Rookie Squad     Coach: Samantha Williams

Training Sessions and Location:

Age criteria:   Females 7-11

           Males 7-12

Attendance: Rookies have 4 hours (3 sessions) per week of training.  Swimmers will need to attend a minimum of 2 sessions per WEEK to be considered for promotion.

Focus areas: Technique and Skills:  In this squad technique will be worked on in every session with the inclusion of drills early in the session; additional focus will be put on improved stroke technique, stamina, and overall performance.  Swimmers will acquire the necessary skills at an increased rate to develop natural stroke techniques to create the least resistance in the water (streamlined).

Discipline: A swimmer’s behaviour, ability & attitude toward training will be taken into consideration and will be a deciding factor as to whether a swimmer progresses to the next squad.  Swimmers must also demonstrate good lane discipline and courtesy towards other swimmers in the lane.

Swimmers in this squad should be able to:

• Swim with efficient style and technique on all four strokes
• Complete a set lasting 400m (eg 16x25)
• Perform correct starts, turns, finishes in all strokes
• Understand and use a pace clock for swim rest
• Have an awareness of the rules of the sport 
• Perform basic stretching exercises 
• Swim a 100IM with legal strokes/turns and finish 

Training Targets to achieve to be considered for promotion to Bronze:

1. Perform snap start and SL consistently to 5m, with efficient transition to full stroke in Free/back and fly
2. Perform snap start and SL into correct breaststroke pull out, with efficient transition into full stroke.
3. Complete consistent turns in all strokes including efficient IM Turns
4. On a consistent basis, be able to complete all 4 strokes with a legal and effective technique.
5. Perform a racing start from the blocks
6. Perform a backstroke start
7. Complete 1x100IM sub 2:00mins with legal strokes and turns.
8. Swim 400m under 9 mins as a continuous swim maintaining turns and technique.  
9. 8 x 50 Fc @ 1.10

Swimmers must also be:

• Competing in our annual Club Championships, Medway Championships (10+ ) and Open meets
• Attending club competitions when required e.g. White Horse League, Millennium league, National Arena League etc

NOTE: THESE ARE GUIDELINES, AND ARE AT THE COACH’S DISCRETION.