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Welcome to the home of the Butler YMCA Aquatic Club |
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UPCOMING MEETS |
Dual Meets: Please remember that ALL team members are required to swim these meets. If you are unable to attend, you
MUST notify the coach in writing. We have forms this year for this purpose. They are in the communication box (but making
your own form is perfectly acceptable). The coaches write the line up with all swimmers unless they have been notified that
a swimmer will not be there. Thus, if you don’t show up, line ups and relays have to be revised. Please take this request
seriously – for some reason it is a problem every year.
Invitationals: Optional and required entry form. By clicking on the meet name you will be able to view the meet invitation
and all of the details. To enter the meet, click on the Butler Entry Form link and fill out the form by putting your name
on the event list and circle the events you wish to swim, attach your check for fees, and return to the box marked for
entry forms at swim practice. |
YMCA Dual Meet: BYAC @ East Suburban
Date: Saturday, January 26, 2008
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YMCA Dual Meet: BYAC vs. McKeesport YMCA
Date: Saturday, February 2, 2008
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Mon Valley West YMCA 2008 President's Invitational @ Canon McMillan High School
Butler Entry Form
Entry Deadline: Thursday, January 24, 2008
Date: Saturday, February 9, 2008
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YMCA West End Pentathlon @ West End
Butler Entry Form
Entry Deadline: Thursday, February 1, 2008
Date: Sunday, February 10, 2008
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YMCA Neptune Invitational @ Youngstown State University
Butler Entry Form
Entry Deadline: Wendesday, January 30, 2008
Date: Sunday, February 17, 2008
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2008 Western Pennsylvania YMCA District Swimming Championships |
As you may already know, Districts is right around the corner. This year, as in many years past, Districts will be
held at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Memorial Field House. Districts is a two day Championship event for the
entire western portion of Pennsylvania. Swimmers must qualify by swimming a qualifying time during the current YMCA swim
season in order to participate. Each swimmer is permitted to swim in 3 events (one of which must be a relay) in which
they have met the qualifying time (One relay per team per event). The coaching staff will take care of all entries. Click
here to view District Qualifying Times. The last
opportunity to qualify for Districts will be the February 17th invitational at Youngstown State University. If you have
any questions about your swimmer qualifying for Districts, please ask their coach. They will be able to help you.
Districts is a Timed Finals meet, which means that swimmers are seeded according to their best qualifying time and, after
all heats are completed, the swimmers are awarded their place in the event according to their individual times. The top nine
qualify to participate in the State YMCA Swimming Championships held at the Pennsylvania State University in the McCoy
Natatorium on campus the following weekend, Saturday and Sunday, March 15-16, 2008. Awards ceremonies will be conducted
for completed events throughout the meet, so make sure to bring your cameras.
Districts is a two day event that is run according to age group. Juniors (13-14 year old boys and girls) and Seniors (15-18
year old boys and girls) will swim on Saturday, March 8, 2008. Cadets (10 & under boys and girls) and Preps (11-12 year
old boys and girls) will swim on Sunday, March 9, 2008. Additionally, there is a National Time Trial event held Friday,
March 7, 2008. Anyone participating in this would be notified specially by their coach.
Juniors will begin warmups at 7:00am and end by 8:15am. The specific warmup time for Butler has yet to be determined;
however, being at the meet and ready to go by this time is in the best interest of the athletes and coaching staff.
The meet will begin at 8:30am and end at approximately noon.
Seniors will begin to warmup at noon, or 15 minutes after the Junior's session ends. Again, the specific times for Butler
have yet to be determined. But it is advisable to be ready to go as close to noon as possible. The meet will begin at 1:30pm
and last until approximately 5:00pm.
Cadets will begin warmups at 7:00am the following day and end by 8:15am. The specific warmup time for Butler has yet to
be determined, however; being at the meet and ready to go by this time is in the best interest of the athletes and
coaching staff. The meet will begin at 8:30am and end at approximately noon.
Preps will begin to warmup at noon, or 15 minutes after the Junior's session ends. Again, the specific times for Butler
have yet to be determined. But it is advisable to be ready to go as close to noon as possible. The meet will begin at 1:30pm
and last until approximately 5:00pm.
On Monday, February 25, 2008, or shortly thereafter, you will be able to view Psych sheets and results
here.
For more information about Districts, please visit the Districts website
here.
Because IUP is more than just a short drive away and swimmers need to be at the morning sessions so early, there have
been rooms "blocked out" for the various swim teams at various hotels. Butler has had a block of rooms set aside at the
Super 8 Motel in Indiana. Even though these rooms have been set aside for Butler YMCA Aquatic Club families, they are NOT
assigned or paid for. If you would like to stay at the Super 8 Motel in Indiana you MUST call and make specific reservations
and pay for the rooms yourself. These rooms have only been put on hold for BYAC families so that we have a fair opportunity
to reserve them once we know that our swimmer(s) has qualified for Districts. The cost of the rooms is $87.19 per night
for a double occupancy, $79.99 plus 9% tax. Check in and check out time is 12 noon. Please ask about the motels
cancellation policy when reserving and bring your confirmation information to the hotel with you. The address of the
motel is, 11 Plaza Drive, Indiana, PA 15701 and the telephone number is (724)349-4600.
The deadline for reserving one of these rooms is Thursday, February 7, 2008. If you do not make your reservations by this
date you will find it much more difficult to find rooms at any other establishment in the area. Note that this deadline is
10 days before the last invitational at which you swimmer may qualify. So if your swimmer(s) hasn't qualified yet, but you
think that they may, it would be advisable to make reservations to be safe, and then cancel them if it is not needed. However,
you should ask about the motel's cancellation policy when you make your reservations. This is purely for your convenience.
If you think that you don't need a hotel room or would like to stay at a different location, please feel free to make any
plans that suit your situation the best.
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2008 Pennsylvania YMCA State Swimming Championships |
YMCA State Swimming Championships will be held at the Pennsylvania State University in the McCoy Natatorium on
campus Saturday and Sunday, March 15-16, 2008. Sates is very much like Districts. The main difference... it includes the
whole state of course. The top 9 finishers in each event of both the Eastern and Western Districts qualify to swim in
the State Championships. If your swimmer was in the top 9 at IUP, pack your bags, you're headed for Happy Valley.
States is run in the same fashion as Districts, though the age groups are run on different days. Cadets (10 & under boys
and girls) and Preps (11-12 year old boys and girls) will swim on Saturday, March 15, 2008. Juniors (13-14 year old boys
and girls) and Seniors (15-18 year old boys and girls) will swim on Sunday, March 16, 2008. States is also a Timed Finals
meet, which means that swimmers are seeded according to their Districts time and, after all three heats are completed,
the swimmers are awarded their place in the event according to their individual times. If you have any questions about
your swimmer qualifying for States, again please ask their coach. They will be able to help you.
The same protocol for accommodations at Districts applies for States. Butler has had a block of rooms set aside at the
The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College. Even though these rooms have been set aside for Butler YMCA
Aquatic Club families, they are NOT assigned or paid for. If you would like to stay at the The Penn Stater Conference
Center Hotel you MUST call and make specific reservations and pay for the rooms yourself. These rooms have only been put
on hold for BYAC families so that we have a fair opportunity to reserve them for States. Double standard room rate is $99
plus tax for up to 4 people in the room. It is recommended that you guarantee your room for late arrival. Check in 3pm
and check out is 12 noon. Be sure to bring you confirmation information with you to the hotel. The address of
the hotel is, 215 Innovation Boulevard, State College, PA 16083 and the telephone number for the Hotel is (814)863-5000
and the Reservations Department is (800)233-7505. Our group’s reservation identification number is BUT0314 (Butler YMCA).
The deadline for reserving one of these rooms is Wednesday, February 13, 2008. Any remaining rooms will be released after
this date. If you do not make your reservations by this date you will find it much more difficult to find rooms at any
other establishment in the area. Note that this deadline is well before Districts is even held. So if you think there is
any chance your swimmer(s) may qualify, it would be advisable to make reservations to be safe, and then cancel them if
it is not needed. However, the cancellation policy for The Penn Stater is 4 days prior to arrival at no charge (thus, you
MUST cancel by Monday, March 10th.) If you think that you don't need a hotel room or would like to stay at a different
location, please feel free to make any plans that suit your situation the best.
For more information about States, please visit the State College Aquatics YMCA website
here.
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Announcements: |
Volunteers Needed: |
Our last home meet of the season is February 2nd against McKeesport YMCA. Let's make it a great
one. The sign up board will be at practice for the next few weeks. Please check to see that at least one adult member
from your family is signed up for the meet.
Concession food signups for home meets will also be at practice. This is a very big part of our team fundraising. Please
be generous. Thank you.
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Thanks to everyone for making the 33rd Annual Pump McLaughlin Invitational
such a success. We couldn't have done it without all the wonderful volunteers who helped. Whether you were on deck, in the
gym, at the concession stand, setting up, tearing down, or working behind the scenes your hard work was appreciated. A
successful swim meet as big as the Pump Invite is only possible with the help of everyone. Thanks again for all that you
did.
Thanks also to all the teams that participated. This was a wonderful way to kick off another swim season with friends and
competitors from all over the swimming community. You can download the Meet Manager Results file by clicking
here.
You can also view and print out the meet results by clicking
here.
To learn more about the wonderful coach, teacher, and friend that inspired so many, follow this
link. |
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This is a wonderful little diary entry first published in the
Pittsburgh Post Gazette. It offers some insight and humor into the life of a swimmer and swim parent.
You can click here to view as a Word document or
here to read the original article. |
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