SAL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

My child is registered with SAL and I would like to transfer to WCAC. How do I do this?

• ​We would need to know the club you are transferring from and they would have to release you so WCAC can pick the swimmer up. Generally, this is granted as long as you do not owe anything to the losing club.

When does practice start?

• The Suburban Aquatic League (SAL) team practices begin in October. Specific start date will be on the calendar page of the website

How many practices should we attend each week?

• Swimmers are encouraged to practice as often as possible.  

Can my swimmer come to practice late or leave early?

• If a swimmer comes late or needs to leave early, parents must notify the coaches in advance.

• Coaches know there are always exceptions especially when it comes to school work, however, it is very important for all swimmers to arrive on time for practice.  We ask that swimmers are on deck with caps and goggles on ready to get in the pool 5 minutes prior to practice start.

Can I drop off my swimmer and not stay for practice

• YES however, it is VERY important that swimmers are picked up timely.  Once swimmers leave the deck, parents are responsible for swimmers.  Coaches need to be on deck coaching and cannot monitor swimmers before or after practice. 

How will my swimmer know which practice to attend?  When will the groups be posted?

• Swimmers 10 & under typically practice with Teams 1 & 2 in the earlier practice and swimmers 11 & older typically practice with Team 3 & 4 at the later practice.   .    

• There are times that coaches will suggest adjustments to a swimmer's practice time, based on ability and skill level.  Those specific changes will be communicated directly from the coaches. 

Does WCAC close registration?

• Registration will close on 10/15/2023 to ensure timely submission of our team roster.   Any athlete looking to join the WCAC swim/dive program after registration has closed, should contact [email protected] and will be at the discretion of the team leadership and space availability.  

What are dual meets?

• Dual meets are meets between WCAC and one other team.  In the SAL league WCAC is part of the Southwest division and will compete against each of the teams in the division during the season.  For the "regular season" there are 5 dual meets, held on Saturdays.  Boys and girls teams compete separately for the most part.  If one team is home, the other team is away. 

• Swimmers must have competed in at least 2 regular season meets to be eligible to swim in the championship meets.    

When do dual meets start?

• Dual Meets run November-January .  The schedule is determined by the Suburban Aquatic League.  Once it is available to WCAC, it will be posted on the WCAC calendar and at www.suburbanaquatic.org.  

• Meet start times are determined by the host club. WCAC will add the warm-up and start times to the event sign up once provided.

​Are Swimmers required to participate in all meets?

• WCAC is a competitive diving and swimming team. Swimmers are encouraged to participate in all dual meets during the regular season.  

• Swimmers MUST participate in at least 2 dual meets to be eligible to swim in the dual meet and individual championships.  

What is the age cutoff date for a swimmer?

• For SAL, the age determination date is the swimmer's age as of October 31st.  

What are invitational meets?

• Invitational meets are optional meets, hosted by other SAL teams.  When available to our swimmers they will be posted under Events on our website and it is optional to declare your swimmer. There is an entry fee for each event, which will be charged to your account, along with a $10.00 fee per swimmer.

•  Swimmers can often earn medals and ribbons at these meets. 

• More information on invitationals will be available in late September once the schedule is set by the league.

What are the League and Division Championship Meets?  Which meet should my swimmer attend?

• Note:  Athletes must have competed in at least 2 regular season dual meets to be eligible for League Championships.  

• League Championship - is the league individual championships where only swimmers and divers with the top 18 times/scores in the entire league by event are eligible.  Coaches notify their swimmers/divers of their eligibility for League Championships.  Swimmers can participate in individual events and/or relays.  
  Division Championship - is the individual championship open to all swimmers and divers in a specific division.  Each division in SAL holds their own championship meet.  Swimmers are seeded according to their best times for a particular event.  There is a limit on the combined number of entries (3 individual, 2 relays) for League and Division Championships.  If a swimmer has qualified for an event in League Championships, they are not eligible to swim the same event in Division Championships.   

• Diving Championship: League Diving Champs are held on the same weekend as League Swimming Championships.  Division Diving Championships are usually held on the prior weekend, at one location, with the results for each event determined by division

How do I find out if my athlete will qualify for League Championships?

• You will be notified by your coach.  You can also view standings here: https://suburbanaquatic.org/index.php/top-times/.

Why is it so important to declare my swimmer for meets?

• A lineup is created by considering a number of factors.  Coaches must consider seeding, being competitive against the other team, number of events for each swimmer and relays.  It is a very long, complicated  process that takes hours to create.   

• Swimmer not declared by the deadline will be considered unavailable and not placed in the lineup.  

How do I declare  my athlete for a meet?

• All meets are  posted on the WCAC website under Events.  There is a button to Edit Commitment for each meet.  The declaration must be made by Tuesday night prior to the meet.  If no response is received it is assumed that the swimmer is NOT attending the meet.

• In case of illness or emergency please contact [email protected] to notify the coaches.. 

My swimmer has finished...is it OK to leave the meet?

• WCAC swimmers are part of a team and expected to be on deck the entire meet and cheer on their team.   If your swimmer does need to leave early, this can be noted when declaring your swimmer. 

• If the swimmer must leave early unexpectedly the coaches must be informed as their absence will effect other swimmers' relays.  

Locker Rooms 

• Use of the locker rooms is prohibited.  Please arrive to practice and swim meets in your suit.  

Pool Deck

• All swimmers must respect the facilities of the Wissahickon School District. There is NO FOOD permitted anywhere in the natatorium. Please do not leave trash anywhere in the natatorium. 

​I still have questions about WCAC!!

• For WCAC general questions please email [email protected].  

• For questions regarding your child and their swimming , please email [email protected].  

• Coaches are not able to discuss questions during practice.  

• We ask that parents do not enter the deck and approach coaches during practice or meets.  This is for safety purposes.  The coaches are on deck to focus on swimmers and practice.

• WCAC Board members are also happy to answer questions.  Please see the toolbar above for the board member's contact information. 

Does WCAC have any post season sessions?

• The USA Team continues training and competition following the winter season.  To participate in post season training, registration in the USA Swimming program is required.  

• There are clinics offered throughout the year to continue to train outside of the SAL season.