Saybrook Sharks Swim Team and Lessons
Parent Handbook
Welcome to the Saybrook Sharks
Saybrook Swim Team is a member of the Naperville Swim Conference (“NSC”). The NSC is composed of local swim teams. The conference goal is to provide competitive swim opportunities to as many young people as possible, to allow these youngsters to discover their swimming potential, and to help them develop the qualities of good sportsmanship.
Saybrook Swim Team Philosophy
The philosophy of our team is to provide children an introduction to organized swimming on a neighborhood team in compliance with NSC regulations. The rewards to the children are not measured in trophies, ribbons, wins and losses, but rather by learning and perfecting the various strokes; exposing the children to each stroke in a meet environment, improving on personal best times; interacting with other team members; learning to be a team player, setting goals, attaining them and then reaching for higher goals, making new friends and becoming reacquainted with old ones and most importantly, having a fun and enjoyable experience.
Swim Lessons Guidelines
Saybrook swim lessons are designed to better prepare our 3-6 year olds for the Saybrook Sharks swim team. Saybrook swim lessons are only available to current bond holding and trial members of Saybrook pool and their immediate family members. Space is limited, registration will begin in Early April and is on a first come basis.
Please note that while swim team staff run the lessons, the swim lesson program is separate from the Saybrook Sharks swim team.
Failure to comply with the eligibility requirements will result in expulsion from swim lessons, forfeiture of any fees already paid, and referral to the pool board for possible disciplinary actions.
Swim lessons are organized according to age and ability. The coaches will evaluate swimmers to determine that each child is in the appropriate level and will move children up (or down) based on their performance throughout the summer. Swim levels are listed below: ● Beginner – Minnow (age 3-4)
● Intermediate- Barracuda (age 3-5)
● Advanced- Dolphin (age 4-6)
Swim Team Eligibility
Saybrook Sharks swim team is open to children beginning the summer before they enter kindergarten (min. 4 yrs.) and may swim through their senior year in high school (max. 18 yrs.) who are: current bond holding and trial members of Saybrook pool and their immediate family members, and current Saybrook employees including swim coaches and lifeguards.
In order to swim in a meet, a child must be able to swim one length of the pool with minimal assistance prior to July 1st, after which, they must swim completely unassisted. Swim meet eligibility will be assessed by the coaches each week until the swimmer meets the appropriate skillset.
Failure to comply with the eligibility requirements will result in expulsion from the swim team, forfeiture of any fees already paid, and referral to the pool board for possible disciplinary actions.
Refund Policy
A refund of registration fees (less $25) will be issued to any swimmer who withdraws from the swim team within 5 calendar days of the swim practice start date. After that time, no refunds will be issued.
Coaching Eligibility
Swim coaches will be hired based on the following:
● Current bond holding members of Saybrook pool
● Current Saybrook lifeguards
● Other community members
○ Hired at the discretion of the swim team’s President, Vice President and Head Coach based on necessity
Swim team coaches must be a rising freshman in high school or older and are “volunteers” for the first year of coaching, regardless of age. Volunteer coaches earn service hours and may be eligible for a bonus at the end of the swim season, based on attendance and performance. After
the first year of coaching, salaries for coaches are based on seniority and availability throughout the season at the discretion of the president, vice president and head coaches. Failure to attend a reasonable number of practices and meets will result in a forfeiture of the coaches bonus and may result in the removal of the swim coach for the remainder of the season. If a swim coach is removed from their position, regular swim team fees and volunteering requirements will be assessed to that family for that swim season. Coaches removal is at the discretion of the head coach, president and vice president of the swim team.
Age Groups
Swim team is divided into the following age groups: 6 & under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-18. The birthdate cut-off is 5/31 of the current year.
Medical Waivers
These are extremely important to have on hand at the pool to keep everyone safe in the event of a medical emergency. Your swimmers will not be able to attend practice or meets until the medical waiver has been completed and received by the swim team vice president, forms are available on the team website.
Volunteering Policy
The success of our meets depends heavily on parent support and participation. Volunteering is also a fun way to be involved with the kids and parents. All swim team parents are required to take their turn in volunteering during the swim season. Each family is required to sign up to work four to six times throughout the regular meet schedule (maximum of one social event). The number of work dates assigned for each family is related to the amount of families registered on the team and is determined at the end of registration.
Every family will also be required to work at either the Classic or the City Meet if their child is swimming in the meet, regardless of their current chair position, swimmer’s age and coaches status. These sign-ups will be posted near the end of the season.
Substitutes may ONLY be hired for the following positions during our regular season: concessions, timer, runner, and floater/hospitality. The volunteer coordinator must be notified and approve all substitute volunteers at least 48 hours prior to each swim meet. A list of approved substitute volunteers for hire is available upon request, hiring a substitute not on the approved list will result in a “no show” and will not be counted towards your volunteer obligations.
ALL call-outs or no-shows, regardless of the reason, will result in an unfilled job being assigned to you at a later swim meet date.
Should the meet be canceled due to weather or safety concerns, there will be a make-up meet scheduled which you will be required to attend. In the case of multiple rain-dates, unscheduled workers will be on-call at the next meet they attend as a floater or a marshal.
Committee Chairs are responsible for working all parts of their job and not allowed to farm out their role. As a Committee Chair, you are responsible for ownership of the role and will be working outside of swim meets. This includes NSC training and or meetings that align with your chair. Committee chairs are responsible for volunteering at Classic and or City.
Coaches - Coach's parents who DO NOT have younger swimmers are not required to volunteer. However if your child isn’t fulfilling the coaching requirements then you as a parent will be asked to pay the registration fee and work all volunteer requirements for the season. Additionally, coaches' parents are required to volunteer for the Classic and City swim meets.
All unfilled outstanding volunteer obligations will be assessed $250 per unfulfilled job at the end of the swim season. Repeat offenses may result in expulsion from the swim team.
Practices
We understand that you won’t be able to make every practice. You do not need to let the coaches know when you can’t make practice. We do ask that you let the coaches know if you will have an extended absence.
Swim Meet Attendance
As a member of the swim team, each swimmer is expected to swim in a minimum of 3 meets throughout the swim season. However, regardless of how many meets you commit to, your family will still be responsible for all your mandatory volunteer requirements. Swimmers must participate in 3 regular season swim meets to be eligible to swim at the Classic or City competitions. Failure to swim in a minimum in 3 swim meets may result in a suspension of registering for the swim team for the following year.
You will be required to indicate your availability for each meet online by signing in to your Sharks account and visiting the Events page. Each event will have an “Edit Commitment” button with which you can change either “yes” or “no” for your swimmer’s attendance. Swimmers who have not declared for a given meet 7 days prior to the meet date will not be entered in any events.
We understand that conflicts arise, and request that any changes in swimmer availability be made as soon as possible by filling out our add/drop form found on our website. When swimmers declare for a meet but fail to show up, or when swimmers leave a meet early unbeknownst to coaches, it negatively impacts other swimmers. Please, if your child cannot keep a meet commitment, let the coaches know as soon as possible, and check out with coaches prior to leaving a meet. Repeated “day-of scratched” swimmers may result in a suspension from the swim team.
Time Trials
The Sharks Time Trial is an intrasquad meet held immediately before the competitive season begins. During the time trial, every swimmer is timed in every event available for his or her respective age group. Results from the time trial provide coaching staff with an idea of each swimmer’s ability level and help them determine the appropriateness of each child’s practice placement. The times also establish a base seed time for each swimmer—one that may be used to
gauge his or her personal growth over the course of the season. For our younger swimmers and families new to competitive swimming, the time serves as a useful orientation to how a swim meet is run.
Time trials do not count towards the minimum (3) requirement of swim meets for each season. After the second dual meet, those times will not be used as a “best time” for your swimmer.
Regular Season Dual Meets
Arrive by 7:30 am for Saturday morning meets and by 4:30 pm for afternoon meets. Your swimmer will need to check in with the coaches at that time. This is called positive check-in and lets the coaches and scoring chairpersons know that your child is present and ready to swim. If a name is not highlighted when check-in closes (7:45 am for Saturdays and 4:45 pm on Tuesdays/Thursdays), the swimmer will be scratched and unable to participate. If you know you are running late, please let another swim family know to tell the coach to avoid being scratched from the meet.
Once positive check-in closes, the heat sheets will be printed off. Each coach and the bull-pen worker will have copies of the heat-sheet. The Clerk of Course workers will gather the 6&U, 7-8, and 9-10 swimmers a few events prior to their event and line them up; all swimmers 11 and up are responsible for getting to their own races in a timely fashion. The coaches will be behind the blocks helping ensure the correct swimmer is in the correct spot. Parents are not allowed behind the blocks during swim meets. Always check with a coach before you leave a meet to make sure your child is not in a relay.
Swim Meet Rules & Regulations
All swimmers, parents/volunteers, officials, and coaches will be governed under the Naperville Swim Conference Bylaws and Rules. NSC rules are available for your review on the conference website, www.napervilleswim.org. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourselves with these rules, and, by signing your child/children up to compete with the Saybrook Sharks swim team, you agree to abide by them.
At the meet:
● Swimmers and parents are responsible for reading and following posted guidelines of the host pool.
● There is to be no running, shoving, jumping, or any other inappropriate behavior. Pushing anyone into the pool is strictly prohibited.
● All swimmers should remain near their team area. In the event of a change to the line-ups, the coaches should be able to find swimmers and parents easily at all times. ● Lifeguards and/or coaches should be notified in case of emergency.
● Warm-up guidelines must be adhered to. Diving is permitted only during designated times and in designated lanes. Feet-first entry to the pool is required all other times. ● Food is allowed in designated areas only. There is no clean up staff; all are expected to do their part.
● Smoking, vaping, and the use of other tobacco products is not permitted anywhere within the Saybrook Pool, its patio area, or pool deck/locker room facilities.
Swimmer’s Code of Conduct
All swim team members are expected to behave in a safe, responsible manner at all swim team events (meets, practices, and socials). All swimmers, officials, coaches, buildings and other pool facilities should be treated with respect at all times. Inappropriate behavior, such as vandalism, profanity, or breaking pool safety rules, will not be tolerated and will be handled by the coaching staff in the following manner:
● After the first offense the swimmer will be removed from the activity and his/her parents will be notified of the behavior by the coach.
● After the second offense, the swimmer will receive a three day suspension from swim team activities.
● Following a third offense the swimmer will be dropped from the team. No refunds of team fees will be made.
Communication
We will communicate with the team mainly through email. Our website will also be kept up to date with the most current information. Please read the team emails carefully to ensure that you are up to date on all swim activities, it is the responsibility of each family to stay up to date on swim team emails and information.
Communication with Coaching Staff
Many of you may have questions regarding your child’s swim team experience throughout the summer. The coaches are more than happy to discuss any concerns or questions you may have. Please wait to speak directly to the head or assistant coach after scheduled practices, please do not do it while they are on the deck coaching. Their responsibility during practices and meets is
to the swimmers in the water. Communicating with coaches during practices and meets not only compromises coaching and instruction, it creates a safety and supervision issue as well.
Social Events
Social activities bring our swimmers together for fun outside the pool. Participation is encouraged to build friendships and team spirit while providing a season of fun for the swimmers. Reminders of all socials will be sent out via email and on the website. When
necessary, sign-ups will be posted on the swim team website. Signing up is necessary to help our volunteers plan for sufficient quantities of food or other materials.
In accordance with the Naperville Swim Conference Rules alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited at all swim team functions.
* All swimmers 9 years & younger must be accompanied by an adult at all swim team functions (meets and socials).*
*All swimmers must be accompanied by an adult at swim meets.*
Classic Championship Meet
Swimmers (aged 12 and under) who have not met the time qualifications for the City Championship Swim Meet (or who have met the time qualifications for the City Meet but choose not to swim in the City Meet) will represent the Sharks in the Classic Championship Meet for any events in which the swimmer failed to earn a city qualifying time. The Classic Championship Meet will be held the week prior to the City Championship Meet.
Many swimmers qualify for awards, and it is an exciting way to end the swim season. Please try and arrange your schedule so that your swimmer can attend this important event. A swimmer must participate in at least three regular season meets in order to swim at Classic. Parents have a responsibility to work a job at this meet, in addition to their regular meet obligation, if their child is swimming.
Championship Meet
All swimmers aged 13 and older, and those aged 7-12 who have achieved a City qualifying time in one or more stroke, will represent the Sharks at the City Championship Meet. This is the final meet of the Naperville Swim Conference season and includes all teams in the Conference. At the
City Meet, the number of individual events in which a swimmer is eligible to compete is determined by the number of qualifying times earned. Additionally, swimmers may compete in relay events in any stroke at the coach’s discretion. If a swimmer who has achieved City qualifying times opts instead to participate in the Classic Meet, that swimmer may only swim in individual events or relay leg strokes in which he or she has not achieved a City qualifying time. A swimmer who has participated in the Classic Meet may swim in the City Meet at the coach’s discretion, but only as a member of a relay team. A swimmer must participate in at least three regular season meets in order to swim at City. Parents have a responsibility to work a job at this meet, in addition to their regular meet obligation, if their child is swimming. City qualifying times can be found at:
https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/recnpssil/page/newsletter/city-times Swim Team Committees
The Swim Team Committee consists of: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Social Chair, Concessions Chair, Volunteer Coordinator, Ribbons Chair, Spirit Wear Chair, Spirit Chair, Boy’s Invite Chair, Conference Representatives, Timing System Chair, Computers Chair, Technology Chair, Sponsorship Chair.
All other members of the swim team committees are appointed by the President, Vice President and Head Coaches. There is no set term for committee chairs, however, failure to attend at least 80% of the swim meets for the necessary committees (Concessions, Volunteer, Spirit, Timing System, Computers, etc.) may result in a replacement of that chair position.
The Swim Team President sits on the Saybrook Bath & Racquet Club Board as a representative of the Swim Team. The position of Chairperson is elected by the members of the Bath and Racquet Club at their Annual Meeting.
Please consider volunteering. It's great fun and we need good volunteers to keep our Sharks swimming!
Sponsorship
Sponsorships help the swim team to continue to provide great coaching, offer fun team building events, and purchase the necessary equipment we need to run a successful program. There are various levels of sponsorship available, it is a great way to advertise your business throughout our regular swim season.
