Competitive Swim Camp at Camp Tanager
Take Your Swimming to the Next Level
Competitive Swim Camp at Camp Tanager is designed for competitive swimmers ages 8-14 looking to advance their skills ahead of the upcoming season.
Each day features in-water technique sessions, land training sessions, and classroom learning all designed to enhance your swimmers abilities and knowledge.
The remainder of the time each day will allow for campers to take part in some of the traditional camp activities that can be found at most summer camps while making new friends with swimmers from teams across the state and beyond!
Swim Towards Success
Each day of our swim camp program will be broken into drills and skills related to a specific stroke or competitive element (starts, turns etc.). The following tentative schedule for in water sessions is as follows:
- Monday – Long Axis Strokes (Freestyle & Backstroke)
- Tuesday – Short Axis Strokes (Breaststroke & Butterfly)
- Wednesday – Starts, Turns, and Underwaters
- Thursday – Race Strategies, Speed, Games & Contests
In the Pool
Daily Pool Sessions will focus on a different stroke through a variety of skills and drills.
On Dry Land
Dryland Activities, including games, stretching, and flexibility, will supplement in-water sessions.
In the Classroom
Classroom sessions will include discussions on goal-setting, nutrition and video review.
Parents & Kids Agree
Our campers and their caretakes agree attending Camp Tanager is a highlight of their summer break!
Our Facilities
Camp Tanager’s competitive swim camps for youth offer a unique environment combining top-notch training facility right in the heart of a youth summer camp surrounded by nature!
Top-Notch Swimming Pool
All swim sessions will be held in our newly built 25 Yard outdoor training and competition pool. This heated 6 lane pool features 4″ competitor lane lines, Spectrum Record Breaker Starting Blocks and an advanced Natare Filtration system.
Cabin Living in Nature
Campers will stay in air-conditioned cabins in groups of up to 12 campers supervised by members of our Camp Tanager team. Our new air-conditioned meal hall will provide nutritious meals for day and overnight campers during their stay.
Meet Your Coach
Donald Pirrie, Camp Director
Donald has over 25 years of experience coaching youth swimming, including coaching club athletes, working with grassroots swimmers, and developing regional super teams. He is the current head coach of the Cedar Rapids Metro YMCA (MACR Sharks) swim team, a 200+ swimmer USA and YMCA swim team program. Donald has coached a diverse group of national and international athletes, including countless state and regional champions and many state and regional record holders. Donald currently serves on the YMCA of the USA National Advisory Council for Competitive Swimming.
