There has been something special happening here at the Weinstein JCC with the Dolphin Club Swimming program.
With the “Fin Family”, athletes can experience competitive swimming in an environment that facilitates self-confidence, teaches patience throughout a process, and encourages positive relationship building.
For more information visit the swim team website at teamunify.com/vadcst
Please contact Coach Bridget Burkot at [email protected] to set up a free evaluation/tryout to see which level is the best fit for your swimmer!
Evaluation takes 10-15 minutes depending on your athlete’s ability level.
This season we will be offering 12-week sessions, with at least 3 meets being offered in each session.
There will be a one-time registration fee ($85.00) charged which will include a team cap and a team t-shirt, and is for administration fees.
There is also a separate USA registration fee to pay which requires each family to register their swimmer(s) through United States Swimming. The premium fee for this is $88.00, and all members are suggested to sign up for the “premium” fee (not “flex” or “seasonal”) to avoid complications with USA registrations as the season progresses.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 2:45–3:45 PM | 4:00–5:00 PM | 4:00–5:00 PM | 4:00–5:00 PM | 4:00–5:00 PM |
| Level 2 | 3:45–5:00 PM | 5:00–6:00 PM | 5:00–6:00 PM | 5:00–6:00 PM | 5:00–6:00 PM |
| Level 3 | 5:00–6:30 PM | 6:00–7:45 PM | 6:00–7:45 PM | 6:00–7:45 PM | 6:00–7:45 PM |
| Level 4 | 5:00–7:00 PM | 6:00–8:00 PM | 6:00–8:00 PM | 6:00–8:00 PM | 6:00–8:00 PM |
Pre-Requisites:
• Willing to swim with multiple swimmers in a lane
Practice Schedule:
Sunday
2:45 – 3:45 PM
Monday – Thursday
4:00 – 5:00 PM
DC recommend that Level 1 swimmers participate in monthly area swim meets to assess their progress.
Level 1 is our introductory group for 7 – 10 year-old swimmers, with the exceptional 6 year-old. Level 1 focuses on teaching the basics of all 4 competitive strokes and starts and turns in a fun, challenging environment. Coaches will emphasize proper stroke technique, starts, and turns, and building cardiovascular endurance through drills, sets and enjoyable activities. Coaches will work on the interpersonal skills necessary to compete in the sport of swimming, such as working with teammates, following directions, listening to the coaches, and having fun.
This is not a lesson program but a skill building group for swimmers who already possess the pre-requisites. Please join the pre-fins or take lessons at the JCC, prior to registering for Level 1, if the above pre-requisites need refining.
Practice recommendations are 2 to 3 times a week but there is no practice requirement.
Regular attendance at practice is suggested as it will lead to a faster mastery of the skills being presented each day. Each practice session lasts 1 hour.
Pre-Requisites:
Practice Schedule:
Sunday
3:45-5:00 PM
Monday – Thursday
5:00-6:15 PM
Level 2 Group is for 9 – 13 year-olds, and is designed for swimmers with previous swim team experience. They should be legal in 3 strokes with a basic knowledge of the fourth stroke. Swimmers in this group should be familiar with how to perform starts & turns, circle swimming, and reading the pace clock. We will continue to work on stroke technique while introducing race strategies in practice by learning and performing stroke specific drills during practice.
Training will begin to include a focus on longer distance events and IM’s. Coaches will introduce race strategies and techniques and emphasize the importance of working with teammates, following directions, listening to the coaches, and having fun. Coaches will work with swimmers to understand and use USA Swimming time standards to set & achieve personal goals using interval training in practice. The coaching staff recommends participation in monthly swim meets with a focus on qualifying at the end of the season for regional and state championship meets.
Suggested practice attendance is 2 to 4 times a week, but there is no practice requirement.
Regular attendance at practice is suggested as it will lead to a faster mastery of the skills being presented each day. Each swim practice session lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Sunday
5:00-6:30 PM
Monday – Thursday
6:15-7:45 PM
Level 3 is designed for 12 – 18 year-old swimmers who have previous swim team experience and would like to train to stay in shape, participate in meets, want general conditioning, and are wanting a low–key team experience. Some of the swimmers in these training groups will have goals of participating in District, Regional and State meets. The coaches will emphasize proper stroke technique while working on overall athletic conditioning and endurance. The primary focus will be on training for all events, with a secondary focus on specific individual events. Advanced race strategies and techniques will be introduced during the season.
Each Level 3 swimmer is encouraged to establish personal goals and work towards achieving those goals, while using interval training in practice. Coaches will emphasize and highlight important topics associated with achieving success both in and out of the pool. Topics will include teamwork, time management, race strategies, mental training, and other life lessons. Participation in monthly swim meets is highly suggested to help prepare athletes for end of the season championship meets.
Suggested practice attendance is 3 – 5 times a week, but there is no practice requirement.
Regular attendance at practice is suggested as it will lead to a faster mastery of the skills being presented each day; and, will help this level of swimmer maintain endurance and the ability to work within the training group.
Practice Schedule:
Sunday
5:00-7:00 PM
Monday – Thursday
6:15-8:00 PM
Level 4 groups is designed for 12 – 18 year-old swimmers who have previous swim team experience and would like to train to stay in shape, participate in meets, want general conditioning, and are wanting a low–key team experience. Some of the swimmers in these training groups will have goals of participating in District, Regional and State meets. The coaches will emphasize proper stroke technique while working on overall athletic conditioning and endurance. The primary focus will be on training for all events, with a secondary focus on specific individual events. Advanced race strategies and techniques will be introduced during the season.
Each Level 4 swimmer is encouraged to establish personal goals and work towards achieving those goals, while using interval training in practice. Coaches will emphasize and highlight important topics associated with achieving success both in and out of the pool. Topics will include teamwork, time management, race strategies, mental training, and other life lessons. Participation in monthly swim meets is highly suggested to help prepare athletes for end of the season championship meets.
Suggested practice attendance is 3 – 5 times a week, but there is no practice requirement.
Regular attendance at practice is suggested as it will lead to a faster mastery of the skills being presented each day; and, will help this level of swimmer maintain endurance and the ability to work within the training group.
Pre-requisite for the Pre-Fin Group
Must be able to complete a 25 yd freestyle and backstroke, without assistance; as well as being comfortable in the water with or without an instructor nearby.
Practice:
There are 2 practices a week offered for the Pre-Fins every week. Each practice session lasts 30 – 45 minutes, depending on the assigned group. Pre-Fins 1 is for 30 minutes and the younger swimmer, while pre-fins 2 is for 45 minutes and for the older participant. Regular practice attendance is encouraged so the skills can be learned and mastered before moving into the Dolphin Club swim team.
Get a Head Start with Pre-Fins!
The Pre-Fins program is a great way to keep your child active while introducing them to our Dolphin Club swim team. It blends a modified swim team practice with group swim lessons, while offering personalized coaching to refine strokes. It gives the young swimmer a taste of competitive swimming, in a most basic scenario. Plus, a fun intra-squad meet will take place at the completion of each session!
In Pre-Fins, swimmers will master the basics of all four competitive strokes in a supportive and engaging environment. Our coaches focus on proper technique, starts and turns, and making swimming enjoyable through games and activities. We’ll also teach essential swimming skills like teamwork and following instructions, as well as having fun!
Pre-Fins is the perfect introduction to our year-round swim team, the Dolphin Club. Sign up today and let your child dive into a year of learning, fitness, and fun!
Session 1:
September 14 – November 21
Cost:
Member: $300 / Non-Member: $340 / Kid’s Place: $275
Practice Times:
Pre Fins 1: Friday 4:00 – 4:30; Sunday 1:30 – 2:00 (younger fins)
Pre Fins 2: Friday 4:35 – 5:20; Sunday 2:00 – 2:45 (older fins)
There is NO USA registration required for participation in this group
Coach Bridget graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in Psychology. She continued on to graduate school and completed all courses for a MED in Sport Psychology, under the direction of the famous Sports Psychologist Bob Rotella. She has been coaching for many years and in several locations. Starting her coaching career in Reading Pennsylvania, with her local summer team, she continued to coach in Charlottesville, until meeting her husband and former British Olympian Martin Edwards (Munich 1972) at a BOD meeting. From there she went on to coach in Duxbury, MA (Bernal’s Gators Swim Club with Olympic Coach Joe Bernal, Seoul 1988); Portland, ME (Portland Porpoise Swim Club, home to Ian Crocker, Olympian); Paso Robles, CA (North County Aquatics), and then back to Virginia in 1999 with her 2 young children, Jeremy and Quinn. She continued to coach in Virginia Swimming from 1999 until the present time. In fact, Bridget was the Head Coach at the JCC with the Dolphin Club from 2003 – 2007! Her name at the time was Bridget Edwards and her son Jeremy still holds an 8 and under record on the board.
Bridget has coached beginning swimmers up to Olympic Trial Qualifiers. She coached an Olympic Champion and World Record holder (Ian Crocker, PPSC) when he was an age group swimmer in her program. She has coached state champions, state record holders, has coached a #1 in the country swimmer when he was 12 (locally). She is a Level 4 ASCA (American Swimming Coaches Association) Coach, recipient of a full scholarship to UVA for swimming, was named the Head USA Swimming Zone Select Camp Coach in 2022 and was the Head Zone Coach for Virginia swimming for 5 years. She has coached at many Zone meets as an assistant coach in Virginia Swimming, New England Swimming, and Maine swimming. Her knowledge is extensive and she has coached and trained with some of the top coaches in the country. Growing up, she swam at Foxcatcher Swim Club on John Dupont’s (former) estate in Philadelphia under the direction of Head Olympic Coach George Haines.
Bridget’s philosophy is that the “whole is stronger than the parts”, meaning it will take everyone in the program to make it successful. The wheel does not turn if a spoke is not working correctly. Bridget believes in working with every swimmer in the pool so they can reach their individual potential, which then contributes to the team’s success. The concept of “team” is paramount to success in any program. Bridget will work to encompass the lesson programs and camps at the JCC, while building the team from within. There is a progression in swimming, and the Weinstein JCC is the perfect place to grow a team from the programs already in existence. So please come out and check out the Dolphin Club for your swimmer and your future swimmer.
The Aquatics Program is supported in part by:
Gerrie Cairns Aquatics Fund and Evelyn Zaben Benson JCC Aquatics Endowment Fund.
All of our swim classes are supported by The Kathie and Steve Markel Learn to Swim Program.
Monday 5AM-10PM
Tuesday 5AM-10PM
Wednesday 5AM-10PM
Thursday 5AM-10PM
Friday 5AM-6PM
Saturday 7AM-6PM
Sunday 7AM-6PM
Pool opens 30 minutes after facility opening and closes 30 minutes prior to facility closing.
Monday 5AM-10PM
Tuesday 5AM-10PM
Wednesday 5AM-10PM
Thursday 5AM-10PM
Friday 5AM-6PM
Saturday 7AM-6PM
Sunday 7AM-6PM