Dolphins Swim Team Prerequisites

Seals

Seals is the entry level of our swim team. Swimmers should have experience with freestyle and backstroke, as well as the basic understanding of breaststroke and dolphin kick. Swimmers will focus on building comfort in the water as well as understanding what it means to be on a swim team. Swimmers will learn fundamental stroke technique for all strokes, and swim team etiquette.

Prerequisites:

1 lap of freestyle with side breathing
1 lap of backstroke
Understanding of breaststroke kicks and dolphin kicks
OR
Completion of the PCC Swim School curriculum

Goals:

Intro to turns and finishes (flip turns, two hand touches)
Steamline with dolphin kicks off of every wall
25 of legal breaststroke and butterfly
50 of freestyle and backstroke
Understanding of swim team etiquette (keeping head above water while coach is talking, no splashing other swimmers, etc.)
Circle swimming

Barracudas

Our Barracudas swimmers should know all four competitive strokes (Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly). This group works on refining their strokes, starts and turns, as well as increasing distance swum. Our Barracudas swimmers will be introduced to more advanced starts and turns such as backstroke flip turns and breaststroke pull outs, as well as the use of the pace clock.

Prerequisites:

Must be able to swim:
- 50 Freestyle with side breathing
- 50 Backstroke
- 50 of streamline kicks on back
- 25 Butterfly
- 25 Breaststroke
Must push off the wall with a streamline and dolphin kicks on each lap
Circle swims

Goals:

Can swim 4 x 50 Free @ 1:30-1:45 w/ flipturns
Can swim 2 x 100 Free @ 3:00-3:15
Can swim a legal 50 of each competitive stroke
Can swim a legal 100 IM
Successfully complete a set using intervals
Know proper turns for every stroke
Understand pace clock and IM order
Always stays on the wall while coach is talking

Sharks

Our Sharks swimmers can swim all four strokes legally and understand intervals. The Sharks group focuses on building stamina, using the pace clock, and finding consistency in strokes and turns even as the distance swum increases. This group is introduced to pacing and sprinting, as well as more complex drills aimed at improving efficiency.

Prerequisites:

Must be able to swim
- 150 Freestyle with flipturns and streamlines without stopping
- Legal 100 IM
- 50 of legal Breaststroke without stopping
- 25 of legal Butterfly without stopping
- 4 x 50 Freestyle with flipturns @ 1:30
- 2 x 100 Freestyle with flipturns @ 3:00
Knows proper turns for every stroke
Must understand pace clock and IM order

Goals:

Successfully complete a set using intervals
200 Freestyle with flipturns and streamlines without stopping
50 of legal Butterfly without stopping
Legal 200 IM
4 x 50 Free @ 1:15-30
4 x 100 Free @ 2:30-45
4 x 100 IM @ 3:15-30
Proficient turns and knows when to use each one without reminders
Understand swimming terminology (build, descend, DPS, medley order, etc.)
Listens to coach and follows instructions to the best of their ability

Orcas (formerly Dolphins)

Our Dolphins swimmers come into the group with a strong foundation in swimming. In this group, we begin to ask our swimmers to push themselves and take initiative in setting goals. We work extensively on refining stroke technique and being efficient in all turns. The Dolphins group prioritizes learning how to race and swim longer distances with appropriate pacing while keeping legal technique.

Prerequisites:

Must be able to swim:
- 200 Freestyle with flipturns and streamlines without stopping
- Legal 200 IM
- 4 x 50 Free @ 1:15
- 4 x 100 Free @ 2:30
- 4 x 100 IM @ 3:15
Legal breaststroke w/ pulldowns
Proficient open turns / flip turns & knows when to use each one
Must understand all swimming terminology (build, descend, DPS, medley order, etc.)

Goals:

Must be able to swim:
- 300 freestyle with flipturns and streamlines without stopping
- 4 x 50 Free @ 1:00
- 4 x 100 Free @ 2:00
- 4 x 100 IM @ 2:15
Must have mastered all four competitive strokes
Must know and use proper turns for all four competitive strokes
Listens to coach consistently and knows when is appropriate to talk to other swimmers during swim practice

Juniors

Our Juniors swimmers are experienced in all four competitive strokes and are motivated to create and meet goals. This group continues to refine the small details in their strokes through advanced drill progressions to improve overall swimming efficiency. Learning how to train is a focus for our Juniors swimmers as they continue to grow their capabilities in swimming longer distances, sprinting, and pacing.

Prerequisites:

Must be able to swim:
- 300 freestyle with flipturns and streamlines without stopping
- Legal 100 of each competitive stroke
- 4 x 50 Free @ 1:00
- 4 x 100 Free @ 2:00
- 4 x 100 IM @ 2:15
Must have mastered all four competitive strokes
Must know and use proper turns for all four competitive strokes
Assume responsibility for their swimming and understand when correction of their strokes is needed
Proper swim team etiquette and behavior is followed at all times

Goals:

Must be able to swim all four strokes legally, with proper starts, turns, and finishes without being reminded
Must be able to swim:
- 300 freestyle with flipturns and streamlines without stopping
- 4 x 50 Free @ :50
- 4 x 100 Free @ 1:45
- 4 x 100 IM @ 2:00
Assume responsibility for their swimming and understand when correction of their strokes is needed
Competition ready!

Seniors

Our Senior group is our most advanced level, and in this group, swimmers are expected to be self-motivated and goal-oriented. The group focuses on goal setting, training concepts, and self evaluation. We continue to work on developing the necessary skills and training base for high school swimming.

Prerequisites:

Must be able to swim all four strokes legally, with proper starts, turns, and finishes without being reminded
Must be able to swim:
- 400 freestyle with flipturns and streamlines without stopping
- 4 x 50 Free @ :50
- 4 x 100 Free @ 1:40
- 4 x 100 IM @ 2:00