The squad structure at Lane Cove allows our swimmers to reach their full potential as senior competitive athletes.

Generally, young swimmers enter the program from the Carlile Learn-to-Swim school at Lane Cove once they have reached the Shark Squad but we welcome swimmers of all ages and abilities and from all programs.

It’s important that swimmers don’t specialise too early and cut off options to develop into champion athletes.  The developmental squads – District, Metropolitan and State – ensure that swimmers continue to develop all their strokes and skills as well as the ability to swim all events, in particular the 200 Individual Medley and the 400 Freestyle.

The National Squad is for athletes who are at a national level and have made swimming their number one sport.   The aim of this squad is to develop swimmers into national representatives. It’s important, at this stage of a swimmer’s career, that they begin to specialise in their preferred stroke and/or event. 

It is equally important that we cater for the needs of our less competitive members. 
Recreational swimmers desire a more relaxed environment with a different set of expectations where they can come as frequently or infrequently as they like. 

Our recreational stream – Club, SwimFit and Adult – are set up to allow swimmers to train as often and as seriously as they wish to – to either keep fit or to prepare for triathlons, open water events and/or ocean swims.