FCAT Groups

The Four Corners Aquatic Team offers training and practice groups for swimmers and divers of all ages and ability levels. It is the goal of the  Four Corners Aquatic Team  to offer age specific training for all of our athletes geared towards challenging each individual and developing each individual to the best of THEIR abilities.

Please call Head Coach Trever Gray at  (505) 402-9254 or Head Age Group Coach Brandyn Gray at (505) 947-6546 or Diving Coach Mark Fischer at (505) 215-6757for more information, or Click Here to send us an email request for more information.

 




Developmental Group

This is our entry-level group. Swimmer must be able to complete the following:

· Swim 25 yards of freestyle
· Swim 25 yards of backstroke
· Able to jump into water.

Workouts are offered three days a week. It is recommended to come to at least two-three for regular improvement.

Practice duration is one hour. 45 minutes of practice time will be spent in the water. 15 minutes will be dedicated to dry-land exercises.

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 Developmental Group:

· Swim a 100 IM legally (regardless of time)
· Do a flip turn
· Kick 4x25 @ :45
· Push off and streamline to flags with dolphin kick
· Acquire basic understanding of the pace clock

 

Novice Group

From the Developmental group, athletes move into this group. Swimmers must be able to complete the ’Goals of the Developmental Group’ to move into the Novice group.

Workouts are offered five days a week.

Practice duration is one hour and thirty minutes. One hour and 15 minutes of practice time will be spent in the water. Fifteen minutes will be dedicated to dry-land exercises.

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 Novice Group:

· Swim 3x200 IM legally
· Perform all turns and push-offs efficiently
· Perform track start and backstroke start effectively
· Athlete is motivated to listen to coaches and try to improve
· Courteous to other swimmers in pool
· Athletes know their attitude affects how they swim and how others around them swim
· Develop consistent practice attendance

 

 Competitor

From the Novice group, athletes move into this group. Swimmers entering the Competitor level are usually at least 10 years old and must complete the ’Goals of the Novice Group’ highlighted above (or equivalent), plus three of the following five:

· 10x50@ 1:00
· 8x25 @ :40 IM order
· Swim under 1:30 in 100YD freestyle
· Swim under 1:50 in 100YD IM
· Kick 1x50 with fins under :50

Workouts are offered six days a week. There is no practice attendance requirement for this group.

If you cannot attend the prescribed number of practices, please attend at least three workouts per week to see improvement in stroke technique, comfort in the water and with their teammates, and ’feel’ of the water.

Practice duration is approximately two hours. One hour and forty minutes of that time will be spent in the water. 20 minutes will be dedicated to dry-land training.

Goals of the Competitor Group:

· Swim 400IM legally
· Race in every distance, every stroke available over duration of season
· Achieve your age group top ten swim times in New Mexico Swimming
· Improve fluidity in turns and push-offs
· Improve dive and backstroke entry into water
· Begin learning how to manage effort and intensity through practice
· Learn and improve goal-setting skills
· Improve on controlling attitude and focus within workout and understand that they affect teammates
· Create a core group of ’training friends’
· Sit with friends and teammates at swim meets
· Listen to coaches!

Competing at swim meets is highly encouraged at a rate of about once per month

 

 

Multi Sport

Multi Sport Group is focused on taking athletes and making them into swimmers. Multi Sport Group will meet the needs of athletes coming from other sports who want to use swimming as cross training during that sports ‘off-season’, high school swimmers or swimmer currently in the FCAT program who are still working on translating dryland power into aquatic speed. Multi Sport Group also serves those who wish to be fast at the high school state meet but don’t necessarily have aspirations to move on to the national level. This program is intended to provide both a stepping-stone for athletes intending to be successful in the FCAT Pre-National program and also provide a demanding and comprehensive training program for those athletes who cannot meet the attendance and/or training requirement of the FCAT Pre-National program. Technique is the primary focus with speed, power and explosiveness playing large roles.

Practice is offered 3 times a week. Swimmers are strongly encouraged to attend all practices as skills and progressions build from one practice session to another, but there is no practice requirement.

Practice duration is approximately 1 hour. Water and dryland workouts will be offered.

 
Goals and Expectations for the Multi-Sport Group:
* Continue becoming more fluid in swimming (no splashing)
* Actively improve distance per stroke
* Translate power and athleticism developed in dry land training to speed in the water
* Learn leadership skills
* Provide an effective training program to swimmers who may have not come up through the FCAT system
* Swimmers will learn to actively monitor and improve their stroke technique

 

Pre-National

Minimum age for entry into this group is 12 years old. For requirements to enter Pre-National Group, candidates should complete 6 of the following 8:

 

  • Display intention of adhering to attendance requirement before moving into group
  • New Mexico State qualifying times in 5 or more events
  • Striving to achieve Sectional qualifying times in 2 or more events
  • Racing history in every event available
  • Show willingness to learn
  • 8x100 @ 1:30
  • Under 2:30 in 200yd freestyle
  • Kick 1x50 under :40 with fins

 

 

Pre-National practice is offered 6 times per week. The Pre-National group is the first group within the Four Corners Aquatic Team program with an attendance requirement.

This program is intended for the age group swimmers that have goals of pursuing their swimming career as far as possible. The practice direction, structure and difficulty will be designed to meet that end years down the road.

Pre-National swimmers are expected to attend a minimum of 90% attendance to remain in the Pre-National group. Special exceptions may be cleared with the Pre-National coach on an absence-by-absence basis. 

Practice duration is approximately two and a half to three hours. Practice will consist of both dryland workouts including weights and yoga and swimming workouts

 

Goals of the Pre-National Group:

  • Achieve USA Swimming Top 10 time standard 
  • Final in all events at New Mexico State Meet
  • Win all relays at New Mexico State Meet
  • Achieve Age Group Sectional time standard in every stroke
  • Achieve ‘C’ and ‘B’ final heats at Senior Sectionals
  • Continue to develop goal-setting skills
  • Improve proficiency in turns
  • Use underwater fly kicking as a tool in racing
  • Continue becoming more fluid in swimming (no splashing)
  • Kick 50yd with fins under :30
  • Begin to actively improve distance per stroke
  • Learn leadership skills

 

 Competition at swim meets is expected in this group.

 

National

The FCAT National program is designed with the intention of providing the curriculum and atmosphere necessary for success at all levels of national and international competition. National practice is offered six times per week.

The National swimmer is a positive, hard-working example not only for the FCAT program, but also for USA Swimming as a whole.

The FCAT National athlete actions and goals reflect the mission statement of USA Swimming: to build, promote, and achieve competitive success.

National swimmers are expected to attend 95% of workouts and communicate with the senior coach about their training schedule.

Note on training: Once swimmers are fully grown and are promoted as far as the Pre-National program, they must train more and better than they did when they were younger to continue to improve (swim faster).

Practice duration is approximately three hours. Practice will consist of both dryland and swimming workouts, including weights and yoga.

 

Goals and Expectations of the Senior National Group:

National Swimmers are expected to do everything within their power to reach their own personal potential

National Swimmers will consistently place at US National championships and be appointed to US National Teams

Active in club fundraising or clinics offered for younger club members

Must live lifestyle appropriate for achieving greatest personal success

·       Nutrition

·       No drugs, tobacco products

 

Parental involvement in swimming decisions at a minimum

·       Once swimmers achieve competency, the swimming relationship must be limited to coach/athlete for them to progress to their greatest capabilities while maintaining a certain level of sanity. Overbearing parents are a burden to the coach AND the ATHLETE

 

Must conduct themselves with honor and selflessness at all competitions regardless of circumstances

Attend all competitions recommended by National coach

Display history of above requirements BEFORE being allowed into Senior National group

Other areas of swimmer Accountability:

 

   1. Swimmer learns to accept the responsibility for his/her performance

   2. Swimmer learns coping strategies to deal with peer pressure

   3. Swimmer learns coping strategies to deal with parent pressure

   4. Swimmer understands and performs personal race strategies

   5. Swimmer demonstrates an ability to balance school, social, swimming and family

   6. Swimmer can effectively communicate her/his commitment to her/his parent, coach and teammates

   7. Swimmer knows the team goals and will take an active part in developing specific and attainable practice group goals

   8. Swimmer understands the relationship between his/her personal commitment level and results 

 

Masters

Adult Group Swim Practice

FCAT offers a great workout with instructions to improve strokes and techniques. The Masters group is open to ALL ability levels from age 19 and up. FCAT hosts Masters meets, Open Water Swims and Triathlons.

Current Fees:

Masters Swimming Group costs $40 per month.
Swimmers must be register with United States Masters Swimming, which costs $35.00 annually.
No additional entrance fee to the Farmington Aquatic Center
What to Bring For Your First Time?

Completed Masters New Member Form
Check for $35.00 made payable to FCAT for United States Masters Swimming registration
Show up on deck in a swim suit with goggles