Bronze - beginner level training group (average age range is 4 to 8); primary focus is freestyle and backstroke technique and diving; Practice frequency: Tuesdays/Thursdays – 60 minutes; meet participation is encouraged, but not required
- Bronze level 1 – beginner level swimmer; ages 4 to 6; primary focus is to swim freestyle; minimum requirement for this group is swimming 1 length of the pool without assistance
- Bronze level 2 – swimmers in this group can swim 1 length of the pool freestyle and 1 length of the pool backstroke without assistance; swimmers will focus on freestyle and backstroke technique; developing basic breathing and diving skills; may introduce butterfly and breaststroke mid to late season
Required equipment - kickboard and fins
Silver - Intermediate level training group (average age range is 7 to 12) - focus on perfecting freestyle, backstroke technique; learn fundamentals of breaststroke, butterfly, flip turns, transition turns, etc.; starts to build endurance; Practice frequency: Tuesdays/Thursdays – 60 minutes; meet participation is encouraged
Required equipment - kickboard and fins
Gold 1 -Competitive level training group (average age range is 8 to 13) - swimmers are able to swim all 4 strokes legally and at a competitive level; swimmers will learn clock reading skills, race strategy and will engage in goal setting exercises; most swimmers in this group participate regularly in meets; Practice frequency: Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays – 60 minutes
Required equipment - kickboard, snorkel and fins
Gold 2 - Transitional training group (average age range is 9-14) - swimmers are focused on building endurance, race strategy; interval training, goal setting and continued technique improvements; most swimmers in this group are state, regional and sectional qualifier; ready for a more competitive atmosphere; Practice frequency: Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays – 60 minutes
Required equipment - kickboard, snorkel and fins
Junior - Advanced training group (average ages range is 12 to 16) - swimmers are focused on endurance training, speed work, refining stroke technique, interval training, goal setting and race strategy; swimmers in this group (ages 11 and up) can participate in dry land training; Practice frequency: Monday through Friday – 90-120 minutes; Dry land training: 2 days per week – 30 to 40 minutes
- Junior 1 – Transitional training group – swimmers in this group will see an increase in yardage and more challenging interval training sets; fine tune stroke technique before moving to the Senior group
- Junior 2 – swimmers in this group will focus mostly on stroke technique and stroke corrections prior to joining the Junior 1 group; interval training and yardage increases from Gold Plus to this group
Required equipment - kickboard, fins, snorkel, pull buoy and hand paddles
Senior - Advanced to Elite training group (typical ages range from 14 to 18) - swimmers are focused on stroke endurance training; speed work, refining stroke technique, interval training, goal setting and race strategy; swimmers in this group are highly competitive and are state, sectional and national qualifiers; Practice frequency: Monday through Friday –90-120 minutes; Morning practices –75- 90 minutes; Dry land training: 2-3 days per week – 45 minutes
Required equipment - kickboard, fins, snorkel, pull buoy and hand paddles
