Competition Swim Clinic

Our Program

The developmental program is for swimmers not yet proficient in the four competitive strokes. We have the smallest swimmer to instructor ratio in order to give hands-on individual attention to the developing swimmers. We have 10 different developmental groups spread over the Monday, Friday, and earlier Sunday clinics with swimmers ranging in age from 4 to 11 years. This also includes our transitional swimmers. These swimmers move into the large pool for those strokes in which they are most proficient and back to the small pool for the strokes in which they are less proficient. These transitional swimmers should always report back to small pool for time-trials and for the first night of each new session for pool/group assignments.

We teach swimmers to be fast and efficient according to a progression, and a proficient stroke is the first step. After all, flip turn doesn't help much if the swimmer thrashes or swims an illegal stroke down the pool.

The program runs from late Sept. or early Oct. until mid-June. The following is a typical schedule for our most advanced developmental group:

· First 2 weeks – 4 stroke time-trial and instructor evaluation

· Backstroke- 5 weeks of instruction followed by backstroke time-trial. In stroke tt, swimmers swim age-appropriate distance of stroke followed by feedback and a second timed swim. They receive heat ribbons for the first swim and improvement ribbons if they swim faster on the second swim. The following week, they receive a percentage improvement report.

· Same procedure for free, breast, and fly.

· Several weeks of 4 stroke review and speed work in late May/early June.

Younger and less advanced developmental groups may skip fly in order to become more proficient in the other three strokes. Our very youngest swimmers, who come to us swimming only a few rudimentary strokes of free, may concentrate on learning only free and back and breaststroke kick in a seated position.