WYNS Practice Groups

Our progression of groups/levels is guided by the WYNS Mission

To provide opportunities for every member to reach his/her potential at each stage of their development; giving swimmers of all ages the opportunity to improve swimming skills.

Team Structure

Our competitive team provides a supportive environment where swimmers of all ages and abilities grow in skill, confidence, and character. WYNS is organized by age, skill level, and desired commitment. We’re a YMCA and USA Swimming-sanctioned, year-round team focused on proper technique, goal setting, and personal growth.

Our team practices at:

  • Woodson YMCA Wausau Branch North & South Pool
  • Woodson YMCA Aspirus Branch Pool in Weston
  • UWSP Marthon County Pool

Swimmers in all groups should bring a tight fitting practice swim suit, goggles, cap and water bottle for all practices. Additional equipment will be listed under each group if needed.

NOVICE Swimmers

Up to 2 - 45 Minute Practices per Week
$73 Monthly

Start Young! Swimmers as young as 3 can join—if they can swim 25 yards unassisted on their front and back, they’re ready to join WYNS!

Focus: Introduction to the fundamentals of competitive swimming

  • Learning the fundamentals of freestyle, backstroke and body balance in the water
  • Learning starts, flip turns, dolphin kick and streamlining

Requirements:

  • Swimmers as young as 3 can join—if they can swim 25 yards unassisted on their front and back without a flotation device.

BLUE Swimmers

Up to 2 - 60 Minute Practices per Week
$78 Monthly

Focus: Developing competitive swimming skills

  • Learn breaststroke kick and butterfly 
  • Learn how to increase speed in freestyle and backstroke
  • Learn advanced skills such as backstroke finishes, flip turns and racing starts

Requirements:

  • Swim a proficient 50 yards of freestyle and backstroke.
  • Demonstrate proper body balance, rotary breathing, and an efficient flutter kick.

BRONZE Swimmers

Up to 4 - 90 Minute Practices per Week
$100 Monthly

Focus: Fine-tuning competitve strokes and skills to increase speed and strength

  • Inforcing proper technique for all 4 competitive strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle
  • Introduction to IMs (Individual Medely) and transitions
  • Increase focus on training in and out of water

Requirements: 

  • Swim a proficient 100 yards of freestyle and backstroke
  • Demonstrate proper body balance, rotary breathing, and an efficient flutter kick
  • Demonstrate breaststroke kick and 25 yards of butterfly

Equipment: Training fins

SILVER Swimmers

Up to 4 - 90 Minute Practices per Week
$110 Monthly

Focus: Gaining a clear understanding of competitive swimming—how it works, what it takes to progress, and how speed and strength play a key role in advancement.

  • Swimmers begin training sets while coaches reinforce proper technique for starts, turns and strokes.
  • Swimmers begin interval training and are challenged to understand and improve their times.

Requirements:

  • Swimmers are legal in all 4 strokes and able to read a pace clock

Equipment: Fins, snorkel, nose plug

Silver Advancment:

  • The natural progression from Silver is typically into the Gold practice group.
  • Swimmers who demonstrate the necessary commitment, ability, and skills may have the opportunity to advance into the Platinum Age Group Training groups, with coach approval.

GOLD Swimmers

Up to 4 - 90 Minute Practices per Week
$135 Monthly

Focus: Gold swimmers continue thier love for the sport withour Platinum level expectations and will continue to advance their skills and training.

  • Swimmer will train to improve their strokes and skills while receiving consistant feedback from coaches.
  • Swimmers have the option to compete but there is not an expectation for swimmers to be USA registered.

Requirements:

  • Complete Silver, maintain a positive attitude and motivation to continue to improve.

Equipment: Mid-length fins, snorkel, agility paddles

HIGH SCHOOL

Up to 5 - 90 Minute Practices per Week
$141 Monthly

Focus:

  • Consistent use of competitive swimming skills including body balance, streamlining, breath control, and proper stroke & turn techniques
  • Advanced dry land training
  • More in-depth understanding and refinement of practice principles, including the use of test sets and development of practice goals
  • Greater emphasis on conditioning and principles of Race Pace Training
  • Focus on preparing for a competitive High School program

Requirements: Grades 9+ with 2 time standards (e.g. 50 Free-31s, 100 Fly-1:15).

Equipment: Mid-length fins, snorkel, agility paddles

PLATINUM: Age Group, Prep & Senior

The Platinum program requires mandatory practice and meet attendance. The head coach will make the final evaluations and decisions for swimmers who participate in the Platinum program. Platinum group swimmers will be required to be registered for USA Swimming and are expected to compete at his/her highest level of meet qualification.

Before being approved for any Platinum Level group a swimmer’s level of commitment, attitude, ability and development will be assessed by the coaching staff to determine if Platinum is an appropriate route for that swimmer.  Once in the Platinum, swimmers may be assessed again, if their level of ability, attitude, or commitment changes.  

Entry into Platinum requires an invitation from coaching staff and an evaluation of:

  • Commitment
  • Attitude
  • Ability
  • Development
  • Platinum swimmers may be reassessed if these factors change.

PLATINUM Age Group (12 & Under)

Up to 6 - 90 Minute Practices per Week
$147 Monthly

Must be invited by coach.

Focus:

  • Recommended for swimmers who are focused on swimming as their primary sport.
  • Training will include interval and Race Pace Training. Efficient stroke technique is incorporated into each workout.

Requirements:

  • For swimmers 12 and Under that have WI Swimming state cuts in their age group.
  • Swimmers must get permission from the head coach to participate in this group.
  • Swimmers participating in this training group must practice 4 times a week.
  • Successfully demonstrate the following practice skills:
  • Provide proper spacing (usually five seconds) during practices.
  • Proficient stroke technique and training
  • Demonstrate ability to read the clock and hold race pace times.
  • Completion of all sets throughout the practice.

Equipment: Mid-length fins, snorkel, agility paddles

PLATINUM PREP 13+

Up to 6 - 105 Minute Practices per Week
$168 Monthly

Must be invited by coach.

Focus:

  • Recommended for swimmers who are dedicated and ready for an intense training program.
  • Training will include interval and Race Pace Training.
  • Efficient stroke technique is incorporated into each workout.
  • Training will include a swimming based dry land strength-building program.
  • Morning practices and weight lifting sessions are available and highly recommended.

Requirements:

  • For swimmers who have not yet attained 13 and Over WI swimming state cuts in their age group and are not physically and/or mentally prepared for the challenges of the Senior Platinum group.  Swimmers in the Platinum Prep group have all the same commitment expectations as in the Senior Platinum group.
  • All swimmers must get approval from the head coach to participate in this group.
  • Swimmers must attend 5 full practices each week (without sitting out during the workout).
  • If there is a weekend meet practice requirements might be adjusted for that week.

Equipment: Mid-length fins, snorkel, agility paddles

PLATINUM SENIOR

Up to 6 - 120 Minute Practices per Week
$178 Monthly

Must be invited by coach.

Focus:

  • Recommended for swimmers who are dedicated and ready for an intense training program.
  • Training will include interval and Race Pace Training.
  • Efficient stroke technique is incorporated into each workout.
  • Training will include a swimming based dry land strength-building program.
  • Morning practices and weight lifting sessions are available and highly recommended.

Requirements:

  • For swimmers 13 and Over that have WI swimming state cuts in their age group.  Swimmers age 11-12 can qualify for this group if they have USA swimming AAA time standards and receive permission from the head coach.
  • All swimmers must get approval from the head coach to participate in this group.
  • Swimmers will sign “The Platinum Pledge” promising to maintain a positive attitude towards coaches and teammates, demonstrate good sportsmanship, be focused, prepared, and ready to work hard at all practices and dryland sessions. Swimmers who do not hold to this pledge may be removed from the Senior Platinum level.  
  • Swimmers participating in this group must attend 5 full practices each week (without sitting out during the workout).  If there is a weekend meet practice requirements might be adjusted for that week.
  • Successfully demonstrate the following practice skills:
  • Provide proper spacing (usually five seconds) during practices.
  • Proficient stroke technique and training
  • Demonstrate ability to read the clock and hold race pace times.
  • Completion of all sets throughout the practice.

Equipment: Mid-length fins, snorkel, finis agility paddles

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