Youngstown YMCA Neptunes

What You Need to Know about the Neptunes

 The Team

The Y-Neptunes compete in the North East Ohio YMCA Swim League. Our team continues to grow with 140-plus members having competed during the 2006-2007 season.  The Neptunes is one of the strongest teams in our division winning runner-up honors the past two seasons. Nevertheless, the team gladly welcomes swimmers of all ability levels.   

 The Coaches

Our returning coaching staff consists of Head Coach, Sue Mellish, and Assistant Head Coach Stacy Sowers, and Assistant Coache Kristin Kuntzman.  Sue has more than 15 years experience coaching competitive swimming and has been with the Neptunes for five years.  Stacy has been active in competitive swimming for most of his life, having coached the Neptunes for more than 12 years.  Kristen is also an avid competitive swimmer, swam for the Y-Neptunes in the Winter and Firestone Area Swim Team and Applewood Swim Club in the Summers.  Her coaching experiences include working with the Alliance Y-Flyers YMCA team (in her 2nd year) and the Poland Swim Club. 

 The Season

The winter season runs from mid September, when practices begin with a four week pre-season stroke clinic, through early March.  Starting in late October the team competes against other YMCA teams in a dual-meet format, with meets taking place roughly every other Saturday through January.  A Divisional Championship meet takes place either the first Saturday or Sunday in February, with all team members competing.  Those who post fast enough times at the Divisional meet qualify for the League Championship meet held the first Saturday in March.

 Swimmers also have the opportunity to compete in YMCA invitational meets as well as USA Swimming meets during the season, as the Y-Neptunes Swim Team is also a USA Swim Team.  Participation in these meets is optional.  In order to compete in USA meets, an additional USA Swimming registration fee is required. All USA and YMCA Invitationals also require entry fees (our regular dual meets do not require entry fees) as well as a $5 surcharge per meet per family who attend USA or Y Invitationals (which pays for the entry paperwork and - if more than 10 swimmers sign up to attend an invitational – to pay for a coach to attend.)

 The Youngstown YMCA also hosts a Spring Swim, a six week training program that runs from mid-April through early May.  The program is designed to prepare swimmers for the summer league season. This Spring Swim program has an additional fee.

 Practice Groups and Times

Practice groups are determined by both age and skill level.  The Neptunes practice Monday through Thursday with special Friday clinics held twice a month beginning in November.   

Costs

Swimmers must be YMCA members.  The Central Branch (the downtown YMCA) offers a special 6 month youth membership that is available to swim team members.

 The YMCA charges a swim team fee of $200 for the first swimmer in a family and $145 for every other family member. This fee covers pool rental and coaches’ salaries. 

 The Neptunes do not charge a fundraising fee, but require that all families help put-on our Presidential Invitational Swim Meet held the Sunday before President’s Day (Monday) in February.  This meet is one of the most successful and well-attended YMCA Invitationals in Northeast Ohio.

Parents are also asked to donate items to our Neptunes concession stand for each home meet and are expected to work (timing, officiating, helping at the concession stand, setting up the meet, tearing down the meet, etc) at each of our home meets as well.  Sign-up sheets will be on the Neptune Info Board for each meet so you can sign-up to work and state what you will be bringing for the concession stand. Parents are not expected to work at our away meets.

 Swimmers will also have to purchase equipment, such as a team suit and cap, practice suits, goggles and extra caps.  Knabes of Monroeville, PA is our team vendor and will be coming to the downtown Y sometime in early October so the above items can be purchased.

 Again, there is no charge for dual meets, but there are charges for championship meets (Divisionals and Leagues), as well as for the optional Y-invitational meets and USA meets.