The YMCA is dedicated to providing a top-tier, year-round swim team experience. We focus on instilling the values of competition through teamwork, good sportsmanship, and personal best achievement. At the Lake Norman Family Branch Ymca, our program is designed to be comprehensive and values-driven, catering to every swimmer from beginners to seasoned competitors.
Our competitive training groups are structured to foster advanced swimming skills and build a strong aerobic base. The emphasis is on mastering technique in all four strokes, starts, turns, and underwater movements. We progressively increase training volume and intensity throughout the swim season to build endurance and strength.
Typically, our Cyclone, Hurricane, and Tsunami groups operate from September through July. The Typhoon group practices from September to March, with an option to continue through July. Consistent practice and meet attendance are expected, fostering a commitment between our coaches and swimmers. We participate in a range of swim meets, including Invitationals, Regional, and potentially National Meets, with qualifying time standards for some events.
TYPHOON GROUP (Practice site at Lake Norman Family Branch YMCA)
The Typhoon Group is the entry point into our competitive swim program at the Lake Norman Family Branch YMCA. Swimmers in this group demonstrate legal strokes in all four competitive styles. Daily practice includes basic stroke drills to reinforce proper technique. We emphasize the importance of stroke mechanics and use corrective methods as needed. Swimmers in the Typhoon group are introduced to interval training and begin to build distance. This group is designed for competitive swimmers up to age 13. Practices, including dryland exercises, are held Monday through Thursday. Typhoon swimmers are encouraged to attend at least 3 practices each week to maximize their development.
HURRICANE & CYCLONE GROUP (Practice Site at Lake Norman Family Branch YMCA):
In the Hurricane and Cyclone Groups at the Lake Norman Family Branch YMCA, swimmers refine their legal strokes and turns in all four competitive strokes. Advanced drills are introduced while continuing to reinforce fundamental stroke techniques. We maintain a daily focus on stroke technique and implement correction strategies to ensure continuous improvement. The primary objectives for these groups are to build and refine stroke efficiency and establish a solid aerobic conditioning foundation. Interval training using pace clocks becomes a regular part of practice. Cyclone group members are encouraged to attend 4 practices per week to enhance their training.
TSUNAMI GROUP (Practice site at Lake Norman Family Branch YMCA):
The Tsunami Group at the Lake Norman Family Branch YMCA is for our most advanced swimmers. Participants must exhibit legal strokes and turns in all four competitive strokes and demonstrate the maturity to handle high-intensity training. These senior swimmers build upon the fundamentals learned in the Cyclone Group, focusing on further developing advanced technical skills in all strokes, starts, turns, and underwater work. A key focus is on enhancing aerobic capacity through increased volume and intensity in both kicking and swimming exercises. Cognitive learning is also a focus, including advanced swimming techniques, pacing strategies, goal setting, and team dynamics.
Tsunami and Advanced Cyclone groups are offered six practices per week and are encouraged to attend at least four. We implement a detailed training program in the water, complemented by dryland conditioning sessions that emphasize core body strength. Additional “Studio Sessions” and cross-training workouts are available, leveraging the resources at the Lake Norman Family Branch YMCA. Typical practices include 30 minutes of dry-land training and 1.5 hours of swimming.
Swimmers in all groups will gain valuable skills essential for competitive swimming success. These include training etiquette, advanced stroke mechanics, training and race strategies, goal setting, proper nutrition, mental preparation, and the ability to manage increasing training loads.
For more information, contact Coach Tammie Filiault at [email protected] for inquiries about the swim team program at the Lake Norman Family Branch YMCA.
