Team Competitions

YMCA and USA Swim Meets

The YMCA of the USA is the governing body of YMCA swimming in the United States.  YMCA swimming provides the Piranhas with dual meet competitions (Piranhas vs. one other team) and competition for all ages at the State, Regional and National level.  As a YMCA team, Piranhas compete against other YMCA teams in the CT YMCA Swimming League and at a State Championship meet later in the season.  Swimmers are grouped by age for competitions, and the age group a swimmer competes in is determined by their age the day the meet begins.  Usual age groupings are as follows: 8/Under, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, 15/Over, Senior. 

USA Swimming is the governing body for Swimming in the United States. USA Swimming provides competition for swimmers of all ages, levels and abilities at the State, Regional, National and international levels. Meets are offered throughout the winter and summer seasons, and both seasons culminate with Championship meets. In order to swim in meets, a swimmer must be a registered member of USA Swimming.  Connecticut participates as a LSC (Local Swimming Committee) of USA Swimming.  Our Club code with USA Swimming is PSDY.

USA and YMCA Swimming Meets are conveniently held on weekends and meet locations are primarily in the Greater New Haven, Middlesex and Fairfield County areas, but meets can take place in other areas of Connecticut, New York and New England.  Swimmers are grouped by age for competitions, and the age group a swimmer competes in is determined by their age the first day of the meet.  Usual age groupings are as follows: 8/Under, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, 15/Over, Senior. 

At the end of each season, USA and YMCA Swimming offer championship meets for all swimmers of varying levels of ability. There are qualification standards for certain championship meets. Descriptions of these meets can be found on-line.  In order to compete in any CT USA Championship Meet, a swimmer must have swum in at least one CT USA sanctioned meets during the respective season.  In order to swim in Age Groups and/or Seniors (meet for 13/Overs) a swimmer must also meet a qualifying time standard.   

Transportation to these swim meets is the responsibility of each swimmer.

Travel Meets

The Travel meet the Piranhas attend during and at the end of the season is at the discretion of the Head Coach.  In addition to achieving qualifying time standards, a swimmer must be at least 13 years of age and may need to achieve a meet attendance requirement.  There will be a sufficient number of meets on our schedule to meet this requirement. Swimmers are responsible for participating in these meets.  Meets will not be added to the schedule for kids who neglected to participate in the required number.  Also, a swimmer must be in good financial standing with the Team and the Y, have shown that he/she is a dedicated “Senior” member of the Team and mature enough to handle an overnight trip.  The coaching staff reserves the right to select which swimmers attend these travel meets based on the standards listed above.  Swimmers travel as a Team to these National level overnight trips.

Championship Meets

As stated earlier, each season culminates in a Championship meet. As members of the Piranhas we ask that all swimmers make time for their respective Championship meet. We post the meet schedule very early in the season to facilitate your commitment. Aside from the fact that we are a competitive swim team and all swimmers must compete, we view all meets, especially a Championship Swim Meet, as a Team event and the Team needs all swimmers that qualify to swim. We see this no differently than the Team needing it players to participate in the championship soccer game or championship lacrosse game. We understand that scheduling is difficult, but please make time for these meets as we need the swimmers to participate and the parents to volunteer. 

Swim Meet Attendance

The Piranhas is a competitive swim team. Because we are a competitive Swim Team, all members of the Darien YCMA Piranha Swim Team will be expected to attend meets faithfully. The major difference between Piranhas and swim lessons is that Piranhas do compete in swim meets. All Team members will need to attend at least two CT USA in-season meets for the winter season (meets between September and the end of February) and one CT USA in-season meet for the summer season (April-July) to be eligible for any CT USA Championship meet, Piranha Intrasquad meets and Y meets do not count towards these requirements, but time achieved at those meet do count. Also, any swimmer who does not meet these criteria will risk losing his/her spot on the Team the following Fall.

Swimming in meets is a part of the developmental process for swimmers. Learning how to race, how to split races properly, how to ‘win’ and how to ‘lose’, is as much a part of swimming as learning proper stroke technique. A swimmer is missing a huge part of the sport if they do not compete. Please make time for swim meets.