◊ Group Discriptions

Swimming in a League of Our Own

Indiana Swimming • American Swim Coaches Association • United States Swimming • Pannell Swim Shop

P.O. Box 61 ~Huntingburg, In. 47542 ~ e-mail

Swimming with SARG is, "Knocking on the Door to GREATNESS"!

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Accomplishments

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Training Groups

Fees

Team Organization:

Swim Lesson Groups

We offer swimming lessons for children wishing to learn to be safe and competent swimmers and may need some additional training on the basics. We hold lessons year round, and they are open to all age levels interested in learning. They are (30) minute long classes and are set up with no more than (3) children at a time with the classed based on ability.

Pre-Ally Group

Pre-Ally’s are swimmers who are not quite ready for traveling competition, but have progressed to a stage in their swimming development to be a regular member of a swimming program. They are working to become a regular competitor. The Pre-Ally group will be the base for the future stars of SARG. Pre-Ally’s will practice (3) times a week focusing on the basics of stroke development, and additional competence in the water. This group will be required to swim at SARG hosted meets. Other competition will be available when the Pre-Ally coaches determines each swimmers readiness. The pre-requisite to enter this group is for swimmers to be able to complete one length of the pool in any fashion unassisted.

Ally Group

This group is designed for the new swimmers ready for some competition. In this level, the focus is placed on developing proper technique. The swimmer should be able to swim backstroke and freestyle the length of the pool with ease. This group will focus on the development of the four competitive strokes (freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke), and introduce the turns for all four strokes. Most of the advanced new swimmers will fall in this group. A pre-requisite to enter the “Alley” group is for the swimmer to be able to complete a 50 yard freestyle, a 50 yard backstroke, and know the basics of breaststroke. (Which does not have to be legal!)

Pre-Gator Group

This group is for swimmers who have mastered the basics of the four competitive strokes and are ready to begin a more structured training group. In the Pre-Gator group swimmers will refine all four strokes, starts, turns, and finishes. Swimmers in this group will also begin learning the training terms that will be used in the Gator group, as well as, start monitoring and setting intervals on their own. Swimmers in the Pre-Gator group will learn to keep accurate pace with the pace clock and show dedication to training and personal achievement in the classroom and the pool. A swimmer must be at least 8 years old to enter this group. The swimmer must be able to complete the following sets to move to this group.

Test Set:

10 X 50 Free @ 1:10

and

4 X 100 Free @ 2:15

Gator Group

This group is a training group where emphasis will be placed on the development of all energy systems, as well as racing strategies. Swimmers in this group should be willing to dedicate more of their time to swimming and most will need to be at least 11 years old. Workouts will be developed to produce efficient swimmers and regular practice attendance is a must. While the focus will be training, technique will be continually refined. Swimmers in this group should be willing to commit to 90% practice attendance to reach their potential and receive the most effective training possible. There is a test set that must be completed before advancement to the Gator group.

Test Set:

10 X 100 Free @ 1:45

and

5 X 100 IM @ 2:00

Masters Group

We may be offering a Masters swimming program this fall and winter season. This would be for adults wanting to swim for fitness. It is going to run on a trial basis. As our #1 goal is to give the SARG Age Group kids a chance to prepare for the championship seasons, we will try to set aside time for the Masters group after the #1 goal has been met. If it doesn’t work out the program may be discontinued.

As a swimmer’s level of swimming ability increases so does his/her responsibility. The program is designed to encourage all swimmers to be Senior Swimming bound. As swimmers improve there is a deep commitment that requires great effort on all parts. A swimmer has responsibilities to the team, the coach, his/her parents, and most importantly to themselves. Swimmers need to prepare themselves for a 100% effort each time they come to practice.

See the SARG Fees page for group fees.

SARG Training Groups

WHY SWIM?

The USA Swimming age group swimming program is America’s largest program of guided fitness activity for children. Age group swimming builds a strong foundation for a lifetime of good health, by teaching healthy fitness habits.

Physical Development

Swimming is considered the ideal activity for developing muscular and skeletal growth by many physicians and pediatricians. Why do doctors like it so much?

Swimming develops high quality aerobic endurance, the most important key to physical fitness. In other sports, an hour of practice may yield as little as 10 minutes of meaningful exercise. Age group swimming teams use every precious minute of practice time developing fitness and teaching skills.

Swimming does a better job in proportional muscular development by using all the body’s major muscle groups. No other sport does this as well.

Swimming enhances children’s natural flexibility (at a time when they ordinarily begin to lose it) by exercising all of their major joints through a full range of motion.

Swimming helps develop superior coordination because it requires combinations of complex movements of all parts of the body, enhancing harmonious muscle function, grace, and fluidity of movement.

Swimming is the most injury-free of all children’s sports.

Swimming is a sport that will bring kids fitness and enjoyment for life. Participants in Master’s Swimming programs are still training and racing well into their 80’s.

Intellectual Competence

In addition to physical development, children can develop greater intellectual competence by participating in a guided program of physical activity. Learning and using swimming skills engages the thinking processes. As they learn new techniques, children must develop and plan movement sequences. They improve by exploring new ideas. They learn that greater progress results from using their creative talents. Self-expression can be just as much physical as intellectual. Finally, their accomplishments in learning and using new skills contribute to a stronger self-image.