ICE Practice Groups – Criteria & Standards - Fall 2008

Frost – Age Group (Novice)

Pre-Competitive / Developmental group.  Must have Red Cross Level 5 skills for consideration and be 7 years of age or older.  Swimmers must know how to swim freestyle with alternate breathing for 50 yards and be able swim backstroke for over 25 yards.  They should also have a basic understanding of the breaststroke.  Focus is on stroke development in all four strokes, turns, skill work, and fun.   Three workouts per week are recommended with a limit of four.  Duration in water is for about 45min. each workout.                        

Cubes – Age Group (Intermediate)

Competitive Age-Group #1.  Focus is on further stroke development and IM training emphasizing more fitness and technique work.  Swimmers must have attained at least 3 USA-S 10 & Under ‘BB’ times in at least two different strokes.  Three workouts per week are required with a limit of four per week.  Water time is around 1hour.

Waves – Age Group (Advanced)

Competitive Age-Group #2.  This group is geared towards those age-group swimmers aiming at higher level meets who have swam at the ISI Championships a couple of times and wish to further commit to faster swimming and more rigorous training.  Swimmers must have attained three ISI 11-12 ‘Q’ times in two different strokes.   Athletes are required to attend at least four workouts per week with a limit of five workouts. Water training time is around 1 hr. and 30 min.

Morays / Pre-Senior Group: 13 years of age and over ONLY

This group is designed with emphasis on racing, seasonal training methodology, and mental training.  Swimmers need to have attained three USA-S 13-14 ‘A’ times and / or have at least one year of high school swimming in the past 8 months to be considered for this group.  Four workouts per week are required and at least one meet per month during the regular seasons.  There is a limit of six workouts per week.  Seasonal commitment is required for this group.  Jr. High swim team participation is banned and High School swimming team membership is encouraged at this level.  Water time is between 1.5 to 2.5 hours per workout for the weekdays and 3 hours on Saturdays. 

Eels / Senior Group: 14 years of age & over ONLY

This is a national level year-round training group.  Focus is on specialty work, dryland training, and development for Regional / National level USA-S meets. Participants must achieve at least two USA-S 15 & Over AAA times and be over 13 years of age to be considered for membership into this group.  Swimmers are required to attend at least 7 of the 9 workouts offered per week and must sign a contract with the Head Coach that outlines commitment levels and goals for each season.  Time goals include Zones / Sectionals / and National level meet cut times as well as aspirations of swimming at the college and/or professional level . Water time is between 1.5 to 2.5 hours at PM workouts and 3 hours on Saturdays.  Morning workouts (during the school year) are around one hour long. Swimmers must fully attend the highest level of USA-S meet they have qualfied for each season.   

 

**All groups are also decided through coach’s discretion.  No swimmer will move up to a new group after mid-season.**