Group Progressions

The City of Mobile Swim Association (CMSA) uses a progressive age group program in which the swimmer will be taught and developed on physical, mental and emotional levels.  A gradual increase in commitment over a period of years is essential to reaching top performance levels. The emphasis for beginning swimmers in the early stages of our program is the development of the technical aspects and skills necessary in the sport of swimming.  The coaching staff at this level will also try to emphasize the fun aspect of the sport in order to help the swimmers understand why they participate in swimming. As the swimmers progress through the program more requirements will be made in terms of attendance, as well as physical and mental training. 

The emphasis of the CMSA age group program is on both short-term and, more importantly, long-term results.  We would like to see swimmers begin on this team at the lowest level and progress gradually through the program.  Because long-term goals and a steady but gradual progression through the program are necessary, training groups are comprised of swimmers with similar abilities, commitment levels and overall goals.  This is the most productive manner to group the swimmers if the swimmers are to advance through the program properly. The best interest of the team will always come first when determining the placement of each individual swimmer.

The following group guidelines will serve as the outline for what skills are necessary for placement in each practice group as well as what is expected of each swimmer in order to reach the next level.  The coaching staff will continually evaluate the swimmers based on these group guidelines and make recommendations at the end of the season as to which swimmers need to be moved to the next level.  Swimmers placed in a certain group are expected to maintain the level specified in these guidelines.  The CMSA coaching staff believes that success is a byproduct of confidence, and failure to complete particular aspects of a group will prohibit such confidence. Therefore, if a swimmer is struggling to maintain these guidelines the coaching staff may elect to place the swimmer in the next level down.  Again, this is done to be sure that the swimmer is able to progress through the program at the most appropriate rate for that individual.

The needs of each swimmer and the team as a whole are at the forefront of the specifications and direction of these goals and objectives.  Short-term, or yearly, goals will be emphasized within each practice season within each group.  A long-term goal of overall achievement of excellence is always going to be emphasized.  We fully recognize that all swimmers are different and that each child will progress through the program at a different rate.  The coaching staff will do its best to be sure that each swimmer is in the best group for them and that each practice group is comprised of swimmers of like abilities and goals.  While it would be ideal for swimmers of the same age to be in each group the reality is that ability is how the groups need to be assembled.