2006-2007

Middletown YMCA Swim Team Handbook

 

 

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Swim Team Prices

13 and over - $450.00 per swimmer

9 through 12 - $375.00 per swimmer

8 and under - $325.00 per swimmer

Payment options are available.

$50 discount for Second child in each family.

$100 discount for each child there after.

 

You will be required to have a YMCA membership before your child can begin practice with the team. You can obtain a YMCA membership at the Middletown YMCA front desk.

 

Additional Expenses

Invitational swim meets are offered at an additional cost. This is typically $3 to $4 per event entered, and usually a maximum of four individual events per session plus one or two relays with up to three sessions per meet. Championship meets also have a pool/swimmer surcharge of $4 to $5 per swimmer. There are no fees for a dual meet.

 

Escrow Accounts

Since fees vary from meet to meet and all entries must be submitted in a timely fashion, an escrow account will be established for each Swimmer. Withdrawals will then be made from this account once the full amount per meet (including relays) has been calculated. Families will need to deposit $50 per swimmer to establish their escrow account. Every month an Escrow Balance sheet will be posted on the Swim Team Bulletin Board. If your balance is negative, you will have to deposit more money into your escrow account. Please make the check payable to Middletown YMCA Swim Team and indicate in the memo that the money is for escrow. If the account remains too low to cover the cost of entries the swimmer(s) will not be allowed to participate in meets. The coaching staff will determine relay entries. If your swimmer(s) is/are unable to participate in a meet or scratches an event once entries are turned in you will still be charged the full amount. This includes all relay fees unless an appropriate substitute is found.

 

Equipment

Swim caps – a team cap must be worn at all YMCA meets. Caps may be purchased from Coach David or Coach JP for $4.

 

Team Suit – Our team suit may be purchased through Kast-A-Way (www.kastawayswimwear.com or 1-800-543-2763). Our team suit is required for all swimmers. A black, blue, or gray Speedo Fastskin I or II or an Aquablade may be worn at championship meets only.

 

Practice Equipment – Swimmers will need practice suits, goggles, caps and towels. It is recommended that swimmers have at least two pairs of goggles at all times in case one pair was to break. In addition there are specific items required for each practice group. It is always a good idea to check with your specific coach prior to purchasing equipment. 

 

Beginner – swim fins, mesh equipment bag (Recommended)

Red 1 and 2 – swim fins, mesh equipment bag (Recommended)

Black – swim fins, Strokemaker Paddles, mesh equipment bag (Recommended)

Senior ­­­– swim fins, Strokemaker Paddles, Pull Buoy, kick board, mesh equipment bag

 

 

SWIMMER PRACTICE LEVELS

The Middletown YMCA Swim Team uses a “progressive” age group program designed to develop the child physically, mentally and emotionally in a systematic fashion. A well-defined, long-term approach of gradually increasing degrees of commitment is essential to reach peak performance levels during a swimmer’s physiological prime. The emphasis in the early stages of participation must be placed on developing technical skills and a love for the sport. In the later years, a more demanding physical and psychological challenge must be introduced to the training program. In addition to emphasizing long-term rather than short-term results, it is also important that we establish training groups of swimmers who are compatible in respect to abilities, commitment levels, and goals.

 

At each level, the goals and objectives are specific and directed toward meeting the needs of the swimmer. The long-term goal of total excellence is always in mind. As each child is different, he/she will progress at his/her own rate. The coaching staff recognizes this fact by making team assignments based on a swimmer’s physical, mental and emotional level of development.

 

2006-2007 Practice Groups

 

Beginner - This is a novice group with a major emphasis on stroke technique. The beginner swimmers generally swim three days a week for one hour each day. Most of the swimmers in this group are between the ages of 6 and 8 years of age.

 

Red 1 – This group is primarily our 7 to 8 year olds. Each swimmer must have a good understanding of all four strokes. This group’s emphasis is on stroke technique with a little conditioning worked in. Red 1 practices four days per week.

 

Red 2 – This group is primarily our 9-10 age group swimmers. The main emphasis of this group is stroke technique with more emphasis on conditioning than Red 1. This group practices 4 days a week. This group moves to 5 practices a week starting in late December.

 

Black – This group is mainly comprised of 11-14 age group swimmers. The emphasis of the group is 50% stroke technique and 50% conditioning. This group practices 5 days a week and will go to 6 days a week starting in late November.

 

Senior – This group is mainly our High School Swimmers. Main emphasis is on conditioning with stroke correction during practice. This group practices 6 days a week with morning practices 2 days a week. Our morning practices before Christmas break will be weight lifting and after Christmas break will be swimming.

 

SWIM MEETS

Seasons – The swim meet seasons are divided into two sessions. Short course season (meets held in 25-yard pools) runs from September to approximately mid-March. Long course season (meets held in 50-meter pools) runs from April to early August.

 

Scheduling – The Middletown Family YMCA Swim Team usually participates in approximately two meets per month. During scheduled meets, at least one coach will always be on deck. The competition at these meets ranges from novice to state/national levels. Coaches will post a list of meets on the website for the parent(s) and swimmer(s) to decide which ones they would like to attend. Some meets will be required and some optional. Once you’ve signed up for a meet you should attend the meet. If you are unable to attend the meet you must notify your coach as soon as possible via email. There is no refund for meets you cannot attend after the meet entry deadline date. This includes relays.

 

PRACTICE

Schedules- Practice schedules change depending on the time of year. The current schedule will be posted on the Middletown Family YMCA Swim Team website. It will also be e-mailed out and listed in the newsletter when it changes. For the current schedule, see the coaches or the website.

Cancellation- During the seasons if practices are cancelled there will be no price adjustment and the practices will only be rescheduled if there is available pool space.

 Policy-           

  1. Please try to arrive at practice 15 minutes early for stretching. For each swimmers protection, they should arrive at practice no earlier than 15 minutes prior to their workout time. They should also be picked up no later than 15 minutes after their practice is over. Swimmers should be ready to swim five minutes prior to the start of their practice. During this 15 minute time at the beginning and end of practice, there will be a coach around to supervise the swimmers. After this grace period the swimmers are no longer the responsibility of the Coaches.
  2. Check with your coach about dry land workouts.
  3. Each training group has specific attendance requirements appropriate for the objectives of that group. As a general rule, the least possible interruption in the training schedule will produce the greatest amount of success. The expectation level of the coaches to attend practices increases as swimmers move to higher groups.
  4. Plan to stay the entire practice. The last part of practice is very often the most important. Usually, there are announcements made at the end of each practice. In the event that your child needs to be dismissed early from practice, please notify the coach prior to the start of practice.
  5. While at practice, the swimmers are the responsibility of the coaching staff.
  6. Every member of the team needs to do everything possible to respect the privilege of being a YMCA member. Any damages to facility property may result in financial liability of the swimmer’s parents. Any damage may also result in the swimmer being asked to leave the team permanently.

COMMUNICATION

 

Effective communication is essential to a successful team! The Middletown Family YMCA Swim Team strives to create an open and informative environment for communication among swimmers, parents, and coaching staff. No question should go unanswered! There are several channels of communication available:

 

Team File Box (mail boxes) – The file box is located at the door to the pool deck and is where all written communication will be placed well as award ribbons. Each family will have a folder in the box with their name on it. It is the swimmer’s responsibility to check their folder regularly.

 

Website – The Swim Team website is www.myswimming.org. Our website will have timely information on practice schedules, meet schedules, parent information, important announcements, directions to meets and links to other important sites.

 

Bulletin Board – The team has a bulletin board located in the main lobby of the Middletown YMCA. It contains some website information, as well as various other informative material. This board also lists upcoming meet information, meet entry verifications and team recognitions.

 

Coaches – When contacting coaches, please be considerate. During practice times the coaches are focused on running the workout. The best time to speak to a coach is after practice. All coaches have email addresses posted on the website or you can send a note with your swimmer(s) or leave one in his/her box. Please note, parents are not allowed on the pool deck during practice but are welcome to watch through the windows anytime.

 

Sometimes parents feel more comfortable discussing a coaching issue with other parents rather than with the coach. This approach rarely clarifies the issue and can lead to problems. The following are some guidelines for communicating with a coach:

 

    1. Please remember that you and the coach have your child’s best interest at heart. Trusting that a coach’s goals coincide with yours even though the approach may be different will lead to a positive dialogue.
    2. Coaches must balance your perspective of what is best for your child with the needs of the whole team and/or training group. On occasion, an individual child’s interest may need to be subordinate to the interests of the group but in the long run the benefits of membership in the group compensate for occasional short-term inconvenience.
    3. If your child swims for an assistant coach always discuss the matter first with that coach. If necessary, you may then ask the head coach to join in the discussion as a third party.
    4. If another parent uses you as a sounding board, listen but encourage him/her to speak with a coach.

 

VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBLITIES

 

Every season the Middletown Family YMCA Swim Team hosts one invitational, currently held in January. This event requires the assistance of every family on our team. There will be worker sign-ups available at the first parent meeting in August. The size of the team will dictate how many hours/sessions each family will be required to work. This is typically three sessions plus championship meets and any dual meets we attend/host. Our invitational meet is a major fundraiser for our team, which allows us to control our costs and provide necessary equipment. We cannot have the meet without the support of every family on this team.

 

Be sure to sign up early for the jobs and times that work best for your family. If you do not sign up you will be assigned where necessary. If you cannot work your shift(s) it is your responsibility to find a replacement and notify the Coaches of the changes. If you fail to fulfill your obligations you will be fined $25 per session missed on your escrow account. Please keep in mind the inconvenience you will be causing others by not fulfilling your responsibilities.