A good group mix? Sorry, but that's nuts. Lanes are divided by speed so that each swimmer is appropriately challenged. Just like the way we insist on differentiation academically. My 10 yo swims in the 12 yo lane. My 6 yo is literally the slowest on the team and swims last in the slow lane so she doesn't hold anyone up. They're both challenged, and no one else is upset.
I'd give up on this team and try again when you can get on another team. Sounds like the coaches don't know what they're doing socially or athletically.
Yeah, this team sounds like a hot, hot mess. Swimming's a pretty easy-to-differentiate sport if you have everyone in speed/endurance-based lanes within ability groups. Everyone does the same thing and works on the same skills (since if you're in an ability group the assumption is you're working on X, Y, and Z), but the faster kids do more of it, faster. Add in some, um, "personalities" on the team and it just doesn't sound like much fun at all... and it should always be (mostly) fun.
