SPY Group Descriptions: ALL GROUPS
Winter Season Swimmers are expected to participate in at least 3 YMCA meets during the regular short-course season, must participate in SPY Invitational, and to attend all championship meets for which they qualify.

National/Pre-National -

• Permission of Head Coach  -  Must have Y National Cuts or within 5% +/-
• Meet all Senior Group Criteria

Senior Group -  

• Coaches' approval to demonstrate all necessary skills, responsibilities, attention, fitness endurance, & maturity for this group
• Swimmer should be prepared to train/swim for 2 hour pool practice
• Swimmer should be able to handle workout designs and training time cycles
• Swimmer should attend strength and conditioning practices unless swimmer has other commitments which Coaches are aware.
• Swimmer should be committed to attend 4-6 practices per week

Pre-Senior - 

• Coaches' approval that swimmer is ready to handle the responsibilities, attentiveness, fitness/endurance, and maturity for this group 
• Swimmer must be ready to train for 1 1/2  to 2 hour practices
• Swimmer should be able to handle workout designs and training time cycles
• Swimmer should be committed to practice 3-5 practices a week

Advanced -  

• 8 & under must have "AA" in the 100 free and 100 IM for their age group & Coaches approval to train in Advanced Group Level
• 9 & older should be close to 9-10 "AA" times regardless of age
• Coaches approval that swimmer is ready to handle on the responsibilities, skills, attentiveness, and maturity needed for this group
• Swimmer must be ready to train for 1  to 1 1/2 hour practices

​​ Development -  

•  Must demonstrate skills in all 4 competitive strokes
• Coaches approval that swimmer is ready to handle on the responsibilities, skills, attentiveness, and maturity needed for this group
• Swimmer must be ready to train for 1 hour practices

Beginner/PreCompetitive Level -  

     Must have basic skills in at least 2 competitive strokes and successfully swim 25 yards without assistance