New YMCA Swim Team Season To Begin In October (09/13/15)

(By YMCA Director Jesse Kelley)

The Clarion County YMCA has announced a new season for the Riversharks competitive swim team. The Riversharks are a youth swim team comprised of swimmers ranging in age from 6 to 18. Swimmers practice weekdays beginning in mid-October at Clarion University’s Tippin Natatorium and host and attend weekend meets throughout the CENKEY swim league.

(Photo provided by Clarion County YMCA)

The Clarion County YMCA Riversharks are entering their third year and have some special program features available to the community. Over the past two years the Riversharks have developed a unique program for new swimmers. The developmental team is a “first step” to preparing to be a competitive swimmer. In this program, swimmers learn the strokes, turns and dives, as well as terminology associated with competitive swimming as a sport. Since these swimmers focus on technique, they swim short distances in practice and receive mentoring at meets.

The Riversharks have a flexible practice and meet schedule to allow swimmers to continue in other sports or activities while swimming.

In their first two seasons the Riversharks swim team has had much success. In March 2015, the Riversharks sent 20 swimmers to the Pennsylvania West Districts Swim Meet at McCoy Natatorium on the campus of Penn State University, a high honor for swimmers. Three of those swimmers qualified to swim at the Pennsylvania State Swim Meet, the highest state qualifying event for any participant in YMCA youth swimming.

The Clarion County YMCA Riversharks will hold an informational meeting for new parents and swimmers on September 16th at 6:00 pm at Joe’s Gym, located on 322 near the Clarion County YMCA. Parents will find out more about the program structure and will be able to ask questions pertaining to the program during this meeting.

Please contact the YMCA at 814-764-3400 for more information.