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.
Families now have the option of month-to-month payments! 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.
Pre-requisites:
9–12-year-old swimmers must be able to complete a 25 yd freestyle & backstroke without assistance.
Tentative Practice Schedule:
Sunday
2:45-3:45 pm
Monday – Thursday
4:00-5:00 pm
DC recommends that Level 1 swimmers participate in monthly area swim meets to assess their progress.
Practice Recommendations
3 to 4 practices a week are recommended but not required. Each practice session lasts 1 hour. Swimmers can expect to work up to swimming 1,500 to 2,500 yards per practice session.
Level 1 is our introductory Dolphin group for 9- to 12-year-old swimmers as well as advanced 7- 8-year-old swimmers.
The Dolphin Group 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– working with teammates, following directions, listening to the coaches, and having fun.
To register, download the application form here and email Coach Bridgett at [email protected] with the completed applications.
USA Swimming Registration will be done online. This is a (separate cost: $88 for the year).
Registration instructions will be emailed to you in September.
Pre-requisites for the Level 2 Wahoo Group:
Tentative Practice Schedule:
Sunday
3:45-5:00 pm
Monday – Thursday
5:00-6:15 pm
Practice Recommendations
4 to 5 practices a week are recommended but not required. Each swim practice session lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes. Swimmers can expect to work up to swimming 3,000 yards per practice session.
Level 2 Wahoo Group is designed for swimmers with previous swim team experience who are legal in all four strokes, know how to perform all starts & turns, as well as read the pace clock.
The Wahoo Group 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 IMs. Coaches will introduce race strategies and techniques used by swimmers in the next level practice group and continue to 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. DC recommends participation in monthly swim meets with a focus on qualifying at the end of the season for regional and state championship meets.
To register, download the application form here and email Coach Bridgett at [email protected] with the completed applications.
USA Swimming Registration will be done online. This is a (separate cost: $88 for the year).
Registration instructions will be emailed to you in September.
Tentative Practice Schedule:
Sunday
5:00-6:30 pm
Monday – Thursday
6:15-7:45 pm
Practice Recommendations
4-5 practices a week is suggested if the goal is to achieve Age Group Championship time standards or higher.
Level 3 Marlin group is designed for 11-14-year-old swimmers who have goals of participating in District, Regional, State, and National level invitational meets.
Dolphin Club coaches emphasize proper stroke technique while working on overall athletic conditioning and endurance. The primary focus will be on competing in every event with a secondary focus on specific individual events.
The advanced race strategies and techniques used in the Level 3 group will be introduced. Each Sailfish swimmer will establish personal goals and work towards achieving those goals using interval training in practice.
Coaches will emphasize, encourage, 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.
To register, download the application form here and email Coach Bridgett at [email protected] with the completed applications.
USA Swimming Registration will be done online. This is a (separate cost: $88 for the year).
Registration instructions will be emailed to you in September.
Tentative Practice Schedule:
Sunday
5:00-7:00pm
Monday – Thursday
6:15-8:00pm
Practice Recommendations
5 practices a week is suggested if the goal is to achieve Age and Senior Championship time standards or higher.
Level 4 Sailfish group is designed for 14–18-year-old swimmers who have goals of participating in District, Regional, State, and National level invitational meets.
Dolphin Club coaches emphasize proper stroke technique while working on overall athletic conditioning and endurance. The primary focus will be on competing in every event with a secondary focus on specific individual events.
The advanced race strategies and techniques used in the Level 4 group will be introduced. Each Sailfish swimmer will establish personal goals and work towards achieving those goals using interval training in practice.
Coaches will emphasize, encourage, 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 suggested to help prepare athletes for end-of-the-season championship meets.
To register, download the application form here and email Coach Bridgett at [email protected] with the completed applications.
USA Swimming Registration will be done online. This is a (separate cost: $88 for the year).
Registration instructions will be emailed to you in September.
Practice Recommendations
2 practices a week are recommended but not required. Each practice session lasts 45 minutes. Swimmers can expect to work up to swimming 500 to 1,000 yards per practice session.
Pre-requisite for the Pre-Fin Group
Able to complete a 25 yd freestyle and backstroke without assistance
Get a Head Start with Pre-Fins!
The Pre-Fins program is a fantastic way to keep your child active while introducing them to our Dolphin Club swim team. It blends the best of swim team practice with group swim lessons, offering personalized coaching to refine their strokes and give them a taste of competitive swimming. Plus, we’ll host fun intra-squad meets at the JCC throughout the year!
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, following instructions, and having fun!
Pre-Fins is the perfect precursor to our year-round swim team program. Sign up today and let your child dive into a year of learning, fitness, and fun!
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