COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM GROUPS

BLUE GROUP: The BLUE group is designed to teach the YMCA’s core values: Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. Program participants will be provided opportunities to experience competitive situations designed to develop and sharpen their competitive swimming skills. The goals of our program include: Front start from the pool side then starting blocks, how to push-off and streamline to flags with dolphin kick, all while continuing to learn all 4 competitive strokes and how to practice with a team. Swimmers must be able to swim 25 yards without assistance to join the team. Trying a competition is encouraged. 

RED GROUP: The focus of the RED group is stroke specific, honing each swimmer’s ability to compete with all four strokes. There is also an increase in interval swimming, getting swimmers ready for higher levels. The goals for RED swimmers are to swim a 100 IM legally, have consistent practice attendance, flip turns and racing! Participants must be able to swim 25 yards freestyle, swim 25 yards backstroke, have a legal breaststroke kick, and be able to dive in the water. Competition is strongly encouraged in this group to see improvements. 

YELLOW GROUP: The YELLOW group swimmers focus on swimming all four strokes. This will prepare them to compete and succeed in swim meets throughout the season. The goals for YELLOW swimmers are legally swim all four strokes and strive towards the requirements for Bronze. Participants must be able to swim 50 yards freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke with an efficient kick. Competition is strongly encouraged in this group to see improvements. 

BRONZE GROUP: The BRONZE group is where swimmers learn body awareness in the water. The focus is on getting the swimmers to understand how they need to move the water during their pull in each stroke to be as efficient as possible while swimming. Practices involve a warm-up, drills & skills portion, and an endurance based “main set,” and often a cool down. Competition is strongly encouraged in this group to see improvements. 

SILVER GROUP: SILVER is where swimmers begin to focus more on long term success by creating good practice habits and setting goals for the season and beyond. Practices involve a warm-up, drills & skills portion, an endurance based “main set,” and often a cool down. Competition is strongly encouraged. 

GOLD GROUP: GOLD continues to focus on long term success by practicing good habits and setting goals for the season and the future of swimming for the athlete, such as preparing for or keeping up with high school swimming. Practices involve a warm-up, drills and skills portion, an endurance based “main set”, and often a cool down. Competition is strongly recommended.