Team Policies

Rules For Practices

Pool time is scarce and we need to make the best of every minute we have.

Swimmers and Divers must be on deck on time (5 minutes prior to scheduled practice start) and ready to begin. For every minute a swimmer is late, they will make up that time after practice unless a note is given from a parent/guardian explaining the lateness. Divers who are late will lose practice time to extra on-deck stretching. This is to make the most out of practice and discourage staying in locker rooms.
Swimmers must be prepared to swim . Parents and swimmers, please make sure your equipment (goggles, etc.) are working properly. We can not be distracted with fixing equipment, because we must make sure that we are always monitoring the pool and giving the proper attention to all swimmers.
Divers must be prepared to dive . Please make sure you are dressed appropriately and that you have stretched thoroughly prior to the time scheduled for practice to begin. Group stretches will begin 10 minutes prior to water work. Divers who do not attend group stretches will spend their first 10 minutes of practice in stretches on their own.

Rules for Athletes

Unsportsmanlike conduct toward an opponent, teammate, official, coach, or fan is unacceptable at any time and under any circumstances.
Theft or malicious destruction of any schools' or individuals' equipment or property will not be tolerated.
Use of alcohol, tobacco, illegal, or performance-enhancing drugs or substances will not be tolerated.
Treat your coach with respect , even if you disagree with him or her. Listen openly to what they have to say. They have your best interests in development as an athlete and as a person at heart. They want to see you succeed and will provide you with the feedback and coaching designed to help you get there. Consider their feedback later, when the emotions of the situation have decreased. If you still disagree, speak with them calmly and discuss the situation.
No equipment in the training room is to be used.
No ice bags are to be removed from the training room except for injury purposes. Athletes should bring water bottles from home.

Rules for Parents

Do not coach your child from the balcony . This is extremely disruptive to the other swimmers and divers, and disrespectful of the coaches. It embarrasses and distracts your child from the focus they need to develop in order to perform well at their sport. And, it interferes with the development of a positive coach/athlete relationship by placing the child in an awkward position of not knowing whether to listen to their parent or their coach. Do not call, yell, gesture, or coach from the balcony during practices. Parents who repeatedly disrupt practices in this way will be asked to leave the balcony during practices.
Swimming and Diving parents - please do not disturb the coaches during practice . We are here for your children and need to spend all the practice time with them. We will be glad to meet with you or call you at a more convenient time for questions or discussion of your child's progress or other concerns. Please, use e-mail or leave a note in the hallway mailbox system.
Parents must supervise participants and siblings at all times when they are on school property except when they are on deck during practices and meets. This includes locker room, showers, and hallways.
Parents must come into the building to be sure the swimmer or diver is on deck and must return no later than 10 minutes before the end of the practice session.
Parents are not allowed on deck before, during, or after practices to speak with coaches. The coaches' responsibility is to be there for all the children and cannot take time to talk with one parent. If you need to communicate with a coach, please drop them a note in the hallway mail folder or send them an email.
Parents must enforce appropriate behavior while on school property:
- No running or playing in gyms or hallways

- No balls in the building

- No use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs
- No food or drinks in the balconies during practices

Swimming and Diving Meets

Meets start promptly! It is necessary for the athletes to be on deck at the time stated by the coach and announced on the bulletin board and telephone hot line. Please arrive in time for them to get ready and be on deck in time for check-in and ready for warm-up. Also remind them that diving is in progress so they need to be as quiet as possible.
Swimmers and divers are expected to make every effort to attend all of your scheduled meets. If you are unable to attend a meet, you must sign out of the meet on the bulletin board by the Wednesday night prior to the meet. In the event of an emergency, please call the appropriate coach as soon as you can. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE WILL RESULT IN AN EXCLUSION FROM THE NEXT MEET.
Swimmers are required by our league to swim in at least 3 dual meets during the regular season, and divers must dive in at least 2 dual meets in order to be considered part of the team and be able to participate in championship meets at the end of the season. If your schedule prevents you from fulfilling these requirements, please notify us prior to registering for the team this season. Invitational and Tri-Meets do NOT count toward these minimum requirements.
In order to cover the work required to run our team and our meets, we are requiring that parents of participants help the team in some way. As part of your child's registration procedure, you must indicate the jobs you and/or your spouse/partner would be willing to assist with either at meets or prior to meets. Once the meet schedule is determined, jobs will be assigned and posted in advance. You are responsible for getting a substitute if you cannot perform the assigned job on the assigned date. Please contact the girls' or boys' representative if you have any questions about the jobs or if you can help in any other way.
USS swimmers please schedule your USS meets for when there is not a Central Buck's East or SouthWest dual meet or championship meet. Our US Team will not schedule or attend a US meet that conflicts with the SAL schedule. Everyone is considered an important member of our teams and should attend all meets as a dedicated team member. The philosophy of the coaching staff is that every race is looked upon as an opportunity for your swimmer to improve times and standing within the team and the league. Therefore, it is encouraged that all swimmers make every effort to attend all dual meets and championships.
Line-ups will be done objectively based on swimmers times recorded throughout the current year and divers' performance to date on required dives.
Line-ups are posted before the meet starts. Swimmers need to check out what they are swimming so they can warm-up accordingly. Divers will review their diving sheets with the coach prior to warm-up.
Winning the meet is the goal for the team, therefore, the coaches will make the best line-up possible. All swimmers will swim in every meet that pertains to their team. Usually, every swimmer gets into at least two events. Again, line-ups are based on best times in that event. Most of the time the swimmers in the first heat will have the top times in that stroke. Times are based on times swam at official meets this season. Occasionally, the coach will use another swimmer from another age group based on their strategy to win a meet