ArlingtonForest Club

2009 Swim Team Handbook


Arlington Forest 2009 Swim Team Handbook

Swim Team Handbook Contents

  1. Welcome to the Arlington ForestSwim Team2
  2. Expectations2
  3. Swim Team Registration 2
  4. Parent Volunteers and Contacts3
  5. Arlington Forest Club Swim Team Coaches3
  6. Swim Team Communication4
  7. Team Suits, Caps and Shirts 5
  8. PracticeSchedule6
  9. 2009 Schedule of Meets and Events7

Events to Remember9

Pep Rallies

Team Pictures

Other Social Events

Swim and Dive Team Banquet

  1. Swim Strokes9
  2. Strokes and Turns Guidelines9
  3. Order of Events11
  4. NVSL MeetRules and Procedures11
  5. RoutineforDay of Meets: Pre-meet and During Meet 15
  6. Safety/Weather Rules16
  7. Swim Meet Awards 16
  8. Yards to Meters Conversion17
  9. Ten Commandments for Parents of Swimmers17
  10. Team Records18
  11. Directions to Away Meets22

Directions to A Meets22

Directions to B Meets23

Directions to Other Meets24

22.Record of Swimmer’s Progress26

1. Welcome to the ArlingtonForest Swim Team

Welcometo all ArlingtonForest swimmers and families. We look forward to another exciting season. Our focus is on stroke improvement, healthy competition at different levels, spirit, teamwork between swimmers, coaches and parents, and fun for all. The success of the program depends on the commitment that parents and swimmers bring to practices, meets and special events.

2. Expectations

Although swimming is considered an individual sport, our summer league is structured with an emphasis on the team. Any team is only as good as the people on it. In keeping with our philosophy articulated above, our expectations are simple:

  1. The ArlingtonForest Swim Team is not a swim lesson program.

A swimmer should be able to swim a length of the pool. We don't care how ugly the strokes are or how long it takes to swim that length. The coaches will help your swimmer become a better swimmer, but in fairness to the other 100 or so swimmers on the team, we must insist that all swimmers be able to swim.

  1. Keep your commitments.

We plan on swimmers and parents being available for all Saturday swim meets unless you tell us you are not available, preferably at least three days in advance. If your child is not scheduled to swim in a Saturday meet, we will not expect you to attend but we do encourage it. If your child swims in relays, it is also important that he or she is available for the divisional relay meet.

  1. Swimmers must pay attention to the coaches.

With almost 150 swimmers on the team, disruptions are not fair to others.

  1. Encourage swimmers to do their best – It is a lot more important than being the best.
  1. Have fun!!

3. Swim Team Registration

The fees are as listed below. Please note the discount if fees are paid by June 8, 2009. Checks are to be made payable to Arlington Forest Club and should be delivered with the registration form, emergency release and volunteer form, to Pam Hindman, Swim Team Treasurer. Swimmers must be registered before attending any practices.

$70 one swimmer ($80 if not paid by June 8, 2009)
$60 second swimmer ($75 if not paid by June 8, 2009)
$160 per family of 3 or more swimmers ($200 if not paid by June 8, 2009)
$10 equipment fee per family

4. Parent Volunteers and Contacts

It takes the involvement of all parents to have a successful summer season. More than 40 parents are required just to run a meet. All of us are volunteers and we need your help too whether it be timing, helping with the Clerk of Course, acting as a stroke and turn judge, organizing pancake breakfasts or helping with one of the many other tasks necessary for a successful swim season. Each family is expected to contribute time to the swim meet.

Below is a list of the primary contacts for the team:

Team Rep Lander

TreasurerPam Hindman703-522-1023

“A” Meet Coordinator Elizabeth

“B” Meet Coordinator Cathy

Social Coordinator Joann

Communications MGR Laura

Data Manager Gretchen

Team Spirit Katy

Liaison w/ New Families Caitlin

5. Arlington Forest Club Swim Team Coaches

Head Coach –Alex Leach

Alex is starting his first year as head coach of the Tigers. Alex grew up in the NVSL and swam for AFC during the early part of his swim career before moving to Chesterbrook. Alex also swam for GonzagaHigh School where he was the team captain his senior year. Most recently Alex has served as the head coach of the Chesterbrook developmental team and as an assistant coach with their A Team. Alex just finished his junior year at UC Berkley where he is studying Political Economics. He plays on the Berkley Varsity Rugby Team.

Assistant Coach - Mark Sinder

AFC Tigers welcome back Assistant Coach Mark Sinder for his fifth year at AFC. He has eight years of coaching experience with clubs in Virginia and Illinois and he also taught private lessons. He swam competitively in college, high school and with local swim clubs. He graduated from the College of William & Mary in 2003 double majoring in Economics and Government. Mark works as a government contractor and has recently spent his free time doing Ironman Triathlons and marathons.

Assistant Coach - Krista Russo

We welcome Assistant Coach Krista Russo to ArlingtonForest. Krista grew up swimming with a USS club team in Pennsylvania and also swam for her high school team. She has several years of experience as a swim instructor and assistant coach. Krista graduated from JamesMadisonUniversity and is currently an art teacher at BeechTreeElementary School in FairfaxCounty.

Assistant Coach - Katie Norton

We also welcome Katie Norton to the AFC team. Katie grew up swimming in the NVSL. She previously served as a coach in a summer league in Richmond. Katie has extensive experience teaching swimming and serving as a water safety instructor. Katie is a graduate of Virginia Tech and is working on her masters in education atGeorgeWashingtonUniversity.

6. Swim Team Communication

Mailboxes

Each family will have a mailbox folder located in the lost and found area near the swim team bulletin board. This is one of the methods we use to communicate with you. Please check your box regularly.

TIGER Tales

Our Swim Team Newsletter, TIGER Tales, is provided to families via e-mail. We try to publish the newsletter weekly. It lists upcoming events and contains important team news. Be sure to read TIGER Tales every week!

Swim Team Bulletin Board

The bulletin board is located near the team record board and provides detailed information on swim meet results, swimmer performances, personal bests and team activity information and sign-up sheets. There are also forms here to fill out to indicate any meets that you and your swimmers will miss.

Swim Team Dry Erase Board

This board is located at the entrance to the bathhouse and provides notice of upcoming events and swim team results and informs the AFC membership of swim team activities and successes.

Internet and E-mail

Our Web site is www.arlingtonforestclub.org. E-mail addresses are provided in this handbook.

7. Team Suits, Caps and Shirts

Swimmer Apparel

Swimmers should wear a swimsuit that will be comfortable for racing. The Tigers, like every other swim team, have a team suit. The purchase of a team suit is optional but coaches strongly encourage swimmers to wear them for team spirit and identification purposes. We have new swim suits for the 2009 season. Girls will be wearing the Quantum Splice Speedo in black and orange, and boys will be wearing the matching jammer. We also have the option of having the letters AFC and small tiger head appliquéd on the suits.

The suits are available at Sports Fair (5010 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA22207, 703-524-9500). The costs are as follows:

Male Jammer: Youth ($35.50 + tax) and Adult ($37.00 + tax)

Female Suits: Youth ($45.75 + tax) and Adult ($46.75 + tax)

Let them know you are with the Arlington Forest Swim team, they will take care of you and make sure you receive our team discount.

NOTE: Swimmers who want the appliqué on their suits will need to order in advance: suits ordered by June 1st will be ready by the June 16 Time Trials, and suits ordered by June 15 will be available for the second A Meet on June 27. Swimmers who do not wish to have the team appliqué can simply go to Sport Fair and purchase the suit. Be sure to mention that you are on the AFC Swim Team when go to Sport Fair to receive the team discount.

Every registered swimmer gets one swim team t-shirt and one swim cap.

Swimmer Accessories

Every swimmer needs a towel (or two, or three), the bigger and thicker the better. Other accessories you should consider are two pairs of goggles (in case one breaks – and they do), a sweat suit (for cool days), a swim cap (especially for girls with long hair), a hat or other sun protection, and a bag to carry everything. You should also have liquid refreshment (Gatorade, All Sport, or a water bottle) and a light snack for during the meet such as fruit, granola bars, cereal, crackers, or other healthy foods. Save the sweets at the concession stand for after a swim meet as a reward for swimming your best. Some swimmers relax in between events by playing cards or reading a book, but no electronic games please.

  1. Practice Schedule

The age groups shown below are approximations and your swimmer may be better at a different practice time. Changes will be by recommendation of the coaches, as appropriate.

Pre-season swim practice begins on Wednesday May 20th

Monday – Thursday Afternoons

11 and up (Junior/Senior) 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

10 and under (Novice) 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Summer swim practice begins on Monday June 22nd.

Monday – Thursday morning

Day campers 7:30 am – 8:30 am

11 and up7:30 am – 8:30 am

10 and under 8:30 am – 9:30 am

Friday morning

Seniors7:30 am – 8:30 am

All 8:00 am – 9:00 am

Breakfast and awards 9:00 am – 9:30 am

PM makeup practice Tues & Thurs (beginning June 23)

All 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Mini-Tigers – Practice begins June 22 at the 8:30 am practice

Practice for swimmers qualifying for All Stars

Time to be determined after divisional

9.

2009 schedule is below

Does not include all events, will be updated as scheduled events are finalized

May 11 / Swim team new and returning parent meeting / 6 & 7 pm
May 18 / Pre-season swim team practice begins (M-Th) / 5 – 7 pm
May 18 / New Referee Clinic at Lee-Graham / 7 pm
May 30 / NVSLUniversity at FallsChurchHigh School / 8 am
June6 / Stroke and Turn Clinic at Lee-Graham / 8 am
June6 / Officials training @ Annandale / 8 am
June 12 / Pool set up / 7:30 pm
June 13 / Time trials / Warm-ups 8:10am
June 13 / Cookout / After Time trials
June14 / Stroke & Turn Clinic @ Sleepy Hollow Rec / 9:00 am
June14 / Referee/Starter and new Starter clinics at Mantua / 9:30 am
June 14 / Ice Cream Social and B-Meet signup / 3:30 - 4 pm
June 15 / Home B Meet vs. Dominion Hills / 6 pm, setup 4:45
June17 / Stroke & Turn Clinic @ Sleepy Hollow Rec & PC / 7:00 pm
June 19 / Team Photo and T-shirt distribution / 5:15 pm
June 19 / Pasta Dinner / 6:30 pm
June 19 / Pep Rally / 7:30 pm
June 20 / Away Meet vs. Hayfield Farm / 9 am*
June 21 / Ice Cream Social and B-Meet signup / 3:30 - 4 pm
June 22 / Regular season practice begins / 7:30 am, M-F
June 22 / Home B Meet vs. Chesterbrook / 6 pm, setup 4:45
June 23 / Afternoon practice begins Tuesdays and Thursdays / 4-5 pm
June 26 / Friday Pancake Breakfasts Begin 6/27, 7/11, 7/18, 7/25 / 9 am
June 27 / A Meet AFC @ Lake Braddock / 9 am*
June 28 / Ice Cream Social and B-Meet signup / 3:30 - 4 pm
June 29 / Away B Meet vs. Dowden Terrace / 6 pm
July 1 / Todd Potts Individual Medley (IM) Meet @ Forest Hollow / 6 pm
July 3 / Pool Setup and Pep Rally / 7:30 pm
July 4 / Home A Meet vs. Daventry / 9 am* Warm-ups 8:10
July 4 / Cookout / After meet
July 5 / Ice Cream Social and B-Meet signup / 3:30 –4 pm
July 6 / Home B Meet AFC vs. Forest Hollow / 6 pm, pool setup 4:45
July 8 / Division 11 Relay Carnival Meet @ Rolling Forest / 6 pm
July 10 / Pep Rally / 7:30 pm
July 11 / A Meet AFC @ Rolling Forest / 9 am* Warm-ups 8:10
July 12 / Ice Cream Social and B-Meet signup / 3:30 - 4 pm
July 13 / B Meet @ Donaldson Run / 6 pm
July 15 / All Star Relays @ Springboard / 4 pm
July 16 / Senior Progressive Dinner / TBD
July 17 / Pep Rally and Pool Setup / 7 pm
July 18 / Home A Meet vs Truro / 9 am*
July 18 / Cookout / After Meet
July 19 / Ice Cream Social and B-Meet signup / 3:30 –4 pm
July 22 / B-Meet @ Knights of Columbus / 6 – 9 pm
July 24 / Divisionals Pasta Dinner / 6 - 8
July 25 / Divisional Championships @ Truro / 9 am*
July 26 / Awards Banquet and Midnight Madness / 5:30 pm
Aug 1 / All Stars / 9 am*
*Meet warm up times will be announced prior to the meets
Events to Remember
Pep Rallies

The first Arlington Forest Swim Team Pep Rally is always after the pasta supper on the Friday before our first Saturday meet. The coaches may schedule additional rallies. The dates and times will be announced in TIGER Tales and indicated on the bulletin boards.

Team Pictures

We have a team picture taken every year and we would like your swimmer to be in the photograph. Swimmers should wear their team suits. However, you are not obligated to purchase a picture. The team picture date is Friday, June 19before the spaghetti dinner.

Other Social Events

Over the course of the season we will have Ice Cream Socials at B-meet sign-ups, Pancake Breakfasts on Friday mornings, perhaps finger nail painting or laser tag and many other fun events as outlined in the calendar.

Swim & Dive Team Banquet

We cap off the season with a Swim & Dive Team Banquet, which is a Pot Luck Dinner and Awards Ceremony held at the pool the Sunday evening following Divisionals. Every swimmer gets a trophy and the pool remains open a little later than usual for swim team members, particularly those that just couldn’t get enough time in the water during the swim team season. It is a special affair that everyone should try to attend. There is a DJ and a fabulous slide show of the swimmers throughout the season.

10. Swim Strokes

The four basic strokes are the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle. The individual medley (or IM) is a combination of all four strokes in one event. 100 IM order is fly-back-breast-free (medley relay order is back-breast-fly-free). Each stroke has specific criteria that must be met in order to be considered as proper technique. This can apply to take-off, turns and finishes as well.

11. Strokes & Turns Guidelines

Listed below are the most common infractions committed by swimmers. The Strokes and Turns judges use these guidelines to disqualify a swimmer.

Freestyle:

  • Failure to touch the wall at the turning end of the pool
  • Walking on the bottom or pulling on the lane lines
  • Exiting the pool before swimming the specified distance

Backstroke:

  • Past vertical towards the breast at any time except during a flip turn
  • Leaving the wall after a turn past vertical towards the breast
  • Improper flip turn - turns on breast too soon and uses 2 or more freestyle strokes or kicks into the wall.

Breaststroke:

  • Incorrect kick, such as a Scissors kick or Flutter kick
  • Non-Simultaneous two hand touch or one hand touch at turn or finish
  • Toes not pointed outward during the propulsive part of the kick
  • More than one stroke underwater with arms fully extended at start or turn
  • Arm recovery past waist except on first stroke after start or turn
  • Head didn't break surface by conclusion of second arm pull underwater after a start or turn

Butterfly:

  • Non-Simultaneous or one handed wall touch at the turn or finish
  • Non Simultaneous leg movement during kicks
  • Arms don't break water surface during recovery (judged at the elbows)
  • Non Simultaneous arm movement during recovery

Relay Races:

  • A swimmer leaves the deck before the previous swimmer touches the wall or deck

Individual Medley - Butterfly, Back, Breast, Free

  • Swims the stroke cycle out of sequence
  • Backstroke to Breaststroke - On or toward the breast BEFORE the touch
  • Rules for individual strokes apply in swimming the individual medley.

False Starts

A false start occurs whenever a swimmer moves toward the pool after having assumed a still position (taking his/her mark) and before the Starter has started the race. When this occurs, a swimmer is usually trying to anticipate the starting signal and beat the other swimmers into the water.

If the false start is detected before the starting signal is sounded, the offending swimmer can be removed from the race prior to it starting. If a false start occurs but the starting signal has sounded, the race will not be stopped. Instead the false starting swimmer(s) will be notified of their false start at the conclusion of the race. The use of a recall signal is now limited to a bad start (i.e. not all swimmers were ready) or for a safety reason. If the starter sounds the recall signal, no swimmer can be removed for a false start.

How Do I Know If My Child Disqualified

Your swimmer will probably know before you do since the Team Rep tells the coach, who tells the swimmer. You probably find out if you saw your swimmer finish with one of the top three times but he/she isn't announced later in the top three places. Similarly, someone else DQ’d if a swimmer finished in 4th, 5th or 6th, yet is announced as one of the top three finishers. The most accurate way to find out is by reading the official Meet Results, which are posted at the pool by 4 PM on the day of the meet. The official results specifically identify DQ’s.