First Week Swim Team Practice Plan (90 Minutes)

Setup: Team sits where they can see the pool and the pace clock; assign lanes and line-up spots with deck markers.

How it runs: 60 seconds on names/attendance, then walk them to the wall and physically show the corner stopping spot and where to stand behind the blocks. Teach lane flow: circle swim on the right, and the toe-tap pass rule (tap once, pass at the next wall).

• Watch for: Kids looking before they push — no surprise push-offs.
• Cues: "Stop in the corner," "Look up the lane," "Touch the wall every time."
• Common issue: Someone will push off into traffic because they're watching friends. Fix: Stop that lane immediately, reset spacing (3-count after the swimmer ahead touches), and restart with you calling the first three send-offs out loud.

If the group is anxious, shorten the talk and get them moving — teach the rest while they're in the water.

Setup: All swimmers in shallow end, one hand on the wall, spread out shoulder-width so nobody gets kicked.

How it runs: 3 rounds — (1) 5-second front float with face in + bubbles, stand; (2) 5-second back float with ears in, stand; (3) push and glide to the first lane mark, stand and walk back. Add a quick "sink down, blow out, pop up" bob for anyone holding their breath.

• Watch for: Steady bubbles out the nose/mouth while the face is in.
• Cues: "Blow bubbles first," "Long body like a pencil," "Ears in the water."
• Common issue: Kids hold their breath and panic when they try to float. Fix: Make the goal smaller — 3 seconds of bubbles, then stand; repeat until relaxed.

For swimmers who need more support, keep one hand on the wall for floats. To increase difficulty, take hands off the wall and glide a little farther before standing.

Setup: One line per lane at the shallow end; one kickboard per lane stays at the wall.

How it runs: First 4 reps are just push-off + glide + stand (no kicking) so they feel straight body position. Next, add 6–8 small kicks after the glide, then stand. Then do 2 reps on the back: push, ears in, small kicks to the flags (or halfway if needed).

• Watch for: Tight body on the push — arms squeezing ears, belly firm, legs together.
• Cues: "Squeeze your ears," "Superman hands," "Tiny fast kicks."
• Common issue: Knees bend and feet slap the surface. Fix: Have them kick on their back with hands at sides for one rep, then return to streamline — most straighten out immediately.

For swimmers who struggle, push and glide only with no kick. To increase difficulty, glide + kick to the flags without drifting into the lane line.

Get quick drinks and reset lane assignments if one lane is clearly too fast or too slow.

Coach script while they sip: Remind swimmers of the "corner stop" and "3-count spacing," then name today's two strokes you're building (freestyle and backstroke). If a lane had traffic issues, put your most reliable swimmer first as the lane leader for the next block.

Setup: Lanes run 25s; swimmers leave with a 3-count gap after the swimmer ahead touches. Keep it to 12.5s for anyone who can't finish a 25 yet.

How it runs:

1. Round 1: 4×25 freestyle easy, no breathing rule yet — just long body and kick.
2. Round 2: 4×25 with "3 strokes + breathe" (they can choose the side), then keep stroking — no stopping to breathe.
3. Round 3: 2×25 with a target — exhale bubbles the whole time until the breath.

• Watch for: Breath happens with one goggle still in the water and the lead arm staying long.
• Cues: "One goggle in," "Breathe quick — keep kicking," "Blow out underwater."
• Common issue: They lift their whole head and scissor-kick to save themselves. Fix: Have them do 12.5 freestyle with a board in front for 1 rep to calm the kick, then remove the board and repeat the same breathing pattern.

For swimmers who need it, breathe every 2 strokes and allow a brief glide. To increase difficulty, hold the same breathing pattern for the whole 25 without changing speed.

Setup: Start in the water at the wall (no backstroke starts today); one line per lane. Put a coach at mid-pool to watch drifting and head movement.

How it runs: 2 reps back float to the flags (or 12.5), focusing on ears in and hips up. Then 4×12.5 backstroke with continuous kick; if they drift, they stop at the flags, re-center, and continue. Finish with 2×25 backstroke for swimmers who can stay in their lane; others stay at 12.5.

• Watch for: Still head and steady flutter kick keeping the hips near the surface.
• Cues: "Belly button up," "Eyes to the ceiling," "Kick never stops."
• Common issue: Arms windmill and they snake across the lane. Fix: Switch to single-arm backstroke for one length (other arm at side) and tell them to pull straight past the shoulder, not across the face.

For swimmers who need more support, keep hands at sides and just kick on the back. To increase difficulty, add a gentle roll (shoulder out of the water) while keeping the head still.

Setup: Use the shallow end wall; swimmers line up single file with plenty of space. This is a safety/flow period so the lanes don't pile up at the wall later.

How it runs: Demo on deck — approach with two strokes, touch with two hands (freestyle) or one hand (backstroke), bring knees in tight, feet on wall, streamline and push. In-water reps: 6–8 quick turn reps each — swim in easy, do the turn, glide out to the first lane mark, stand and walk back along the wall.

• Watch for: Feet planted on the wall before pushing, and a tight streamline on the push-off.
• Cues: "Touch — tuck — feet — push," "Small ball," "Squeeze your ears."
• Common issue: They twist sideways and push off crooked into the lane line. Fix: Make them freeze with feet on the wall for one second before pushing so you can square their hips and point their toes straight out.

For swimmers who need it, start from one arm's length away from the wall (no swim-in). To increase difficulty, add 2–3 kicks after the push without breaking streamline.

Setup: Keep the same lanes; coach at the start end calls the order and enforces corner stops.

How it runs: 6 rounds of 25s with lots of rest — odd reps freestyle (focus: breath without stopping), even reps backstroke (focus: straight line). Swimmers who need it do 12.5s each rep and rest at the wall until the group finishes. Make the last two reps "best swim" at smooth speed — no racing, just clean.

• Watch for: Swimmers leave with spacing and finish every rep with a wall touch and corner stop.
• Cues: "Same kick on both strokes," "Touch and slide to the corner," "Look before you go."
• Common breakdown: Faster kids will catch slower kids mid-pool and try to pass dangerously. Fix: Enforce the toe-tap pass — if they don't tap, they don't pass; if they do tap, the lead swimmer stops at the next wall corner and lets them go.

For shorter sessions, use only 4 rounds with longer rest. To increase difficulty, shorten rest by having swimmers leave on the swimmer ahead's push plus a 2-count.

Setup: Easy choice swim in each lane; keep it calm and spread out.

How it runs: 4×25 easy (choice of freestyle/backstroke) with full rest; anyone tired can do kick or back float instead. Bring them to the wall for a 2-minute huddle: ask two swimmers to say the lane rules out loud, then summarize the day's wins and the one thing for next time (bubbles before the breath).

• Watch for: Relaxed exhale and safe walls even when they're tired.
• Cues: "Easy speed, perfect line," "Long exhale," "Finish with a wall touch."
• Common issue: Kids will start splashing and racing because they're excited. Fix: Give a clear standard — "If you race, you sit out one rep and watch the lane rules" — then restart with you leading the first easy 25 alongside the lane.

For swimmers who are tired, do only 2×25 and use more huddle time. To increase difficulty, ask for one "quiet 25" where you can barely hear the kick.