Portmarnock Swim Team is an amateur competitive swimming club. The Team aims to provide the structure and environment to encourage and allow all members to develop their highest level of performance.
Our coaches are committed to developing young swimmers in a fun, positive, challenging and supportive club environment. The culture of the Portmarnock Swim Team is:
- Athlete-focused;
- Coach-driven;
- Committee-supported; and
- Based on the “Long Term Athlete Development” (LTAD ) framework.
LTAD seeks to achieve optimal training, competition and recovery throughout a swimmer’s career, particularly in relation to the important growth and development years of young people.
For many years, the Portmarnock Swim Team has maintained a squad structure that aims to afford swimmers the opportunity to develop the technique, skills, endurance and speed that is necessary for competitive swimming, in line with the principles of LTAD.
Squad Structure
Progression through the Portmarnock Swim Team squads is based on achieving criteria relevant to each squad’s core focus and at the discretion of the coaching team. The progression pathway is as follows:
- Learning Squad
- Improvement Squad
- Development Squad
- Skills Squad
- Transition Squad
- Performance Pathway Squad
- Performance Squad
Details are provided in the sections below with descriptions of each squad. Visit our Swim Training Times page to see the current schedule for each squad. Also, click here to learn how to become a member.
Criteria for Moving through each Squad
The squad descriptions provided below help to outline the purpose of each squad and area of focus.
Movement through the squads is at the discretion of the coaching team at all times.
In addition to time standards achieved at relevant Swim Ireland galas, the coaching team will also take into account other factors such as attendance, gala participation, behaviour, and maturity.
If the coaching team is happy that a swimmer is ready to move, this will be communicated to the swimmer and their parents.
Movement between squads will take place during set times of the year when there are scheduled breaks in the season such as Christmas, Easter and June (in planning for the new season).
Fees associated with the squad which will be advised as soon as possible thereafter.
Learning & Improvement Squads
LTAD Category: Fundamentals & Swim Skills
In the Learning and Improvement squads the focus is on developing a wide range of aquatic skills, alongside the four main competitive swimming strokes. Each child is placed at an appropriate level, according to experience and ability.
As a swimmer progresses through the Learning squad, when ready, they will move into the Improvement squad, where they will further develop skills and endurance needed prior to joining the Development squad.
Development Squad
LTAD Category: Swim skills
Training attendance expected: 70% minimum
Development squad swimmers are either promoted from the Improvement squad, or admitted directly if the swimmer has the required standard of swimming. If demand exceeds the number of places, preference will be given to existing members of the Portmarnock Swim Team. New applicants will ideally be no more than 10 years old with the majority of swimmers in the squad aged between 8 and 11 years.
The purpose of Development squad is to improve the following, so that each swimmer can start to be introduced to competitive swimming:
- Technique and stamina;
- Ability to swim all four competitive strokes legally; and
- Ability to legally execute turns and starts.
Skills Squad
LTAD Category: Swim skills
Training attendance expected: 75% minimum
Skills squad swimmers continue to work on long term athletic development and swimming techniques whilst also focusing on race skills, kick improvement and developing stamina.
Swimmers will be expected to compete at inter-club galas regularly to gain experience and to practice legal strokes and turns.
Transition Squad
LTAD Category: Swim Skills | Training to Compete | Training to Train
Training attendance expected: 80% minimum
This squad is focused on helping swimmers in starting to improve and hone the skills they require to:
- Compete successfully;
- Develop their athlete ‘engine’; and
- Learn how to train effectively.
Swimmers are expected to regularly compete at galas to gain experience and qualification times while working towards obtaining Leinster qualifying standards.
Performance Pathway Squad
LTAD Category: Training to Compete | Training to Train
Training attendance expected: 85% minimum
The Performance Pathway squad will see their pool time increased, in order to enhance their development and ability to eventually progress to the Performance squad.
They will are required to have a high attendance record at training and to compete at relevant galas as advised by coaches.
Swimmers in this squad will be targeting qualification and participation at the Leinster Open Qualifying or Consideration Standards.
Performance Squad
LTAD Category: Training to Compete | Training to Train
Training attendance expected: 90% minimum
The Performance Squad entails a significant increase in both volume and intensity of training. The emphasis in this squad is on performance with particular emphasis on provincial, national and, in time, international galas.
Swimmers in this squad are expected to have a very high attendance at training and are expected to attend galas regularly, entering a large variety of events.
Swimmers are ineligible to join the Performance Squad until after they have reached their 11th birthday. Acceptance in the Performance Squad is subject to attaining at least 1 Consideration or Qualification time in their age group, as specified by Swim Ireland for the Irish Summer National Age Group or Youth & Senior Championships.
Attaining the Consideration/Qualifying time will make a swimmer eligible to be considered for transition from the Performance Pathway Squad into the Performance Squad. Swimmers must attain their times each year to remain eligible for the Performance squad.