Gold Squad      Coach: Richard Skirving (interim)

Training Sessions and Location:

Age Criteria:      Females 11 - 14

              Males 12 - 15

Attendance:

Performance has 11.5 hours (6 sessions) per week training. Swimmers will need to attend 4 sessions (and going forward, land training) per WEEK in order to develop the stamina and technique required for promotion into Elite.

Focus areas – Volume coupled with Technique and Skills:

Within this squad, swimmers will progressively extend the volume of training. Training volume becomes a critical factor influencing long-term development therefore, there must be a leap in attendance and commitment to achieve this goal.

The training to train period is entered by swimmers who have mastered the skills of all four strokes.

Whilst the emphasis is on training volume, attention is still paid to stroke through drills and progressively increasing intensity. Swimmers will start to learn about basic race / competition tactics and mental preparation; this will include elements such as nutrition and hydration.

Discipline:

Swimmers behaviour, ability & attitude toward training and competing will be taken into consideration and will be a deciding factor as to whether a swimmer progresses to the next squad. Swimmers will also need to demonstrate good lane discipline and courtesy towards other swimmers in the lane.

Swimmers in this squad will be expected to be able to swim the following:

1. 16 x 100 Freestyle @ 2:00
2. 12 x 100 IM @ 2:30 or 12 x 100 butterfly @ 2:30 or 12 x 100 Backstroke @ 2:20 or 12 x 100 Breastroke @ 2:40
3. 10 x 25 @ 30 seconds
4. T1000 target sub 18 minutes

Training targets to achieve to be considered for promotion to Elite:

1. 20 x 100 Freestyle @ 1:40
2. 16 x 100 IM @ 2:00 or 16 x 100 butterfly @ 2:00 or 16 x 100 Backstroke @ 1:50 or 12 x 100 Breastroke @ 2:15
3. 10 x 25 @ 25 seconds
4. T2000 target sub 28 minutes

NOTE: THESE ARE GUIDELINES, AND ARE AT THE COACH’S DISCRETION