GENERAL INFORMATION

Our Mission Statement

It is the goal of Westside Aquatics to offer a USA Swimming competitive swim program for swimmers aged 6-24.

This program shall focus on all aspects of the sport of swimming. Members will be taught technical skills, racing strategies, team skills, and proper nutrition.

Teaching will be done in an environment that is safe and conducive to learning and risk-taking.

It shall also be the goal of Westside Aquatics to build a program in Petaluma that will represent the community at the Zone level as well as the state and national levels. Westside Aquatics will support all its athletes and will prepare them to participate at the collegiate level.

GROUP ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Click here to download the Group Entry Requirements

After considering all the criteria below, it is the Coach's decision whether to move or not to move a swimmer from one group to another. This decision is based on what the coach feels is in the best interest of the individual athlete. The criteria listed below are basic parameters that the Westside Coaching staff will consider when choosing the best training group for an athlete.

D1 - DUCKLINGS 1

• There are no entry requirements for D1
  This is a learn to swim, base entry level group

D2 - DUCKLINGS 2
Swimmers aged 6-11
Entry Requirements:

• Swimmer must be able to complete 25 yards of uninterrupted freestyle with comfortable side breathing

D3 - DUCKLINGS 3
Swimmers aged 7-11
Entry Requirements:

• 50 Yards of uninterrupted freestyle with head in neutral position throughout
• 50 yards of backstroke with head in neutral position and proper use of backstroke flags
• 50 yards of breaststroke using a two hand touch and stroking with a glide
• 25 yards of butterfly with fins
• Race start from the pool's edge, following USA whistle commands
• Attempts flip turns, both front and back
• Understands group send-off and starts in the proper group
• Attends 2-3 practices per week
• Has attended a Westside Intersquad meet

D4 - DUCKLINGS 4
Swimmers aged 8-11
Entry Requirements:

• All D3 requirements listed above
• Use of a breaststroke pull-down
• 25 yards of legal butterfly
• Flip turns are fluid and legal
• Understands and uses the 5 second group send off
• Has attended a USA Swimming competition
• Attends 3-4 practices per week

PURPLE
Swimmers aged 10-13
Entry Requirements:

• All four strokes are swum legally
• Swimmer participates in USA meets regularly
• Completion of a 200 IM in a USA swim competition
• Use of basic clock intervals (1:00, :55, :50…)
• Swimmer must display leadership qualities that include, but are not limited to, comfort in leading a lane
• Shows respectful listening skills as well as ownership of his/her own workout
• 5 x 100 freestyle on 2:00
• Attends 3-4 practices per week

SILVER
Swimmers aged 12-15
Entry Requirements:

• Completion of a 400 IM in a USA competition without a disqualification
• 6 x 100 freestyle on 1:30
• Swimmer will acknowledge the conflict created with multiple sport commitments and should be working towards selecting a sport to fully commit to
• No seasonal swimming. This is a training group preparing athletes for upper level competition
  Attends monthly 2-day USA competitions
• Attends 4 practices per week

SENIOR
Swimmers aged 14-18
Entry Requirements:

• Involvement in USA Swimming for a minimum of 1 year prior to group entry
• Entry into and attendance at team and group meets
• Integrity and leadership in practices and at competitions
• 8 x 100 freestyle on 1:20
• Agreement to attend a minimum of 85% of all practices; both swimming and dry land