Welcome to Woodridge Swim Team…we love that your child(ren) has decided to take the plunge and join our team. It’s a fun, fast 8 weeks of practices and meets and maybe you feel a bit overwhelmed. Find a veteran family/parent and ask your questions. Here are some you may already have….
Is there a "uniform" requirement for the swim team?
The only requirement is a swim suit. Our team colors are green and black, so we ask swimmers to wear those colors, or a combination, if possible during meets. As a convenience to families, we offer suits in our team store leading up to the start of the season, but these specific suits are not required.
Swim caps are highly recommended, but not required. We also offer these in a team store. Please note that the name customized caps are usually only sold in PAIRS, while the plain logo caps are sold as singles. The price difference per cap is not nearly as significant as it initially appears. Please check the product descriptions for specific information. Plain black caps would also be an acceptable option if you're purchasing caps elsewhere.
The one stipulation regarding suits and caps is the League rule that states that swimmers MAY NOT wear suits or caps with a winter team name or logo on them during team warm-ups or competition. Doing so is grounds for disqualification. If your swimmer swims for a club or school team during the winter (or any other time of year), they may not wear those team-related items during Lancaster Summer Swim League competitions. Swimmers MAY wear them at morning practices, along with any other "fun caps" they may have. A plain black cap would also be acceptable.
What should I bring to a meet?
Your swimmer, lawn chairs, sun block, food, warm clothes if cool weather is expected, some money (admission fee and heat sheets at invitational meets only), concession stands will be open. Please also bring your willingness to volunteer!! We will need your help.
What should a swimmer bring to a meet?
A swim-suit, cap, goggles, towels (usually more than one), sun block, warm clothing, something to read or play with, food and drinks, maybe a little money. (See above)
How long does a meet last?
A dual meet is a swim meet against one other team. During the summer season, our dual meets are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. There will be a “warm-up” period and the actual meet starts around 6pm. It usually lasts several hours depending on the size of each team. The coaches decide the events for each swimmer. An invitational meet is usually on a Saturday and gives swimmers the chance to swim against many other swimmers on other teams. Sometimes the invitationals are split by ages or genders. The Saturday invitationals sessions last several hours. Continue to review our newsletters for additional information about meets and invitationals.
What is the order of events during each meet?
The meet starts with the youngest swimmers and goes up to the oldest age group. Girls swim first and then boys swim. The order of strokes/events are: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle relays. The relays consist of 4 swimmers.
Event 1: Girls 8 & under 25 meter freestyle
Event 2: Boys 8 & under 25 meter freestyle
Event 3: Girls 9 & 10 yr old 25 meter freestyle
Event 4: Boys 9 & 10 yr old 25 meter freestyle
Event 5: Girls 11 & 12 yr old 50 meter freestyle
Event 6: Boys 11 & 12 yr old 50 meter freestyle
Event 7: Girls 13 & 14 yr old 50 meter freestyle
Event 8: Boys 13 &14 yr old 50 meter freestyle
Event 9: Girls OPEN 50 meter freestyle
Event 10: Boys OPEN 50 meter freestyle
Events 11-20: Backstroke
Events 21-30: Breaststroke
Events 31-40: Butterfly
Events 41-50: RELAYS (these are so much fun!!)
How will I know what my child is swimming during the dual meet?
The coaches make the line-ups and may be making last minute changes up through the warm-up session (on occasion). If you have committed to attend a meet it is very important that you are there…especially when it comes to relays. A line-up will be posted near/under the team tent at the start of the meet. And always check in with a coach before you leave if the meet has not concluded.
What is a heat sheet?
This is a program of events listing swimmer’s events, heats and lane assignments (usually available at the invitationals or season ending championship meets)
What is an event?
It is the age group, length and stroke being swum.
What is a heat?
It is the placement in the event that a swimmer is assigned. This is usually assigned based on a swimmers time. This allows the swimmers to compete against swimmers of comparable skill levels.
What is an exhibition heat?
It is a heat being where the contestant swims for time and not for score.
What is a live heat?
It is a heat that counts for overall team score.
What is staging?
This is placing the swimmers in a designated area prior to their heat of competition. This avoids missed swims.
How is a meet scored?
During the live heat points are awarded to the top three finishes. During the relay part of competition only the top finish scores points. These points are tallied for a final team score.
What is a DQ?
It is a disqualification. Swimmers disqualify themselves when they are not swimming a stroke according to USS/league rules. This is not something bad. It is a way to help swimmers improve.
Does my child have to dive off the blocks?
No, if a swimmer is not comfortable going off the blocks he/she may jump or dive from the side of pool along side the block - subject to forward start rules.
What length does my child swim in a meet?
The 8 and under and 10 and under swimmers swim one length (25 meters). All other age group swimmers swim 2 lengths (50 meters).
What is a flip turn?
It is a type of turn performed at the end of the first length of a multi-length event.
What makes a pool fast?
A "fast" pool has a good gutter system on the sides that allows water to flow out easily and does not allow waves to bounce back toward the middle of the pool. The lane lines also help control the waves, and the deeper the pool is, the fewer waves hit the bottom and bounce back up toward the surface. The inflatable kiddie pool in your backyard is not a fast pool.
I'm a new swimmer. What are some of those terms you're using?
Crawl Stroke: a stroke performed on the stomach and using alternating arm cycles and a flutter kick. It is also a technical description of one of the four legs of a medley event.
Freestyle: usually used synonymously with crawl stroke. A freestyle race is a race in which contestants may use any stroke to complete the distance. Because crawl stroke is the fastest, it is always used during freestyle races
Fins: (also called flippers) worn on your feet to make you swim faster (and walk like a duck)
Interval: a specific time period in which you must swim a specified distance. A set of ten 50 meter swims on a 1:30 (one minute and thirty second) interval means that you must complete each swim in less than 1:30. If you complete your 50 meters in 50 seconds, then you have forty seconds to rest before your next swim. Most people feel that if you are going to gain the greatest physical benefit from swimming, you have to incorporate intervals into your workout.
Kickboard: a flat rectangular piece of Styrofoam used to isolate leg muscles in kick sets.
Lap: a lap is either one or two lengths of the pool. Whether it is commonly used to designate one or two lengths can vary from area to area and even pool to pool. It's usually easier to describe a distance in yards/meters or in number of lengths.
Long course: used as both an adjective and a noun in describing a 50 meter long pool
Pull buoy: usually two cylinders of Styrofoam tied together with rope placed between the legs. It enables you to focus on your pull without kicking.
Set: a number of repeated swims at specified distances with a stated rest interval between each swim
Short course: used as both an adjective and a noun in most of the world to describe a 25 meter long pool. In the United States, it commonly describes a 25 yard pool.
8’s: any swimmer 8 years of age (as of June 1) or younger
10’s: any swimmer 9 & 10 years of age
12’s: any swimmer 11 & 12 years of age
14’s: any swimmer 13 & 14 years of age
OPENS: any swimmer 15 years of age and older (up to 18 or graduated from HS)
If one team is larger than the other is any handicap given?
No - teams are limited only by the number of “live” heats each swimmer can swim. It is therefore possible that much smaller teams will in fact have just as many swimmers in a meet that can earn points as the larger team. See next question.
Do we have to have a certain amount of entrants or is there a limit?
Each swimmer may swim a maximum of three events per meet which effectively limits the maximum opportunities that each team can score points. There is no minimum number of entries - it is in the team’s best interest to field swimmers in as many live heats as possible. It is therefore part of the team strategy to “age up” strong younger swimmers occasionally to bolster an age group with fewer numbers.
We have a vacation scheduled or another conflict with a practice on occasion…who should we call?
Please make sure your meet attendance form is accurate or if it needs to be changed, please see a Coach or send a note. Also, the team pays for each entry for invitationals and those line-ups are often sent to the host pool/team a week prior. Please inform Coach Dave if you will no longer be attending an invitational. Missing an occasional practice is not a huge deal. Obviously, more practice time allows for endurance and stroke refinement.
From the “meet official”
Thanks to the swimmers and parents for showing the best of manners in keeping quiet from "whistle to start" on each heat. This is a very important part of making lengthy meets run smoothly.
Confused about times (yards vs meters)?
Most of our meets are swum in meter pools. Occasionally there is an away meet in a yard pool which is shorter and therefore times would most likely be faster. Call your high school math teacher for a conversion.
Important rule to keep in mind:
DUAL MEET PROCEDURES; IV. C. Scoring 7. and 8.
“Score table personnel should include: announcers, host scorers, visiting scorers, and awards personnel. At NO TIME during the meet should swimmers, parents, and/or spectators interfere with scoring procedures.” This means that no one from each team except a coach may be at the scoring table; who must work with the OPPOSING team scorer on all matters (C. 8). Please do not approach the scoring table if you are not one of the above.
Sportsmanship
No team personnel/competitor/spectator shall act in an unsportsmanlike manner. This includes any act the referee deems unsportsmanlike, including, but not limited to the following:
The Lancaster County Summer Swim League disapproves of any form of unsportsmanlike behavior which is intended to embarrass, ridicule, or demean others under any circumstances including on the basis of relative ability, race, religion, gender, or national origin. These examples are intended to be illustrative not all inclusive.
Is there a "uniform" requirement for the swim team?
The only requirement is a swim suit. Our team colors are green and black, so we ask swimmers to wear those colors, or a combination, if possible during meets. As a convenience to families, we offer suits in our team store leading up to the start of the season, but these specific suits are not required.
Swim caps are highly recommended, but not required. We also offer these in a team store. Please note that the name customized caps are usually only sold in PAIRS, while the plain logo caps are sold as singles. The price difference per cap is not nearly as significant as it initially appears. Please check the product descriptions for specific information. Plain black caps would also be an acceptable option if you're purchasing caps elsewhere.
The one stipulation regarding suits and caps is the League rule that states that swimmers MAY NOT wear suits or caps with a winter team name or logo on them during team warm-ups or competition. Doing so is grounds for disqualification. If your swimmer swims for a club or school team during the winter (or any other time of year), they may not wear those team-related items during Lancaster Summer Swim League competitions. Swimmers MAY wear them at morning practices, along with any other "fun caps" they may have. A plain black cap would also be acceptable.
What should I bring to a meet?
Your swimmer, lawn chairs, sun block, food, warm clothes if cool weather is expected, some money (admission fee and heat sheets at invitational meets only), concession stands will be open. Please also bring your willingness to volunteer!! We will need your help.
What should a swimmer bring to a meet?
A swim-suit, cap, goggles, towels (usually more than one), sun block, warm clothing, something to read or play with, food and drinks, maybe a little money. (See above)
How long does a meet last?
A dual meet is a swim meet against one other team. During the summer season, our dual meets are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. There will be a “warm-up” period and the actual meet starts around 6pm. It usually lasts several hours depending on the size of each team. The coaches decide the events for each swimmer. An invitational meet is usually on a Saturday and gives swimmers the chance to swim against many other swimmers on other teams. Sometimes the invitationals are split by ages or genders. The Saturday invitationals sessions last several hours. Continue to review our newsletters for additional information about meets and invitationals.
What is the order of events during each meet?
The meet starts with the youngest swimmers and goes up to the oldest age group. Girls swim first and then boys swim. The order of strokes/events are: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle relays. The relays consist of 4 swimmers.
Event 1: Girls 8 & under 25 meter freestyle
Event 2: Boys 8 & under 25 meter freestyle
Event 3: Girls 9 & 10 yr old 25 meter freestyle
Event 4: Boys 9 & 10 yr old 25 meter freestyle
Event 5: Girls 11 & 12 yr old 50 meter freestyle
Event 6: Boys 11 & 12 yr old 50 meter freestyle
Event 7: Girls 13 & 14 yr old 50 meter freestyle
Event 8: Boys 13 &14 yr old 50 meter freestyle
Event 9: Girls OPEN 50 meter freestyle
Event 10: Boys OPEN 50 meter freestyle
Events 11-20: Backstroke
Events 21-30: Breaststroke
Events 31-40: Butterfly
Events 41-50: RELAYS (these are so much fun!!)
How will I know what my child is swimming during the dual meet?
The coaches make the line-ups and may be making last minute changes up through the warm-up session (on occasion). If you have committed to attend a meet it is very important that you are there…especially when it comes to relays. A line-up will be posted near/under the team tent at the start of the meet. And always check in with a coach before you leave if the meet has not concluded.
What is a heat sheet?
This is a program of events listing swimmer’s events, heats and lane assignments (usually available at the invitationals or season ending championship meets)
What is an event?
It is the age group, length and stroke being swum.
What is a heat?
It is the placement in the event that a swimmer is assigned. This is usually assigned based on a swimmers time. This allows the swimmers to compete against swimmers of comparable skill levels.
What is an exhibition heat?
It is a heat being where the contestant swims for time and not for score.
What is a live heat?
It is a heat that counts for overall team score.
What is staging?
This is placing the swimmers in a designated area prior to their heat of competition. This avoids missed swims.
How is a meet scored?
During the live heat points are awarded to the top three finishes. During the relay part of competition only the top finish scores points. These points are tallied for a final team score.
What is a DQ?
It is a disqualification. Swimmers disqualify themselves when they are not swimming a stroke according to USS/league rules. This is not something bad. It is a way to help swimmers improve.
Does my child have to dive off the blocks?
No, if a swimmer is not comfortable going off the blocks he/she may jump or dive from the side of pool along side the block - subject to forward start rules.
What length does my child swim in a meet?
The 8 and under and 10 and under swimmers swim one length (25 meters). All other age group swimmers swim 2 lengths (50 meters).
What is a flip turn?
It is a type of turn performed at the end of the first length of a multi-length event.
What makes a pool fast?
A "fast" pool has a good gutter system on the sides that allows water to flow out easily and does not allow waves to bounce back toward the middle of the pool. The lane lines also help control the waves, and the deeper the pool is, the fewer waves hit the bottom and bounce back up toward the surface. The inflatable kiddie pool in your backyard is not a fast pool.
I'm a new swimmer. What are some of those terms you're using?
Crawl Stroke: a stroke performed on the stomach and using alternating arm cycles and a flutter kick. It is also a technical description of one of the four legs of a medley event.
Freestyle: usually used synonymously with crawl stroke. A freestyle race is a race in which contestants may use any stroke to complete the distance. Because crawl stroke is the fastest, it is always used during freestyle races
Fins: (also called flippers) worn on your feet to make you swim faster (and walk like a duck)
Interval: a specific time period in which you must swim a specified distance. A set of ten 50 meter swims on a 1:30 (one minute and thirty second) interval means that you must complete each swim in less than 1:30. If you complete your 50 meters in 50 seconds, then you have forty seconds to rest before your next swim. Most people feel that if you are going to gain the greatest physical benefit from swimming, you have to incorporate intervals into your workout.
Kickboard: a flat rectangular piece of Styrofoam used to isolate leg muscles in kick sets.
Lap: a lap is either one or two lengths of the pool. Whether it is commonly used to designate one or two lengths can vary from area to area and even pool to pool. It's usually easier to describe a distance in yards/meters or in number of lengths.
Long course: used as both an adjective and a noun in describing a 50 meter long pool
Pull buoy: usually two cylinders of Styrofoam tied together with rope placed between the legs. It enables you to focus on your pull without kicking.
Set: a number of repeated swims at specified distances with a stated rest interval between each swim
Short course: used as both an adjective and a noun in most of the world to describe a 25 meter long pool. In the United States, it commonly describes a 25 yard pool.
8’s: any swimmer 8 years of age (as of June 1) or younger
10’s: any swimmer 9 & 10 years of age
12’s: any swimmer 11 & 12 years of age
14’s: any swimmer 13 & 14 years of age
OPENS: any swimmer 15 years of age and older (up to 18 or graduated from HS)
If one team is larger than the other is any handicap given?
No - teams are limited only by the number of “live” heats each swimmer can swim. It is therefore possible that much smaller teams will in fact have just as many swimmers in a meet that can earn points as the larger team. See next question.
Do we have to have a certain amount of entrants or is there a limit?
Each swimmer may swim a maximum of three events per meet which effectively limits the maximum opportunities that each team can score points. There is no minimum number of entries - it is in the team’s best interest to field swimmers in as many live heats as possible. It is therefore part of the team strategy to “age up” strong younger swimmers occasionally to bolster an age group with fewer numbers.
We have a vacation scheduled or another conflict with a practice on occasion…who should we call?
Please make sure your meet attendance form is accurate or if it needs to be changed, please see a Coach or send a note. Also, the team pays for each entry for invitationals and those line-ups are often sent to the host pool/team a week prior. Please inform Coach Dave if you will no longer be attending an invitational. Missing an occasional practice is not a huge deal. Obviously, more practice time allows for endurance and stroke refinement.
From the “meet official”
Thanks to the swimmers and parents for showing the best of manners in keeping quiet from "whistle to start" on each heat. This is a very important part of making lengthy meets run smoothly.
Confused about times (yards vs meters)?
Most of our meets are swum in meter pools. Occasionally there is an away meet in a yard pool which is shorter and therefore times would most likely be faster. Call your high school math teacher for a conversion.
Important rule to keep in mind:
DUAL MEET PROCEDURES; IV. C. Scoring 7. and 8.
“Score table personnel should include: announcers, host scorers, visiting scorers, and awards personnel. At NO TIME during the meet should swimmers, parents, and/or spectators interfere with scoring procedures.” This means that no one from each team except a coach may be at the scoring table; who must work with the OPPOSING team scorer on all matters (C. 8). Please do not approach the scoring table if you are not one of the above.
Sportsmanship
No team personnel/competitor/spectator shall act in an unsportsmanlike manner. This includes any act the referee deems unsportsmanlike, including, but not limited to the following:
- Making insulting or derogatory remarks, gestures, or acts
- Trying to influence or showing disgust with Official’s decisions
- Interfering with meet Officials in the performance of their duties
- Interfering with meet Participants
The Lancaster County Summer Swim League disapproves of any form of unsportsmanlike behavior which is intended to embarrass, ridicule, or demean others under any circumstances including on the basis of relative ability, race, religion, gender, or national origin. These examples are intended to be illustrative not all inclusive.
