Summer Swim Team Options:

Of course, Coach Carlton and I would love to see you swim with one of our summer teams, but there are other options in this area too. :)

1. Easton Aquatic Club - Easton summer team link, led by Coach Carlton. Swims out of Heil pool in Easton.
2. Greater Phillipsburg Swim Team (formally Lopatcong)- Greater Phillipsburg Swimming (GPS) summer team link, led by Coach Drake. Swims out of Phillipsburg Elementary School pool indoors & Walter's Park pool outdoors.
3. Nazareth Summer Team - Run by the "Blue" swim club, not the YMCA. Swims out of Nazareth Middle School indoors and the borough outdoor pool.
4. Two Rivers - Swims out of Palmer community pool.
5. Belvidere - Swims out of Belvidere community pool.
6. Bethlehem - Swims out of the Bethlehem Community Center, not run by the Bethlehem YMCA.

I definitely recommend everyone join a summer team. :)

It's fun, with shorter races, and keeps everyone in contact with the water and racing. However, PLEASE remember to come back to your Nazareth/Easton YMCA Swim family in the Fall. :)

All teams above are part of the PennJersey Swim League (PJSL), but there are other teams and summer swim leagues that may be more convenient for you. Some belong to the ABE league.

ALSO, PLEASE BE AWARE you do not need to become a USA swimming member with another club during the summer to compete. Actually, if you do, it could be a barrier to competing for us in the Fall. Some teams put pressure on you to join their USA club (but you should resist), or they slip in a USA registration form/acknowledgment (don't fill it out), as it endangers your ability to swim with us next season.

Basically, summer teams are distinct from their USA clubs, so there is no obligation or requirement to join both to compete in the local swim leagues. However, if you want to swim at a USA meet during the summer, DEFINITELY contact Coach Carlton or Coach Drake. Our YMCA is also a USA club (NEYS), and it would be far easier to stay attached with NEYS rather than switch clubs twice, fill out the additional paperwork, and/or swim unattached for 90 days when you rejoin NEYS, and/or even possibly miss our YMCA meets at the start of next Fall/Winter season.

By the way, it's great to see everyone in the summer, even when we are on different teams. It's a whole different feel, because it truly is "friendly competition". For all of our "Y" swimmers it's like a mini-reunion and fun to catch up with friends between races.

If you are 12/Above, and you plan on doing dryland in the off season, please remember for swimming:

• If 15/Older, and want to focus on building muscle, it is best done in the off season. Also, it's not about putting on mass, but getting stronger for swimming, Hence, low to medium weight, high reps, that create flexible muscles built for endurance.
• Power in swimming does not come from brute strength but from being able to do a repeated motion dozens of times with more thrust or rotation/undulation.
• Sacrificing flexibility for more strength in swimming is fool's gold; you NEED both. Be sure to warm-up properly before working out, and continue flexibility exercises.
• Don't forget to include push-ups, sit-ups, and whole body exercises too.
• If age 12-14, if using weights at all, they should be light, but mostly focus on variations of push-ups, sit-ups, and whole body exercises.
• Key Muscle Groups for faster swimming: triceps, lats, deltoids, pecs, quads, and your CORE (abs). Little secret: focus on calfs too, many people ignore them, but they provide that little extra push that comes off of every start and turn for extra explosive power.

Reminder: Team Awards Banquet is on April 13th, 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm, RSVP on our team website.

Hope to see everyone then,

Coach Drake