RAINDROPS- Level 1 (Learn To Swim Competitively)
Must be able to swim the length of the pool once without extreme difficulty in order to be accepted to the program.
Level A- 11&12 year old novice
Level B- 9&10 year old novice
Level C- 8& under novice
Introduction to competitive swimming. Will focus on learning freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke as well as an introduction to starts and turns. Basic water safety and lane etiquette will also be learned. Must complete the beginner level program in order to become a part of the
Competitive FTSC team. Dual meets will be required, but participation in invitational meets will be prohibited unless suggested by the coaching staff.
To be run in 8 weeklong sessions 3 days per week. Sessions will be held from April to October.
STORM- Level 2 Entry level competitive swimmers
Level A- 10 & under with at least one “C” level time
Level B- 11 & 12 year old advanced beginners
Level C- 10 & under advanced beginners
Will focus on attaining a basic knowledge of all strokes, including butterfly and will learn to swim and IM.. Strong emphasis on learning proper stroke technique and legal strokes, starts, turns and finishes.
Three practice days per week. Minimum 25% of scheduled invitational meets with 1-2 events per day participation. Participation in any available dual meets is mandatory.
THUNDER-Level 3 Intermediate level competitive swimmers
11& 12 “C” level times/ 10 & under “B” times
Swimmers have a basic mastery of all strokes. Will focus on a continued improvement in technique, learning basic interval sets, and begin to train to swim moderate distance events. There will also be focus on improving times in all events.
3 practice days per week.
Minimum 75% of scheduled invitational meets with minimum 3-4 events per day participation. Participation in any available dual meets is mandatory.
LIGHTNING-Level 4 Upper intermediate level competitive swimmers
Level A- 10 & under divisional level and beyond
Level B- 11& 12 “B” level times
Swimmers have a basic mastery of all strokes as well as competitive times in multiple events. Will focus on a continued improvement in technique, learning basic interval sets, and begin to train to swim moderate distance events.
4 practice days per week.
Minimum 75% of scheduled invitational meets with minimum 3-4 events per day participation. Participation in any available dual meets is mandatory.
FLASHES-Level 5 Advanced level competitive swimmers
Level A- 13 & over State qualifiers and beyond
Level B- 13 & over Divisional qualifiers
Level C- 11 & 12 year old Divisional Qualifiers and above/advanced 13 &
over swimmers who are near Divisional Championship times.
Swimmers have a high level mastery of strokes. Will focus on achieving perfect technique, heavy training, and holding fast intervals during training.
5 days per week practice.
Early morning practice 3 days per week when available. All invitational meets are required, swimming the maximum number of allowed events per day. Championship meets are required as well.
Practices
- Swimmers are expected to attend at least 75% of all regular season practices. Coaches are to be informed as to the reason for the swimmer’s absence.
- Swimmers are expected to be at practices and be ready to get in the pool at the designated time. That means that swimmers will probably need to be here early to get changed, stretched, and equipment ready (including having cap and goggles on).
- Swimmers arriving late, or not working out to their fullest potential, will be given penalty yards at the end of practice (i.e. 500 yd swim for swimmers in the Gold group).
- Swimmers are expected to pay attention to their group’s coach or any FTSC coach when directions, instructions, corrections, etc. are being given. If a swimmer does not understand what a coach is saying, the swimmer is expected to let the coach know so it can be repeated or restated.
- Swimmers are expected to be respectful, polite, and courteous to all the FTSC family, including other swimmers, coaches and parents.
- Swimmers are expected to give their best effort (speed and technique) during every practice.
- Swimmers are expected to treat all equipment (kickboards, paddles, flippers, etc. ) with care and put them back in the proper storage location at the end of practice.
- Swimmers will be allowed one bathroom and drink break during practice at the coach’s discretion.
- Swimmers are not to be in the stands and parents will not be present on the deck, unless it is an emergency.
- Swimmers are expected to exit the pool immediately at the end of practice and will have 10 minutes to use the locker room.
- Parents are expected to be at the pool ready to pick up their swimmer within 10 minutes of the practice schedule ending time. Note: Parents of swimmers in the Bronze group are strongly encouraged to stay and watch their child from the stands. This helps give confidence to the young, beginning swimmer.
Swim Meets:
- Swimmers are expected to attend at least the following amounts of meets:
- Raindrops None
- Storm 3 invitationals and CISA championship
- Thunder 7 invitationals and CISA championship
- Lightning 7 invitationals and CISA championship
- Flashes All invitationals and CISA championship
- MS Team Same as Thunder
- HS Team Same as Storm
- Swimmers will designate on Meet Sign up sheets which days they are available to participate in each meet. Individual events will be chosen by the coaches, and fees will be deducted from your prepaid Meet Fund.
- Swimmers are expected to arrive at the meet at the proper time for warm-up and be ready to get in the pool at the designated time. This means that swimmers will probably need to be at the pool early to get changed, stretch, and have all equipment (goggles, cap etc.) ready.
- Swimmers are expected to wear their team attire (unless wearing a speed suit to obtain championship times).
- Swimmers are expected to follow the coaches’ instructions during warm-up and for meet procedure.
- Swimmers are expected to know their events and seeding and be on time to swim their events. This information can be obtained from the coaches prior to warm-up.
- Swimmers are expected to follow up with their coach after each swim to discuss their performance.
- Swimmers are expected to support their other teammates and to be respectful to other teams competing at the meet.
- Parents are expected to encourage their swimmers and support the team.
- At any home meet, at least one adult representative from each family is expected to be and active member of a club committee to help promote, enhance and improve the club.
*For High School, and Middle School swimmers competing in other School sports and/or swimming, IHSAA participation rules will be followed and practices or games in other school sports will take precedence during their scheduled season, just inform your coach as to your schedule.
Penalties
Swimmers not following practice or meet requirements will face the following consequences:
- First Offense: Verbal warning from coach
- Second Offense: Dismissal from practice/meet
- Third Offense: Meeting with parent, swimmer and coach
- Fourth Offense: Dismissal from the team, no refund
Coaching Responsibilities
The coaches’ job is to supervise the entire competitive swim program. The FTSC coaching staff is dedicated to providing a program for youngsters that will enable them to learn the value of striving to improve oneself—“to be the best that you can be”. Therefore, the coaches must be in total control in matters of training and competition.
- The coaches are responsible for placing youngsters in practice groups. This is based on the age and ability level of each individual. When it is in the best interest of a swimmer, he/she will be placed in a more challenging training group by the coach.
- Sole responsibility for stroke instruction and the training regimen rests with the FTSC coaching staff. Each group’s practices are based on sound scientific principles and are geared to the specific goals of that group.
- At meets, the coaches will conduct and supervise warm-up procedures for the team. After each race, the coaches will offer constructive criticism regarding the swimmers performance. (It is the parent’s job to offer love and understanding regardless of their child’s performance.)
- The coaching staff is constantly updating and improving the FTSC program. It is the swimmers’ and parents’ responsibility to make the most out of the excellent opportunity this program provides for success in swimming.
If a coach is not performing their responsibilities to the best of their abilities, please request a meeting with that coach and the Board of Directors to discuss the matter.
Coaches perform additional responsibilities for our club. Our club consists of mixture of volunteer and paid coaches.
- All coaches have incredible knowledge of the sport and have been active participants and coaches for several years.
- Coaches regularly attend coaching clinics and read related articles and keep current certifications in CPR (yearly), First Aid, and Coaches Safety Training (3 year certification).
- At least one coach is present at every meet.
- Coach Vicki is responsible for data entry on all meet entries, results, proving times at championship meets, running the HY-Tek system when meets are hosted, meet set-up (events, entry procedures, etc.), practice schedule, swimmer registration of initial batch, swimmer data entry, CISA committee and meeting representative, overseeing the organization, pool supervision.
Other volunteers:
- Jennifer Mrozinski (Board President) - oversees organization, HOD meeting representative, end of season awards, team merchandise orders.
- Leanne Retherford (Board Vice-President) - scheduling of lifeguards, serves as back-up lifeguard.
- Sue Boor (Treasurer) - collecting fees, paying meet entry fees, bills, lifeguard payroll, budgets, expenses and income.
- Christian Frederick (Board Secretary) - Meet entry sign-up sheets and information, record keeper for Board of Director’s meetings.
- Dave Nadler (Director of Communications) - www.ftswimming.org website administrator.