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What is · USA Swimming (USAS) is a competitive swimming
organization that is separate and distinct from the YMCA organization. WAY is a registered · In addition to being a member of the Western Area YMCA
and the Western Wildcat swim club, you must join USAS/AMS . The additional cost is $50.00 per swimmer to
register with USAS/AMS plus a $100 fee per family fee to be a WAY member. Is there a cost
for USAS Meets: USAS invitational meets,
like YMCA invitational meets charge a fee for each event entered at an invitational
meet. · If you are a Western Wildcat member and have
additional questions, want more information on USAS or need registration
forms, see Coach Bonnie Paul. tdb115@zoominternet.net · If you would like more information on
Allegheny Mountain Swimming, visit
their website at www.amswim.org |
What are some of the differences between YMCA and · USAS spreads its events over a 2-3 day period, with
distance events swum on a weekday evening, and the other events swum on
Saturday and Sunday. You are not required to attend every day. Some choose a
day that fits best into their schedule and choose from the events offered
that day; others select specific events that may require attending the meet
on different days. · For USAS, your age group is determined differently than
in YMCA. In YMCA swimming, you may be
11 but still swimming with the 9-10 year olds because of the YMCA cut-off
date. In USAS, if you are 11 years old, you swim with the 11 year olds. As in
YMCA swimming, you may "swim up", but you must do so for the entire
meet. · USAS categorizes swimmers based on their best time in a
given event. Swimmers range from "B" to "AAAA", depending
on their times. USAS meets (other than "Open" meets) may require
qualifying times in each event. If you
do not meet the standard for a particular event, you cannot swim that event.
NT ("no time") entries are not accepted at USAS meets. · USAS meets are not dual meets (one team versus another
team). All USAS meets are invitationals. · USAS meets are seeded differently than YMCA meets.
Swimmers are expected to be at the block when their event is called. Swimmers
are not seeded as a group and walked to the blocks as in YMCA events. This
method helps the meets run more quickly and efficiently than the typical YMCA
meet, preventing USAS meets from becoming "all day affairs". · USAS uses a "whistle start" system to stage
each heat. A series of short whistles alerts the swimmer that his heat is
about to be called. A single, long whistle tells the swimmer to step onto the
block (or a backstroke swimmer to enter the water). The starter then proceeds
with the traditional commands used in YMCA swim meets to start the race. |