AGE
GROUP
Objective
and Goals
The Age
Group program is the second step in the MAG program.
Objective: This group transitions swimmers from
introductory competitive swimmers to more experienced
competitive swimmers who will have the capability of being
successful in the MAG Junior program.
To develop the skills needed to progress through this point
of the MAG age group program: (yes, you have seen this
before)
- Swimmers will consistently improve their stroke technique
- Swimmers will grow up in the sport trying to be their
best
- Swimmers will be a part of a team atmosphere
- Swimmers will enjoy meets
- Swimmers will make goals and attempt to attain them
- Swimmers will make friends with their teammates
- Swimmers will ENJOY swimming!
-
SWIMMERS WILL WANT TO COME TO PRACTICE!
As early as possible in an athlete’s swimming career, it is
important to understand that athletes will continue to
improve with poor or average stroke technique while they
are growing. Once athletes stop growing, they often have
trouble swimming faster if their technique is not
exceptional. Good practice attendance and attitude at an
early stage in an athlete’s swimming career can go a long
way in ensuring long-term success. Swimming is a learned
response sport, just like Pavlov’s dog. So the more often
good training habits are repeated, the sooner they become
habit and the swimmer can move on to the next skill.
One final note before detailed descriptions of the groups:
Children who make a solid foundation of friends at the
Firstmate and Age Group level of the program are more
likely to stay involved with competitive swimming. In
looking down the road, people who swim competitively
through college consistently yield the highest average
academic standards in comparison to all other sports and
the general student population – nationwide! There may be
something to this!
Workouts
Workouts
are offered five days a week. There is no practice
attendance requirement for this group, but the recommended
attendance is 3-4 practices a week
We feel you need to attend at least three workouts per week
to see improvement in stroke technique, comfort in the
water and with their teammates, and ‘feel’ of the water.
Practice duration is approximately 2 hours.
One hour and thirty minutes of that time will be spent in
the water. Thirty minutes will be dedicated to dryland.
Requirements
to enter Age Group
Swimmers
entering the Age Group level must complete the ‘Goals of
the Firstmate
Group’ highlighted above (or equivalent), plus three of the
following five:
- 10x50@ 1:00
- 8x25@ :40 IM order
- Swim under 1:30 in 100YD freestyle
- Swim under 1:50 in 100YD IM
- Kick 1x50 with fins under :50
Goals
of Age Group
- Swim
400IM legally
- Race in every distance, every stroke available over
duration of season
- Achieve 11-12 year old NE AG time standards
- Improve fluidity in turns and push-offs
- Improve dive and backstroke entry into water
- Learning good practice habits
- Better understanding of using the pace clock to
facilitate training.
- Begin learning how to manage effort and intensity through
practice
- Learn and improve goal setting skills
- Improve on controlling attitude and focus within workout
and understand that they affect teammates
- Create a core group of ‘training friends’
- Sit with friends and teammates at swim meets
- Listen to coaches!
Training
Equipment
For
equipment and apparel, please contact Varsity Swim Shop
(www.varsityswim.org).
Required Training Equipment:
- Water bottle (mixture of 50% juice/ 50% water)
- Running shoes
- Appropriate dry-land attire for any weather
- Jammer swimsuit (no board shorts for boys)
- Goggles (two pair)
- MAG blue cap (required for anyone with long hair)
Competition
Apparel
Required:
- MAG team suit
- White MAG cap (silicon or latex)
- MAG t-shirts (1 gray and 1 blue)
- Swimmers in the Age Group are not to purchase "special
suits" for championships
Regular cut team suits are appropriate for competition.