Training Groups  

Gator Swim Team Training Groups are designed to give each swimmer the maximum opportunity for improvement in the sport of competitive swimming. Starting in the "Learn to Swim" (Age Group 3) level, each group is designed specifically to prepare each Gator for advancement to the next level.

As a member of USA Swimming, Gator Swim Team believes that excellence in swimming must be our goal if we are to fulfill our vision to “Teach Young People Excellence in Swimming and in Life.” Listed below is a breakdown of the Gator Training Groups and a brief description of what each group covers. You will notice that there are requirements for certain groups and that Head Coach Approval is required for all groups. This is to ensure that each group contains athletes that are focusing on the same areas of their development.

Age Group 3:

This training group focuses on learning basic swimming skills such as air exchange (bobbing), streamline, floating, and kicking. Age Group 3 also introduces the competitive strokes of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. 

Minimum Age:  4*.
Practice Attendance:  2 or 3 times per week.
Meet Attendance:  Away meets recommended.  Home meets required.
Move Up Guidelines:  

• Must attend practices consistently**.
• Must be able to swim three strokes and have working knowledge of the remaining one.

Age Group 2:

This training group continues to reinforce the skills learned in Age Group 3.  Age Group 2 focuses on basic swim skills learned in Age Group 3 as well as racing starts, strokes, turns, and basic racing skills.  Age Group 2 meets 3 or more times per week for 1 1/2 hour: 15 minutes of dry land and 75 minutes of swimming**. Sessions are coached in a training group setting. While the focus is primarily on teaching stroke technique, the Age Group 2 swimmer is introduced to aerobic conditioning and dry land training. 

Minimum Age:  6*.
Practice Attendance:  3 or 4 times per week.
Meet Attendance:  Away meets recommended.  Home meets required.
Move Up Guidelines:

• Must attend practices consistently**.
• Must be able to read a pace clock.
•  Must be able to swim 10 x 100 yards on 1:30.
• Must be able to maintain a high level of intensity throughout practices.

Age Group 1:

At this level, practice begins leaning towards conditioning 60% to 70% with technique 30% to 40%. All aspects of competitive swimming are covered in this group from streamlining to breakdown of energy systems.  This group will sometimes be asked to participate with the Senior Groups for special training sessions during weekends or vacations.

Minimum Age:  9*.
Practice Attendance:  4 to 6 practices per week.
Meet Attendance:  At least one meet per month required (from the published meet schedule).
Move Up Guidelines: 

• Must attend practices consistently**.
• Must commit to practice requirements of next level.
• Must be able to swim 10 x 100 yards on 1:25.
• Must be able to lead a lane throughout practice without sendoff help.
• Must be able to maintain the required level of intensity throughout practices.

Senior Prep:

This training group is for our more advanced age group swimmers and our developing senior age swimmers.  The Senior Prep training group exposes each swimmer to a full training plan including but not limited to the following: aerobic training, dry land training, full swim meet schedule, racing strategy, individual and team goal setting skills, and speed and attendance requirements.  The Senior Prep group meets 6 to 7 times per week**.

Minimum Age:  11*.
Practice Attendance:  7 practices per week, including 1 morning and Saturdays.
Meet Attendance:  At least one meet per month required (from the published meet schedule).
Move Up Guidelines: 

• Must be able to swim 10 x 100 yards on 1:20 OR have a sectional cut in at least one event.
• Must desire and be prepared to increase training frequency and intensity.

Senior:

This training group offers full time swim training for the purpose of reaching the highest levels of competition the sport has to offer.  Senior members aim at 100% attendance all year long and have a full meet schedule which is required for maximum development. Select Senior members are invited by the Head Coach to attend double practices (morning and evening) which include water and weight room workouts**. The Senior group meets from 8 or more times per week (Coach’s decision) for an average of two hours per session.

Minimum Age:  12*.
Practice Attendance:  8 or more practices per week, including 2 mornings and Saturdays.
Meet Attendance:  At least one meet per month required (from the published meet schedule).

High School Traning Group

The team provides an opportunity for a developmental experience for swimmers involved in high school competition.  A High School Training Group swimmer is a swimmer of any skill or ability who can train at any of the age group levels.  The swimmer is provided with a training program to enhance the swimmer’s skills for fitness, to improve scholastic swimming or to get a head start on Summer League swimming**.  Swimmers in this group will be registered USA Swimming athletes and will be able to compete in USA sanctioned swim meets.

* A minimum age is just a guideline and does not mean a swimmer will be moved up to a new group at that age.  It also does not mean that a younger swimmer cannot be moved up to a new group.  The decision to move a swimmer up to a new group involves several other factors and is ultimately at the coaches’ discretion.  See “Outline of Group Advancement” below.

** Warning: failure to follow practices as recommended may result in injuries.

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