Age Group I

Age Group I is for novice and intermediate swimmers ages 10 and under.  With an emphasis on stroke technique and mechanics, activities include instruction in stroke technique, starts, and turns. Experiencing and understanding body position and movement while having fun are important elements for the Age Group I swimmer. 

Expectations:

Swimmers joining Age Group I are expected to attend practice 2 times per week and are encouraged to attend 3 practices a week.. 

Athletes must come to practice with the proper attire and equipment.

Age Group I swimmers are encouraged to participate in our Blazer Series Swim Meets; developmental intra-squad meets intended to allow our novice swimmers to experience the excitement of competition while building their confidence in a supportive and fun environment. As swimmers progress, coaches will recommend participating in local swim meets.

 

Locations & Practice Schedule
Performance
Team News & Announcements

Age Group I Message Board:

Age Group Welcome Letter

Blazers/USA Swimming Registration Process Memo - Please review. Swimmers must also be registered with USA Swimming PRIOR to their first swim meet.  Please refer to the MV SWIMS Help Guide for New Members for additional information.

Practice Calendar: Please refer to the team calendar below for information on meets and events. Click on any event for more information.

Meet Results: Can be found under 'My Account' on the left side of the web page. Click on the tab, then go to 'My Meet Results' and click tab and the results will appear.

 

Age Group Swim Meets

Summer Meets

 

ALL PRACTICE TIMES & LOCATIONS LISTED BELOW ARE TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PARENTS SHOULD BE REFERRING TO WEEKLY EMAILS FOR UP TO DATE TIMES AND LOCATIONS.

Schedule During School Year:  Practices start after Labor Day weekend.

Blue Valley North (BVN) Address: 12200 Lamar, Overland Park, KS

Tuesday/Thursday 6:00-7:00pm (BVN)

Friday 6:00-7:30pm (SMAC)**Friday practice locations will change when HS Boys Swimming Starts in mid-November to BVN

Blue Valley West (BVW) Address: 16200 Antioch Rd., Stilwell, KS

Monday/Wednesday 6:00-7:00pm (BVW)

Friday 6:00-7:30pm (SMAC)**Friday practice locations will change when HS Boys Swimming Starts in mid-November to BVN

Shawnee Mission North (SMN) Address: 7401 Johnson Drive, Overland Park, KS

Monday/Wednesday 6:00-7:00pm (SMN)

Friday 6:00-7:30pm (SMAC)**Friday practice locations will change when HS Boys Swimming Starts in mid-November to BVN

 

Summer Practice Schedule: Starts May 27th 

Morning

Roeland Park Aquatic Center (RP) Address: 4843 Rosewood Dr. Roeland Park KS

Monday through Friday 7:00-8:30am (RP)

Afternoon

Blue Valley High (BVH) Address: 6001 West 159th Stilwell KS 

Monday through Thursday 5:00-6:00pm (BVH)

 

Facility Use Policy:

Please keep in mind that we are guests of the facilities in which we train and we endeavor to maintain a positive relationship with the school districts by respecting their property and policies.

  • For the swimmers’ protection, all swimmers should arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before practice, and should be picked up no later than 15 minutes after practice.  We cannot guarantee that there will be a coach present outside of those times; Blazers and its’ coaching staff cannot be responsible for swimmers outside of this time frame. 
  • The pool deck area is for swimmers and coaches only. To minimize disruptions and distractions, we ask that parents observe practice from the bleacher area only and refrain from approaching a coach, swimmer or group during practice, unless for an emergency.
  • Swimmers are responsible for their own personal property and equipment; personal items should be properly stored/secured in a swim bag during practice. KCB and Coaches are not responsible for lost or damaged personal items/equipment.

 

Inclement Weather at California Trail:  It is the Olathe School District’s policy to close their pools if there is lightning in the area. Please keep this in mind when dropping your swimmers off at the pool. If the district informs me ahead of practice time that the pool will be closed, I will send out an email informing parents of the canceled practice. 

Inclement Weather at Roeland Park & Lenexa (summer schedule): Roeland Park Pool and Lenexa (Indian Trails) are outdoor pools. If there is lightning in the area, the pool will be closed until the lightning moves from the area and the pool is deemed safe to swim by the pool's staff.

Please verify your e-mail address in Team Unify to receive team information and weekly updates.​

Age Group Practice Information

Practice Calendar

Coaching Staff

Shawn Lynn-Bequette

Developmental Head Coach (Age Group I & Pre-Blazers)

E-mail: Shawn.lynn-bequette@jocogov.org 

Office Phone: 913.826.3041

Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30am-1:00pm *office hours subject to change based on meet schedule*

About Coach Shawn

Coach Shawn grew up in Topeka, Kansas and swam for Topeka Swim Association (TSA) and Mid America Swim Team (MAST) under legendary coaches Casey Converse and Paul Shubert.  Before coming to the Blazers in 2013, Shawn was the Head Assistant Coach for TSA from 1994-1996.  In that time, Shawn attended the 1995 National Age Group Coaching Conference, was a 1996 Zone C 11-12 year old girls coach, and started TSA's weight training program and the Varsity (High School) team. Shawn was also the Head Coach of the Roeland Park Stingrays from 2013-2018.

While coaching for TSA, Shawn attended Washburn University and studied Exercise Physiology & Kinesiology along with Public Relations. During her time away from from coaching, she always felt a strong pull to get back to her love of teaching swimmers. She is thrilled with the opportunities the Blazers have given me, including the chance to be the full-time Head Development Coach.

 

Assitant Deck Coaches (All Sites):

Maria Arthur, Lucy Behm, Holly Richardson, Nicole Gawer, Rhys Vanderhoof, Drew Bond, Heather Mentzer, Christian Kimble