PRACTICE GROUP DESCRIPTIONS
COPPER (2 practices/week @ 30 minutes/practice)
- Seasonal Entry group only for ages 12 & Under
- Entrance Requirement: A comfortable and USA Swimming legal, 25-yard swim of both freestyle (with rotary breathing) AND backstroke
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, developing breaststroke, streamlining, lane etiquette (circle swimming), and competitive starts
BRONZE (4 practices/week @ 40 minutes/practice)
- Entry-level / Light Competitive group for ages 12 & Under
- Entrance Requirement: A comfortable and USA Swimming legal 25 of freestyle (with rotary breathing), backstroke, and breaststroke
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, developing butterfly, racing starts from the blocks, and competitive turns
SILVER (5 practices/week @ 1 hour/practice)
- Entry-level Light Training and Competitive group for ages 12 & Under
- Entrance Requirement: A comfortable and USA Swimming legal 25-yard swim of all four competitive strokes
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, competitive turns and IM transitions, competitive starts, the IMR / IMX events posted by USA Swimming, building toward legal 50 of each stroke and a 100 IM
SILVER Plus (5 practices/week @ 1 hour 10 minutes/practice)
- Light Training and Competitive group for ages 12 & Under
- Entrance Requirement: A comfortable and USA Swimming legal 50 of all four competitive strokes, a 100 IM, and knowledge of competitive starts, turns, and IM transitions
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, starts, turns, the IMR / IMX events posted by USA Swimming, and building toward a legal 100 of each stroke and 200 IM
GOLD (5 practices/week @ 1 hour 20 minutes/practice)
- Moderate Training and Goal Setting Competitive group for ages 9-12 years of age.
- Entrance Requirement: USA Swimming legal 100 of all four competitive strokes, 200 IM, and competitive starts, turns, and IM transitions
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, starts, turns, the USA Swimming IMX events, completing all age available events, and a legal 200 of all four strokes
GOLD Plus (5 practices/week @ 1 hour 30 minutes/practice)
- Slightly Advanced Training and Goal Setting Competitive group for ages 9-12 years of age.
- Entrance Requirement: USA Swimming legal 200 of all four competitive strokes, 200 IM, and competitive starts, turns and IM transitions
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, starts, turns, the USA Swimming IMX events, completing all age available events, 500 free, and 400 IM
PLATINUM (5-6 practices/week @ 1 hour 40 minutes hours/practice)
- Advanced Training and Goal Setting Competitive group; for ages 10-14 years old.
- Entrance Requirement: A legal 200 of all four competitive strokes, 400 IM, and a 500 free
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, starts, turns, the USA Swimming IMX events, and completing all age available events multiple times per season
PLATINUM Plus (5-8 practices/week @ 1 hour 50 minutes hours/practice)
- Advanced and Complex Training and Goal Setting Competitive group; for ages 10-14 years old
- Entrance Requirement: A legal 200 of all four competitive strokes, 400 IM, and a 500 free
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, starts, turns, the USA Swimming IMX events, and completing all age available events multiple times per season
JUNIOR ELITE (6-8 practices/week @ 2 hours/practice)
- PACK’s Elite Age Group Training and Goal Setting Competitive group; for ages 11-14 years old.
- Entrance Requirement: Head Age Group Coach approval and current coach recommendation, high practice attendance percentage, full meet participation, all age available events completed, strong training/work ethic, and internal SWIMMER-driven motivation
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, starts, turns, the USA Swimming IMX events, and completing all age available events multiple times per season
SENIOR (5-8 practices/week @ 1.45 hours/practice)
- Base Level Senior (high school) training and competition group
- Entrance Requirement: A legal 100 of all four competitive strokes, 200 IM, and a 500 free. Swimmers may only enter this group AFTER their 8th grade year
- High level of training, work ethic, and maturity; average training yardage of 5000 – 6500 per practice
- Goal meets are Gulf age-specific Champs
- Focus is on stroke mechanics and technique, starts, turns, the USA Swimming IMX events, and completing all age available events multiple times per season
PRE-NATIONAL ELITE (8-10 practices/week @ 2 hour/practice)
- Senior Elite Training and Performance group for High School Aged
- Entrance Requirement: Based on Head Coach approval, current coach recommendation, present group attendance, test set performance, work ethic, and internal SWIMMER-driven motivation and personal responsibility. Swimmers may only enter this group AFTER their 8th grade year
- Supervised by certified strength and conditioning instructors, athletes are introduced to weights
- Training, nutrition, recovery, and team responsibility are athlete’s primary focus
PRE-NATIONAL ELITE PLUS (8-10 practices/week @ 2-2.5 hours/practice)
- Senior Elite Training and Performance group for High School Aged.
- Entrance Requirement: Based on Head Coach approval, current coach recommendation, present group attendance, test set performance, work ethic, and internal SWIMMER-driven motivation and personal responsibility. Entry criteria is the following:
- Must achieve at least 1 Sectional Bonus cut OR 3 USA Swimming Motivational ‘AA’ cuts for age group. 14&Under swimmers must achieve 15-16 ‘AA’ cuts. In addition, a swimmer must have spent at least one FULL season in the Pre-National Elite group. If BOTH of these requirements are met, the swimmer is eligible for Pre-National Elite Plus.
- Supervised by certified strength and conditioning instructors, athletes are introduced to weights
- Members are expected to be at all team functions
- Training, nutrition, recovery, and team responsibility are athlete’s primary focus
NATIONAL ELITE (8-10 practices/week @ 2-3 hours/practice)
- The Premier Training and Performance group of Premier Aquatics for High School Aged.
- Entrance Requirement: Athlete must have Head Coach approval, have at least 2 Sectional swims OR 1 Junior National cut, and display intense, internal SWIMMER-driven motivation and personal responsibility
- Focus on making Junior National, Senior National and Olympic Trials qualifications
- Supervised by certified strength and conditioning instructors, complex strength and conditioning with weights is a critical component of training program
- Members are expected to be the leaders of the team in every aspect with participation on at least one PACK committee and attendance at all team functions
- Training, nutrition, recovery, and team responsibility are athlete’s primary focus
updated 7/25/24
