Squad Information Booklet

Skills Squad

Squad Description

This squad is the next step from learn-to-swim lessons and helps set children up to become strong swimmers. It also provides a gentle introduction to the world of competitive swimming. Training is heavily skill focused, working on all 4 strokes as well as starts, turns and finishes to ensure swimmers are well equipped for both competing and staying active in the water. In this squad swimmers can select either 1, 2 or 3 sessions per week. Swimmers aged 7 are limited to 1 session per week.

Skills Squad Aims – New swimmers

1. Perform a Track dive from the block
2. Perform tumble turns for front crawl as part of a 50m swim
3. Know stroke counts from flags to the wall for backstroke turns and finishes
4. Have an understanding of and attempt backstroke turns as part of a 50m swim
5. Understand the breaststroke underwater phase and perform in the correct order
6. Have an understanding of breaststroke turns and perform as part of a 50m swim
7. Swim 25m Butterfly breathing every 2/3 strokes
8. Display high quality streamlining regularly off the walls
9. Always attempt some underwater Dolphin kicks on push offs

Skills Squad Aims – In addition to the above

1. Perform legal track starts for Fly, Free and Breast
2. Perform a legal Backstroke start into a 25m swim
3. Perform legal turns for Back, Breast and Free as part of a 50m swim
4. Perform a legal fly turn from 10m out
5. Be ready to attempt the competitive start award
6. Complete 25m of legal Butterfly
7. Have an understanding of and attempt all Medley turns from mid pool
8. Comfortably perform 6 × 50m F/c off 1.30
9. Start to understand the pace clock

Suitable Competitions & Opportunities

• Half term skill workshops
• Twice annual Mini-Meets (age 7+)
• Twice annual Duel in the Pool galas (age 8+)
• September Sprints (age 7+)
• Club Championships (age 9+)
• Occasional other competitions for those near the top of the squad

Development Squad

Squad Description

Swimmers will continue to develop skills across all 4 strokes, whilst starting to develop speed and aerobic fitness. This will ensure that swimmers have a solid fitness base to help them stay active throughout life. Swimmers can choose 1–4 sessions per week depending on their goals and reasons for training. However, we recommend at least 2 sessions per week for those wishing to compete, and at least 3 sessions for those wishing to reach a County level.

Any swimmers training once per week will automatically be a Development C swimmer; Development B swimmers can choose from 2–4 sessions and Development A swimmers will be on an invite-only basis where swimmers will be expected to complete 4/5 sessions and compete.

Sessions Available

Development Squad Aims

1. Maintain skills from the previous squad
2. Pass Competitive Start award
3. Complete legal relay takeovers for Freestyle and Medley
4. Perform a legal 200m IM
5. Complete a legal 100m swim for Fly, Back & Breast
6. Complete a legal 200m Frontcrawl in under 3.00
7. Perform 8 × 100 F/c off 2.00
8. Perform 200m timed Frontcrawl kick in under 5.00 (TBC)

Suitable Competitions & Opportunities

• 50m pool training opportunities
• Twice annual Mini-Meets (age 7–11)
• Twice annual Duel in the Pool galas (age 8+)
• Club Championships and September Sprints (age 9+)
• Nottinghamshire Stage Galas (age 8+)
• National Arena League – Junior and Senior
• Several Open meets per year
• Potential to qualify for County Championships

Fitness Squad

Squad Description

This squad is for those swimmers who want to keep fit, support another sport, or just continue to practise their swimming skills. There is no expectation for swimmers to compete, but the option is there if they would like to. Swimmers choose 1 or 2 sessions.

Fitness Squad Aims

1. Maintain skills from the previous squads
2. Develop speed and fitness levels
3. Develop techniques of all 4 strokes

Swimmers wishing to move into County Performance should make the Head Coach aware and complete the Development squad aims.

Suitable Competitions & Opportunities

• Twice annual Duel in the Pool galas (age 8+)
• Club Championships and September Sprints (age 9+)
• Other competition invites available on request depending on ability and experience

Performance Squad

Squad Description

For swimmers who want to compete and perform at a county, regional or maybe even a national level. We will train both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems with an emphasis on racing fast with great skill. Swimmers are expected to participate in club competitions, team galas and compete regularly at open meets.

Swimmers should have competed at County Championships in the previous season, or be within 5% of a County Qualifying time currently. Exceptions can be made if commitment levels are high.

Performance C will choose 3 swims and 1 land session; Performance B will have access to all 5 sessions + 2 land; and Performance A will be invite-only.

Sessions Available

Performance Squad Aims

1. Maintain skills from the previous squads
2. Perform 15 × 100 F/c off 1.30
3. Perform 8 × 100 IM off 2.00 maintaining excellent skills
4. Perform 400 timed kick under 8.00

Suitable Competitions & Opportunities

• 50m pool training opportunities
• Twice annual Duel in the Pool galas (age 8+)
• Club Championships and September Sprints (age 9+)
• Nottinghamshire Stage Galas (age 8+)
• National Arena League – Junior and Senior
• Several Open meets per year
• Potential to qualify for County and Regional Championships

Factors Influencing Squad Movements

A combination of the list below is used when moving swimmers from squad to squad and all moves are considered on an individual basis.

• Technique — all 4 strokes, starts, turns and finishes.
• Attendance — how many sessions per week a swimmer trains and how often they attend the sessions they are listed for.
• Speed — the speed at which a swimmer can train and race.
• Effort levels — how committed a swimmer is to both the technical elements of training and to the more physically demanding sessions.
• Chronological Age — are they training in a group where most swimmers are of a similar age?
• Biological Age — are they mentally and physically mature enough to cope with the next level of training?
• Ambitions / goals — does a swimmer want to compete and progress their swimming to a higher level, or are they swimming to support another sport or for fitness?

Sessions Overview

Small Pool, Skills, Development B, Fitness & Masters

Session-per-week options: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4

Development A + Performance Squads