Academy Squads

This is the section of the club where most swimmers start with their competitive swimming career.

At CoCSC, this is where the fundamental development of skills and techniques are taught and improved upon, to allow swimmers to continue their progression and development through the club. With a strong technical foundation that they will then build upon.

The Academy squads focus solely on the fundamental skills. As a coaching team and a club we look to offer each swimmer the opportunity to develop the skills to allow them the opportunity to reach their individual full potential as they progress through to Age group and Senior swimming.

All swimmers within the Academy squad structure will be between the ages of 7–11 years. The progression from the Academy through to the Performance programme will be based upon a collection of attributes, such as skill, performance, technique and enthusiasm to progress through the structure and develop competitively long-term, attendance at training sessions, behaviour and 100 and 200 IM times swum at time trials.

Progression through all Academy squads will be under the discretion of the squad coach and in agreement with the Head Coach.

Academy 3

Academy 3 swimmers should already have a basic understanding of all four legal strokes and looking to develop their legal competitive starts and turns and be able to perform these consistently in training and racing. The main focus will be to continue to develop great skills, technique and body position.

Swimmers at this level should be competing at the Mini Meet series and Club Championships at all strokes.

Academy 2

Academy 2 will require swimmers to have a good understanding of all four legal strokes and should be consistently performing legal competitive starts and turn skills. The main focus for these swimmers will be the continual development of their technique and body position and consistency demonstrating skills in training. Aerobic development will be introduced at this stage.

All swimmers should be competing and taking part in the Mini Meet series and Club Championships. At this stage, swimmers should be qualifying for and entering/competing at Level 4 and Level 3 swim meets, including selected-team Meets/Galas as advised by the coaching team. This is key for practising skills and technique in a competitive setting.

Academy 1

This is the top level of the CoCSC Academy Programme. Swimmers will be competing at Level 2/3 and Level 4 swim meets. This will include Mini Meet series, Club Championships, County Championships and any selected-team Meet/Gala’s.

Swimmers will have a good understanding of all 4 strokes, skills and turns including Individual Medley. The focus will remain on the continual development and improvement of individual skills and technique to achieve a competitive standard. The amount and frequency of aerobic development will increase within this stage.

Swimmers from this squad can potentially then be offered an opportunity to move into the CoCSC performance squads. If this opportunity is not taken up or offered, then a position in the Club squads will be offered to allow swimmers to continue their development and involvement with swimming.

With the Academy Programme, the coaching team will strive to provide the best possible environment, resources and knowledge for all swimmers to learn the fundamental skills to allow each swimmer the best opportunity to reach their long-term full potential.