Age groups:

• For competition, swimmers are divided into the following age groups, based on what age they are on May 1^st of this year:
  • 6 and younger (called “6 and unders”)
  • 7 and 8 year olds
  • 9 and 10 year olds
  • 11 and 12 year olds
  • 13 and 14 year olds
  • 15-18 year olds
• For practices, swimmers are divided into four groups based on swim ability and experience.  Within each practice group, swimmers are further divided into A and B groups based on speed.  This enables swimmers to learn at their own pace while not waiting for each other to finish sets.

Practices:

• Swimmers are encouraged to attend all the practices but are not penalized if they have to miss.
• Swimmers do best when parents watch practice from a distance and do not interact with the swimmer during practice.
• Coaches are busy during practice, so it is best to contact the coaches via email or the coaches notebook about a concern.

Swim Meets:

• Competition is friendly and swimmers are praised and receive ribbons for personal improvement.
• There are 7 swim meets total.
  • The first meet is just our team when we practice our duties and get time for all the swimmers.
  • The next 5 meets are dual meets (our team and one other team)
  • The last meet is our Team Championship, referred to as “Divisionals”. All the teams come together for a final competition. This meet is longer in duration, lasting until 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon.
• Swimmers can be entered in up to 5 total events, 3 individual and 2 relay events. 6 and under swimmers only compete in freestyle and backstroke and the freestyle relay, so a maximum of 3 events.
• Not all swimmers will be able to swim a relay event each week.
  • Relays are teams made up of 4 swimmers, and the "A relay" is comprised of the fastest swimmers, with "B" and "C" relays formed in swimmer numbers permit.
  • There are freestyle relays (all swimmers do freestyle) and medley relays (each swimmer does a different stroke – backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, freestyle)
• If you know your swimmer will miss a meet please let us know by marking them as "not attending" on the calendar.  If they become ill, let the coaches know that they might not be at the meet.
• Parents are required to volunteer to make the meets happen.
  • You will be able to sign up online for volunteer slots
  • Each family with a swimmer on the competitive team is required to volunteer during the season (excludes Crocs in Training).
    • • 1 swimmer in 15-18 age group - 10 volunteer points
      • 1 swimmer <15yrs old - 15 volunteer points
      • 2+ swimmers - 20 volunteer points
      • All families - 2 additional points at the Divisional Meet (June 14)
  • It is expected that if your family has a swimmer participating in a meet that you will volunteer to work at that meet (even if the minimum requirement has already been met). We cannot run a swim meet without volunteers. If roles are left unfilled, they will be assigned at the Board’s discretion. It will then be your responsibility to fill the role if you cannot work.
  • We carefully track volunteer units during the season, and if a family does not contribute their units, then their credit card will be charged $250 at the end of the season.
  • There are two volunteer shifts during the meet. If you have only a 6 and under swimmer, try to grab the first shift since they are done swimming halfway through the meet and you can take them home early.
• Check-In
  • Swimmers need to arrive at the meet on time or they will be removed from races and entire relay events might be removed from the meet. This is not fun for the other 3 swimmers on the relay!
  • When swimmers arrive, check-in volunteers will write numbers on their arms with a sharpie. These are the swim events they are entered in.
  • Parent Volunteers for 1st and 2nd shift need to check in at the Volunteer table.  
• Warm-ups and team parent check in
  • All swimmers are required to warm up. Warm up times are split between 10 and under and 11 and up groups.
  • Team parents are volunteers who help swimmers get to their events on time. Swimmers should check in with the team parents after they warm up.
• Ready bench
  • To help the meet run smoothly, swimmers are lined up in the correct order on benches before their event.
  • The announcer will call event numbers to report to the ready bench.  This is when the swimmers need to have their goggles and caps and go to the benches.
  • For individual events, each bench represents a different “heat,” or group of swimmers that swim at the same time.  Swimmers are arranged in heats based on speed, slowest to fastest.  The fastest swimmers are put together in the last heat, with the fastest swimmers in the center lanes.
• Meets usually finish by 2 PM.
• Concessions
  • For Home Meets, we sell concessions.  Money raised from these sales supports the team.
  • We sell breakfast tacos, snacks, drinks, snow cones, and grill hot dogs, burgers, and chicken sandwiches.
• Results
  • During the swim meet, results will be posted in the Swimtopia App
  • Usually by Saturday afternoon, results will be viewable online through the website and sent via email.
• Disqualifications
  • Swimmers will be disqualified if they swim a stroke incorrectly.
  • Please don’t be concerned about DQ’s. All swimmers DQ at some point! 
  • Officials who are trained and certified, but only volunteer parents, will be walking the deck, watching the swimmers and disqualifying them when needed.
  • Disqualifications are most common in the 7 and 8 year old age group, or when swimmers are learning butterfly and breaststroke for the first time. These are difficult strokes to master!
• Awards
  • Ribbons are awarded for 1^st-6^th place.
  • If a swimmer improves their time, but does not place in the top 6, they will be awarded a “Time Improvement” ribbon.
  • We keep track of team records for each individual event.  If a swimmer breaks a record during a meet, they will be awarded a “Record Breaker” ribbon.
  • Ribbons can be collected at the Tuesday practice following the meet.  They are sorted by family in file boxes, which will be sitting on a table at the pool.

Team Spirit:

• We have a few team parties throughout the season to let the swimmers have fun together and get pumped up to do their best at the meets.
• We also have team spirit items for sale through the website, under “Team Merchandise,” including team swim caps, parent t-shirts, ball caps, etc.
• The coaches help the swimmers learn cheers to do as a team before each meet.
• We have a “cheering section” at the meets with fun items for the swimmers to support their team mates during the races.