About
the Dayton Raiders
|
The present day Raider program is a merger of the great
competitive tradition of the Dayton Dolphins, founded in
1958 by Coach Mac Preston at Wright-Patterson AFB, and the young enthusiastic spirit of the
Wright State Raiders, founded in 1978 at Wright State
University. This merger
took place in 1981 with the new team carrying the name
DAYTON RAIDERS as a symbol of the best of both
programs and a new drive toward national prominence
and recognition. |
From its inception, the
Dayton Raider program has established itself as a premier
USA-Swimming club in the greater Miami
Valley. On 8 occasions since 1990, its coaches
have been awarded "Senior Coach of the Year" and "Age Group
Coach of the Year." The team consistently places in the top
five at State Championships, eight times held the title of Ohio Senior State Team Champion
and Ohio Age Group State Team Champion,
is regularly represented at Sectional, Junior and Senior
National Championships and has had over 200 swimmers competing at the
Ohio High School State Championships.
Present Dayton Raider
swimmers have achieved significant honors in the sport of
swimming, including:
- Breaking the American
Record in the 200 backstroke (short course meters)
- Qualifying in the top 8
finals at the 1996 & 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials
- Two swimmers placing 1st
at U.S. Senior Nationals, 1992 (1500 meter free) , 1995
(100 meter backstroke)
- Three swimmers earned
births on U.S. National Terms to swim abroad in 1990,
1994, and 2004
- 3rd place team overall at
the 1998 Open Water National Championships
- Won the 50 free at 1995
U.S. Olympic Sport Festival
-
Won the 100 and 200 backstroke at the South Asian Games
- Three swimmers represented
the Raiders at various U.S. Olympic Sport Festivals
- Three swimmers won U.S.
Junior National Championships (long course meters)
- Set a U.S. National
Age-Group Record 1994
- Seventeen swimmers ranked
1st, 2nd, or 3rd nationally in their age division since
1994
- Seven swimmers have
achieved Olympic Trial Qualifying Time Standards since
1990
- Numerous swimmers have
achieved Sectional, Junior and Senior National Time
Standards
- Numerous swimmers broke
numerous state records both short and long course
- Six U.S. Central Zone
records since 1998.
- Over 200 swimmers have
represented the Raiders at the Ohio High School State
Championships from 1990-present
- Raiders consistently send
numerous swimmers to the Central ZONES Long Course
Championships each year.
- The first and only Ohio
program outside of the greater-Cincinnati area to ever
win the Age Group State Championships since AAU
competition began in 1960 (2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008)
Many swimmers have continued
their careers on the intercollegiate level on swimming
and academic scholarships at such schools as Michigan,
Tennessee, Ohio State, Clemson, North Carolina State,
University of North Carolina, Miami, Purdue, Miami University,
NC State, Eastern Michigan, UNLV, Evansville, University of Kentucky,
University of Michigan, U.S. Air Force Academy,
Ohio University, Florida, Atlantic, Rice, UNC Wilmington, Georgia,
Indiana, University of Cincinnati, John Carroll University,
Wright State University, and others.
Today, the Dayton Raider Swim
Team has over 150 swimmers, ranging in ability from
beginners to Senior National level athletes. These swimmers
hail from more than twenty area cities in the Greater Dayton
Area, reaching as far south as Wilmington and Middletown, as
far north as Troy and as far east as Springfield. Over a
third of these swimmers represent their high schools at the
Ohio Sectional, District and State level. Our
progressive group advancement program allows for swimmers to
continually improve their level of performance from age
group to senior level to avoid "swimmers' plateau".
The Dayton Raider Club is
dedicated to providing the area youth with a year-round
opportunity to train and to participate in the sport of
swimming. This nonprofit organization is designed to allow
its swimmers to achieve their full potential, by providing
swimmers with high quality coaching in a structured setting.
The Dayton Raider program insures that this instruction is
provided through the employment of both a full-time
potential, by providing swimmers with high quality coaching
in a structured setting. The Dayton Raider program insures
that this instruction is provided though the employment of
both a full-time head coach and assistant coach with
extensive competitive swimming and coaching backgrounds.
Our coaches further enhance their abilities by having
college degrees; and many have or are working towards
advanced degrees
The Dayton Raiders emphasize
a very strict technique-based program for all groups. Our
coaches implement a program that teaches balance, core
development, propulsion, technique, starts, and turns. Age
group swimmers (14-unders) are provided with critical
instruction in these areas that is the foundation for
success at the senior level (15-over). Our coaches have
setup a program that avoids the common trap felt by many
athletes in this sport - "early plateau" by young age
group swimmers that can potentially hinder desire,
motivation, and opportunity for improvement at the senior
level. As a results, the Dayton Raiders have one of
the highest continual improvement and retention rates in the
United States. We strongly feel that
swimming is a long-term sport where development at the age
group level strongly influences performance at the senior
level. For swimmers who intend to make swimming a career
choice, our coaches develop monthly, seasonal, 3-year cycle,
and career plans that allow swimmers to reach full potential
at the high school and collegiate level. Swimmers are
introduced to the latest and most effective techniques
available anywhere in the world. Our coaches are
well-educated, experienced coaches that attend national and
international coaching clinics annually.
When a young person becomes a
member of the Dayton Raider Swim Club he/she learns the
values of sportsmanship and team work. Swimming, though The
Dayton Raider Swim Club, provides physical, emotional and
intellectual skills that will last a lifetime.
Copyright © 2007 Dayton
Raiders
Published by Marketing
Options, LLC Webmaster
draider@woh.rr.com
|
