Team Handbook
2025-2026 Season
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3
Mission Statement ....................................................................................................................... 3
YMCA of Metro North Mission Statement ................................................................................... 3
YMN Tritons Mission Statement ................................................................................................. 3
YMCA of Metro North – Membership .......................................................................................... 3
Communication ........................................................................................................................... 4
Swim Team Season ...................................................................................................................... 5
Winter Short Course Season (September – March) ..................................................................... 5
Summer Long Course Season (May – July) ................................................................................. 5
Swim Team Practice ..................................................................................................................... 5
Practice Etiquette ..................................................................................................................... 5
Practice Equipment .................................................................................................................. 6
Practice Groups ........................................................................................................................... 7
Group C ................................................................................................................................... 7
Group B .................................................................................................................................... 7
Group A .................................................................................................................................... 7
Tiny Tritons ............................................................................................................................... 7
Swim Team Competitions ............................................................................................................. 8
USA Swimming ......................................................................................................................... 8
YMCA Swimming ...................................................................................................................... 8
Local Swim Meets .................................................................................................................... 9
Swim Meet Signups .................................................................................................................. 9
Swim Meet Etiquette ................................................................................................................. 9
Swim Meet Fees ..................................................................................................................... 10
Hosting Swim Meets ............................................................................................................... 10
Billing Policy .............................................................................................................................. 11
Pricing.................................................................................................................................... 11
Travel Meet Costs ................................................................................................................... 11
Introduction
This Team Handbook covers team policies and procedures for the YMCA of Metro North Tritons’ 2025-2026 Fall/Winter Season. It is not a comprehensive list of all team information – please refer to the SportsEngine website (for additional information, or reach out to Head Coach Tim Savidge at [email protected].
Mission Statement
YMCA of Metro North Mission Statement
The YMCA of Metro North builds strong kids, strong families and strong communities by enriching the lives of all people in spirit, mind and body.
YMN Tritons Mission Statement
The Metro North Triton Swimming & Diving team is dedicated to help swimmers and divers improve their times, form and achieve their goals while instilling in them the core values of the YMCA. The Team teaches that swimming and diving can not only help you physically, but will also be your teammate in life giving you the motivation and dedication to tackle any obstacle in your path.
YMCA of Metro North – Membership
Athletes on the YMCA of Metro North Tritons must maintain an active YMCA of Metro North membership at all times.
Communication
1. Please check your email often for updates from Coach Tim. This will be the primary method of communication, especially for any practice cancellations, swim meet information, and general news.
2. Visit our SportsEngine site: https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/nesmymcas/page/home. The website is often updated with team information including practice schedules, upcoming meets, qualifying times, and more.
3. If you are new to the Metro North Tritons Swimming & Diving Team, you will need to create a username and password to access the full website. If you are a returning member, please review your information for accuracy. It is important that we have an accurate email address for you as much team communication is done via email. In addition, you may wish to “enable SMS” on your account in order to receive text messages in the event of an emergency.
4. If you have questions or need to speak to any coaches, you can find them before or after practice. You can also email Coach Tim at [email protected] with any questions regarding practices.
5. For other information or general questions, please contact Coach Tim at [email protected].
6. If you have any questions or concerns about the YMCA of Metro North swim program, please contact the Association Aquatics Director, Jess Murray, at [email protected].
7. Questions regarding memberships, operating hours, and all things YMCA related can generally be answered at the Welcome Desk in the YMCA Lobby. If you need confidential assistance, please contact the Membership Director at your respective location.
Swim Team Season
The YMCA of Metro North Tritons participate in two different seasons: the Winter Short Course Season (September – March) and Summer Long Course Season (May – July). In April, the team will host stroke clinics open to all members. Participation in both seasons is highly encouraged, as swimming is an aerobic sport where ability is best developed over time.
Winter Short Course Season (September – March)
Short Course season is named because swimmers compete in a ‘shorter’ pool – one that is only 25 yards long. This mirrors the NCAA season, where athletes compete in the 25-yard distance during the same time period. The Short Course season starts in September and goes through the end of March. Championship Meets are held from mid-January through the end of March.
Summer Long Course Season (May – July)
Long Course season is named because swimmers compete in a ‘longer’ pool – one that is 50 meters long. Some of these meets may be hosted in pools located outdoors. This mirrors International swimming competition, especially the Olympics, which competes in the 50-meter distance during the same time period. The Long Course Season starts in May and ends at the end of July. Championships for the Long Course season are held throughout the month of July.
During the Long Course season, the Tritons still practice in a short course pool. In addition, some of the meets the team attends may be short course competitions.
Swim Team Practice
Most of the time spent throughout the season will be at practice, which will be focused on developing stroke technique, building endurance, and pushing through challenges with teammates. Attendance at practice is important as it helps to build team camaraderie, keeps swimmers motivated, and makes it easier to develop good habits.
Practice Etiquette
Please do your best to have your swimmers arrive to practice at least 5 minutes before the start time so that they can be prepared – caps and goggles on, bathroom used, water bottles filled, and anything else they may need to do to be in the water for the start of practice. It is important that all swimmers are ready for the start of practice, as time at practice is limited and seeing swimmers out of the water can be distracting for those swimming. It is understood that conflicts may arise and it is not always possible for swimmers to arrive on time – please do your best to let Coach Tim know in advance if you will be late and have your swimmer prepared so that they can get in the water as soon as they arrive.
It is important that swimmers respect the facilities that we use for practice. Swimmers should eat any snacks in the lobby (or outdoors), be respectful in the locker rooms and leave them free of debris, and follow all rules from the lifeguards or other supervisors.
At practice, swimmers will be sharing a lane with several others. For safety, it is important that swimmers in a lane:
• Circle-Swim: Swim on the right side of the lane at all times , which means opposite sides when traveling in opposite directions (to avoid crashing into those swimming in the other direction)
• Leave from the wall one at a time, leaving 5 or 10 seconds behind the person in front of them so that they have space
• Allow their teammates to pass when they have their feet touched, without stopping in the middle of the pool
• Not race in practice just for the sake of leading the lane, but rather understand the importance of giving their teammates space and be happy going at any spot in the lane
• Give space for their lane mates to finish fast into the wall with each opportunity.
Practices will be divided into different sets; swimmers should wait to take bathroom breaks in between sets (except in emergencies). Coaches will take some time in between sets to explain the next one – when coaches are speaking, swimmers should:
• Listen with their eyes and ears above the water
• Ask any questions they may have about the set AFTER the coaches have finished speaking
• Help any lane mates who might still have questions AFTER the coaches have finished talking
Lastly, while some friendly competition is encouraged, swimmers should not be aiming to defeat their teammates in practice. Swim practice works best when swimmers see it as a challenge that can be overcome together and are supporting one another with words of encouragement. Swimmers should always treat one another with respect.
Practice Equipment
All swimmers will need a bathing suit and goggles to swim at practice, and swim caps are highly recommended, especially for swimmers with hair longer than 3 inches. Please make sure that your swimmers have goggles that fit well so that they do not have to spend time at practice making adjustments to them.
Swimmers in Group B and C will need the following equipment for practice: kickboards, pull buoys, paddles, and snorkels. This equipment is highly encouraged (but not mandatory), as it will allow your swimmers to get the most out of all practice sets. Note that kickboards can be borrowed at both YMCA branches, as long as the swimmers treat them with respect and return them properly.
Practice Groups
All swimmers will be assigned to a practice group so that they can get the best experience from swim practice. Your swimmers should attend practices for the group that they are assigned to. If you are unable to make it to practice for the expected number of days per week, please reach out to Coach Tim to work out potential alternatives.
Group C
Swimmers in Group C are comfortable swimming at least 100 yards of each stroke, and are able to swim freestyle for more than 800 yards without stopping. Swimmers can perform dives from the starting blocks, proper turns for all strokes, and can demonstrate good underwater kicks when pushing off of each wall. Practices are 1 hour and 30 minutes long, and will typically consist of 3500-5500 yards. Practices will be mainly focused on building and extending endurance/aerobic capacity, with feedback from coaches on stroke technique. Practices are held 6 times per week – Group C swimmers are expected to attend at least 5 of these practices per week (it is understood that swimmers competing in their high school season may not meet these expectations).
Group B
Swimmers in Group B are comfortable swimming at least 50 yards of each stroke, and are able to swim freestyle for more than 400 yards without stopping. Swimmers can perform dives from the starting blocks and proper turns for all four strokes. Practices are 1 hour and 15 minutes long, and will typically consist of 2000-3000 yards. Practices will be focused on building endurance/aerobic capacity with some focus on improving stroke technique as well. Practices are held 6 times per week – Group B swimmers are expected to attend at least 4 of these practices per week.
Group A
Swimmers in Group A are comfortable swimming at least 25 yards of each stroke, and are able to swim freestyle for more than 200 yards without stopping. Swimmers can perform dives from the starting blocks and have some familiarity with flip turns. Practices are 1 hour long, and will typically consist of 1500-2000 yards. Practices will mainly be focused on improving stroke technique, but will also include some sets to build endurance and aerobic capacity. Practices are held 6 times per week – Group A swimmers are expected to attend at least 3-4 of these practice sessions per week.
Tiny Tritons
Swimmers in Tiny Tritons should be able to swim each stroke, and are able to swim at least 50 yards of freestyle and backstroke without stopping. Swimmers should be able to dive headfirst and be comfortable treading water for more than 3 minutes. Practices are 1 hour long, and will typically consist of 1000-1500 yards. Practices will be mainly focused on stroke technique, but will also include some sets to build endurance. Practices are held 5 times per week – Tiny Tritons swimmers are expected to attend at least 2 of these practices each week.
Swim Team Competitions
The YMCA of Metro North Tritons compete in several competitions, known as ‘Swim Meets’, in both the Summer and Winter seasons. Most of the meets we attend are sanctioned by USA Swimming and hosted by a team within the New England Swimming LSC. However, we typically host and attend a few local meets each season, which are especially great for our newer swimmers.
USA Swimming
The Metro North Tritons also compete in USA Swimming meets as part of New England Swimming (our Licensed Swimming Committee, or LSC). USA Swimming is the National Governing Body of the sport of swimming in the United States, and it includes swimmers of every age and ability, all the way up to the Olympic Team. As such, it offers higher levels of competition, and many of the meets longer and more intense than our local meets.
USA Swimming membership is optional but highly encouraged for experienced swimmers or those looking to compete more often. The membership requires an annual fee of $125, and meets typically come with an entry fee of $40-60, but USA Swimming membership gives your swimmer access to many more meets each season. Moreover, times achieved at sanctioned USA Swimming meets are input into the SWIMS database, allowing the times to be used for things like championship qualification and college recruiting.
Within New England Swimming, there are championship meets with several different levels of qualifying times, including:
1) Senior Championships
2) Age Group Championships
3) Silver Championships
4) Bronze Championships (Winter ONLY)
In addition, swimmers with USA Swimming memberships can qualify for elite championship meets at the Zone, Sectional, and National level.
YMCA Swimming
Ever since YMCAs began offering competitive swimming and diving in the early 1920’s, these sports have proven to be excellent opportunities for putting into action the YMCA’s mission. YMCA competitive swimming and diving programs are for everyone, from the beginning swimmer to the most competitive and skilled swimmer. YMCA swimming athletes have the opportunity to compete in League, State, Area, and National Championships.
The Metro North Tritons are proud to be a YMCA swimming team that seeks to be a home for all levels of competitive swimmers. Our team attends several YMCA meets each season – some of these are ‘Approved’ USA Swimming meets, which typically require a USA Swimming membership but allow times to be used to qualify. Some of them are local YMCA meets where any members of the team can participate.
Swimmers who compete in at least one YMCA swim meet per year are eligible to qualify for the Eastern Massachusetts YMCA District Championships, held early in January of each year. Swimmers who compete in Districts have the opportunity to qualify for the New England YMCA Championships, held in mid-March of each year. Swimmers who compete in at least three YMCA meets (including one championship meet) can qualify for the YMCA National Championships (SCY held in early April, LCM held in early August).
Local Swim Meets
Including local YMCA meets, our team hosts and attends 3-4 local meets each season which are typically open to all swimmers (and always open to new swimmers). These meets are intended to be a more fun, relaxed setting where newer swimmers can learn how competitions work and experienced swimmers can compete stress-free. Attendance at local meets is highly encouraged.
Swim Meet Signups
In the first few weeks of the season, a schedule will go out with all of the meets planned for the season. When the Meet File for each meet becomes available, it will be uploaded to the SportsEngine website and an event will be created. Coach Tim will send out an email about each uploaded meet, outlining the expected level of competition and what swimmers would be a good fit for the meet. For most USA Swimming meets, our team is limited in the number of swimmers we can bring – some meets may be limited to swimmers with Silvers qualifying times and above, but most will be limited on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, the registration deadline for these meets is typically well in advance, as host teams need time to plan out space and timelines.
Parents can visit the ‘Team Events’ page to sign up for any meet that has been uploaded. USA Swimming meets will typically have an associated Meet File that allows parents to choose events for their swimmers right within the SportsEngine website or app. You can always reach out to Coach Tim if you would like to sign up for a meet but are unsure of the process, or if you would like Tim to choose events for your swimmer. For local meets, there will be an option to RSVP in the SportsEngine website, and events will often be chosen by emailing Coach Tim. For all meets, you must ‘Opt-In’ to attend; that is, you must sign-up online or notify Coach Tim that you would like to attend before the registration deadline.
Swim Meet Etiquette
Swim meets are an opportunity for our team to represent the YMCA of Metro North. It is important that swimmers treat the facility, officials, coaches, volunteers, and other teams with respect when we attend swim meets. All swimmers are expected to adhere to the core values of the YMCA and display good sportsmanship at all swim meets. Swimmers at meets should be positive and supportive of teammates. This includes:
• Cheering for teammates on the sides or ends of the pool when they are swimming
• Sharing words of encouragement before races, and positivity after races
• Trying their hardest in every race, no matter the circumstances
• Representing the team by wearing team suit, caps, t-shirts, and colors when possible
For most meets, it is recommended that swimmers bring folding chairs to have somewhere to sit. In general, parents should make sure to have their swimmers arrive 15 minutes prior to their assigned warmup time. Please let Coach Tim know if you are running late to a meet, as swimmers who arrive after the assigned warmup time without notification may be scratched from the meet.
Some meets may follow the Trials/Finals format, where athletes swim events in the morning and then again in the evening at a Finals session. Athletes are expected to swim in all Finals sessions for which they qualify – please let Coach Tim know if you have conflicts and are unable to attend.
Swim Meet Fees
Swim meet participation in swim meets comes with a fee, which often supports host teams and facilities. This fee will be charged through SGA after the meet entries have been approved and submitted. If your athlete is entered into the meet but is unable to attend, you are still financially responsible for the meet entries.
Hosting Swim Meets
Hosting swim meets is an excellent way for The Metro North Tritons to increase our budget and better relationships with other teams. However, these meets are only possible if we can fill all of the necessary volunteer roles associated with hosting a swim meet. You are expected to volunteer for a position if you have a swimmer participating in a meet that we are hosting. These responsibilities include:
• Officials – The Tritons are looking for parents who are interested in becoming certified as officials. This can be a great way to learn the sport of swimming, help the team, and get a better view at swim meets. This responsibility comes with several levels that can be achieved, so it is especially great for parents of younger swimmers that would like to be involved with the sport more long term. Please let Coach Tim know ASAP if you are in becoming an official.
• Head Timer – This person is responsible for organizing the timers at a swim meet. Check in all timers, organize them into lanes, and hold a meeting explaining what their duties entail. During the meet, supervise the timers and serve as an additional backup timer. Requires some timing experience.
o Timers – Will be shown how to use a watch and what their responsibilities are at the timers meeting. Note that you might be getting a little wet, as you will be recording times at the finish end of the pool when the swimmer touches the wall.
• Admissions desk – Set up to greet people at the door, collecting money for admission (when applicable), heat sheets, and other related activities.
• Concessions – Sell snacks, food, and drinks at the concession table.
• Safety marshal – Help to keep kids safe (i.e., no running), keep spectators in assigned areas, and prevent people from walking past starters during start.
• Hospitality – Keep hospitality room stocked with food/drink for coaches and officials.
• Runner – Distribute paperwork to on-deck officials, coaches, and timers, including: posting heat sheets, collecting timer sheets, and posting results in a timely fashion.
Billing Policy
All members must pay a registration fee of $50.00 for the short course season and $25 for the long course season.
All members must hold YMCA of the Metro North memberships and memberships must remain active from the time of registration onward.
All YMCA of Metro North Tritons Swim Team billing will be done through SGA (with the same account as your YMCA membership). Billing for swim team will occur automatically on the 1st of each month beginning September 1st – March 1st for the short course season and May 1st – July 1st for the long course season.
There will be no discounts or opt outs mid-season, you are financially responsible for the season you register for. We will not release swimmers to a new team until all fees have been paid in full. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact Jess Murray at [email protected].
Meet fees will be charged after the entries are submitted, and are non-refundable, unless the meet is canceled by the host.
Pricing
Fall/Winter 2025-2026
Cost for 2025/2026
Tiny Tritons
$125
Group A
$150
Group B
$170
Group C
$205
Travel Meet Costs
For swim meets or events that require team travel, all expenses are to be covered by the swimmers’ families. Any concerns regarding travel meets should be directed to Coach Tim at [email protected].
