• Address: 13454 SE Newport Way Bellevue, WA 98006

• Phone Number: 425.746.2786

  Edgebrook Orcas

  Our team is a member of the Midlakes Swim League - a summer swim league for all ages and abilities. The goal of our team is to provide every member an opportunity to improve swimming skills and achieve success at his or her level of ability, from novice and beyond!

  We are a non-profit club run by an elected Board of Directors which meets each monthly. We have both summer and equity memberships. All members are welcome at each meeting and encouraged to be involved in team activities and fundraisers.

  Accessing The Pool

  Please enter through the “Pool Entrance” for all swim practice and meets! This is located in the parking lot. You will see a big sign that say “Pool Entrance” and “Pool Exit”.
   

Swim Team Administrator

 Kate Halter
• [email protected]

Coaching Staff

All coaching contact information is on our website.

• Head Coach Laura Halter

• Assistant Coach Charlotte Holton

• Assistant Coach Aiden Stauffer

• Assistant Coach Chloe Dandeneau

• Junior Coach (little Orcas) Jason Auffant and Lucy Sheppard
  
  All coaches are available for private lessons. To schedule, please contact them individually. If they are not available, we have a great team of swim instructors.

2025 PRACTICE SCHEDULE( M-F)
(Subject to change!)

Afternoon practices begin Monday, May 19th: 
4:15-4:45 pm - 8 & Under (Little Orcas starting May 27th)
4:45-5:30pm - 9 & 10 yrs old
5:30-6:15pm - 11 & 12 yrs old
6:15-7:15pm - 13 & Over

NO PRACTICE MAY 26th

Morning practices ONLY begin Wednesday, June 25th:(Starting this date, there are morning practices on the days of meets)
7:45-8:45am - 13 & Over
8:45-9:30am - 11 & 12 yrs old
9:30-10:15am - 9 & 10 yrs old
10:15-11:00am - 8 & Under and Little Orcas


NO PRACTICE  JUNE 6th (Time Trials)

PICTURE DAY JUNE 25th (NO practice, just pictures and treats!)

NO PRACTICE JULY 5th 
 

Swim Team Clinics

Swim team clinics will be hosted by your coaching staff! This is a great opportunity to get some extra work in, to improve those swim skills.

• Clinic Sessions will be held on Saturdays. The schedule will be out in June. Thank you for your patience!

• Clinics are sign up ONLY! You will be able to sign up and pay online.

• Session will be scheduled by age group.

Swim Meet Season

• For every meet, you will need to either opt in or out. If you do not make a selection, you will NOT be put in a meet that week.

• If you select "yes" for both the A and the B meet, this does not guarantee you will be in both meets - just that you are available for both. Based on the size of the team, there will be weeks where swimmers just can't fit in both meets. There will also be a comment section if you want to send a note to the coaches about that specific meet i.e. "no fly please" or "have to leave early for a recital, no free relay".

• If last minute circumstances arise and your child is unable to swim in a meet, please call Coach Laura’s cell phone (425) 503-7802 so the coaches can reorganize the line-ups.

  The swim meet season can really be divided into three distinct parts.

1. Division Dual Meets: For five weeks in a row there will be two meets each week - one "A" Meet and one "B" Meet. These meets are where Edgebrook swims against one other team in our division. These meets are on Tuesdays and Thursdays and one will be at home and one will be away each week.

2. Division Championships (B Champs) are on July 22nd at Edgebrook.

3. The League Championships are on July 23rd at KCAC.

The format of the championship season is currently still being discussed and we will update you as soon as possible.

"A" and "B" Meets

• Several factors influence if your child will be swimming in the “A” and/or “B” meets. If they achieve an “A” time (see web site), they will be unable to swim that event in any future “B” meet. However, a child need not achieve that time to swim in an “A” meet. The decision can be influenced by the depth of swimmers in a particular age group and by the meet in which others in the family are swimming.

• Your swimmer will generally swim in one meet per week. Coaches post dual meet rosters to the website on Sunday nights.

• Meet sign ups will be online. You must sign up for meets by midnight the Friday before. The meet entry list will be post that Sunday.

Swim Meet Line-Ups (aka “Heat Sheets”)

When you arrive to a meet, you should start by finding the Edgebrook volunteer who is checking in swimmers. Each swimmer has their own heat sheet with their events listed. This process both tells you what your swimmer is swimming, but it also serves as a check-in for the coaches so they know which swimmers have yet to arrive. Always get your heat sheet as soon as possible!

What is a heat sheet?

• It is the complete line-up of swimmers for the meet. This document will be posted on the pool deck in at least one central location, often two. This will show you the events your swimmer is in, and which heat and lane they are in for each event. You will also be able to see who else is in their relay, so you can help gather the right swimmers for the relays.

Here are a few details about what you might see on your heat sheet:

• Each swimmer is limited to a maximum of four events per meet -- three individual and one relay, or two individual and two relays (one medley and one freestyle relay).

• Often there is more than one heat per event; and sometimes there are exhibition heats, which are not scored and occur before the scored heats. If your child is swimming in an exhibition heat, there will be an E or X next to their name on the heat sheet. While their times don’t count towards the team score, they do count towards “Personal Bests”.

• Until your child has achieved a time for any given event, they will have an NT listed on their heat sheet. This just means No Time. once they have a valid time, their fastest time will be the time that appears on their heat sheet.

• For each of their events, swimmers need to know:

• Event Number and Stroke • Heat
• Lane

• For Relays – Position and Stroke

Swim Meet Line-Ups (aka “Heat Sheets”) Continued...
Every dual meet consists of 68 events. The order of these events is always the same:

• Medley Relay – order of strokes: Back, breast, fly, free

• Individual Medley (“IM”) – Order of Strokes: Fly, Back, Breast, Free

• Freestyle

• Backstroke

• Breaststroke

• Butterfly

• Free Relay

• Youngest age groups swim each stroke first; no “IM” for 8 & under. Watch the event board and listen to the announcer call the heats so your child knows when to report to the starting blocks.

• Swimmers should report to the staging area approximately five heats before their race. Feel free to wait with your young swimmers in the staging area. It is absolutely necessary that all swimmers report to the staging area prior to their race. If the swimmer is not there on time, they will miss the event—the heat will not wait for missing swimmers

Strokes

Freestyle does not mean the crawl stroke. Any stroke, from dogpaddle to butterfly, is legal in a freestyle race. Hanging on the wall or standing on the bottom, while not recommended, is legal in a freestyle race. (Hanging on the wall or standing on the bottom is illegal in any other race.) However, it is an infraction to pull oneself along the wall or lane rope, or to jump forward off the bottom – seen occasionally among the youngest swimmers. All forward motion must come from swimming. The swimmer must touch the wall with some part of their body at the end of each length. This is the most common DQ in freestyle races. It occurs when a swimmer performs a flip turn too early, misses the wall with their feet, and continues to swim the next lap. If a swimmer misses the wall they should either back-paddle until they can touch the wall with a toe or turn around, go back, and touch the wall.

Backstroke

The most important rule is that the swimmer must stay on their back. The swimmer cannot curl their toes over the gutter on the start. Beginning swimmers are occasionally DQed for turning over onto their breast so that they can see how far they are from the wall. Frequently they will turn onto their breast when they grab the wall at the finish. They need to touch the wall while still on their backs. Rules governing backstroke flip turns are detailed on the Midlakes website.

Breaststroke

Breaststroke is by far the most difficult stroke to do legally. At the start and after each turn the swimmer is allowed one underwater pull and one underwater kick, in that order, and may be completely submerged. Some part of the swimmer’s head must break the surface of the water by the time the arms have reached the widest part of the second pull. Then some part of the swimmer’s head must break the surface of the water on each pull until the wall is reached at the other end. Except for the one underwater pull mentioned above, the arm pulls cannot extend past the hip line. The hands must turn in at the belly and move forward under the breast. The arms pulls must be simultaneous, may be at or below the surface, but must be pushed forward from the breast. The kick must be a “frog kick” with the toes pointed out during the propulsive part of the kick. Flutter kicks, dolphin kicks, and scissors kicks are illegal. The pulls and kicks must alternate. The swimmer can’t do two kicks or two pulls in a row. The most common DQ is the one-handed touch on the turn or the finish in breaststroke. On all turns, and at the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands simultaneously. The swimmer must be on towards the breast prior to the feet leaving the wall.

Butterfly

On all turns and at the finish the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands simultaneously. The turn rules are the same as for breaststroke. The arms must recover simultaneously over the water and be pulled back simultaneously. The kick must be a dolphin kick. The feet do not have to be together, but they may not cross. When properly done there are two dolphin kicks for each butterfly pull, however this is not a rule.

Description of Relay Teams

Medley Relay: 8 & under and 10 & under

• Swim only 25 yards (one length) for each leg of race

• Order of strokes: Back, Breast, Fly, Freestyle

• (1st) Backstroke and (3rd) Butterfly begin at starting blocks

• (2nd) Breaststroke and (4th) Freestyle begin at the end with no starting blocks

  Medley Relay: 11 & over

• Swim 50 yards each (2 lengths)

• Order of strokes: Back, Breast, Fly, Free

• All swimmers begin at starting blocks

  Free Relay: 8 & under

• Swim only 25 yards (one length) for each leg of race

• 1st and 3rd swimmers begin at starting blocks

• 2nd and 4th swimmers begin from the end with no starting blocks

  Free Relay: 10 & over

• All swimmers swim 50 yards (2 lengths) and begin at starting blocks

  Judging and Disqualification (DQ)

• Competitive Swimming, like any other sport, has a set of rules and has officials to enforce these rules. Stroke & Turn Judges stand at the ends or walk the sides of the pool watching the swimmers. While it can be a great disappointment to a beginning swimmer, a DQ is really little different than a foul in basketball or a penalty in soccer or football. Obviously DQs should be avoided if possible, but when they happen they should be viewed as a learning experience. Below is an informal summary of the major rules for each stroke with some comments as to which infractions are the most common causes of DQs.

• The Midlakes Swim League Website provides complete stroke briefing, whistle start procedures, relay takeoffs, and DQ information.

What to Bring to a Swim Meet

• Summer swimming in the Seattle can be quite the adventure - you never know what the weather will be. Some meets will be scorching hot, while others could have you bundled in a sleeping bag. The best strategy is to come prepared for anything!

• Meets can also be long. Warm-ups will start at 4:00 (home meets) or 4:45 (away meets) and will typically end around 8:30. Your goal is to keep your swimmers warm, fed, and entertained during that time! Here are some must-pack items from veteran swim parents.

• Team suit, cap, and goggles. It’s not a bad idea to have extras of everything.

• Plenty of towels – at least one for each event plus warm-ups – up to 5 per child.

• Food and water or money for concessions. Swimmers are always hungry!

• Warm clothes for swimmer (and you); dry clothes for the end of the meet.

• Rain gear, including large garbage bags to keep everything dry. All pools are outdoors!

• Ballpoint or Sharpie pen for writing events on swimmer’s arm (optional).

• Cards and games for wait time between events.

• Blankets, sleeping bags, chairs for the lawn, small tents, umbrellas.

• Meets are held rain or shine, so pack accordingly. Meet officials will cancel the meet in the event of thunder or lightning for safety reasons, but please do not make your own assumptions. When in doubt, show up at the meet! If you are going to be late to a meet, please inform the coach! Keep their cell phone numbers with you at all times! And don’t forget to bring maps to away meets – found under the Pool Locations tab.

Tips for a Positive Experience at the Meets

• Come prepared with the proper equipment.

• Arrive on time for warm-ups.

• Make sure your children know what events they are swimming.

• Encourage them to achieve their own personal best.

• Praise them on the race no matter what the outcome.

• Have fun and cheer them on!

  Swim Meet Rules for Spectators

• As per Midlakes Operating Plan, alcohol is not permitted within the zone of competition. (Pool rules prohibit any glass objects on the pool deck.)

• Absolutely NO photos behind the starting blocks. You may take photos of your athlete in other areas on the pool deck. No flash photography!

• Please follow all facility rules at home and away meets.

• This is a family friendly environment. Please be mindful!

• HAVE FUN☺

Parent Volunteer Expectations

Family participation in swim team is a mandatory requirement because swim meets are run entirely by volunteers. The volunteer requirement per family is ten (10) points. Points are NOT equivalent to “hours spent”, but rather are weighted in a way that prioritizes essential “on-deck positions”. Households who ONLY have a “Little Orca” swimmer have a reduced requirement to four (4) points.

If this volunteer requirement is not met by the end of the season, Edgebrook may assess a fine of up to $300 per household (equivalent to $30 per unfulfilled point). Edgebrook aquatics regularly scheduled employees, Midlakes board members and parent representatives, and leadership positions approved by the aquatics committee all receive complete fulfillment of their volunteer requirements for the season.

If your child swims in a post-season meet and we are short volunteers, you will likely be called upon to volunteer even if you have already fulfilled your volunteer requirement for the season.

***Details of how to sign-up on the new site included here***
Any special arrangements for a reduction in household requirements must be IN WRITING (email is OK) and submitted to the Parent Volunteer Coordinator prior to the end of the season.

Making the Volunteer Expectation Work for YOUR Family

• Volunteer at the meets your child swims. This works for families with experienced swimmers or those who have two parents at the meet so one can volunteer while the other is parenting.

• Volunteer at a meet your child does NOT swim. You can enjoy volunteering without worrying about your kids missing their events (or missing your kids’ events.)

• Other people can volunteer on your behalf. Consider bringing a friend, relative, high school babysitter-type, or even another Orca parent who has already met their volunteer commitment. As long as they are willing to work for or with you, it all counts.

• Commit all your volunteer time to “B Champs”. Set aside your entire Saturday +/- the Friday evening beforehand to do the Edgebrook Orcas proud as we host Division I Championships.

• “Cash for Points” fundraiser. $20/point or all or part of your 10 points. Some families really struggle to fulfill the volunteer expectations. We are offering you a solution; and while it isn’t an easy out, it is more affordable and “feel good” than being fined up to $30/point at the end of the season. It also serves as an incentive to keep Orca teens involved and spending their time in a safe, fun summertime environment while they work on your behalf and raise funds for the team.

Volunteer Positions

Below is a description of various “on deck” volunteer opportunities. More volunteers are needed for our home meets than for away meets. Post-season positions may be assigned greater point values.

Position Description Points Value Training Required?

Officials Virtual Training

o Please click here to view the 2025 officials training information.