Group Placement

The decisions we make about practice groups, meets to attend and events to swim are designed for the long-term development of the swimmers, not short-term results. Our primary concern is with how Crawfish athletes will perform when they are senior swimmers. Because of this, our younger swimmers focus almost exclusively on mastering proper stroke technique, developing a positive attitude about competition and teamwork and the fundamentals of competitive swimming. Actual training does not become the dominant component of workouts until swimmers are aged 13 and older.

Group Placement and Movements
One of the most critical tasks for our coaching staff is our approach to placing athletes in training groups and moving athletes between the various training groups. Much time and effort is spent to ensure that athletes are in the training group most beneficial for their long-term development as a person and a swimmer.

When determining changes among training groups, Division Directors (Head Coach, Head Age Group Coach, 8 & Under Director) will meet with the coaching staff to review athletes in each practice group and discuss the most appropriate group for the given athlete. Specific criteria used to evaluate each athlete’s practice/training characteristics and skills have been developed to determine group placement.

Group Placement Criteria and Considerations
The weight of each criteria item varies from Division to Division based on the age and developmental continuum of the athletes in that track (example: 8 & Under Division swimmers do not need to attend more than 2 days per week to move to higher practice groups within the 8 & Under Division).

  1. Stroke and skill development.
  2. Practice attendance.
  3. Training ability.
  4. Level of commitment.
  5. Level of maturity and personal responsibility.
  6. Age and previous experience.
  7. Meet performance and best times.
  8. Space availability.
  9. Completion of placement skills and or test/tryout to the satisfaction of Division Directors.


Practice Groups Promotions
The swimmer under consideration:

  1. Meets attendance expectations for current group and demonstrates the ability to make attendance requirements for the next level.
  2. Consistently trains above the level of the current practice group.
  3. Demonstrates ability to train successfully on base intervals at the next practice level.
  4. Has mastered stroke and skill expectations of current practice group.
  5. Exhibits level of maturity and responsibility typical of swimmers at the next level.
  6. Fits age and experience parameters of the next training level.
  7. Has demonstrated potential to compete successfully at general competition level of the next group.
  8. Consistently makes choices that demonstrate the willingness to make the commitment level expected of swimmers at the next level.