Harpenden
Swimming Club
5th placed Club at Hertfordshire County Championships 2013
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​Otters continue the work started in the Seals. The emphasis of the group is on building endurance and speed without a loss of technique. They also begin to learn about pace work and build in some more speed sets. Swimmers in this squad are still focussed on racing at the 200m distance in line with the LTADP. Otters are working towards regular participation in open meets and club galas and looking to swim in the league campaigns as required.
​Dolphins work to build endurance and speed without a loss of technique. They also gain a greater understanding of pace work, and are expected to be able to use the clock themselves during sets to check pace and rest. They also build in more speed work. Dolphins are expected be regular participants in open meets and club galas, and to be swimming in league campaigns as required. The members of this squad are also working towards participation at County Championships.
​Seals are the first squad swimmers enter upon joining the competitive arm of the club. The squad work on the technical aspect of all four strokes including starts and turns with the aim of being able to swim in medley races. The squad also focusses on endurance, working towards competition over the 200m distance as recommended by the LTADP. Seals are working towards regular participation in open meets and club galas and often participate in the league campaigns as required.
In the Sharks the aim is to develop the competitive swimmer in line with stages 2 & 3 of the LTADP. As the swimmers get older they start to look at shorter 100m events, but Harpenden strive to keep our swimmers competing over a broad range of events at this stage. Sharks are expected to be regular participants in open meets and club galas, and to be swimming in league campaigns as required. The members of this squad are working towards participation at County Championships on an annual basis with a broad spread of events.
​SQUADS
Harpenden Swimming Club are formed of a main competitive arm based at Rothamsted Pool and a teaching arm based at Aldwickbury School. Swimmers at Rothamsted are divided into squads according to ability. Swimmers progress between the squads as they achieve criteria which are set out by the coaches. The criteria and work that the squads do are based around the ASAs Long Term Athlete Development Plan (LTADP). The squads range from Seals, who have 2 hours of swimming a week, to Squad, who have 8 hours of swimming plus land training. Aldwickbury runs teaching once a week on a Monday with a number of sessions for different abilities. Click on the name of the squad to view the criteria required.
In the Squad the aim is to develop each individual swimmer in line with the LTADP at stages 3 & 4. Swimmers are still expected to compete in a range of events when still in the BAGCAT age groups, but can begin to specialise after. Squad members are expected to be regular participants in club galas and to swim in league campaigns as required. They will also be regularly attending high level open meets. The members of this squad are expected to be qualifying for and participating at County Championships on an annual basis and working towards Regional and National Championships.