Squads
The Squad program provides a fun and enjoyable environment for all swimmers, with a focus on personal improvement and participation in swimming as a sport.
Junior squads (Mini, development, challenge, teen fit and teen swim) run 48 weeks a year with a 4 week break over the December/January school holidays.
Senior squads (Bronze, silver, gold and performance) run 50 weeks a year with a 2 week break over December/January.
Squad assessments by appointment only. Please fill out the appointment enquiry form below to be contacted for an assessment.
There will be complimentary programs added to the current timetable to assist with streamlining the program. These programs include Teen Swim and Teen Fit, more information about these programs is located below.
If you have any questions about any changes to the squads program, please contact us at akac.enquiries@innerwest.nsw.gov.au.
For all other queries regarding our squads program, please feel free to call the centre on 9392 5400.
Squads assessment enquiry form
Mini Squad
Mini Squad is an entry level class designed for swimmers who have graduated from the Learn to Swim program, or have been assessed by the Head Coach as suitable for this squad.
Goals:
- Learn lane etiquette and learn to listen to instructions from the coach who will be out of the water
- Improve basic motor learning and stroke technique in all four strokes using various stroke development drills/skills over short distances
- Improve endurance and introduce speed
- Further develop streamline
- Introduce racing starts, racing finishes and freestyle turns
Time trials are undertaken in Terms 1 and 4 to monitor swimmers performance, develop confidence in racing and prepare swimmers for the school swimming carnivals.
Age guidelines:
Up to 11 years old
Attendance requirements:
Recommended attendance 1-2 per week
Duration:
45 min classes
Development Squad
This squad is designed for swimmers who have learnt the basics of squad training and the basic drill movements in all four strokes.
Goals:
- Improve gross movements and refine the coordination in all four competitive strokes
- Improve endurance and speed
- Improve and further develop their racing skills
- Further develop streamline in all four strokes
- Components include starts and finishes for all four competitive strokes, refinement of freestyle turns and introduction to the other three competitive stroke turns
- Learn how to time their swims over short distances of 25 metres to 50 metres.
- Prepare for School, Zone and Regional swim meets by learning the basic rules of correct starting instructions and rules of swimming
Time trials are undertaken in terms 1 and 4 to monitor swimmers performance, develop confidence in racing and prepare swimmers for the school swimming carnivals.
Age guidelines:
Up to 12 yrs old
Attendance requirements:
Recommended 1-2 sessions per week
Duration:
60 min lessons
Challenge squad
This squad aims to further develop skilled swimmers with an introduction to more complex drills in all four strokes and refine all aspects of competitive starts, turns and finishes.
Goals:
- Further develop swimming stamina through more complex endurance and speed swim sets
- Increase mileage whilst still maintaining correct technique and skills (starts, turns and finishes)
- Further develop all four competitive turns through more repetitions and introduce correct individual medley turns
- Prepare swimmers for School, Zone, Regional and other swim meets by learning the rules of correct starting instructions and competition rules of swimming
Time trials are undertaken in terms 1 and 4 to monitor swimmers performance, develop confidence in racing and prepare swimmers for the school swimming carnivals.
Age guidelines:
Up to 13 years old
Attendance requirements:
1-3 sessions per week
Duration:
60 min lesson
Teen swim
This squad is designed to cater for younger swimmers who want to swim for fitness or for those swimmers who have started their swimming a little later in their years and are more comfortable to swim with swimmers of similar age range.
Goals:
- Learn lane etiquette
- Improve basic motor learning and stroke technique in all four strokes using various stroke development drills/skills over varied distances
- Develop endurance and introduce speed
- Further develop streamline
- Introduce stream line, racing starts, racing finishes and freestyle turns
Age guidelines:
Up to 15 years old
Attendance requirements:
1 session per week
Duration:
45 min lesson
Teen-fit squad
This program is for teenagers who want swim for fitness and recreation or to improve their fitness level for school level swimming, triathlon racing or surf lifesaving etc.
This squad can cover 2 to 3 kilometres in 60mins.
Various training sets are used with the goal of improving endurance and speed for the swimmers chosen water sport.
Goals:
- Improve swimming ability and stroke technique through the use of various drills
- Further develop stroke technique
- School Competition preparation
Age guidelines:
15-18 years old
Recommended attendance:
1-3 sessions per week
Duration:
60 min lesson
Competitive squads
All Swimmers in the Competitive Squads will be selected and assessed by the Head Coach
The Competitive Squads are for those swimmers who wish to take their swimming more seriously and who are motivated to compete at club, inter club, metropolitan, state age, state open, national age, national open and international levels.
All swimmers in the Competitive Squads are expected to be a member of a registered Swim Club and make regular attendance to club races in the summer months.
Swimmers who train in the competitive squads will be identified as having talent and / or the commitment to attaining the above standards.
The Head Coach will inform Swimmers and Parents of their selection into the competitive squad program and ascertain if the swimmer is capable and prepared to commit to the requirements of the program.
Performance and attendance requirements are a pre-requisite for these squads. Please note that if a swimmer does not consistently attend the required number of sessions per week, they will be placed into a squad indicative of their training commitment.
Bronze Squad
This squad is designed for swimmers who have learnt the basics of squad training and the basic drill movements in all four strokes.
Goals:
- Improve gross movements and refine the coordination in all four strokes
- Improve endurance and speed
- Improve and further develop their racing skills
- Further develop streamline in all four stroke
- Components include starts, finishes for all four strokes, refinement of freestyle turns and introduction to the other three competitive stroke turns
- Prepare for school, zone and regional swim meets by learning the basic rules of correct starting instructions and rules of swimming
Attendance requirements:
- 1-3 sessions per week
- Recommended 2 sessions per week
Requirements:
- Become a member of a registered swim club
- Make regular attendance to club races in the summer months
- Be prepared to race at external meets (as recommended by the Head Coach)
- Undertake training on a regular year-round basis, including holiday periods where feasible
Age guidelines:
Up to 10 years old
Duration:
60 min lesson
Silver Squad
Goals:
- Develop swimming stamina through more complex endurance and speed swim sets
- Increase mileage while still maintaining correct technique and skills (starts, turns and finishes)
- Further develop all four competitive turns and Individual Medley turns through more repetitions and specific practices
- Prepare swimmers for school, zone, regional and NSW Metropolitan swim meets by learning the rules of correct starting instructions and competition rules of swimming
Attendance requirements:
Requirements:
- Become a member of a registered swim club
- Make regular attendance to club races in the summer months
- Be prepared to race at external meets (as recommended by the Head Coach)
- Set a minimum goal and showing commitment to attaining qualifying standards for the NSW Metropolitan Swimming Championships in either or both Winter and Summer seasons
- Undertake training on a regular year-round basis, including holiday periods where feasible
- Must be willing to attend 3 sessions per week which includes one of the morning sessions for a Term before moving forward to Gold Squad
Age guidelines:
Up to 14 years old.
Duration:
60 minute lesson
Gold Squad
Goals:
- Further develop all training energy systems through more complex training methods
- Increase mileage while still maintaining correct technique and skills
- Build strength and improve flexibility by attending regular dry-land sessions
- Prepare swimmers for school, zone, regional, metropolitan and NSW State Championship swim meets
Attendance requirements:
- 5-7 sessions per week
- Recommended 6 sessions per week
Requirements:
- Become a member of a registered swim club
- Make regular attendance to club races in the summer months
- Be prepared to race at external meets (as recommended by the Head Coach)
- Set a minimum goal and showing commitment to attaining qualifying standards for the NSW State Swimming Championships in either or both Winter and Summer seasons
- Undertake training on a regular year-round basis, including holiday periods where feasible
- Must be willing to attend a minimum of 5 sessions per week
- Must be willing to attend 7 sessions per week for a Term before moving forward to Performance Squad
- Attend at least 1 Dry-Land session per week unless prior arrangements have been discussed with the Head Coach
Age guidelines:
Up to 17 years old
Duration:
- 1 hour 30 minute sessions
- 2 hour 30 minutes with Dry-Land session
Performance Squad
Goals:
- Continue developing all training energy systems through more complex training methods
- Increase mileage while still maintaining correct technique and skills
- Build strength and improve flexibility by attending regular dry-land sessions
- Prepare swimmers for Metropolitan, NSW State, National Age and Open Championship swim meets
Attendance requirements:
- 7 - 9 Sessions per week
- Recommended 9 sessions per week
Requirements:
- Become a member of a registered swim club
- Make regular attendance to club races in the summer months
- Be prepared to race at external meets (as recommended by the Head Coach)
- Set a minimum goal and showing commitment to attaining qualifying standards for the Australian Swimming Championships
- Undertake training on a regular year-round basis, including holiday periods where feasible
- Must be willing to attend a minimum of 7 sessions per week
- Attend Dry-Land session unless prior arrangements have been made with the Head Coach
Age guidelines:
Minimum age 13 years
Duration:
- 1 hour 45 minutes or 2 hour sessions
- 2 hours 30 minutes with Dry-Land session
All swimmer movements will be at the discretion and encouragement of the Head Coach
Adult squads
Adult Swim-Fit
A one hour session is specifically designed for the ‘not so confident squad’ swimmer.
The swimmer should be able to swim at least 200m of freestyle non-stop.
The sessions aim to extend the swimmer in their strength and endurance. The Swim-Fit class aims to develop more confidence, achieve personal goals and create good lifestyle habits (and maybe get a little addicted along the way!).
Swimmers can use this squad to help them make the transition to the adult squad classes. Flippers, pull buoy and hand paddles are required for this squad.
If you are an adult swimmer and think you meet the requirements for the squad you can join in at any time.
Adult Squad
The Adult Squad is designed for advanced swimmers who are able to swim 2km or more. Most sessions cover between 3km-4km.
The Adult Squad caters for those who enjoy their swimming and wish to do so for fitness or enjoyment, as well as providing challenging sets for fitness swimmers, tri-athletes, ocean, and masters swimmers.
Flippers, pull buoy and hand paddles are required for this squad. Swimmers can join at any time.
Single entry can be purchased at reception, or a muti-visit pass can be purchased through AKAC online for both Adult Swim-Fit and Adult Squad.
Joining the squad program
To join our squads program please make an appointment with the Head Coach of Squad Programs by submitting an enquiry using the form located at the top of the page.
Assessments are free of charge and take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Equipment required for squad swimmers
- Swim Cap ( All Squad Levels)
- Goggles ( All Squad Levels)
- Flippers ( All Squad Levels)
- Water bottle ( All Squad Levels)
- Mesh kit bag ( All Squad Levels)
- Pool Buoy - (Performance, Gold Squad, Adult Swim-Fit and Adult Squads only)
- Front breathing snorkel – (Performance & Gold squad only)
- Hand Paddles - (Performance, Adult Swim-Fit and Adult Squads only)