The BAC athlete practice progression model is designed for the total athlete physically, mentally, and emotionally for long-term success.
Early stage emphasis is to develop technique and a love for the sport
A gradually increasing commitment is essential and required as the athlete moves up in practice levels.
Given the age and ability appropriate amounts of practice, skills, drills, and aerobic conditioning are used to prepare for long term success as a swimmer & a person.
Swimmers are trained as a whole, meaning one stroke and distance is not favored over another.
Practice Level Assignments:
Before placing an athlete in a practice level, the following criteria are considered:level of commitment, practice attendance, training ability, stroke & skill development, level of maturity & responsibility, age and previous experience, meet performance and best times, space availability, and meeting entrance requirements.
Often parents want what is the most convenient for their schedule, this however is not the most beneficial for the success of the athlete or the team.
Practice Level Promotions:
Meets attendance expectations for current group / demonstrates the commitment to meet attendance requirements for next level.
Consistently trains above the level of the current practice group.
Has mastered stroke and skill expectations of current practice group.
Fits age and experience parameters of the next training level.
Demonstrated a willingness tocompete and train at the the next level.
There is a 30 day trial period at the new level / coaches will determine if the athlete is mentally and phyiscally able to meet expectations of higher level.
If a swimmer meets the entrance criteria of the next level, it is not a guarantee they will move up / the objective requirements as well as subjective criteria of the coaches will determine a promotion.
Practice Level Demotions:
The following situations will cause a practice level demotion.Please note, demotions are not permanent.
Not willing to make the meet participation commitment of the practice group.
Attends practice less often than group requires.
Not training successfullyon the required time intervals.
Needs injury rehabilitation.
Has seasonal sport or other activity conflicts.
Level 1(formerly Developmental)
Entrance
Requirements
Training
Team
Participation
Focus
Age
5 - 10 years of age
Practices
Attend2 - 3 practices per week
1 hour sessions
Maintains 70% attendance for the month
Competitions / Meets
Encouraged to participate in one meet per season
Typically these are one day meets
Talks to coach before and after races
Participate in team cheers
Practices
Increasing efficiency of freestyle and backstroke
Learning breastroke & butterfly kicks
All 4 strokes emphasized
Properly uses a kickboard & pull-buoy
Use drills, games, and demonstrations
Technique / Skills
Swim 25 m of freestyle with face in water
Swim 25 m of backstroke
Demonstrate sitting or kneeling dive
Demonstrate neutral position on both stomach and back
Can tread water for 1 minute
Promotion
Is at an ongoing individual basis
With coach’s recommendation
Swimmers must be able to meet the entrance requirements for the novice level
Parents
Participate in the HOME team volunteer program
6 volunteer credits earned per swim year
Social
Good listening skills and follows directions
Respect for others, facility, equipment
Knows teammates and coaches names
Other
Possess proper swimwear and goggles
Training Sets / Times
Can complete a 50 freestyle with rhythmic breathing
Can complete a 50 backstroke
Can complete a 100 alternating freestyle & backstroke
Other
Participate in swim-a-thon
Participate in intersquad meets
Participate in team fund-raisers
Attends team meetings as required
Team
Knows 1 BAC cheer
Level 2(formerly Novice)
Entrance
Requirements
Training
Team
Participation
Focus
Age
6-12 years of age
Practices
Attend 2-3 practices per week
1 hour sessions
Maintains 70% attendance for the month
Competitions / Meets
Encouraged to participate in one meet per season
Typically these are one day meets
Talks to coach before and after races
Participate in team cheers
Competes in all races offered in their age group
Practices
Learn freestyle flip turns
Learn breaststroke and butterfly
Skills and drills for all strokes
Start, turn, and finish techniques will be introduced & used
Streamline off of walls
Uses backstroke flags
Can circle swim
Technique / Skills
Swim 50 m freestyle with rotary breathing
Swim 50 m backstroke
25 m breaststroke kick
25 m butterfly kick
Swim 100 m continuously
Demonstrate a standing dive/start from edge
Promotion
Is at an ongoing individual basis
With coach’s recommendation
Swimmers must be able to meet the entrance requirements for the white group
Parents
Participate in the HOME team volunteer program
6 volunteer credits earned per swim year
Social
Respectful of others, facility, and equipment
Leaves 5 secs. apart
Knows teammates and coaches names
Other
Possess proper swimwear and goggles
Training Sets / Times
Can complete a legal 25 of each stroke
4 x 25s of free @ :40
4 x 25s of back @ :45
4 x 25s alternating breast & fly @ :50
Can complete 100 free
Other
Participate in swim-a-thon
Participate in intersquad meets
Participate in team fund-raisers
Attends team meetings as required
Team
Knows 1 BAC cheer
Level 3(formerly White)
Entrance
Requirements
Training
Team
Participation
Focus
Age
8-12 years of age
Practices
2-4 practices per week
1 hour and 15 minute sessions
Maintains 70% attendance for the month
Ideally 3 days per week minimum
Competitions / Meets
Participated in at least 1 short course and 1 long course meet while in developmental/novice groups
Participate in at least 3 meets per year
Talks to coach before and after races
Participate in team cheers
Knows their best time in 2 events
Understands USA time standards
Competes in all races offered in their age group
Practices
Endurance building
Legal starts, turns, finishes for all strokes
Intro to interval training sets
Leaves 5 secs. apart
Starts and finishes at wall
Swim entire set-doesn’t walk on bottom, stop, counts accurately
Streamlines off of all walls
Technique / Skills
Swim 50 m freestyle w/alternate breathing pattern & backstroke w/proficient form
Swim 25 m of legal breaststroke & butterfly
Demonstrate a dive / start off the blocks
Demonstrate freestyle & backstroke flip turns
Promotion
Is at an ongoing individual basis
With coach’s recommendation
Swimmers must be able to meet the entrance requirements for the red group
In the novice group for 2 seasons-1 short course & 1 long course
Parents
Participate in the HOME team volunteer program
15 volunteer credits earned per swim year
Social
Respectful of others, facility, and equipment
Respect others space in practice – knows that splashing & touching others is inappropriate
Knows teammates and coaches names
Encourages and motivates teammates regularly
Other
Possess proper swimwear and goggles
Training Sets / Times
Can complete:
4 x 50s free @ 1:15
4 x 50s back @ 1:15
4 x 50s alternating breast & fly @ 1:30
2 x 100 IM @ 1:30
4 x 100 free @ 1:50
2 x 100 stroke @ 2:00
1 x 200 free @ < 3:30
Other
Participate in swim-a-thon
Participate in intersquad meets
Participate in team fund-raisers
Attends team meetings as required
Team
Knows 1 BAC cheer
Knows 1 younger & 1 older team member
Sets goals
Level 4(formerly Red)
Entrance
Requirements
Training
Team
Participation
Focus
Age
9-14 years of age
Practices
2-4 practices per week
1.5-2 hour sessions
Uses water bottle at practice
Maintains 80% attendance for the month
Ideally 3-4 days per week
Competitions / Meets
Participated in at least 2 meets while in white group
Participate in at least 2 meets per season
Attend the highest level of meet qualified for (districts, state, etc.)
Talks to coach before and after races
Participate in team cheers
Knows their best time in 3 events
Understands USA time standards
Competes in all races offered in their age group
Practices
Learn IM turns
Improve stroke mechanics
Pace & interval sets regularly used
Uses streamlines & appropriate stroke break-outs
Lead lane as requested
Starts and finishes at wall
Swim entire set as directed
Swim entire set-doesn’t walk on bottom, stop, counts accurately
Proper breathing patterns off walls and starts
Uses pull-outs and dolphin kicks off walls
Understands how to build swim sets
Technique / Skills
Swim 100 m freestyle w/ alternate breathing pattern& backstroke w/legal turns Swim 50 m of breaststroke w/pull-out
Swim 50 m of butterfly
Swim 200 IM
Demonstrate a dive / start off the blocks
Demonstrate freestyle & backstroke flip turns
Promotion
Is at an ongoing individual basis
With coach’s recommendation
Swimmers must be able to meet the entrance requirements for the blue group
In the white group for 2 seasons – 1 short course & 1 long course
Has BB or higher times in free & 2 other strokes
Parents
Participate in the HOME team volunteer program
20 volunteer credits earned per swim year
Social
Respectful of others, facility, and equipment
Rescpect others spacein practice - knows that splashing & touching others is inappropriate
Leaves 5 secs. apart
Encourages and motivates teammates regularly
Congratulates others at meets
Other
Possess proper swimwear and goggles
Training Sets / Times
Can complete:
4 x 50s free @ 1:05
4 x 50s back @ 1:05
4 x 50s breast or fly @ 1:15
4 x 100 free @ 1:45
4 x 100 stroke @ 1:50
2 x 200 free @ 3:20
1 x 200 IM @ < 3:30
1 x 400 free @ < 6:00
Other
Participate in swim-a-thon
Participate in intersquad meets
Participate in team fund-raisers
Attends team meetings as required
Team
Knows 2 BAC cheers
Knows 2 younger & 2 older team member
Demonstrates proper meet behavior
Sets goals based on USA time standards
Level 5(formerly Blue)
Entrance
Requirements
Training
Team
Participation
Focus
Age
10-14 years of age
Practices
4-6 practices per week
1.5-2 hour sessions
Uses water bottle at practice
Maintains 80% attendance for the month
Ideally 5 days per week
Competitions / Meets
Participated in at least5 meets while in red group
Participate in at least 3 meets per season
Attend the highest level of meet qualified for (districts, state, etc.)
Talks to coach before and after races
Participate in team cheers
Knows their best time in 5 events
Understands state time standards
Competes in all races offered in their age group at least once
