Squads
· Novice (Snappers and Terrapins)
· White
· Blue
· Green
· Senior
TTSC uses a “progressive” age group program designed to develop the swimmer physically, mentally and emotionally in a systematic fashion. A well-defined, long-term approach of gradually increasing the degree of commitment is essential to reach peak performance levels during a swimmer’s physiological prime. The emphasis in the early stages of participation is placed on developing technical skills and a love for the sport. In the later years, a more demanding physical and psychological challenge is introduced to the training program. “Too much too soon” is more often the cause of failure to achieve maximum potential in senior swimming than the reverse situation.
TTSC training groups contain swimmers who are compatible with respect to abilities, commitment levels and goals. Swimmers progress through training groups at different rates.
The coaching staff makes training
group assignments and advancements in accordance with the swimmer’s physical,
mental, and emotional level of development.
There are
5 levels: Novice, White, Blue, Green and Senior.
The Novice group is for new
or inexperienced swimmers. It is
further divided into two groups: Snappers
and Terrapins. The Snappers group is an
entry-level group generally for swimmers who are new to competitive swimming,
or who are inexperienced. As swimmers
become more accomplished, they will move from the Snappers to the Terrapins. Both Novice
groups focus on stroke technique. The Novice swimmers generally practice three
days per week for 45 minutes each day.
White group swimmers spend most of their time working
on refining stroke mechanics. These
swimmers have started to exhibit good swimming skills and will be introduced to
some training skills and processes.
They generally practice five days per week for 1 to 1 ˝ hours each
day.
Blue group swimmers exhibit good swimming
skills. At this level, swimmers begin
to spend more time on training sets and building endurance. Stroke techniques continue to be
stressed. Most of the swimmers in the
Blue group are between the ages of 10 and 13.
They generally practice six days a week for 1 ˝ to 2 hours each
day.
Green group swimmers are well versed in technique and
strategy. Most of the swimmers in the
group are 13-14 years old. Workouts for
the Green group are often six days a week and usually last one and one half-hours
each day.
Senior group swimmers are swimmers who exhibit a high
level of swimming and work ability.
These swimmers are expected to be mature, dedicated, responsible, and
dependable. Senior group swimmers typically have the same practice schedule as the
Green group, but also swim five days a week in the morning before school.
The goal of TTSC is to insure optimal training
conditions for all levels. The coaching
staff has developed the following criteria for moving swimmers from one level
to the next. Meeting the criteria below
makes the swimmer a candidate
for the next level, but does not necessarily guarantee immediate movement to
the next level. Movement to the next
level is also dependent on space availability in that group.
·
Practice Attendance - Swimmer must be making at least 5-6 days of
practice each week.
·
Attitude - The swimmer must consistently show good work
ethics and a willingness to challenge themselves on a daily basis.
· Minimum Age
- The swimmer must be at least 13 years of age.
·
Swimmers must be dedicated to attending 11 (eleven) practices per week;
morning practice Monday through Friday, evening practice Monday through Friday
and Saturday morning practice. Senior
swimmers whom are involved in another High School sport are forgiven the
afternoon practice as it is assumed that they are attending another sport
practice at that time. Swimmers in the
Senior group are typically A to A+ swimmers.
Training sessions are the most important aspect of competitive swimming. Consistent training is needed to progress through the team training groups. Training schedules are designed to provide only slightly more time than is required for a swimmer to accomplish this. Therefore, it is important that each swimmer attend as many practices as possible in order to derive the full benefits of the program.
Pool availability is TTSC’s most limited resource. TTSC trains at the Tigard Swim Center pool and the Tualatin Swim Center. The swim club practice schedules vary from year to year and change during the course of the year depending on other demands for pool time.
General training schedule calendars which typically cover several months are placed in the swimmer’s family folder. Occasionally, most of a practice group may be attending a meet or some other event, which results in a practice change or cancellation. In this event, swimmers are notified of the change during prior practices.
The short course training season extends from
September through mid-March. Typical
practice schedules follow:
Novice: Three - 45 minute practices per week
White: Five practices per week from 1 to 1˝ hours.
Blue: Five 1˝ - 2 hour evening practices Monday
through Friday and one 1˝ hour practice Saturday morning
practice.
Green and Seniors: Five 1 1/4 hour practices per morning Monday through Friday before
school. At times there will be weight
practices instead of swimming two mornings per week. Green Group members gradually add the morning practices as they
transition to the Senior Group.
Five 1˝ hour practices per weeknight, Monday
through Friday, and one 1˝ hour practice Saturday morning.
The long course training season extends from April
through Mid-August. The schedule is
similar to the short course season, though the times may vary slightly. Also, in the summer, the senior and green groups have some practices
at the Mountain Park Pool, located in Lake Oswego.
There are training breaks between the long and short course seasons to allow the swimmers and coaches to rest. These breaks typically occur from late March to early April (approximately one or two weeks depending on swimmer’s final meet) and from mid-August, until after school starts.