Register for Swim Team!

Welcome to the 2025 Swim Team Season! 

Willowdale Swim Team is for swimmers aged 5 to 18 who are able to swim at least 1 lap (25 meters) of freestyle on their own, without any kind of assistance. (Swimmers who are ages 4-7 who cannot complete a lap of freestyle should consider joining our pre-swim team Pod Squad.)

Our swim team has swimmers of varying abilities and is a welcoming place for anyone looking for a fun summer swim experience!

  • Swimmers will focus on the 4 competitive strokes during the season - freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.
  • Newer swimmers will be taught proper form of each stroke.
  • More experienced swimmers will be taught refinements and technique to improve their strokes.
  • Swimmers will also receive instruction on starts and turns.

We have many fun social events through the summer swim season, including Friday night pasta dinners, a kick-off party, team-building activities every week, and an end-of-season banquet!  All swimmers are invited to these events and will also receive a complimentary swim team t-shirt.

Why is summer swim such a special experience?

  • It’s fun!
  • It’s great exercise
  • It builds confidence
  • It’s a great way for your child to meet other kids in the neighborhood
  • It’s a great way for you to meet other parents

Practices

Practices begin right after Memorial Day during our Early Season.  We recognize that many swimmers are wrapping up other commitments in these final weeks of the school year and encourage swimmers to attend practice during the Early Season when they are able.

Regular Season practice begins when school finishes, and swimmers are encouraged to attend at least 3 practices per week (but no more than one per day).  Please see below for precise practice times.  If your swimmer cannot attend practice, please let Coach Ryan know ([email protected]).

Here is the equipment that swimmers should have at each practice:

  • a swimsuit and towel
  • goggles (please ask the swim team coordinators or coaches for recommendations, if you need any)
  • a swim cap (optional, but helpful for those with longer hair)
  • fins (if you have them)
  • water bottle
  • for early season practice, please bring a sweatshirt and sneakers in case it is too chilly to get in the water

 

Parents may drop their swimmer off for swim practice (5-10 minutes before practice begins) or may stay to watch practice.

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Practice Times:

  • Early Season Practice - May 27 to June 22
    • ​Mondays to Thursdays:
      • 4:15-5:15 pm - ages 9-12​
      • 5:15-6:00 pm - ages 8 and under
      • 6:00-7:30 pm - ages 13 and up
    • ​Saturday, June 7:​
      • 7:45-9:15 am - ages 13 and up
      • 9:15-10:15 am - ages 9-12
      • ​10:15-11:00 am - ages 8 and under
    • ​Saturday, June 14 - time trials
    • Saturday, June 21 - first A meet
  • Regular Season Practice - June 23 to July 18
    • ​Morning practice - Mondays to Fridays:
      • 7:45-9:15 am - ages 13 and up
      • ​9:15-10:15 am - ages 9-12
      • 10:15-11:00 am - ages 8 and under
    • ​Camper practice - Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays:
      • ​5:30-6:30 pm - all ages
  • ​​Post-Regular Season Practice - July 21 to August 1
    • ​July 21-25:  swimmers participating in Cherry Bowl
    • July 28-August 1:  swimmers participating in Tri-County

*More information will be provided about these championship events.  Please ask the swim team coordinators if you have any questions in the meantime.

 

Meets

We have five “A” meets during the Regular Season, which occur on Saturday mornings.  We also have two to three “B” meets during the Regular Season, which occur on Wednesday evenings and are limited to swimmers aged 12 and under.  Our “B” meets are a great opportunity for new swimmers to get acclimated to the structure of a swim meet and practice their strokes in a lower-stress environment.  All “A” and “B” meets are hosted either at our swim club or at another swim club in the Tri-County area.

Please see the 2025 Swim Team Calendar for meet information for this year. To learn more about meets, read our Swim Meets page.

 

Team Suit and Swim Caps

 

Willowdale selects a new team suit once every two years.

  • Team suits can be purchased through the team store coordinated by NL Pro Shop, or they may be purchased from other retailers (swimoutlet.com is a great option to explore).
    • ​The NL Pro Shop will have an optional team suit fitting for Willowdale, usually in May; the swim team coordinators will share more information.
  • ​Team suits are worn at swim meets (not practices).
  • Team suits are not mandatory.  If you do not wish to purchase a team suit, please purchase a plain black or navy blue suit.

 

Swim caps are also available to purchase.

  • Personalized swim caps (with the Willowdale logo and the swimmer’s first or last name) can be purchased through the team store before the season begins.
  • Generic swim caps (with the Willowdale logo) will also be available to purchase once the season begins; the swim team coordinators will share more information.

Here is the link for the Willowdale suits and caps https://nlaquaticsproshop.com/collections/willowdale  SUIT AND CAP ORDERS DUE MAY 8, 2025

Additional Information

Please review our other links for more details, including Swim Meets, Parent Involvement, and the 2025 Swim Team Calendar.

Questions or concerns?  Contact our swim team coordinators Andrea Dill ([email protected]) or Kelly Gastley ([email protected]).

2025 POD Squad and Swim Team Registration