Structured Training and Coaching
Practice groups provide proven technique, speed, and stamina
About Swim Team Practice Groups
CGBD Swimming offers a wide range of training groups. Each group is developed and structured with the purpose of creating a long-term passion for competitive swimming by making it fun and fulfilling for all.
The practice group criteria have been developed to responsibly train athletes as they grow and mature. CGBD places emphasis on proper technique, aerobic development, kicking, and dryland training which make up the foundations of our program’s levels.
DETERMINING THE BEST FIT
All kids develop at different stages and rates, a cookie-cutter method does not work. As a result, coaches use a three-layered approach in determining the best fit for each swimmer's stage of development:
• Age of the swimmer
• Physical abilities (practice and meets)
• Emotional readiness
CGBD Practice Groups
Dolphin Prep
Dolphin Prep is in our elementary school tier.
Requirements:
- Must be able to swim 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke
- Legal breaststroke and butterfly kick
- Register as USA-S Flex membership
Practices:
- 3x 45 minute practices offered (goal to attend 2 practices)
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag
- 10 inch kick board
- Pull buoy
- Long fins
Dolphin Blue
Dolphin Blue is in our elementary school tier.
Requirements:
- Must be able to swim 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke
- Have legal breaststroke and butterfly kick
- Must have a full USA Swimming membership
Practices:
- 3x 60 minute practices offered (goal to attend 2 practices)
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag
- 10 inch kick board
- Pull buoy'
- Long fins
- Youth snorkel
Dolphin Yellow
Dolphin Yellow is in our elementary school tier.
Requirements:
- Must have one ISCA/AGC qualifying time OR IMX score of 1000
- Must successfully complete test set
- Have a full USA Swimming membership
- Willing to represent CGBD at highest level championship meet for which they have qualified
Practices:
- 5x 1 hour 30 minute practices (goal of attending 4 practices minimum)
- 2x 20 minute dryland sessions
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit (race suit if desired for competition)
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag
- 10 inch kick board
- Pull buoy
- Long fins
- Paddles
- Youth snorkel
Age Group Prep
Age Group- Prep is in our middle school tier.
Requirements:
- Able to swim 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke
- Legal breaststroke and butterfly kick
- Register as USA swimming member
Practices:
3x 45 minute practices offered (goal to attend 2 practices)
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit (race suit if desired for competition)
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag
- 10 inch kick board
- Pull buoy
- Long fins
- Adult snorkel
Age Group Blue
Age Group Blue is in our middle school tier.
Requirements:
- Mastered all strokes with legal turns
- Understanding of and willingness to train at the next level
- Full USA-S membership
- Willing to represent CGBD at highest level championship meet for which they have qualified
- Will discuss and choose meet events with coaches
Practices:
- 5x 1 hour and 30 minute practices (goal is to attend 4 practice minimum)
- 2x 20 minute dryland sessions
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag
- 10 inch kick board,
- Pull buoy
- Long fins
- Paddles
- Adult snorkel
Age Group Yellow
Age Group Yellow is in our middle school tier.
Requirements:
- One ISCA/AGC qualifying time ORIMX score of 2400
- Must successfully complete test set
- Full USA-S membership
- Willing to represent CGBD at highest level championship meet for which they have qualified
- Will discuss and choose meet events with coaches
Practices:
- 6x 1 hour 45 minute practices (must attend 5 practices a week minimum)
- 2x 30 minute dryland sessions
- 2x 20 minute dryland session
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit (Race suit for competition/championship meets)
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag
- 10 inch kick board
- Drag socks
- Pull buoy
- Short fins
- Paddles
- Adult snorkel
Senior Prep
Senior Prep is in our high school tier.
Requirements:
- Able to swim 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke
- Legal breaststroke and butterfly kick
- Register as USA membership
Practices:
- 3x 60 minute practices offered (goal to attend 2 practices)
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag
- 10 inch kick board
- Pull buoy
- Long fins
- Adult snorkel
Senior
Senior is in the high school tier.
Requirements:
- Understanding of and willingness to train at the senior level
- Working towards building a full schedule at VSI Championship meets
- Behave and train accordingly with being a member of the senior program
- Discuss and choose meet events with coaches
- Full USA-S membership
Practices:
- 5x 2 hour practices
- 1x 2 hour 15 minute practice
- 2x 1 hour 45 minute practice (morning/weights)
- 2x 45 minute dryland sessions
- Goal to attend 6 practices a week
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit,
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag,
- 10 inch kick board
- Drag socks
- Pull buoy
- Short fins
- Paddles
- Adult snorkel
Senior National
Senior National is in our high school tier.
Requirements:
- Must achieve 6 or more VSI Championship meet cuts AND2 Sectional cuts
- Must successfully complete test set
- Placement contingent on coaches agreement, maturity level, and ability to train
- Must represent CGBD by competing once per month
- Discuss and choose meet events with coaches
- Must be willing to team travel
- Must be willing to compete at state level meets and beyond (ISCA/ NCSA/ Sectionals)
- Must lead by example and uphold highest standards as an elite member of CGBD
- Full USA-S membership
Practices:
- 3x 2 hour and 15 minute practices
- 3x 2 hour practices
- 3x 1 hour 45 minute practices (morning/weights)
- 2x 45 minute dryland sessions
- Must attend 8 practice per a week minumum
Equipment:
- Team cap
- Team suit (race suit for competition/championship meets)
- Water bottle
- Mesh bag
- 10 inch kick board
- Drag socks
- Pull buoy
- Short fins
- Paddles
- Adult snorkel
2025-2026 Tentative Fall Schedule
Practice schedules are broken down by group and location. Check out the dryland and in-water schedules as well as peninsula, midday (homeschool), and Williamsburg locations.
For scholarship information please email dolphinswims@cgbdswim.org.