Hey, it’s Coach Jenn Competitive Groups Head Coach at TMEC. The main purpose of the Competitive Groups is to give every swimmer an opportunity realize what level he/she is willing to work up to and compete at. We want to provide an environment in which every athlete can make quick progress. It is important for everyone to understand that in competitive groups week work on a three month training cycle. Our swimmers will train towards group advancement at the end of each three month period. These cycles will run Dec-Feb, March-May, June-Aug, and Sept-Nov. During each training cycle endurance and speed will progress until the week of evaluations.
Competitive Groups Mission
“I am accountable for my actions and efforts in and out of the pool”
How we train
There are a lot of different things we do in training for the competitive groups. there is also a wide range of ability levels from copper to gold on top of that we have the difference between 10-unders and 11-ups. It would take three or four pages to give you a good understanding of how we plan training for the competitive groups. We will give you the basics. Our main training purpose is to increase strength and speed while teaching the swimmer to maintain technique under fatigue. There is a point of fatigue were anyone will start to lose technique. Our training is based on finding that point and using increased strength and endurance to prolong that lose of technique from occurring.
Competition
In the competitive groups there are swimmers competing at the Home Team level as well as Travel Team level. It is important to us that all swimmers in these different competitive categories mix and hanging out. It is also important for everyone to understand that TMEC has many groups and many levels. However we are all building one swim club.
Every one needs to understand that TMEC is a competitive swim team. Your child is training to compete. It is imperative for every swimmer in competitive groups to be competing regularly. Every swimmers growth in swimming at this point is rapid. However going to a meet every weekend will be too much for anyone to maintain. Competing in one Travel Meet and our Home Meet monthly until your swimmer has achieved all his/her TMT’s is very appropriate. Once a swimmer has all his/her TMT’s then moving to just one meet a month is fine. This will allow the athlete to make significant improvements in training before the next meet. Swimmers newer to competition should compete enough to get past any competition anxieties. It is incredibly common for a new swimmer to have meet nerves. It is a huge mistake to allow those feeling to prevent any swimmer from competing. Parents, this is where you support is the key. If you have a swimmer that is reluctant to compete, the best thing you can do is to play it off as something everyone goes through in the beginning. Don’t make a big deal out of your swimmers fear of competition. That will only validate your child’s feelings and there for magnify the problem. Just be calm and get him/her past that first meet.
Expectations
Reaching for the next level and believing possible
Consistent stroke improvement
Develop good training habits
Goal setting
Understanding of relationship between training and performance
Attendance at 4 meets per season
Attendance at 80% of workouts
Group Focus Points
Ability to hold all four strokes for an extended distance depending on age and group level
Introduce faster paced training
Continued stroke technique improvement
Increased focus on competitive swimming “skills” (starts, turns, streamlines, etc)
Required Equipment
Fins
Paddles
Buoy
Bottle of water
Criteria for joining Gold Group
It is important for swimmers and parents to understand that all group advancement final decisions rest with the TMEC coaching staff. These group requirements are the guidelines and goal setting motivation for TMEC coaches and athletes but all aspects of a specific athlete (group requirements, attendance, maturity, age, physical development, technique, attitude, competitive drive) are considered during evaluations and before any group advancement is made.
When an athlete ages up from 10 & under to 11 & up the decision to place that swimmer possibly in a lower group may be appropriate. Which group is best for each individual swim will be considered. This situation will be a coach’s decision.
Required to enter 10 & under Copper Group:
Maximum Age: 10 years
Able to swim one 100 IM legally demonstrating four quality strokes and demonstrating proper technique on all turns and finishes
Needs to have competed in a minimum of 3 home meets.
Required to enter 11 & up Copper Group:
Minimum Age: 11 years
Able to swim one 100 IM legally demonstrating four quality strokes and demonstrating proper technique on all turns and finishes.
Needs to have competed in a minimum of 3 home meets.
Required to enter 10 & under Bronze Group:
Maximum Age: 10 years
Able to swim one 100 IM legally demonstrating four quality strokes and demonstrating proper technique on all turns and finishes.
10x50Free 1:15 with good technique
8x25 Fly :45 with good technique
8x25 back :45 with good technique
8x25 Breast :45 with good technique
Required to enter 11 & up Bronze Group:
Minimum Age: 11 years
Able to swim one 100 IM legally demonstrating four quality strokes and demonstrating proper technique on all turns and finishes.
8x100Free 2:00 with good technique
8x25 Fly :35 with good technique
8x25 back :35 with good technique
8x25 Breast :35 with good technique
Required to enter 10 & un Silver Group:
Maximum Age: 10 years
Able to swim one 200 IM legally demonstrating four quality strokes and demonstrating proper technique on all turns and finishes.
Minimum of two 10 & under Red time standards
10x100 Free 1:55 with good technique
10x50 Back 1:10 with good technique
10x50 Breast 1:15 with good technique
10x50 Fly 1:10 with good technique
Required to enter 11 & up Silver Group:
Minimum Age: 11 years
Able to swim one 200 IM legally demonstrating four quality strokes and demonstrating proper technique on all turns and finishes.
Minimum of two Red 11-12 time standards
10x100 Free 1:45 with good technique
10x50 Back 1:00 with good technique
10x50 Breast 1:00 with good technique
10x50 Fly 1:00 with good technique
Required to enter 10 & un Gold Group:
Maximum Age: 10 year
Able to swim one 300 IM legally demonstrating four quality strokes and demonstrating proper technique on all turns and finishes.
Minimum of two 10 & under Blue time standards
10x100 Free 1:45 with good technique
10x50Fly 1:00 with good technique
10x100Back 2:00 with good technique
10x100 Breast 2:00 with good technique
Required to enter 11 & up Gold Group:
Minimum Age: 11 years
Able to swim one 400 IM legally demonstrating four quality strokes and demonstrating proper technique on all turns and finishes.
