FAQS AND PARENT INFO

Have questions about BAC's training groups, volunteer service hours, or swimming terminology? Find your answers here!

FAQs

SERVICE HOURS

SERVICE & MEET POSITIONS

GLOSSARY

BAC TEAM MEMBER PACKET

FAQS

These FAQs answer common questions people have about the structure of our swim training groups. If you have other questions, please contact us at:

Ben Chung: [email protected]

When do group move-ups occur?

Group move-ups will occur 3 times per year.  Coaches will confer about specific swimmers in advance of these 3 move-up times: beginning of fall (mid-August), middle of winter (end of December), and at the conclusion of short course season (mid-April).  Swimmers will move between groups in a stage (i.e. Junior 1 Group to Junior 2 Group) or swimmers may move groups when they have aged or are about to age into the next age bracket (i.e. 8 turning 9 or 12 turning 13).  These group move-up dates are targeted to have relevance to and to correspond with the competitive swimming calendar.

What happens if we can’t come to our designated practice time?

The coaching staff has done our best to build group rosters that will put our swimmers in the best position to succeed with respect to our staff’s knowledge of your swimmer.  The BAC Age Group Swimming program does share the pool with the high school as well as other BAC groups, and we’ve done our best to create a schedule that will keep our coaches and athletes in the best position to succeed. Our group times maximize our pool space, and we hope that you can manage your schedule to accommodate for the swim team.

What happens if we do not meet the attendance or meet participation requirements of our group?

If you cannot meet the requirements of the group you have been placed in, you will be encouraged to have a meeting with your group coach to determine the best course of action.  This may include moving down a group (within the same stage) or refocusing the time commitments of the swimmer.  We have these attendance and competition requirements in place for the best interest of the competitive development of the swimmer.

What if I want to join the swim team but have no competition history to qualify for my age group? 

We encourage all prospective swimmers to do a tryout with our coaching staff.  If a swimmer exhibits the requisite skills to be placed in one of the groups, then we are happy to have that swimmer give it a try.  If a swimmer cannot demonstrate those requisite skills, we will encourage that swimmer to seek out lessons and perhaps give the tryout process another attempt at a future date.

TEAM SUPPORT HOURS WITH BAC

Much of BAC’s success is thanks to help from our parent community. Team Support hours are an integral part of our club, and we are lucky to have so many active parents. It takes a lot of energy and time for the coaches to plan seasonal outlines, training regimens, and daily practices, not to mention the actual time and energy spent on the pool deck for workouts and competitions. BAC wants its coaches to continue to focus their efforts directly on the athletes, which creates a need for parents to help out behind the scenes with planning/running major events, assisting with administrative tasks, and many other small but crucial jobs. To ensure the success of BAC and its athletes, BAC requires that all families contribute a certain number of service hours every year.

Much of the service hours center on three annual meets at BAC, lane timing at "away meets," assisting with fundraisers, and extra events such as the Awards Banquet and other “out of the pool” experiences. Roles range in size and responsibility. There are also many other “odd” jobs along the way that can fulfill the service requirement without a major commitment. New jobs arise all the time, and if you have any special talents you would like to share with the club, we would love to hear about them!

Each BAC Swimming family is required to fulfill a minimum number of hours of service every swimming year (August-July), with the commitment level varying by Group:

Barracuda 1, Barracuda 2, Barracuda 3, Age Group 1: 21 hours/year (or 7 hours/trimester)

All Other Groups: 30 hours/year (or 10 hours/trimester)

If a swimmer enrolls after the first trimester, the family is required to serve a minimum number of hours per Trimester (no pro-rations for mid-trimester enrollment).  Any hours not fulfilled by July 31 of the current year are billed at a rate of $30 per hour not worked. Deadline for reporting hours is August 15 of the current year.  Billing for unfulfilled hours occurs by August 31; no adjustments can be made once the charges are made.  If you withdraw from the Swim Team before the end of the year, you will be billed for any unfulfilled hours upon withdrawal. 

Many of the ways you can help are outlined below. The list covers both meet-related jobs and jobs that are ongoing.
 

KEY YEAR-ROUND SERVICE POSITIONS

These positions are most important to running our club and require a year-round commitment.  These positions should report their hours to [email protected] at least once per trimester.

• BAC Board Members – The needs of the BAC Board change throughout the year based on the make-up of the current group. If you are interested in becoming a part of this important group of club representatives please talk with the Club Director.
• BAC Boosters – Join our parent committee and act as a liaison between parents, coaches and management. Coordinate special events, fundraisers and be available to support the Swim Team as needed. 
• Travel Meet Parent Chaperones - Supervise swimmers at travel meets including on the pool deck and at hotel/accommodations, assist coaches with meals, travel and various other tasks.  
• Special Projects – TBD by coaches: may include equipment set up, ordering special team gear, additional administrative support, etc.

If you are intersted in learning more about these positions, please email Coach Ben! [email protected]

SWIM MEET-RELATED POSITIONS

These positions can be signed up for preceding any home (or away) meet. BAC’s online sign-ups will tell you in advance which positions are open and need to be filled. Hours spent for these positions must be logged through the Volunteer Hour Coordinator at each meet.

• Assistant to the Meet Director – (Two or three positions) Work with Meet Director to fulfill any volunteer and organizational needs.
• Assistant to the Computer Chair – (Two or three positions) Work with Computer Chair to fulfill any operational needs during BAC hosted meets.
• Timing System Operators – Set up, test, and run the timing system during the meet.
• Snack Bar Workers – Tend the snack bar during the meet. Work with Snack Bar Chair to provide hospitality to coaches, officials, and timers during the meet.
• Head Timers – Stay at the starting area during shift and start extra watches. Provide clipboards and pencils for each timing lane. Assist timers in individual lanes as needed.
• Meet Timers – Sit in a timing chair and press the buttons; needed at away meets as well as home meets. When your swimmer checks in at a meet, please find out via the program or host club where BAC is assigned and plan to take a shift during the meet.
• Meet Volunteer Coordinator – Sign up volunteers to staff our home swim meets and ensure that all positions are filled. Generate sign-up sheets before the meet and report hours to the Head Volunteer Coordinator after the meet.
• Meet Entries Chair – Coordinate all meet entries.
• Clerk of the Course – Oversee swimmer check-in at meets. Work with officials and computer chair to follow meet timeline.
• Check-in Table – Staff the check-in table during home meets and help swimmers check-in.
• Marshals – Survey the pool deck and locker rooms during the meet to enforce all safety rules. Monitor warm-up lanes during the meet; make sure swimmers and spectators follow all posted rules. (The orange vest people who keep all meet areas safe and clean.)
• Announcers – Announce swimmers and results during the meet.
• Meet Awards – Order ribbons and “A” medals before a meet. Put labels on awards and distribute to coaches of all clubs at end of meet.
• Facility Assistance – Set-up, take-down, and clean-up at home swim meets.

If your hours are not automatically updated in your account, please notify us of the hours you have worked by sending an email to: [email protected]

If you have questions about any service positions please let us know! Thank you for your support of BAC and all the time and energy you put into making BAC one of the best places to swim in the bay area!