Overview:

Our goal at CLSC is to help our athletes reach their full potential over what we hope will be a long, successful, and enjoyable swimming career. We believe in giving our swimmers a thorough foundation in the fundamentals in the sport, complete with in-depth instruction and individualized attention, before bringing in rigorous conditioning, speed, and endurance development once athletes become more experienced. Our practice groups are structured so that athletes can get instruction and training that is best suited for them no matter where they are in their development. We take great care in the group placement of our athletes with their long-term success in mind. Should you have questions about any of the groups, or about an athlete’s placement within those groups, please contact the coaching staff.

While regular attendance at practice is strongly encouraged in order to help athletes progress, CLSC does not have minimum requirements for the number of practices or meets attended.

Developmental Group:

Our Developmental group is for kids who have learned the basics of swimming (through a learn-to-swim program or private lessons) and want to become competitive swimmers. Developmental swimmers learn the fundamentals of competitive freestyle and backstroke, racing starts and turns, and proper practice etiquette in an organized environment that is also laid back and fun! Developmental swimmers do not compete in external meets with the team, but they may have an opportunity to participate in an intramural setting at our home pool (based on pool availability and swimmer interest).

Swimmers must be able to complete 50 yards of continuous freestyle with rotary (side) breathing and 25 yards of backstroke to be considered for this group. The Developmental group offers practices five times per week in the fall, winter, and spring, and 4 times per week in the summer (Developmental practices last for one hour).

Blue Group:

The Blue group gives swimmers the building blocks for a successful competitive career! Instruction in technique and fundamentals for all four competitive strokes is the main focus of this group. Conditioning and speed work are also introduced, as swimmers prepare for more rigorous training at higher levels (while still keeping practices engaging and fun). Swimmers are also introduced to competition as they represent the team at swim meets throughout the season. The Blue group is further divided into two sub-groups, with one focusing primarily on freestyle and backstroke, and the other focusing on breaststroke and butterfly.

Swimmers must be able to complete 100 yards of continuous freestyle with rotary (side) breathing and 50 yards of “legal” backstroke (i.e., within the confines of USA Swimming rules), to be considered for this group. Because athletes in the Blue group compete in meets with the team, these athletes should also be able to perform racing starts and flip turns (or it must be determined by the coaching staff that the athletes will be able to master these skills before the first meet of the season). The Blue group offers practices five times per week in the fall, winter, and spring, and 4 times per week in the summer (Blue practices last for one hour).

Orange Group:

The Orange group introduces athletes to more rigorous training, while still continuing to refine swimmers’ technique. Practices are longer and have higher volume and intensity, as athletes build up speed and endurance. Swimmers are introduced to more advanced training concepts, such as holding race pace during a training set or maintaining a certain kick count off the wall throughout a swim, and the coaching staff educates the athletes about goal-setting and delayed gratification. While the atmosphere at practice is kept light and enjoyable, swimmers are expected to focus and work diligently towards achieving their goals. Training for this group is organized around peak performance at end-of-season/championship meets.

Swimmers must be technically proficient in all four strokes (“legal” according to USA Swimming rules, no major fixes needed), and must have a strong grasp of starts, turns, streamlines, and under-waters to be considered for this group. They also must have strong endurance, so that their technique does not break down during longer and more intense practices. Finally, athletes must have excellent lane etiquette and pace-clock reading skills, as well as the maturity to take on more challenging training. The Orange group offers practices five times per week in the fall, winter, and spring, and nine times per week in the summer (practices range from 1.5 hours to 2.25 hours in duration).

Roman Group:

The Roman group is for high-school-age athletes who display a serious commitment to swimming. This group has a similar focus to that of the Orange group with an even further increased emphasis on conditioning. Goal-setting and commitment are further explored in this group, as the athletes prepare for success at end of season/championship meets at the local, state, and national level. This group is a great fit for athletes who are looking to swim at the varsity level in either high school or college and want to transition to that level successfully!

Swimmers must be of high school age, and have a strong grasp of stroke technique (“legal” according to USA Swimming rules, no major technique fixes needed), starts, turns, and underwaters to be considered for this group. They also must have strong endurance, so that their technique does not break down during longer and more intense practices. Finally, athletes must have excellent lane etiquette and pace-clock reading skills, as well as the maturity to take on challenging training. The Roman group offers practices five times per week in the fall, winter, and spring, and nine times per week in the summer (practices range from 1.5 hours to 2.25 hours in duration).