The proof is in the numbers.

The Butler YMCA swim team has turned in a spectacular 2013-14 season, with 14 swimmers preparing for the National Championships, scheduled for Tuesday through Friday in Greensboro, N.C.

“We broke 52 team records so far this year and it is the product of years of work for our kids,” said Butler coach Alex Fertelmes.

The national qualifiers include Noah Donovan, Nathan Walls, Camryn Forbes, Jill McElhaney, Abby Jones, Meredith Cummings, Regan Kelly, Hannah Webb, Chadd Cummings, Dante Cicco, Tommy Pierre, Austin Wittmer, John Wilson and Francis Folz.

Forbes is the team’s highest seed, boy or girl, as she is currently ranked 17th in the country in the girls 100-yard backstroke. She also will be swimming the 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 200 backstroke.

This is the second consecutive year that she has qualified for nationals in four individual events.

“It doesn’t matter how big the meet, I still get pretty nervous,” said Forbes, 15. “My goal is to make finals (top 24) in my events and improve my times.”

The scope of the national event is staggering.

“Nationals is the highest level for YMCA swimming,” said Fertelmes. “Qualifying times are the same, regardless of age. There will be about 180 kids entered in each event and for some of our kids, the goal is to place (top 24).”

Noah Donovan never had second thoughts about throwing himself into that drove of competition for the second straight year.

“Last year, I was just glad to be going,” said Donovan, 18. “This year, I wanted to get good seed times. I had a rough regular season, but really started to get going in the postseason.

“The state meet is crazy and really fun,” he added. “There’s a parade before the meet, but once the competition starts, it gets really serious.”

Success has followed Butler all season.

Competing in the Western Pennsylvania YMCA Swim League, which includes teams from Greensburg, Johnstown, Indiana and Pittsburgh, among others, the Barracudas boys and girls combined to win the Division I title with a 5-1 record. In early March, they were crowned district champions at Youngstown State University, combining to win 23 events, setting 14 team records and two pool records. They then set several team records and national qualifying standards at the USA Swimming event at the University of Pittsburgh.

The Barracudas brought home nine titles from last weekend’s state championship meet at Penn State University.

David Bocci, an 11-year old Butler resident, accounted for two state titles in the 100-yard freestyle (59.3 seconds) and the 100 individual medley (1:08.5) in the boys 9-10 age bracket. The 100 free time is a team record.

“I was seeded really well and my goal was to win in both events,” said Bocci, who has been swimming for the YMCA for over five years. “It’s a challenging sport. I like the competition and encouraging my teammates.”

Abbie Griffith earned a title and meet record at states, swimming the girls 9-10 100 freestyle in a time of 1:09.01.

“My best time before states was a 1:10.77,” said Griffith. “I really made a push in that event this season. It took a lot of practice and working on my technique.”

To swim at such a high level takes work and a lot of it. Butler’s swimmers raised the bar for the program by putting in thousands of combined hours in the pool.

Griffith is a prime example. During the season, she practiced two hours per day, six days every week.

“The work a kid puts in is directly related to the results,” Fertelmes said. “The success we’ve had this season isn’t surprising. You see the amount of work in practice and you know you’re going to see the results at the meets.”