Training Groups
Bronze
Ages: 5-9
Attendance Expectations: Offered 2 x per week for 1 hour. Attendance both days is necessary to ensure skill development.
Practice
Requirements: Must be able to swim 25 yards of freestyle and
be able to float on back and execute a kick.
Time Standards: None
Equipment Requirements: Suit, RAC cap & goggles
Group Emphasis: This group is an introduction to swim team in a small group. Technique is emphasized with a focus on increasing efficiency of freestyle and backstroke and the introduction of butterfly and breaststroke. Use of lots of games to introduce skills. Diving starts will be introduced. Competition is available for those who are ready at our hosted home meets or color meets. This program runs in 12-week sessions in fall, winter and 8 weeks in spring.
8 swimmers
per group
Silver
Age Requirements: 6-11
Attendance Expectations: Offered 3 times per week for 1 hour. Attendance at all three will ensure proper skill development.
Practice Requirements: Must be able to swim 25 yards of freestyle with rotary breathing and 25 yards of backstroke with basic technique. Swimmers should also know the basics of one other stroke.
Time Standards: None
Equipment Requirments: Suit, RAC CAP, RAC suit for competition preferred, goggles and RAC t-shirt/sweatshirt and flannel pants to be worn at meets.
Group Emphasis: This is the entry-level to the competitive team and the emphasis is on teaching stroke technique and learning to swim with a larger group; however, fun and games are still included. Swimmers will be introduced to diving skills, flip turns and begin learning drills appropriate for each stroke. Swimmers will be encouraged to compete in our home meets and color meets and may try other meets designated for their level.
18 swimmers
per group
500-1,000 yards per practice
Gold 1 & 2
Age Requirements: 7-10 for Gold 2; 11-14 for Gold 1
Attendance
Expectations: At least two days per week. Offered 3 x per week.
Attendance will ensure skill development. 1 hour for Gold 2 and 1.25 hours
for Gold 1
Practice Requirements: Swimmers must be proficient in three strokes and able to swim 50 yards of each. Swimmers in this group will usually have one year of experience, summer league experience or junior high experience for the older swimmers.
Time Standards: None
Equipment: RAC suit for competition, RAC cap, goggles, RAC t-shirt/sweatshirt/ and flannel pants or warm-ups for meets and fins.
Group Emphasis: Focus continues on stroke technique and skill development with an increase in conditioning, introduction to racing strategy and learning to read the pace clock. Swimmers will begin to define short term goals for themselves and should begin to learn their times. Still lots of fun and games to teach skills.
25 swimmers
per group
1,500 to 2,000 yards per practice for Gold 1
1,200 to 1,500 yards per practice for Gold 2
Blue
Age Requirements: 8 to 11
Attendance Requirements: Minimum of three days a week, offered five for 1.5 hours. Practice attendance will be the key predictor of success.
Practice
Requirements: Must be able to swim proficiently in all four strokes.
Must be able to do all turns and starts. Must be able to execute a breaststroke
underwater pullout. Must be able to swim a 200 IM legally.
Time Standards: The goal for this group is to achieve BB or Divisional times and set goals for "A", "AA" or State times.
Equipment: RAC suit for competition, RAC cap, goggles, fins, pull bouy and equipment bag. This group should have RAC warm-ups or a parka for competition or RAC sweatshirt and flannel pants. Performance suits are to be worn only at championship level meets unless pre-approved by the coach.
Group
Emphasis: This group is the introduction to "Age Group Swimming".
It will be comprised of skilled younger swimmers, most with two or more
years of competitive experience.
Coaching expectations rise as swimmers are ready for stroke mechanics,
starts and turns, racing strategy, and interval training. Swimmers will
also begin dryland exercises and stretching. Swimmers are expected to
compete at least one day in meets designated as appropriate for this group.
Swimmers will continue with goal setting.
25 swimmers
per group
3,000-4,000 per practice
Junior
Age Requirement: 11 to 14
Attendance
Expectations: Minimum of 3 days a week, offered 5 for 1.5 hrs.
Attendance is the key predictor of success and skill acquisition.
Practice Requirement: Should be able to swim proficiently in all four strokes. Should be able to do starts off of blocks, know turns and read a pace clock.
Time Standards:
Swimmers in this group should be working towards "B" times
in most events and have a goal of achieving a Divisional or "BB"
time.
Equipment:
RAC suit, RAC Cap, goggles, fins, pull bouy and paddles.
These swimmers should have a RAC sweatshirt/flannel pants or warm-ups
for meets.
Group
Emphasis: This group will have older, less experienced swimmers; multi-sport
or multi-activity athletes who cannot commit to attendance requirements
of other groups . Stroke mechanics will be emphasized and a stronger emphasis
on conditioning will develop. More dryland will be introduced. Many of
these swimmers will be preparing for Junior High or High School teams.
Pre-Senior
Age Requirement: 11-14 (older if home schooled)
Attendance Requirements: Swimmers are expected to attend 5 days a week. Practice will be offered 5 x a week for 2 hours per day. Highest level swimmers will find they must do all practices in order to meet their goals.
Practice Requirements: This group is the highest level of skilled age-group swimmers with several years of year round training and competition. Good attendance, completion of conditioning sets, knowledge of times, goal setting and understanding of drills and technique are all required in this group. Most swimmers will have several State cuts and will be working towards "AAA" and "AAAA" times.
Equipment: RAC suits, RAC caps, goggles, fins, kickboard, pull bouy, fins and paddles are required. Swimmers in this group need a RAC warm-up or parka for meets. Performance suits are to be worn only at championship level meets unless pre-approved by coach.
Group
Emphasis: See practice requirements. This group will also be introduced
to more dry-land, knowledge of nutrition and leadership skills. These
swimmers are being prepared to swim at the highest levels in the State
Championship meets, the Zone meets and will have
goals of Top 16 times.
25 swimmers
per group
4,500-5,500 yards per practice
Senior
Age Requirements: 14-18 (at least freshman in HS)
Attendance Expectations: Minimum of 3 days per week. Offered 5 days per week for 2 hours. Attendance is the key predictor for success and skill acquisition.
Practice Requirements: This group will practice and participate in meets in the 6-8 weeks prior to the start of their HS seasons. They will have the opportunity to participate in the championship meets that they qualify for during the winter season. They are also expected to train during the Spring or the Summer season. They are expected to participate in RAC home meets during HS season with permission of their HS coaches.
Time Goals: Divisional or "BB" cuts
Equipment:
RAC suit, RAC Cap, goggles, fins, kickboard, pull bouy, paddles.
Must have warm-ups or RAC sweatshirt /flannel pants for meets.
Group Emphasis: This group is for high school aged swimmers who do multiple sports or activities. This group is training or staying in shape for their high school season.
25 swimmers
per group
3,500-5,000 yards per practice
Senior
Elite Group
Age
Requirements: 14 - college-aged swimmers
Attendance Requirements: These swimmers are expected to attend all practices offered in keeping with their training and competition goals. During height of training practices will include five days a week for 2.5 hours as well as three mornings a week and every other Saturday. Meet attendance is expected and required from this group.
Practice Requirements: A year round commitment to the highest level of swimming.
Time Standards: Divisional cuts and Goals of Senior State, Zone and Sectional Times and National cuts.
Group Emphasis: This group will emphasize training methodology, heart rate use will be introduced, and more advanced stroke technique. Goal setting, leadership training and mental training will be used. Training will be geared toward individual talents. Swimmers will be preparing for swimming in college.
Equipment:
RAC suit, RAC cap, goggles, fins, kickboard, pull bouy, paddles.
RAC warm-ups or parka for competition.
20 swimmers
per group
6,000-7,500 yards per practice
For information about RAC, contact: Kathy Collings, kcollings1@riverideaquaticclub.com
Copyright 2007 Riverside Aquatic Club