Tasman Magic
Pathway to Competitive Swimming - Tasman Magic Academy
The Tasman Magic Academy is the entry point for young swimmers graduating from SwimMagic’s Gold squad to competitive swimming.
The programme provides a comprehensive coaching pathway from “Learn to Swim” right through to Senior Age Group swimmers competing at National and International levels. Swimmers start in our Junior group and progress at their own pace through Intermediate, then Age, and finally our Youth squad. When young swimmers join the programme, they also join a local swim club so that they are affiliated to Swimming NZ (SNZ) and Swimming Nelson Marlborough (SNM). Once they are a member of a club and affiliated, they can swim in “age appropriate” swim meets.
If your swimmer has an existing club affiliation then they can stay with that club. If not, then we encourage you to join the Tasman Swim Club, as most of our swimmers are members of that club.
If you would like to join the Tasman Swim Club, all information and membership applications are available on their website.
Swimmers are coached by Head Coach Shaun Foley and Assistant Coach Cara Pearson.
Junior 2 Day Squad: Monday - Friday
This squad will swim twice a week for 45 minutes from 3:45 – 4:30pm. You may select the days that suit your swimmers other activities depending on availability.
Swimmers in this group will graduate from the SwimMagic Gold group.
The target age for this group is 8-10 years old. We will teach them advanced stroke development and
racing starts, turns and finishes. We will also encourage them to compete at our squad racing nights and at “organised swim meets” against other clubs.
Junior 3 Day Squad: Monday - Friday
This squad will swim three times a week for 45 minutes from 3:45 - 4:30pm. You may select the days that suit your swimmers availability depending on their other activities.
The target age is 9 - 11 and we will continue to teach them advanced stroke development and racing starts, turns and finishes. They will compete at our squad racing nights and at “organised swim meets” against other clubs.
Intermediate: Monday - Friday
This squad will swim five times a week for 60 minutes a session from 4:30 – 5:30pm each weekday.
With the target age for this squad being 10 – 12, we will continue to teach them advanced stroke development as well as racing starts, turns and finishes. They will also start to do simple training sets so that they learn to read the session from the white board, manage themselves using the pace clock, and control the intensity of the work they are doing using their heart rate.
This squad will compete at our squad racing nights and at organised swim meets against other clubs.
We will aim for them to qualify for Regional Championship meets; while more advanced swimmers will aim to qualify for South Islands and the Mako Junior Festival.
Age Squad: Monday - Saturday
This squad will swim five mornings a week and one afternoon.
The target age is 12 - 14 years, and we will continue to refine the skills that they have learnt in Intermediates. We will also teach them to plan their races so that they can execute a simple race strategy.
This Squad will also compete at our squad racing nights and at organised swim meets against other clubs.
They will swim at Regional Championship level and we will aim for them to qualify for
South Island, Division II while some of the more advanced swimmers will qualify for National Age
Groups.
TRAINING TIMES – 2 Dryland and 6 Swim sessions
Monday morning: 5:10 - 7:30am
Tuesday morning: Dryland 5:20 - 5:50am, Swim 6:00 - 7:30am
Tuesday afternoon: 5:30 - 7:00pm
Thursday morning: Dryland 5:20 - 5:50am, Swim 6:00 - 7:30am
Friday morning: 5:10 - 7:30am
Saturday morning: 5:40 - 8:00am
Youth Squad: Monday to Saturday
This squad will swim five mornings and four afternoons a week.
These swimmers will generally be 14 years old or older. We will develop their stroke technique and start, turn and finish skills to an elite level and add nutrition, strength and conditioning, massage and mental skills development to their programme.
They will compete at National Age Group and Open level and we will aim for them to qualify for the Australian Age Champs.
TRAINING TIMES – 2 Gym and 9 Swim sessions
Monday morning: 5:10 - 7:30am
Monday afternoon: Spin 4:30 - 5:00pm, Swim 5:30 - 7:00pm
Tuesday morning: 5:10 - 7:30am
Wednesday afternoon: Gym 4:10 - 5:10pm, Swim 5:30 - 7:00pm
Thursday morning: 5:10 - 7:30am
Thursday afternoon: 5:30 - 7:00pm
Friday morning: 5:10 - 7:30am
Friday afternoon: 5:30 - 6:45pm
Saturday morning: Swim 5:40 - 8:00am, Gym 8:30 - 9:30am
DISABILITY & PARA SWIMMING
Tasman Magic Academy in conjunction with the SwimMagic Swim School is running a Para swimming program from learn to swim all the way through to TMA’s Youth squad. Para swimmers wishing to join the TMA program will have an assessment with Head Coach Shaun Foley before moving into the TMA program. The following links provide information on Para swimming and rules that apply to Para swimming. All Para swimmers will be classified by and become members of Parafed Canterbury.
Parafed Canterbury is one of the leading regional Para sports providers in New Zealand. Operating since 1967, they are a not-for-profit organisation, focusing on people with physical or visual impairments.
Registration Form for Parafed Canterbury.
The Academy provides support to Parafed Canterbury's leading Para athletes, coaches and officials, on their pathway to representing New Zealand at World Championships and the Paralympic Games. Those selected in the Academy will receive a funding grant, have the opportunity to attend seminars (such as media training, nutrition and drug free sport education), and have their achievements promoted through the year.
The Academy Information & Application Form.
For more information about disability swimming, visit the Swimming NZ website here, or view their rules here.
PARTNERSHIPS
Tasman Magic also works with the following people
Dawn Chalmers
Physiotherapist
John Shackleton
Sports Psychology