Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the requirements to join the team?
Swimmers must be Stonegate residents and at least age 5 as of June 1st of the current season and may swim for the team until age 18. All swimmers must be water safe and be able to swim across the pool (25 yards) using any stroke without assistance. This is not a learn-to-swim program.
Because we are a volunteer-run organization, parents/guardians of swimmers MUST be able to volunteer during the season. If you cannot fulfill the volunteer requirements, this program is not a good fit. Please see our complete Volunteer Policy for more information.
2. How much does it cost to join the team?
Our registration fee includes the Stonegate Seahawks team fee, plus the required Irvine Swim League (ISL) fee. This year registration will also include a Capital Improvement fee of $50 per family. Review our Registration tab to see the exact fees for this year.
Registered swimmers will receive a free team t-shirt and latex swim cap with the team logo. Our swimmers will also be able to participate in weekly team socials and the end-of-season awards banquet.
3. Why is there a Capital Improvement Fee this year?
The Seahawks must receive approval from the Stonegate HOA each year in order to operate a neighborhood swim team for the community. In late 2023, the team began developing 2 capital improvement projects in negotiation with the HOA to ensure that the team can continue to use Mockingbird Pool within HOA guidelines. The first project was the purchase and installation of an 8x10 ft Tuff Shed at Mockingbird Pool to house the team's equipment onsite. This project was completed successfully in May 2024.
The second project is a pool retrofit. The retrofit involves modifying the pool deck so that the team can use in-ground diving blocks and backstroke flags instead of portable, above-ground equipment. The capital improvement fee will go towards helping us pay for the retrofit and purchase the in-ground equipment. When the team has raised enough money to fund this project, we will no longer charge a Capital Improvement Fee.
Although the Capital Improvement Fee is an added cost, it is applied per family and not per swimmer. This means that you will only be charged one $50 fee, even if you have multiple children signing up for the team.
4. We will be away part of the summer, can we pay partial fees?
No partial fees. Registration fees must be paid in full. You will be required to complete your volunteer commitment by the end of the season, regardless of your travel plans. If you will not be able to fulfill your volunteer obligations because of travel dates or for any other reason, please do not join the team this season.
5. We need to withdraw from the team. What is your policy?
If you need to withdraw your registered swimmer for any reason, you must notify the team by email as soon as possible to officially disenroll. Please review the Refund Policy carefully for important deadlines and instructions. Even if the refund deadlines have passed, you must notify us if your swimmer is no longer going to participate in swim practices/meets. If you do not officially withdraw from the team by June 6th, you will still be held responsible for fulfilling your volunteer requirements. Failure to fulfill your volunteer requirements will result in a financial penalty and/or being excluded from signing up the following season.
6. How long is the season?
The swim season is approximately 10-weeks long, starting in early June and concluding with the ISL Championship swim meet in early August. The team usually hosts an end of year banquet and award ceremony for all swim families shortly after completion of the ISL Champs meet. Please refer to our Team Calendar for specific event dates.
7. How many practices are there?
We have practices Monday through Thursdays from 3:30-6:30 PM at Mockingbird Pool. Swimmers will be assigned to a 1-hour session according to age and skill level after an initial evaluation. We encourage swimmers to come to practices as much as possible and strongly recommend coming 3-4 times/week. Remember, the more practices your swimmer attends, the more improvement you will see. Please check here for our current season's Practice Schedule.
8. Can my swimmer swim in another age group or practice session other than the one s/he belongs to?
Generally, swimmers must swim in their own age group or skill level at their assigned practice times. Different age groups and skill levels require different levels of coaching and supervision and our practice sessions are staffed accordingly. This helps to ensure the safety of all of our swimmers and improves the overall quality of practice for each swimmer. If you have any special concerns, please reach out to the Seahawks Board at i[email protected].
9. Can you tell me about swim meets?
A regular ISL season consists of 5 regular swim meets, a Pentathlon meet (optional, pay-to-enter), and a Championship meet. Regular swim meets are held on Saturdays, typically starting with check-in at around 7:30-8:00 am and finishing around 1:00-1:30 pm. At check-in, volunteers will write your swimmers’ event information on their arms in permanent marker. This will let your swimmers know what events they are swimming and which lanes they have been assigned. Following check-in, swimmers will complete warm-ups, hear announcements and sing the national anthem before competition starts. Please refer to Meet Info for detailed information and meet dates.
While you may choose to bring your own food/water, there will be a Concession Stand available at each meet with food and beverages for purchase. Other items you may consider bringing - towels, lawn chairs, tent/shade, sunblock, games, books, etc. Most importantly, swimmers need to wear team swimsuits, team swim caps, goggles and plenty of sunscreen.
Be aware that in order to swim in the Champs meet, swimmers must be “a league member in good standing and have participated in at least 3 dual or tri meets AND 4 events cumulatively during the current season. The Pentathlon (an optional pay to enter meet) will count towards the minimum 3 meet requirement.” Check here for champs eligibility rules.
10. What if my swimmer can’t make it to a meet?
We encourage all swimmers to participate in as many meets as possible during the season because they are fun and because they provide opportunities for swimmers to measure their progress in a competitive, but friendly environment. Swimming in meets as part of a team encourages swimmers to want to improve and these experiences become the highlights of their ISL season. Swimmers should strive to compete in at least 3 meets during the season.
You will have the opportunity to declare through the online portal if your swimmer will be participating in any given meet. If you have declared your swimmer for a meet and the online declaration deadline has not passed, you can go back to your account to decline to attend the meet. If the deadline has passed, let the head coach and the Seahawks Board know as soon as possible so that your swimmer can be manually removed from the meet roster.
11. What swim gear will my swimmer need?
For practice, all swimmers should bring their own kickboard, goggles and fins. We ask that girls wear a one-piece swimsuit and boys wear swim trunks (no board shorts). Rash guards are acceptable. Swimmers do not need to wear the team swimsuits for practice. However, all swimmers are required to wear our team swimsuit, team swim cap (one will be provided by the team), and goggles at the weekend meets. Additional team swim caps will be available for purchase, if needed. Swimmers should wear sunscreen/sunblock to meets and practices.
Team swimsuits may be purchased through Competitive Aquatic Supply (CAS). For more information, please check here.
12. Why is there a penalty if I miss a volunteer shift or don't complete my volunteer points?
All families are required to do their fair share of volunteer hours for the team. Without this cooperation among families, we will not be able to keep the team going. It is only fair that each family contributes to the work that needs to get done to run swim meets and other team events. When parents do not show up for volunteer jobs or complete their required points, other families have to step in. To encourage all families to fulfill their volunteer obligations, we will charge families a fee for not showing up to their volunteer jobs or for not completing their points for the season. Our Volunteer Policy explains this in more detail.
13. What is the difference between "Evaluation" and "Time Trials"?
Evaluation is typically conducted on the first day of the swim season and is used to assess the skill levels, techniques, and overall performance of swimmers. Coaches use this evaluation to determine a swimmer’s readiness for competition and to place them in appropriate slots for the Monday-Thursday practice sessions.
Time trials provide swimmers with the opportunity to swim in a race-like environment and achieve baseline times. These times can be used for qualifying for future meets, ranking within the team, or setting personal bests. You can think of Time Trials as a practice swim meet held for just our team.
14. What is the club swimmer detach policy?
There are special rules that apply to swimmers who are members of a club swim team and are new to an ISL swim team:
“During a swimmer’s first season with a particular ISL team, the swimmer may not compete in or score points at the Championship meet AND also score points for a club team. As such, club swimmers in this situation must choose to either: a. Detach from their club team in order to compete in and score points for their ISL team at the Championship meet OR b. Remain attached to their club team, but not compete in or score points for their ISL team at the Championship meet.”
However, “swimmers in the 5/6 and 7/8 age groups shall not be required to detach from their year-round “club” swim program. In addition, siblings of existing/returning swimmers (any age) do not have to detach when joining the team, regardless of age.” See full ISL Rules regarding club swimmers here.
15. Why was my swimmer disqualified (DQ'd)?
Swim DQs, or disqualifications, happen when a swimmer breaks the rules during a race. These violations can be related to strokes, turns, starts, or behavioral issues like false starts. When disqualified, swimmers don't get points or awards for that race, and their time isn't officially recorded. To learn more about DQs, please reach out to the Head Coach.
