WOODCREST SWIM TEAM INFO
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Our swim and dive programs exist to provide a competitive and recreational environment where children of every age and skill level develop and thrive.
Eligibility and Ground Rules
1. Any member of the Woodcrest Recreation Association in good standing, between the ages of 5 and 18 as of June 15, is invited to join the swim team. To be considered a member of the swim team, a swimmer must attend practice on a regular basis.
2. Swimmers must pay the swim team fee in order to be eligible for the Swim Team awards, gifts, and parties. For insurance purposes, this fee must be paid prior to a swimmer entering the pool. Furthermore, swimmers cannot compete unless a "Waiver of Liability" form has been completed, signed and submitted by their parents.
3. There will be a Pep Rally every Friday night before the A-Meets. Team members have the opportunity to learn team cheers and to make posters for the following morning's meet. These are combined with ice cream or pizza parties, and are OPEN TO ALL TEAM MEMBERS, regardless of whether they are swimming the following morning!
4. Parents are not permitted on pool deck during any practice sessions. The coaches will be available after practice to answer questions.
5. In the case of bad weather, please do not call the front desk to inquire whether or not there is practice. We will try to get a message to families via email, text or will post a sign on the doors to the swim club.
6. If a swimmer is going to miss practice, the coaches should be notified in advance either in person or via email.
7. If a swimmer is going to miss a swim meet, he or she must record it in the sign out book that the coaches keep at the front desk. Please do so as soon as you know.
8. If a swimmer wishes to participate in a B-Meet, he or she must let the coaches know by 7:00pm the Monday before the meet. There will be a book at front desk to sign up for the meet along with desired events for meet. B meets are for swimmers ages 12 and Under. They are strongly encouraged and will be a part of planning out A meet participation.
9. There is no A-Team or B-Team. We are one cohesive squad. Swimmers in the training squad can participate in A-Meets and swimmers from the general practice will not necessarily be in the A-Meets. The labeling of swimmers as “A” or “B” team members has been a source of distress for several participants in the past and is greatly discouraged.
10. If you have any problems or questions that you are not able to address in person, please feel free to contact John Doyle at johnmdoyle@verizon.net.
Training Squad
The Training Squad is not a learn-to-swim program. It is the first step for young children to take on the road to competitive swimming. The following guidelines have been set for this group:
1. The child should be at least 5 years of age on June 15.
2. The child must be capable of making it one length (25 meters) across the pool without stopping. This does not entail perfect form or even using arms and legs simultaneously, but the child must be able to swim a length of reasonable freestyle without holding on to either the wall or the lane line.
3. The coaches will determine who is eligible for the Training Squad. The primary emphasis of the Training Squad is to learn proper swim techniques in a fun environment. This will begin with fundamentals of a freestyle stroke (kicking using kickboards, breathing to the side, and streamlining freestyle arm movements). As swimmers become proficient, the three other strokes (backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly) may be introduced. Additionally, time will be spent on issues such as takeoffs, flip turns, and relay starts.
4. Practices will include both endurance enhancing and stroke improvement exercises. It is important that training squad members attend as many practices as possible to get the full benefit of the practices. Parents should balance this against the goal of keeping membership in the team as being "FUN".
5. All eligible team members are invited and encouraged to participate in our B-Meets. These meets are held Wednesday evenings during the season. They offer a low stress alternative to the Saturday morning A-Meets. Details on participation will be made available before the first scheduled meet.
6. The youngest novices will begin by participating in kickboard races at the beginning of each meet. The kickboards allow these swimmers to build confidence in their abilities while getting used to the swim meet experience. All kick boarders receive ribbons for their completed races. The coaches will determine the events each Training Squad member will swim.
A-Meet Participation
As swimmers continue to progress in their swimming capabilities and their understanding of the swim meet experience, they will have the opportunity to participate in the more-competitive A-Meets.
1. The Head Swim Coach and Assistant Swim Coaches will determine a swimmer's eligibility for participation in A-Meets. The Coaches will endeavor to allow as many swimmers as possible to participate in A-Meets, subject to the swimmers mastery of the stroke in which they will participate.
2. The level of officiating at A-Meets is high, and swimmers are disqualified for very minor deviations from the allowable stroke norms. The Tri-County Swim Association follows virtually all the rules specified in the USS Swimming Rules Book. Furthermore, the number of participants is strictly limited to a maximum of three swimmers per event for each team (or three relay teams for relay events).
3. Participants in "A" Meets are expected to be in attendance for the entire meet. They should be available to cheer on their teammates, and to meet with the coaches at the end of the competition.
A- Meet Guidelines
The Tri-County Swimming Pool Association (www.tricountyswimming.org) comprises Camden, Gloucester, and Burlington counties. Thirty-six (36) swim clubs participate in the league and are broken down into six divisions, A through F. Woodcrest is currently in D division. Each summer, we swim 5 clubs in our division Saturday mornings. The team that wins the most meets in their division will move up a division, and the team that loses the most will move down a division. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that we are in a competitive league, and in order to maintain our present standing, we must utilize both our talent and our potential. Swimmers are chosen to swim in A-Meets by the coaches. The factors included in this decision are performance in time trials, performance at previous meets (A & B), attendance at practice, dedication to the team, and coaches’ observations.
The general guidelines for A-Meets are as follows:
1. The team will show up for home meets no later than 7:50am for our 8:00am warm-up time. For away meets, all team members will caravan together from Woodcrest. Times for these caravans will be set according to the distant of the host club.
2. Each swimmer may swim in no more than two (2) individual events and two (2) relay events.
3. The home team swims in lanes 1, 3, and 5; the visiting team swims in lanes 2, 4, and 6.
4. Scoring for individual events is as follows:
1st place 5 points blue ribbon
2nd place 3 points red ribbon
3rd place 1 point yellow ribbon
4th place 0 points green ribbon
5. Scoring for relays:
1st place 7 points blue ribbon
2nd place 0 points no ribbon
6. All swimmers who are in upcoming A-Meets will be notified on Friday before meet, most likely at Pep Rally
For more detailed information regarding A-Meets, visit the Tri-County website at www.tricountyswimming.org and click on the link at the bottom for Tri-County Rules.
B- Meet Guidelines
The purpose of the B-Meets is to provide additional competitions for the development of the less experienced swimmers and to provide an opportunity for every swimmer on the team to compete on a regular basis.
1. The B-Meets are held on Wednesday evenings at 6:00pm.
2. There is no score recorded and no disqualifications occur.
3. Ribbons are awarded to all participants in individual events, 1st through 6th place.
4. A-Meet swimmers are allowed to participate in B-Meets, usually in their weaker strokes and only after the lanes have first been filled with B-Meet swimmers. If a swimmer gets to attend an A-Meet for only one event, he or she should expect to participate in his or her best events in the B-Meet. Also, a swimmer can not participate in a B-Meet in an event for which he or she has already qualified for the Tri-County championships.
5. B-Meets are only open to swimmers 12 years of age or younger.
Cherry Bowl Championships
The Cherry Bowl Championships take place one week after the last A-Meet. All 13 Cherry Hill swim clubs participate. The rules are very specific governing the placement of swimmers and the events they can swim. The coaches will make the final selections based on the following guidelines:
1. All swimmers may compete only in their own age group.
2. Each swimmer may enter one medley relay, one free relay, and one individual event.
3. Swimmers must have participated in at least two (2) Tri-County A-Meets to be eligible to participate in Cherry Bowl.
4. Any swimmer who scratches or misses an individual event cannot swim on a relay.
5. Each club is limited to the number of swimmers allowed to compete. We may submit one swimmer in each event. For example, in any age group, there can only be one freestyler, one backstroker, one breatstroker, one butterflyer, and one IM’er (for 11 and older). Therefore, it is up to the coaches to decide who competes. This will be based almost solely on best times. However, in extreme circumstances, a lack of dedication to the team can result in a swimmer not being chosen over a slower swimmer who has shown consistent commitment.
6. A swimmer can be entered in relay events even if he or she is not in an individual event.
7. There is a parade of champions at the beginning of the meet. We encourage all team members to participate in this, regardless of whether they are swimming or not.
Tri-County Championships
The Tri-County Championships take place the weekend after Cherry Bowl. Eligibility follows these guidelines:
1. Individuals can qualify for the Tri-County Championships in any of the 5 A-Meets (a swimmer cannot qualify at Cherry Bowl). They must achieve the time standards set each season for the particular event within their own age group.
2. Relay eligibility depends on the age group. This is also provided on the times standard sheet.
3. Like A-Meets, a swimmer can only swim a maximum of two (2) individual events and two (2) relays.
4. All individual qualifiers swim in the preliminary round on Saturday. The top sixteen (16) finishers on Saturday swim in the championship finals on Sunday. In addition, the relays that are seeded first through eighth swim on Sunday.
Awards and Recognition
The swim team banquet usually occurs during the week between Cherry Bowl and TriCounty. Every swimmer who has paid the swim team dues will receive a participation award. Those swimmers who qualify for the Tri-County Championship will receive additional awards. In addition, the coaches give out special awards in various categories. Each season, one swimmer is honored with the Thomasina Baird Memorial Award for determination, contribution, and spirit.
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