What to Bring to a Meet

• Suit, Cap & Goggles (extras too, if you have it)
  
• Suit, Cap & Goggles (extras too, if you have it)
  
• Towels (one for drying off and one for sitting on)
  
• Money (heat sheets--usually $5.00 or less & snacks)
  
• Highlighter (to mark your child's events on the heat sheet)
  
• Sharpie marker (to write the events on his/her arm)
  
• Pen & paper (to write down times)
  
• Team shirt, sweats, jacket (or team colored clothing)
  
• Shoes (flip flops or Crocs work best on the pool deck)
  
• Healthy snacks (if facility permits)
  
• Water or Gatoraid (NO SODAS OR SUGARY DRINKS)
  
• **CLEARLY LABEL ALL ITEMS THAT ARE TAKEN TO A MEET**

Classification
PYAC competes in both YMCA and USA Swimming sanctioned events. These swimming bodies both provide competitive opportunities, but they are slightly different. For USA meets, the PYAC team combines with the CYAT (Chesapeake YMCA Aquatic Team) to form VYAC (Virginia YMCA Aquatic Club) that competes on equal footing with other USA teams throughout the state. See this year’s USA Meet Schedule page for details.

YMCA Swimming

USA Swimming

The YMCA only program is a developmental program offered to kids who enjoy swimming and are looking to start to grow in the sport of completive swimming. The focus of this program is more towards developing stroke technique and efficiency, and move at a slower pace in order to meet the specific individual needs of all children in the program. Ideally, this program is aimed for swimmers of the ages 5-12 years old. There is some lee way with this in that if you have a child who is younger but is familiar with freestyle and backstroke, they’ll fit in, or a swimmer who is older but who needs more stroke refinement, they’ll fit in too.

USA Swimming is the national governing body for amateur competitive swimming. It sets rules for competitions, implements policies, conducts national championship meets and selects athletes to represent the United States in international competitions. USA Swimming requires coaches and officials to be certified according to its standards. USA Swimming is divided into Local Swimming Committees (LSCs) which administer USA Swimming activities in smaller geographic areas. All PYAC swimmers interested in competing in USA Swimming sanctioned competitions can be registered as USA Swimming members and are eligible to swim in any USA Swimming meets for which they meet the requisite qualifying times. Feel free to visit the USA Swimming Website for more information.

Age Group Designations
In both USA Swimming and YMCA meets, swimmers are grouped in competitive categories according to their age. USA Swimming age groups are divided as follows: 10 & Under, 11/12, 13/14, 15/16, 17/18. USA Swimming meets will often combine the last two into a 15-18 age group. YMCA age groups are the same except there are also 6 & Under and 8 & Under age groups. Sometimes, in both USA Swimming and YMCA meets, 13 & Older swimmers are combined into a “senior” age group. In “open” events or meets, swimmers of any age may swim. For USA Swimming meets, swimmers compete in their age as of the first day of the meet. For YMCA meets, their age group is determined by their age as of Dec 1 of the current year for short course meets, and May 1 for long course meets.

Time Standards
USA Swimming establishes national motivational standards by which its meets are classified (C, B, BB, A, AA, etc.). These standards are based on nationally-normed performance standards, with the goal of grouping swimmers in competition with others of a similar skill level. Current National Age Group Motivational Times are divided up into Long (meters) & Short Course (yards & meters) standards.

Team Area
During meets, swimmers sit in the designated team area. This promotes team unity, which in turn contributes to swimming success and fun. Parents who are not volunteering in some capacity are asked to sit in the stands or around the pool deck, not with their children. Younger swimmers may sit with their parents if they prefer, but are encouraged to sit with the team. At most USA meets, parents who are not volunteering in the meet are not permitted on the pool deck. This is because deck space is limited and parental interruptions are distracting to swimmers and coaches. In addition, swimmers develop responsibility and camaraderie. Parents, while their intentions of support are positive, can add pressure and increase confusion on the deck at meets.

Volunteering
It takes a lot of people to host a swim meet, and the team relies on parent volunteers to ensure meets happen. The team needs everyone. So much so that, if your child is swimming in a meet, you should consider that you have signed up to help. Most positions require little to no prior experience. Some, like judges, starters and referees, require specific training. If you are interested in becoming certified in any of these types of positions, please contact Mary Ewer at pyacvolunteers@hotmail.com.

Behavior
Swim meets are an opportunity to display not only athletic ability but also team pride and sportsmanship. Parents and swimmers should always be mindful that they are representing the PYAC swim team and the Portsmouth Family YMCA and should act accordingly. Swimmers are encouraged to cheer for their teammates and to stay until the end of the meet if possible. If a swimmer, at any level, must leave before the end of a meet, he or she should notify one of the coaches before the start of the meet.

** Parents, please remember to bring something to help keep your child occupied while they are waiting to swim !! **

Please visit the YMCA or USA meet schedule pages for MEET RESULTS. Thank you once again to all our parent volunteers who made the meet a success. We couldn't do it without you !!

Parents, please don't forget to check out the For Swimmers page for additional information.