Capital Area Aquatics at Lakeway: 2023-2024 Season

CAA Lakeway practices at the Lakeway Swim Center, 3103 Lakeway Blvd, in the Lakeway/Lake Travis community. Membership is open to any eligible swimmer; you do not need to be a Lakeway resident or a pool member.

Before registering, please read this page FIRST and then click the link below to access our registration system and then log in with your existing CAA username and password. If you have never been a member of Capital Area Aquatics, you will need to create an account first with your email address and a password. If you are a current or former member and you receive an error message about your account being inactive, please click the Continue or Check Status button first, and THEN log in to register, to bypass the inactive account message.

REGISTRATION LINKS:

• CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A NEW SWIMMER EVALUATION
• CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR CAA LAKEWAY

Before you register, make sure you read the following expectations:

• If you are a returning member, please register for your current (or previous) swim group, unless your coach has asked you to register for a different group. Group changes are initiated and approved by the coach and not by the swimmer/parent.
• New swimmers must be at least 6 years old as of September 1, 2023. All new swimmers need to complete a swim evaluation first with a coach for group placement. Swimmers who join later in the season (October through April) will need to attend a full practice first to ensure that they meet the group requirements and have the necessary skills, endurance, and aerobic fitness before registering. Please do not register your new swimmer until after you have completed a swimming evaluation (or attended a full practice, if required) and your coach tells you which group to register for.
• Our groups have maximum enrollments. If you are trying to register for a closed group, please contact us to be added to our waitlist.
• Please make sure you understand the commitment and expectations. The expectation is to come to practice every day and to compete in swim meets; however, we understand that you may occasionally need to miss for other activities/sports or conflicts. Our program operates like a classroom and learning occurs every day. Our coaches teach the skills for each group using carefully planned and structured progressions that rely on swimmers maintaining consistent attendance and actively participating through the season. Skills are not considered mastered until they have been demonstrated at a swim meet, so attending meets is also a requirement and an important part of learning. Our program is in its 24th year and our experience with thousands of swimmers has shown that the highest “burnout” occurs when swimmers fall behind from inconsistent attendance or come to practice but never compete. Meets are where swimmers can measure their progress. We want our swimmers to be successful athletes, and success requires consistent attendance, consistent participation, and consistent effort.
• Swimmers in groups with dryland practices (marked with “DL” on our practice calendars) are expected to attend the full practice. Our dryland program is specific for swimmers and is not a separate practice that you can skip. We often discuss and practice swimming technique on land first before we teach it in the pool. Your school athletics program, soccer team, or other sports training is specific for those sports and is not a substitute for what we do. Dryland practices are part of our programming, and the expectation is that swimmers will attend, even if they are doing conditioning workouts for another sport.
• All swimmers must purchase the required equipment for their practice group and bring it to practice every day. Please get the correct equipment and do not make your own substitutions because the equipment has a specific purpose. The equipment lists for our groups are posted here. You can order gear by clicking here and it will be shipped directly to you (the shipping option will appear after you enter your zip code). We ask swimmers to have their equipment by the end of the first week of practice, at the latest.
• Swimmers will need to purchase a CAA team suit, a team swim cap, and a blue and white team t-shirt for swim meets. Team swim caps and team shirts can be ordered from our Spirit Store (click here); these items will be dropped off at your CAA location for pickup (team swim caps and shirts are not shipped).
• Team hoodies, parkas, backpacks, suits, swim gear, and other Speedo apparel is available for purchase from our team vendor. Click here to visit our custom team store and to get our Speedo team discount. Items will be shipped directly to you (the shipping option will appear after you enter your zip code).

The practice schedule for each group is posted on the Practice Schedules page on our website (click here). All groups are year-round except as noted below.

Your first month’s dues and the team registration fee will be paid when registering. You will pay the annual USA Swimming membership fee directly to USA Swimming either through being linked to their website via our team’s website or by using a link sent to you by CAA. Monthly swim team dues are billed to your credit card on the first of each month. Membership on our team is month-to-month. Withdrawals must be received by the 25th of the month prior to withdrawal to avoid being billed for the next month (so, five (or six) days’ notice is required when withdrawing).

Guppy Group: This group is for beginning swimmers ages 6 to 8/9 who are new to the sport and some have competed in summer league or a structured swim lessons program. (We occasionally accept swimmers who are a few months younger than 6 years old.) This group swims approximately 400-600 yards each day and focuses almost entirely on stroke technique primarily in freestyle and backstroke. Guppies will also learn basic stroke technique for breaststroke and butterfly, dive progressions, clock reading, and the use of basic swim equipment. Members of the Guppy group will compete in 1 to 3 age-appropriate swim meets during the season with a goal of competing in the 50 Freestyle and 50 Backstroke events.

• Prerequisites to join: Swimmers must be independent and self-sufficient in the water and able to swim at least one lap of fundamental freestyle with their face in the water, a freestyle kick, arms over the water, and a side breath, and also must be able to float on their back and kick. (Note: The Guppy group is not a learn-to-swim program or a substitute for swim lessons.)
• Goals for this group: Pushing off the wall correctly for all strokes, streamline progressions, correct stroke and kick for all strokes, correct body position and breath for all strokes, correct finishes for all strokes, dive progressions, understanding and using the pace clock, circle swimming, learning swim meet whistle protocols and what to do at swim meets
• Practice: 30 minutes, 4 practices each week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (practice times are posted here)
• Required gear: Age-appropriate goggles (no face or dive masks), Speedo junior kickboard, Tritan regular fins, mesh equipment bag or backpack, CAA team suit; swimmers are strongly encouraged to wear a CAA swim cap, but this is not required. You can order gear here and it will be shipped directly to you. (Note: The shipping option will appear after you enter your zip code.)
• CAA team registration fee: $60
• USA Swimming annual registration fee: Paid directly to USA Swimming.
• CAA monthly fee: $140
• Months offered: Late August through May

Bronze: The Bronze group is an entry-level group for swimmers ages 7-10/11 who have mastered the Guppy group progressions either by coach promotion from the Guppy group or by demonstrating these skills during their swim evaluation. Swimmers will continue learning technique for all four strokes and will focus on swimming mostly 50s and 100s at practices. Swimmers will learn new swimming drills and swimming “sets,” how to compete and race, and how to use the pace clock to swim on intervals. Swimmers in the Bronze group must be able to swim approximately 800-1,000 yards in 45 minutes. Members of the Bronze group will compete at 2 or 3 (or more) age-appropriate meets during the season with a goal of competing in the 50s of stroke, and the 100 Freestyle and/or 100 Individual Medley events.

• Prerequisites to join: Must be able to swim 50 yards of freestyle and backstroke and demonstrate the technique skills required for the Guppy group either by coach promotion from the Guppy group or by demonstrating the necessary skills during their swim evaluation.
• Goals for this group: Correct dives from the blocks, correct starts and finishes for all strokes, correct turns for each stroke, correct stroke and kick for each stroke, correct body position for each stroke, makes the intervals for this group, uses the pace clock without assistance, understands swim meet protocols
• Practice: 45 minutes, 4 practices each week (practice times are posted here). 
• Required gear: Age-appropriate goggles (no face or dive masks), Speedo junior kickboard, Tritan regular fins, Speedo bullet head snorkel, mesh equipment bag or backpack, CAA team suit; swimmers are strongly encouraged to wear a CAA swim cap, but this is not required. You can order gear here and it will be shipped directly to you. (Note: The shipping option will appear after you enter your zip code.)
• CAA team registration fee: $85
• USA Swimming annual registration fee: Paid directly to USA Swimming
• CAA monthly fee: $150
• Months offered: Year round

Silver Group: The Silver group is for emerging competitive swimmers who are looking to improve their strokes and endurance, and training to compete at the end-of-season championship meets. Swimmers in this group are typically ages 9/10 to 14 (older elementary school and middle school age). Swimmers in this group attend practice regularly and must demonstrate the group progressions for the Bronze group and have the physical and emotional readiness to train 1,500-2,500 yards in 60 minutes, plus dryland. Swimmers in this group should be proficient in all four strokes. Swimmers will focus on technique in all four strokes plus the individual medley, proper dives and turns, race technique, pacing, and endurance. Members of the Silver group will compete at 3-5 (or more) swim meets during the season with a goal of competing in the 50s and 100s for each stroke, the 100 Individual Medley, and the 200 Freestyle events, and to train for and attend championship meets.

• Prerequisites to join: Must be able to swim 100 yards freestyle in 2:00 with streamlines and flip turns, the 100 Individual Medley in 2:40 with proficient technique and legal turns, and 5x50s Free on 1:10, and demonstrate the progressions and skills required for the Bronze group either by coach promotion from the Bronze group or by demonstrating the necessary skills during their swim evaluation.
• Major goals for this group: Races legal 50s & 100s of each stroke, the 100 IM, and the 200 Free (and additional events as mastered) and applies technique and racing strategy to all events; understands meet protocols and operations, how to warm up and warm down after each race, and how to self-evaluate their races; correct starts and turns for each stroke including streamlines and the correct number of dolphin kicks; consistently makes the intervals for this group with proper technique, starts, turns, and finishes; participates in weekly test sets and shows consistent improvement throughout the season; can correctly complete dryland exercises using proper technique for different types of planks, basic stretches, core work, streamline progressions, balance exercises, jumping exercises, and rate change work
• Practice: 60-75 minutes, 5 practices each week, including dryland once a week (practice times are posted here). Note: Swimmers are expected to maintain consistent, regular attendance, and need to come for both swimming and dryland on dryland days.
• Required gear: Competitive swim goggles, Speedo junior kickboard, TYR Burner fins (if you cannot get Burners in your size, then get Tritan regular fins), Speedo bullet head snorkel, Speedo junior size pull buoy, mesh equipment bag or backpack, one-half inch yoga mat, CAA team suit, and a CAA swim cap. You can order gear here and it will be shipped directly to you. (Note: The shipping option will appear after you enter your zip code.)
• CAA team registration fee: $135
• USA Swimming annual registration fee: Paid directly to USA Swimming
• CAA monthly fee: $175
• Months offered: Year round

Gold Group: Swimmers in the Gold group are usually at least 12 years old with previous swim team experience and can demonstrate the group progressions for the Silver group. (Note: 11-year-olds may occasionally join this group with coach approval.) Swimmers in this group must be able to swim approximately 2,500-4,000 yards each day in 60-90 minutes, plus dryland, and should be ready to commit to a regular training schedule. Swimmers in the Gold group have structured training goals such as reaching a certain time standard or meet each season. This is a competitive, racing-focused group that will challenge swimmers with aerobic and anerobic workouts, pace work, race strategy, technique work, and endurance. Members of the Gold group will compete in all (or most) swim meets that they qualify for during the season with a goal of competing in the 50s and 100s for each stroke, the 200 Individual Medley, the 200s of stroke, and the 500 Free events, and will train for and attend championship meets.

• Prerequisites to join: Must be able to swim 200 yards freestyle in 3:40 with streamlines and flip turns, the 100 Individual Medley in 2:10 with proficient technique and legal turns, and 10x50s Free on 1:00, and demonstrate the progressions and skills required for the Silver group either by coach promotion from the Silver group or by demonstrating the necessary skills during their swim evaluation.
• Major goals for this group: Races legal 50s, 100s, and 200s of each stroke, the 200 IM, and the 500 Free (and additional events as mastered), and applies technique and racing strategy to all events; understands swim meet protocols and operations, how to warm up and warm down after each race, and how to self-evaluate their races; understands proper rest, hydration, and nutritional needs for swimmers for practice and at meets; understands, practices, and applies race strategy for all events; correct starts and turns for each stroke including streamlines and the correct number of dolphin kicks; consistently makes the intervals for this group with proper technique, starts, turns, and finishes; participates in weekly test sets and shows consistent improvement throughout the season; can correctly complete dryland exercises using basic dryland equipment (such as medicine balls, bands, and hand weights) and proper technique for different types of planks, stretches, core exercises, streamline progressions, balance exercises, jumping exercises, and rate change work
• Practice: 60-90 minutes, 6 practices each week, including dryland once a week (practice times are posted here). Note: Swimmers are expected to maintain consistent, regular attendance, and need to come for both swimming and dryland on dryland days.
• Required gear: Competitive swim goggles, Speedo junior kickboard, TYR Burner fins, Speedo bullet head snorkel, Speedo regular size pull buoy, size 0.5 Strokemaker paddles, mesh equipment bag or backpack, one-half inch yoga mat, CAA team suit, and a CAA swim cap. You can order gear here and it will be shipped directly to you. (Note: The shipping option will appear after you enter your zip code.)
• CAA team registration fee: $160
• USA Swimming annual registration fee: Paid directly to USA Swimming
• CAA monthly fee: $200
• Months offered: Year round