YMCA Spring Nationals 2026
Location: Greensboro, NC
Dates: March 30-April 3, 2026
Order of Events- Main Meet
Order of Events- Time Trials
***The period for achieving the Qualifying Time Standard is February 1, 2025 through the entry deadline***
National Team Practice Schedule
This is the biggest stage for YMCA swimming, and most teams train all season just for this meet. I fully expect our participants to embrace this honor and both respect and enjoy the experience.
Here are some notes to consider:
- I expect all of our athletes participating at Y Nats to attend EVERY practice following high school season (beginning 3/2/26). Anyone who may have conflicts with this should speak with me to work out alternate times. Failure to attend practices without advance notice may result in dismissal from National team.
- I expect everyone to participate whole-heartedly at AA Champs in Oxford.
- There is one less week between AA champs and Nationals this year. Because of this, it is likely that anyone attending YMCA Nationals will not be permitted to swim at Zone Champs. The team will likely be named after AA Champs (including relays).
- I recommend parents start to look at March/April schedules well in advance and see if any travel conflicts exist. Swimmers may have to miss up to a week of school depending on when they compete, so you may want to begin speaking with teachers or school administrators as well.
- When possible, I prefer our athletes to arrive two evenings prior to their first swim (example: swimmer first competes Wednesday morning, preferably arrive Monday evening). This is to allow for adequate time to adjust after travel and "acclimate" to the meet. The main exception to this is anyone swimming the Monday evening relay. You may arrive Sunday, but please plan to arrive early in the afternoon (around 3pm).
- Parents are responsible for transportation to and from the meet.
- Parents are financially responsible for all aspects of the meet. This includes (and is not necessarily limited to) meet entry fees, hotels, meals, apparel, and transportation.
- Any National qualifiers are welcome to stay the entire duration of the meet. I encourage anyone who is not participating in an event on a particular day to pick a time trial event to swim.
Relay decisions will be made by the Monday after AA Champs.
We will determine later if we will have a team hotel. Families are not required to stay in the team hotel, but it will make it easier for carpooling to/from the pool.
Team hotel info and booking link:
We will plan team dinners each evening depending if we have swimmers participating in finals.
YMCA Summer Nationals 2025
Location: Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training (FAST), Ocala, Florida
July 29 through August 2
Order of Events- Main Meet
Order of Events- Time Trials
The period for achieving the Qualifying Time Standard is April 1, 2024 through the entry deadline
We will not have a designated team hotel. I encourage families who may participate to book somewhere as early as possible. There are LOTS of hotels within a short drive of the aquatics center, and lots of AirBnb options as well. Please feel free to ask Coach Matt for any suggestions.
Here are some notes to consider:
- I would hope everyone can attend as many practices as possible leading up to the meet. I will not set a minimum-practice requirement, but please be reasonable.
- I recommend parents start to look at their July schedules to see if any travel conflicts exist.
- This is a five-day, full prelims/finals meet. For summer nationals, please plan to arrive the afternoon before (ideally before 2pm) the first day your swimmer competes. In other words, if your swimmer's first event is Wednesday morning, I really want them arriving by 4p on Tuesday. Even better if they arrive Monday night!
- Parents are responsible for transportation to and from the meet.
- Parents are financially responsible for all aspects of the meet. This includes (and is not necessarily limited to) meet entry fees, hotels, meals, apparel, and transportation.
- Any National qualifiers are welcome to stay the entire duration of the meet. I encourage anyone who is not participating in an event on a particular day to pick a time trial event to swim. They offer time trials between prelims and finals for all days, and there is always great participation.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I'm looking forward to the upcoming Championship Season!!!
- coach matt
UPDATED 7.20.25
