Poseidon Swimming
Practice Group Descriptions
Poseidon offers practice groups for swimmers of all ages and ability. Whether your swimmer had a great summer swim team experience, recently took swim lessons or is currently a member of a high school swim team, Poseidon has a place for you! We welcome swimmers to join us at any time of year, not just at the beginning of the swim season.
Poseidon’s goal is to create a long term passion for the sport of swimming for families in the greater Richmond community. To accomplish this goal, we strive to make swimming fun, exciting and fulfilling for each Poseidon swimmer. Stroke technique and efficiency, cardiovascular endurance, and starts and turns are stressed in each practice group in a manner tailored to the age and skill level of the group. Dry land training supplements the time spent in the water. This training includes age appropriate exercises to improve a swimmer’s overall fitness level, and to strengthen the key muscle groups that are important for swimming.
New swimmers joining Poseidon are individually evaluated by a coach in order to place them in a practice group that matches their age and ability. Minimum requirements for practice groups allow our coaches to work more effectively within their practices with a cohesive group of swimmers. The Poseidon coaches always have each swimmer’s best interest and long-term development in mind when assigning a practice group.
The Poseidon coaches are responsible for determining when it is appropriate to move a child to a higher practice group. These determinations are made throughout the swim season and also in June for the following year. The coaches consider the age and physical ability of the swimmer, practice attendance, meet performance, and the emotional readiness of the child for the training required by the higher practice group. The coaches will consult with parents before making any changes during the swim season.
Click on the links below for more information on the practice groups for the current swim season. Please note that the pre-requisites for each group are only guidelines. The coaches use their judgment and expertise to determine the practice group most appropriate for the swimmer and his/her long-term development and enjoyment of the sport.
Please call us at 804-855-8024 schedule an evaluation, or Click Here to send us an email request for more information.
*All Group Placements are designed for the swimmers best possible situation to succeed and is always at the coaching staffs discretion. Thanks for the support in this process.
The Explore White Group is Poseidon’s introductory group for 5 to 8 year old swimmers. Explore White swimmers will learn the basics of all 4 competitive strokes in an encouraging atmosphere. The coaches focus on teaching proper stroke technique, introducing starts and turns, and developing a joy of swimming using games, activities, and challenges. The interpersonal skills necessary to compete in the sport of swimming also will be taught – working with teammates, following directions, listening to the coaches, and having fun.
Participation in swim meets is encouraged so that coaches can assess a swimmer’s progress; however, it is not required for Explore White Swimmers.
Practice Recommendations
2 to 3 practices a week are recommended but not required. Each practice session lasts 1 hour and includes dry land training. Swimmers can expect to work up to swimming 500 to 2,000 yards/meters per practice session. Dry land activities include simple exercises and games. Swimmers at this level are encouraged to participate in other sports and activities.
Pre-requisite for the Explore White Group
· Able to complete a 25 yd freestyle without assistance.
Level 2 - Explore Blue
The Explore Blue Group is Poseidon’s introductory group for 9 to 12 year old swimmers as well as advanced 7- 8 year old swimmers.
The Explore Blue Group focuses on teaching the basics of all 4 competitive strokes and starts and turns in a fun and challenging environment. The coaches will emphasize proper stroke technique, starts and turns, and building cardiovascular endurance through drills, sets and enjoyable activities. The coaches will continue to work on the interpersonal skills necessary to compete in the sport of swimming– working with teammates, following directions, listening to the coaches, and having fun.
Poseidon recommends that Explore Blue swimmers participate in monthly area swim meets to assess their progress. This group’s season-ending goal is to have its swimmers participate in district, regional and state championships.
Practice Recommendations
3 to 4 practices a week are recommended but not required. Each practice session lasts 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes and includes dry land training. Swimmers can expect to work up to swimming 2,000 to 3,000 yards/meters per practice session. Dry land activities include simple exercises and skills. Swimmers at this level are encouraged to participate in other sports and activities.
Pre-requisites for the Explore Blue Group
· 7 – 8 year old swimmers (must have 2 out of 3):
· Able to compete legally in all four strokes in a meet;
· Has two or more 9-10 year old B or faster times; or
· Able to complete a 200 IM and a 200 Free in a meet.
· 9-12 year old swimmers
· Able to complete a 25 yd freestyle without assistance.
Level 3- Junior Group
The Junior Group is designed for 9-12 year old swimmers with previous swim team experience.
The Junior Group will continue to work on stroke technique while introducing race strategies in practice by learning and performing stroke-specific drills during practice. Training will begin to include a focus on longer distance events and IMs. The coaches will introduce race strategies and techniques used by swimmers in the next level practice group and continue to emphasize the importance of working with teammates, following directions, listening to the coaches, and having fun.
The Junior Group coaches will work with swimmers to understand and use USA Swimming time standards to set personal goals and to achieve these goals using interval training in practice.
Poseidon recommends participation in monthly swim meets with the focus on qualifying at the end of the season for regional and state championship meets.
Practice Recommendations
4 to 5 practices a week are recommended but not required. Each swim practice session lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes. Swimmers can expect to work up to swimming 4,000 yards/meters per practice session. In addition, two dry land sessions a week are required for those swimmers when not participating in another sport. Swimmers at this level are encouraged to participate in other sports and activities.
Pre-requisites for the Junior Group:
- 9-10 year old swimmers - Have 2 or more 9- 10 year old BB or faster times.
- 11-12 year old swimmers - Have 11-12 year old B/C times.
Level 4 - Age Group 1
Age Group I is designed for 11-13 year old swimmers. The Age Group I coaches focus on stroke technique while working on overall athletic conditioning and endurance using freestyle and IM training. An emphasis will be placed on learning and applying race strategies and techniques. Each Age Group I swimmer will establish personal goals and work towards achieving those goals using interval training in practice. Educational topics covered by the coaches will include teamwork, time management, nutrition, race strategies, mental training and other life lessons.
Participation in monthly swim meets is required with the focus on swimmers qualifying at the end of the season for regional and state championship meets.
Suggested Practice Commitment
4 to 6 practices a week are required. In addition, two dry land sessions a week are required.
Level 5 - Age Group 2
Age Group II is designed for 12-14 year old swimmers who have state championship qualifying times or for 12 year old swimmers that have multiple state qualifying times for 13-14 year old that will compete as a 13-14 at the season ending championship meet. Participation in AGII for a 12 year old swimmer will be approved by the Head Coach.
The Age Group II coaches emphasize proper stroke technique while working on overall athletic conditioning and endurance. Distance freestyle events and 400 IM will be the primary focus with a secondary focus on event specific training. The advanced race strategies and techniques used in the Senior group will be introduced.
Each Age Group II swimmer will establish personal goals and work towards achieving those goals using interval training in practice. Coaches will emphasize, encourage, and highlight important topics associated with achieving success both in and out of the pool. Topics will include teamwork, time management, nutrition, race strategies, mental training and other life lessons.
Participation in monthly swim meets is required.
Suggested Practice Commitment
6 practices a week are required with the addition of doubles at the coach’s discretion. Age Group II swimmers are required to attend an additional 3 dry land sessions per week.
Level 6 -Senior Developmental
The Senior Developmental Group is for 13 and older athletes and focuses on all distances as well as stroke specific training. This practice group serves as a great introduction and transition to the Senior Group. This group swims in the AM training time 5:15-6:45 Monday through Friday and Saturday 6:00-8:00 AM with a goal of progressing unto our top Senior program.
Level 7 -Senior
The Senior Group focuses on all distances as well as stroke specific training. The coaches regularly discuss leadership skills, personal accountability, team support, hard work and overall healthy life style habits (nutrition and drug/alcohol avoidance) to help guide the athlete to personal excellence in life. Each Senior swimmer should strive to foster open and honest communication between the athlete and the coach and to help keep the athlete on track towards meeting his or her personal goals.
The Senior Group athlete should consistently be a supportive team mate fostering a “we” vs “me” environment. Together we accomplish more.
The Senior Group athlete should be willing to participate in weekly strength training sessions with the understanding building a better athlete occurs in the gym.
Educational topics covered by the coaches will include teamwork, time management, nutrition, race strategies, mental training and other life lessons.
Triton Group - Homeschool
The Triton is our homeschool program for swimmers of all ages interested in improving fitness and gaining technique. Classes meet on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. All Triton swimmers are eligible to compete in all of the Poseidon swim meets for which they have qualifying times.
