York YMCA Swimming Team – 2007/2008 Edition – Some Helpful Information

www.swimyorky.org

Our team has come a long way over the past year. The coaches have seen tremendous growth throughout the program as levels of expectation and performance have skyrocketed. Our swimmers are figuring out that thinking like champions and training like champions lead to championship performances. It has been a lot of fun watching that transformation happen, and things are only going to get better. Welcome aboard!

YORK YMCA. TEAM OF CHAMPIONS.

This document is intended to answer some of the more frequently asked questions that parents have about our program and swimming in general.

Parental Involvement – Even more than many youth sports, the success of our team depends not only on the kids and the coaches but also on parent participation. Swim meets are run by parents. Parents are needed to officiate, time, operate the computer and the timing system and run the concession stand, among other duties. As our team continues to grow and we move into our new facility we anticipate hosting major USA and YMCA meets. Hosting such meets will require the help of all team parents. It is our hope that when you are asked to help you will be willing to volunteer some of your time, energy and talent.

Communications – All important team information is communicated in a number of ways. Coach Michael periodically publishes “The Rambler” which is typically chock full of useful team info. “The Rambler” and other team communications will be placed in MAIL FILES. Every swim family will have a MAIL FILE in the file box (es) located on the team table at the bleacher side of the pool. Meet entries are posted on the wall directly above the team table. The team website (www.swimyorky.org) is updated at least every few days with new and significant information, including electronic versions of most info that is put in the MAIL FILES such as “The Rambler” and entries. Also, Coach Nate has been working on swim team e-mail distribution lists for critical, time sensitive info. Please be sure he has your correct e-mail address.

Following are the coaches e-mail addresses:

·        Michael Brooks – mbrooks@yorkcoymca.org

·        Nate Gentzler – nater284@verizon.net

·        Tim Groth – coachgroth6@yahoo.com

·        Clyde Vedder – cwvedder@morris-vedder.com

·        Andy Stewart – robert.stewart@grahampackaging.com

  Stewart131@comcast.net

·        General York Y Swimming address – swimyorky@comcast.net

Practice Designations – We currently have five levels of practices for our swimmers. These include Senior A, Senior B, Junior A, Junior B and Novice. The coaching staff will determine which group your child belongs in.

Current Practice Schedule -

Note: During the high school swimming season, from time to time on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons there is a West York High School dual meet at the downtown York Y that forces us to adjust our schedule somewhat. There are two main ways we adjust depending on the availability of the Shrewsbury Y branch pool (occasionally there is a West York home meet and a Susquehannock home meet on the same day):

    a) "Shrewsbury Special": at the Shrewsbury Y branch: Senior A & B groups train from 4:00 pm (or as soon as you can get to the pool from school) until 6:30 pm; Junior A & B groups train from 4:30 until 6:30 pm; Novice group trains from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.

    b) "Swim/Gym Special": at the downtown York Y: no Novice group practice; all other groups swim from 4:00 pm (or as soon as you can get to the pool from school) until 5:15 pm, then we train dryland in the gym upstairs until 6:00 pm.

Note: From time to time we will be competing in a swimming meet that forces an adjustment to the regular practice schedule, usually on a Friday or Saturday.

Note: We may be adjusting our "regular" schedule somewhat to accommodate the Special Olympics Program.

It is also worth noting that when the new Graham Aquatic Center opens in the Fall of 2008 (only one year from now) we will have up to 16 lanes of 25 yard training available to us at any given time.

Swimming Meets – The York YMCA Swimming Program competes in three different classifications of meets. These are League Meets, YMCA Meets and USA Swimming Meets. More about each:

• League Swimming – The York Y competes in the Capital Area Swim League (summer) and the Central Penn Aquatic League (winter). We swim in the 4A and 5A divisions, respectively. For the winter league age is determined as of December 1^st; for the summer league age is as of June 1^st. League swimming involves approximately 5 dual meets, some home and some away, and a series of championships.  Swimmers must compete in at least three dual meets to be eligible for the championships. The summer league has Divisional Championships, an All-Star Meet and a Mid-Cap Meet, whereas the winter league has only Divisionals and All-Stars. Swimmers progress from Divisionals to All-Stars (and in the summer, to Mid-Caps) as follows:
  • Summer League –
    • Individual Events – Each division winner plus the next twelve fastest times from all the divisions advance to All-Stars and the top six or eight (depending on the host pool size) finishers from All-Stars move onto Mid-Caps.
    • Relay Events – The eight fastest times from all the divisions compete at All-Stars and top three or four relays (depending on host pool size) move on to Mid-Caps.
  • Winter League –
    • Individual Events – The eight fastest times from all the divisions.
    • Relay Events - The six fastest times from all the divisions.

• YMCA Swimming – Because we are a YMCA affiliated swimming team we have the opportunity to compete in a unique championship program at the regional, state and national level. A swimmer’s age is determined as of December 1^st.
  • YMCA Districts – YMCA teams in the eastern portion of PA compete against each other. Eligibility requirements include qualifying times and a swimmer must compete in three “Closed Y” (Y team vs. Y team) meets. This meet is held in mid-March.
  • YMCA States – The top nine swimmers and relays from each event at Districts advance to compete against their counterparts from PA’s western district. This meet is held in late March.
  • YMCA Nationals – Held in early April in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, YMCA Short Course Nationals has relatively tough qualifying times and swimmers must have competed in the three “Closed Y” meets and a “Closed Y’ Championship (for our purposes, either Winterfest, our Tournament of Champions, or Districts).
  • Dual Meets – Due to the “Closed Y” meet requirement detailed above Coach Michael has been working to schedule a few meets against some of the more competitive “Y’s” in the area. So far we have one set up with Boyertown Y and as part of our CPAL League we have “Closed Y” meets with West Shore Y and Chambersburg Y. We are still trying to finalize one with Upper Main Line Y. Note, however, that not all CPAL League meets are “Closed Y” meets as Hershey and Cumberland Valley are not Y’s.

• USA Swimming – USA Swimming is clearly the future of both age group and senior level swimming in the United States and it offers many benefits to member clubs and swimmers. Indeed, YMCA Swimming has recognized this fact and is quickly moving towards adopting USA Swimming technical and operating rules. Also, USA Swimming has made the process easier for YMCA Championship meets to get USA sanctioning or approval.
  • USA Swimming is the governing organization of 59 LSC’s, or Local Swimming Committees. Ours is the Middle Atlantic LSC. Other LSCs in our Eastern Zone (the next step up in terms of geographic organization are 4 Zones: Eastern, Southern, Central and Western) include: Maryland, Potomac Valley, Virginia, Allegheny Mountain, New Jersey, Metropolitan, Niagara, Adirondack, Connecticut, New England and Maine.
  • USA Swimming offers all levels of swimming competitions –
    • Mini Meets (8 & under where kids swim only against others their own age)
    • A/BB/C Meets (with no qualifying times for C swimmers)
    • Championship Invitational Meets (with qualifying times)
    • Junior Olympics
    • Zone and Sectional Championships
    • Junior and Senior National Championships
  • Importantly, USA Swimming also allows swimmers to gauge progress through comparisons to “Motivational Times” and teams to monitor improvement through the “Virtual Club Championship” program.
  • For USA Swimming, a swimmer’s age is determined by his/her age as of the first day of the meet.

• Meet Sign-Up – For all meets other than CPAL & CASL dual meets the coaches will sign up the swimmers and post a “Preliminary” meet entry report. Typically, swimmers and parents will have about a week to let us know if they plan to attend or not. We prefer to have this communication in writing so there is less chance for confusion. For the dual meets we will post a sheet about a week in advance on which the swimmers are to indicate only if they will participate or not. The coaches will put the swimmers in events.

Swimming Terms – A Glossary –

• Age Group – Most meets group swimmers as follows:
  • 8 & Under
  • 9 – 10
  • 11 – 12
  • 13 – 14
  • 15 – 18
  • Some meets will also have an “Open” age group for swimmers 11 or 12 & Over.
  • Winter League and YMCA meets use age as of December 1^st; Summer League uses age as of June 1^st. USA Swimming competition uses the swimmers age as of the first day of the meet.
• All-Stars – A championship meet held on the Sunday after the Divisional Championships during both the summer and winter league seasons.
• Colorado System – Electronic timing system that automatically gives a swimmers’ time and place on the score board when the touch pad (or push buttons) is activated at the completion of a race.
• Competitive Strokes – The four competitive strokes are Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle.
• Daktronics – See Colorado System.
• DQ – Disqualification. This occurs when a swimmer has committed an infraction of a rule; for example a one-handed touch in butterfly or breaststroke. A “DQ’ed” swimmer is not eligible to receive an award nor is the time considered official.
• Divisionals – The league (summer or winter) championship meet held on a Saturday at the completion of all league dual meets. Each league division holds its own championship and than certain swimmers move on to the League All-Star meet.
• Entry Fee – The money paid by the parent or club for a swimmer to compete in an invitational meet; usually a USA or championship meet.
• Exhibition – When a swimmer participates in a race but does not receive points. The time IS considered an official time.
• False Start – A swimmer leaves the block early or moves before the starter’s signal which usually results in disqualification. Eight & Unders are allowed one false start.
• Flip Turn – Somersault type turn used in freestyle & backstroke.
• Free Relay – A relay race (100, 200, 400 or 800) in which all four swimmers swim freestyle.
• Heat – The grouping of swimmers in an event according to time.
• IM – Individual Medley. An event (100, 200 or 400) where a swimmer swims one quarter of the race using each of the competitive strokes in the following order: butterfly, back, breast and free.
• League Meet – a dual meet between league members for the purpose of team competition.
• Medley Relay - A relay race (100, 200 or 400) in which each or four swimmers swim one of the competitive strokes in the following order: Back, Breast, Butterfly and Free.
• Mid-Cap Meet – A meet held on the Saturday after All-Stars in the summer. The top six or eight swimmers (depending on the size of the host pool) from the West Shore (CASL) advance to compete against swimmers from the East Shore (Mid-Penn).
• Official – An individual with certain certifications which allow him/her to participate in running a swimming meet.
• Qualifying Times – Time standards required for participation in certain USA and YMCA championship meets.
• Referee – Head official whose has ultimate authority at a swimming meet.
• Seeding – To rank swimmers according to time in heats.
• Starter – A certified official who has control over the swimmers once they are called to the starting blocks. It is the starters’ responsibility to do his/her best to ensure a fair start.
• Stroke & Turn Judge – A certified official whose responsibility it is to watch for infractions and impose a disqualification penalty if required.
• Swimming Courses – There are three competitive swimming courses:
  • Long Course Meters – A 50 meter pool. Most big national and international competitions, such as the Olympics, take place in this course.
  • Short Course Meters – A 25 meter pool.
  • Short Course Yards – A 25 yard pool. Most high school and college competitions take place in this course.
• Timer – A person who works in a particular lane to record a swimmers’ time.
• USA Meet – Meets sanctioned by USA Swimming.
• YMCA Districts - YMCA teams in the eastern (Eastern District) and western (Western District) portion of PA compete against each other in separate meets. Eligibility requirements include qualifying times and a swimmer must compete in three “Closed Y” (Y team vs. Y team) meets. This meet is held in mid-March.
• YMCA States - The top nine swimmers and relays from each event at the Eastern District Meet advance to compete against their counterparts from PA’s Western District. This meet is held in late March.
• YMCA Nationals - Held in early April in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, YMCA Short Course Nationals has relatively tough qualifying times and swimmers must have competed in the three “Closed Y” meets and a “Closed Y’ Championship (for our purposes, either Winterfest, our Tournament of Champions, or Districts).

www.swimyorky.org