RTW Swim and Dive Team
Parent Handbook
Parent Handbook
Our Philosophy
Meet new friends … Improve technique … Have fun!
GENERAL INFORMATION
Welcome to theRTW Swim and Dive team! The purpose of this handbook is to provide new swim and dive team parents with information on how summer swimming works, as well as what can be expected during the season with regards to team activities and fundraisers, RTW practice groups, meet expectations and much, much more.
RTW Website
Be sure to check out the Swim and Dive page on the RTW Website ( While the season only lasts about 7 weeks, there are always a lot of activities packed into the short season. This Website is an excellent source to keep you up to date with what’s going on week by week throughout the season with regards to team meets and events.
Contacts
The RTW Swim and Dive team committee recognizes the frustration that many parents new to the swimming and diving world go through. That is why we are committed to making this experience as pleasant and enjoyable as possible for you. Posted on our Website is a list of contacts. Please feel free to reach out to us any time with questions or concerns.
Registration
Each year, all swimmers and divers are required to complete and return a Registration form along with the annual registrationfee. A copy of the Registration form can be obtained from the Swim & Dive page on the RTW Website. Timely completion of your form is necessary as the Suburban League requires eachteam in the league to submit a team roster by a specific date. Your child will not be permitted to participate in meets until his/her registration is complete, including payment of team dues. If this is a hardship please contact a coach or team representative.
Note: There is only one fee per child,even if your child is participating on both the swim and dive teams. Registration forms received after the deadline date will not be accepted.
Volunteer Policy
Parental involvement is a key element to the success of RTW’s swim and dive team. Plus, it’s a great way for you to meet other parents. It is expected that each family will make an effort to contributeto the club’s success by volunteering.
Prior to every meet, an email will be sent out with specific volunteer roles to be filled for the meet. This includes, but is not limited to: lane timers, scorers, starter, officials & bake table (home meets only). If you’re interested in one or more of these positions but have never done them, no worries. We are always happy to provide training! Volunteers are also needed for activities and fundraisers during the season such as the book sale, end-of-year banquet, etc. Information about these opportunities will be distributed throughout the season.
Please do your best to help make our team a success! We need each swim and dive family to provide a volunteer at least three times during the season.
Discipline
All RTW team members are expected to exhibit good sportsman-ship and display respect for everyone at all times. Disciplinary action for offenders will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Swim & Dive Team Activities
One of the reasons swimmers/divers enjoy RTW’s swim & dive team is because of all the fun activities planned throughout the season. From the annual swim-a-thon which gives members a chance to participate in a great cause, to the psych lunches that help to prepare kids for a meet, to the end-of-year banquet there’s something planned every week! Check out the website for a calendar of events.
Swim & Dive Team Fundraisers
Many fundraising opportunities are held throughout the season. Below is a sampling of the types of fundraisers you can expect to hear about.
SWIM & DIVE FUNDRAISERS*Fundraiser / Description
Bake Table / A bake table is set up at every home meet. At the start of the season, a list of “staple” items (items that are always needed because they sell out quickly such as bottled water, candy, chips, etc.) is posted on the Swim & Dive bulletin board. It is suggested that each family donate at least one item from the list or any item of their choice for each meet. Homemade items such as cookies, brownies, etc. are very popular and tend to sell quickly! This is a great fundraiser for the team because all sales are 100% profit!
RTW Swim Cap / Silicon RTW swim caps are available for purchase.
Swim Goggles / Swim goggles are available for purchase at all swim meets and team practices.
RTW Car Magnet / Purchase an RTW car magnet and show your team support.
Pretzels / Sold during regular season after practice on select days.
Book Sale / Watch for announcements. Donate your old books and purchase some “new” ones!
SWIM TEAM
Practice
After School Practices
Practice begins the week following Memorial Day.
Regular Season Practices
Practices are made up of four different groups: Pre-team, 8 & Under, Blue & Red. At the start of each season, practice group assignments will be posted on the Swim & Dive Team bulletin board located at the entrance of the pool. Group assignments are subject to change during the season only at the coaches’ discretion.
See the RTW Website for after school and regular season practice schedules.
Practice Groups
- Pre-Team
This group is for swimmers not quite ready for the Junior Varsity (JV) team. To qualify for the pre-team, a child must be able to confidently and safely swim 2 laps in the lap pool, tread water for one minute and float on his/her back. He/she does not have to be proficient in freestyle or backstroke. The goal of the pre-team is for a swimmer to eventually move to the JV or Varsity team. Pre-team members are considered part of the RTW swim team and are invited to attend all team events, including mini-meets and the end-of-season banquet. We also encourage all pre-team members and their families to attend both the VarsityJV meets to cheer on their teammates and to see how these meets are conducted.
- 8 and Under
This group is for varsity and JV swimmers 8 years old and under.
- Blue Practice
This group is for swimmers who have not yet fully masteredall four strokes, a start off the block and/or a flip turn.
- Red Practice
This group is for swimmers who can legally swim two laps of all four strokes, do a start off the block, and a flip turn.
Attendance
All swimmers are expected to attend regular season practices, thus, attendance will be taken. If a swimmer cannot attend practice due to illness, summer camp, vacation, work, or other reasons deemed appropriate by the swimmer’s parent(s), a coach must be informed by emailing . Legitimate/approved absences will be counted as excused absences. Each swimmer is allowed 4 unexcused absences during the swim season. Any swimmer who exceeds4 unexcused absences will not be eligible for awards at the end of the season (excludesthe High Point award).
Swim Lessons
The Swim Team coaches offer both private andsemi-private swimlessons during the months of June & July.For semi-private lessons, it is the parents’ responsibility to form their own group of 2 to 3 swimmers.
Swim Meets
There are three local summer swim leagues. These leagues include Suburban, Intra County, and Delco. Each league is comprised of multiple divisions and a team’s division can change from year to year based on their prior year’s performance. RTW is part of the Suburban Swim League. The Suburban Swim League’s website is: This site is a great resource for meetschedules,meet results, individual standings in the league and more!
RTW competes at 3 different meet levels: Varsity, Junior Varsity and Mini. It is very important that parents and swimmers check the swim team board frequently for information on meets,as a swimmer is often scheduled in multiple meets, in more than one level.
Type / Description / Duration (appx)Varsity (V) / Swimmers ages 18 & under. These meets are for a limited number of team members chosen by the coaches; excludes Pre-Team. / 2 ½ hours
Junior Varsity (JV) / Swimmers ages 14 & under. These meets are for team membersthat have not placed 1st or 2nd more than once in a Varsity swim meet; excludes Pre-Team. / 2 hours
Mini / Swimmers ages 9 & under. These meets are for all team members, including Pre-Team. Mini-meets are strictly for fun (no points are given) and everyone is a winner! / 1 ½ hours
Pre-Meet Information
Swimmers must arrive 15 minutes prior to warm-ups.
Meets will only be postponed if there is continuous thunder in the area. Never assume a meet is cancelled as summer storms typically tend to pass by quickly. In the event of a cancelation, a notification will be sent out.
Swimmers not able to attend a meet must notify a coach prior to meet day. In the event of an emergency, please do your best to try and notify a coach or another team member ASAP. Much time and effort goes into developing the weekly meet lineup, and missing just one swimmer unexpectedly can greatly impact the team; especially with regards to relays.
Meet Information/Expectations
Swimmers must sit with the team during a meet and should not leave the designated team area without first notifying a coach. Swimmers are not permitted to go in the T-pool, the snack bar, etc., during a meet. It’s not fair to the coaches to have to hunt down a swimmer prior to his/her event!
Meet format is always the same. All events are in age order (youngest to oldest), girls followed by boys. Each heat allows up to 6 swimmers; 3 from each team in alternating lanes.
Event # / Event Name / Description1-10 / Medley Relays / 4 swimmers make up a relay. Each swimmer swims a different stroke.
backstroke→breaststroke→butterfly→freestyle
10 & under relays →25 meters/yards per swimmer
11 and older relays →50 meters/yards per swimmer
11-50 / Individual Events (by order)
Backstroke
Breaststroke
Freestyle
Butterfly / 8 & under: All events 25 meters/yards
10 & Under: All events 50 meters/yards
12 & Under: All events 50 meters/yards
14 & Under: All events 50 meters/yards
15-18 Girls:
Freestyle 100 meters/yards
All other events 50 meters/yards
15-18 Boys: All events 100 meters/yards
51-60 / Freestyle Relays / 4 swimmers make up a relay. All swimmers swim freestyle.
10 & under relays are 25 meters/yards per swimmer
11 and older relays are 50 meters/yards per swimmer
Scoring - Each team accumulates points based on placement finish. The team with the most points at the end of the meet is the winner. Win or lose, RTW always celebrates at the end of a meet by gathering at a favorite local spot such as Rita’s Water Ice, Dairy Queen or another venue depending on the meet location.
Event ScoringEvent / Placement / Points*
Individual / 1st Place / 5
2nd Place / 3
3rd Place / 1
Relay / Winning relay only / 7
* If a team finishes 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in an event, points will only be given for 1st & 2nd place.
Volunteerism - Parents of all swimmers are expected to volunteer during the meets. Volunteer positions include: stroke & turn judge, placement judge, starter, announcer (home meets only), head timer, lane timers, runners, scorer, bake table (home meets only), ribbons for mini meets, heat ribbons for “A”& “B” Champs. Because RTW is a large team, each volunteer is usually only expected to work a portion of the meet.
Marple Relays
The Suburban Swim League kicks off the summer swimseason with a relay carnival. This event is always hosted by Marple Newtown Swim Club. The meet consists of medley and freestyle relays only, one for each age group. All RTW relay entries are chosen basedon swimmer availability and the coaches’ discretion.
Meet Schedule – Post Season (Championships)
Swim ChampionshipsPOST Season
Meet / Description
“B” Champs (Divisionals) / Held at the end of the regular summer swim season for all Suburban League teams in each division. Only those RTW swimmers who swam in Varsity swim meets can participate in “B” champs. Meet entries for a swimmer are at the sole discretion of the coaches.
Meter Free / Swimmers swim a distance freestyle event. Distance is determined by age:
- 10 and Under – 100meter free
- 11-12 – 200meter free
- 13-18 – 400meter free
Individual Medley (IM) / Swimmers swim each stroke in the order of
butterfly→backstroke→breaststroke→freestyle
- 10 and Under – 100 yards
- 11 and Older – 200 yards
“A” Champs / Held the week after “B” champs. All Suburban League teams compete. This is a time qualifying meet which means a swimmer must swim a certain time during the regular season to be eligible to participate. During the season, swimmers will be notified when they attain a qualifying time. The top two swimmers in each event are invited to attend the Elite Meet.
Elite Swimming Champs / The Elite Meet is held the Tuesday night after “A” Champs. This is a competition between all three summer leagues. The venue changes each year.
DIVE TEAM
The dive team is comprised of divers typically ranging in age from 7 to 18 years. All divers are expected to meet the following qualifying standards in order to participate on the team. Appropriate advice will be given to divers who are unable to meet these standards.
Age / Qualifying StandardsAge / Description
10 & Under / Perform a forward dive and a backward dive with a hurdle before the first regular season meet.
12 & Under / Perform a forward dive, backward dive and one optional dive with a hurdle before the first regular season meet.
14 & Under / Perform three to four required dives and two optional dives with a hurdle before the first regular season meet.
Seniors / Perform three to five required dives and three optional dives with a hurdle before the first regular season meet.
NOTE: The dive team is not intended to teach someone how to do a standing dive. A diver must be willing to learn the various dives and participate in dive competitions.
Divers will learn the various mechanics of doing dives – some of these are required and others are optional, including: forward dive, backwarddive, forward somersault, inward dive, forward dive ½ twist, back somersault, front dive 1 ½ somersault and reverse dive.
Depending on skill level and willingness, divers can learn additional dives. However, depending on age category, the divers are required to do a certain number of dives in competition. Age categories for competition are the same as those in swim meets, except that the youngest age group is 10 & Under.
Required DivesAge / Dual Meets / Championships
10 & Under / 3 / 4
12 & Under / 4 / 5
14 & Under / 5 / 6
15 – 18 / 6 / 7
Divers will learn how to accomplish these dives in a safe manner. No diver will be forced to do a dive, but keep in mind that most of the easier dives will need to be accomplished. Divers are assessed throughout the season on their ability and knowledge to determine whether the diver should and can perform more difficult dives.
Practice
Practicesare meant to be fun and exciting; not intimidating. Occasionally, a video camera is used during practiceso a diver can seehim/herself perform a specific dive(s). These videos are used as a training tool during practice in an effort to examine the skills that are maintained and those skills that require improvement. Divers of all ages practice together so that more experienced divers can set an example for the less seasoned divers.
See the RTW Website for after school and regular season practice schedules.
Dive Lessons
The Dive Team coaches offer both private andsemi-private swimlessons during the months of June & July.For semi-private lessons, it is the parents’ responsibility to form their own group of 2 to 3 divers.
Dive Meets
Parents are strongly encouragedto participate as either a judge or score-table worker. Regular season meets are comprised of 5 judges (3 from the home team and 2 from the visiting team). Parents are also asked to participate at the scorer’s table as either an announcer or perhaps to write down and add mathematical figures, etc. During championships, parents are encouraged to work the table only. Championship competitions are judged by the coaches. Instruction on how to judge (and work the table) will be provided to volunteers by the coaches or experienced parents.
Meet Schedule – Regular Season
Only 3 spots are allowed per age group, per gender, in a dual meet. Therefore, not all divers will compete at every meet. A diver can be entered as an unofficial participant; however, competing unofficially will not qualify that diver for Champs. There is also a limit to the number of unofficial entries a coach can enter in the competition. While this can be discouraging for divers, the coaching staff makes every effort to ensure each child’s participation in a meet.
Meet Schedule – Post Season (Championships)
To qualify for Champs, a diver must be officially entered in a regular season diving competition and complete all required dives.Divers can only qualify for Champs during the season. The top three divers in each age group at Champs advance to the Elite Meet.