Swimming competitively on CHAT

So now that your swimmer has moved up to the CHAT Team, what does that mean?

After years of prpactice, lessons, pre-comp, etc. your swimmer has prove they are capable and ready to move o to the competitive world of swimming.  Here, they will build upon the basics they already know and learn how to compete and grow in the sport of swimming.  This sport takes dedication, time, effort and above all else a passion to strive to be better, faster, and stronger.

Our Mission

Cottonwood Heights Aquatics team is dedicated to the pursuit of swimming excellence based on the principles of integrity, work ethic, discipline, team-work and sportsmanship.

CHAT's Central Philosophy

(Reflected in our Mission Statement has also evelved gradually and with the addition of Todd Etherington (ASCA Level IV) as Head Age Group Coach/Team Administrator in 1992 - and now Head Coach since 2001, staff professionalism, consistency and stability is truly one of our more unique features of any USA Swiming program anywhere.  Although CHAT has boasted it's fair share of Utah state champions, Top 16, Zone, Junior National, Senior National qualifiers and even three "home grown" Olympic Trials qualifiers as a self-avowed development program we emphasize the importance of raising effective people first and effective swimming will follow.

What is expected of a competitve CHAT swimmer?

In order to accomplish our mission as stated above, and to reach swimmers goals, we require that each swimmer come to a minimum number of practices per week to be deermined by your coach.  (You can find this under the team groups tab and then click on your swimmers group.)  Also, we recommend each swimmer to participaate in 1 meet per month.  Coming to practice is key!  At practice we continually work on correct stroke form and technique as well as provide a fun and safe environment in which your swimmer can grow physically, mentally, and socially.  As the old prover goes, "Practice makes Perfect."  Attending swim meets are also very important.  This is where swimmers are able to see that all their hard work in practice actually does something!  Competing at meets is how we are able to track their successes and improvements throughout the season.  While swimming is very much an individual sport, by attending swim meets,swimmers have the opportunity to score points for the team as a whole and contribute to something larger.

What are the swim seasons?

There are two main swim seasons in competitive age group swimming.  There is a short course Season (August-March) and the Long Course season (April-July) usually with a 2-3 week break in March and August.  Short course season swimmers compete in a 25 yard length pool.  Long course season swimmers compete in a 50 meter length pool.