Recaps

Senior 1 Training Trip

The YOTA Senior 1 athletes kicked off the new year with their annual training camp at Queens University of Charlotte over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. From the first dryland session to the final workout in the 33‑meter pool, the group showed up with a unified, “can‑do” mindset—working together, pushing one another, and growing stronger as a team over four focused days. Camp highlights included conquering the ropes, powering through pulling‑tower sets, engaging in leadership training with Jeff Raker of Level Up Leadership, squaring off in the Team Tom vs. Team Jamie dual meet, and—of course—making the most of the legendary all‑you‑can‑eat Queens Dining hall.

YBAC Blizzard Invite

240 YOTA swimmers competed at the 2026 YBAC Blizzard Invite at the Orange County Sportsplex on Saturday, January 17. This meet was a great opportunity for our age group swimmers to get back into racing after their mid-season meets in December. Many swimmers took advantage of the opportunity to swim longer and more challenging events that they would not ordinarily race. It was great to see YOTA swimmers kick off 2026 with their grit and evergrowing confidence!

GCY Winter Invite

The 2026 GCY Winter Invite was certainly one to remember! As the winter storm started making its way to North Carolina, YOTA still had over 300 swimmers make their way to Greensboro to get in as much racing as they could before the storm hit. On Friday night, our 8&Unders kicked us off with some speedy 25s and then our older swimmers kept the momentum going with some great distance races. Saturday morning, all age groups came together for one big mega session of racing. While this session might sound like chaos to some, YOTA took advantage of the opportunity to have swimmers of all ages on deck together. Our age group swimmers got to learn from our senior swimmers as they prepared for and executed each race, and our senior swimmers turned into the age grouper's biggest fans. The mega session was a big success as many swimmers achieved new NCS Age Group Champ or YMCA Regionals cuts before heading home early to brace for the storm!

Championship Season Confidence

The 2026 Short Course Championship season is here! Our championship season will start the last weekend of February with our Age Group championships at TAC from February 26-March 1. Followed by our YMCA Championship meets consisting of GYSSA (Mar. 6-8), USRY (Mar. 19-22) and YMCA Nationals (Mar. 30-Apr. 3). When going into championship season, everyone needs to have a high level of confidence. After all, “the hay is in the barn”. When going into your races, it can be daunting at first and you might be a little nervous. Here are some tips to build confidence going into your championship season:

Everyone is nervous: There will never be a time where only one particular swimmer gets nervous. Everyone on the pool deck is nervous from athletes, to coaches, to parents. Some nervous thoughts can include everything from “what if I add time” to “what if I’m not prepared”. Fear and doubt are going to happen. The goal is to not panic when it does happen.
Control what you can control: When going into a race, focus on the “facts”. Examples of facts can be “This race is 100 yards long, I dive off of a block, I finish hitting a touch pad, etc.” When you focus on what you are in control over and focus on the facts, it makes the fears and doubts seem less scary
Give yourself credit: Swimming is a hard sport! We practice for 11 months out of the year and get very few chances to truly shine. When great things happen, give yourself credit! It’s great to always keep chasing the next goal, but you should always be happy when you accomplish something

Good luck to all of our YOTA athletes participating in all of these championship meets!

Black History Month

Celebrated annually each February, Black History Month commemorates the achievements by African Americans and recognizes their central role in U.S. history. Our YMCA community will celebrate throughout the month by taking part in branch and local events. Check out those opportunities HERE!

NCS Age Group Champs Wristband Policy

As you may know, spectator seating for the 12 & Under sessions at the Age Group Championship is limited to 1,000 seats at TAC. Each team will be allocated wristbands based on their percentage of individual 12 & Under qualifiers. Once we know how many wristbands we are allotted, we will share a detailed plan. Our goal is to distribute them as fairly and flexibly as possible. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Alumni Spotlight

YOTA’s college athletes brought a special spark back to the pool over the holidays, returning home not just to train, but to reconnect with the team and reinforce the culture they helped build. Their presence elevates every lane: younger swimmers see firsthand what long‑term commitment looks like, current seniors gain mentors who’ve already navigated the path ahead, and the entire program benefits from the maturity, perspective, and competitive edge they bring with them. Even those who have finished their college careers continue to leave a mark—sharing hard‑earned wisdom, modeling what it means to stay connected to something bigger than yourself and reminding the team that the impact of a YOTA athlete doesn’t end when the eligibility clock runs out. Their influence continues to shape the program, proving that once you’re part of YOTA, you carry it with you long after your last official race.

SwimStrong Dryland February Updates

Athlete Educational Webinar (2/15 @7:00 PM): Calm, Confident, and Ready: Mastering the Mental Side of Championship Meets
Parent Educational Webinar (2/15 @8:00 PM): Behind the Training Plan: How our Program Supports Speed, Strength, and Long-Term Health
Nutrition Content: School Lunch Checklist
Mental Skills: How Warming Up Helps You Mentally, How to Feel Good After Every Practice

Looking Ahead

February 13-15: MOR Short Course Qualifier at the Pullen Aquatic Center (All YOTA Athletes)
February 26-March 1: NCS Short Course Age Group Championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center (14&Under Athletes - Qualified)

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