Practice Group Description
The Coaching staff will evaluate each swimmer and group placement will be determined upon their long-term development in addition to ability and age.
Titanium (ages 14/15-18)
This is a highly competitive training group designed to prepare swimmers for YMCA Nationals and other National Level Meets as well as regional and State High School levels of competition.
In general, the emphasis will be on continuing to strengthen the aerobic base through a continued of increasing of training loads, advanced stroke mechanics and drills, race pace/lactic acid training, resistance training, morning practice to prepare for prelim/final and 4+ day meets as well as physical, mental and emotional preparation. This group will continue to focus on perfecting pacing, stroke count, race strategies, proper nutrition, individual goal setting and developing an understanding of the importance of proper mental preparation. Training will include a dry land conditioning program to continue developing core body strength, basic strength in the shoulders and legs and overall body control coordination.
Equipment requirements: Mesh bag; short fins; paddles, water bottle, kick board, pull buoy, snorkel and goggles.
Platinum (ages 13-18)
This is a highly competitive training group designed to prepare swimmers for State Y-USA, Regional Y-USA Zones & Nationals as well as regional and State High School levels of competition.
In general, the emphasis will be on strengthening aerobic conditioning through a continued of increasing of training loads, advanced stroke mechanics and drills, race pace/lactic acid training, resistance training, morning practice to prepare for prelim/final meets as well as physical, mental and emotional preparation. This group will continue to focus on perfecting pacing, stroke count, race strategies, proper nutrition, individual goal setting and developing an understanding of the importance of proper mental preparation. Training will include a dry land conditioning program to continue developing core body strength, basic strength in the shoulders and legs and overall body control coordination.
Equipment requirements: Mesh bag; short fins; paddles, water bottle, kick board, pull buoy, snorkel and goggles.
Iron (ages 12-15)
This is a level above Gold. Iron is a competitive Y-USA swim training group designed to prepare swimmers for Platinum as well as Regional Y-USA Zones and State levels of competition such as high school Regionals and State.
In general, the emphasis will be on acquiring the following skills necessary to be successful competitive swimmers to prepare them for the Platinum training group:
Continuing our development of more advanced understanding of race strategies, goal setting, proper nutrition, mental preparation, pace work, counting strokes, as well as the ability to handle increasing training workloads/aerobic adaptation in preparation for movement into platinum.
Swimmers should participate in all dry lands to continuing to develop core body strength, increasing strength in the shoulders and legs and overall body control coordination. Skills will be taught with an emphasis on fun and teamwork to continue to ensure that all swimmers develop a long-term love for the sport.
Equipment requirements: Mesh bag; short fins, water bottle, kick board, goggles.
Gold (ages 10-13)
This is a level above Silver. Gold is a competitive Y-USA swim training group designed to prepare swimmers for Iron as well as Regional Y-USA Zones and State levels of competition.
In general, the emphasis will be on acquiring the following skills necessary to be successful competitive swimmers to prepare them for the Iron training group:
Introducing understanding of race strategies, goal setting, proper nutrition, mental preparation, pace work, counting strokes, as well as the ability to handle increased training workloads/aerobic adaptation from the Silver to Iron Group.
Swimmers should participate in a dry land program to help develop core body strength, basic strength in the shoulders and legs and overall body control coordination. Skills will be taught with an emphasis on fun and teamwork to continue to ensure that all swimmers develop a long-term love for the sport.
Equipment requirements: Mesh bag; short fins, water bottle, kick board, goggles.
Silver (ages 8-13)
This is a level above Blue and is a competitive Y-USA swimming training group designed to prepare swimmers for Gold as well as Y-USA level of competition for the short course season.
In general, the emphasis is on acquiring the following skills necessary to be successful competitive swimmers to prepare them for Gold:
Increasing stamina through increased kicking, improving stroke mechanics and technique, learning how to respond to increased swimming volume, and intensity. Continuing to enhance stroke mechanics and underwater kicking ability while mastering concepts related to race strategies, proper nutrition, goal setting and mental preparation. An emphasis will be placed on fun and teamwork in order to continue to ensure that all swimmers develop a long-term love for the sport.
Equipment requirements: mesh bag, short fins, and water bottle, goggles.
Blue (ages 5-11)
This is a Y-USA swimming entry-level group.
The emphasis is on acquiring the following skills necessary to be successful competitive swimmers and to prepare them for Silver:
The emphasis will be centered on continuing to develop strong technical skills in all four strokes, starts, turns and underwater work, as well as gradually increasing the volume and intensity of both kicking and swimming throughout the season. A larger emphasis will be placed on fun and teamwork in order to continue to ensure that all swimmers develop a long-term love for the sport.
Equipment expectations: Mesh bag, water bottle, goggles.
Wave(all ages)
This is our team entry level for swimmers that do not intend to compete in meets or have no previous swim team experience.
The emphasis of this group is centered towards generally conditions, technique work, and teaching the basics of what being on a swim team means. Our goal is to grow and improve every swimmers overall confidence to want and desire to compete in swim meets.
Equipment expectations: Mesh bag, water bottle, goggles.
