Team Handbook
Team Requirements:
The WhiteCaps summer swim team is open to all WoodCreek resident families in good standing with the HOA. The team is open to all swimmers ages 5 – 18 years as of June 1st of the swim season. Swimmers must pass the swim test:
- 5-6 year olds must swim 15 meters independently
- 7 years and up must swim 25 meters independently
Swim stroke technique will not be evaluated as part of the swim test; the focus is solely on ensuring the safety of swimming unassisted for the required distances of 15 or 25 meters.
Gear/Equipment Needed:
For practice, swimmers need a one-piece bathing suit, goggles and swim cap. The cap is optional, goggles are essential. The team will provide all other gear necessary for practice (kickboards, etc).
For meets, swimmers need the team suit (or something similar in style and color, not included in registration fee), goggles, swim cap, and sunscreen.
Practices:
Team practices are scheduled to begin in mid to late May. Kids will be broken into age groups. Practices will be between 5 – 7:15 pm, Monday through Thursday. The youngest group will swim 30 minutes and the oldest group will have a 45 minute practice time. Starting mid-June we will offer morning practices on Monday and Thursday. Attendance at practice is highly encouraged for all swimmers and is a prerequisite for competing in main events during swim meets. It is at practice where swimmers receive the instruction necessary to become proficient and strong swimmers.
Swim Meets:
The WhiteCaps will participate in the TSA League dual swim meet schedule. Meets are Tuesday evenings starting at 6:00 pm. There are 3 home meets and 3 away meets per season, plus an optional Championship Meet in July (weekend).
Swim Meet Events:
There are a total of 66 events in a dual meet, starting with the medley relay as the first event at each meet and finishing with the freestyle relay. 6 & Under swimmers do not participate in the butterfly event. Each event starts with the youngest boys, then the youngest girls, and moves up by age group and gender.
Team members swim the following distances:
- 6 and under: 15 yards or meters (finish line marked by a rope – Kid-Catchers are used)
- 7 to 10: 25 yards or meters
- 11 to 18: 50 yards or meters
Team members swim the following strokes in the order listed from the youngest to the oldest swimmers.
- 6 and under: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke (Note: 8 & under relays can include 6 & under swimmers able to swim 25 yards/meters as determined by their coach)
- 7 and up: medley relay, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle relay
The medley relay begins the meet and the freestyle relay ends the meet.
Swimmers who are 6 and under may swim a maximum of 2 individual main events.
Swimmers 7-18 may swim a maximum of 3 individual main events.
Swimmers may also participate in one or both of their age group’s relay races; relay events do not count against the individual-event limits. Swimmers’ times will be recorded in all heats, with results being used by the coaches to help determine who will swim the main events the following weeks.
Scoring Procedures
Only the main event is scored and earns points toward winning a meet. The main event swimmers are the three fastest timed swimmers for each stroke in each bracket. Scoring for all individual events is as follows:
First place: 5 points
Second place: 3 points
Third place: 1 point
In relay events, only 5 points are awarded, all of which go to the first place team. In case of a tie, the place points are added together and the points are evenly split. For example, a tie for first place in an individual event earns 4 points each (5 points for first place plus 3 points for second, divided by the 2 swimmers). A tie in a relay event earns 2.5 points per team. Although the main event is the only heat that earns points, all heats are important because coaches, swimmers and parents will all want to see how every swimmer improves his or her times from week to week. Coaches will use this timing information to select their event lineups for subsequent meets.
Ribbons
Ribbons are awarded for 1st through 6th places in all main events (including relays). Place Ribbons will be distributed by the coaches at the practice the day after the swim meet. Participation and heat winner ribbons are given to all participants in heat race for swimmers 10 and younger.
If a swimmer false-starts twice, he or she will be disqualified from the event. If a swimmer is disqualified for any reason, he/she will receive a participant ribbon, but will not score or receive a place ribbon.
