Squad 3 Coach: Lauren Kennedy

Criteria for entry to Squad 3

Attendance and Attitude

• At least 3 out of 4 morning sessions and all 3 evening sessions, unless specific, reasonable reasons
• Good attitude towards swimming, all coaching staff, warming up and punctuality

Technique and Skills

• 4 competitive strokes: all starts, turns and finishes as per SASA laws
• Beginning to execute Individual Medley swimming
• Basic knowledge of competition rules
• Use of sculling techniques to aid swimmers ‘feel’ for the water and to aid skill acquisition
• Continuous steady relaxed swimming over increasing distances as technique allows, with introduction to interval training
• Introduction to basic swimming speed for distances of 2m and 5m
• Ability to complete all three tests sets (endurance, skill and speed)

Training Competencies

• Use of pace clock for starting, resting, timing swims,
• Lane swimming discipline: order, direction, overtaking,
• Use of Equipment: goggles, floats, flags, flippers, pull buoys, kickboards
• Awareness of effort: steady, acceleration, fast finish, descending
• Maintenance of technique: smooth and controlled strokes
• Capable of undertaking warm-up exercises on land
• Capable of 6 land exercises with own body weight

Continuous Swimming

Holding stroke pattern with even pace and relevant skills

1. 400 Freestyle
2. 200 Backstroke
3. 200 Breastroke
4. 100 Individual Medley
5. 500 Butterfly

Sculling

Showing a good knowledge of at least 4 different sculling positions (e.g. head and feet first, pine/supine, hands by side)

Interval Training: Holding stroke pattern with legal skills

• Front crawl - 4 x 100m with 20 seconds rest
• Backstroke/ Breaststroke - 4 x 50m with 15 seconds rest
• Butterfly - 6 x 25m on: 45seconds

Kicking Practises: Ability to kick with and without a board

• Front crawl - 4 x 75m on 2:00
• Breaststroke - 6 x 50m on 1:30
• Backstroke - 6 x 50m on 1:20
• Butterfly - 4 x 50m on 1:20