18 & Under World 100s
Pacific Swimming
Excellence 300

Reno Aquatic Club’s mission is to Develop Champions in Life Through Excellence in Swimming. This process starts as soon as your child joins the team. Our goal is to have your child develop and progress in the water and at the same time learn many valuable life lessons that will be beneficial outside of the pool

Currently, RENO offers seven different training groups based on ability and age. The minimum requirement for a child 12-under to join RENO is the swimmer must be able to complete 25-yards (one length) of freestyle. Unfortunately, due to lack of pool space, we currently do not have a group for those who can’t swim 25-yards. If this is the case, we can point you in a direction where your child can improve and, once ready, we’d be happy to have him/her join RENO.

RENO Groups

  • Mini 1
  • Mini 2
  • Mini 3
  • Mini 4
  • Mini Plus
  • Blue 
  • White
  • Orange
  • Silver
  • Pre-Senior
  • Senior 
  • National

Moving Up to the Next Group

The coaching staff assigns swimmers to specific groups based on many variables. These include:

  • Age
  • Technique – does your child have proper technique for all four strokes?
  • Ability – how fast your child is in the water?
  • Coachability – can your child take stroke feedback from his/her coach and apply it in the water?
  • Listening skills – does your child listen to and process the information from his/her coach properly?
  • Maturity – is your child physically and mentally ready to move up to the next group?

Above is general criteria that has helped us develop specific criteria to advance to the next group. The criteria is listed below in the group descriptions.

It is important to note that move-ups can happen with a coach's recommendation even if the child does not meet 100% of the listed criteria.  

Group Descriptions

Mini 1-4

Mini RENO is our introductory group to Reno Aquatic Club. It’s designed to give novice swimmers an introduction to the sport of competitive swimming. A prerequisite to join the group is a swimmer must be able to independently swim 25 yards. The group focuses on developing the foundational skills of the four competitive strokes while helping build confidence in the water. Instruction will center around developing proficiency in freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke; swimmers will also learn fundamental aspects of the butterfly stroke to prepare them for advancement into the Mini Plus program. The group is ideal for swimmers aged 5 - 10. 

Criteria to Move into Mini RENO Plus:

  • Proficiency in freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke
  • Strong understanding of fundamental skills and techniques within competitive swimming
  • Displays excellent listening skills
  • Ability to understand feedback and make the appropriate corrections
  • Coach’s recommendation

Mini Plus

Mini RENO Plus is a continuation of our introductory group on Reno Aquatic Club. It’s designed to prepare swimmers to advance to the Blue group. The goal is to have this group swim in the 25-yard pool more frequently. A prerequisite to join the group is a swimmer must be able to independently swim 25 yards. The group focuses on developing legal competitive strokes and techniques while helping build confidence in the water. Instruction will center around developing proficiency in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly; swimmers will also refine techniques for legal racing and competition. The group is ideal for swimmers aged 5 - 10.

Criteria to Move into Blue group:

  • Proficiency in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly
  • Strong understanding of legal competitive swimming strokes and techniques
  • Displays excellent listening skills
  • Ability to understand feedback and make the appropriate corrections
  • Coach’s recommendation

Blue

 

The Blue group is the second group in our Age Group program. Swimmers in Blue will begin to develop their aerobic conditioning and a major emphasis is placed on proper stroke technique. Swimmers will learn how to do legal starts and turns. Swim meets are recommended but not required. The group is ideal for swimmers aged 7 - 11.

 

Requirements to move into White group:

  • 8 x 50 free @ 1:30
  • 5 x 100 free @ 2:40
  • 3 x 100 IM @ 3:00
  • 12 x 25 kick @ :40
  • Legal 100 IM in all 4 strokes
  • Legal dives and turns
  • 80% attendance
  • Coach’s recommendation

White

 

The White group is our third group in our Age Group program. A focus is placed on continued improvement of technique and legality of all four strokes. Swimmers will continue to develop their aerobic conditioning and are encouraged to compete in local swim meets. The group is ideal for swimmers aged 7 - 11 years old.

 

Criteria to move into the Orange:

  • 8 x 100 free @ 2:10
  • 10 x 50 free @ 1:10
  • 8 x 50 IM @ 1:20
  • 16 x 25 kick @ :45
  • 80% attendance
  • Coach’s recommendation

Orange

 

The Orange group is the fourth group in our Age Group program. Technique is still a main focus but a greater emphasis is placed on training to prepare athletes to race at meets. This is done through an increase in aerobic conditioning and an introduction to dryland training. Swimmers in this group attend local and out of area swim meets. The goal is to have swimmers in Orange achieve Nevada State and Pacific JO time standards. Swimmers in this group age from 9 - 13.

 

Criteria to move into Pre-Senior:

  • 20 x 100 free @ 1:30
  • 20 x 50 free @ :50
  • 16 x 100 IM @ 1:45
  • 8 x 200 IM @ 3:30
  • 20 x 50 free kick @ 1:00
  • 85-95% attendance
  • Coach’s recommendation

 

Silver

 

The Silver group is for swimmers in middle school through high school. This group’s focus is on improving technique and aerobic conditioning. During high school season, a large emphasis is placed on getting the swimmers ready to compete for their respective high school team. Swimmers in this group may advance to the Pre-Senior or Senior group based on individual circumstances or the swimmer may remain in the Silver group until he/she graduates high school.

 

Criteria to move into Pre-Senior:

  • 20 x 100 free @ 1:30
  • 20 x 50 free @ :50
  • 16 x 100 IM @ 1:45
  • 8 x 200 IM @ 3:30
  • 20 x 50 free kick @ 1:00
  • 85-95% attendance
  • Coach’s recommendation

Pre-Senior

 

The Pre-Senior group is for RENO’s top age-group swimmers. The swimmers in this group are training and preparing for higher level meets in and out of our area. The expectation for the Pre-Senior group is to have swimmers competing at Pacific JOs and Far Westerns. Swimmers are introduced to more demanding training while still focusing on technique. This group prepares swimmers to advance to the Senior and National groups. Swimmers in this group range from 12 - 15 years old. 

 

A swimmer may move in two directions after the Pre-Senior group. He/she can move to the Senior group or the Silver group depending on ability, age, and attitude.

 

Criteria to move into Senior:

  • 20 x 100 freestyle @ 1:20
  • 8 x 200 IM @ 3:00
  • 90 - 100% attendance
  • Pacific JOs for their age group
  • Coach’s recommendation

Senior / National

 

**Please note: More information and group expectations for National and Senior will be announced shortly.**