The Norwich Family YMCA Dolphins program is set to kick-off on Monday, Oct 2. Anyone interested in competitive swimming, ranging from eight years old and under to a high school senior, is welcome to join. (Submitted Photo)

NORWICH – A new swim season for the Norwich YMCA Dolphins Swim Team is right around the corner as practice starts October 2. This season, running October to February/March, is slated to be a busy season with eight meets, several of which being multi-team meets, and one home meet held at the Norwich High School pool.

Age groups range from eight and under all the way through to high school senior. Our returning swimmers are eager to get back in the water after a summer swim camp that helped improve their skill level. New members are always welcome and can be assured they will have a spot on the team.

Dolphins has traditionally been the team that creates the foundation of competitive swimming from an early age and helps foster faster swimming at the Middle/High school level and beyond. We develop proper and legal stroke technique, competitive turns such as flip turns, and develop the fundamentals of competitive starts off the block.

With several championship meets on the YMCA schedule, swimmers even get mental and physical preparation and practice in how to conduct themselves and focus at large multi-team meets,which can be intimidating. This has served past swimmers well as those competing in YMCA meets such as Districts, States, and Nationals typically also do very well at Middle/High school sectionals and sometimes High School State level competitions.

The Dolphins' coaches promote good sportsmanship in a welcoming environment that help young athletes think about, set, and achieve goals. New members whom can complete at least one lap of the pool in either freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, or even dog paddle are encourage to give competitive swimming a try. Many of our swimmers improve greatly over the course of the season, make friends, and find a sense of belonging according to our swimmers.

Practices run five days a week this season for all age groups. However, it is understood that many young athletes are exploring their interests in many different forms including other sports and the arts. A five day a week schedule means that families can pick the days that best fit their schedule especially when some sports are just starting up or running at the same time as swim team. As with any sport however, the more a swimmer is at practice, the better they will become and be more likely to achieve their goals.

It's historical, and not uncommon, for swimmers that have started and continue with the YMCA dolphins to develop the proper conditioning that serves them well before, during, and even after the Middle/High school season has concluded. While swimming with their Middle/High school team, their practices count as YMCA practices and they are still eligible to swim at meets during YMCA regular season, so they don't miss anything. The program has also seen athletes of other sports like football, wrestling, track, baseball, and soccer participate in swim team as a means to stay conditioned and in shape in their "off season."

Historically the YMCA Dolphins swim team has produced some amazing athletes and has posted numerous state champions, age group champions, record breakers, and at least 14 national YMCA qualifying swimmers. Swimmers have also gone on to be very successful in middle school and high school swimming across the region.

-Information from the Norwich YMCA Dolphins