LOCAL RACING SQUAD at aiken and augusta
Flexible Training. Competitive Swimming. Built for What’s Next.
At Chattahoochee Gold, we believe swimming can be an important part of an athlete’s development—even when it isn’t their only sport.
Our Local Racing Squad was created for athletes and families who want the benefits of competitive swimming without the commitment of a traditional year-round program.
Currently available exclusively at our Augusta and Aiken locations, the Local Racing Squad provides a flexible pathway for swimmers to continue developing their skills, learning to race, and staying connected to the sport throughout the year—while still making room for school, other sports, and other activities.
The goal is simple:
keep swimming an option.
A Different Path to Competitive Swimming
Not every athlete is ready to make swimming their primary sport.
Some swimmers play soccer, baseball, football, gymnastics, or another sport. Others are involved in band, theater, academic clubs, or other activities. Some simply need breaks from the pool as they grow.
Statistically, athletes who didn't commit to year-round swimming often had limited opportunities to continue developing outside of summer league. Over several years, that gap in training could make competitive swimming feel less accessible later in middle school or high school.
The Local Racing Squad is designed to change that.
Instead of asking athletes to choose between swimming and everything else they enjoy, we're creating a way to
continue developing throughout the year on a schedule that works for them.
How the Local Racing Squad Works
Local Racing Squad athletes can participate in up to six 5–6 week sessions throughout the year.
Each session provides an opportunity to:
- Train with Chattahoochee Gold coaches
- Continue developing technical skills
- Build racing experience
- Work toward specific developmental goals
- Compete in local meets
- Stay connected to the team
- Take breaks between sessions whenever needed
Each session includes opportunities to participate in one to two Saturday meets at the Augusta Aquatic Center, with swimmers competing in events appropriate for their developmental level.
This isn't about how many hours an athlete can commit.
It's about
continuing to move forward.
Who Is the Local Racing Squad For?
The Local Racing Squad is designed for athletes who want to keep swimming in their lives while balancing other priorities.
Elementary School Athletes
For younger swimmers who are still discovering their interests and aren't ready for a year-round commitment.
Middle School Athletes
For swimmers balancing multiple sports and activities who want to continue developing their swimming throughout the school year.
High School Athletes
For athletes whose primary focus may be another sport, band, academics, or other activities—but who still want swimming to remain part of their athletic journey.
Future Competitive Swimmers
For athletes who may not be ready to go all-in today, but who want to keep building the foundation that could allow them to do so in the future.
Our Developmental Pathway
The Local Racing Squad follows the same long-term development philosophy that guides Chattahoochee Gold.
We believe athletes develop in stages.
First, we learn to:
DO IT RIGHT
Build strong technical skills, body position, stroke fundamentals, starts, turns, and finishes.
Then:
DO IT FAST
Apply those skills to racing while developing race awareness, efficiency, and confidence.
Then:
DO IT MORE
As swimmers develop, they begin building the training capacity needed to handle increased volume and intensity.
And eventually:
DO IT FOR THEMSELVES
The goal is to develop athletes who understand their sport, take ownership of their progress, and have the confidence to decide where swimming fits into their future.
Training groups
Local Racing Squad swimmers are placed into groups based on age, skill development, and training readiness.
Development
Ages 5–10
Focused on foundational skills and progressing through introductory competitive swimming skills.
Dolphin
Ages 7–12
Building upon foundational skills and mastering introductory competitive swimming skills.
Marlin
Ages 9–13
Mastering technical skills, increased endurance, and introducing racing strategies.
Shark
Ages 11+
Focused on advanced skills, stronger training habits, and experienced racing.
High School
Ages 13+
Designed for high school-aged athletes mastering technique as well as developing advanced racing, training, and athlete ownership skills.
Age ranges are guidelines. Group placement is based on developmental readiness rather than age alone.
Why the Local Racing Squad Matters
The Local Racing Squad isn't simply a shorter version of a traditional year-round program.
It represents a different way of thinking about athlete development.
We don't believe a six-year-old needs to decide whether swimming will be their sport at sixteen.
We want athletes to have the opportunity to:
Try another sport.
Take a break.
Come back.
Keep improving.
Discover what they love.
And when the time comes that they want to focus more seriously on swimming, they can do so with years of development already behind them.
What This Means for Your Swimmer
The Local Racing Squad is about keeping the door open.
Whether your swimmer participates in one session, several sessions, or eventually decides they're ready for a more traditional year-round commitment, every session is an opportunity to grow.
There is no single timeline for athletic development.
Our goal is to meet swimmers where they are, provide the right level of challenge, and help them continue moving forward.
Swimming doesn't have to be their only sport to be part of their story.
And when they're ready for what's next,
Chattahoochee Gold will be here.
Local Racing Squad Availability
The Local Racing Squad is currently offered exclusively at our Augusta and Aiken locations.
Athletes may participate in up to six sessions throughout the year, with session dates and registration options available for each location.
These sessions occur throughout the year—two in the fall, two in the winter, and two in the spring.
Click here to view the most up-to-date meet schedule, including dates and session details for Local Racing Squad.