COMPETITIVE SWIMMING

Competitive Structure

Dolphin Swimming Club is a club that encourages a level of excellence and enjoyment across all levels. We recognise swimming as a fantastic and inclusive sport that maintains optimum levels of fitness and can be used as a vehicle through which athletes can work towards achieving their full potential.  If they choose to do this in the competitive arena, Dolphin has a clear mechanism in place whereby they can be assisted to progress through a standardised system to enable them to compete with other athletes of a similar mindset.  Following full consultation with the coaching staff a progression pathway was identified which is outlined below.

PRE COMPETITVE SQUADS L5 Skills & J4

These squads are designed as a bridge between the Learn to Swim Program and the first steps in competitive swimming. The squad is for swimmers who have expressed an interest in competitive swimming, after passing through or on the verge of exiting the Dolphin ‘Learn to Swim Program’ (LTSP), or applying for assessment from an external swim teaching program and being accepted. These squads will focus on developing the aquatic skills necessary for long-term participation in the sport through the competitive swimming arena. These squads train 1-2 times per week.

JUNIOR SQUAD J1-J2-J3

These squads refer to all junior swimmers who have reached the age required by Swim Ireland to compete at this level, who have passed assessment and are now competing in age-appropriate and level-appropriate events with the club. These swimmers are aiming to work on long-term athletic development and swimming techniques. Swimmers will participate in Swim Ireland Level 1 & 2 licensed competitions as appropriate and as determined by their coach/head coach. Some may qualify and compete at SI Level 3 competitions which are the National standard type meets. Depending on space availability, provision will be made to swimmers who may want to join the competitive program from outside the club based on their current level of ability and standard and following a swim assessment by the Head Coach. These squads train 2-4 times per week.

INTERMEDIATE SQUADS G7-G9

Athletes in these squads focus on race skills, kick development, building their athlete ‘engine’, and should be targeting top ten finishes at local and regional/provincial competitions meets consistently. These squads include athletes who have achieved the required standards to compete at ‘Regional’ meets but who may also be aiming to compete at Irish Summer Nationals Age Groups and/or Irish Summer National Youth & Senior Championships. Swimmers in these groups will have progressed from the Junior system or may have joined the club from outside Dolphin, following assessment in both cases.

Athletes train at ‘performance pathway level’ which will be assisted by their pool time and will enhance their development and ability to eventually progress to the senior squads if they desire.

Criteria for progression to the senior squads will be comprehensive and is outlined in the club’s ‘Progression Document’. Essentially, all athletes at intermediate level should be targeting qualification and participation at Irish Summer Nationals as a minimum standard each season. These squads train 4-6 times per week, plus dryland conditioning.

SENIOR SQUADS G1-G6

These squads comprise of a range of experienced athletes; including those who have progressed from the intermediate squads or a similar level externally and who qualify and compete consistently at Irish Summer Nationals level and up to the club’s top national level competitive athletes, who meet the criteria to compete on the national and international arena (G1). Athletes across the levels should be targeting Irish Summer Nationals and Irish Open LC/SC standards seeking to achieve top performances at Irish Summer Nationals or podium performances at Irish Age Groups at the end of each season or selection to join Regional Pathway Development squad programs. The training program blends the groups at training sessions, encouraging the developing athletes to train with the top-level swimmers; boosting team interaction and performance throughout the top squads.

Progression from G6 to G1 level is dependent on competition performance at Irish Summer Nationals and/or Irish Open at the back-end of the previous season – e.g. finished on the podium (individual events), making finals, or top ten), or those who have been selected at Regional Pathway level, National Program or to international teams. These progressions are further based on training attitude and commitment and consistent improvements throughout the season, as outlined in the club’s ‘Progression Document’. These squads train 5-8 times per week, plus dryland conditioning. Additionally, they perform Pilates, Yoga and Strength & Conditioning training.

SQUAD PROGRESSION

At Dolphin SC, we aim to serve the needs through competitive and non-competitive training groups across a wide spectrum of levels. If they choose to do this in the competitive arena, we need to have a clear mechanism in place whereby they can be assisted to progress through a transparent and open system that is led by a qualified and experienced coach practitioner to enable them to compete with other athletes of a similar mindset. The DOLPHIN PROGRESSION STANDARDS DOCUMENT serves to outline the criteria required by athletes to progress through the club squads/groups to best equip them to compete at their optimum level. This may be amended as required by Headcoach and Management committee.  LINK To SCM