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The Millcreek Swim Team includes swimmers from 5 years old through college age who have a wide variety of skills and experience. With different training levels and coaches, we place our members in the group which best suits their biomechanical, physiological, psychological, and character maturity. Age is only one factor in the level of readiness. We want our swimmers to be in a level where they are challenged, yet not discouraged; where they are neither bored nor lost; where they can race swimmers of like ability and sometimes win and sometimes lose. Sometimes we have younger children in higher levels than an older child. This is only awkward for the older child if he or she is made to feel as if they should be as proficient in the water as everyone in their grade at school. Every child progresses at different rates. There is no hurry. Maybe a swimmer is physically ready for the next level, but needs more confidence first. Or perhaps a swimmer started late and needs to learn more fundamental skills necessary for success at the next advanced level. Sometimes a child doesn’t have the attention span or desire for a longer practice session. Likewise, if a younger child has the skills, speed, endurance and emotional maturity to keep up with older kids, we like to move that swimmer up. The decision to move a child to the next level must be carefully considered by all the parties involved: coaches, parents and swimmers. Sometimes it is better to err on the cautious side, for if a child finds he or she cannot keep up in a higher level, it can be both embarrassing to lag way behind and disheartening to move back down to the lower level. Children struggling to keep up in a level that is too difficult will develop inefficient technique as they race everything to avoid getting lapped again. The initial suggestion to maybe move up a swimmer can come from parents or swimmers. Coaches will not be offended if you suggest a swimmer move up to another coach’s group. Parents certainly know the maturity level of their children. At the same time, a coach knows the requirements of the next level and parents should respect when a coach suggests that a promotion wait a while longer. Developmental One As an introductory level for mainly 8 and under swimmers, Age Group One meets 3 times per week in the summer only. Sessions are 45 minutes long which is sufficient for younger attention spans. The prerequisites to begin this level include the ability to swim 25 yards (one length) with a breathing pattern (no head up or doggy paddle), and the ability to follow the directions of the coach independent of the parent/guardian. To advance to the next level, swimmers should have the following developments and performances: TRAINING PERFORMANCE:
Swim 25 yards/meters of each of the four competitive strokes. Learn to circle swim, leave 5 seconds apart, and begin to use the pace clock. Developmental Two Our second level may be a continuation of the first age group level, or it may be an introductory level for children 9-13 who have never been on a swim team before. Age itself is not a major determiner for placement in this level. At least 50% of these practices is dedicated to technique instruction and refinement. Endurance and speed training each compose about 25% of the Level Two practice. Most swimmers will have B times and lower although some may have some BB or A times in shorter events. To advance to the Competitive training group, swimmers should have the following developments and performances: TRAINING PERFORMANCE:
Swim sets of 6 x 50’s of each stroke. Swim a legal 100 Individual Medley (IM). Accurately count repetitions and compute distances. Use the pace clock to complete a set on the proper interval without prompting from the coach. Understand the importance of stroke counting and stroke rate. Competitive Technique is such a major determiner of success in swimming that it is an integral part of every practice in every level. Once in Age Group 3, however, most of the technique work is done in context. We work on technique while doing endurance and speed sets. Swimming with proper technique when going slow does no good if the stroke falls apart at race speeds. Swimmers should concentrate on good technique even when tired in a workout, to approximate how they will feel in races. Swimmers are typically presented with at least one practice set that is difficult to complete, giving them the chance to face a challenge and either feel good about succeeding or learn from failure. Swimmers in this level are introduced to more endurance sets since distance training is crucial to later athletic development. To advance to Pre-senior, swimmers should have the following developments and performance: TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Completion of all of the following sets: 5 x 200y IM (3:30); 7 x 100y kick (2:00); and 12 x 100y free (1:30); plus one of the following: 10 x 100y back (1:45); 10 x 100y breast (2:00); 8 x 100y fly (1:55); or 6 x 200y free (3:00). Ability to monitor pulse and
maintain the proper heart rate on both endurance and lactate sets. Pre-senior Group At MIST we believe our younger swimmers should be well-rounded, experiencing a spectrum of activities and interests. We would never want a high school age swimmer to reflect and wonder if he or she missed something at a younger age. With this approach, 12 to 15 year olds can make a reasoned decision if swimming is their main interest. The main difference between the developmental and competitive levels and the Pre-Senior group is the level of commitment which the Pre-seniors have made to swimming. They have decided they can be good at it; that they want to get a college scholarship in swimming; that they can achieve a level of greatness in it; that they are willing to sacrifice some other interests to fully challenge themselves in this sport. Pre-seniors must make a commitment to be at every practice session and put forth a full effort at every one. They must become the role models for the development groups. Typically swimmers may join this group when they are 13 or 14 years old, since maturity is an important is an important pre-requisite. Often coaches will design workouts for this group at which most will likely fail. Swimmers must learn to persevere: resolve to succeed at those sets later, without giving up. This prepares them for both tough competition and senior level swimming. To advance to the senior group, swimmers should achieve the following: TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Completion of all the following sets (short course yards): Girls Boys
and one of the following:
Besides these aerobic goals, swimmers should be able to exert maximum effort (hear rate of 180 and above – 29 for 10
secs.) on lactate sets, holding within 5-10 seconds of best times when work:rest ration is 1:2 or greater. Girls Boys LCM Yards LCM Yards
BIOMECHANICAL PERFORMANCE: Swimmers should have efficient techniques for all strokes and maintain them throughout workouts. Execute powerful starts and well-timed relay exchanges. Senior Group Most members of our senior team will be high school age and above because of the importance of strength, power, coordination, and maturity to the training process. Some eighth and seventh grade girls may fit the senior program, just as some 13 year old girls make junior and sectional cuts while most boys don’t make their first cut until 15, 16 or 17.Senior swimmers will most likely have to make swimming their one sport since they must attend 8-9 practices per week including morning and afternoon sessions and weight training. Goals for our senior swimmers will still be as unique to the individuals as they are for age group swimmers, yet those individual goals must include excelling at a national level: be it through USA Nationals, the NCAA championships, or the high school All-American program. To advance to the Senior Elite Group, swimmers should achieve the following: TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Completion of all of these sets: Women Men LCM Yards LCM Yards
and one of the following sets:
In the lactate peak category, swimmers should be able to complete 4 x 200’s prime stroke on 6:00 holding each one within 5 – 10 seconds of their best unrested time.
BIOMECHANICAL PERFORMANCE: Swimmers will know their optimum stroke rate and distance per stroke ratio for each event they swim, and maintain this ratio on all race-pace sets in practice. They will be able to demonstrate and describe methods to reduce resistance in the water. |