The SSS practice groups are designed to provide age- and developmentally appropriate instruction in stroke technique, conditioning, and competitive swimming. Swimmers progress through the program at their individual pace based on skill development, training readiness, attendance, commitment, and coach recommendation.
Find Your Practice Group:
Pre-Team |
Advanced Pre-Team |
Junior Serpents | Group 1 |
Group 2 |
Pre-Senior |
Varsity Prep |
Senior
Pre-Team
Best for swimmers who are comfortable entering the water, going underwater, and beginning to move independently in our shallow instructional pool with an in-water coach.
Pre-Team develops water safety, body position, streamlines, kicking, freestyle with side breathing, backstroke, and introductory butterfly skills. Swimmers also learn how to follow group instructions, practice safely with teammates, and build the independence needed to advance to Advanced Pre-Team.
Next Step: Advanced Pre-Team
Advanced Pre-Team
Advanced Pre-Team is for swimmers who have developed the foundational skills of Pre-Team and are ready for greater independence, endurance, and more structured swimming.
Swimmers continue developing freestyle and backstroke while learning breaststroke, butterfly, streamlines, underwater skills, and basic pace-clock awareness. They also learn lane etiquette, lap and repetition counting, and the practice habits needed to transition successfully into Junior Serpents.
As swimmers are ready, they may begin practicing in the 25-yard pool.
Next Step: Junior Serpents
Junior Serpents
Junior Serpents is the introductory competitive training group for swimmers who are ready to practice independently in the 25-yard pool.
Swimmers continue developing all four competitive strokes while learning streamlines, legal finishes, flip turns, Individual Medley transitions, basic interval training, and how to complete structured sets. The group also emphasizes listening skills, coachability, independence, and positive practice habits.
Swimmers are expected to attend three practices per week and participate in required team meets for continued skill and stroke development.
Next Step: Group 1
Group 1
Group 1 is for swimmers who have a solid foundation in all four competitive strokes and are ready to develop greater endurance, consistency, and independence in training.
Swimmers continue improving stroke technique, turns, Individual Medley transitions, and interval awareness while learning to complete structured sets with consistent effort. The group also introduces more purposeful race preparation, goal setting, sportsmanship, and regular participation in meets on the team schedule.
Group 1 swimmers are expected to average at least three practices per week. Swimmers preparing to advance to Group 2 should be ready for a four-practice-per-week commitment.
Next Step: Group 2
Group 2
Group 2 is for swimmers with a strong foundation in all four competitive strokes who are ready for a more advanced training and competition environment.
Swimmers refine stroke technique, starts, turns, and race skills while developing a stronger understanding of pace, intervals, heart rate, race strategy, and season-long goal setting. The group emphasizes consistent training habits, mental preparation, personal accountability, and participation in required team meets and qualifying meets when applicable.
Group 2 swimmers are expected to average at least four practices per week.
Swimmers preparing to move beyond Group 2 may progress to Pre-Senior or Varsity Prep depending on training readiness, attendance, competitive goals, and readiness for the commitment level of the recommended group.
Next Step: Pre-Senior or Varsity Prep
Varsity Prep
Varsity Prep is a part-time year-round training group for experienced swimmers who want to continue developing their skills, maintain fitness, or prepare for high school swimming with a reduced weekly commitment.
Swimmers continue training all four competitive strokes while maintaining endurance, strength, flexibility, and race skills. The group emphasizes purposeful training, goal setting, communication, sportsmanship, and balancing swimming with school, high school athletics, or other activities. Travel meets are optional unless otherwise arranged with the coach.
Swimmers who are ready for a greater training and competitive commitment may advance to Pre-Senior or Senior, depending on their development and readiness for the expectations of the recommended group.
Next Step: Continue in Varsity Prep, Pre-Senior, or Senior
Pre-Seniors
Pre-Senior is an advanced competitive training group for swimmers who are ready for a high level of commitment, consistent training, and increasingly ambitious competitive goals.
Swimmers develop advanced stroke technique, aerobic conditioning, race strategy, mental preparation, and greater independence in training. The group emphasizes self-motivation, leadership, process and outcome goal setting, race preparation, and learning how to manage the pressure and challenges of higher-level competition.
Swimmers are expected to attend scheduled Pre-Senior workouts and participate in required team meets and events. Advancement to Senior also includes achieving at least one current Pacific Swimming Senior Open time standard.
Seniors
Senior is the highest level of competitive training within the Sea Serpents program and is designed for highly motivated swimmers pursuing their highest appropriate level of performance.
Senior swimmers develop advanced race strategy and aerobic, anaerobic, and lactate conditioning while taking greater responsibility for goal setting, recovery, nutrition, time management, dryland training, and communication with coaches. Athletes are expected to demonstrate leadership within the team and maintain a high level of commitment to scheduled practices, including morning and dryland sessions when offered.
The group supports swimmers pursuing championship competition, lifetime-best performances, and collegiate swimming opportunities. Athletes interested in college swimming also work through the NCAA college swimming checklist as part of that process.
