SUMMER TRYOUTS FOR FALL/WINTER SHORT COURSE SEASON

jULY 30, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
july 31, 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Tryouts this year will be held on Friday, July 30 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm and Saturday, July 31 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. Make your reservation today. Each try-out slot is 15 minutes. Swimmers will be assessed on endurance and stroke mechanics. Team placements will be sent by Friday, August 6 with our 2021-2022 Fall/Winter Short-Course Competitive Swim Team season registration and season details.

Do you know a current swim team participant? Let us know. Current 2021 Summer Season families can refer a friend and both will receive a 10% discount off season fees.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our team at aquatics@westcookymca.org.

2021 summer season: Registration closed

Tiny Team: May 24, 2021 - July 30, 2021
Red-Senior groups: June 14, 2021 - August 13, 2021

Our 2021 Spring/Summer season is underway. Tiny Team season will end July 30, and all other teams will end August 13. If you are interested in joining the tryouts for the fall/winter short course season, please email aquatics@westcookymca.org. 

practice SCHEDULE

COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM GROUPS

TINY TEAM- This team is designed to teach the YMCA’s core values: Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. Program participants will be provided opportunities to experience competitive situations designed to develop and sharpen their competitive swimming skills. The goals of our program include: Front start from the pool side then starting blocks, how to push-off and streamline to flags with dolphin kick, all while continuing to learn all 4 competitive strokes and how to practice with a team. Swimmers must be able to swim 25 yards without assistance to join the team.

RED GROUP: The focus is stroke specific, honing each swimmer’s ability to compete with all four strokes. There is also an increase in interval swimming, getting swimmers ready for higher levels. The goals for Red swimmers are to swim a 100 IM legally, have consistent practice attendance, flip turns and racing! Participants must be able to swim 25 yards freestyle, swim 25 yards backstroke, have a legal breaststroke kick, and be able to dive in the water.

YELLOW GROUP: Yellow swimmers focus on swimming all four strokes. This will prepare them to compete and succeed in swim meets throughout the season. Goals for Yellow swimmers are legally swim all four strokes and strive towards the requirements for Bronze. Participants must be able to swim 50 yards freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke with an efficient kick.

BRONZE GROUP: The Bronze group is where swimmers learn body awareness in the water. The focus is on getting the swimmers to understand how they need to move the water during their pull in each stroke in order to be as efficient as possible while swimming. Practices involve a warm-up, drills & skills portion, and an endurance based “main set,” and often a cool down.

SILVER GROUP: Silver is where swimmers begin to focus more on long term success by creating good practice habits and setting goals for the season and beyond. Practices involve a warm-up, drills & skills portion, an endurance based “main set,” and often a cool down.

GOLD GROUP: Gold is for swimmers who have shown they have the endurance and skill to perform over longer sets. Practices involve a warm-up, drills & skills portion, and an endurance based “main set,” and often a cool down.

SENIOR (HIGH SCHOOL): The Seniors group is where more developed swimmers are able to push themselves to create the strength and speed needed to become an elite swimmer.

PRIVATE COACHING SESSIONS

JULY 5 - JULY 16
JULY 16 - JULY 30

This summer, the West Cook YMCA is offering new, two-week private coaching sessions with Swim Team Head Coach Kristin Pharr. To capture precise analysis of stroke techniques, Coach Pharr will provide a recording for each session with voiceover feedback for the swimmer to review and implement for the next session. At the end of the 2 weeks, your swimmer will see measurable improvement in their swim stroke technique, race time, and their confidence to compete at swim meets. If you are interested in joining, please email aquatics@westcookymca.org.

PRIVATE COACHING SCHEDULE

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.

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.