Welcome to year five of ACAST, the Staunton-area’s year-round competitive swim program. We’re a small, parent-run non-profit that believes competitive swimming needs to be among the youth sports choices in Staunton and Augusta County. We operate the year-round ACAST team as well as the Amberjax summer developmental team.

THE YEAR-ROUND ACAST TEAM is affiliated with USA Swimming and open to children ages 5 through 18. Swimmers take part in practice sessions appropriate to their skills. They also have the opportunity to take part in meets where they will race for personal-best times, race against USA Swimming motivational time standards and against other young people from across the region. This year we have two practice sites, the Staunton-Augusta YMCA and Augusta Health’s Lifetime Fitness Center.

THE AMBERJAX SUMMER TEAM is affiliated with the Blue Ridge Summer League, and has provided a first team-swimming experience for thousands of youngsters for decades. Youngsters learn and perfect strokes, improve their fitness and learn about competition in a fun recreational environment. The summer team practices at Gypsy Hill Park Pool in Staunton. Meets are held in Staunton, Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft and Lexington.

LESSONS aren’t offered through ACAST, but we recommend the program at the Staunton-Augusta Family Y.

Coaching director BOB COUCH leads our programs. He has experience in summer leagues, year-round programs and at the college level. He works with assistant coaches and coaching assistants to create a great swimming experience for all who participate.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SWIMMING? Here’s a link to a good Swimming 101 page developed by USA Swimming.

ACAST is recognized by the IRS as a non-profit educational corporation under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code.