Practice Groups

 

 

 

 

The team is divided into several separate practice groups.  Each successive group represents an increase in skill requirements, practice attendance, practice duration and stress as well as commitment.  Placement into each group is the coach’s decision based on ability & maturity.  The coaches will confer with the swimmers and parents before advancement into the next group.  A brief description of each group is as follows:

 

Red Group:

            Requirements:               * Must not be afraid of deep water

                                                *Must be able to swim 25 yards of freestyle and attempt backstroke

                                                *Must be able to kick with or w/o kick board for 25 yards

                                                *Must be able to tread water for 1 minute

            Focus of Group:             *Freestyle and backstroke drills

                                                *Streamline kick drills

                                                *Introduction of breaststroke and butterfly

                                                *Emphasis is on stroke mechanics with and introduction to competitive

                                                  thinking

            Objectives:                    *Attempt participation in swim meets near home

            Practice requirements:   *Swimmers should try to attend 2 of 3 practices per week

 

Note: All new swimmers tot he age group program (12 and under) must participate in this group for 2 weeks to learn the “swimming lingo ‘necessary to work at the higher level practice groups.

 

 

 

White Group:

            Requirements:               *Must be able to swim 100 yards freestyle and backstroke, 50 yards

   breaststroke and attempt at least 25 yards of butterfly.

                                                *Must be able to flutter kick for 200

                                                *Must be able to tread water for 2 minutes

Focus of Group;             *General knowledge of swim training with emphasis on stroke and

                                      turn drills, competitive racing starts & interval training.

*Swimmers strive for an increase in stroke efficiency & muscular endurance as a means of progress and instilling individual goals

Objectives:                    *Must participate in all meets close to home and attempt participation in at least one away meet

            Practice requirements:   Swimmers should try to attend at least 3 of 4 practices

 

Note: Swimmers in this group will be expected to listen to directions given and act accordingly. No horseplay (slapping water or hitting others with kick boards) of any type will be tolerated.

 

 

Silver Group:

Requirements:               *Must be able to swim 100 yards of freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke.

                                                *Must attempt a 100 IM

                                                *Must flutter kick for 300 yards and tread water for 3 minutes

                                                *Should have a general knowledge of interval training as well as stroke &

                                                  turn technique.

            Focus of Group:             *General knowledge of swim training with emphasis on stroke and turn

                                                  Technique drills, competitive racing starts and interval training

*Swimmers strive for an increase in stroke efficiency & muscular     endurance as a means to increase performance.

*Competition becomes an important means of measuring progress and instilling individual goals

Objectives:                    *Must participate in all meets close to home and attempt participation in at least  2 away meets

            Practice requirements:   Swimmers should attend at least 3 out of 5 practices per week

 

 

Gold Group: Pre Senior ages 10-12

            Requirements:               *Inclusion in this group is based on coach’s invitation only!

                                                *Must have achieved BB+ times in several strokes & distances

                                                *Must have demonstrated the desire to make swimming a primary

                                                   extra-curricular activity. 

*Must have good listening skills and demonstrate the ability to do practice sets without constant monitoring by coaches.

            Focus of group:              *This group works on the fine tuning of stroke mechanics with increased

Importance placed on goal setting and training for higher levels of competition* Swimmers will be encouraged to work toward goals of attending meets at State levels.,. NCS 14 & Under State Champs in SC season and NCS JO’s in LC

            Objectives:                    *Must participate in all meets they are eligible

            Practice requirements:   *Must attend 4 of 5 practices per week

 

 

 

Senior Group:  Ages 13-18

 

            Requirements:               *Must demonstrate that they are very dedicated with a strong work ethic

*Must be willing to commit to swimming as their major extra-curricular activity

*Must be proficient in all strokes, completely understand interval training, be capable of following a written as well as spoken work-out for up to an hour without close monitoring by a coach

            Focus of group:              *Emphasis is placed on developing and maintaining aerobic fitness using

                                                 progressive stroke & turn drills with increasing and decreasing interval

                                                 training practiced on a daily basis

*Goals are set at beginning of swimming season and will be encouraged to work toward competing at state and regional levels

            Objectives:                    *Must participate in all meets that they are eligible

            Practice requirements:   *Must attend 4 out of 6 practices per week