Development Squad

The Development Squad currently meet, as a squad, on a Friday 7.30pm – 9.00pm at Wrekin College with additional sessions offered on a Tuesday at Abraham Darby and a Thursday at Wrekin College.

Here our swimmers move through stages 8-10 of the Swim England competitive pathway. They continue to refine their strokes and are taught starts, turns, individual medleys and relays, whilst improving both their speed and stamina. Swimmers learn to follow swim sets; they are encouraged to take more responsibility for their own training and development.

The lead teacher for Development squad is Jackie Bletcher – her aim, to make swimming fun, whilst encouraging swimmers to work hard and be self motivated to improve and achieve their very best. Having trained hard, there is always a contrasting activity to enjoy at the end of each session.

We aim for our development squad swimmers to be competition ready, feeling confident to compete and give their best…striving to achieve new personal bests and supporting others in their swimming journey.

Learn to Swim Stages 8-10 Swimming

Stage 8:

By completing this Award you will be able to:

1. Complete a set lasting 400 metres (e.g. 16 x 25 metres, 8 x 50 metres, 4 x 100 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher or coach (e.g. 1.00 minutes for each 25 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.

2. Swim 400 metres continuously using one stroke.

3. Push and streamline then kick 25 metres backstroke with or without using a board.

4. Push and streamline then kick 25 metres breaststroke with or without using a board.

5. Push and streamline then kick 25 metres butterfly without using a board.

6. Push and streamline then kick 25 metres front crawl with or without using a board.

7. Perform a backstroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.

8. Perform a breaststroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.

9. Perform a butterfly turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.

10. Perform a front crawl turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.

11. Perform a dive track or grab start and kick butterfly underwater in a streamlined position for 5 metres with the focus on progressing it to 10 metres.

Stage 9:

By completing this Award you will be able to:

1. Complete a set lasting 800 metres (either 16 x 50 metres, 8 x 100 metres, 4 x 200 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher or coach (e.g. 1.30 minutes for 50 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.

2. Swim 800 metres continuously using one stroke.

3. Swim a continuous 100 metre individual medley (4 x 25 metres) using recognised turns with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.

4. Perform a 15 metre underwater kick on front from a push and glide in a streamlined position.

5. Perform a backstroke start then butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.

6. Perform a front crawl start then kick in a streamlined position underwater up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.

7. Perform a butterfly start then kick in a streamlined position up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.

8. Perform a breaststroke start then perform a one and a half pull underwater. Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.

Stage 10:

By completing this Award you will be able to:

1. Complete a set lasting 1600 metres (either 16 x 100 metres, 8 x 200 metres, 4 x 400 metres) on a specific timed turnaround set by the teacher or coach (e.g. 2.30 minutes for 100 metres), focus on stroke technique and consistency.

2. Swim 1500 metres continuously using one stroke.

3. Perform a continuous 100 metre individual medley kick (4 x 25 metres) without using a kick board.

4. Swim a continuous 200 metre individual medley (4 x 50 metres) using recognised turns.

5. Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an incoming swimmer.

6. Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an outgoing swimmer.