Squad criteria
Academy (Stages 6 & 7) follows the Swim England "Learn to Swim" framework.
Below is the criteria for each squad. Select the squad name to jump to the specific criteria:
Academy, Development 8, Development 9, Development 10, Competitive 1, Competitive 2, Performance 1, Performance 2, Excel 1, Excel 2, Fast track
Academy - 45 minutes
1. Push & glide then swim 25 metres backstroke
2. Push & glide then swim 25 metres front crawl
3. Push & glide then swim 25 metres breaststroke
4. Push & glide then swim 25 metres butterfly
5. Perform a standing dive
6. Scull (feet or head first) for 5m
7. Perform a forward somersault
8. Tread water for 30 seconds
9. Swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke
10. Swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes
Development 8 - 1 hour
1. Complete a set lasting 400m on a specific turn around time
2. Swim 200m continuously using one stroke
3. Streamline push-off then kick 25m backstroke with streamline arms (no board)
4. Push off then kick 25m breaststroke with a board
5. Streamline push-off then kick 25m butterfly with streamline arms (no board)
6. Push off then kick 25m front crawl with a board
7. Perform a legal backstroke tumble turn (minimum 5m in and out)
8. Perform a legal breaststroke turn with a pull-out that includes half a butterfly kick before or during the pull phase (minimum 5m in and out)
9. Perform a legal butterfly turn (minimum 5m in and out)
10. Perform a legal front crawl tumble turn (minimum 5m in and out)
11. Perform a racing dive (track or grab start) then kick 5m streamline butterfly kick underwater
12. Introduce shoulder width catch-up front crawl drill
13. Introduce shoulder rolling in Backstroke using kick drills
Development 9 - 1 hour
1. Complete a set lasting 800m on a specific turn around time
2. Swim 400m continuously (one or a mix of strokes)
3. Swim a continuous 100m Individual Medley using legal turns and stroke techniques
4. Perform a streamline underwater butterfly kick on front from a push & glide (minimum 5m and maximum 15m)
5. Perform a backstroke start (butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater to at least 5m) and then transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m
6. Perform a front crawl start from a dive (butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater to at least 5m) and then transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m
7. Perform a butterfly start from a dive (butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater to at least 5m) and then transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m
8. Perform a breaststroke start from a dive (pull-out underwater – as per Development 8 standards) and transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m
9. Perform correct shoulder width catch-up front crawl drill
10. Perform Backstroke kick drills to emphasise shoulder rolling
11. Introduce breathing every 2 strokes, rhythmically, for butterfly
12. Introduce breaststroke drills that encourage and emphasise the gliding phase
Development 10 - 1 hour
1. Complete a set lasting 1200m on a specific turn around time
2. Swim 800m continuously (one or a mix of strokes)
3. Perform a continuous 100m Individual Medley kick with/without a kick board (expected standards as per Development 8)
4. Swim a continuous 200m Individual medley with legal turns and stroke techniques
5. Perform a legal front crawl relay take over: - as an incoming swimmer and outgoing swimmer
6. Regularly perform 5 fly kicks underwater off every relavant start and turn, throughout a training session
7. Perform butterfly drills breathing rhythmically every 2 strokes
8. Perform 5 fly kicks underwater off every start and turn, throughout a training session, regularly
9. Perform gliding during breaststroke
Competitive 1 - 2 sessions of 1 hour plus land training
1. Perform all strokes and IM turns correctly with 8 fly kicks under water where applicable
2. Introduction to stoke counting
3. Understand catch for all strokes
4. Know and perform key stroke techniques e.g. high elbow during Front crawl pull, accelerated whip Breaststroke kick, breathe every 2 for 25m fly, accelerated Backstroke pull
5. Perform key stroke drills
6. Swim regularly in galas if selected
7. Compete in the annual club championships to include a range of strokes and distances
8. Aim for County qualifying times
9. Perform 50 Fly to competition standard
Competitive 2 - 3 sessions, 4 hours total plus land training
1. Perform 10 fly kicks underwater off all turns where applicable
2. Know all of your counts for each stroke
3. Know how to reduce stroke counts and what target stroke counts are
4. Demonstrate hip and shoulder driven Front crawl
5. Aim for a range of County times in different strokes and distances
6. Enter open meets and County champs if qualified
7. Use the pace clock to keep track of your training times and rest times
8. Introduction to race pace training
9. Perform 100 Fly and 400 IM to competition standard
Performance 1 - 4 sessions, 6 hours total plus land training
Performance 1 is where your journey through the Senior squads begins. Emphasis will be on commitment, participation and learning to train for longer periods at a higher level developing cardiovascular fitness through technique and drill training.
You will have ambitions to achieve County and Regional times and increase participation in open meets. You will increase awareness of quality speed training and be introduced to technique performance regulators which will include poolside core and strength training. You will also learn about the national rankings system and how to set achievable goals.
- Ambition for County and Regional times
- Increase participation in open meets and target specific meets and galas
- Commit to all weekly training sessions where possible
- Set and train towards goals
- Develop cardiovascular fitness through technique and drill training
- Increase awareness of quality speed training
- Be aware of your position in national rankings
Performance 2 - 5 sessions, 7.5 hours total plus strength and conditioning
The Performance 2 squad is an alternative to the Excel pathway.
This squad is for swimmers who still desire to train regularly and love to improve on technique and performance. You will have County and Regional goals. In Performance 2 there will be a commitment to Strength and conditioning to improve power, flexibility and aerobic conditioning. You will learn how to set goals and plan strategies to achieve those goals, with an aim to improve your National Rankings in all four strokes.
- Committed to swimming as a priority sport
- County and Regional qualification goals
- Increase participation in open meets and target specific meets and galas
- Evaluate goals and update
- Develop intensity in training
- Commit to strength and conditioning sessions
- Aim to improve national rankings all strokes
Excel 1 - 6 sessions, 8.5 hours total plus strength and conditioning
This squad is goal orientated and ideally you will have already achieved at least one Regional qualifying times. You will be hungry to achieve and improve. Along with strength and conditioning training, the objective is to be the best you can in the sport of swimming. There will be a lot of quality controlled resistance pace swimming.
Filming of race performance will enable better goal setting through technique and race analysis. There will be more emphasis on visualisation, goal setting, nutrition, homework time management, team building, race strategy and race preparation.
You will be targeting open meets and aiming to race specific swimmers on national rankings.
You will learn about swimming and training by listening to Olympic coaches and athletes. Learning also about how swimming has developed into its most recent coaching philosophies.
Members of this squad will be an Ambassador for the Club - demonstrating the professional attitudes expected of a swimmer at this level and acting as an example to swimmers in other squads.
- Goal orientated
- Hard working
- Ambition for Regional qualifying times and National rankings
- Committed to swimming as a priority sport
- Resistance training
- Regular attendance at land training
- Regular participation in open meets and target specific meets and galas
- Specific technique goals
- Be the best you can be
- Be an ambassador for the Club - set the right example for junior swimmers
Excel 2 - 6 sessions, 9 hours total plus strength and conditioning
Expectations as for Excel 1, will be the more senior members, 14 years and above with access to 10 hours of training (9 pool, 1 land) along with filming analysis. The training will become more specific and tailored towards individual goals. Greater emphasis on speed, strength training and explosive power. The aim is for National times and medals in Age Group, Senior and Masters swimming. Working with the coach on new ideas and training methods to continue to develop speed in our senior athletes.
Members of this squad will be an Ambassador for the Club - demonstrating the professional attitudes expected of a swimmer at this level and acting as an example to swimmers in other squads.
- Goal orientated
- Hard working
- Have achieved East Midlands times now aiming for Nationals
- Committed to swimming as priority sport
- Resistance training
- Regular attendance at land training
- Regular participation in open meets and target specific meets and galas
- Target racing specific individuals at open meets
- Top 100 National Rankings
- Be an ambassador for the Club - set the right example for junior swimmers
1. Perform all development stroke drills
2. Perform all legal starts and turns
3. Perform a 200IM with legal turns
4. Complete a set lasting 1200m on a specific turn around time
5. Swim 800m continuously (one or a mix of strokes)
6. Perform a legal front crawl relay take over: - as an incoming swimmer and outgoing swimmer
Performance 3 - 3 one hour sessions
This squad is for swimmers who still desire to train regularly and love to improve on technique and performance. Enjoy competing and have ambition to work hard and improve all four strokes and skills. You will have awareness of quality speed training and have a good understanding of perceived effort. You may have goals you want to achieve at County and Regional level.
- Participation in meets and galas if selected
- Be prepare to focus and work in training
- Develop intensity in training
- Aim to improve performance in all strokes
Masters - ages 18 - 99+yrs - 2 one hour sessions
We have masters swimmers with capabilities ranging from development of strokes to competing at Master Nationals. We also have masters who train in this squad who compete in open water and triathlons.
Masters also have the option to increase their pool time and commitment and join one of our performance squads
