Alpha Aquatics – Lessons

Intro

Swimmers in this group must be at least 5 and not more than 8 years old.  This is our beginners’ group.  Swimmers must be comfortable in the water, and able to take instructions while in the water.

Objectives

  1. To introduce beginning swimmers to the pool environment and to become familiar and comfortable in the water.
  2. To achieve complete independence and confidence in the water.
  3. To learn independent back float with proper rotation.
  4. To learn basic kicking on front and back.
  5. To learn to breathe to the side while kicking and single-arm stroking (with proper body position and kicking).
  6. To comfortably retrieve sinkers from the bottom of the pool.
  7. To learn to streamline position on front and back.

Level 1

Swimmers in this group must be at least 5 and not more than 8 years old, comfortable in the water, and ready to learn the fundamentals of competitive swimming.  This group will be focused on learning how to swim freestyle and backstroke, side-breathing, freestyle and backstroke kicking, and proper body position.

Objectives

  1. To learn breath timing and body positioning for freestyle and backstroke.
  2. To further develop rotation drills and streamlining.
  3. To master catch-up freestyle drills and backstroke switch drills.
  4. To introduce breaststroke and butterfly kicking.
  5. To ensure swimmers don’t need hands-on instruction.
  6. To maintain form for 4x 25's of freestyle and backstroke.
  7. To learn stroke count on backstroke.

Equipment Required

  1. Kickboard (Junior sized)

Level 2

Swimmers in this group must be at least 6 and not more than 10 years old.  This is the next group after Level 1 and is appropriate for swimmers who may have had previous swimming lessons experience and want to continue to learn the fundamentals of competitive swimming.  Swimmers in Level 2 MUST be able to swim 25y freestyle and backstroke and maintain form.  Swimmers in Level 2 will continually be developing the fundamentals of freestyle and backstroke.   The focus of Level 2 is learning breaststroke and butterfly and associated drills.

Objectives

  1. Show consistency in streamlining off walls.
  2. To learn breaststroke and butterfly kick (all planes).
  3. To learn breaststroke and butterfly pull.
  4. To learn and perform consistently one drill for each stroke.
  5. To swim all 4 strokes legally.

Equipment Required

  1. Kickboard (Junior sized)
  2. Pull Buoy (Junior sized)
  3. Fins (Junior sized)

Level 3

Swimmers in this group must be at least 6 and not more than 10 years old.  This is our most advanced pre-competitive group, and a good fit for those swimmers who have had previous swimming lessons experience, have mastered all of the Level 2 skills, and are excited to continue to learn all the fundamentals of competitive swimming.  Swimmers in Level 3 must be able to swim and kick all of the strokes legally.  They will continue to develop proper freestyle/backstroke body position, along with more advanced stroke-specific drills.  The goal of level 3 is to learn racing skills such as dives and turns at this level.

Objectives

  1. To solidify good technique for full freestyle and backstroke.
  2. To continue developing breaststroke and butterfly through stroke-specific drills.
  3. To learn and practice starts and turns.
  4. To further develop good kicking for all strokes.
  5. To prepare swimmers for our Racing Development/Bronze group and to compete in swim meets.
  6. All swimmers in level 3 will need to complete the USAS dive progression for back and front dives.
  7. Swimmers can swim 50 yards of each stroke with an appropriate turn.

Equipment Required

  1. Kickboard (Junior sized)
  2. Pull Buoy (Junior sized)
  3. Fins (Junior sized)

 

Alpha Aquatics – Competitive Swim Groups

Bronze

The Bronze Group is our entry-level competitive group.  Swimmers in this group must be at least 6 and not more than 9 years old.  It is intended for young swimmers who are able to swim and kick all of the strokes and do flip turns.  Swimmers in this group will learn racing starts and skills, further develop each of the strokes, and attend 4 meets per year.

Swimmers in this group progress best when they attend 3 - 5 practices per week.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Training Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  2. To learn racing starts and other racing skills
  3. To gain strength in the water.
  4. To attend swim meets.
  5. To legally complete either a 100 Individual Medley or a 25-yard distance of each stroke.

 

Silver

The Silver Group is our second highest competitive group.   Swimmers in this group must be at least 7 and not more than 11 years old.  It is intended for young swimmers who have competition experience.  Swimmers in this group will further develop all competitive racing skills in each of the strokes and attend at least 4 meets per year.

Swimmers in this group are required to attend 3 practices per week.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Training Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  2. To gain strength in the water.
  3. To regularly attend swim meets.
  4. To legally complete either a 200 Individual Medley or a 50-yard distance of each stroke.

 

Junior Development

The Junior group is intended for young swimmers who enjoy training year-round.  Swimmers in this group must be at least 11 and not more than 13 years old.   The emphasis of this group will be technique and conditioning development.  In this group, swimmers must compete at least four times per year.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Training Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  2. To continue to gain strength in the water.
  3. To attend swim meets.
  4. To move into the Senior 1 Group.

 

Gold

The Racing Development/Gold Group is the highest level racing development group.   Swimmers in this group must be at least 8 and not more than 12 years old.  Competitive swimming is the primary sport each swimmer in this group does.  It is intended for young swimmers who have considerable competition experience.  Swimmers in this group will further develop all competitive racing skills in each of the strokes.

They must attend a meet at least once a month, and specifically attend the Summer Junior Olympics and the Winter Age Group Championships.  Swimmers in this group are required to attend practices 5-7 times per week.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Training Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  2. To continue to gain strength in the water.
  3. To regularly attend swim meets.
  4. To legally complete either a 200 Individual Medley or a 100-yard distance of each stroke.
  5. To achieve at least 1 blue time standard as defined by Southern California Swimming.

 

Senior Development

The emphasis of this group will be technique and conditioning development.  Swimmers in this group must be at least 13 and not more than 18 years old.  Swimmers in this group may choose to attend a meet at least once a month and must compete a minimum of four times each year and must compete in a championship meet.  Swimmers in this group are required to attend practices 3 times per week.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Training Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  2. To continue to gain strength in the water.
  3. To attend swim meets.

 

 

Senior Varsity

The Senior group is intended as a transition into the High-Performance Prep group.  Swimmers in this group must be at least 13 and not more than 18 years old.   Swimmers in this group may choose to attend a meet at least once a month and must attend a championship meet.  Swimmers in this group must compete a minimum of six times each year.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Training Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To get into the High Performance Prep group
  2. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  3. To continue to gain strength in the water.
  4. To attend swim meets.
  5. To achieve JO, WAG, JAG standards.

 

Junior Olympic (JO)

The Junior Olympic group is intended as a transition into the High-Performance group.  Swimmers in this group must be at least 11 and not more than 14 years old.  Competitive swimming is the only sport each swimmer in this group does.  It is intended for swimmers who compete very regularly.

They will attend a meet at least once a month, and specifically, prepare all year round for Summer Junior Olympics and the Winter Age Group Championships.  Swimmers in this group are required to attend practices 5 - 7 times per week.

Additionally, each swimmer must have a strong work ethic, be an excellent communicator, be a caring teammate, bring a positive attitude and a high level of focus and enthusiasm to practices and meets, thrive in a competitive environment, and naturally serve as a good example for younger swimmers on the team.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Training Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To get into the High Performance group
  2. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  3. To continue to gain strength in the water.
  4. To regularly attend swim meets.
  5. To achieve JO, WAG, JAG standards.

High-Performance Prep (HP Prep)

The HP Prep group is intended as a transition into the High-Performance group.  Swimmers in this group must be at least 13 and not more than 18 years old.  Competitive swimming is the only sport each swimmer in this group does.  It is intended for swimmers who compete very regularly.

They will attend a meet at least once a month, and specifically, strive to achieve Sectional Cut-off times and compete in championship meets.  Swimmers in this group are required to attend practices 5 - 7 times per week.

Additionally, each swimmer must have a strong work ethic, be an excellent communicator, be a caring teammate, bring a positive attitude and a high level of focus and enthusiasm to practices and meets, thrive in a competitive environment, and naturally serve as a good example for younger swimmers on the team.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Training Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To get into the High-Performance group
  2. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  3. To continue to gain strength in the water.
  4. To regularly attend swim meets.
  5. To achieve JO, WAG, JAG standards.

 

High-Performance (HP)

The High-Performance group is intended for competitive swimmers who are training to compete at the highest levels in the sport.  Swimmers in this group must be at least 13 years old.  Competitive swimming is the only sport each swimmer in this group does.  It is intended for swimmers who compete very regularly.

They will attend a meet at least once a month, and specifically attend the Summer Junior Olympics and the Winter Age Group Championships, US Junior Nationals, Sectionals, and Futures.

There are 8 practices offered to this group in a typical week.  Swimmers in this group are required to attend practices 7-8 times per week.  Additionally, they must have a strong work ethic, be an excellent communicator, be a caring teammate, bring a positive attitude and a high level of focus and enthusiasm to practices and meets, thrive in a competitive environment, and naturally serve as a good example for younger swimmers on the team.

Required Equipment

  1. Water Bottle
  2. Kickboard
  3. Fins (DMC Fins)
  4. Paddles (Strokemakers)
  5. Pull Buoy
  6. Snorkel

Objectives

  1. To continue to refine technique in each of the four strokes.
  2. To continue to gain strength in the water.
  3. To regularly attend swim meets.
  4. To successfully compete at the JO, WAG, Sectional level.
  5. To achieve Futures, Junior National, National, and Olympic Trial standards.