Team Handbook - YMCA Buffalo Niagara

Independent Health
Family Branch YMCA
Team Handbook
Revised: 08/18/2014
YMCA Mission:
Order of Events or Dual Meets
Odd – Girls
YMCA Buffalo Niagara is a
charitable, community based
organization committed to
providing programs designed to
build a healthy spirit, mind, and
body for all.
Independent Health Family
Branch YMCA
Administration
Steve MacAller
Executive Director
Allison Lawson
Associate Executive Director
Ehrin Hughes
Aquatics Director
Bill Niblock
Head Coach
Event Number
Female / Male
1/2
3/4
5/6
7 /8
9 /10
11 / 12
13 / 14
15/ 16
17 / 18
19 / 20
21 / 22
23 / 24
25 / 26
27 / 28
29 / 30
31 / 32
33 / 34
35 / 36
37 / 38
39 / 40
41 / 42
43 / 44
45 / 46
47 / 48
49 / 50
51 / 52
53 / 54
55 / 56
57 / 58
59 / 60
61 / 62
63 / 64
65 / 66
67 / 68
69 / 70
71 / 72
73 / 74
75 / 76
77 / 78
79 / 80
81 / 82
83 / 84
85 / 86
87 / 88
89 / 90
Even - Boys
Age Group
Stroke
Distance (Yards)
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
8 & under
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
8 & under
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
8 & under
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
8 & under
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
8 & under
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
13 – 14
15 & up
8 & under
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
8 & under
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
8 & under
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 & up
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Medley Relay
Medley Relay
Medley Relay
Medley Relay
Medley Relay
Indiv. Medley
Indiv. Medley
Indiv. Medley
Indiv. Medley
Indiv. Medley
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Butterfly
Butterfly
Butterfly
Butterfly
Butterfly
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Freestyle
Backstroke
Backstroke
Backstroke
Backstroke
Backstroke
Breaststroke
Breaststroke
Breaststroke
Breaststroke
Breaststroke
Free Relay
Free Relay
Free Relay
Free Relay
Free Relay
200
200
200
100
100
200
200
200
100
100
200
200
200
25
50
50
50
50
25
50
50
100
100
50
100
100
100
100
500
500
25
50
50
100
100
25
50
50
100
100
100
200
200
200
200
Swimmer Responsibilities
Come to practice ready to swim, learn, and
have fun!
Come to practice prepared and ready to start
when practice begins with your suit, goggles,
cap, fins (supplied or can bring/purchase your
own), water bottle and any other necessary
items.
Swimmers must wear team logo to meets.
Encourage your teammates in practice and
during meets. Cheer them on!
Respect coaches, swimmers, officials, parents,
and other teams’ swimmers at all times.
Respect and follow the rules of your YMCA.
Our facility is here for you. Abuse of the
facility will not be tolerated and may result in
dismissal from the team.
Swimmers should be aware that they
represent the YMCA at all times, whether
during training or at meets.
Be responsible for your belongings. The YMCA
is not responsible for lost or damaged items.
Consider bringing a lock.
Please check your file folder regularly for
ribbons and other correspondence.
Work to have a healthy spirit, mind, and body
at all times.
Welcome to the Independent
Health Family Branch YMCA
Sharks Swim Team
The Sharks Swim Team is a competitive YMCA
swim program. We are a part of the National
YMCA Competitive Swimming program, offering
instruction,
training,
and
competition.
Competitive swimming has been a part of the
YMCA for over 50 years. The team operates in
accordance with National YMCA Competitive
Swimming and Diving policies and USA-Swimming
Technical Rules. Accordingly, all team members
must be full privileged members of the YMCA. All
rules and regulations can be found at
www.ymcaswimminganddiving.org
Since its inception in 1965, The Independent
Health Family Branch YMCA (formerly Northeast
Family YMCA) Sharks have competed against
other YMCA teams in Western New York and in
Regional, State, and National Championships. We
swim a Short-Course (25 yard) format.
Our staff, coaches, and parent volunteers work
together to instill and reinforce the Y focus areas
of youth development, healthy living, and social
responsibility as well as the core values of caring,
honesty, respect and responsibility as part of a
positive and fun experience for swimmers and
their families.
The Swim Team provides opportunities for
personal development in individual stroke
technique and skills, improved times, building
self-esteem, and good sportsmanship. As part of
this philosophy, each swimmer is expected to
participate with the team in all swim meets; there
are no benchwarmers in YMCA Swimming.
There are also opportunities for swimmers and
their families to support community involvement
through social and volunteer opportunities
The swim team is a family program.
Financial Assistance – Within its available
resources, YMCA Buffalo Niagara will provide
financial assistance to anyone who desires to
participate in our programs and membership
regardless of his/her ability to pay the full
amount. Partial financial assistance will be
awarded to those who can demonstrate their
inability to pay the full fee. Funds are secured by
volunteers during the YMCAs Annual Campaign.
Please contact Steve MacAller, Executive Director
or a Member Service Representative for more
information or to apply.
ready to get in the water at the beginning
of the practice time.
Make sure your swimmer has all the necessary
practice needs including:
¾ Swim Suit
¾ Goggles
¾ Swim Cap
¾ Towel
¾ Water Bottle
Make sure your swimmer behaves in the
locker room.
If you attend practices, please be a silent
partner. Any interaction on deck during
practices should be between the swimmer and
coaches only.
Encourage your swimmer to attend as
many practices as available. The pace of your
child’s improvement is based on his/her
commitment to swimming.
Check Shark's website and your E-mail on
a regular basis. This will be the primary
method of communication for the team.
Please notify your coach by the Wednesday
before a meet if your child will not be able to
participate in that meet.
Attend Parent Meetings. Regular Parent
meetings provide parents an opportunity to
volunteer, give feedback, and exchange ideas
with the coaches and parent leaders. Meeting
notices will be on the Sharks website, on the
bulletin board, and sent via e-mail.
Volunteer. Parents/Families are requested to
volunteer during meets and to provide
volunteer support for other team and events.
Swim Meets
Practice Groups
The Independent Health YMCA Sharks are one of
several YMCA Swim Teams in WNY. We
participate in closed competition meets (YMCA
teams only) throughout the season with other
teams in WNY. Swimmers must swim in a
minimum number of meets to be eligible for the
Championship.
Practices are held at the Independent Health
Family Branch YMCA (150 Tech Drive, Amherst).
Types of Meets:
Dual – A meet involving two YMCA Swim Teams.
Double Dual (Triple) – A meet involving three
YMCA Swim Teams. In these meets, each team is
swimming against the other two teams
simultaneously and the meet is scored as three
dual meets.
Invitational - Invitational meets are open to
several teams and typically have different formats
and events. They may be multi-day.
League Championship (Districts)– A closed
competition meet held at the end of the season
between all of the WNY Teams.
Swimmers must swim in at least three dual meets
and one invitational meet to qualify.
State Championship – A state-wide meet
involving 1,400 - 1,500 swimmers each March
who have met the qualification times. The
location of the meet changes each year.
Sanctioned - Higher level meets, including State
Championship and some Invitational Meets. Times
achieved at Sanctioned meets can be used to
qualify for YMCA National and USA-S meets.
Parent Responsibilities
Get your swimmers to the pool on time. Your
swimmer should be at the pool 15
minutes before practice and on deck and
There are three practice levels based on skill
assessment by coaches that swimmers will be
assigned to: White, Royal, and Navy. Group
placement is based on several factors including
skill level, age, endurance, and team size and is
at the discretion of the coaches.
White Practice
For beginning competitive swimmers with little or
no competitive swimming experience. Focus is on
skills development and mastery.
Swimming Skills
1. Must be able to swim one length of the pool (25
yards) freestyle continuously and one length of
the pool backstroke continuously.
2. Must be able to demonstrate balance and
comfort in the water.
Age Requirements
1. Must be at least six years of age or coaches
discretion.
Endurance
1. Must be able to practice two to three times per
week for one hour per practice.
Character Development (Life Skills)
1. Is comfortable in a practice setting with several
swimmers.
2. Ability to follow directions.
3. Good listening skills.
Royal Practice
For intermediate swimmers with some
competitive swimming experience. Swimmers
in this practice usually have one or more
years of experience on a swim team or
advanced level swimming lessons. Focus is on
Swimming Skills
1. Must be able to swim 100 IM with legal strokes.
2. Must be able to perform start from block into a
streamline position.
3. Must be able to demonstrate balanced,
streamlined push-offs in prone and back
position.
4. Must be familiar and competent at long axis
drills.
5. Must be familiar and progressing with short axis
drills.
Age Requirements
1. Must be at least nine years of age or coaches
discretion.
Endurance
1. Must be able to practice two to four times per
week for one hour per practice.
2. Must be able to complete practices that range
from 1,500 – 2,500 yards.
Character Development (Life Skills)
1. Demonstrates a good work ethic by regular
practice and meet attendance.
2. Demonstrates an understanding of
sportsmanship by their behavior in practice and
meet settings.
Navy Practice
For more advanced swimmers. Swimmers in
this practice group may have years of
competitive swimming experience and/or
swim on a high school or club team during
the off-season.
Swimming Skills
1. Must be able to swim 100 yards of each stroke
with legal strokes.
2. Must have qualified for at least one state
championship meet event, or
3. Must be able to demonstrate ability to have
qualified in at least one state championship
meet event.
4. Must be competent with long and short axis
drills.
Age Requirements
1. Must be at least 13 years of age or coaches
discretion.
Endurance
1. Must be able to practice three to four times per
week for one hour per practice.
2. Must be able to complete practices that range
from 2,500 – 3,500 yards.
Character Development (Life Skills)
1. Demonstrates a good work ethic by regular
practice and meet attendance.
2. Is a role model for other swimmers through
their work ethic, sportsmanship in meet
settings, and mannerisms around other
swimmers, coaches/staff, and parents.
NOTE:
1. The above grouping criteria are meant to be a
guideline only. Group assignments are entirely
at the discretion of the coaching staff.

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