In October 2021, YMCA of Auburn-Lewiston and YWCA Central Maine announced we are uniting our individual youth swim programs into one entity, the Twin Cities Swim Team. The purpose of this exciting collaboration is multi-fold: first, to grow and sustain a high-quality, championship swim program in the greater L/A area, and second, heighten community awareness and education to the importance of water safety.
Twin Cities Swim Team is a TEAM. Each member of the team will have opportunities to contribute to the success of the team. The contributions of each member of the team are valued equally. When your teammates succeed, you succeed. The objective of the Twin Cities Swim Team is to help its members to develop into competitive swimmers. We realize that all swimmers develop differently. It is our aim to get all swimmers to realize their full athletic potential.
For more information, including links to program registration & schedules, please email Matt Reed, TCST Head Coach, at mreed@alymca.org
USA Swimming, Maine Swimming, and the TCST are committed to fostering a fun, healthy, and safe environment for all its members. We have formally implemented a comprehensive Safe Sport program to respond to and prevent instances of abuse and misconduct within the sport of swimming. In addition to the following general information, please see the tabs below for more details.
Safe Sport Educational Tools for Parents
Safe Sport Educational Tools for Swimmers
Definition of Applicable Adult
If there are any questions please contact the TCST Head Swim Coach: Matt Reed at mreed@alymca.org
We take safe sports seriously at our YMCA. Chris Shea, the Y’s Executive Director of Youth Development, oversees all youth sports and safe sport programs. Louise Tirabassi is our TCST Safe Sport Coordinator. You can contact her at ltirabassi@alymca.org.
Mission. The YMCA of Auburn-Lewiston is a character-building organization dedicated to strengthening Christian principles of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for everyone regardless of ability to pay.
Desired Community Impact. The Y is a collaborative leader that strengthens the foundations of our communities through cause-driven services focusing on families, youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
Commitment To Keep Athletes Safe. TCST, Maine Swimming, and USA Swimming’s top priority continues to be keeping our athletes safe. No form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, has a place in our sport. USA Swimming is committed to reducing the risk of abuse in swimming and increasing awareness of red flag behavior through its Safe Sport program. All adults working with athletes are responsible for creating an abuse-free environment.
Head Coach Matt Reed. Matt started his swimming career with TCST back in 2003 and later swam for Lewiston High School, graduating in 2010. After graduation, Matt began working at the Auburn Y, working as an assistant coach for Twin Cities under Tom Manduca until 2014. After leaving the Auburn Y, he spent 3 years as the Aquatics Director at the Alfond Youth Center in Waterville where he oversaw the Mid Maine Dolphins and was head coach for Winslow High School. During this time Matt was also an avid Masters swimmer.
Matt is coming back to swimming after spending the last 6 years serving in the Air Force and Air National Guard. He is excited to finally come home to TCST and can’t wait to see what the season has in store!
Assistant Coach Vanessa Williamson. A 2001 Edward Little graduate with an undergraduate degree from Bates ‘05 and a masters degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University ’14, will be the head coach of TCST starting in the fall of 2019. Growing up in Auburn, she began swimming with the Auburn YMCA Dolphins at age 10 and transitioned to the Lewiston-Auburn Twin Cities Swim Team.
Vanessa has coached at all levels. While living in California after training for the 2008 Olympic Trials, she coached middle school and high school. Upon returning home to Auburn she was hired at Bates and coached there the past six years, being promoted to Associate Head Coach in just her fourth season. Her successes have been shown at every level with age groupers going lifetime bests all the way to college record holders and All-Americans.
She is very excited to be working with the coaches, parents, and swimmers from TCST.
TWIN CITY SWIM TEAM COACH CODE OF CONDUCT
The Twin City Swim Team (TCST) expects all coaches to adhere to the following expectations:
Any complaints of a coach violating this code of conduct will be brought to the attention of his/her supervisor, Y’s Executive Director of Youth Development (Chris Shea, cshea@alymca.org), and/or Y’s Chief Executive Officer (Steven Wallace, swallace@alymca.org).
At the YMCA of Auburn-Lewiston, youth desiring to participate in one of our programs will never be turned away for monetary reasons. If you would like to learn more about our Financial Assistance Program, please click here
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