Stony Brook, NY Swim Camp Series (Ages 9 to 11)
The Stony Brook School
1 Chapman Pkwy,
Stony Brook,
NY 11790
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Introduction
Fitter & Faster is producing a series of swim camps and a video filming & analysis session for competitive swimmers ages 9 to 11 at The Stony Brook School in Stony Brook, New York during 2025! Click here for the swim camp series page for ages 12 & over.
STONY BROOK, NY SWIM CAMP SERIES (Ages 9 to 11)
-> Fast Freestyle & Backstroke Technique Swim Camp (September 13 & 14, 2025)
-> The Essentials of Sprinting Swim Camp (December 28 & 29, 2025)
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS
December 28, 2025 (3:30-5:30 PM): Provide your swimmer with the chance to receive professional video analysis of their stroke, just like the pros. Choose to have one stroke filmed and analyzed with a single registration, or save by selecting the Camp + Video Bundle, which includes both days of the swim camp along with filming and analysis of all four strokes.
Click the “Curriculum Menu” below for details on the swim camp and video session.
-> Availability in each session is limited to 22 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience.
-> SAVE when you purchase an “Entire Camp Bundle” for your swimmer.
Select a curriculum below
FAST FREESTYLE & BACKSTROKE TECHNIQUE SWIM CAMP: September 13 & September 14, 2025
Freestyle and backstroke are referred to as “long-axis” strokes because they rely on the rotation of the hips and shoulders around the spine to generate power. This camp builds on the natural connection between the two strokes–including bodyline, flutter kick, and a high elbow catch–to enhance technical development in both. Your swimmer will also explore what makes these strokes different, unlocking some key understanding to help them swim both strokes faster and more efficiently.
- DAY 1 (Saturday, September 13): FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE: Whether your swimmer is just learning freestyle or already competing at the high school level, it’s never too late to build strong habits. In this session, your swimmer will work on bodyline, rotation, breathing, kick, and pull—five key elements that contribute to an efficient, powerful freestyle.
- Bodyline: A streamlined body position is the foundation of a fast freestyle. Even small adjustments to head, neck, or back alignment can make a significant difference. As swimmers grow and mature, they often develop habits that disrupt bodyline. Your swimmer will learn how to maintain proper posture and engage the core to stay long and hydrodynamic through every stroke.
- Breathing: Efficient breathing is a challenge but critical to maintaining bodyline. Lifting the head too high causes hips to drop and drag to increase. Clinicians will work with participants to keep the head low and horizontal during the breath, using controlled rotation of the neck and body for a smooth, quick inhale.
- Rotation: Freestyle is most powerful when the swimmer rotates around their spine with each stroke. Rotation allows swimmers to use their back and core muscles during the pull, making the stroke stronger and more sustainable. Your swimmer will learn how to glide on one side and initiate rotation as the pulling hand begins its movement.
- Kicking: The kick is the motor of freestyle. Swimmers must drive from the hips and knees with good timing and control. This session will help your swimmer understand how to adjust kick tempo and power to provide speed when they want or need it.
- Pull: Clinicians will teach participants to establish a “high elbow catch,” also known as early vertical forearm, to apply pressure to the water immediately. Swimmers will then work on pushing water directly back towards their feet with sustained leverage, engaging large muscle groups for a powerful finish to each stroke.
- DAY 2 (Sunday, September 14): BACKSTROKE TECHNIQUE: While backstroke shares many concepts with freestyle, the actual skill can be much different. In this session, your swimmer will refine bodyline, rotation, kick, and pull specifically for backstroke.
- Bodyline: Backstroke bodyline should eliminate unnecessary movement. Even small amounts of bobbing or swaying create drag. Participants will learn to maintain a flat, aligned posture and engage the core to support a strong, stable position in the water.
- Rotation: Unlike freestyle, backstrokers rotate most fully onto their side when their hand is midway through the stroke. Rotation in backstroke is essential for two key reasons. First, to apply power during the pull, the swimmer’s hand must be positioned in front of the shoulder and at least a few inches below the surface of the water—something that’s only possible with proper body rotation. Second, rotation helps activate the large muscles of the back as the swimmer drives their hand through the surface and into the catch.
- Constant Motion: Unlike other strokes, backstroke has no built-in glide phase—the arms are always moving. Your swimmer will work on strategies to keep their stroke continuous and efficient, maximizing distance per stroke while maintaining tempo.
- Kicking: Effective backstroke kicking requires generating propulsion in both directions—both the forward and backwards motions. Your swimmer will learn to kick efficiently on their back, using ankle flexibility and consistent drive to support rotation and propulsion.
- Pull: Backstroke pull requires a high elbow catch, but also uses more of the full arm in the pull than any other stroke since the hand is pulls much further outside the body line. We will work on feeling that full pull and engaging the large muscles of the back to generate power.
THE ESSENTIALS OF SPRINTING SWIM CAMP: December 28 & December 29, 2025
Swimming fast requires good technique, efficiency, power, and a hard working athlete. Participants in this swim camp will advance their skills that apply to fast swimming in every stroke. Now is the time for swimmers to establish and cultivate habits to swim their shorter races as fast as possible with good technique that will position them for success as they mature.
- DAY 1 (Sunday, December 28): ESTABLISHING SPEED: At this session your swimmer will practice the essential components to high performance sprinting.
- Body Position: A competitive swimmer’s body position is the key to fast swimming. Most swimmers are NOT hydrodynamic in the water - and that has a big effect on how fast they “allow” themselves to swim - especially as they get older. Let’s find the right body position for your swimmer.
- Stroke Length: Lengthening their stroke will enable your swimmer to “catch” and hold onto more water to propel them as they swim. Whereas a short stroke is inefficient and not sustainable for very long. The clinicians will work with participants on this important skill for fast swimming.
- Tempo: When sprinting short races young swimmers often tend to take too many strokes (“spin their wheels”) and not “hold onto the water”. At this camp we will find the appropriate tempo to maximize their own personal speed.
- DAY 2 (Monday, December 29): RACING SKILLS: On Day 2, your swimmer will apply the skills that we practiced on the first day of this camp to important segments of every sprint race, including the moment your swimmer pushes off the wall; breakouts; finishes and all out sprinting!
- Breakouts: Many swimmers add movement within their breakout that creates drag and destroys all of the power created during their underwaters. Participants will work on timing their breakouts to accelerate to explode into each lap.
- Sprinting: On Day 1 your swimmer worked on body position, tempo and length of stroke. Today we are going to apply those skills to swimming “all out” on top of the water with efficiency and power.
- Walls, Walls, Walls!: Approaching the wall at top speed in preparation for the fastest turn is vital. Swimmers will work on techniques to get in and out of every wall faster!
- Finishes: Dropping time and even winning or moving up a few spots in the results can all come down to the last stroke! A well-timed finish at full speed, with full-arm extension and head down can make a difference of up to a full second in a race! Your swimmer is going to learn how to take advantage of the finish to drop time!
- Sprinting Application: Swimmers at this session will work on applying their newly developed skills during racing scenarios. As with all the other segments of this camp, the clinicians will provide feedback for your swimmer to take home and apply at upcoming practices and meets.
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS: December 28, 2025
Since so much of the stroke happens below water – it is incredibly important to see what’s going on below the surface! Small adjustments to your stroke can lead to big time drops! This is your opportunity to get beautiful footage of your stroke and get analysis from an expert… and you can review with your coach as well!
- ANALYSIS: Our Fitter and Faster expert will use a video analysis application to record their comments on your technique. They will use slow motion, pause the video at specific points, and draw on the swimmer's video all while explaining where opportunities for improvement are. Each stroke will have approximately 3 to 5 minutes of expert commentary that you can review with your coaches at home!
- DRILL RECOMMENDATIONS: You will receive recommendations for drills to correct the technique of each swimmer.
- SIGN UP: Select to have one stroke filmed. Or, SAVE by choosing to have all four strokes filmed. The "multi-stroke options" are for individual swimmers and cannot be split.
- ARRIVING AT THE POOL (Retain your order number): You will receive an e-mail approximately one week before the filming session with the specific time for your swimmer to check in, warm up, and be filmed. Please retain your order number - this is how swimmers will be identified on that schedule. When you arrive at the pool, you will be greeted by Fitter & Faster staff who will provide you instructions on the filming process.
- WARM UP: Participants will have an opportunity to warm up before filming.
- FILMING: Our camera operator will have you swim two 25s at a strong pace of each stroke purchased (1 stroke or all 4 strokes). The filming of each stroke will take about three minutes. The video will capture a side angle and a front angle below the water to get an accurate view of your technique.
- SESSION LEGNTH: Depending on the number of strokes you are getting recorded, your session time will run between 5 and 15 minutes.
- TIMELINE: All videos will be analyzed and returned within 14 days of the camp. The analyzed videos along with the original video will be sent via email for you to keep!
SESSION START TIMES
- September 13 &14, 2025 (BOTH DAYS): Check-in 10:45 AM, Camp 11-1:30 PM
- December 28 & 29, 2025:
- DAY 1: Check-in 9 AM, Camp 9:15-11:45 AM
- DAY 2: Check-in 11 AM, Camp 11:15-1:45 PM
- Depending on the number of strokes you are getting recorded, your session time will run between 5 and 15 minutes.
- You will receive an email a week before the filming session with the specific time for your swimmer to check in, warm up, and be filmed.
- December 28, 2025: Swimmer's scheduled time will be between 3:30-5:30 PM.
- Elite Video Filming & Analysis is for ALL swimmers ages 9 & Over.
ASK QUESTIONS
Swimmers and parents are invited to ask the clinicians questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into their training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.
WATCH THE CLINICIANS
Observe clinicians swim at full speed and demonstrate a progression of perfectly executed drills to achieve powerful, efficient and fast swimming.
PUT YOUR SKILLS TO THE TEST
Throughout the camp, swimmers will practice what they've learned with some of the world's most elite Swimmer Clinicians and coaches!
Take a photo, get autographs, and chat with your clinicians!
Dillon Hillis
Dillon Hillis, a two-time NCAA Division I Champion from the University of Florida, is an enthusiastic student of the sport says, "Understanding swimming from a fundamental perspective has allowed me to achieve some of my largest goals. There is always more to learn and grow from."
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
