fall/winter 2020-2021 season

September 21, 2020- March 12, 2021

Swim team practices are currently suspended under the Tier 3 mitigations. Practices will resume once the mitigations are lifted.

The West Cook YMCA Competitive Swim Team is currently at maximum capacity. We will welcome new swimmers once we enter Phase 5 in the Illinois Recovery Plan. We are currently offering a competitive swim team small training group that is scheduled to tentatively start on January 18th, 2021. Click the button below for more information.

practice times and capacities for each training group

meet the team

kristin pharr

head coach

I have over 16 years of personal swim team experience and 13 years of experience coaching competitive swimming. Prior to West Cook YMCA, I coached for the Scott County Family YMCA Dragons in Davenport, Iowa where I helped grow the team by 200% and saw a 500% increase in the number of swimmers qualify for regionals and state championships. Previously, I have coached for the YWCA Flying Fish in Evanston, IL., and at Lane Four Aquatics in Bettendorf, IA. I believe strongly in the mission of the YMCA and look forward to coaching with the West Cook YMCA Competitive Swim Team.

Kyle Albright

Director of Aquatic Programming and Services

I am a certified YMCA Swim Lesson Instructor and American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor. I have 10 years of professional aquatics experience working with all ages from infants to older adults. I competed in swimming for 6 years prior to teaching swim lessons. My philosophy is to instill a lifelong love of swimming in every person that I teach while developing healthy habits and smart choices.

beth miller

head developmental COACH

Coach Beth has been teaching swimming in some way since 1986 and started coaching swimming in 1989. She began her teaching career in 1994, teaching music. She began coaching with the West Cook YMCA swim team in 2004 with the Tiny Tops. She is now the Head Developmental Coach and oversees the Tiny Tops, the Red, and the Yellow training group. She has her American Swimming Coaches Association Level 3 certification and is currently qualified to instruct and certify lifeguards, First Aid, and CPR/AED. She strives for every member of her groups to learn competitive swimming through organized fun.