Gold 13-14; advanced 12-year-olds; 5 x per week plus select mornings with Senior Group; 120 minutes including dryland

The Gold Group is for swimmers ages 13-14 and advanced 12-year-olds, who have progressed through Silver Team requirements. Gold swimmers must also be able to complete sets and intervals at a level consistent with other members of the Gold Team, so that training can be effiective for the whole team. The focus is on developing advanced technique in all four competitive strokes and racing skills, including proper starts, turns, underwater swimming and finishes. Gold swimmers will begin to improve racing strategies and the understanding of training cycles.

Gold swimmers work towards efficiency in technique and body position while completing advanced workouts designed to build an aerobic base and develop anaerobic racing skills. Gold swimmers refine their goal setting and race strategy skills and can manage their time at meets including pre-race warmups and post-race cooldown. Swimmers in this group are working towards achieving multiple Divisional and/or State cuts.

Season Goals

·      Establishment of goal times and knowledge of qualifying standards for Divisionals, State, Zones, Sectionals.

·      Advanced proficiency in starts, turns, and underwater swimming and additional race enhancing skills including race structure and strategy.

·      Advanced racing skills, including efficient streamlines, head/body position, breathing patterns, kick timing, age-appropriate drills and proper use of equipment (fins, kickboard, buoy, paddles, snorkel, power equipment).

·      Advanced training comprehension demonstrated by following structured workouts with minimal interruption. Introduction to training cycles and energy systems (practice pace vs. race pace). Demonstrate the ability to be coached while training.

·      Able to actively participate in and complete age-appropriate dryland training sessions.

·      Swim meet independence including time management, performing appropriate warmup and cooldown, pre and post-race routines and tech suit readiness in addition to appropriate warmup and lane etiquette.

·      Introduction to recovery processes including nutrition, rest and muscle recovery (rolling, stretching, etc).

Skill Focus Areas

Foundational Skills – Balance/body awareness, breathing and timing, race starts, relay exchanges, turns, streamlines and finishes; technical efficiency (distance per stroke)

Freestyle Skills – Advanced breathing technique, rotation, kicking timing, arm recovery mechanics, catch/powerful pull

Backstroke Skills – Advanced balance, kicking patterns, rotation, arm entry/recovery, catch/powerful pull

Breaststroke Skills – Advanced kicking pattern, powerful pull, coordinated timing and pull outs