Age Group (Bronze, Silver, and Gold)

Welcome to the Age Group information page. The Bronze, Silver, and Gold groups are the third, forth and fifth levels within the ECSC team structure, all of which are referred to as Age Group.

Age requirement 8-14

Swimmers entering the Age Group level must complete the ‘Goals of the Dolphin Group’ highlighted above (or equivalent), plus three of the following five:

-10x50 @ 1:00 or 5x100s 2:00
-8x25 @ :40 IM order
-Swim under 1:30 in 100YD Freestyle
-Swim under 1:50 in 100YD IM
-Kick 1x50 with fins under :50
-Able to do all flip turns
-Basic understanding of all 4 strokes
-1x100 IM

These groups transition swimmers from being introductory competitive swimmers to more experienced competitive swimmers, developing skills necessary for success as they progress through Age Group to the Senior group.

To develop the skills needed, we encourage swimmers to:
- Consistently improve their stroke technique
- Grow up in the sport trying to be their best
- Be a part of a team atmosphere
- Enjoy meets
- Make goals and attempt to attain them
- Make friends with their teammates
- Enjoy swimming
- Want to come to practice!

As early as possible in an athlete’s swimming career, it is important to understand that while the swimmer is still growing, he or she will continue to improve with average or even poor stroke techniques. Once an athlete stops growing, he or she often has trouble swimming faster if the development of their technique has not been important from the beginning.

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.

One final note before detailed descriptions of the groups: Children who make a solid foundation of friends at the Age Group level of the program are more likely to stay involved with competitive swimming.

Looking down the road, people who swim competitively through college consistently yield the highest average academic standards in comparison to all other sports and in the general student population – nationwide! There may be something to this!

 

 

Bronze Group

Swimmers in the Bronze group are encouraged to attend 3-5 practices per week.

Character Development

Sportsmanship
-Respectful of parents, other swimmers, other swim teams, and coaches.
-Understands lane etiquette
-Respectful of Meet Officials
Social and Personal Skills
-Respectful of other swimmer’s space in practice
-Shows respect for the facility and equipment
-Knows that splashing or touching other swimmers is inappropriate
-Follows all directions from coach
Team Commitment
-Knows two older ECSC swimmers
-Has learned one ECSC cheer

Objectives for the Bronze Group

-Improve fluidity in turns and push-offs
-Improve dive and backstroke entry into water
-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 how they affect teammates in general
-Create a core group of ‘training friends’
-Sit with friends and teammates at swim meets
-Listen to coaches

SILVER GROUP
Age requirements- ages 9 through the end of 8th grade
Silver Swimmers encouraged to attend 5-6 practices per week.
Practice Requirements- Swimmer must be able to complete:
10x100 freestyle @1:45
4x200IM 4:00
3x100s K 2:15
Legal 400IM
8x100 (stroke of choice- other than freesyle) @2:20

Character development
Sportsmanship
-Respectful of Meet Officials
-Understands lane etiquette
-Congratulates teammates regularly during practice and competition
-Demonstrates proper meet behavior (i.e. not throwing cap, goggles, etc)
-Treats teammates, coaches, and parents like he/she would like to be treated.

Social and Personal Skills

-Respectful of other swimmer’s space in practice
-Knows that splashing or touching other swimmers is inappropriate
-Respectful of pools, locker rooms, team equipment and other swimmers property
-Swimmer is not influenced by the negative behavior/actions of teammates
-Leaves five seconds apart

Team Commitment
Knows two older ECSC swimmers
Has learned three ECSC cheers
Commitment to attending end of year championship meet if qualified
Knows of one Olympian and his/her best events

Expectations in Training Technique
-Completion of a legal 200 IM with transition turns
-Comprehension of streamlining and dolphin kicking off of walls
-Can perform a breaststroke pull out
-Racing history in every event available
-Show willingness to learn
-Kick 1x50 under :40 with fins
-Completion of a legal 100 in each stroke

Expectations of Training Knowledge
-Accurately counts practice distances and repetitions in sets
-Understands how to descend and build
-Understands the importance of race strategy
-Efficient starts and finishes at the wall

External Training Factors
Nutrition
Brings water bottle to every practice
Understands the importance of good pre-meet meals
Understands what a healthy snack is
Time Management
Informs coach of practice absences and reasons
Understands the importance of rest
Stress Management
Prioritizes school work, social activities, and other commitments including swimming

 

GOLD GROUP

Age requirements- Minimum age of 12
Attendance: Gold Swimmers are encouraged to attend 5-8 practices per week, two of which should be mornings.
Practice Requirements- Swimmer must be able to complete:
15x100 freestyle @ 1:30
8x100 any stroke @ 1:50
6x200 IM @ 3:15
5x100s k 2:00

Character development
Sportsmanship
-Respectful of Meet Officials
-Congratulates teammates regularly during practice and competition
-Demonstrates proper meet behavior (i.e. not throwing cap, goggles, etc)
-Treats teammates, coaches, and parents like he/she would like to be treated

Social and Personal Skills

-Respectful of other swimmer’s space in practice
-Knows that splashing or touching other swimmers is inappropriate
-Respectful of pools, locker rooms, team equipment and other swimmers property
-Swimmer is not influenced by the negative behavior/actions of teammates
-Leaves five seconds apart

Team Commitment
-Knows five older ECSC swimmers
-Has learned three ECSC cheers
-Commitment to attending end of year championship meet if qualified
-Knows of one Olympian and his/her best events

Expectations in Training Technique
-Can complete a legal 150 of each stroke
-Can complete a legal 400 IM with transition turns
-Has a grasp of streamlining and dolphin kicking off of walls
-Can perform a breaststroke pull out every turn on a 200
-Begin to actively improve distance per stroke

Expectations in Racing
-Can race in every distance, every stroke available over duration of season
-Can use underwater fly kicking as a tool in racing
-Knows his/her best times
-Understands the importance of race strategy
-Improve proficiency in turns

Expectations of Training Knowledge
-Knows how to descend and build
-Sets season goals
-Starts and finishes at the wall
-Develop leadership skills

External Training Factors
Nutrition
-Brings a water bottle to every practice for proper hydration
-Understands the importance of proper pre-meet meals
-Understands what a healthy snack is
Time Management
-Informs coach of practice absences and reasons
-Demonstrates proper rest habits
Stress Management
-Prioritizes schoolwork, social activities, and other commitments including swimming.

Bronze, Silver and Gold

Practice Information

Workouts are offered five days a week. There is no practice attendance requirement for this group, but the recommended attendance is as follows:

Age Years of USA Swimming Experience Weekly workout number
8 1-3 3
9 1 3-4
9 2 4-5
10 1 3-4
10 2-3 4-5
11 1-2 4
11 2+ 4-6*
12 1-2 4-5
12 2+ 4-6*

*6th workout will be with the senior group (on coach’s approval) if only five workouts are offered for your group.

If you cannot attend the prescribed number of practices, please attend at least three workouts per week for improvement in stroke technique, comfort in the water and camaraderie with teammates, and ‘feel’ of the water.

Practice duration for the Bronze group is approximately 1-2 hours. For Silver and Gold, practice duration is approximately two hours.

Practice is broken up differently depending on the day of the week. Three days a week, we offer practices that include fifteen minutes of stretching and one hour and thirty minutes in the water. The other three days of the week, practices include fifteen minutes of stretching, thirty minutes of dryland, and one hour of swimming.

Workout Time Schedule

Schedules are posted on the ECSC website. Check regularly for updates on the website for workout cancellations (eugenecityswimclub.org)

Competition Schedule

Check the meet information section of the ECSC website for meet schedule information, as well as our team newsletter.

Communications with the Coach

When you join the club or make changes to your regular email address, please send your current email address to teamecsc@yahoo.com and thoke@comcast.net.

The majority of club communication is done through email and web postings.

Newsletter ‘updates’ and team information are posted at our team website (eugenecityswimclub.org)

If you would like to speak individually with your coach, contact them via email and ask for a meeting.

Please do not stop coaches when they are leaving, and expect long conversations regarding your swimmer. Coaches have families and other obligations just like you. Please make arrangements for a personal meeting.

Please do not speak with coaches during practice, as this time is dedicated to the kids. Please make arrangements for a personal meeting.

Training Equipment

For equipment and apparel, please contact JD Pence

Required Training Equipment:
-Fins (soft rubber in appropriate shoe size)
-Water bottle (water preferred, but a mixture of 50% juice/50% water is okay)
-Pull buoy
-Warm hat and gloves for dry-land and after workout- especially in the winter
-Running shoes
-Appropriate dry-land attire for any weather
-Speedo Swimsuit
-Goggles (two pair)

Optional Training Equipment
-Mesh bag to hold equipment
-ECSC cap
-Speedo backpack
-Strokemaker hand paddles (#1 or #2)

Competition Apparel

Required:
-Team Speedo suit
-ECSC cap (silicon or latex)
-ECSC t-shirt (if directed by coach)

Optional:
-Any ECSC apparel

Billing Questions

Please email teamecsc@yahoo.com

Billing address:
ECSC, Inc
PO Box 70661
Eugene, Or 97401

 

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