Listed below are the levels of swimming offered to athletes by the Elkhorn Penguins swim team. These levels are offered as a guideline to the parents and the athlete to use in understanding how an athlete can achieve that next level. These levels are to be used by the coaches, for parents, and athletes to help establish goals for the athlete to achieve the next level and beyond. We realize that there will be exceptions due to strength or even a weakness that may or may not allow the athlete to move forward to the next level at the same pace as other athletes. We also realize that athletes sometimes need that next level of workout with better swimmers to get over a sometimes frustrating "slump". The benefit of the Elkhorn Penguins swim team is that we have compassion, patience, & understanding and a coaching staff that can work with that athlete and parent to set goals that are achievable.

BEGINNER GROUP: (Pre Competition)
(Lanes 7-8) Age requirements: 8 & under (or coaches discretion)
 Practice recommendations: 2 per week.
 Meet requirements: All home meets. Away is your choice. Time Standards: None. Swimmer must be able to swim 25 yards of freestyle while performing rhythmic breathing, and 25 yards of backstroke legally to be on the team, or coaches discretion based on stroke evaluation.
 Group emphasis: Will be on increasing the efficiency of the freestyle & backstroke, and teaching the child the breaststroke and butterfly so that the child has 4 legal strokes. Swimmers will work on using the dolphin kick, and start & turn techniques will be taught, along with an introduction to interval sets.
 Time trials: Will be taken at the beginning of the season and again at the end with results to be recorded and charted for swimmers knowledge. Graduation to Bronze: Athlete must be able to swim the following three strokes legally. 25 yards of freestyle, 25 yards of backstroke, and 25 yards of breaststroke.

BRONZE GROUP: (Junior Competition) (Lanes 5-6) Age requirements: 9-10 (or coaches discretion)
 Practice Recommendations: 2-3 per week
 Meet Requirements: All home meets and at least one away meet. 
 Time Standards: A workout of at least 1,500 yards per night.
(60 lengths of the pool) Group Emphasis: Will be stroke mechanics for all four competitive strokes, with introduction to competition training, starts, turns, Dry-Land workouts, and increasing endurance training. Time trials: Will be taken at the beginning of the season and again at the end with results to be recorded and charted for swimmers knowledge. Graduation to Silver: Time standards that are to be considered 6X50 freestyle @ 1:30 to move to plaid. A workout of at least 1,800 yards per night. 
(72 lengths of the pool)

SILVER GROUP: (FULL COMPETITION) (Lanes 3-4) Age Requirements: 9 & up (or coaches discretion) Practice Recommendations: 3 practices per week. Meet Requirements: All home meets and at least one away meet. 
 Time Standards: A workout of at least 1,800 yards per night. (72 lengths of the pool) Group Emphasis: Will be to work on advanced stroke techniques, starts, turns, and goal setting, and more enhanced education on race strategies, and mental training. All previous instruction to get the athlete to this point will constantly be re-visited. Time trials: Will be taken at the beginning of the season and again at the end with results to be recorded and charted for swimmers knowledge. Graduation to Gold: Time standards that are to be considered, 8x50 Freestyle @ 1:15, 4 x 100IM @ 2:30 legally. A workout of at least 2,500 yards per night. (100 lengths of the pool)

GOLD GROUP: (FULL COMPETITION) (Lanes 1-2) Age Requirements: 10 & up (or coaches discretion) Practice Recommendations: 3 times per week. Meet Requirements: All home and away meets Time Standards: A workout of 2,500-4,000 yards per night. Time standards to be considered 6 x 100 Free @ 2:00, 6 x 100 stroke at 2:30, & 4 x 200 IM @ 3:00. Group Emphasis: Will be advanced stroke techniques, starts, turns, and goal setting. Installation of pre-swim race strategies, and mental preparation.  All previous instruction will continue. Time trials: Will be taken at the beginning of the season and again at the end with results to be recorded and charted for swimmers knowledge.