A solid competitive structure is a key component to the GSC’s continued success.  Based upon components that progress the swimmer developmentally and mentally, the GSC competitive structure was implemented in the spring of 2005 to provide a fair and honest way to progress swimmers through the GSC program.

Bronze Group

Objectives:
    * Develop practice structure and workout rules
    * Introduce training sets and reading clock intervals
    * Improve kicking
    * Introduce and develop the four competitive strokes
    * Learn basic swimming rules

Ages: 6-10 Years Old

Daily Training:
    * 45 Minutes, 2-4 days/week
    * There will be two Bronze groups, a Bronze 1 and a Bronze 2.
    * Both groups will be learning the same things and are in the Bronze level.
    * Bronze 1 will be practicing on Mondays and Wednesdays.
    * Bronze 2 will be practicing on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
    * This will allow for a maximum number of swimmers to join in this group.

Daily Yardage:1,000 – 1,800 yards/day

Admission Requirements:
    * 1. Proper streamline and kicking from a front floating position
    * 2. 1×25 Flutter kick from a back floating position
    * 3. 1×25 Freestyle with proper rotary breathing
    * 4. 1×50 Flutter kick with board
    * 5. 1×25 Backstroke

Attendance Requirements: No requirements for attendance in this group

Meets: Bronze group swimmers will participate in local ECSL and NCS B/C meets: 1-2 meets during the Fall (August – December); 1-2 meets during the spring season (January – March); and 1-2 meets during the summer (May – July)

Silver Group

Objectives:
    * Develop leg endurance
    * Improve stroke techniques with the GSC drill progression
    * Become proficient in freestyle
    * Introduce starts and turns
    * Emphasis is on effort over outcome

Ages: 7-10 Years Old

Daily Training: 45 Minutes, 4 days/week
Daily Yardage: 1,000 – 2,400 yards/day

Admission Requirements:

    * The ability to pass the Silver Group Stroke/Technique Skills Test: silver-group-test-set 

Attendance Requirements:

    * Silver group swimmers are encouraged to attend as many practices during the week as possible while still participating in other activities

Meets:

    * 70% of practice attendance is required during three weeks prior to the competition to participate. Silver group swimmers will compete in the ECSL league and championship meets as well as 2-3 NCS swim meets per season

Gold Group

Objectives:
* 1. Begin major aerobic development
* 2. Establish swimmers in the GSC “Ladder of Success” by emphasizing good training habits
* 3. Introduce a variety of training equipment such as stretch cords, paddles, and snorkels.
* 4. Reward high academic achievements as well as athletic accomplishments to recognize  the importance of excellence in all areas of life.
* 5. Continue leg strengthening
* 6. Master all drills used at GSC
* 7. Encourage consistency in practice attendance through goal setting
* 8. Train basic race plans for the 200 Free and “middle” of the IM
* 9. Compete in all of the competitive strokes
* 10. Develop a positive attitude about distance by racing longer events
* 11. Understand training toward championship competitions
* 12. Promote greater time standard awareness.

Ages: 9 -12 Years Old

Daily Training:
    * 75 – 120 Minutes, 5 – 6 days/week
    * Double workouts year round at coach’s discretion

Daily Yardage: 3,000 – 7,000 yards/day

Admission Requirements:
1.Selected by the Gold group coach in coordination with the Silver group coach and approved by the Head Coach.
2. Demonstrated 70% practice attendance in the Silver group is required as a minimum to be considered for the Gold Group.
3. The ability to pass the Gold Group Skills Test is required as a minimum to be considered for the Gold Group: Gold Group Skills Test 

Attendance Requirements:
Regular practice attendance becomes more important in the Gold Group. Although we still encourage the Gold swimmers to participate in outside activities, the swimmers in the Gold group should attend 80% of the practices.

Meets:
70% of practice attendance is required during three weeks prior to the competition to participate. To attend a short course championship meet, participation in 2 meets in the fall (September – December), and 1 meet in the winter (January and February) is required. To attend a long course championship meet, participation in 3 meets in the spring/summer (April – July) is required.

Senior Prep:

Objectives:
    * 1. Begin major aerobic development
    * 2. Continue leg strengthening
    * 3. Master all drills used at GSC
    * 4. Compete in all of the competitive strokes
    * 5. Introduce starts and turns
    * 6. Develop good practice habits by encouraging consistent efforts

Ages: 11+

Daily Training:
    * 75 – 120 Minutes, 5 days/week
    * Double workouts year round at coach’s discretion

Daily Yardage: 3,000 – 5,000 yards/day

Admission Requirements:
    * 1. 1×200 Free @ 3:00

    * 2. 2×100 I-M @ 2:00 with the ability to make the interval and to perform the strokes legally
    * 3. 1×100 Flutter kick with board and fins under 1:15
    * 4. 4×25 Streamline flutter kick with fins and underwater with the ability to make 3 not breathing
    * 5. 4×50 Flutter kick and no fins @1:15

Attendance Requirements: There are no attendance requirements for this group.

Meets:
* Senior Prep group swimmers will participate in local ECSL and NCS B/C meets: 1-2 meets during the fall (August – December); 1 – 2 meets during the spring (January – March); and 1 – 2 meets during the summer (May – July).

Senior Group

Objectives:
    * 1. Emphasize aerobic development
    * 2. Refine stroke techniques
    * 3. Introduce basic training principles through threshold testing.
    * 4. Emphasize the importance of distance swimming
    * 5. Begin studying swimming principles
    * 6. Develop a season plan which includes specialized event training.
    * 7. Pre-race routines and mental rehearsal.
    * 8. Encourage success at the high school regional and state meets.
    * 9. Progress from NCS JO’s to the senior state level
    * 10. Incorporate dry-land activities including water circuits.
Ages: 13 + Years Old

Daily Training:
    * 90 – 120 Minutes, 6 days/week
    * Double workouts optional year round

Daily Yardage: 4,000 – 7,000 yards/day
Admission Requirements:
Must be able to pass the Senior Group Skills Test to be considered for acceptance into the group: Senior Group Skills Test 

Attendance Requirements:
    * Senior group swimmers are encouraged to limit their participation in outside activities. 85% attendance is required to be considered for advancement to the Senior National Group.
Meets:
    * 70% of practice attendance is required during three weeks prior to the competition to participate. To attend a short course championship meet, participation in 2 meets in the fall (September – December), and 1 meet in the winter (January and February) is required. To attend a long course championship meet, participation in 3 meets in the spring/summer (April – July) is required.

National Prep Group

Objectives:
    * 1. Swimming is primary activity
    * 2. Advancement to National Group is #1 priority
    * 3. Maximize aerobic base.
    * 4. Introduce basic training principles through threshold testing
    * 5. Introduction to traveling and rules.
    * 6. Outline long term goal setting and develop season and yearly training schedules.
    * 7. Time budgeting.
    * 8. Teach pain tolerance and overcoming barriers.
    * 9. Emphasize the importance of negative spitting and distance swimming.
    * 10. Compete in 200’s of strokes and the 400 IM
    * 11. Pre-race routines and mental rehearsal.
    * 12. Learn refined racing strategies
    * 13. Begin “studying” swimmers principles.
    * 14. Develop leadership skills and team pride.
    * 15. Formalized dry-land training.

Ages:11-14 Years Old

Daily Training:
    * 75 – 120 Minutes, 6 days/week
    * Double workouts required year round at coach’s discretion
Daily Yardage: 4,000 – 10,000 yards/day

Admission Requirements:
1. Selected by the National Prep group coach in coordination with the Gold group coach and approved by the head coach.
2. Demonstrated 85% attendance in the Gold group is a minimum requirement to be considered for the National Prep Group.
3. The ability to pass the National Prep Group Skills Test is a minimum requirement to be considered for the National Prep Group – National Prep Skills Test

Attendance Requirements:
85% of practice attendance is required over any three week evaluation period to participate in the National Prep Group.

Meets:
* The National Prep Group swimmers are expected to swim at all of the GSC team meets as selected by the coaches, including team travel meets. Participation in the Championship meets is mandatory for the National Prep group swimmers unless otherwise decided by the coaches.

National Group

Objectives:
1. Establish yearly training schedules and 2 – 4 year development planning
2. Proven leadership skills, team pride and overall positive attitude.
3. Train specialty strokes.
4. Must have the desire to earn Division 1 college swimming scholarship.
5. Travel 2-3 times per year as a team, including out of state.
6. Must have the ability to final at the senior state championships and USA Sectional meets with ultimate goal of placing swimmers at the national championships.

Ages: 13 + Years Old

Daily Training:
 * 90 – 120 Minutes, 6 days/week
 * Double workouts mandatory year round

Daily Yardage:
 * 4,000 – 12,000 yards/day

Admission Requirements:
1. Admissions into the Senior National group at GSC is limited and selected by the head coach.
2. Minimum consideration for participation in the Senior National group is the ability to pass the   Senior National Group Skills Test – National Group Skills Test
3. Demonstrated 85% practice attendance in the National Prep or Senior group is minimum consideration for participation in the National group.

Attendance Requirements:
85% of practice attendance is required over any three week evaluation period to participate in the National Group.

Meets:
The National Group swimmers are expected to swim at all of the GSC team meets as selected by the coaches, including team travel meets. Participation in the Championship meets is mandatory for the National group swimmers as decided by the coaches.