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"Teams Make People. People
Make Teams."
Year-Round
Swimming and Orinda Aquatics
It
is the sincere desire of Orinda Aquatics that participation in
year-round swimming be a positive experience for each swimmer
and that swimmers join for the right reasons. The environment
at Orinda Aquatics is a smaller, more intimate setting and we
expect all members to be positive, team-oriented individuals.
As such, the coaching staff will meet with each prospective member
and a parent to discuss the nature of the program and the
reasons for joining. After that meeting, swimmers are offered
a two-week tryout (please find the
Try-Out form in the documents section of the
website and return Donnie) to experience the schedule, the commute,
the workouts, the team, and the coaches. After that period,
if both parties feel that it is the right decision, a registration
packet will be given to the swimmer or parent.
Because
of the prevalence of summer league swimming, and the Orinda
Aquatics Fall program, we generally do not encourage swimmers under
the age of ten to train year-round. Through rec and
Fall swimming, younger swimmers can experience a very
positive, social, team environment while learning proper
technique and developing an understanding and comfort with
competition. In terms
of progression in the sport, the coaches have extensive experience
in guiding swimmers through the progression of summer
league, Fall Swimming, year-round swimming, into
high school programs, and on to collegiate
swimming.
Regarding "who" should swim year-round,
there are many myths. Year-round swimming is not strictly for
"stars". To the contrary, it is less about ability and more
about desire. The vast majority of Orinda Aquatics swimmers,
and
USA
swimmers across the country, begin
from a novice or intermediate background. And because of
their desire to swim, most develop to higher levels. While summer league swimming is
the best introduction to the sport, there are many swimmers that
need other things. Advanced swimmers may need to move on
to higher levels of training and competition, while some swimmers
may be more "distance" oriented as apposed to the sprint nature of
rec swimming. Additionally, swimming has been a compliment to
the sport of Water Polo for many athletes. Year-round
swimming adds conditioning, speed, and technique, all valuable for
serious water polo players. Feel free to contact a coach
either through email or a phone call to discuss year-round
swimming.
Objectives of
Orinda
Aquatics
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To serve
the swimming needs of the community through various
programs
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To be a
model program nationally
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To develop
high-character athletes
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To develop
a positive, high character team environment
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To create
collegiate opportunities for all swimmers
- To provide
the best coaching available anywhere
- To assist
local teams and parents in developing summer programs and
staffs
Themes of Orinda
Aquatics
§ “It is
good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that
matters, in the end.” Le
guin
§ “Prepare the child for the path not the path for the
child.”
§ Character first.
For
more information on joining Orinda Aquatics or trying
out click here.
The year-round team is divided into two
groups, Junior (pre-high school) and Senior (high school and
collegiate swimmers). The group structure, philosophy, and
requirements are outlined in the JUnior and Senior Group
Sections.
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