Where are practices held & what nights? Swim practices are held at Menomonee Falls High School located at W142 N8101 Merrimac Ave. Menomonee Falls, WI 53051. The pool is on the north side of the school (near the tennis courts) and also at Germantown High School located at W180 N11501 N. River Ln. Germantown, WI 53022. Practices are held Monday-Friday. A monthly calendar is provided on the website www.rocketaquatics.org
What times are practices held? Practice times/lengths vary depending on the level of your swimmer. Each group's practice schedule can be found on the website by selecting the "Events" tab and then the "General Calendar" link. Once on the calendar you can select your swimmers specific group for practice times.
How often does my child need to come to practice? Typically it is suggested that beginning swimmers in the novice groups swim 2-3x/week. Age group swimmers benefit from 3-4x/week and senior swimmers should expect to swim 4-6x/week. All swimmers are encouraged to swim as often as possible.
What does my child need to bring to swim? A towel, goggles, caps, water bottle, and swimsuit are needed for each group. Swimmers should always carry at least 2 caps and 2 pairs of goggles in their swim bag in case the pair they have on during practice breaks. As your swimmer progresses to higher levels additional equipment will be required for each practice. Specific equipment needs for each group can be found on the website by selecting the "Club Info" tab and then the "Equipment Needs" link.
How do I go about signing up my child? If you are interested in Rocket Aquatics, please contact Head Age Group Coach Dave Dorak at [email protected] . Please provide your swimmer's first name, age, and swimming experience/ability. Coach Dave will either provide information for signing up for our pre-competitive program or will set up an evaluation to determine the appropriate group for your swimmer.
How will I know what group my swimmer will be in? Evaluations are held 3 times per year (usually around the first week in March, first week in June, and first week in August) to determine group placement for swimmers. During the evaluation the Head Coach or Head Age Group Coach will watch your swimmer swim the required distance (based on age) of each of the 4 competitive strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly).
What are the fees and how are they established? Fees are based upon the number of pool hours available for each group during the session. For current fees please check with the registration person. USA Swimming registration fees, which apply to all swimmers, are $75. There is a $100 mandatory fundraising fee. Click on the fundraising tab on the home page for more fundraising information.
Swim meets are not included in session fees. These are an extra charge, a typical two day meet costs around $40. These are billed after the meet has been swum.
Does my child need to swim at meets? Yes. Swim Meet attendance for all competitive groups is mandatory and encouraged especially at our home meets. Meets are a reward for all the hard work put in at practice. It is during meets when swimmers can see for themselves how training is helping them. Meets are also fun! Meet sign up instructions
Can I watch my swimmer during practice? Absolutely and many parents do. This is a great way for parents to connect to the club and to watch their child at the same time.
What’s the difference between Short Course and Long Course sessions? It basically has to do with the length of the pool meets are held in. Short Course season runs from September – February. Most meets are held in a 25-yard pool including the State Meet. Long Course season runs from late March - August and many meets (but not all) are held in a 50-meter pool including the State Meet.
Do you offer swim for the very young or older swimmers? Yes. We offer Pre-Competitive swim for those children beginning at age 4-8 who do not yet know how to swim competitively. We also have a master’s program for those over 18.
How do I talk with the coaches about my child’s progress? Coaches are available before or after practice, by email, or by conference. Feel free to contact your child’s coach as they encourage an open line of communication. Each coach's email address can be found in the "Coaches" section (top left corner of the website). Only text message coaches if there is an emergency.
What are the parent volunteer requirements? RA is a volunteer organization. It is expected that every family shall contribute where they are able during each swim season. If your swimmer is participating in an RA Home Meet, one parent/guardian (or family recruited responsible person) must work one session for each day their swimmer(s) is entered in events. If a parent/guardian fails to work at the required number of sessions, a $75 fee per session not worked will be billed to the account.
How are club members’ concerns addressed? Club members are encouraged to contact any Board member with their concerns. Any issues/concerns will be presented at the monthly Board meeting. All club members are invited to attend these meetings. See the RA website or the bulletin board located in the pool area for meeting dates and times, as well as agendas and minutes.
For any other questions please feel free to contact any board member listed on our website.
Please feel free to read the RA By-Laws which are available on the website.
