The Elmbrook Swim Club consists of twelve (12) different training groups to accommodate the various abilities and commitment levels of our athletes. Movement between groups is based upon the below Training Group Progression with the final placement based upon the professional judgment of the coaching staff. Swimmers moving from the Age Group Program (12&U) into the Senior Program (13&O) will need to meet minimum requirements.
EBSC 12&U Training Group Progression - HERE
EBSC 13&O Training Group Progression - HERE
As swimmers move through / join the program these are criteria the staff feel are important for our athletes to develop as they mature through the program. The Training Group structure allows both athletes and parents to have a better grasp of what the Elmbrook Coaching Staff is looking for when assigning training groups.
In addition to these guidelines there are multiple factors that influence an athlete’s group placement. Some of these can easily be explained or quantified, while others may be influenced by coaching instinct or experience.
Training ability and technique (Does your swimmer practice at the same level he/she races, make the technical changes asked by the coach?), Leadership (Are the swimmer’s actions positively influencing others in the group?), Commitment (Practice attendance, meet participation, priority of the sport), Maturity (Chronological age, physiological age, ability to deal with change, and emotional development), Dryland (physical literacy).
An athlete’s group placement only indicates a floor, not a ceiling! Each group has minimum guidelines for placement (the floor) but does not have a limit on any swimmer’s achievements (the ceiling). Swimmers in (2) subgroups are sometimes faster than those in (1) subgroups for example.
Group placement in NO WAY communicates a coach’s / club’s belief about a swimmer’s future success or value. Upward group movement is not meant to be a reward / value judgement, but rather a next step in development.
Some of Elmbrook’s best swimmers spent (spend) considerable time in certain groups gaining the experience that would allow them successful in our highest-level training groups when they got older.
Regardless of what training group, as a rule of thumb, the more you attend practice, the more benefit and enjoyment the athlete will receive.
