The Y Piranha Aquatic Club (a/k/a "YPAC") is the South Oakland YMCA's age group swim team. The team has members ranging in age for 5 to 18. Our season runs from September to March. Practice times and locations vary and practice groups are based on ability. Most of our swimmers practice 5 days a week at the Ferndale High School pool in several different groups. The youngest swimmers practice at the Royal Oak YMCA 4 days per week. YPAC is affiliated both with YMCA Swimming and USA Swimming.  Meets are on weekends. Most meets are Invitationals and swimmers (i.e. parents) may choose which meets to attend. 

Minimum requirements for membership on the team are satisfactory completion of a tryout/evaluation swim, membership in the YMCA and payment of the team fee. 

Requirements for membership on team

This is a competitive swim team.  The aim of the team is to train swimmers to swim in competition.  That being said, YPAC swimmers come in a wide range of abilities. There is room on the team for everyone from 7 year olds who are just happy to finish a one length race to older swimmers who compete at the YMCA National Championships. Many of the meets we attend have no minimum qualifying times and are open to all team members so everyone gets to compete.

Any swimmer wishing to swim for YPAC must satisfy the coaching staff that they can swim at a sufficient level to attend practices safely and without hindering the other swimmers. At a minimum a swimmer must be able to swim at least one length of the pool unassisted.

Tryout and evaluation for new swimmers are held at the beginning of the season. Tryouts consist of a swimmer being asked to swim one or more lengths of the pool so the coaching staff can determine whether they can swim well enough to safely be a member of the team and to determine which practice group they will be placed in.

The team offers a 2 week "trial period." If a swimmer (or parent!) decides within the first 2 weeks that swimming is not for them, the team fee will be refunded.

Parents who are unsure if their child is ready to join the team should talk to the coaches. We get a lot of questions from parents of young children (8 and under) about whether their children are ready to join the team. Our experience has been that if you think your kid might be able to handle it then they will probably do just fine. Many parents can tell you stories about kids who could only manage one length in September when they joined the team and who improved enough to swim 40 or 50 lengths at the Piranhathon at the end of October. If in doubt, tryout!
 

Parent Volunteer commitment

While YPAC is associated with the South Oakland YMCA, the team is supported by parent volunteers. We have a professional coaching staff who run practices and train the swimmers but all other aspects related to running the team depend on parent volunteers.

Each parent is expected to help during the course of the season. There are many options available and most are not very demanding. Many involve work at meets which is really no work at all since you will already be there anyway. Many hands make a light load so please help us.