Development

Development Blue Minimum Requirements

• Minimum ability to swim 50 meters in backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle legally

• Minimum ability to swim 25 meters of butterfly legally

Development Black Minimum Requirements

• Minimum ability to swim 50 meters in all four strokes legally.

     This group continues to emphasize stroke technique while improving aerobic conditioning PRACTICE SCHEDULE HERE RAC’s Development program its designed with the intention of providing the curriculum and atmosphere necessary for success at CT Long Course and Short Course Regional Championships for swimmers 12& under. Coaches will engage the swimmers to evolve their technique, gain a deeper understanding of competitive swimming, and begin to start shaping the proper behavior and attitude necessary for success in the higher levels.

About Development Blue

• Practice is offered four days a week

• Practice duration is 45 minutes

• Dryland is provided three days a week for 15 minutes Objectives

• Become comfortable with competitive swimming at Regional Championship meets

• Perform a legal 100 backstroke/freestyle, 100 IM, and a 50 breaststroke utilizing the skills obtained in a race environment

• Become comfortable with competitive starts and turns

• Demonstrate proper body awareness and technical understanding of all four strokes

• Progress to the Development Black squad

• Be able to commit to at least two competitive swim meets per season, not including the Championship meet Skills Covered

• Performs a legal breaststroke pullout with a dolphin kick.

• Perform effective finishes.

• Breathes within the rhythm of stroke under race conditions in all four strokes

About Development Black

• Practice is offered four days a week

• Practice duration is 60 minutes

• Dryland is provided three days a week for fifteen minutes Objectives

• Maintain consistent stroke rates and times in training sets

• Perform a 100 backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and IM at a swim meet utilizing the skills obtained in a race environment

• Complete a legal 50 fly at a swim meet using the skills acquired in a race environment

• Improve speed, power, and distance to 15 meters in each stroke

• Increase in commitment to practice

• Expand their knowledge on competitive swimming Skills Covered

• Increase number of underwater dolphin kicks with increased speed and efficiency for freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly

• Performs a relay exchange with basic technique

• Fine tune all competitive skills (turns, starts, technique, etc.)

Parental Involvement

At this stage of a swimmer's development, it is essential for parents to understand their role. To give your child the best possible experience while also giving them the best chance for long-term success in the sport, please refer to the following:

Parental Role in Development Blue and Black: Major responsibilities for the parent include:

• Getting your child to practice 15 minutes before the start of practice.

• Make sure they understand proper nutrition before/after workouts and meets

• Provide a constant praise of effort (not talent).

• Exhibits good role model behavior.

• Not critiquing your child’s technique and race.

• Play a key role in fostering the professional relationship between the athlete and coach

• Encouraging the athlete to speak to the coach about anything before parent involvement is needed.

• Stay current and up to date on the various meets, activities, events, and changes happening within the Club. Our weekly newsletter is our one-stop shop for everything RAC related. Please read this newsletter weekly to help you and your swimmer stay current with the team.

• Meet events will be selected by the primary coach (with input from the athlete). Any concerns or questions about a specific event and explanation should be addressed with the primary coach. Swimmers do compete in USA Swimming meets.