SQUAD STRUCTURE

Squad Structure Overview

At Harrow Swimming Club, our squad structure is designed to guide swimmers through various stages of development, allowing them to progress at a pace suited to their abilities and goals. As a competitive swimming club, we emphasize both personal development and competitive success. Swimmers are expected to dedicate the time and effort necessary to train effectively and compete in galas and meets.

Development Pathway

• Foundation Squad:
  Typically, younger swimmers start their journey in our Foundation Squad, where they build essential swimming skills and techniques.
• Junior Development Squads:
  From the Foundation Squad, swimmers progress towards the Junior Development Squads, where they begin to focus more on technique refinement and competitive skills.
• Older Swimmers & Transfers:
  Older swimmers joining the club or those transferring from another competitive club will be assessed to determine their current level. Based on this assessment, they may be offered a place in the squad that best matches their abilities and goals.

Progression Through Squads

Swimmers will move through the club structure as they develop their technique, speed, and overall performance. Movement between squads is determined by their coach and based on:

• Technical Progress
• Physical and Mental Development
• Commitment and Maturity

Progress is continuous, and swimmers may be moved between squads at any time, depending on their readiness for the next level.

Our Approach to Training

Harrow Swimming Club prides itself on nurturing each swimmer’s personal strengths while challenging them to improve. Our coaches structure the squads so that swimmers train with peers of similar ability, age, pace, and attainment levels. This allows swimmers to push each other while also receiving focused coaching tailored to their development stage.

Coaching and Feedback

Lead coaches are continually assessing each swimmer’s progress, commitment, and development. Swimmers and parents can discuss personal progress at any time:

• Swimmers: You can talk to your lead coach at the end of your training session to receive feedback and learn more about your progress.
• Parents: To discuss your child’s development, you can schedule an appointment with your child’s coach using the following link:
  Schedule an Appointment

Squad Movements and Decisions

When places become available in higher-level squads, coaches make recommendations for swimmers to move up, ensuring they are placed in an environment that will challenge them and bring out their best performance.

Please note:

• All decisions regarding movement between squads are at the discretion of the Head Coach.
• The Head Coach’s decision is final when it comes to squad movements.

At Harrow Swimming Club, we aim to strike the perfect balance between making training fun while also challenging swimmers to stretch their limits and reach new heights in their swimming journey.