Group Practice Descriptions

Note: All swimmers will be assigned groups by the coaching staff based on their age, maturity, and emotional readiness.  For more information on where your child will fit in please contact the Marlins office at 513-761-3320 or email us at cwolford@cincy-marlins.com

Mini Marlins

This is our most novice group. Swimmers in this group need only to be able to swim 25 yards unassisted with any form. Practices are designed around teaching all four competitive strokes legally. 

Prerequisites

25 yards unassisted swimming in any form

Practices are conducted 3 days a week for one hour. (45 min in the water and 15 min. dryland)

There is no attendance requirement for this group, but athletes will improve more quickly, and make more friends (which will make them want to come more!), the more often they attend workout.

Goals of the Group

Swim 25 yards freestyle with effective rotary breathing

     Swim 25 yards backstroke, breaststroke, & butterfly in good form.

     Kick 4 X 25’s unassisted with a aboard & on the back

     Perform a front dive

Coaches

Bronze Practice Group

Swimmers in this group need to be able to swim 25 yards of all strokes legally. 

Prerequisites

Swimmers should be able to perform the goals of the mini group.

Practices are conducted 4 days a week for one hour & fifteen minutes. (1 hour in the water and 15 min. dryland)

There is no attendance requirement for this group, but athletes will improve more quickly, and make more friends (which will make them want to come more!), the more often they attend workout.

Goals of the Group

Swim a 100 yard IM legally

     Kick 8 X 25 Streamline on back

     Kick 4 X 25 on each side.

     Swim 6 X 50 Back & Free

     Swim 6 X 25 Fly & Breast

     Perform a freestyle and backstroke flip turn.

     Recognize and perform the four basic stretches during dryland

Silver Practice Group

This group is for swimmers continuing to develop swimming skills in all four competitive strokes. Technique improvement will continue to be the emphasis of this group. Maintaining good technique over the course of longer swims will be a key component. The general goal of this group is to allow swimmers to develop an understanding and love of the sport at their own pace.

Swimmers should have already mastered the goal sets listed for the Bronze Group in order to effectively participate in the Silver program.

Practices are conducted 4 days a week for an hour and fifteen minutes. 

There is no attendance requirement for this group, but athletes will improve more quickly, and make more friends (which will make them want to come more!), the more often they attend workout.

Goals of the Group

Swim 6 X 100 Freestyle @ 2:00 SCY/2:15 LCM

     Swim 3 X 200 IM @ 4:200SCY/4:45LCM

     Kick 8 X 100 Fr Kick @ 2:10 SCY/2:25LCM

     Swim 6 X 50 Fly @ 1:10SCY /1:20 LCM (good form/full stroke)

     6 X 25 of each stroke with specific stroke counts (Fly-12/Bk-24/Br-10/Fr-20)

     Kick Streamline U/W 10 yards Free & Fly during a swim set

     Demonstrate understanding and ability to read a pace clock.

Performance Option

All members of the Silver Group will be eligible to participate in the Performance Silver Program. This is an optional program for Silver group members that are able to attend a minimum of 3 practices per week. These practices will be held on Tuesdays & Thursdays in addition to the regularly scheduled Silver Group practices. Practices will be geared toward swimmers practicing on a more consistent basis. Swimmers in Performance Silver may attend any of the Silver Group practices, Monday through Saturday.

Gold Practice Group

Gold Group swimmers begin to make the transition from technique training to interval /endurance training. Swimmers combine improved technique with a background in distance freestyle and IM training. Swimmers wishing to compete in meets will be expected to attend 2 practices each week.

Swimmers should be able to perform the goals set for Silver in order to effectively participate in the group.

Practices are conducted 4 days a week for an hour & forty-five minutes. 

There is no attendance requirement for this group, but athletes will improve more quickly the more often they attend workout.  Decisions about attendance, quality of work, and attitude are made by each athlete and his or her parents. Coaches will be guiding swimmers and parents through these decision and the ramifications on their swimming and team building. Attendance and attitude will be used to determine advancement to the next group.

Goals of the Group

Swim 8 x100 Freestyle @ 1:30 SCY/1:40 LCM

     Swim 3 x 400 IM @ 6:30SCY/7:00LCM

     Kick 5 x 200 Fr Kick @ 4:00 SCY/4:30LCM

     Swim 3 x 400 IM (cycle TBA)

     6 x 50 fast of each stroke with specific stroke counts(Fly-9/Bk-18/Br-8/Fr-14 per 25)

     Understanding of the relationship between hard work and meet performance. 

Performance Option

All members of the Gold Group will be eligible to participate in the Performance Gold Program. This is an optional program for Gold group members that are able to attend a minimum of 4 practices each week. These practices will be held on Tuesdays & Thursdays in addition to the regularly scheduled Gold Group practices. Practices will be geared toward swimmers practicing on a more consistent basis. Swimmers in Performance Gold may attend any of the Gold Group practices, Monday through Saturday.

Senior Practice Group

This is a year round group for 13 & older swimmers able to attend a minimum 5 practices each week.  Training will be designed specifically around the needs and talents of each swimmer.

 Practices will be offered six days a week for two hours with four dryland sessions and three additional am practices.

Goals of the Group

Swim 6 X 400 odd IM even Fr (cycle TBA)

      Kick 6 X 200 Freestyle (cycle TBA)

      Kick Streamline U/W 15 yards Free & Fly during the course of swimming races.

      Ability to race 100’s & 200’s of each stroke with specific stroke counts (Fly-7/Bk-15/Br-6/Fr-13 per 25)

      Ability to implement a variety of race strategies during competition.

      Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between hard work and meet performance. 

National Practice Group

This is a year round group for high school swimmers able to attend a minimum 7 practices each week and 13 & 14 junior high swimmers able to attend 6.  This will be by Head Coach’s invitation only based on practice and meet performance over the course of the season.  Training will be designed specifically around the needs and talents of each swimmer.

Practices will be offered six days a week for two hours with four dryland sessions and three additional am practices.

Goals of the Group

Show Leadership and Team Spirit to the entire team.

     Create a training environment where every swimmer is able to reach his or her potential.

     Compete to a level where the Marlins win Sectionals and are top 10 at Junior Nationals

     Demonstrate and provide role-modeling of the relationship between hard work and meet performance.