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Page last updated on 06/13/2008

2008 Swim Season

Here are a few of our Frequently Asked Questions:

General

What are the eligibility requirements to join the team?

Who are the coaches?

What information is available for team swim suits and other apparel? 

When are team pictures and how much do they cost?

Meets

When and where are the swim meets?

How do I get to the away meets, Divisional, and All Stars?

How many events can my child swim?

How do I tell the coaches what events I want my child to swim?

It's Wednesday and I forgot to make my event selections for the upcoming meet! What do I do? 

How do I know what my child is swimming?

My child is scheduled to swim but got sick and cannot swim.  What do I do?

I don’t like what my child is scheduled to swim.  What should I do?

When do we need to arrive at the meet?

What should we bring to the meet?

Where do we sit at meets?

Where do my children go when it is time for their event?

Do we have starting blocks?

Will stroke & turn judges be watching to disqualify swimmers at the meets?

Will we keep score at the meets?

How long does a meet last? 

When will my child get his award ribbons?

Practices

When are practices?

Can I switch practices?

Will we have practice if it rains?

When else might practice be cancelled?

Do I need to tell anyone if my child will be absent from practice?

General:

What are the eligibility requirements to join the team?

The Twin Creeks Swim Team is a recreational swimming organization for young members of the Twin Creeks Community. To be eligible to become a member of the Twin Creeks Swim Team you must:

1)       Be a Twin Creeks Resident

2)       Be between 5 and 17 years old

3)       Be able to swim at least 25 yards (ages 11+ 50 yards)

4)       Have parents or older family members willing to volunteer

5)       Pay the annual enrollment fee

Who are the swim team coaches?  

The Swim Team Coaches are selected solely by the Twin Creeks Home Owners Association and are typically a part of the same organization that provides Lifeguard and Swim Lesson Services at Twin Creeks.

You can talk to the coaches before or after practice. Each day, 15 minutes will be made available both prior and after the practice sessions.

Please do not interrupt the coaches during practice as it is important that  they dedicate their energy towards coaching the children.  Additionally, you may also contact them via e-mail. 

What information is available for team swim suits and other apparel? 

Where do I purchase the team suit? Please email mpeele@metroLTS.com for details.

Can I get team T-Shirts?  Please email mpeele@metroLTS.com for details. 

When are team pictures and how much do they cost? 

Please email mpeele@metroLTS.com for details

 

Meet Information:

Where and when are the meets?  The meet schedule is determined the last week in May at a coaches meeting.  By May 30th, the schedule will be posted on the Meets page. 

How do I get to the away meets, Divisionals and All-star meets?  Directions to all away meets will be posted on the Meets page. 

How many events can my child swim? DASA restricts that a swimmer can compete in a maximum of 3 individual events, 2 relays - or a total of 4 combined. 

 How do I tell the coach what I want my child to swim?  There is a black 3 ring binder on the round coaches’ table as you enter the pool area. This "Black Book" is used to assign events.  There is a tabbed section for each meet in the Black Book.  Find your child’s name and indicate whether they will be swimming or not as well as any stroke preferences/aversions.  You need to mark this black book for every meet. This needs to be completed by 6:00pm on the Wednesday prior to each meet. 

It is extremely important that you enter information in the Black Book each week to inform the coach whether your child is swimming or not.  It is recommended that if you know you will be out of town, designate this in the Black Book as soon as possible.   For Divisionals, we will need the black book signed by June 25th.  Divisional entries need to be completed extremely early to allow DASA sufficient time to coordinate the meet (assign heats, lanes, and print heat sheets).

"It’s after 6:00pm on Wednesday and I just realized I forgot to mark the book.  What do I do?"  If your child was not marked to be absent from the meet, then the coaches will assign your child to individual events without any designations. However, your child will not be participating in the relay events. If you know that your child will not be able to attend the meet, please contact your coach as soon as possible.

How do I know what my child is swimming?  A Meet Entry Report will be posted on the Meets page each Sunday night before the meet.  This report will show the events your child is scheduled to swim.  Please remember the event numbers they are swimming.  In the past, we have written the numbers with Sharpies on the backs of children’s hands.  Please do this at home on Monday or we can assist you either during practice on Monday or when you arrive at the meet.  This quickly tells coaches, ready bench and team moms if the child is scheduled to swim an event.

My child is scheduled to swim but got sick and cannot swim.  What do I do?  Please contact your coach as soon as you know.  She will work with Team Parents and the ready bench so they aren’t searching everywhere for them.

I don’t like what my child is scheduled to swim.  What should I do?  There are many swimmers on the team this year.  The coaches make every effort to take into consideration information you give them via the Black Book.  You may speak with the coaches before or after practice on the Monday before the meet when they aren’t coaching swimmers to see if any changes can be made.  It is extremely important your child swim all relays that they are scheduled for.  If they do not swim, 3 other children may not be able to swim as a result.  Please try to have patience and remember to inform the coaches via the Black Book for the next meet.

When do we need to arrive at the meet?  You should arrive 15 minutes before warm up begins to get acquainted with the pool area, find a spot to sit, and check in with the volunteer coordinator if you are working.  All children swim during warm up.

What should we bring to the meet?  Children should wear racing swim suits (team suits if they have them) and plenty of sunscreen.  They will need towels, and should bring goggles and caps if they normally wear them (and maybe even an extra in case one should break).  For home meets, we have very little shade.  We will have a snack bar selling water, Gatorade, hot dogs, candy, ice cream/Popsicle’s and a few other items.  You are welcome to bring your own drinks, snacks and food.  We do ask that you clean up after yourselves and not bring any glass items.  Cameras are also fun and additional chairs are often helpful.  Most pools we visit also have snack bars and some even have shade!

Where do we sit at meets?  At each pool there is a designated area for each team to sit.  At Twin Creeks, our area is the side closest to the parking lot.  The other side of the pool is reserved for the visiting team.  The area is small.  Please be considerate of others and try to take up as little space as possible.  The sand park is open during meets.  Please make sure swimmers are rinsed off in the shower before entering the pool.

Where do my children go when it is time for their event?  For children 8 and under, you should introduce your child to the Team Parent.  Team Parents vary by meet, but will always wear either a red apron (for girls) or a blue apron (for boys).  Team Parents will attempt to gather the children several minutes before it is time for them to swim.  Team Parents then escort the children to the ready bench.  For relays, the Team Parents stay with the children and help escort them to the correct lane and correct end of the pool.  For individual events, the Team Parents hand the children off to ready bench personnel who will take the children over to the start area at the appropriate time. 

As a parent, you should watch the white board to see what events are being lined up at the ready bench.  If your child is scheduled to swim in one of the events listed, send them to the Team Parent (if 8 or under) or send them to the ready bench if 9 or up.  All events are numbered.

Do we have starting blocks? 

Not this year.

Will stroke & turn judges be watching to disqualify swimmers at the meets?  During the regular season meets, no children will be disqualified for their stroke technique. Disqualifications will only be issued if a swimmer swims the wrong stroke. Disqualifications will be issued at Divisionals and All Stars for improper stroke technique. To avoid "surprise disqualifications" at Divisionals (swimmers that thought they were performing the stroke correctly during the regular season meets only to be disqualified during Divisionals), the coaches will closely watch the swimmers during the regular meet. Swimmers that would normally be disqualified in the competitive meets will be advised of what they did incorrectly and will be instructed on how to correct the improper stroke.

How long does a meet last?  Most meets last around 3 hours (from the start of the meet, not warm ups) depending on the size of the teams.  If we are competing against a large team, the meet may be longer.

Will we keep score at the meets?  No. Scoring meets is not practical given the makeup of the teams involved. However, we will be awarding place ribbons (1-8) for each event.

When will my child get his award ribbons?  Ribbons are printed after the meet and will be handed out after practice on Tuesdays.  Every child will receive a ribbon for each event they swim.  Different colored ribbons are handed out for 1st through 8th places.  Participant ribbons are awarded for 9th place and greater.  The back of each ribbon will list the child’s name, event, and the time.  It is important that you stress to your children that they improve their own times.  It is not important what color their ribbon is or who came in first.  We want to encourage children to have fun and improve themselves.  That is what they can control.  Places are determined for the entire event, not each heat.  Please keep in mind that we can have 30 or more girls swimming in the 7-8 and 9-10 category.  It is very difficult for girls this age to ever receive an individual ribbon for anything other than participant. 

 

Practices

When are practices?  There will be three practice sessions each weekday (exclusive of Monday afternoons during meets).

  • Group A: 7:30-8:15 for beginner swimmers

  • Group B: 8:00-9:00 for intermediate swimmers

  • Group C: 8:30-9:30 for advanced swimmers

  • Group D: 5:00-6:30 pm for swimmers who cannot attend the morning sessions

Can I switch practices?  In order to maintain an effective ratio of coaches to children, swimmers cannot attend multiple practices or change practice times. Once the season begins and you have either been assigned to a practice session, you can only change with the coach’s permission. 

If your child is enrolled in a summer camp that will last a week or longer which precludes them from attending either morning session, they can talk to a coach and see if there is any room in the afternoon session.  Those children that elected the afternoon session have priority.  It is important that we give them the space and time they need.

Will we have practice if it rains?  Practice will be held during the rain if thunder or lightening is not present.

When else might practice be cancelled?  Occasionally the pool is contaminated and must be chemically treated and closed for 24 hours.  All practices falling in the 24 hour period will be cancelled.

Do I need to tell anyone if my child will be absent from practice?    The coaches would appreciate any information regarding absent children.  However, if your child is going to miss a meet, it is critical this information is placed in the black book to notify the coaches.  We developed this system to have one central location for communication.

 

Page last updated on 06/13/2008

Twin Creeks Swim Team