In the summer, the Cole Harbour Hurricanes offers a comprehensive training program that combines swimming and land training. Practices are from Monday to Friday, and the athletes’ progress is generally in direct proportion to his or her attendance at both swim practice and land training.

Athletes are placed in groups - Gusts, Thunder, Lightning and Tropical Storm - and while we strive to keep them with their peers, emphasis must first be placed on their swimming skills. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see a variety of ages in one practice group. However, some land training sessions combine swim practice groups in order to facilitate an opportunity for the athletes to spend time with their peers.

Spring training begins at Cole Harbour Place late May and ends with the Provincial Championships late August. Practice sessions are broken down into four stages:

May/June

Introduction to competitive swimming for *beginners aged 5 – 18

Junior/intermediate/advanced pre-season training for **experienced competitive swimmers

Beginner, junior, intermediate and advanced ***assessments for appropriate practice groups

Age-appropriate land training to enhance flexibility, strength and endurance
 
 * Swimmer must have completed Grade Primary by July 1, 2006 and should have at least Swimkids 4, be able to swim one full length of a 25m pool and be deep-water friendly

** Swimmers should have at least one season of competitive swimming experience.

*** Assessments will be scheduled prior to registration.

June/July

Practice sessions progress to three to four hours weekly, depending upon age and swim level, and expand upon what has been introduced in the first portion of the season. This is also when we conduct our Intro Camp.
 
July/August

Two to three hours daily, Monday through Friday, depending upon age and swimming level, to include:

Stroke instruction
Stroke improvement
Endurance training
Speed training
Starts and turns
Rules of the sport
Age-appropriate land-training to enhance flexibility, strength and endurance
Sessions on various aspects of health, fitness and team building, including nutrition,prevention and/or treatment of injuries and positive competition
Individual goal-setting

End of August

Provincial Championship Meet

Fall/Winter     About Training