FAQ
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Swim Meet 101
What do I bring to the swim meets?
Team Suit, Sun Screen, Sharpie Pen – black, Team cap, 2 Pairs of Goggles, your Goal Book, more than one towel, Shade (umbrella, tent), Parka, Sweats, Sleeping Bag, Blankets, Chairs, Hat, Warm shoes and socks, Food, Water, Money for the snack bar, and a great attitude and fast swims!
* Parents please dress comfortably! Meets are long and sometimes cold (and sometimes really hot!)!
How do I get to the meets?
Please carpool when possible, to save on parking space as some pools have little or no parking available. Please be aware and courteous of homeowners around the pool and the parking regulations. Please see www.rhswim.com under "Meet Info" for directions to the away meets.
When do I arrive at the meets?
For home meets, arrive 75 minutes prior to the start of the meet. For away meets arrive 60 minutes prior to the start of the meet. Saturday or Sunday meets typically start at 8:30 AM, while Wednesday night meets typically start at 5:30 PM, but check the schedule for exact times since it may vary. You must check in on time, or your swimmer will be removed from his/her events! You must arrive on time to warm up!
Where do I park at RHCC?
If you arrive very early, park in the RHCC parking lot, but NEVER park in an unmarked spot, the valet parking circle, the driving lanes within the lot or more importantly, a fire lane. Any improperly parked vehicles will be handled appropriately. You can always check in with our parking greeters to see if you are parked properly. If the parking lot is full, please park at the curb along Round Hill Road, Tam O’Shanter Road, and Oakwood Drive. As a convenience for you, the RACK staff will come and pick you up in golf cars if you park on the street. Please do not park on Royal Oaks or Southview and walk across the golf course.
Where do I sit?
For meets at RHCC, all families must sit on the North-West side (lap-pool side) of the complex. This includes the grass hill, the deck space around the lap pool and spa, and along the side-edge of the pool. Our visitors have priority to sit anywhere on the South-East side of the complex, including the grass near the scoreboard, the deck space near the baby pool, the grass area between the baby pool and pump-house, and along the side-edge of the pool. Even though our team is much larger than many of our visitors, do not overflow into their area. No one is allowed to sit at the North or South edges of the pool (starting areas) or the deck space near the starting areas. For Away meets, seating areas will be provided by the host. If not, simply gather near other RHCC families. The most crowded complexes, especially for a large team like ours, are Crow Canyon and San Ramon High School (home pool for Danville and ClubSport)
Why is it important to warm-up?
Warming up decreases injuries and increases speed. This is why it is important to show up to the meets on time so you can get the proper warm up from your coaches. The walls and blocks are also different at every pool. Swimmers need to get in the water and practice swimming into the wall, turns, and dives. This is also good for an attendance check. Coaches may (and often do) take swimmers out of relays if they are not at warm-ups.
How long do swim meets last?
- Wednesday night meets: 4 hours
- Saturday meets: 6 hours
- Invitational Meets: 8 hours Every meet varies depending on the size of each team, so please plan accordingly.
How do I know when my 8 & under swims?
The shepherds will ring a cow bell around the time that the 11 & 12 swimmers are swimming. It is the parent’s responsibility to get their swimmer to the designated area that they are to report to. Kids are asked to remain as calm as possible and in line. If a swimmer is not at the designated area for line ups, a shepherd will look for them, but they might also be replaced if need be. Shepherds will then bring the swimmers to their lanes to swim. PARENTS please get them to the shepherds on time!! Parents of 9 and ups need to get their own swimmers to the blocks or make sure that the swimmer gets themselves to the blocks.
If I show up to the blocks and there is no one in the heat in front of me should I just go?
NO! Please ALWAYS stay in the heat and lane you are assigned to. If you change lanes or heats your time might be recorded under a different child’s name. Please stay put unless a coach or official tells you to move.
How many events can my child swim in a meet?
Each swimmer can swim a maximum of three individual events and two relays, but that does not mean each swimmer will be swimming the maximum events at every meet. Please remember that swimming is a team sport and we do what is best for the team! At homem meets, our coaches ALWAYS enter ALL swimmers in the maximum swim 2 events on Wednesday nights and 3 events at Saturday meets. Some swimmers will also participate in 1 or 2 relay events. At most away meets, the same format is followed. There may be a few meets where the host team runs their meet differently, and our team will have to adjust accordingly. Our goal is for all swimmers to have an equal oppotunity to swim their individual events and improve.
What is the order of events?
- Medley Relay – Each swimmer swims a different stroke: Back, Breast, Fly & Free
- Individual Medley (IM) – Swimmer swims each stroke Fly, Back, Breast, Free (7-18 only)
- Freestyle
- Breastroke
- Backstroke
- Butterfly
- Free Relay – Each swimmer swims one part of the freestyle relay (25 – 100 Yds)
What is the order of ages for each event?
- 6 & under Girls – Boys
- 7 & 8 Girls – Boys
- 9 & 10 Girls – Boys
- 11 & 12 Girls – Boys
- 13 & 14 Girls – Boys
- 15 – 18 Girls – Boys
How many laps does my child swim for each event?
- 8 and under = one lap (25 yards)
- 9 -14 years = 2 laps (50 yards)
- 15 – 18 years = 4 laps (100 yards)
- 7 – 18 years = 100 IM (4 laps, one of each stroke)
Do I need to show up on time if my child is swimming in the middle of the meet?
YES! Remember you need to check in for every meet and warm-up. If you are not signed in by the determined time, you will be scratched from the meet, regardless of when you swim.
Can I leave and come back if my child has a break?
Yes, if you are not working. HOWEVER, you need to tell a coach before you leave. Remember if you leave, it is your responsibility to get your child back on time! We cannot estimate a time when your child will swim again, and we cannot hold up an event for a late swimmer. Also, there is an occasion that we might need a child to fill in on a relay and we might be looking for your swimmer. We recommend that you just stay at the meet.
Can I just drop of my child at the meet?
NO!!! Besides you probably have to work. There must be a legal guardian with your child at all times in case of emergency.
Can we leave the meet when my child is done?
Yes, as long as you inform the Head Coach and your age group coach that you are leaving.
What heat and lanes do we swim in?
Home meets: Lanes 2,4,6,8 Away meets: Lanes 1,3,5,7 Heats are the order each child will swim in each event. For example: Drew Halvorson will be in Heat 3 Lane 4 for the freestyle. This means in the freestyle event she is going to swim third and be in lane 4.
How do I know what my child is swimming?
Meet assignments will be posted on deck 1 day prior to the meet. Changes do occur so please check meet line ups the day of the meet. The meet sheets will also tell you what heat and lane your swimmer will be in for each event. For some meets, the line-up may also be posted on the website under "Meet Info."
Why don't we receive meet line-ups sooner?
It takes a lot of work to put a meet together. It takes over 15 hours of work to organize a meet, and we have multiple meets per week. We get the line-ups as soon as they are completed! However, this means that we have to receive sign-in information for the swimmers attending the meet, coaches have to communicate with the oppoding team and agree on a meet format, the coaches from both team have to write their line-ups, enter them into a computer system, the computer representatives switch disks, coaches edit the meet sheet and switch swimmers around and consoldiate the meet, then return the changes to their respected computer representative, and then email it to the opposing team. At this point, coaches will FINALLY get a copy of the meet line-up... and then it can be sent out to families. Sometimes opposing teams do not send back meet line-ups until the day of the meet! Some teams in our league do not give their swimmers any line-ups until the arrive at the meet. We like to make the line-ups available before the meet becuase it makes everyones job easier. We are trying our best to get line-ups out ASAP, but it is a complicated process in which another team is partly in control!!!
If my child misses practice can they still swim in the meet?
Yes, BUT to get the most out of your swimming experience, you need to make as many practices as possible! This is the way they better their strokes and times at meets.
Will my child improve at every swim meet?
NO! Swimmers are working hard and swimming tired all season. In some meets, swimmers might go their best times while in the next meet they might go slower. This in NORMAL! They SHOULD NOT be expected to improve their times at every meet but should improve their strokes.
How many meets is my child required to attend throughout the season?
Each swimmer will be required to swim in a minimum of 4 dual meets, 3 of which must be Valley Swim Association (VSA) dual meets. VSA dual meets are those meets against San Ramon, Crow Canyon, Diablo, ClubSport, Del Amigo, Danville, Sycamore, and Blackhawk. Failure to do so may result in that swimmer becoming ineligible for the 2011 swim season.
How do I qualify for the Championship League Meet?
You must attend at least 3 meets to be eligible for this meet. THIS IS THE END OF THE SEASON MEET! This meet is what you have been swimming hard for all season. Everyone is expected to attend to represent Round Hill Swim Team and swim fast! This is a mandatory meet for all swimmers!
Do all swimmers go to the invitationals?
No, most invitational meets are limited to each team only sending up to four swimmers per age group per gender. Coaches or the Invitiational Coordinator, Wendy Segol, will notify swimmers if they are invited to these meets.
How do I qualify for the County Meet?
The County Meet has time standards that are posted on the website and in the swimmers goal books. This is a very prestigious meet in our area. There are around 70 teams that participate in County. Coaches want everyone who qualifies to attend this meet and represent Round Hill! It is an honor to be invited to this meet and represent the team!
Can we throw the coaches in when we win?
If it is a home meet, then YES!!! If you can catch them!! Not at an away meet though because it is not our pool.
If I have a question during the meet, whom do I ask?
Please talk to a coach between heats and/or events or a parent coordinator. Please remember the coaches are concentrating on swimmers, so please be courteous.
Jobs
How do I know what jobs I am working?
A schedule of jobs is provided on the team website www.rhswim.com under "Meet Info." NO matter what circumstances exist, you are responsible for ensuring each of your assigned jobs is filled, either by you or a replacement worker. Even if you find a replacement worker, you are accountable to ensure they show up. Missed assignments are $150 each and will be charged to your RHCC member account!
What do I do if I am working at a swim meet?
All workers should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the meet, unless otherwise noted, to pick up their nametag. There will be a worker check-in table near the pool entrance for every meet, whether home or away. Every worker is required to pick up their nametag or will be assumed absent. All workers must sign-in with the “Check-in” worker at each meet and be available at the meet to fill their work assignment. Some assignments require you to be at the meet before the general starting time. Please help us by arriving at your job when we need you.
Awards
Does every swimmer get ribbons?
YES! If your swimmer gets DQ’ed they will receive a participant ribbon. You can pick them up in your child’s files a few days after each meet.
What if my ribbons are wrong or what if I did not get my ribbons?
If your ribbons are incorrect or you are missing any ribbons from a swim meet, please contact by email only Cindy Hendricks at candhalamo@aol.com.
What if I am missing a PATCH or a STAR?
Please keep in mind that it takes a few days after each meet to calculate the new PATCH and STAR earners. If your awards are incorrect or you are missing awards, please contact by email only Cindy Hendricks at candhalamo@aol.com.
How do I get my COUNTY cap?
In 2010, the gold County caps will be handed out immediately after the swim! Swimmers earning a County quialifying time can get a gold 2010 County Cap from their coach. (Excluding Time Trials)
Disqualifications
What is a DQ? (Disqualification)
This is when your child does a portion of the stroke they are swimming incorrectly. Please see DQ sheet in packet for more information. Your swimmer is encouraged to ask their coach why they got DQed and how to improve next time they swim the event.
Why did my child get DQed (Disqualified)?
Well, they didn't quite swim the stroke correctly. Maybe close to correctly… or maybe not...the most frequents reasons that swimmers are disqualified are:
- Fly– (1) did a freestyle (flutter) kicks or a Breaststroke kick (2) your arms came over the water at differnt times
- Breaststroke– (1) did a freestyle (flutter) kicks, (2) did an illeagal underwater pulldown, (3) And most common for 8 & unders, you pulled your hands past your hips!
- Backstroke– turned onto stomach before touching the wall on finish or missed wall on turn
- Freestyle– Rarely happens. You either (1) didn't touch the wall or (2) you fell start
- Relay– either a swimmer left to early or got DQed swimming their stroke.
- Backstroke turns- non-continuous motion = swimmer floated into the wall on turn
- Freestyle turns- you mised the wall or stood on the bottom of the pool
- OTHER- you fell start (dove in before the beep) OR did the wrong stroke
At home meets, swimmers will receive a participant ribbon with a yellow DQ slip stapled. This way, swimmers know what they can improve on the next time they swim the event. At away meet, the coaches may not even get the DQ slips until days after. Swimmers need to talk to their coaches after their race and as soon as they find out they were DQed. Often times, the coaches will know why if you come talk to them right after your race... just another reason swimmers need to talk to their coaches!!!
Questions about Coaches
Why do the coaches sit on the side of the pool?
This is where they can best see a swimmer's entire swim! When coaches stand at the end of a lane, they miss most of the swimmer's race. They can see turns better, but cannot see the swimmers strokes under the water as well. The coaches aren't sleeping on the side of the pool. They are watching... coaching. Standing at the end of the pool makes good cheer leading, but allows for limited coaching. How can you help? Get to the end of the pool and help cheer! Encourage your swimmers to cheer on their teammates.
Why don't coaches come talk to the swimmers after each race?
Because we have over 100 swimmers in every meet. If the coaches tracked down each swimmer to talk to them, they would miss more races and not be able to give any feedback. Swimmers need to get in the habit of talking to their coaches after their race. 9 & ups are required to come chat with their age group coach. 8 & unders are encouraged to talk to their coaches.
How does my swimmer get feedback from coaches for his or her races?
In 2010, a new system will be put in place. The coaches will write comments about the swimmers' races in a Feedback Book. Before the next swim meet, swimmers need to record the coaches' comments into their Goal Books. It may take the coaches until the next days practice to get all of the comments written into the Feedback book. Why? The coaches write down comments on their meet sheets. They like to watch as many races as possible. It takes time to write everything down into a book (and our meet sheets are too messy with comments and relay splits for anyone else to read!). This is something new for this season, but we hope that it will enable swimmers to get more feedback on their races.
How do I contact the coaches?
NEVER interrupt a coach who is coaching on deck. They are responsible for the safety and progress of the swimmers in the water and any conversation with them on the deck detracts them from this duty. You may leave a note in their folder to call you, you may talk to them during their 30 minutes of “Office hours”, or you may email them. E-mail addresses for each of the coaches can be found on the Contacts page of the website.
PRACTICES
Do swimmers need to come to practice everyday?
Swimmers need to come to practice as much as possible. The more swimmers practice, the better chance they have for improvement.
Do we still have practices on Wednesdays if there is a meet?
Yes. If we skipped Wednesday practices, then we would have 3 weeks less of practices!
Do swimmers practice stroke technique at practice?
Yes!!! Swimmers do A LOT of stroke technique at swim practice. The younger age groups do about 90% stroke technique. Drills (like catch-up freestyle) is part of stroke technqiue. We do more stroke technique than nearly all of the 70 teams in the County!
Lessons
How do I sign a swimmer up for private lessons?
As of 2010, lessons sign-ups are online. Please go to the "Lessons" tab and click on the coach you would like to have a lesson with. Parents and/or swimmers can write what they would like to work on when they sign-up as well. Swimmers will receive an e-mail reminder the day before their lesson. The day of the lesson a lesson binder will be on the Coaches Table. If there are open slots, swimmers may sign-up for lessons at this time as well. However, this is only for that day.
Should my swimmer take private lessons?
Private lessons are not required, but they help. Personal focus on an individual is beneficial in nearly all activities. Private lessons give coaches a private session to work with one swimmer on the exact areas that they either want or need to work on.
Is it helpful to get extra coaching outside of RHCC?
- The coaches highly discourage using outside coaching. Our coaches see the swimmers both at practice and meets. They get to see what the swimmer needs to work on at the meet and can carry that over to practices. Outside coaches cannot. Sticking with RHCC coaches allows for full-circle coaching.
- Second, RHCC coaches teach in our competitive pool. Lessons taught in backyard pools or non-competition pools create bad habits for practices and races. Swimmers do not have the proper equipment to practice dives. By law and for safety reasons, pools have to be a certain depth to practice dives too! Swimmers do not have the same walls to practice turns. Swimmers do not have the distance of a standard junior Olympic size pool to practice kicking off their walls. These are high areas of focus in private lessons and they are best practiced at a proper compeititon pool. Practicing in other pools may inhibit progress.
- The other draw back to outside lessons is that it may cause inconsistancies. Swimmers become confused as to who to listen to, how to change their stroke, and what way to swim their stroke at the next meet. Coaches teach different things. This brings us to the next point...
- Our coaches are highly qualified and have experience developing competitive youth swimmers to a high level. All of our coaches were competitive swimmers, have recent training and years of coaching experience, and stay up to date on developments in the sport. Our coaches are also able to teach swimmers about other aspects of the sport from an athletes (competitive swimmers) perspective.
- Our coaches, board members, and club tries very hard to build a community at RHCC. We are a team. Not only do the coaches try to educate swimmers on skills in the water, but also about sportsmanship, team spirit, and sportsmanship. The coaches are invested in the program, so we hope you will be too!
How do I pay for lessons?
All lessons are billed to your Round Hill account. You may opt to pay by check, but you will need to specify this with the Aquatics Director Hillary Halvorson at aquatics@roundhillcc.org.
How do I sign-up for non-swim team lessons?
Please contact the Aquatics Director, Hillary Halvorson, at aquatics@roundhillcc.org
General
Please check the appropriate web pages for more specific information!
How do swimmers get recognition?
RHCC offers various means of swimmer recognition. Swimmers get ribbons at meets for their achievements at each meet. Swimmers get awards when they reach a new RHCC motivational time. Swimmers get recognition on the website when the join any of the clubs such as the No Breather Club and the Challenge Club. Swimmers also receive recognition when the achieve a County qualifying time. The coaches will highlight great swims and improvement after meets on the Coaches' Corner page. The coaches also talk to the swimmers during dryland or hill time about swims from the prior meet. Parents do not see or hear many of these recognitions, but they are plentiful!
How come the Jr. Coaches aren't talking to my swimmer?
The junior coaches are learning too. All of our junior coaches are swimmer-coaches, learning to work with children and teach. They are beginners. They took time out of their very busy teenage social lives to go to over 30 hours of safety and American Red Cross Lifeguard training. They get in the water everyday. They come to practice (the senior coaches do not let them work unless they also completed their own age group practice that day, becuase they are supposed to be role models to the younger swimmers!). They stay for several hours more to get in the water and coach. New in 2010, the junior coaches will also have to go through Junior Coach training with the Head Coach, which has never happened before. The best way to help these high schoolers become better coaches is to talk to them and encourage them. Tell them what they do well and where they can improve. The senior coaches are trying to train them to be more active and hands-on with the younger swimmers, but it takes time to learn.
My question isn't answered here. What do I do?
Go to the Contacts page under "Home" and e-mail your question to whoever it best applies! We will be more than happy to answer your question.