New Parent Info
Welcome to Twin Lakes Swim Team! We are so happy to have you!
SWIM TEAM INFORMATION FOR NEW-TO-THE-TEAM PARENTS
Practices – TBD
Meet Availability - At the beginning of the season, we’d like you to go to our swim team website TL swim team website and declare your child’s availability for the upcoming swim meets. We know as parents of swimmers ourselves; this can change. Therefore, each week a reminder email regarding meet availability will be sent via the Twin Lakes Swim Team website to the parents of each swimmer regarding the next swim meet. Please respond right away and update any changes to let us know the availability of your swimmers for that meet. Coach Catherine uses this information to schedule children for each event and it has to be turned in to the other team prior to the meet.. Otherwise, Coach Catherine will not be able to enter your child in the swim meet. If you find that your plans change at the last minute, please let Coach Catherine know immediately so she can try to find alternate entries.
Dual Swim Meets – Our dual meets (two teams competing against each other) are scheduled on Tuesdays, except our last meet. The fifth meet is scheduled on Monday, June 27. Meet start-times are TBD. When you arrive at the meet you will be asked to check your swimmers in with the designated Twin Lakes Check-In Volunteer. Please make sure you check your swimmers in so the coaches know they are onsite to swim. We cannot make changes past a certain point in the afternoon.
Each swimmer will usually swim 2 individual events and one or two relay events. The swimmers will be divided into heats, typically based on their times. Each swimmer will have his/her events, heat and lane written on one forearm in sharpie marker by the bullpen mom so they will know when and where they line up. Each swimmer will receive a place ribbon for each event they swim. Ribbons are given out later that week. The team earns points from 2 swimmers per event and two relay teams per event. Catherine’s goal is for each swimmer to improve their times during the season and have fun. Each swimmer’s goal should be to do his/her best during each meet and that is different for everyone! We want them all to feel proud about their accomplishments regardless of whether they score points for the team!
Weather: Swim Meets will take place rain or shine, cold or warm. The only reason there will be a cancellation or delay is due to thunder and lightning. You are expected to arrive at a meet regardless of the weather (unless of course it is dangerous to be out). Our goal is to swim each meet on the scheduled day. Cancellations or date changes will not happen until the evening of the meet.
What to bring to a swim meet:
- Towels – bring one per event as they usually do not dry much in between. If the weather is bad, we suggest packing the towels in plastic or a cooler to keep them dry. Bring a sweatshirt/pants and/or jacket for your swimmer if it is wet and cool outside. Bring an old towel/blanket for your swimmer to sit on in the Bull Pen.
- Snacks – we are planning to have some concessions for sale during the meet, but you are welcome to pack your dinner/snacks in a cooler and bring them. As we all know, swimming makes kids hungry so be prepared! Please NO GLASS bottles/containers on the pool deck.
- Games/activities – this will help keep your swimmers entertained in-between events. Cards, coloring books, reading books, etc. Be careful with electronics…needless to say, there’s A LOT of water around!
- Goggles (Have an extra pair with you in case one breaks!), swim cap, sunscreen and sunglasses or hat/cap.
- Heat Sheet – a list of all the events and swimmers entered in each (This will be emailed to you the day of the meet); A highlighter if you want to mark your swimmer’s events on the heat sheet. If you download the SwimTopia app, you will be able to access heat sheets on your phone.
- Chairs – the pool will quickly run out of chairs, so please plan to bring some folding chairs if you want to sit to watch the meet.
Volunteers – we cannot run the swim team without many, many volunteers. It takes at least 50 volunteers from Twin Lakes at each meet, so we need you!! There are lots of different volunteer opportunities. We will be happy to teach you each job! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask – but we need YOU! Sign up for as many as you are able! Sign-up will be available on the Twin Lakes Swim Team website. We will be happy to assist you with this during registration as well.
Ribbons: Ribbons will be given to each swimmer in a meet. The ribbons will be completed as quickly as possible after meet night and placed in your family’s file in the pavilion for you to pick up.
ASA Divisional meet—This is our team’s Championship meet. This will be at the end of our season and gives every team in our ASA/Dekalb league a chance to swim against each other. The meet will run very much like a dual meet, but it is held at the Georgia Tech Natatorium. We will provide more information as the season progresses.
Communication Tools:
Swim Team Bulletin Board – There is a swim team bulletin board in the pavilion. Please check it often! It will have calendars, maps to away meets, forms for activities like the banquet and picture day, volunteer needs, and other announcements as may be needed.
Meet Availability – For each meet, you will receive a Meet Availability email reminder. Please mark your availability through the swim team website as quickly as you are able so the coaches can make out the meet schedule.
Email Newsletters – We send out information frequently about swim team, meets, social events, etc. via the Twin Lakes Swim Team Website.
Ribbon File box – A plastic file box is located next to the swim team bulletin board in the pavilion. Each family will have a file. Ribbons will be placed in the files each week and will be used from time to time for other communications. Please check it weekly.
Twin Lakes Web site – The Twin Lakes Swim Team web is TLTB.swimtopia.com
You will find important information here during the season.
