Martins Ferry Aquatic Club

What Is It? Martins Ferry Aquatic Club (MFAC) offers a recreational youth summer swim team. This year the team will be led by MFAC alum Holly McCormack! She’ll be leading a very talented coaching staff with many years of combined competitive coaching experience! To name a few coaches on staff this summer will be John McGowan, Jarret Bolinger, Meredith Hahn Levi and Dee Briggs with many additional helpers. Swim meets will be held on weeknights and select Saturdays from June to July.

Who Can Join? Any child age 5 as of 6/1/26 through graduating high school senior. No prior competitive swim experience is required

Practice: Practice is held at the Martins Ferry Pool--Monday-Friday at 6:15-7:15PM and at 7:15-8:15PM. Practice groups are determined by age and skill level. 

Introduction week will start on Tuesday, May 26th at 6:15pm. The swimmers first practice and practice time will be assigned to each swimmer and will be announced prior to the first practice with the swimmer’s normal practice group being assigned during/after the introduction week practices. It is anticipated that:

• First practice for new swimmers only will start on Tuesday, May 26th at 6:15PM
• First practice for returning swimmers only will start on Wednesday May 27th at 6:15PM

Note: Dates could change

Registration: You can register online through our team website https://martinsferry.swimtopia.com/ (registration will open online prior to the dates listed below) and pay your registration fee online or on the following days:

REGISTRATION DATES...

• Online Registration - Sunday, April 26th through May 26th
  • $90 for first swimmer and then $70 thereafter for same household
• Swimville Suit fitting (optional) – Wednesday, April 29th 6:00pm-7:30pm at the Martins Ferry Rec Center.
• Late Registration – Wednesday May 27th through June 30th
  • $105 for first swimmer and then $85 thereafter for same household

Swim Group Requirements

Level 1
Class Objective: This class helps students feel comfortable in the water and to enjoy the water safely. It teaches water entry/exit, placing whole face in water, blowing bubbles through mouth/nose, floating on front/back with help, arm action on front / back with help. Students must complete the following skills before advancing to Level 2: enter water unassisted, move 5 yards, bob 5 times to chin level and safely exit the water; float on front with help for 3 seconds roll to back with help and float for 3 seconds with help.

Level 2
Class Objective: This class is designed to give students success with fundamental skills. Introductory group for swimmers ages 5-8. Stroke instruction with training drills are introduced. Swimmers must be deep water safe and compete at least 15 yards of unassisted freestyle and begin to use rotary breathing (face in water and turn to side). Swimmers will begin to have a knowledge and work on backstroke.

Level 3 (Stroke Development) Prerequisites: Successful completion of Level 2 skills
Class Objective: This class builds on the skills learned in Level 2 by providing additional guided practice. Swimmers will get more stroke instruction, introducing them to all 4 competitive strokes. Swimmers will refine these skills plus individual starts and turns. In this group swimmers will begin a basic training program that enables them to prepare for meets. Swimmers will be able to swim all 4 competitive strokes for 25 yards without stopping or needing assistance. Stroke instruction vs training percentage will be 75 to 25.

Level 4 (Stroke Improvement) Prerequisites: Successful completion of Level 3 skills
Class Objective: This class helps to develop confidence in the strokes learned in previous classes and other aquatic skills. It teaches swimming underwater techniques, basic relay starts, open turns and flip turns, butterfly arm stroke / timing, breaststroke arm / leg action and timing, and backstroke. Introduction of more specific training concepts will be introduced including goal setting and conditioning. Stroke instruction vs training percentage is about 60 to 40.

Level 5 (Stroke Refinement) Prerequisites: Successful completion of Level 4 skills
Class Objective: This class helps with the coordination and refinement of all strokes (freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke) It teaches front/back flip turns. Highest level in terms of attendance and practice intensity. Participation in this group will require minimum qualifying times along with completing a test set. 

Further Information: Please email us at [email protected]