Swim Teams

Benton Harbor-St. Joseph Dolphins      

The Dolphins Swim Team is open to ages 5–8 who can complete one length of both freestyle and backstroke and ages 9–18 who can complete two lengths of both freestyle and backstroke. Join us for Summer Swim Team as we travel around Michiana to outdoor pools as part of the MAPSC League! Practice will begin in June on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays in the morning with meets on Wednesday mornings. A YMCA membership is required to be a Dolphin. New swimmers can call the YMCA to sign up for an evaluation before registering for Swim Team.

Please contact coach Kendra Gray, kgray@ymcaswm.com, for additional information. Visit the Dolphins website for parent information & meet schedule.

*A $20 league registration fee per swimmer is required to cover all swim meet fees.
 

Niles-Buchanan Mariners 

The Mariners Swim Team is made up of 4 different training groups that are based on both age and ability/performance. Ages 5–8 must be able to complete one length of both freestyle and backstroke and ages 9–18 must be able to complete two lengths of both freestyle and backstroke. The expectations for each group are different and become greater at higher levels in order to achieve personal and team goals. Swimmers may join at any time throughout the season. Season runs September-August. Visit the Mariners website for parent information & meet schedule.

The Mariners offer a 2-week trial for $20 for anyone interested in seeing if swim team is a good fit. Please contact the coach Jacque Clark at jclark@ymcagm.org and complete an evaluation prior to paying for a 2-week trial.

Jr. Mariners

This class is designed to prepare your child to join the Mariners Swim team. Your child must be able to kick and swim on their front and back the entire length of the pool (25 yards) unassisted. Register at the YMCA.

Swim Team Levels

Red Group

• Skill requirements: 8 & under: swim 25 yards of backstroke and freestyle unassisted; 9 & overs: swim 50 yards of backstroke and freestyle unassisted
• Practices: 2-3 times per week, 1 hour each
• Equipment: kickboard (provided at pool), fins, pull buoy (check with coaches on sizing and availability before purchasing)
• Basic goals: foundation in all 4 strokes, legal turns for all 4 strokes, knowledge of a racing start (diving), increased endurance
• How to move to Yellow: complete a 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 IM, 50 butterfly, 50 breaststroke, legal racing starts and turns, demonstrate maturity and desire to move up

Yellow Group

• Skill requirements: proficient in all 4 strokes, legal racing starts, and turns
• Practices: 3-5 times per week, 1-hour &15 minutes each
• Equipment: kickboard (provided at pool), fins, pull buoy, paddles (check with coaches on sizing and availability before purchasing)
• Basic goals: introduction to pace clock and formal practice sets; a strong foundation in all 4 strokes; legal turns for all 4 strokes; increased endurance, strong racing starts and turns; introduction to racing mindset
• How to move to Blue: at least 1 YMCA state qualifying time, ability and maturity to handle increased practice load

Blue Group

• Skill requirements: proficient in all 4 strokes, legal racing starts, and turns; at least 1 YMCA state qualifying time; ability to read pace clock for formal practice set structure
• Practices: 3-5 times per week, 1.5 hours each + dryland workouts
• Equipment: kickboard (provided at pool), fins, pull buoy, paddles (check with coaches on sizing and availability before purchasing)
• Basic goals: introduction to dryland and strengthening exercises; understand connection between effort put in and results; proficiency in pace clock math and formal practice sets; continued development of stroke, turn, and start mechanics; increased endurance (aerobic and anaerobic)
• ​How to move to Green: at least 4 YMCA state qualifying times or at least 1 YMCA zone qualifying time, ability and maturity to handle increased practice load

Green Group

• Skill requirements: proficient in all 4 strokes, legal racing starts, and turns; at least 3 YMCA state qualifying times or 1 YMCA zone qualifying time; ability to read pace clock for formal practice set structure; championship attitude
• Practices: 3-5 times per week, 2 hours each + dryland workouts
• Equipment: kickboard (provided at pool), fins, pull buoy, paddles, snorkel (check with coaches on sizing and availability before purchasing)
• Basic goals: understanding of race planning and strategy; proficiency in dryland and strengthening exercises; understand connection between effort put in and results; proficiency in pace clock math and formal practice sets; continued development of stroke, turn, and start mechanics; increased endurance (aerobic and anaerobic); championship attitude