This year's YMCA Dolphin Swim Team begins practice in early October, and four coaches are sharing the responsibilities of the team this year: Tim George, Nancy McKinnon, Michael Horst and Olivia Pennington.

“Having four coaches is important so we can provide more individual attention,” Pennington said.

“Because so many of the swimmers are young, there is a lot of reinforcement and refinement of technique during practice,” McKinnon said. “A lot of them have never been involved in competitive swimming. With four coaches, we make sure everyone gets the attention they need.”

“Swimming also keeps kids clean,” Horst said. “It's such a mentally and physically demanding sport kids have no time for goofing off when they are on the team. Swimmers learn focus at a young age.”

George said he was swimming before he could walk. He coached the Wiscasset Unsinkables and couldn't imagine a life without swimming.

“Chlorine becomes part of your blood,” he said, with a grin.

McKinnon has also been swimming her whole life.

She was in the Maine Masters Swim Club in her early 40s and also coached the Wiscasset Unsinkables for three years.

Horst, a retired Biochemistry Professor who taught at Mercer University, was on his college swim team but had to give it up due to problems studying after practice.

“Back then we didn't have swim goggles,” Horst said. “After practice I'd go to my dorm room and I couldn't focus, the pages just whirled around and it was impossible to see. I don't know how anyone managed.”

After he got his doctorate degree, Horst returned to swimming and joined the Georgia Masters team and the United States Swimming team in Georgia (now past of USA Swimming). Once his daughter was born he began coaching young students.

Pennington is the youngest coach at just 19 years old. Shes been swimming her whole life, and competed on the Wiscasset Unsinkables team. Two of her coaches while she was on the team were George and McKinnon.

“All swimmers in the area end up knowing each other,” McKinnon said. “We become a kind of family.”

Dolphin swimmers are between the ages of 6 and 18 (high school seniors). Last year the team had over 50 kids, most of which were under age 10. The swimmers compete in age groups during meets, and during practice swimmers are often paired with swimmers of equal speed.

“It gives the younger kids a real boost to be paired with older swimmers,” George said.

All the coaches are certified as lifeguards, in CPR, and have extensive first aid training.

“We always hope nothing happens, but should it, every one of us knows what to do on instinct,” Horst said.

Practices for the Dolphins are Monday through Friday, and the season is from early October through the beginning of March. Younger students have practice between 4 and 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursdays, while swimmers age 9 and 10 practice between 4 and 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Older kids practice all five days.

Any Dolphin must be a member of the Y, and has to be able to swim 25 yards on their stomach and back, and tread water for two minutes to join the team. If a potential Dolphin is also on the Seahawks swim team, they pay only half price because they don't need to be at both practices.

“It's a huge commitment,” McKinnon said. “Both for the swimmers and the parents. Meets last from between four to six hours, and parents come even thought the see their kids swim maybe three times for 30 seconds total.”

“It's also very inexpensive to be on the team compared to a lot of other swim teams,” Membership & Marketing Director at the Y Meagan Hamblett said. 

During swim meet the team using a “buddy system” where swimmers are paired up, younger and older. At meets the older student is responsible for making sure the younger swimmer is where they are supposed to be.

“The younger student — the “little” — grows to really appreciate their “big,” Hamblett said. “My kids couldn't wait until they were old enough to be a ‘big’ on the team.”

“When you come up for a breath,” Olivia Pennington said. “And you see your entire team cheering their heads off at the edge of the pool, it's such an amazing feeling.”

Aquatics Director Shane Pennington said the “pool feels like home” and she enjoys watching young kids taking swim lessons, like the Montessori school kids.

“These kids will naturally flow into tomorrow's swimmers,” Pennington said. “It comes full circle. It's a beautiful thing.”