Jr. Jellies

The Jr. Jellies is a pre-competitive program for rising-1st graders and up, and is a great place for kids wanting to join the swim team but who aren’t quite ready to make the leap into laps. Its goal is to serve as a program for swimmers wanting to transition from private/group lessons to competitive or recreational swim team. This program offers in-water coaching and a smaller group setting that helps swimmers develop an understanding of the strokes in a safe and fun environment. Participants entering the Jr. Jellies need to be able to submerge fully while blowing bubbles, float on the belly and back unassisted, perform rudimentary freestyle and backstroke, and generally feel comfortable trying new skills.

The Jr. Jellies participants are provided:

• Summer training
• An intensive M/W or T/Th curriculum delivered by in-water coaches
• Team swag (tee, swim cap, shirt, and team photo)
• Transitions to/from Bernie Camp if needed
• In- and out-of-water team activities
• End-of-season banquet
• End-of-season intra-squad meet to show off the skills gained over the summer

JR. JELLIES PROGRAM DATES
Pre-Season Parent Meeting:
Thursday, June 8 | 5:45-6:15 PM
At this meeting we will discuss program philosophy, meets, team events, logistical details, and place gear orders. While kids are welcome to join, this meeting is primarily for parents.

Summer Practice Schedule:
May 22-Aug. 17 | 3:45-4:15 PM (M/W or T/Th)
Cost: $375/season
Minimum age: Rising 1st grader and up

Jr. Jellies M/W Registration 
Jr. Jellies T/TH Registration

Jellyfish Training Group 1

Monday-Thursday Indoor 4:15-4:45 PM | Fridays Outdoor 7:45-8:30 AM
Cost: $450
Minimum age: Rising 1st grader and up

About Practice Group 1:
This training group is for swimmers who can comfortably swim freestyle and backstroke unassisted for a minimum of 25y in addition to performing the safety skills of floating and treading water. Stroke form does not need to be perfect, but freestyle should have the face in the water with nose bubbles, breathing towards the side, and arms that leave the water (not doggie paddle). In backstroke, the arms move in opposition and the lower body is near the surface. Most importantly, to have a positive experience, swimmers need to be emotionally ready for a team environment. This means communicating questions and fears, following directions, remaining focused in a loud environment, and being willing to try new things without extensive individual attention.

Over the summer we will work to refine freestyle and backstroke to become faster and more efficient with better stroke mechanics, body position, and speed skills such as streamlining, underwater kicking, and flip turns.

Jellyfish Group 1 Entry Benchmarks:
Jr. Jellies skills mastery
Instructional maturity
Communicates questions and fears
Follows directions
Willing to try new things without requiring prolonged individual attention

Demonstrate the following freestyle skills:
Swim 25y unassisted (no stops or holding lane line)
Face in water with nose bubbles
Breathes toward side (doesn’t need to be perfect, but not looking forward)
Arms leave the water (not doggie paddle)

Demonstrate the following backstroke skills:
Swim 25y unassisted (no stops or holding lane line)
Lower body near the surface
Arms move in opposition

Jellyfish Training Group 1 Registration

Jellyfish Training Group 2

Monday-Thursday Indoor 4:45-5:30 PM | Fridays Outdoor 7:45-8:30 AM
Cost: $450
Minimum age: Rising 2nd grader and up

About Practice Group 2:
This training group is for swimmers with solid competitive strokes in freestyle and backstroke. They demonstrate an understanding of streamlining, body balance, and have an effective flutter kick. Over the summer they will continue to refine these skills while also beginning to work on breaststroke and butterfly technique.

Jellyfish Group 2 Entry Benchmarks:
Group 1 skills mastery
Reliably uses streamlines off walls
Buoyant body position in freestyle
Buoyant body position in backstroke
Freestyle side breathing with minimal head lift
Scull 25y (any body position)

Jellyfish Training Group 2 Registration

Jellyfish Training Group 3

Monday-Thursday Indoor 5:30-6:15 PM | Fridays Outdoor 7:00-8:30 AM
Cost: $450
Minimum age: Rising 4th grader and up

About Practice Group 3:
This training group is for swimmers who have mastered the fundamentals of freestyle and backstroke, and who can perform both breast stroke and butterfly, but need help making the strokes meet-legal. Over the summer they will continue to develop endurance and speed in freestyle and backstroke, while also taking a deep dive into the horizontal axis strokes.

Jellyfish Group 3 Entry Benchmarks:
Group 2 skills mastery
Utilizes rotation in freestyle
Uses a regular breathing pattern in freestyle
Freestyle breathing with no head lift
Flutter kick in freestyle is at surface with minimal knee bend
Practices flipturns during sets without being asked
Utilizes rotation in backstroke
Knows stroke count from flags to wall and finishes backstroke legally
Breast stroke kick utilizes ankle flexion
Breast stroke kick powers inward, not to the sides or down
Understands and can perform chest press/undulation/body roll for butterfly

Jellyfish Training Group 3 Registration

Jellyfish Training Group 4

Monday-Thursday Indoor 6:15-7:15 PM | Fridays Outdoor 7:00-8:30 AM
Cost: $450
Minimum Age: Rising 6th grader and up

About Practice Group 4:
This practice group is for swimmers with an understanding of all four strokes who are beginning to focus on efficiency, power, and racing skills. Swimmers entering this group demonstrate technically-proficient freestyle and backstroke, meet-legal breast stroke and are able to perform a minimum of 25y butterfly.

Jellyfish Group 4 Entry Benchmarks:
Group 3 skills mastery
EVF/High-Elbow pull in Freestyle
Can perform backstroke starts with fluid underwaters to surface
Breaststroke is swam legally
Breaststroke kick is not just legal, but correct
Breaststroke pull/breathe/kick timing are correct
Can swim 25y legal butterfly

Jellyfish Training Group 4 Registration