Silver Group (11-12; advanced 10-year-olds; 5 practices per week; 90 minutes including dryland)

The Silve Group is primarily for swimmers ages 11-12 and advanced 10-year-olds. The focus is on developing foundational technique in all four competitive strokes and racing skills, including proper starts, turns, underwater swimming and finishes.

Silver swimmers are introduced to structured workouts designed to refine their technique and body position. Swimmers in this group are developing goal setting skills and meet independence while working towards achieving multiple Divisional cuts and/or their first State cuts. Silver swimmers must be able to complete sets and intervals at a level consistent with other members of Silver team, so that training can be effective for the whole team.

Season Goals

·       Understanding of goal times and qualifying standards for Divisionals, State, Zones.

·       Intermediate-level proficiency in starts, turns, and underwater swimming.

·       Can perform intermediate skills needed for advanced stroke progression, including proper streamlines, head/body alignment, breathing control, kick timing, knowledge of age-appropriate drills, and correct use of essential equipment (fins, kickboard, pull buoy, paddles).

·       Ability to understand practice sets and intervals, follow structured workouts with minimal interruptions, and respond well to coaching.

·       Dryland readiness – able to actively participate in and complete age-appropriate dryland training sessions.

·       Swim meet competence including ability to read heat sheets and report to the blocks independently, understanding starter commands, communicating with timers, the role of officials, and appropriate warm-up and lane etiquette.

Skill Focus Areas

·       Mastery of Foundational Skills – Balance/body awareness, breathing and timing, race starts, turns, streamlines and finishes

·       Freestyle – Refined breathing patterns, proper rotation, kick timing, arm recovery mechanics

·       Backstroke – Consistent kicking patterns, proper rotation, and correct arm entry/recovery

·       Breaststroke – Kicking mechanics, pull development, coordinated timing

·       Butterfly – Foundational kicking mechanics, undulation, arm recovery, coordinated breathing