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Common Ground
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Training Groups |
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ACE is committed to teaching all of the fundamental skills and technique of swimming. Swimmers are taught to master the basic and intermediate skills with an emphasis on technique over training. Swimmers will be put into the different practice groups determined by the coaches. The decision will be based on many things, primarily stroke technique, age, training ability, and number of swimmers we have in each group. Coaches will have the final decision on where the swimmers fit best. Parental input is always welcome. The ACE coaching staff feels strongly that the most important determinant in placing a swimmer in a training group is that they are getting the appropriate stroke instruction; it is harmful for swimmers to start training at a higher level if their strokes are not correct. This will result in practicing the wrong thing! Following are the training groups into which swimmers may be placed: Blue: This group includes all high school-aged and select middle school-aged swimmers. Blue group focuses on training at high school and pre-college level while still maintaining the finer details of correct technique. *This group dissolves and most members automatically become "inactive" when Nebraska State High School swimming season starts. If there are high school swimmers on ACE who do not swim for a high school, arrangements will be made for them to train with another group at that time. Middle school swimmers who train with this group will become part of the Green group once the high school season starts. Green: This group will focus on continuing to fine-tune stroke technique and other skills while developing important aspects of competitive swimming such as race strategy and goal setting. Swimmers will train at a level aimed at preparing them to be competitive members of a high school swim team. Orange: Swimmers in this group will already be competent in all four strokes and will focus on developing these strokes to a competitive level. Swimmers will also be introduced to the other aspects of competitive swimming such as starts, turns, and relay exchanges. Purple 1: Swimmers in this group may have minimal swim team experience. The group will focus on introducing all four strokes, starts, and other core swimming skills. The minimum requirement for this group is the ability to swim one length of the pool under their own steam (without stopping for rest) with correct side breathing. We approach this requirement as a safety issue; we are looking to see that the swimmers will be strong enough to participate in our practices. Purple 2: There is only a slight distinction between Purple 1 and Purple 2, which is based on technique and strength. Most of the swimmers who comprise Purple 2 will be nearly ready for the Orange group strength-wise but may need some additional technique work on one or more strokes. The group will focus on introducing all four strokes, starts, and other core swimming skills. |
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