Our club, GCAT, offers training and practice groups for swimmers of all ages and ability levels. It is the goal of GCAT to offer age specific training for all of our athletes geared towards challenging each individual and developing each individual to the best of THEIR abilities. Please email at CoachMark@swimgcat.org to arrange a time for a swim test to determine best group placement.
Cougar Cubs is an introduction to competitive swimming. Drills and games focusing on proper technique of the four competitive swimming strokes will be the primary focus for this group. This group will also spend time working on starts and turns.
Times: 6:15-6:45 pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.
Cougar Cubs will learn proper technique in the four competitive strokes - freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly, as well as starts (racing dives) and turns, as well as learning the basics of navigating a swim meet. Cougar Cubs are expected to come to practice ready to swim, and will work on good listening skills and should have a positive attitude including listening to their coach, being respectful to their coach and their teammates, and working hard to improve their skills.
This group builds on the skills learned in Cougar Cubs. Learning proper technique of the four competitive swimming strokes will be the primary focus for this group, while adding some longer distances to increase endurance. This group will also spend time working on starts and turns. Racing during practice and swim meets will be introduced in this group.
Times: 6:15-7:00 pm, Monday - Thursday.
Pumas will work on completing the following events - 50 Freestyle, 50 Backstroke, 50 Breaststroke, 50 Butterfly, and 100 Individual Medley with correct starts and turns. Pumas should be willing to work hard and listen in practice, and to attend swim meets that challenge their skills and help them improve.
This group is for swimmers who have the basic skills of the four competitive strokes, starts, and turns, and are beginning to take competitive swimming more seriously as a sport. Swimmers in this group are strongly encouraged to compete regularly and moving to the Jaguar group is based on meet performance. Practices still emphasize technique, while adding sets to increase speed and endurance, and is the beginning of learning race strategies.
Entrance Requirements: Must have legal times from GCAT meets, move ups will be based on times achieved and coach recommendation. Must be able to complete all stokes with proper turns and a legal individual medley.
Equipment Needs: Swim - kickboard, fins, pull buoy and snorkel. Dryland - running shoes, t-shirt and shorts.
Wildcats will work on the following events - 50 and 100 Freestyle, 50 and 100 Backstroke, 50 Breaststroke, 50 Butterfly, and 100 Medley. More advanced swimmers may add the 100 Breaststroke and 200 Medley. Swimmers should begin to track their times at swim meets and set goals for improvement. Swimmers should compete regularly.
From the WILDCAT group, athletes move into this group. Athletes in this group focus on becoming stronger swimmers and should be competing as part of our team regularly. Jaguars will begin to do training sets and will practice and be held accountable using intervals. This group will also start to learn race strategies, pace, and will continue to develop more advanced technical skills.
Entrance Requirements: - Moving to this group is based on performance in meets (times) and coach recommendation.
Jagaurs will work on the following events - 50, 100, 200, and 500 Freestyle, 50 and 100 Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly, 100 and 200 Medley. Jaguars should know their best times, set personal goals, and work hard to improve their technical skills as well as speed and endurance. Swimmers should practice and compete regularly.
Entrance Requirements: - Swimmers will be selected based on meet performance, coach recommendation, and must be able to commit to 70% practice attendance. Swimmers should be dedicated to swimming as their main competitive sport.
Cheetahs are taking swimming seriously as a competitive sport and prioritize swimming to enable them to have a high attendance rate at both practice and swim meets. Cheetahs should take responsibility for their swimming by knowing their best time, setting personal goals, and working hard to achieve them. Swimmers at this level will also swim longer events (500 Freestyle and longer) and will consistently work hard to improve their races. Cheetahs are leaders at the pool and should have a positive attitude in practice and encourage other swimmers to be their best.
From the JAGUARS group, athletes move into this group. Athletes in this group are high school swimmers. Age Group swimmers could be moved to this group with Head Coach permission if they are state qualifying swimmers. This group consists of our highly competitive team members. Group focus will be on fine tuning stroke technique, race strategy, endurance and versatility. Swimmers will be coached to be well-rounded. Swimmers in this group are encouraged to swim the 400 & 200 Individual Medley, 200’s of Fly, Back and Breast and mid distance freestyle events.
Minimum Group Requirement: High School Swimmers or 8th graders swimming during the summer that will be freshman the following year. 13-14 year olds with a minimum of two individual state cuts would be considered for this group.
Equipment Needs: Swim - kickboard, fins, pull buoy, paddles and snorkels. Dryland - running shoes, t-shirt and shorts.