Ambler Area YMCA Swim Team Handbook
Congratulations!
Your child is now part of the Ambler Area YMCA Swim Team, AAY Arrows. This is an exciting time for both you and your swimmer. This handbook is intended to answer any questions about your role as a team parent. This handbook contains important information about the following:
· Your obligation to the team both a personal commitment and financial
· Team practices
· Various swimming levels
· Behavior at practice and meets
Participation in the Parents Association is highly recommended. An explanation of what this participation involves is contained within this handbook. The Head Coach and Aquatics Management Team oversee the Parents committee.
Success of the team relies heavily on the volunteer efforts of all parents. Therefore, it is very important that you review the handbook carefully and bring your questions to the Head Swim Coach and/or Aquatic Director.
This is a fun experience for both you and your child. Welcome to the Ambler Y Swim Team family!
Welcome to the team!
Ambler Area YMCA Swim Team (Arrows) Overview
The Arrows are a competitive swimming team that balances the goals of the beginner and serious athletes alike, with an environment that promotes youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
The AAY Arrows adhere to the Principles and Philosophies of the YMCA of the USA, by encouraging broad participation by all age groups, and does not just fine-tune the elite athlete. We promote the teaching of fundamental skills: encouraging lifetime involvement in physical activity; and strengthening the values of fitness, health, and self-respect for others and strive to develop character virtues in individuals at all skill levels.
Swimmers participate in an excellent variety of competition suitable for all skill levels: individual meets, league meets, State and Regional meets.
The AAY Arrows are a part of the Penn-Del Swimming League. ”Penn-Del” is a volunteer-run organization promoting, encouraging, and supporting YMCA competitive swimming for Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.
We strongly encourage all parents to log-on to the Penn-Del website (www.penndelswim.org) and create a log- in. Once you create a log in; you will receive updates from the league, can view meet schedules, etc.
Financial Agreement and Responsibilities
YMCA Full Membership: The swimmer must have an active YMCA Full membership.
Tuition fees: Are due in full at registration. Payment plans may be arranged, if needed. All financial assistance and payment arrangements must be approved by YMCA Aquatic Director. Full tuition is $360.00 for the first swimmer. Sibling swimmers receive a sibling discount. The cost is $320.00.
Tuition will not be prorated for missed practices, early dismissal of the team, facility closures and family vacations. Vacations, family commitments, and school events sometimes conflict with swimming. If a swimmer knows they will be missing practice/meets for an extended period of time they should let their coaches know, in advance.
Pro-Rating for long term illness/injury: With a note from a physician, the YMCA Aquatics Director will pro-rate the tuition fee to accommodate the swimmer.
Additional Fees
In addition to the registration fee, there will be additional fees incurred during the swimming season. Such fees include;
· Competition swim suits, caps, goggles
· Invitational
· Championship entry fees
· T-shirt fees (optional for specialty meets and Championship meets)
· Swimmer Banquet
Practice Schedules
The main competitive season runs late September – February. District and State qualifiers compete until March. We expect swimmers to practice between 2-3 times per week. The practice schedule is listed this site under the Swimming tab.
General Information about Team Practices
All swimmers should be ready to go at the designated start time of their practice. This includes being dressed in proper attire (swim suit, goggles, water bottle and swim cap for girls) For their safety, swimmers should be attentive to their coaches once they enter the natatorium.
Swimming is both an individual and team sport, and the coach’s work hard to accommodate each swimmer’s needs. While the swimmers have the same goals (to have fun, learn skills and prepare for competitions), each swimmer is an individual and has their own strengths and weaknesses. Coaches structure practices to improve weaknesses (i.e. increase strength/flexibility, learn new strokes, fix form errors), and maintain strengths.
A great deal of planning goes into each workout. The coaches consider each competitive level's needs when determining how long a practice should be and how many times a week they should occur. Coaches construct each team workout to consist of three main parts: warm-up/stretching, “Drills” (form improvement), and strength/conditioning at time increments appropriate to the swimmers level. The “Drills” portion of practice is the most essential part of the practice because without that, we cannot set a successful foundation for the swimmers.
The dryland portion of the swim season will be led by the AYY Coaching staff. We will continue to give the swimmers a full body workout during those times. The dryland portions will happen prior to a practice and will give the swimmer a chance to have additional experiences on dryland exercises.
Meet Information
Home meets are held at the NEW Wissahickon High School Pool. “Warm-ups” begin @ 1:00pm. “Away meets” start times are determined by the host team. Host teams have yet to be assigned. These times will be shared via email as soon as they become available.
Meet Specifics
Most meets average about 3 ½-4 hours
Warm-up - approximately ½ hour.
Event Warm-up/Competition – An effective warm-up is the key to setting personal best times at swim meets. Swimmers use “warm-ups” to do two things: turn on your body’s energy systems, and mentally prepare for what will follow. This is also the one opportunity for swimmers to get familiar with the pool and diving blocks prior to the race. This is especially important at away meets. Swimmers have a quick warm-up. Typically the host team will have “warms ups” in the water first, followed by the away team. Please make sure your child arrives to meets on time or they will miss their opportunity to get a proper warm up.
Meet preparation
Following warm ups, the officials will meet with key volunteer staff. During this time job responsibilities will be assigned, expectations of volunteers will be given, and the final “meet sheet” will be prepared. A meet sheet will contain a swimmers heat and lane assignments.
Home Meets
The Ambler Area YMCA Swimming Team typically host 2 or 3 home meets per season. Every family is asked to help with hosting a meet.
1. Time slots where you can sign up to volunteer some time to either work the meet or to work the concession stand.
2. Assist with snack stand items or dry goods such as paper products
Meet Etiquette for Swimmers
· Swimmers should arrive at the competition on time. Swimmers arrive in their bathing suits.
· Swimmers must remain on the pool deck throughout the course of warm-up and obey all regulations and procedures.
· Swimmers should be courteous, respectful and polite to all meet officials, hosts, competitors and coaches
· Swimmers should have a competition bag and keep all of their belongings in the bag during the meet. It is recommended that they have a light snack and water bottle with them.
· Swimmers are required to stay with the team until the competition is over and the coach releases them. It is asked that all parents, which are not volunteering on deck, remain in the observation area. If you child requires assistance during the meet, the coaching staff will assistance them. If there is an emergency, coaches will bring the swimmer to the observation area to be with a parent.
· Swimmers are expected to actively participate during a meet. This includes watching other swimmers compete, cheer for other swimmers, etc. Meets can be long. Children may be something to entertain themselves with during a meet. However, if it becomes too much of a distraction, coaches will ask swimmers to put their personal belongings away. Please note: The YMCA is not responsible for lost or damaged property.
Meet Etiquette for Parents
· Team Spirit is a big help… Wear a team t-shirt if you have one, applaud for the team.
· Show proper respect to all Officials and Coaches. Under no circumstance should you attempt to contact any official (judge) on the deck during or after the meet. If you have questions regarding the meet or your child’s performance, ask the coach.
· Please show proper respect to all competitors. You NEVER KNOW who is sitting next to you (IE parents of the swimmer you just made a remark about.)
· Please respect other parent wishes in regards to the photographing or videotaping of their swimmer.
· Once a swimmer walks onto the pool deck for warm-up, they are requested to remain with their team and coaches, which means that we encourage no interaction with parent/family during the competition. This has less to do with control than with team unity and focus. The coach’s job at the meet is to monitor the condition of the swimmers and teach them to respond appropriately. If a swimmer is too excited, the coach calms her/him down. If swimmers are too complacent, the coach motivates them to do their best. The emotional dynamic is fluid in a competition. A great race may cause a swimmer to be over-confident, while a difficult swim may actually provide an educational moment. At these times the swimmer needs to focus on the coach’s advice, not distractions from other areas of pool deck.
· In any competitions, parents, friends and relatives of the swimmer are not allowed onto the pool deck.
· Do not coach your child. Coaches should coach; everyone else should encourage.
- No flash photography is permitted during a meet. The sudden flash of light could cause false starts and injury.
Code of Conduct
Introduction
The Code of Conduct has been created to ensure that the YMCA values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, and are upheld in the Ambler Area Swimming Team.
Parents please sit down with your child(ren) and review
Elements of the Code of Conduct for Swimmers
- I will show respect for my coaches, fellow swimmers and league representatives by demonstrating youth development, healthy living and social responsibility in all that I do
- During the National Anthem I will refrain from any talking/laughing and or movement and participate in singing the national anthem.
- I will cheer for my teammates in a competitive setting. Greet them as they return to the bench from an event and congratulate them on their performance.
- Stay with my team as a unified group until the meet comes to an end (the last competitor has finished competing).
- Remain calm and composed even when I become frustrated, angry or disappointed with a performance (no crying)
· Follow the instructions of my coaches during a competition.
· If there is a discrepancy with a time or finish, I will bring it to the attention of my coach. The coaching staff will then approach the scorer’s table (No swimmers or parents)
· Clean up and remove my from the pool deck or any pool deck that I visit.
· Act appropriately at all times while at my home pool or any pool I visit
· Encourage good sportsmanship at every practice and competition by demonstrating good sportsmanship through my own actions and words
· Attend every practice and competition that I can. If I cannot attend a meet I will inform coaches with 72 hours’ notice.
· Attend every team building event that I can, and notify my coaches as soon as possible if I cannot
· Do my very best in school
· Represent my team and my family with the highest ethics in my behavior in and outside the pool. Choose my words carefully and refrain from gossip.
Elements of the Code for Parents
· Encourage good sportsmanship by demonstrating positive support for all swimmers, coaches, league representatives, parents and officials at every practice and competition
· Place the emotional and physical well-being of my child ahead of a personal desire to win and remember that the sport is for children and not adults
· Respect the privacy of the directory and e-mail distribution list with the understanding that it is not to be used for personal gain.
· Support coaches and officials working with my child, in order to encourage a positive and enjoyable experience for all
· Expect my child to treat other swimmers, coaches, parents fans and officials with respect regardless of race, sex, creed, or ability
· Promise to help my child enjoy swimming experience by doing whatever I can, such as being a respectful fan, and supporting the efforts of the parent’s organization
