennis courts to the courtyard. Once in the courtyard, use the doors on the right to enter the pool lobby. The GTHS pool entrance is located behind the school north of the football field.
Training Group Details
We offer a variety of training groups to accommodate most levels of swimmers from beginners to the national level. Practices are offered Monday through Friday. Each group has different attendance recommendations.
Silver Novice (Introduction to Competitive Swimming):
This level is designed for swimmers ages 5-10 who are able to swim 25 yards of each of the 4 competitive strokes (Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly). Practices are offered Monday - Friday evenings from 5:45-6:45. Silver Novice swimmers usually attend two to three practices per week. Swimmers at this level are introduced to basic stroke drills, racing starts, turns, and team/competitive swimming rules. Relays and games are utilized at this level to introduce competition and teamwork. Swim meet opportunities include RA Home Meets held throughout the year and other low-level age group meets. Swimmers at this level are encouraged to try at least 1-3 meets per season.
Gold Novice (Skill Development):
This level is designed for swimmers ages 7-11 who are able to complete each of the four competitive strokes efficiently and who have a general ability to perform shallow dives and flip turns. Gold Novice swimmers are able to swim a minimum of 100 yards without stopping. Practices are offered Monday - Friday evenings from 5:45-6:45 with most swimmers averaging 3 practices per week. Swimmers at this level are also introduced to dryland training which is offered 2 nights per week before practice. This level focuses on drill progressions for each stroke, beginning aerobic development, and expanding the swimmer's understanding of training, competition, teamwork and sportsmanship. This group is encouraged to participate in at least 3 meets per season, including RA Home Meets and other age group competitions.
Bronze Age:
Swimmers at this level are typically ages 8-12 who have developed their stroke technique and basic endurance skills. Bronze Age swimmers are able to swim a minimum of 200 yards without stopping, perform safe/legal racing starts and turns, and have a general understanding of how to use a pace clock for simple intervals. Practices are offered Monday - Friday from 5:45-6:45 pm and drylands are offered 3 nights per week before practice. Swimmers in Bronze Age should plan to attend 3-4 practices per week. This level continues to work closely on the components outlined in Gold Novice working on stroke technique and expanded aerobic development and expands on the swimmer's understanding of race strategy, meet preparation, team pride, and sportsmanship. This group is encouraged to participate in at least 5 meets per season.
Silver/Gold Age:
This level is designed for swimmers ages 10-12 who have developed good training habits, stroke technique, and a solid understanding of competitive swimming. Practices are offered Monday - Friday evenings 6:45 - 8:15 pm.with occassional Saturday morning practices. Drylands are offered 3 nights per week before practice. This level focuses on stroke technique, aerobic expansion and basic introduction to higher energy level systems training. The emphasis at this level is to prepare athletes for the Senior level program through development of work ethic, positive attitude toward training, and goal setting skills. Swimmers at the Gold Age level compete at high-level competition meets including the Wisconsin State Swimming Championships and other meets with qualifying standards. Swimmers at this level are expected to participate in at least 5 meets per season.
Seniors:
The Senior group consists of swimmers ages 13 and older and is divided into 4 groups based on ability and commitment. Bronze Senior is designed for swimmers who are working to develop training habits, technique, and understanding of competitive swimming. Practices are offered Monday - Friday evenings from 5:15 - 7:00pm and some Saturdays. Drylands are offered before practice on select nights and swimmers at this level have the option to begin strength training depending on age. Silver Senior swimmers have exhibited good training habits and typically meet the qualifying standards for high-level competitions including the Wisconsin State Swimming Championships and various Regional/National Level meets.
Next Step
Please email Coach Dave at [email protected] and include the following information:
- Swimmer First and Last Name
- Birthday and Age
- Previous Swim Experience
- Parent Name and Contact Information
Coach Dave will respond with the next Evaluation date for your swimmer.
