FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

If I cannot swim across the pool, can I still be on the swim team?

A good rule of thumb, is to be able to swim the length of the pool, but we have coaches for every ability group. Keep in mind swim team is not swimming lessons and opportunities for one-on-one instruction are limited.

 

What swim strokes do I need to know how to swim?

Freestyle.  Our coaches will teach the basics of backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. 

 

Do I have to wear a team swimsuit?

We prefer to look like a unified team at meets.  Swimmers are not required to wear a team

swimsuit at practice; however, a competition style suit is preferred, especially at meets. For

girls, the competition suit is comfortable and avoids problems with straps falling off the

shoulders. For boys, the competition suit does not have the drag that a traditional suit has.

Some young boys are reluctant to wear the competition suit. They might want to wear a

traditional suit over the competition suit until just before they are ready to swim at the

meet. This year we are wearing the Sporti Poly Pro Splice.  It comes in both girls and boys

versions.  You can order it online from SwimOutlet.com .

 

What should I do if I cannot attend practice or swim meet?

Once you sign up and register for the team, when and how often you practice is completely your decision.  Of course we would like you there every day because the more often you are in the pool, the faster you will swim.  We completely understand that vacations and family obligations may come up.  All we ask is that you tell us beforehand if you know you will miss a practice.

 

If you cannot attend a swim meet, please be sure to tell the coach ahead of time.  This is very important.  (If you know you will be out of town for a meet, it is helpful to tell the coach at the beginning of the season.)  Letting the coach know ahead of time makes the coach's job easier.  If the coach expects you to swim at a meet, and you do not show up, it will affect not only the individual events that were placed in, but also will put relays, which other children are part of, in jeopardy.  Especially important - If you know that you cannot swim in the All-Star Meet at the end of the season, please tell the coaches so you are not placed in a relay for the Divisional Meet.  If you sign-up for DASA Champs and, for whatever reason, do not attend, we will need to bill you the meet fee, which is $15 per swimmer.

 

What should I bring to a meet?

You will want to wear your suit and shirt, and bring your goggles and towel.  You may also want to bring a swim cap, especially if you have long hair.   (Write your name on everything you bring.)  Please apply sunscreen before you arrive at the pool.  Meets at Eldorado are run fairly quickly (approx. 3 hours).

 

What if it’s raining in the morning, will we still have practice?

We will use common sense judgment in evaluating weather conditions to determine if practices will be held as scheduled. Heavy rain or lightning will result in a definite cancellation of practice, while a light rain may only delay the practice. The rule of thumb is if we hear thunder or see lightening, we must clear the pool for 30 minutes.  Please use common sense with your own child. If practice has been canceled, a sign indicating such will be posted on the fence as you walk into the pool area.  We will also try to e-mail team members of cancelled practices and post on our FaceBook page.

 

What time should I arrive for a swim meet?

Your coach will tell you exactly what time to arrive for each meet.  For home meets, you will probably be asked to arrive about an hour before the meet start.  This will give you time to see your coach to check-in and find out what events you are swimming.  You will also have the opportunity to warm-up with the team.

 

Why do I have to warm up?

Warming up is something all swimmers do to prepare to swim fast.  Warming up increases confidence by giving you a feel for the pool, the water temperature, flags, and blocks.

 

What are the events in a swim meet?

The events are:

Freestyle Relay- Four different swimmers swim freestyle.

Freestyle

Butterfly

Backstroke

Breaststroke

Individual Medley, aka. I.M. – One swimmer swims all four strokes in this order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle

Medley Relay - All four strokes are swum by four different swimmers in this order: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.

 

Who will I be swimming against?

Swimmers compete according to age group (6 & Under, 8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-17.)  These age groups are based on the swimmers age on June 1. Boys and girls may swim in the same “heats,” but their times are ranked separately.  Each event begins with 6 & under girls, then 6 & under boys, etc., in age group order.  Most races will consist of one, two, or three heats, depending upon the size of the pool and the event.

 

How many events will I swim in at the meet?

Swimmers can be entered in a maximum of four events.  Of those four events, only three may be individual events, and one may be a relay OR two may be individual events, and two relays.  This does not mean that you will swim in 4 events at every meet.  The coach will make the decision on how many and which events you enter based on the number of swimmers in your age group, your ability to swim the strokes without getting DQ'd, if you have attended practices, and other factors.

 

What does DQ mean?

DQ stands for "disqualified."  At a swim meet, you can get DQ'd by a Stroke & Turn Judge if you do not swim a stroke correctly, or end your swim by touching with the wrong number of hands.  (To ensure fair competition for all swimmers, rules are equally applied to all swimmers, regardless of age or experience.)  Being disqualified is not the end of the world. Almost all swimmers have been DQ'd at some time. Getting DQ'd is a learning experience, not a failure. If you get DQ'd at a meet, your coach will receive a DQ slip with your name and the reason your were DQd.  Your coach will explain why you were DQ'd, usually at practice, so that you can improve for the next meet.   6 & under swimmers will not be disqualified in competition.

 

How will I know when to report for my events?

When you hear your event called, report to the “Ready Bench.” For younger swimmers, coaches will walk the children to the “Ready Bench and someone will tell them where to wait, and when it is their turn to race.

 

What will my parents do during the meet?

Of course, your parents will be watching you swim your event and cheering for you!   They will probably want to volunteer to help during the meet.  Without the help of parents, we can't even have a meet!  Don't worry.  Even if they are working, they will still be able to watch you swim.

 

VOLUNTEERS

We ask each family to volunteer for meet jobs throughout the swim season. The various positions requiring parent volunteers and a brief description of the duties involved are as follows:

 

Starter (1):  Official who notifies the swimmers of the distance and stroke; starts each heat with a whistle or electronic tone and calls false starts. This individual may be trained for this position.

 

Timers (5): Equipped with stop watches, clipboards and pens, timers are assigned one lane. There is also an auxiliary timer in case of stopwatch malfunction.

 

Runners (1 or 2): Pick up event cards from timers and deliver them to the scorekeepers/ribbon writers. The job title is very descriptive. Runners should have good tennis shoes that work well on slippery wet surfaces.

 

Ribbon Writers/Score Table (3): Scorekeepers mark the official time for each swimmer in a heat; record the order of finishes; write out ribbons as events conclude.

 

Ready Bench (2): Assist in lining up the swimmers each event, heat and lanes, and get them to the starting blocks in the correct order and on time.

 

Meet Preparation/Clean-Up Crew -- A team of individuals who are responsible for setting up for the swim meet:  chairs for times, lane lines, backstroke flags, etc.