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GOAL Practice Groups (Table 1)
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Practice Group
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# Practices Per Week
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# Practices Required (or recommended) Per Week
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Practice Duration
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Penguin
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3
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1-3 recommended
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1 hr-15 min.
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Dolphin
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3
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2-3 recommended
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1 hr-15 min.
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Shark
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6
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3-6 recommended
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1 hr-45 min.
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Senior-2
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6
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4-5 recommended, must have 75% attendance to move up to
Senior-1
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2 hr (M-F)
2 hr (Sat Am)
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Senior-1
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8
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must maintain an avg. attendance of 75% of the afternoon and Sat.
morning practices
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2 hr-15 min. (M-F)
1 hr-15 min. (T/Th Am’s)
2 hr (Sat Am)
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GOAL Practice Groups (Table 2, all intervals, times based on
25-meter pool)
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Practice Group
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Age
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Entry Requirements
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Penguin
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6-11
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25 free, 25 back, water safe
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Dolphin
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8-13
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1. 6x50 fr, 6x50 ba, 6x50 br,
6x50 fly drill, 6x50 kick (no more than 10 sec. rest between
50’s)
2. legal 100 IM
3. 200 free under 5:00
OR 12 yrs old w/coach’s approval
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Shark
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9-14
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1. 6x100 IM @ 2:15
2. 10x50 kick @1:20
3. legal 200 IM
4. 400 free under 7:15
OR 14 yrs old w/coach’s approval
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Senior-2
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14 and up
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1. 4x200 IM @4:00
2. 6x100 kick @ 2:20
3. legal 400 IM
4. 800 free under 14:00
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Senior-1
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12 and up
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2 events at Sectional qual. time + 6%
8x100 kick @ 1:55
6x200 IM @3:20
800 free under 11:15
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GOAL Practice Group Objectives
Adapted in part from "Progressions for
Athlete and Coach Development" by USA Swimming
(1999)
Penguin
Technique:
Perform underwater streamline glide no kick for 5 meters (to the
flags), and with kick for 10 meters. Should be able to adjust depth
in underwater streamline and perform these skills from a dive off
the edge as well as from a pushoff.
Demonstrate proper aquatic posture on deck, in standing and laying
down (front and back) positions.
Become proficient at balancing body on front, side and back, with
head/neck in line with spine, arms at side.
Become legal and work toward becoming more efficient in the 4
competitive strokes.
Learn the front sculling drill, as well as the finish sculling
drills on front and back.
Begin to develop a feel for the underwater dolphin
stroke.
Develop bilateral breathing pattern (every 3rd arm) for
freestyle.
Count own strokes for lengths of the pool in all 4
strokes.
"Alligator" breath for 1 minute.
Practice Performance:
Begin to understand and use the pace
clock.
Perform repeat 25’s and 50’s on a prescribed rest
interval.
Complete a legal 100 IM.
Competitions:
Swim in at least 1 coach’s recommended competition during the
season.
Character/Life Skills:
Become great at listening to the coach and
following directions correctly.
Show respect for the Montclair facility and
it’s staff, and behave properly in the locker rooms.
Know the names of all teammates in group, know
some names of teammates in other practice groups on GOAL, and know
the other GOAL training group names (Dolphin, Shark, Senior,
Senior-Olympic).
Mental Training:
Understand what focus and concentration are.
Understand and practice the difference between tense and relaxed
muscles.
Dolphin
Technique:
Perform underwater streamline glide no kick for 1 body length past
flags, and with kick for 12 1/2 meters. Should be able to adjust
depth in underwater streamline and perform these skills from a dive
off the block, or the edge of pool deck, as well as from a
pushoff.
Demonstrate proper aquatic posture on deck, in standing and laying
down (front and back) positions.
Become proficient at balancing body on front, side and back, with
head/neck in line with spine, arms at side, as well as with arms
extended in front.
Work toward becoming more efficient in the 4 competitive
strokes.--> lower stroke counts.
Learn more advanced sculling drills like feet-first on back, V-Sit,
and front double-arm catch scull.
Begin to understand the feel of and work on the high elbow catch
phase of all strokes.
Develop bilateral breathing patterns for freestyle, such as every
3rd arm and 3 left-3 right.
Count own strokes for lengths of the pool in all 4 strokes and
figure out GOLF score.
"Alligator" breath for 2 minutes.
Practice Performance:
Perform more challenging sets, keeping track of # of repeats as
well as distance of swim.
Complete a legal 200 IM.
Competitions:
Swim in at least 1 coach’s recommended competition per
month.
Swim a good variety of events at the meets.
Make at least 3 "B" time standards in their age group, as well as
at least 1 "A" time.
Physiology:
Understand the basic relationship between nutrition and energy
level.
Understand and accept the individual differences in physical size
within an age group.
Character/Life Skills:
Become great at listening to the coach and following directions
correctly.
Show respect for the Montclair facility and it’s staff, and
behave properly in the locker rooms.
Know the names of all teammates in group, know some names of
teammates in other practice
groups on GOAL, and know the other GOAL training group names
(Penguin, Shark, Senior-2,
Senior-1).
Demonstrate team pride by supporting and cheering on teammates at
practices AND meets.
Mental Training:
Understand the relationship between nervousness and performance,
and can describe the
mind-body connection (negative thoughts à tight muscles
à poor performance).
Understand and practice the difference between tense and relaxed
muscles.
Understand the idea of failure and learning from mistakes as being
a necessary part of
success.
Understand and practice how to keep focus on helpful things during
practices and meets.
Shark
Technique:
Perform underwater streamline glide no kick for 2 body lengths past
flags, and with kick for 15 meters. Should be able to adjust depth
in underwater streamline and perform these skills from a dive off
the block, or the edge of pool deck, as well as from a
pushoff.
Demonstrate proper aquatic posture on deck, in standing and laying
down (front and back) positions.
Become proficient at balancing body on front, side and back with a
very light kick, with head/neck in line with spine, arms at side,
as well as with arms extended in front.
Work toward becoming still more efficient in the 4 competitive
strokes.--> lower stroke counts
Continue to understand the feel of and work on the high elbow catch
phase of all strokes.
Use bilateral breathing patterns for freestyle, such as every
3rd arm and 3 left-3 right.
Learn the full list of GOAL’s sculling drills.
Count own strokes for 50’s in all 4 strokes and figure out
GOLF score.
"Alligator" breath for 3 minutes.
Practice Performance:
Complete a legal 400 IM.
Get their own times off paceclock and figure out more complex
intervals.
Competitions:
Swim in at least 2 coach’s recommended competition per month
if possible.
Throughout the course of the season, swim every event offered in
their age group.
Make at least 3 "A" time standards in their age group, as well as
at least 1 "AA" time.
Physiology:
Understand the basic concepts of training the energy systems,
taking heart rates, and how
heart rates relate to the energy systems.
Understand and accept the individual differences in physical size
within an age group and how
it relates
to improvement rates during growth periods.
Character/Life Skills:
Learn how to push oneself to their highest effort consistently
during practice.
Understand that their own positive attitude can affect not only
their own practice/meet
performance
but also that of their teammates.
Show respect for the Montclair facility and it’s staff, and
behave properly in the locker rooms.
Know the names of all teammates in group, know some names of
teammates in other
practice groups on GOAL, and know the other GOAL training
group names (Penguin, Shark, Senior-2, Senior-1).
Find a USA Swimming hero to learn about and root for in the
upcoming elite-level meets.
Mental Training:
Understand the relationship between relaxation and performance, and
can describe "too little"
nervous, "just right" nervous, and "too much"
nervous..
Understand that stress comes from negative self-talk, faulty focus
of concentration, and
focusing
on the UC’s (uncontrollables).
Understand self-talk and how to monitor it during practice and
meets.
Understand and practice how to keep focus on helpful things during
practices and meets.
Understand the value of setting goals to improve
performance.
Senior-2
Technique:
Perform underwater streamline glide no kick for 2 body lengths past
flags, and with kick for 15 meters. Should be able to adjust depth
in underwater streamline and perform these skills from a dive off
the block as well as from a pushoff.
Demonstrate proper aquatic posture on deck, in standing and laying
down (front and back) positions, and in the water (kickboard
drills).
Become proficient at balancing body on front, side and back with a
very light kick, with head/neck in line with spine, arms at side,
as well as with arms extended in front.
Work toward becoming still more efficient in the 4 competitive
strokes.--> lower stroke counts.
Be proficient at the high elbow catch phase of all
strokes.
Understand the relationship between distance per stroke, stroke
rate, and swimming speed.
Understand several ways to create propulsion and decrease
resistance in order to get faster.
Use bilateral breathing patterns for freestyle, such as every
3rd arm and 3 left-3 right.
Become proficient with the full list of GOAL’s sculling
drills.
Figure out own GOLF scores on repeat 50’s by getting time off
paceclock and counting strokes.
"Alligator" breath for 3 minutes.
Practice Performance:
Continually improve on a challenging schedule of anaerobic and
aerobic/anaerobic mix test sets
Continually improve on dryland exercise test sets: pushups,
pull-ups and situps.
Get their own times off paceclock and have time goals on all
appropriate sets.
Competitions:
Swim in all coach recommended competitions on the published meet
schedule.
Throughout the course of the season, swim every event offered in
their age group.
Make at least 1 Division 1 qualifying time standard.
Physiology:
Understand the basic concepts of the different energy systems used
in sprinting and distance
swimming.
Measure heart rates regularly to monitor exercise intensity and
recovery.
Understand the concept of a balanced diet and the basic fuels used
during swimming training.
Character/Life Skills:
Not be influenced by any negative behavior of their
teammates/competitors.
Take responsibility for their attendance, performance, and practice
habits and understand how
these three relate to meet performance.
Show respect for the Montclair facility and it’s staff, and
behave properly in the locker rooms.
Know the names of all teammates in group, know many names of
teammates in other practice
groups on GOAL, know the other GOAL training group names (Penguin,
Dolphin, Shark, Senior-
1), and know some of the history of GOAL.
Mental Training:
Know the techniques to control mind (positive self-talk, imagery)
and body (deep breathing,
progressive
muscle relaxation).
Understand that stress comes from negative self-talk, faulty focus
of concentration, and
focusing
on the UC’s (uncontrollables).
Quickly return concentration focus in practice/meets from
"uncontrollables" to good focus.
Develop pre-race routines and race focal points for
concentration.
Begin to set season goals, breaking end goals down to short-term
and practice goals.
Senior-1
Technique:
Perform underwater streamline glide no kick for 12 1/2 meters, and
with kick for 25 meters. Should be able to adjust depth in
underwater streamline and perform these skills from a dive off the
block , or from the edge of the deck, as well as from a
pushoff.
Demonstrate proper aquatic posture on deck, in standing and laying
down (front and back) positions, and in the water (kickboard
drills).
Become proficient at balancing body on front, side and back with a
very light kick, with head/neck in line with spine, arms at side,
as well as with arms extended in front.
Work toward becoming still more efficient in the 4 competitive
strokes.--> lower stroke counts.
Be proficient at the high elbow catch phase of all
strokes.
Know the relationship between distance per stroke, stroke rate, and
swimming speed.
Find new, better ways to create propulsion and decrease resistance
in order to get faster.
Use bilateral breathing patterns for freestyle, such as every
3rd arm and 3 left-3 right.
Be proficient with the full list of GOAL’s sculling drills,
and create new drills to further improve.
Figure out own GOLF scores on repeat 50’s by getting time off
paceclock and counting strokes.
"Alligator" breath for 4 minutes.
Practice Performance:
Continually improve on a challenging schedule of anaerobic and
aerobic/anaerobic mix test
sets.
Continually improve on dryland exercise test sets: pushups,
pull-ups and situps.
Competitions:
Swim in all coach recommended competitions on the published meet
schedule.
Make at least 1 Sectional qualifying time standard.
Strive to climb the competitive ladder, from making Sectionals, to
swimming at night at
Sectionals, to making top 8 at Sectionals, to making a Junior cut
and winning Sectionals, to
swimming
at night at Juniors and making a Senior National, US Open and
Olympic Trials cut, to
finaling
at those meets, to making the USA Olympic Team.
Physiology:
Describe the relationship between training sets and energy
systems.
Measure heart rates regularly to monitor exercise intensity and
recovery.
Understand the nutritional requirements of training and
competition.
Character/Life Skills:
Accept responsibility of being a leader and role model. Sets a
positive example for all GOAL
swimmers.
Understand the rationale of the five categories of banned
substances.
Understand the short and long-term affects of performance-enhancing
drugs.
Master time-management skills so outside activities do not
interfere with practices or meets.
Understand the need to sacrifice self-interest for team
goals.
Demonstrate commitment to GOAL by continued dedicated
membership.
Mental Training:
Understand the factors that vary an athlete’s relaxation
level.
Maintain optimum relaxation level regardless of
uncontrollables.
Utilize imagery skills to manage competitive stress.
Visualize races from start to finish in complete
detail.
Use their ultimate swimming goal to maintain intensity and work
ethic in practice.
Quickly rebound from mistakes and failures.
Develop pre-race routines and race focal points for
concentration.
Consistently swim "in own lane" in practices and
meets.
Positively reframe uncontrollables and adversity to enhance
confidence.
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