Waldo County YMCA

CURRENT HOURS

Monday-Thursday
5:30 am - 9:00 pm

Friday
5:30 am -7:00 pm

Saturday
7:30 am - 5:00 pm

Sunday
noon - 8:00 pm

HOLIDAYS:
The YMCA will be closed on the following dates:
 
*Fourth of July
*Thanksgiving Day
*Easter Sunday
*Memorial Day
*Labor Day
*Christmas Day
*New Years Day

Waldo County YMCA
157 Lincolnville Ave.
Belfast, Maine 04915
(207) 338-4598

E-mail: Information
E-mail: Webmaster

2008 Bluefish Swim Team

Waldo County YMCA Bluefish Swim Team

The Bluefish is a competitive swim team for boys and girls ages 6 – 16. This is not a “learn to swim” program. All children participating must be able to swim the length of the pool unassisted. The season will begin with a free weeklong clinic in October. Times and dates will be posted soon on our website, at the YMCA and in the lobby at the Belfast Area High School pool.

Last season our team was 80 swimmers strong, this season we hope to build on that but will cap off at 90 swimmers due to space and time in the pool. If you are interested, please be sure to call for more information. Registration will begin in October.

This is a 6-month program running from mid-October to Mid-March. Fees for this program are $225 per swimmer. Swimmers are also required to be Annual Members in good standing at the Waldo County YMCA.. The Waldo County YMCA will offer financial aid to anyone qualified and will not turn any qualified applicant away. For financial aid assistance, please stop by the YMCA to inquire and ask to speak with Bruce Osgood.

A Brief History of the YMCA Bluefish

In 1972 a young man named Dan Horton had a vision – gather a bunch of kids together and started a swim team. It was a great opportunity to develop their coordination and strength, teach self-discipline, and let the kids enjoy the water. With all of this in mind, the Bay Area Swim Club (BASC) came into being. With a parent-run board of directors, it became tremendously successful. As this swim team grew, the Waldo County community began to see the need for other team sports and a governing body to house them under. In 1986, the Waldo County YMCA asked the BASC to come under its wing. Putting the two organizations together would create a greater growth opportunity for everyone involved, and in 1998 the BASC chose to join the YMCA.

Waldo County YMCA Bluefish Swim Team Staff

Aaron Winslow is returning to coach again this season. This is Aaron’s fourth year with the bluefish as a coach. Aaron swam for the team as a youngster, swam for Belfast Area High School and also went on to swim at Keene State College. Aaron’s love for the water does not stop at swimming as he and his wife, Bridget, spend their spring together in a canoe. Aaron is a teacher at Bucksport High School and is the Girls Varsity Soccer Coach at Bucksport High School. Aaron and Bridget have two young children: Jackson and Mia. Jackson is a member of the swim team.

Brett Steele is also returning this year to as an assistant coach. Brett coached last season and in 1993 with the swim team. Primarily Brett worked with the younger swimmers and will concentrate his efforts on that group again this season, while getting to know the entire group of swimmers. Brett works at Mathews Brothers, lives here in Belfast with his wife Melissa and children. Brett’s daughter, Brittany, is a member of the swim team.

Scott Bowen is a new addition to our coaching staff this season. Scott has coached here in Belfast and most recently in Camden. Scott brings 8 years of coaching experience and a load of intense positive energy to our team. Scott will be working with the younger group of swimmers primarily. Scott has two children swimming on the team, Tyler and Storm. Scott, his wife Terry and their two children live in Belfast. When not associated with the swim season, Scott is busy keeping up with his childrens’ other extracurricular activities.

Alexia Morgan – We are excited to welcome Alexia to the coaching staff this year. Alexia summered in Northport as a child and swam with the team when there was a summer team. She has coached in Florida and works out of her home as a Research Biologist. She lives in Northport and is very excited to have the opportunity to get back into the swimming community. Please be sure to welcome her to our team.

YMCA Bluefish Swim Team
Fees and Financial Information

All Swimmers: Must be Annual Members of the Waldo County YMCA. This is a YMCA of the USA regulation in order to swim in any YMCA swim meet. Please be sure your childs’ membership is up to date throughout the season. A Youth Annual Membership is $123 and must be paid in full by December 31st of current season. The swim team fee may be paid in three (3) installments of $75, $75, & $75. The final payment is due by December 31, 2007. This fee includes all YMCA meet fees for the season including meet fees for championship meets.
Fee: $225 VISA and Mastercard are accepted forms of payment.

High School Option: High School students who are swimming both YMCA and high school are offered a different rate due to their inability to attend all Bluefish practices once the high school season begins. Anyone taking advantage of this lower rate MUST also swim on the high school swim team. This fee is also payable in three (3) installments of $60, $25, & $25. The final payment is due by December 31, 2007.
Fee: $110 VISA and Mastercard are accepted forms of payment.

Family Max: Any family with more than two swimmers is responsible only two full season swimmers. Parents are still responsible for YMCA memberships for all children but will receive tuition break for any third or more children swimming. If one of the swimmers is participating in the high school option, that will be the free swim amount. If electing to enroll all children in USA Swimming, parents are responsible for those fees for all of the swimmers in the family. Please see information on next page regarding US swim.

Fundraising: In order to continue to offer this program at this current rate, we depend a lot on fund raising events. This is a six month program which has many indirect costs necessary to make it run as well as those obvious costs such as the salaries we pay to our coaching staff. Please see attached fundraising schedule and sign up for one or more activity today!!

Financial Assistance: As with all Waldo County YMCA programs there is financial assistance available to you. Financial Assistance is only available for YMCA swim tuition fees. If you are interested in applying for financial assistance, please obtain a form at the YMCA and make arrangements to speak with Bruce Osgood before the season gets underway. All financial aid arrangements should be made before your child begins the swim season.

Other swim related costs: You have paid tuition to the Waldo County YMCA for your child to swim, can you put your checkbook away? No, not quite yet. It is a good idea to have at least two extra swimsuits on hand for practice suits. Swim suits usually last 4 to 6 months depending on usage. All swimmers are also strongly encouraged to order and wear the team suit. Suits are sized and ordered in late October, costs are approximately $30 for a boys suit and $45 for a girls suit. Your child may also wish to goggles and a cap. Goggles reduce irritation to the eyes from the chlorine. Goggles also wander off rather easily, you will want to always have a spare pair handy. Caps will keep long hair under control and reduce any drag during a race. Swimmers should also have a water bottle at practice and at meets. It is extremely important to stay properly hydrated.

Travel to Away meets: Trips to meets in other towns is the responsibility of the parents. If you opt to participate in USA Swim, there may be times when lodging is involved. It is also the responsibility of the parents to make reservations in those instances. Car pooling is encouraged. Please make every effort to attend away meets with your children. If you are unable to attend a meet, please check with another parent rather than the coach.

Your Annual Membership: Annual membership is a requirement of the YMCA of the USA. Fortunately, our membership rates are very reasonable for everyone. A youth membership is $108 for the entire year. For first time members there is a one time joiner fee of $15, for a total for $123. You may choose to pay for that by VISA or Mastercard, check, or cash up front. The annual membership must be paid in full by December 31, 2007. By becoming an annual member, your child will also be able to participate in other YMCA programs at a reduced rate. Financial Assistance is available upon request.

Fundraising: Our swim team depends heavily on fundraising as most YMCA swim teams do. Swim is a 6 month program and is full of so many opportunities for our children to grow not just physically but they will also have several opportunities to make new friends, challenge themselves, travel around the state, and develop into mature responsible youngsters.

Most YMCA programs are run by volunteer coaches and run for a much shorter period of time. The burden on those programs to try to reach a breakeven point is much easier. We try to keep the fees as reasonable as we can and still cover the necessary costs created from a program of this magnitude. One of the reasons we have not had to raise our fees for the past five years is the incredible response we get from the parents of these youngsters who choose to swim for the Bluefish.

The veteran parents have been working hard on fundraising ideas for this upcoming season. Planned for this season is also: selling Christmas Trees (Nov), Splash-a-thon (Nov.), Concessions at home meets (see schedule), and possibly some raffle items at home swim meets. If you are new to the team this year, get involved in some of these events for the social aspect and to help us keep these costs low for your children. Additionally, if you have any ideas for fundraising, please pass them along.

Volunteer Opportunities: We encourage all parents try and participate in some way. There are parent meetings monthly. Everyone is invited to attend to learn what is going on behind the scenes. There are many opportunities to get involved and some allow you to be right on deck with the team. Below is a list of those which is not a complete list, but gives you an idea of what is involved in running the swim team.

Timers, Food Providers, Concession Organizer, Deck Helper, Officials, Computer Staff, Announcer, Head Time Keeper, Ribbons/Awards Organizer, Meet Director, Splash-a-thon, Banquet Organizer (end of season), Age Group Reps., Public Relations, Home Meet Clean-up Crew, Phone Tree Cmte.

This is just a fraction of what you could do to help with the Bluefish Swim Team. Don’t let it scare you!!!! Find a way to get involved and make this a program you and your child can participate in together!!

Practice Schedule: While we will try and keep practices as regular as we can, we are working around the schedules already in place at the Belfast Area High School pool. We will have scheduled practice times Monday – Friday between the hours of 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. As in the past, we will continue to offer the early practices for the younger swimmers. Your swimmer is only expected at those practices which you and him/her can handle with their education coming first as expected. Practices for the younger swimmers will be in 45 minute to 1 hour blocks. The older swimmers may swim for 1 – 2 hours 4 to 5 times per week. Please be sure to check the bulletin board in the pool lobby for practice times. There will also be a calendar at the YMCA of meets and practice times.

USA Swimming

The Waldo County YMCA Bluefish offers a USA Swimming membership to our swimmers. USA Swimming is a national organization dedicated to swimmers of all abilities and is the national governing body for amateur competitive swimming in the United States. USA Swimming offers year-round swimming opportunities in varied distances and events. The swimmer chooses which meets he or she wishes to swim, as well as what events.

There is no separate practice, only Bluefish practice. The coach of USA Swimming is your YMCA coach. USA swimming is not required of WCY Bluefish swimmers. If a swimmer is interested in participating in US swim, he or she must register with US Swimming. Registration is done at the beginning of the season only with your swim coach. Fees are as follows:

*Registration Fee: $50
Event Fees: Event fees will be paid prior to each meet. The coach will inform parents of the fees due and expect payment for those events before the meet. If a swimmer registers for a meet and does not attend for any reason, he/she is still responsible for those event fees.

*A portion of these fees goes to our local swim club (LSC), Maine Swimming. Membership benefits for each swimmer include: USA Swimming Rules and Regulations, membership certificate and certificate of insurance. Clubs joining USA Swimming have liability insurance coverage for approved insured activities.

USA Swimming is a great opportunity to improve your times, try new events and swim in some of the most beautiful pools in the state! During the YMCA season there are at least 10 USA meets within a couple of hours drive from the Midcoast. Sign up for meets is easy to do. Don’t delay! Inquire now! If you have any questions, please speak with your coach.