KYAT stands for Kearns Youth Aquatic Team. It is a year round, USA Swimming sanctioned team with about 80 swimmers. Swimmers are divided into practice groups based on their age and their ability level. Coaches use drill and training principles to help the swimmers improve their technique, speed, and endurance in the four competitive strokes - freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Meets are held about twice per month with other area teams. There is a KYAT flier available with more information.

The Pre-Competitive Group is an introduction to competitive swimming before they join KYAT, register with USA swimming, go to KYAT meets, etc. It is a stepping stone from the Lesson Program to KYAT. Pre-Comp helps prepare the swimmer for KYAT as well as help the swimmer make sure KYAT is something they want to do before making the bigger commitment. There is a Pre-Comp flier available with more information.

Ask your swim instructor. Many of them are/were competitive swimmers themselves. If the swimmer has taken Level 5 (not necessarily passed) and are at least 6 years old, they're ready for Pre-Comp. If swimming lessons were not taken here at KOPFC, the swimmer needs to be able to swim 50 yards of freestyle using side breathing, 50 yards of backstroke, and have been introduced to breaststroke and butterfly. They do not have to be able to do all the strokes and skills perfectly before they join swim team; the coaches expect to continue teaching them.

Competitive swimming is a -great sport because it helps kids learn hard work, dedication, teamwork, self motivation, the joy of achieving goals, how to pick themselves up after not achieving a goal, and many other important life skills. The KYAT coaches are especially good at focusing on improving each swimmer's time - what place they take is not as important. This way, success is possible for every swimmer who works hard. Being a year round sport, the swimmers are able to make and keep friendships that can last a lifetime.

No. Trunks are fine, even at meets. He will quickly realize, however, that speedos or jammers will make his times faster.

 At meets, the swimmers are divided by age groups - 8 & Under, 9 & 1O, 11 & 12, 13 & 14, etc. and girls and boys swim separate. Plus, swimmers are further divided into heats by their best time, so they will generally be next to someone with a similar time. Again, the main focus at meets is to improve their best time in each event; what place they finish is not a big emphasis by the coaches.

Can we afford it?

Obviously this will vary, but the fees are very reasonable, especially when compared to other activities. Other KYAT fees include $60 for the annual USA Swimming membership and meet fees which vary from $5 to $20, depending on the meet, but most meets are optional. Team suits and warm ups are also available but are optional.

They will be part of an outstanding program with excellent coaches and are bound to make many new friends. Swimming is a sport they can enjoy for the rest of their life and can also lead to other worthwhile activities. Water Polo is a fun team sport that requires good swimming skills. KYAT will also help prepare them to swim for their high school or maybe even for a college. Plus, good swimming skills can help lead to part time jobs during high school and college such as life guarding and teaching swim lessons.

What else can we do to look into whether KYAT and competitive swimming is for us?

Talk to your swim teacher. Come watch the practices. Talk to other swim team parents. Talk to the coaches. Read our fliers and the KOPFC brochure. Look on the internet - ,  http://www.kopfc.com,  http://www.usaswimming.org,    http://www.swiminfo.com,  and http://www.swimutah.com. 

Talk to the team administrator in the team office. All sign ups are done at the team office during office hours. Intro to Competitive Swimming classes are done through the Fitness Center and are handled at the front desk, but they are offered year round. The coaches have to approve any swimmer joining KYAT (which usually means completing Pre-Comp) and this can be done anytime of year. Formal tryouts are not held.