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Junior Competitive

Junior Competitive

25-26 Junior Competitive (1) Session 2 25-26 Junior Competitive (2) Session 2

Sessions

25-26 Junior Competitive (1) Session 2 25-26 Junior Competitive (2) Session 2

25-26 Junior Competitive (1) Session 2

Duration: Feb 2 - May 3, 2026

Registration opens: Dec 5 9:00 AM

Registration closes: Jan 5 11:59 PM

Black Bears

3 times per week
897.00 / session

Fees and discounts
Closed

Junior Competitive : Black Bears

Black Bears

Appropriate Athlete Development: Learn to Train
Age Range: 9–13
Roster Group: Junior Competitive
Season Format: Two sessions per season

The Black Bears group is the second stage in the competitive roster pathway of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears Swim Club. Designed for athletes in the Learn to Train stage of the Appropriate Athlete Development Model, this group continues to learn the expectations and demands of competitive swimming. Swimmers focus on refining key technical skills, building foundational endurance, and learning how to train with intention and consistency.

The group runs in two sessions per season, allowing athletes the flexibility to commit to either one or both depending on goals and availability.

Physical Development

Athletes in Black Bears develop the technical foundation needed for competitive swimming. This includes:

Maintains streamlined body position and performs underwater dolphin kicks for 15 meters
Practices consistent, proper technique every session
Can swim one length of each stroke at consistent or improved times, using fewer strokes than in previous levels
Builds strength and speed in stroke breakouts (first 10 meters)

Aerobic Endurance

Comfortable completing a 60-minute practice session
Can swim or kick continuously for 15 minutes
Completes a 200m Individual Medley (IM) with legal technique and turns

Target Racing Times & Standards

Has competed in all age-appropriate events and achieved the following race standards at a sanctioned meet:

100m Free ≤ 1:30
200m Free ≤ 3:15
400m Free ≤ 6:45
100m Backstroke ≤ 1:40
100m Breaststroke ≤ 1:50
100m Butterfly ≤ 1:50
200m IM ≤ 3:20

Target Training Sets

6 x 100 IM @ 2:15
8 x 100 Kick @ 2:30
10 x 100 Free @ 2:00

Cognitive and Tactical Development

Swims with prescribed technique and breathing patterns during training and races
Understands and measures heart rate for training and recovery
Recognizes the value of flexibility in performance and injury prevention
Beginning to understand race strategies, including pacing and broken swims
Learns the relationship between training times and competition outcomes
Progressing with use of the pace clock and training on intervals

As the first step in the WGB competitive pathway, Black Bears prepares young athletes to train and compete with confidence. Swimmers learn the essential skills, discipline, and mindset needed to progress through higher competitive groups while fostering a love for the sport and team culture.

Panda Bears

2 times per week
507.00 / session

Fees and discounts
Closed

Junior Competitive : Panda Bears

Panda Bears

Appropriate Athlete Development: Fundamentals / Learn to Train
Age Range: 8–12
Roster Group: Junior Competitive
Season Format: Two sessions per season

The Panda Bears group is the entry-level program within the Junior Competitive Roster of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears Swim Club. This group is designed for swimmers who have completed a pre-competitive program and are ready to begin structured, skill-focused training in a team environment. Panda Bears introduces athletes to the rhythm of regular practices, interval-based training, and the foundational skills needed for competitive swimming.

Swimmers in this group continue to refine their technique in all four strokes and begin developing training habits such as following a coach-led warm-up, swimming sets on a pace clock, and using basic equipment like fins and kickboards. Panda Bears lays the groundwork for confident, motivated swimmers who are eager to learn and improve.

Physical Development

Maintains a strong, balanced body position in the water
Can perform underwater streamline glides with dolphin or flutter kick
Demonstrates correct technique in freestyle and backstroke over 25–50 meters
Introduced to breaststroke and butterfly through drills and short-distance practice
Practices legal turns and finishes in all strokes

Aerobic Endurance

Comfortable completing 45–60 minute practice sessions
Can swim or kick continuously for 8–10 minutes
Completes a 100m Individual Medley (IM) using legal techniques for each stroke

Target Training Sets

6 x 50 Free @ 1:30
4 x 50 Kick @ 1:45
4 x 25 IM order @ :45

Target Racing Standards

Panda Bear swimmers are encouraged to participate in club time trials or local developmental meets. Performance benchmarks include:

100m Free ≤ 2:00
50m Backstroke ≤ 1:10
100m IM ≤ 2:20

These are flexible standards and meant to encourage participation, not limit it.

Cognitive and Tactical Development

Learns to follow a practice structure and listen for instructions
Understands basic lane etiquette and group swimming dynamics
Begins to use the pace clock with coach guidance
Introduced to goal-setting and personal best tracking
Practices positive self-talk and team spirit

The Panda Bears program gives swimmers their first experience in a competitive team setting while maintaining an emphasis on fun, improvement, and personal growth. It prepares young athletes for the next stages of development by building confidence, consistency, and curiosity in a supportive environment. Whether their path leads to Black Bears or beyond, Panda Bears is where competitive swimmers take their first big leap forward.

25-26 Junior Competitive (2) Session 2

Duration: Feb 23 - Jun 26, 2026

Registration opens: Dec 1 9:00 AM

Registration closes: Jan 26 11:59 PM

Brown Bears

4 times per week
1,200.00 / session

Fees and discounts
Closed

Junior Competitive : Brown Bears

Brown Bears

Appropriate Athlete Development: Learn to Train
Age Range: 10–13
Roster Group: Junior Competitive
Season Format: Two sessions per season

The Brown Bears group is designed for developing swimmers in the Learn to Train stage of the Appropriate Athlete Development Model. This group focuses on refining technique, building aerobic capacity, and preparing athletes for higher-level competition. It is ideal for swimmers who are learning to train with purpose and intent, while still developing the foundational skills of competitive swimming.

Brown Bears offers two training sessions per season, and swimmers can choose to commit to one or both depending on their goals and availability.

Physical Development

Maintains streamlined body position and performs underwater dolphin kicks for 20 meters
Practices consistent, proper technique every session
Can swim one length of each stroke at consistent or improved times, using fewer strokes than in previous levels
Builds strength and speed in stroke breakouts (first 15 meters)
Maintains consistent technique, stroke rate, and split times in training sets

Aerobic Endurance

Can comfortably complete a 90-minute practice
Can swim or kick continuously for 20 minutes
Capable of legally completing a 400m Individual Medley (IM), including all turns and transitions

Target Racing Standards

Aware of, if not achieving, North & Interior Divisional and BC Provincial time standards
Developing toward age-appropriate benchmarks for competitive meets

Target Training Sets

6 x 200 IM @ 4:15
8 x 100 Kick @ 2:15
16 x 100 Free @ 1:50

Cognitive and Tactical Development

Understands the basic differences between sprint and distance energy systems
Learns how distance per stroke, stroke rate, and speed are connected
Demonstrates basic awareness of drag and how to reduce resistance in the water
Understands the importance of a balanced diet and the types of fuel needed for training and racing
Uses heart rate to track training intensity and recovery
Begins to learn race pace training and practices swimming at goal paces
Develops and follows a prescribed race strategy

The Brown Bears program builds strong, versatile athletes by laying a solid foundation of technique, fitness, and racing awareness, setting swimmers up for success in their future training and competitions.

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