Frequently Asked Questions
Does the pool close when bad weather is in the area?
During winter weather, Gators closely follows the direction set by the Greenwood Community Schools. If Greenwood Community Schools close due to inclement weather, Gators practice and swim lessons will be cancelled as well. When this occurs, we will attempt to advise each swimmer's family via email, but we also encourage you to monitor the closings listed on local TV channels.
Do I need to be at the pool with my swimmer?
It is preferable that someone stay at the pool during practice for developmental groups. Junior and Senior groups are typically closed practices. Parents may show up the last 10-15 minutes of practice if desired.
Do I have to work during swim meets?
Yes. We rely heavily on the participation of our parents when we host home swim meets. We ask all parents to help in some way because having plenty of help means having a meet that runs smoothly. We require each family to work 2 sessions when we host a 4-session meet and one session when we host a 2-session meet. Please be ready to help out!
Are there any meets that my swimmer has to attend?
Developmental swimmers are expected to compete in at least 2 meets per season. Juniors and Seniors are expected to attend all meets unless there are schedule conflicts.
Do I get a refund if my swimmer decides not to swim anymore?
No. We do not offer refunds. Once you have signed up for a season, you are expected to complete that season. There are no cancellations or suspensions mid season as we have limited space and have likely turned away others to secure your spot. If your swimmer will participate at all with the team during a month, you must pay for that month in full.
Does my swimmer have to join the USA Swimming organization?
Yes. USA Swimming is the governing body for amateur swimming in the United States. It provides our club insurance to guard against accidents and lawsuits. Every team swimmer must have USA Swimming membership before he or she is permitted to participate with the team. You'll register for USA Swimming membership when you register your swimmer with Gators
Do we attend travel meets?
Yes, within reason. We sometimes attend a meets that are away from Indianapolis and Greenwood, but those meets are usually within a 2-hour drive. Most of our meets, however, are in the area with drive times not exceeding 45-60 minutes. On the rare occasion when we do attend a far away meet, we seek and recommend affordable lodging options for those families who choose to participate. Lodging costs are the responsibility of each individual family as we do not take swimmers without their parents.
How long are swim meets?
Meets usually occur over the course of a single day or a single weekend. Events at meets are usually grouped into sessions for each age group. Therefore, your swimmer will often complete his or her events in four hours or less.
Can I pick the session my swimmer competes in at a meet?
To some extent, yes. You may pick the day or days that you want to swim, but the session is determined by your age group. Some age groups often swim during morning sessions while other age groups swim during afternoon sessions. Warm-up times and session schedules are set by the hosting swim club. We encourage each swimmer to suggest the strokes and distances he or she would like to swim during a meet, but our coaches will select the events for each swimmer as they know the ability of each swimmer.
How does my swimmer qualify for post-season or special meets?
A swimmer qualifies for Divisional, State, Zone, National, or other special meets by swimming faster than pre-determined times. We try to post time standards on the bulletin board in the pool area.
Is there food at a meet?
Most hosting clubs will provide a concession stand. However, the type of food provided might not be ideal for swimmer consumption. You may want to consider packing a cooler or lunch bag so you can monitor or determine what your swimmer is eating and drinking during competition.
Is there seating at a meet?
During the Fall/Winter season, the meets are at high school pools or college natatoriums with built in seating. Sometimes the pool areas can be hot, and sometimes seating is limited. If these are concerns to you, you may want to pack your own seating for use in our team's "camping area." During the summer when we attend outdoor meets, you should bring your own lawn chairs because few outdoor pools have sufficient seating.
What if it rains during an outdoor meet?
The swimmers are already wet so they won't care. You, however, should be prepared if rainy weather is in the forecast. We suggest you bring umbrellas or rain gear. If the weather turns severe, meet officials will postpone or cancel the remainder of the session or meet. Officials may also elect to move everyone indoors (if an appropriate facility exists) and try to wait out the weather before opting to cancel the remaining events.
Must my swimmer attend all practices?
It is up to you and your swimmer to determine your practice routine. We know kids are involved in many activities so attendance is not mandatory. We do strongly encourage swimmers to attend most practices. If your swimmer is ill, please do not bring them to practice. You do not need to call anyone if you cannot attend practice.
If we cannot attend a meet that we have been registered for what should I do?
If for any reason you cannot make it to a meet in which you are scheduled to compete, please contact your coach. Swimmers must be signed in at each meet 45 minutes prior to the start of the meet. If you are running late, we'll try to sign your swimmer in, but there are never any guarantees.
If we miss a meet can we get our entry fee back?
No. We send all meet entry fees to the hosting club 2-4 weeks in advance of the meet. Since the hosting team will not refund fees to us, we cannot forward them back to you.
Does Gators have team suits?
Yes. We have team suits and team swim caps that swimmers are required to wear when representing Gators at a swim meet. Your swimmer will receive a swim cap when they register for Gators at the beginning of the swim season. Team suits and additional caps are usually available for purchase through our club near the start of the swim season.
