Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Hammerheads?
The Hammerhead Swim Team is a neighborhood swim team made up primarily of Honey Meadows and Rutland residents, but the team is open to anyone in the immediate area of our pool. We are a summer-only team…it’s a little too cold outside the rest of the year!
Where are the Hammerheads located?
Our home pool is the Honey Meadows neighborhood community pool. The address for the pool and clubhouse is 10004 Meadow Pond Drive, Mechanicsville, VA.
Will you teach my child to swim?
It's important to note that we are organized around swimming as a sport, with competitions. While we will teach your child how to swim the four strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly), your child should already be safe and competent in the water before joining the team. Our minimum requirement is that they be able to cross from one end of the pool to the other, by themselves, without panicking or needing to be rescued. They should also be comfortable with putting their face in the water. New potential swimmers will be evaluated by the coaches prior to joining the team.
How long is a season?
Practices start mid-May and go through the end of July. There are 6 regular meets per season, starting about halfway through. The Championship meet (Champs) is the last event, towards the end of July.
What equipment does my child need to be on the swim team?
The only things needed are goggles and a swimsuit. We do recommend that your child wear a competition-style swimsuit for practices, which is a racer-back one-piece for girls and jammers for boys. The team provides a latex swim cap to new swimmers, but you may want to purchase a silicone cap if your child has long hair (they don’t pull the hair as much).
Where do we go when we get there?
There are two ways to enter the pool. The main entrances are from the parking lot next to the upper deck, with two sets of stairs going down to the pool deck. The secondary entrance is at the pool level down by the pump house. Older kids who can get out of the car quickly and safely can be dropped off right by that entrance. We recommend that younger kids be walked in from the parking lot, using either entrance.
What should I expect the first day of practice?
VERY COLD WATER!!!!! These kids will be cold, so bring two towels and a sweatshirt. They mind less than the parents will, but just know there will be some shivering. Come to practice a few minutes early every day, but especially that first day. Get their goggles on, give them a high five and then send them over to wait with the coaches. The coaches will take over from there. At the end of your child’s practice time, be ready to wrap them up in a towel and take them home to eat. Kids tend to be ravenous after a swim practice.
Do I need to stay and watch practice?
Nope...but please make sure you are on time at pick up. If your child has a medical condition, i.e. asthma or severe bee allergies, we ask that you stay, but otherwise, take that time to pick up some groceries or read a book. If you do decide to stay that is perfectly fine, but we ask that you stay on the upper wooden deck OR on the pool deck on the opposite side of the club house. Our pool deck is very small and our coaches, swimmers and HM residents need to have the space to safely walk around and maneuver. These two designated spaces will allow you the space to relax and observe without being too close to the action. Safety is our NUMBER ONE priority.
How often should my child attend practices?
Swimmers should try to attend one practice per day as often as possible. Swimming is a sport best learned through repetition. They will get out of it what they put in. We recommend a minimum goal of attending three (3) practices per week.
Still have questions? Email us at [email protected] and we'll help you out.
