Philosophy

We believe in the value of swimming as a lifelong fitness activity and a character-building activity for young people.

As our Masters team illustrates, one is never to old to swim, and a love of swimming developed early can lead to physical fitness for many decades to follow.

While both a competitive sport and a team sport, swimming is also an individual sport, and much of the competition is against oneself, seeking to achieve "personal best" times. This means participation is meaningful, and success measurable, not only for the most talented few, but for all who actively pursue improvement.

As a small club, UCSC provides a degree of personal attention swimmers may not get on larger teams. The coaches get to know and work with each swimmer individually. Swimmers are encouraged to grow and develop at their own speed within a safe and enjoyable environment for all.
UCSC has Skill Level Groups for everyone, aged 4 through adult.

UCSC has a strong, cohesive coaching staff bringing a multitude of experiences and skills to the team. Our coaches strive to guide each team member to become a better all around swimming athlete and to develop and realize individual goals, to build not only great swimmers, but also great people. Through swimming, young people learn self-discipline, respect, time management, and sportsmanship--qualities useful throughout life.

Goals

In relation to our members:

• Guide each member to become a better all around swimming athlete, including performance in the areas of training, competition, biomechanics, physiology, psychology, character development, and life skills.
• Help each swimmer develop and realize individual goals, varying from beginning the development of consistency and stamina to successful performance at regional and national competitions.
• Maintain swimming and coaching conditions under which swimmers of all experience and ability levels feel welcome and comfortable.
• Maintain comradery among swimmers, having fun together while working hard to do our best.

In relation to our staff, parents, and volunteers:

• Develop and maintain a qualified, dedicated, energetic, positive, and professional coaching staff, to ensure that all swimmers are well-instructed and supervised, and workouts well-planned and appropriate.
• Provide coaching staff with appropriate opportunities for professional training and interaction with their peers.
• Provide consistent, clear, and timely communication between swimmers, parents, coaches, and board.
• Provide support for our club through parent involvement in all aspects of operations, including planning, governance, publicity, membership, financial management, fund raising, home meets, and team unity events.
• Develop a pool of officials within our team qualified and capable of independently officiating home meets.

In relation to others:

• Continue our leadership in Ozark LSC as an excellent, diverse small club.
• Continue sponsorship of two annual meets.
• Improve our image and visibility in the community, and our retention of swimmers, and increase parental involvement.
• Improve coordination with high school athletic programs.

History

UCSC has been in existence since the mid 1960's. It began under the auspices of the University City Department of Parks and Recreation when the University City Natatorium was built.

Parks and Recreation dropped its sponsorship of UCSC in 1982. The club then became an independent entity run by a committee of parent volunteers. UCSC was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1988.

Prior to 1978, UCSC was a member of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). At that time, USA Swimming (USS) was formed as the national governing body of the sport.

Over the years, UCSC has provided competitive swimming instruction, training, and swim meets for University City and the surrounding communities.

UCSC has had considerable success in the Ozark LSC and at the national level, and has placed numerous swimmers on college swim teams around the country.

USA Swimming Links

USA Swimming has a great website, with incredible depth of information.

Here are a few links to help you browse around it (note that the links in the top left quadrant are different for each of these main pages, which are just jumping-off points for much more information):

• Home page
• About Membership & Its Benefits
  
• Create Custom "My USA Swimming" Home Page
• Swimmer's Page
• Parents' Page
• Volunteers' Page
• Coach's Page
• Masters' Page
• Store

Ozark Swimming Links

The Ozark Swimming website has a number of things of interest:

• Home Page
• Meet Calendar
• Teams
• Records
  
• Time Standards
• Documents and Forms

And perhaps of most interest, the swimmer database, where you can look up individual swimmer times (you really don't need to crowd around the meet result sheets and write them down; they're in the database, I swear)

Other Swimming Links

Here are the results of a bit of google-websurfing by your webmaster looking for interesting swimming-related sites.

Start with a massive "portal," The Swimming Index (claims to have 12978 total swim links!)

Then, there's the About.com Guide to Swimming (About.com has a remarkable variety of special-interest web pages, written and updated by specific "experts")

Next, a couple of swimming news sources: Swiminfo.com and Swimnews.com (who'd have thought TWO internet news sources would be competing for swim fans' attention?)

Those striving for the ultimate achievement may want to check out Olympic Swimming Records.

Finally, some sites to help with shopping, for routine swim-related items as well as special gifts, for the swimmers in your life:

Best Selling Swimming Books

Swimming Videos

Swim Outlet

J.D. Pence Aquatic Supply

Swim 2000

Anyone coming up with additions is welcome to email them in, and if suitable they will be added here.

U City Links

OK, team members already know all about U City. But on the outside chance this site is being viewed by someone who may be coming here for one of our meets, unfamiliar with our community, or perhaps even contemplating moving here, I provide the following.

First, let me say I have lived here about 17 years and would choose no other community in the St. Louis metro area, for lots of reasons. U. City has a lot to offer, and a lot to be proud of.

Start your virtual tour with the official U. City site

Jump over to the public library, as good as any in the region. From there, one interesting thing you can surf to is University City, Missouri: History in Photographs.

Next, you've got to go visit the "Loop," accurately self-described as "A vibrant six block area with more than 120 boutiques, specialty shops, eclectic restaurants, galleries & live entertainment."

Lastly, looking for a place to eat while attending a swim meet here? Boy, have we got some unique, non-fast-food, non-chain offerings for you in the Loop: here's a list. And if you like Asian food, just drive west on Olive and you can choose from over a dozen Asian restaurants and even go to several full-service Asian groceries.

Enjoy your visit to U. City!