If you are interested in joining Severnside Tritons please contact the Membership Secretary via the contact link in the "How to Join" box on the Home Page. You may find the following information useful.

 

We start with a Learn to Swim Programme for non swimmers. Young swimmers who can swim join our Swim Development Programme. This section of the Club is divided into six groups and swimmers move through the groups as they become more competent swimmers. This section of the Club embraces the principles of the Fundamentals in swimming – structured learning which is fun and which takes account of a child’s short attention span and the need for positive reinforcement. We run our Learn to Swim Programme in South Gloucestershire. (Go to our learn to swim section for more information).

 

Swimmers from this section of the Club and from other learn to swim provisions can enter the competitive side of the club if the coaches deem that they are suitable. They will usually start in one of the lower squads when they enter the competitive side of the Club. From there swimmers can progress through the squads providing they meet the criteria for each squad. You can see the detailed squad structure if you click here.

There is also scope for swimmers to join Tritons from another competitive club for example if a swimmer moves areas or wishes a change. 

The Competitive side of the Club is divided into squads. There are criteria for each squad and swimmers will move through the different stages of the LTAD as they progress through the squads.

 

We begin with the SwimSkills Stage where swimmers learn how to train and develop specific skills. This is when we concentrate on developing excellent technique in all four strokes, turns and finishing skills A multi stroke approach to training reduces the likelihood of injury and also makes it more interesting and therefore more fun. Swimmers start competing at this stage.

 

 

The next stage is Training to Train where the emphasis is on aerobic (endurance) conditioning - young swimmers only train aerobically. They will increase the number of hours they train. Flexibility, limited strength building exercises (Swiss ball), nutrition, mental preparation etc all start to play an important part in a swimmer’s training at this time. Competitions are targeted at certain times of the year around training. 

 

The next stage is when swimmers are Training to Compete – training is now focused on high volume workloads with increasing intensity. Swimmers should build on strengths and work on their weaknesses. Strength building through weights becomes more important as well as working on core stability and maintaining suppleness.

 

Finally swimmers enter the stage of Training to Win. This is the final stage of athlete preparation. The emphasis now should be on specialisation and performance enhancement.

 

Within Severnside Tritons swimmers progress from squad to squad, moving through the progressive stages of the LTAD as they reach the required standard and criteria for each squad. The number of hours that swimmers will be expected to train increases and they will be expected to follow the land training requirements for each squad. 

 

 

When coaches assess swimmers at trials they look at a swimmer's ability, age, aptitude and potential. When they assess swimmers already within the Club they pay great attention to a swimmer's performance in training in reaching a decision whether or not they should move squads. Swimmers who move to a higher squad are expected to increase their training accordingly. Coaches usually give a swimmer three months to settle in to a new squad before deciding that they should stay there - usually they do! 

Some swimmers find that as they grow older they do not have the time to compete at all but they do not want to give up swimming. We run sessions for such swimmers where they can continue improving their technique and maintain their fitness levels.  We also have a Masters section for older competitive swimmers (see that section on the website for more information).

The ASA promotes a clear pathway for swimmers which takes them from a learn to swim provision to a performance club if they have that ability. Both Thornbury and Stroud swimming clubs have already been accredited as Swim 21 skill development clubs for several years. As a new Club we have to be accredited again. This Swim 21 accreditation process takes several months to complete and Severnside Tritons aim to accredit for the first time at teaching, skill development and competitive development levels at the earliest opportunity. With the merger of the two clubs to form Severnside Tritons, swimmers from across the South of Gloucestershire will have the opportunity to learn to swim, develop their skills and train and compete at the highest level in a well planned and well managed competitive environment within one ASA Club.