8 and Under Division
8 & Under Division
Developmental Competitive Track: Learn & Improve Stroke Technique in a Team Setting
Summer Season Dates: June 4 - July 25
Practice will not be held the following dates:
-Wednesday, July 4
Try Us Out/Evalution & Placement- May 29-30, Swimmer Evaluations (new swimmers) and Pre-Registration Day (all registrants)
*pre-registration day is optional- returning members can also register in advance online or when they return on June 4.
8 & U Division- 4:30-5:00
Age Group Dev Division- 5:15-6:00 (9-13 yrs)
More Information on Try Us Out
8 & Under Division Information
Placement: Able to swim freestyle with working knowledge of bilateral breathing (has begun to work on breathing to the side) and swim backstroke for 25 yards without assistance; Emotional & social maturity for group instruction and to be independent of parent(s) &/or caretaker throughout the time allotted for the practice. Skill Level Requirements
*The Novice program offers a starting group for swimmers age 5-12 that have not yet achieved the Dev Comp group requirements- INFO
Division End Goal: Learning/acquiring the four competitive strokes, head first dive from standing position (racing start), freestyle flip turn, streamline & underwater fly kick off of the wall (“ready position”), learn general practice rules and lane etiquette, participation in CA home meets. Skills will be assessed for practice group movement within the division or for movement to a new division (skills will be introduced and developed, but do not have to be technically perfect).
Practice Groups: Swimmers sign up for the 8 & Under Division and Coaches divide them into practice groups based on incoming age and skill level. Coaches assign the practice groups once the practices begin based on skills evaluation and experience.
Practice Days Offered:
2-Day Option: Mon/Wed or Tues/Thurs (great for children involved in multiple sports!)
4-Day Option: Mon-Thurs
*Practices are run from 4:30-5:20 for all 8 & Under Division Practice Groups
*Summer Schedule is 3 day- Mon/Tues/Wed with adjusted (but similar) practice times
Due to the on-going learning stroke progressions, the child should maintain weekly attendance throughout the duration of the season for maximum development and improvement.
Swimmers may commit to the sport year round or by seasons.
As not all swimmers in the 8 & Under Division will swim year-round (all 3 seasons), re-registration will be done for each season that a swimmers wishes to participate.
Swim Suit Requirement: Due to the seasonal enrollment option for 8 & U Division, swimmers are not required to have the team suit, however those that will participate in meets are encouraged to wear the team suit. Team Suits are available at Natal Swim Shop on Essen Lane at a discounted rate. More Team Suit Information here
Birth Certificates are required for all Swim Team and Novice (pre-swim team) members. Info on submitting your copy to Crawfish Aquatics HERE.
Swim Meets:
While swim meets are optional for swimmers in the the Developmental Competitive track, we would like to see all swimmers take part as this is a great way to demonstrate skills and to assess progression throughout the season.
Swimmers sign up for meets on the Meets Bulletin Board or by emailing the office; additional meet information in weekly E-News email & website. Meet Schedule
Swimmers not meeting the skill level requirements will be placed in the Novice program
Practice Groups for the 8 & Under Division
For coaching purposes, swimmers in the 8 & U Division are broken into 3 practice groups by the coaches based on age/skills- swimmers sign up for the DIVISION, not a specific practice group. For communication purposes, the 8 & Under Division is one group; all communications put out will be in reference to the 8 & U Division as one group and not per the practice groups.
Practice Group: 8 & U - Red (Level 1)
Practice Group Focus: Develop Freestyle with bilateral breathing & Backstroke; Develop Base Competitive Skills of breath control, streamlines and aquatic posture & balance principles; Introduction to breaststroke kick fundamentals; head first dive from kneeling position.
Placement: Able to swim 25 yards of freestyle with working knowledge of bilateral breathing (breathing to the side) and swim backstroke for 25 yards.
Practice Group: 8 & U - White (Level 2)
Practice Group Focus: Improve Freestyle & Backstroke, learn the segments of Butterfly and Breaststroke, Learn head first dive from standing position (racing start) and introduction to flipturns. Streamline butterfly kick each time push off of wall.
Placement: Able to swim 25 yards of both freestyle with bilateral breathing and backstroke without turning onto stomach; a working knowledge of both the Breaststroke and Butterfly kick.
Practice Group: 8 & U- Black (Level 3)
Practice Group Focus: Complete Breaststroke & Butterfly, Improve all 4 strokes, including racing starts and continued development of flipturns; Learn IM turns. Streamline butterfly kick for 5+ yards (to the flags) and do not breathe on first stroke off of wall.
Placement: Improved Freestyle & Backstroke, Knowledge of the segments of Butterfly and Breaststroke and technical rules, Head first dive from standing position (racing start); perform skills for flip turns; underwater streamline butterfly kick off of wall
