The diagram below shows the York City Baths Club training squad structure.
It highlights the relationships between the various elements that make up the Club and the pathways between them.
Development Squad
Development Squad is the first competitive training squad at York City Baths Club. The aim of the squad is to build on the basic technical skills learnt in teaching and to introduce race skills such as dive starts and Individual Medley turns in order to prepare the swimmers for their first competitions. The age profile is 7 – 11 years old.
County Squad
In County Squad, swimmers will continue to focus predominantly on improving technical and racing skills. Land training will also be introduced to promote the importance of flexibility and core strength. The target for the swimmers is to achieve Yorkshire qualification times. The age profile is 8 – 12 years old.
Regional Squad
Training in Regional Squad becomes more focused on the development of aerobic capacity through the increased volume of work and session requirements. Technical and race skills are still an important aspect of the squad and all swimmers are expected to maintain good technique throughout the sessions. Land training sessions focus on teaching the correct form of numerous exercises, further developing flexibility, and introduce stabilisation movements. Swimmers should already be achieving Yorkshire qualifying times and aiming to reach a Regional qualifying standard. The age profile is 9 – 14 years old.
National Squad
A place in National Squad represents a full commitment to swimming training. The training programme is intensive as the session length and volumes will be increased. Age group swimmers will primarily focus on developing technical skills and aerobic capacity over all four strokes. Youth and senior swimmers will begin to focus on their best strokes/events and the training will become more specialised to maximise potential. Land training sessions provide swimmers with more challenging exercises to develop swim specific strength and also educate on injury prevention. The age profile is 11+ years old for girls and 12+ years old for boys.
Junior Club Squad
Junior Club Squad is a competitive training squad with the specific purpose of allowing swimmers aged 11 – 14 years old the opportunity to train amongst their peers. The majority of the swimmers in the squad will lack race experience and the training will focus on building confidence and teaching the race skills required to compete under the guidelines of the ASA rules. The training will continue to develop technical skill and speed whilst working on all four strokes.
Club Squad
Club Squad provides swimmers the opportunity to continue training in a competitive environment, without having to give the full commitment expected in other squads. Training will continue to develop aerobic capacity, technical skills and speed. Swimmers aged 15 years and over will be able to specialise in their best strokes/events.
Masters
This squad is geared towards giving training/competition opportunities for adult swimmers who may have been competitive in the past and want to stay involved, or perhaps late starters in the sport. This is a competitive programme so all members are expected to join the club.
Squad Membership and Placement
Squad membership and placement criteria can be viewed / downloaded by clicking through the links below:
Development Squad
County Squad
Regional Squad
National Squad