CVAC is a year round competitive and teaching swim program. It is coach directed and coach operated for a more efficient and consistent structure for swimmers desiring to improve their swimming skills. The primary goals of CVAC are to have fun and develop a positive self-concept. We stress personal improvement rather than winning at all costs. Every child in our program is a winner.
"AQUATUDE = A strong MIND, BODY, and SPIRIT" is a statement to define our desire to work with every aspect of the development of children. Children DO NOT have to be gifted, accomplished swimmers. The purpose of our program is to teach and develop these skills, after all, every Olympian was a non-swimmer at one time.
"Sharing the dreams of Children" is the statement that drives and motivates the CVAC program. Our desire is to see every child be successful in their swimming career.
We Strive to teach children the necessary skills for performing well in the sport of swimming. Many of these skills can also be applied to family, school, and church.
Swimming should be FUN for all of our athletes. Today's youth are becoming very sedentary. Physical fitness test scores are becoming worse and worse. Studies show higher and higher percentages of the American population is obese. Cardiovascular diseases are rampant among all ages of our population. Swimming provides the necessary exercise for your child during the cold winter months to prevent these diseases.
Parental involvement is also critical. Swimming in our program is very much a family affair. Our parent booster club is instrumental in the success of the program for our children. Financial assistance as well as support group manpower is essential to our success. This assistance will keep swimmer fees down and allow for all youngsters to be able to participate in the sport of swimming. This activity should not be cost prohibitive for anyone.
CVAC is structured to meet the needs of every participant in the program. Pool space is a premium and groups are established according to ability, attendance, work habits, attitude, and commitment. Swimmers will be moved at the coach’s discretion when the swimmer shows the need and desire to attain a higher level of training. Desire to attain a higher level of swimming is determined by positive training standards.
DEVELOPMENTAL (Swim School)
These groups are the entry levels for our children. We will try to use four years old as a benchmark for accepting children into the program. This group is the first exposure to swimming for many swimmers. Basic skills will be introduced: face in the water, floating, kicking, swimming on the back, etc. These groups will be individually oriented with a 1:3 teacher/pupil ratio for teaching these skills. Practices will be one-half hour in length. Sessions will be conducted on Saturdays year around, and in the evenings during the spring, and morning and evening options in the summer. Coaches will supervise the teacher-pupil groupings to insure proper technique, etc.
MIGHTY MITES AND RAYS
This group is the introductory group for competitive swimming. It is an easy transition from the above into competition. This group will work on gaining strength and endurance as well as developing skills for competition. Swimmers will be developed slowly so as not to create a negative experience. This group will work primarily on building the swimmer’s self-confidence.
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT II
The Age Group will step up the level of training to include developing an endurance background, race strategy, use of the pace clock, and continued perfection of skills. More emphasis will be placed on attendance for each swimmer in order to attain the above goals. Practice will increase in time and intensity. Meets will become more important and the variety of events offered will be increased. Swimmers will be asked to compete in all strokes and distances for their age group. These swimmers will be asked to attain the goal of achieving the National Age Group Time Standards for their age.
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT II
This group will continue the above and begin to experience the challenge of senior swimming. Practice attendance and intensity will be stressed to a greater extent. The swimmers in this group will be striving to attain a high level of commitment to swimming. Their goals should be for a higher level of competition, stressing personal improvement and accomplishment.
SENIOR
The Senior Group will be the top level of our program. Swimmers will be training at a high level for competition at the state/regional/national level. Seasonal habits will be stressed along with skill improvement. These swimmers will be the leaders of the program. Commitment will be highly stressed and expected. The willingness to sacrifice for their swimming will also be expected. The majority of these swimmers will have many years experience in the sport. Expectations will include double work-outs as seasonally appropriate. They should be role models for our younger athletes. This placement is not guaranteed, and may be changed if the swimmer fails to meet training standards.
Head coach and director Paul Schiffel has been coaching for 35 years, thirty-two of those in Hickory, NC.
The following are a few of Coach Schiffel's accomplishments:
Director of Intercollegiate Swimming at Lenoir^Rhyne University
Represented the USA in Africa conducting clinics
K-6 Physical Education Teacher in Catawba Co.
Master's Degree in Education
President of N.C. Swimming
President of N.C. Coaches Association
President of the Blue Ridge Swim League
Coached four Olympic Trials Qualifiers
Coached N.C. State Championship Team
Coached numerous NCAA All-America
Coached numerous High School All-America
Coached numberous State Record Holders
Coached twenty Western Carolina Swim Association Team Champions
Coached High School Conference Team Champions
