Chicago Wolfpack Aquatic Club – Pack Prep Team

Chicago Wolfpack Aquatic Club’s Pack Prep Team is a bridge program between group swim lessons and competitive swimming, designed to help young swimmers develop into competitive athletes. The program serves children ages 6 to 12 who aspire to swim competitively with a USA Club Swim Team, providing comprehensive training in all four competitive swimming strokes.

Pack Prep develops strong, competent swimmers through focused instruction in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly, as well as all aspects of competitive swimming technique and skills. The program is taught by knowledgeable instructors who are college-level competitive swimmers, bringing their swimming passion and personal competitive experience to the pool to coach the next generation of athletes.

To be accepted into Pack Prep, swimmers must be between 6 and 12 years old and demonstrate the ability to swim 50 yards of freestyle and backstroke, plus have a strong understanding of breaststroke and butterfly. New swimmers to the program are required to attend a tryout practice for assessment before final acceptance.

The program operates at the UIC Natatorium, a premier aquatic facility located at 901 W Roosevelt Road in Chicago. The facility offers two pools that are utilized based on seasonal needs and space availability: a 6-lane 25-yard pool and an 8-lane 50-meter pool. Both pools are equipped with lane lines, backstroke flags, and starting blocks, providing a professional competitive swimming environment.

The pools maintain a temperature of 80-82 degrees Fahrenheit. As the facility is used primarily for competitive swimming, water temperatures are cooler than facilities geared only toward recreational swim lesson programs. The facility provides access to public washrooms for changing, though shower access is not available.

Registration for Winter and Spring sessions opens December 15th, with multiple session options available throughout the year. The program follows a structured curriculum that progressively develops swimming skills and prepares young athletes for the demands of competitive swimming.