Punahou Aquatics Swim School (PASS)
PASS offers small group swim lessons with the intent of getting the swimmers ready for a competitive swim team. The only requirement for PASS is that the swimmer can swim 1 lap (25 yds) of the pool freestyle (PASS is not a learn-to-swim program for nonswimmers or those with very basic swimming skills). The goal of PASS is to teach all 4 competitive swim strokes, racing starts and turns, as well as build endurance for lap swimming. This program is recommended for swimmers ages 10 and under although there have been some older swimmers enrolled in the program. Swimmers must be comfortable in deep water; our pool does not have a shallow end. 2 days/week or 3 days/week. Click on the Swim School button at the top of the page for more info.
Blue
Beginning competitive swimmers (most have been swimming competitively for less than two full years). Most new swimmers start out in this group and most of these swimmers come from the PASS program. Must be able to swim Freestyle, Backstroke and Breastroke legally, with a developing Butterfly stroke (if not, we recommend PASS to get ready for this group). Little yardage (up to 1,000 yards) since most of the time is spent working on stroke technique. Exposure to starts and turns. Focus: Drills and stroke technique, learning to be part of a team, enjoying swimming. 2-3 days/week.
Equipment: Fins, Cap, Goggles
Silver
These swimmers have the basic ability to perform all strokes, and the emphasis is still on developing better technique since they are still young and learning to improve their strokes. These kids can handle more yardage, but practices are mostly drill sessions rather than giving them long sets and turning them loose since they are still working on better technique. Slightly more yardage is completed in these workouts with the drills getting more demanding and in-depth, as well as more emphasis put on Butterfly. Quality starts and turns. 3 days/week.
Gold
These kids have the ability to perform all of the strokes with pretty good efficiency and are starting to get faster. Usually these kids have AA times or QUAL times or somewhere around this. If they are not at these time standards, they are striving to reach these standards. We begin to introduce interval sets and normally accomplish about 2,500 to 3,000 yards a day. Some days are spent doing longer swims. A close eye is spent on technique, but by now most of the kids are fairly efficient and are beginning to develop their own personal styles of strokes. This group is more intense than Silver. May have a fun day occasionally for a day or two a week in order to focus more on drills of a particular stroke or starts/turns. 4 days/week.
Equipment: Paddles, Snorkel, Mesh-bag, Fins, and Goggles
Junior
These kids have the ability to perform all of the strokes well and continue to get faster. Usually these kids have QUAL times or Zone times or somewhere around this. Swimmers who have not met these time standards have the goal of reaching them. We introduce interval sets and normally accomplish about 3,500 to 5,000 yards a day. Many days are spent doing longer swims and main sets can range anywhere between 1,500 and 2,500 yards. Technique is still a focus and all swimmers are asked to swim all strokes at practice. At this stage we begin to ask more of a commitment out of the swimmers and also begin to focus on the mental aspects of swimming. Swimmers in the Junior group have already made a decision that swimming is something that they value doing and want to maximize their own potential. This group may have a fun day as a reward for hard work. 5 days/week, morning practices introduced.
Equipment: Paddles, Snorkel, Mesh-bag, Fins, and Goggles
Varsity
Developmental group for older swimmers (12+) who are not yet ready for the Junior or Senior groups. Also appropriate for swimmers who value fitness and use swimming to cross-train for other sports, or who are involved in other activities that make it hard to fully commit to swimming. Swimmers are expected to practice 3 days/week, and practices emphasize both technique and endurance. Swimmers discuss individual goals with their coach and where practical workouts are designed around those goals. Even when intensely involved in other sports or activities, Varsity swimmers are strongly encouraged to make room for swimming at least once/week.
Equipment: Fins, Cap, Goggles, and Green Stroke-Maker Paddles
Senior I
Mostly interval sets at this point: some get pretty difficult. Significant dryland training is introduced in this group and is encouraged as a part of the training regimen. The swimmers are competing in all invitationals and some swimmers have reached the QUAL level. They normally go between 4 to 5,000 yards a day with some days focusing on distance. 30 minutes of dry land is encouraged at least 3 days a week before or after practice. Few practices are spent doing drills constantly since most of the kids, if not all, have strong efficiency in all strokes. Morning practices are also introduced at this level and swimmers looking to advance to the next level of swimming should begin morning training. Taper training is introduced in this group as we approach big meets and most of them have qualified to participate. 5+ days/week, with morning practices.
Equipment: Paddles, Snorkel, Mesh-bag, Fins, Booties (water socks) and Goggles
Senior Elite
This is for serious swimmers only!! Not for seasonal swimmers who focus on many different sports. The swimmers in this group consider swimming to be their prime sport. 3 structured morning practices weekly and 2 hours every afternoon as well as some Saturday practices. Average about 5-7,000 yards a day and dryland 30 minutes before or after at least 4 days a week. Usually these swimmers will have an individual Zone time in any 13-up event (over 100 yards). This group can be broken up into Senior II and Elite depending on the number of kids. Workouts are tough and intervals require a lot of cardiovascular endurance. Coach will have these kids swim all local senior meets and state championships, Sectionals, US Open and any national caliber meets. May travel a lot. This group will take trips together to higher caliber meets. 5+ days/week, with morning practices.
Equipment: Paddles, Snorkel, Mesh-bag, Fins, Booties (water socks) and Goggles
Note: Some kids may progress faster than others in their group and need to be moved to a harder group. This is only accomplished by a meeting with the coaches and discussing it with the parent of the swimmer. The goal is not to push swimmers through groups as soon as they “use up” one and proceed to the next; over time, this would lead to a heavy population of swimmers in the upper groups with only few left in the lower ones. Instead, all attempts will be made to advance entire groups together. Although groups are generally organized by age, group placement will be based on ability level as well.
