About the GRNSA Swim Team

GRAND RAPIDS NOVI SAD AQUATICS
TEAM PHILOSOPHY

Grand Rapids Novi Sad Aquatics (GRNSA) is a collective group of swimmers, coaches, and parents who have found swimming as an excellent venue for teaching important life skills and values. These skills and values will help our swimmers become positive, confident productive members of the community. It is our primary goal to teach our young people to swim and develop a love for the sport and reach their potential as both swimmer and adult. It is the struggle to achieve one’s best that enables us to learn important lessons both in and out of the pool that makes the effort worthwhile.

Often individuals will be asked to give of themselves for the team or other members on the team. A team of selfless people, working together will allow for the entire organization to achieve higher levels, than any single individual could achieve alone.

“Swimming…it is the journey…not the destination”

Swimming instills dedication, passion, and determination in all athletes, thus Grand Rapids Novi Sad Aqautics seeks to develop and guide young people. The team philosophy is based on the following formula:

COMMITMENT + ABILITY + DESIRE = SUCCESS

The underlying philosophy that drives the GRNSA program is one of complete development in the sport of swimming. It is the program's goal to help each individual reach the highest level possible according to their respective physical and mental capabilities. GRNSA believes that each swimmer is different and that within a guiding framework, we can provide each individual with what they need to reach their particular goals. Learning to achieve one's individual goals while also contributing to an overall team effort is something the GRNSA program feels strongly about. GRNSA believes gaining complete knowledge of the sport and the differing levels that exist within swimming is important to understanding what it will take to get to each respective level. A lack of understanding of the sport many times lead to confusion and a frustration that will make swimming unenjoyable. It is the program's hope that each athlete will come to understand what it is they wish to get out of the sport of swimming, and therefore enjoy their particular experience even more.

GRNSA PROGRAM & MISSION

• Grand Rapids Novi Sad Aquatics (GRNSA) was established in September of 2010.
• GRNSA is a collective group of swimmers, coaches, and parents who have found swimming as an excellent venue for teaching important, healthy life skills and values. These skills and values will help our swimmers become positive, confident, productive members of the community.
• It is our primary goal to teach our young people to swim and develop a love for the sport and reach their potential as both swimmers and adults. It is the struggle to achieve one’s best that makes the effort worthwhile and enables us to learn important lessons both in and out of the pool.
• It is a year round (12-month) program starting with Swim Lessons and progressing through the Age Group program (5 to 18) all the way to a Masters/Triathletes level swim program for adults.

SWIMMER DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING GROUP STRUCTURE

• The GRNSA coaching staff educates swimmers progressively with great patience.
• GRNSA uses a progressive, year-round age group program designed to help children develop physically, mentally, and emotionally.
• The emphasis in the early stages of participation must be placed on developing technical skills and a love for the sport. In the later years, a more demanding physical and psychological challenge must be introduced to the training program.
• Each participant in the GRNSA program is evaluated and placed in the appropriate group. Based on swimmer’s age and ability level, the coaches decide which training group is most suitable.
• GRNSA is divided into six groups of swimming – Gold, Blue, High School, White, Green, Stroke School groups.

GRNSA OBJECTIVES & GOALS

• The love for sport and individual’s improvement are our primary objectives.
• Beside individual’s performance, the respect, sportsmanship, and fair-play behavior are applied.
• Swimmers are taught to set realistic, yet challenging goals for meets and to relate those goals in practice to direct their training efforts.
• Our swimmers are trained and encouraged to be well-rounded swimmers that are able to compete in all swimming events, distances and strokes.