Group Descriptions - Competitive

National (14 & Over)

The National Group is a select team of high-performance athletes aged 14 and over who have achieved a time at least 3% away from one Best of the West Fest time standard and are committed to pursuing excellence at provincial, national, and international levels. Training at this level is highly specialized and increasingly individualized, tailored to each swimmer’s needs, goals, and event focus. Athletes are expected to maintain an exceptional level of attendance (90%+), actively participate in the training process, manage advanced, high-volume sets, and consistently communicate with their coach to optimize outcomes. The program emphasizes advanced energy system training, exceptional technical execution across all strokes, stroke and race-specific development, and refined recovery strategies to meet the physical demands of elite training. Swimmers are also expected to balance their performance goals with a strong commitment to academics and recovery outside the pool. The competitive focus follows the Swimming Canada National calendar, including major provincial and national meets, with opportunities for team selections and international competition. Travel and time away from school are expected parts of the season. Dryland sessions follow a layered performance model with weight training, mobility, conditioning, and coordination work. While performance standard, skill level, dedication and age are minimum requirements, final placement in the National Group is determined by the Head Coach based on performance readiness, attitude, and long-term development potential.

Performance: 3% away from Best of the West (BOTW) Time Standards; proven ability to handle advanced, high-volume training sets
Skill Level: Elite technical execution across all strokes; advanced race-pacing mechanics
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 90%+; elite practice effort and proactive athletic leadership
Age: Minimum 14 years old (flexible based on development)

Senior Provincial (14 & Over)

The Senior Provincial Group is designed for swimmers who have achieved a time at least 4% away from a Swim Alberta Provincial Trials time standard and are ready to commit to high-performance training. Athletes in this group are expected to train with consistency (80%+ attendance), take ownership of their preparation, and communicate openly with their coach to align goals, schedules, and expectations. Practices emphasize individual responsibility, higher training loads, and a deeper understanding of energy systems, recovery strategies, and mental resilience. Swimmers follow a comprehensive program that develops all four strokes and prepares them to race across multiple events and distances, including individual medley. Regular competition at the local, provincial, and national levels is expected, with a focus on improving racing skills and achieving peak performance at targeted meets. Dryland sessions continue to develop strength, mobility, and athletic coordination, with a performance-oriented mindset. Group placement is ultimately determined by the Assistant Head Coach based on attitude, work ethic, and training readiness.

Performance: 4% away from Swim Alberta Provincial Trials Time Standards
Skill Level: Advancing in specific Race Pace concepts, stroke rate management, complex energy systems and training IQ
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 80%+; consistent training focus and independent habit management
Age: Minimum 14 years old (flexible based on development)

Provincial (12 - 14 years old)

The Provincial Group is designed for swimmers who have achieved at least one time within 4% of a Swim Alberta Provincial Championships time standard and are ready to commit to high-performance training. Athletes in this group are expected to train with consistency (80%+ attendance), take ownership of their preparation, and communicate openly with their coach to align goals, schedules, and expectations. Practices emphasize individual responsibility, higher training loads, and a deeper understanding of energy systems, recovery strategies, and mental resilience. Swimmers follow a comprehensive program that develops all four strokes and prepares them to race across multiple events and distances, including individual medley. Regular competition at the local, provincial, and national levels is expected, with a focus on improving racing skills and achieving peak performance at targeted meets. Dryland sessions continue to develop strength, mobility, and athletic coordination, with a performance-oriented mindset. Group placement is ultimately determined by the Assistant Head Coach based on attitude, work ethic, and training readiness.

Performance: 4% away from Swim Alberta Provincial Championships Time Standards
Skill Level: Advancing in specific Race Pace concepts, stroke rate management, complex energy systems and training IQ
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 80%+; consistent training focus and independent habit management
Age: 12–14 years old (flexible based on development)

Senior Competitive (18 & Over)

The Senior Competitive Group is for swimmers age 18 and over who are taking greater ownership of their training and competitive swimming journey. Athletes in this group are expected to train with intention, maintain strong attendance, and develop a deeper understanding of how effort, recovery, and consistency drive long-term results. Practices are designed to challenge both physical and mental capacity, with a growing focus on energy systems, heart rate-based training, and personalized goal-setting. Swimmers follow a well-rounded program that develops all four strokes, preparing them for success in IM events and across a wide range of distances. Athletes are expected to consistently attend practice (80%+ attendance), race regularly and compete in a variety of events at local, provincial, and national meets. Communication, independence, and accountability are key—swimmers are encouraged to work closely with their coach to align training habits with performance goals. The dryland program emphasizes progressive strength development alongside continued work on agility, mobility, and injury prevention. Senior Competitive athletes are learning to handle the highs and lows of the sport with maturity, resilience, and a team-first mindset.

Performance: 4% away from Provincial Trials Time Standards
Skill Level: Advancing in specific Race Pace concepts, stroke rate management, complex energy systems and training IQ
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 80%+; consistent training focus and independent habit management
Age: 18+ years old

Regional (10 - 13 years old)

The Regional Group is designed for swimmers aged 10 to 13 who are at least 4% away from a Swim Alberta Provincial Trials standard and who show strong commitment through consistent attendance (80%+), focused training, and a professional attitude. These athletes take ownership of their development by embracing challenges and striving for both technical and mental growth. Training includes advanced concepts such as heart rate tracking, crossover turns, paddles, and resistance tools, alongside increased dryland demands focusing on agility, strength, and coordination. Regional swimmers follow a program that emphasizes all four strokes to support balanced development and improve performance in individual medley (IM) events. All swimmers are required to compete in a wide range of events and race distances to broaden experience and racing skills. Mental skills are also developed to help swimmers thrive under pressure. Athletes in this group regularly compete at local and regional meets, with the performance goal of qualifying for provincial-level competitions.

Performance: 4% away from Provincial Trials Time Standards; measurable progress on training test sets
Skill Level: Introduction to stroke counting, specific racing strategies, energy systems, and breath control
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 80%+; active focus on eliminating training disruptions (late arrivals, unnecessary breaks)
Age: 10–13 years old (flexible based on development)

Junior Age Group (9 - 12 years old)

Junior Age Group (JAG) swimmers will develop mastery of basic skill elements such as streamlining and underwater kicking, advancing skill elements of starts and turns, and introducing higher level stroke components like Distance Per Stroke (DPS). An introduction on mental preparation for training, racing, and personal development will be developed in the JAG group, as well as understanding the purpose of tactics and strategies for racing and training. JAG swimmers will compete in local, regional & provincial level competitions, and may qualify for inter-provincial opportunities. Athletes must demonstrate consistent attendance (80%+) and effort, and will focus on racing all strokes with a balance of speed and endurance events. Sufficient competition experience will be required to move from OW to JAG. Continued development of agility, balance, coordination and speed (ABC’S) with the addition of body weight strength movements taught for further strength development. JAG swimmers will be competitive in all four strokes and will train and race a broad spectrum of events throughout the season. 

Performance: Attend OSC hosted meets, improvement in OSC test sets throughout the season (kick and endurance)
Skill Level: Consistent execution of foundational drills, body position and sculling.
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 80%+; positive attitude towards coaches, athletes and officials
Age: 9–12 years old (flexible based on development)

Olympic Way (8 - 11 years old)

Olympic Way (OW) swimmers will continue development of all four competitive strokes, skills, starts and turns with an emphasis on advancing technical stroke components and introducing fundamental racing components such as a minimum of three (3) dolphin kicks in a streamline, and not breathing the first stroke off of every wall. In-house competitions as well as some local and regional invitational meets will be offered at this level. Swimmers should attend practice consistently (75%+ attendance) and strive to achieve the Swim Alberta Festival qualifying standards and should attend if they qualify. OW's dryland goal is to develop agility, balance, coordination & speed (ABC’S). Swimmers should be familiar with basic training and racing etiquette, and will continue to develop their swimming terminology. The swimmer is learning to become more self aware as an athlete.

• Do you know how to read a clock? Can you adhere to pace times and get your time? 
• Can you push off the wall on time and in streamline?
• Learn to pass other swimmers safely
• Learn to properly use a snorkel

Swimmers who have shown stage appropriate development on all four strokes and skills will be qualified to advance into the OW program. Swimmers in this group will improve on skills and techniques taught at the JOW level and see significant development of body position kick. These swimmers will be prepared for advancement to the JAG program by understanding the general concepts of training in a group and taking both individual and group instruction.

Performance: Attend OSC hosted meets, improvement in OSC test sets throughout the season (kick and endurance)
Skill Level: Consistent execution of foundational drills, body position and sculling
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 75%+; arriving happy, ready to work, and eager to listen to feedback
Age: 8–11 years old (flexible based on development)

Junior Olympic Way (7 - 10 years old)

Junior Olympic Way (JOW) will continue to develop all four competitive strokes, starts and turns learned in OSC's pre-competitive Mini O's program. Overall physical development with an emphasis on having FUN, short duration speed and endurance. Introduce and teach basic training requirements such as lane etiquette and pace clock use. Swimmers in JOW will have the opportunity to compete in select local and provincial invitationals throughout the season and will be expected to attend at minimum 65% of practices. Dryland will focus on promoting agility, balance, coordination and speed (ABC’S). Swimmers must pass Mini O’s Gold or the equivalent (as determined by an individual assessment). 

JOW swimmers will develop further confidence in the water and a progression in the technical aspects of all four competitive strokes, turns and starts. They will develop a general understanding of how a swim meet is run as well as an overall increase in speed and endurance in and out of the pool.

Performance: Attend OSC hosted meets, improvement in OSC test sets throughout the season (kick and endurance)
Skill Level: Introduction to the competitive environment, learning to read the workout board, using the pace clock, and basic stroke drills
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 65%+; showing excitement for the sport and respect to coaches and peers
Age: 7–10 years old (flexible based on development)

Age Group Development - Competitive (13 - 17 years old)

Swimmers in Age Group Development (AGD) - Competitive will be introduced to all four competitive strokes, skills, starts and turns. Overall physical development with an emphasis on having FUN and short duration speed and endurance. Swimmers must be 17 years of age or younger at the start of the season. AGD Competitive swimmers must attend at minimum 65% of practices and are able to compete at OSC approved competitions, so long as the swimmer meets the competition standards. AGD's dryland focus is to promote agility, balance, coordination and speed (ABC’S) 

Swimmers must be able to swim 100 meters unassisted and be comfortable in deep water to be eligible for Age Group Development. Swimmers must have the desire to develop a basic understanding of all four competitive strokes, turns and starts. They will develop a general understanding of how a swim meet is run as well as an overall increase in their speed and endurance.

Performance: Attend all eligible OSC hosted meets, improvement in OSC test sets throughout the season (kick and endurance)
Skill Level: Consistent execution of new technical drills, test sets, and high water awareness
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 65%+; independent accountability during practice
Age: 13–17 years old (flexible based on development)

Age Group Development - Non Competitive (13 - 17 years old)

Swimmers in Age Group Development (AGD) Non-Competitive will be introduced to all four competitive strokes, skills, starts and turns. Overall physical development with an emphasis on having FUN and short duration speed and endurance. Swimmers must be 17 years of age or younger at the start of the season. AGD Non-Competitive swimmers must attend at minimum 65% of practices and are able to compete at our fun year-end OSC Blue & White swim meet. AGD's dryland focus is to promote agility, balance, coordination and speed (ABC’S) 

Swimmers must be able to swim 100 meters unassisted and be comfortable in deep water to be eligible for Age Group Development. Swimmers must have the desire to develop a basic understanding of all four competitive strokes, turns and starts. They will develop a general understanding of how a swim meet is run as well as an overall increase in their speed and endurance.

Performance: Ability to swim all 4 competitive strokes comfortably over short distances
Skill Level: Broad introduction to structured swim drills, basic aerobic skills
Dedication: Attendance requirement of 65%+; positive attitude toward coaches, athletes and officials
Age: 13–17 years old (flexible based on development)

External Swimmers (18 & Over)

Please contact the OSC Office to inquire about this group.