ABOUT OUR TEAM
Welcome to the Oshkosh Community YMCA Swim Team--OSHY Dolphins! This is a brief overview of our team. We strive to offer a safe, fun and instructive swim team.
YMCA COMPETITIVE SPORTS PHILOSOPHY & VALUES
The value of youth participation in athletics is one of the underlying principles of the Y. We invest much time, money and effort into our youth sports programs where individuals can learn in a healthy, competitive way that sports are not just for the physically gifted and talented. There are thousands of young people in our community who will not compete in the world of high school or college athletics. They can, however, learn from an early age to appreciate the joy of movement, the skill necessary for daily activities and sports participation, and the development of their overall strength and fitness. The youth programs at the Y are also designed to help young people develop the social skills necessary for group and team interaction. These activities help them to develop basic knowledge that will help them to live healthy lives and practice good living habits. Most importantly, it is our hope that the youth sports programs at the YMCA will be opportunities for young people to understand, practice and even develop their own values and morals in interaction with other young people under the guidance of understanding and helpful adult coaches, counselors, group leaders, and parents.
At the Y, we practice a comprehensive approach to sports with an emphasis on positive physical and mental development. Our program holds these values:
• Developing self-confidence, self-respect, and an appreciation of individual worth
• Developing a commitment for daily living based on values such as Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility
• Growing as a responsible member of the family, team, and citizen of the community
• Appreciating that physical fitness and mental well-being contribute to overall health
• Recognizing the worth of all people and working for mutual respect and understanding
• Developing the capacity for leading, while using it responsibly
Swim Team Groups & Practices
Swimming is a TEAM sport. The people you swim with, their skills and their attitudes, affect you. And vice-versa. The OSHY team is divided into different groups to provide an appropriate practice environment for each swimmer. It is important to have swimmers in each group that work well together. Swimmers in a group must have similar skills, strength, and endurance. Regardless of group, regular practice attendance is important. Groups tend to move forward together or remain static together. If a significant portion of a group DOES NOT know a skill or lacks the strength, endurance, or will, the entire group does not progress. Each group has prerequisites. These prerequisites are minimum standards for the group. If they are unable to meet these, the workouts will be at a higher level than they are ready for.
D2 - Dolphin 2
The D2 group is OSHY’s entry level group. It is for younger swimmers learning the basics of competitive swimming – freestyle, backstroke,
breaststroke, butterfly, starts, turns, and finishes – and developing the strength and endurance necessary to move to the D1 group.
Practice Prerequisites: All entry level swimmers need an OSHY coach evaluation.
What is being looked for in the evaluation is that a swimmer can swim a length on their front with their face in the water, a length on their back,
and a length kicking with a kick board.
Practices: D2 swimmers practice twice a week for 30 minutes. There are two options for practice groups:
Swim Meet Participation: D2 swimmers participate in home meets and low key away meets in Fond du Lac and Appleton.
D1 - Dolphin 1
The D1 group is OSHY’s 2nd level group. It is for swimmers that are legal in all 4 strokes, know how to read the pace clock and
understand intervals and send offs.
Practice Prerequisites:
Swim 6 x 50 on 1:10
Kick 6 x 50 on 1:20
Practices: D1 swimmers practice three times a week for 45 minutes. There are two options for practice groups
Swim Meet Participation: D1 swimmers participate in home meets, low key away meets and championship meets for those who qualify.
SR3 - Senior 3
The SR3 (Senior 3) Group is for experienced swimmers. This group emphasizes stroke drills/progressions, and light training progressions. The group is for swimmers transitioning from Dolphin 1 to the Senior levels AND for swimmers that do not want the commitment level of the SR1 & SR2 groups.
Practice Prerequisites:
Swim 6 x 200 on 2:50
Kick 9 x 100 on 1:50
Practices: Attendance expectation for this group is 2-3 times per week.
Swim Meet Participation: SR swimmers participate in home meets, low key away meets, bigger away meets, and championship meets for those who qualify
SR2 - Senior 2
The SR2 group is for experienced swimmers, age 13-18, that know how to read a pace clock
and understand intervals and send offs. SR2 swimmer must know their best times and swim
a full range of events.
Practice Prerequisites:
Swim 6 x 200 on 2:50
Kick 9 x 100 on 1:50
Practices: 4 times per week for 120 minutes with optional additional AM practices twice per week
and some Fridays
Swim Meet Participation: SR swimmers participate in home meets, low key away meets,
bigger away meets, and championship meets for those who qualify.
SR1 - Senior 1
The SR1 group is for experienced swimmers, age 13-18, that know how to read a pace clock
and understand intervals and send offs. SR1 swimmer must know their best times and swim a
full range of events.
Practice Prerequisites:
Swim 6 x 200 free on 2:40
6 x 200 IM on 3:00
Kick 9 x 100 on 1:40
Practices: 6 times per week for 120 minutes (must attend 5 of 6 practices
per week)
Swim Meet Participation: SR swimmers participate in home meets, low key away meets,
bigger away meets, and championship meets for those who qualify.
Parent Involvement & Volunteering
Home meets are a very important part of swim team. The revenue generated offsets the program costs and keeps swim team fees reasonable. The only way we can run successful home meets is to have parent volunteers. The Parent Committee is comprised of parent volunteer LEADS who have agreed to provide leadership in a specific area. This committee participates as a supportive partner with the swim team program. Additional volunteers are needed to assist LEADS with their respective roles. All swim team families are expected to volunteer in some capacity.
STRONGER TOGETHER - SWIMMERS
Swimming is a TEAM sport. The people you swim with, their skills and their attitudes, affect you. And
vice-versa. The OSHY team is divided into different groups to provide an appropriate practice
environment for each swimmer. It is important to have swimmers in each group that work well
together. Swimmers in a group must have similar skills, strength, and endurance AND they must have
similar motivation and commitment. Regardless of group, regular practice attendance is important.
With everyone working together groups are progressive. What is challenging on Day 1, will be easy on
Day 30. Members of a group tend to move forward together or remain static together. Part of being in a
group is accepting the responsibility of moving the group forward. Being in a group (and on a team)
means you are making a commitment to the others in the group to aid the progression of the group. In
general, this is done through attendance, effort, and attitude.
Each group has prerequisites. These prerequisites are minimum standards for the group. If swimmers
are unable to meet these, the workouts will be at a higher level than they are ready for. Each group has
their own equipment requirements. Each group has their own designated meet schedule. Each group
has their own swimmer responsibilities.
STRONGER TOGETHER – PARENTS
Swimming is a TEAM sport. You are a part of the team, an indispensable part of the team. Besides
getting your child to practice and meets and making sure they have the correct equipment, the OSHY
TEAM needs you to be a part of our activities and events. At home swim meets parents are expected to
help. Timing, officiating, computer operators, awards, and concessions are some of the places that
require parental help. In addition to swim meets throughout the year there will be social events and
activities that need parental involvement. Again, you are an indispensable part of the success of the
OSHY TEAM.
Interested in Joining?
Sign up for an evaluation HERE or by clicking the SCHEDULE EVALUATION/CONTACT US button on the front page of our website or email Trenton Davis at [email protected].
