Junior 3 (ages ~11-14): Competition Team
Formerly “Platinum”
Prerequisites:
- 8x 50 Freestyle @1:00
- 4x 100 I.M. @2:00
- 5x 100 Freestyle @2:00
- 1x 500 Freestyle @10:00
Goals:
- Have fun swimming and learn to promote team values during practice, competition, and in daily life
- Take personal responsibility for completing stretching, warm up, and warm down
- Work on personal goal-setting with the coach
- Nutritional awareness
- Refine starts, turns, and finishes technique
- Refine stroke technique and build speed and endurance through drill and interval-based training
- Begin to train in specialty stroke and events
- Understand and demonstrate the ability to swim a 200 Specialty Stroke with negative splits
- Participate in dryland training targeted at improving in-water performance
- Continue to compete and achieve best times
- Achieve at least one A time in Specialty and Freestyle events
- Swim in Regionals with the goal of attending State Championships
Expectations:
- Follow the Athlete Code of Conduct
- Have a positive attitude
- Be on time to practice
- Do not rely on parents to communicate with coach for them
- Understand nutritional management
- No drugs, tobacco, or alcohol consumption
- Come to practice and meets prepared to succeed: that means following uniform requirements and bringing required gear
- Attend 4-5 practices per week and a minimum of three meets between August and March and a minimum of four meets between April and July; athletes who do not attend all required practices may be barred from competing in any or all swim meets
- Attend all required team meetings
- Act as a role model to Athletes in the Junior 1 and 2 groups, Group 2, and Group 1, modeling good behavior and work ethic and providing support by cheering at swim meets
- Come to practice to work hard and have fun: a positive mindset—no matter the challenges Coach presents you with—will go a long way to improvement
- Be open to trying new techniques and drills
- Come to swim meets ready to work hard and compete: if you qualify for finals you must swim in the finals
- Follow and promote team values and act with kindness and respect to all participants
- Participate in and contribute to team fundraising and volunteer opportunities
- Complete athlete SafeSport training