Swimming Groups

The swimmers in the club are divided into various groups.

Learn to swim

We have a separate page describing our Learn to Swim groups.

Improvers

This group is for those who are now swimming lengths and ready to progress out of the learn to swim but are not yet ready to move into our Academy group. This is a small group of no more than 10 swimmers at any one time, with helpers available if required. There are several sessions available for this group and the price is the same whether you attend once, twice or more sessions.

Academy

This group is for swimmers who have progressed from Improvers or learn to swim and are confident in length swimming, confident in deep water and can swim 3 out of 4 strokes. This group introduces the rules for competitive swimming, builds upon technique and stamina. It still incorporates an element of ‘play’ but within a more structured environment than learn to swim. There are no helpers in the water for this group. There are several sessions available for this group and the price is the same whether you attend once, twice or more sessions.

Development

This group is for swimmers who are ready to compete, who can swim all 4 strokes, confident in deep water. This group will build speed, stamina and focus on both long and short distance swimming. This group will support swimmers with a disability to become classified where there is a pathway to follow. There are several sessions available for this group and the price is the same whether you attend once, twice or more sessions.

Training group

This group is for very confident and competent swimmers regardless of impairment. This group is for competitive para and disability swimmers, and competent family mainstream swimmers. There are set session plans to be completed at each training session, swimming distances between 2000m - 4,000m per session.

Masters

This group is for swimmers aged over 18 years who just wish to develop their swimming and have the benefit of a coached session. We do offer one or two competition opportunities within the year for this group. Swimmer’s progress into this group from our adult learn to swim.

Land training and gym sessions

We offer land training and use of the gym on Sunday afternoons. We have a structured programme of activities to help build core strength and coordination. Equipment is supplied.

Please note that the gym cannot be accessed before 5pm and the gym is only available to swimmers aged 16 years and above or parents who are members.

Please see timetable and web site for timings.

We also use the outside courts at the Morris weather permitting, for team games including basketball, netball etc.

Please note, if you are not a member, you cannot access the land training facilities and you cannot access the gym during our booked-out sessions. We do take siblings who do not wish to swim into land training sessions, if they are members. So you can pay the membership only (no monthly DD) if you have siblings or parents who wish to use the gym or attend land training.

Family swimming

We are offering families the opportunity to swim within Birmingham Marlins. Although we are predominately para and disability swimming, we have a family mainstream option, to allow siblings and parents to swim within the same club. Mainstream swimmers are inclusive within the above groups and will be swimming alongside others who may have an impairment. Mainstream swimmers will be placed into groups in line with their swimming ability. In other words, siblings may not be placed within the same groups.

Please note, we do not offer mainstream competitive swimming. If a mainstream swimmer has progressed from learn to swim (or any other group) and wishes to compete, they will be signposted to their nearest local competitive swimming club, where they can dual register.

We only offer para and disability competitive swimming.

Fellowship

We have Fellowship group for those swimmers who are at University or only train for a few weeks per year or for those swimmers who wish to access competition support, but do not use our pool time for training.