Our 2018-19 schedule has been posted on the website. I encourage new swimmers to register and check the website so that you are on the e-mailing list (which is generated from those registered on the website). 

Entry in meets follows this general rule: Everyone is presumed in the meet for all YMCA dual meets and YMCA State Meet (6 meets total). If a swimmer can't make it to any of those 6 meets I need to be notified in advance of the meet to not enter them. In addition, if swimmers get sick on the day of, or something else occurs preventing them from making the meet, do your best to let me know in advance. This helps to avoid empty lanes and relay scratches (were other children lose a swim). 

All other meets, both USA and Y are volunteer only. Meaning I have to be notified that a swimmer wants to swim in the meet. I only enter those that tell me they want to swim. USA meets require signing up for USA swimming. The cost for that is roughly $70 for a year membership, and $41 for the winter season (up to Winter Champs). I suggest for new swimmers (1st year) that they not worry about this unless I advise the swimmer or the parent otherwise. For returning swimmers, I will encourage everyone to consider doing the year round membership and swimming the winter USA Meets (assuming qualification for the Bowdoin Open and Winter Champs). We will swim 3-4 USA meets during the winter, and 3-4 USA meets during the summer. My assesment is that swimming the longer events offered in the USA meets enhances swimmer development. 

YMCA league rules require that each swimmer particpate in 3 YMCA meets to be eligible for YMCA State Meet. Currently we have 7 meets open to everyone, and the All Star Meet, to meet this requirement. I strongly encourage everyone to volunteer for the first closed meet invitational at Waldo Countly. This will help if your child gets sick during the year, or something else comes up that causes them to miss a few of the dual meets. 

We will begin registration for USA swimming this week. The process is to pick up the USA swimming form appropriate to the type of membership (seasonal or full year). Fill it out, bring it into either myself or Stacy Kennard, with a check for the registration.

Fall USA Meets entries (MSI #1 and the Bowdoin Open) will be dependent upon being registered in advance of the entry date. For those contemplating the Bowdoin Open, we are afforded a short window to enter the meet (usually in early October) and I can't delay entries waiting on registration. So if your child is doing another fall sport, but they plan on swimming in this meets, they must register next week so that I am aware of their intent to swim. 

Before each meet I will send out an e-mail either saying who's going or who's not going (depending upon the type of meet). You don't need to advise me before the request as that is when I am building out the line up and have a chance to record the information. So other then advising me on swim or no swim, if anyone has any questions about the schedule, Y or USA swimming, or anything else let me know at [email protected] (don't hit reply).