Swimmers may
join the team at any time during the season once they can swim 25 meters
with their face in the water.
Swimmers may
compete in B meets once they can legally swim 25 meters of the stroke in
one minute or less.
REGISTRATION
Parent Information Meeting-- DATE TBA --
All swim team parents are
strongly encouraged to attend!
Registration forms are available at the front desk of the pool.
Purchase of a
team suit not mandatory, however caps and goggles are strongly
recommended.
Team
suits may be purchased at a local swim apparel shop. See the swim
team home page for this year's shop.
One
Big Team – Two Swim Meets
Saturday Morning "A" Meet Swimmers
The fastest 3
swimmers in each event compete on Saturday morning. Times are evaluated
at practice every week to give every swimmer an opportunity to
demonstrate improvement and compete in "A" meets. For ages 12 and under,
the 6 fastest freestyle swimmers will compete.
Wednesday Night "B" Meet Swimmers
Every swimmer
can swim as many events as they want, as long as they are eligible.
Pre-Team
Our Pre-team is
a 5-week program where our youngest swimmers can learn the skills
necessary to swim 25 meters legally. This year we are offering
mini-sharks a group lesson program designed for kids that want to make
the pre-team or swim team. The mini-sharks swim daily and class size is
limited to five students. Once
the swimmer can make the minimum requirements they are transferred to
the pre-team at a prorated rate.
Meet Eligibility rules:
1.
Swimmers must be able to swim the stroke
legally.
2.
Swimmers must be able to complete 25 meters
of the stroke in one minute or less.
3.
If you swim in an event in the A meet, you
cannot swim that event in the following B meet.
4.
If you swim in 3 events in the A meet
(excluding relays), you may not swim in the B meet, however, the coaches
can fill lanes or add swimmers as needed, at their discretion
5.
The coaches evaluate all swimmers’ times
after every meet to be sure that swimmers are placed correctly for each
swim meet and will assign swimmers to particular events.
Lineups
Lineups for
Saturday morning A Meets are posted on the bulletin board on Thursday
mornings. Please notify the coach immediately if you are unable to
attend the meet. Changes in the line up can be made all day Thursday. At
noon on Friday the teams exchange computer discs containing the meet
line up and the meet entries are final.
Each team is
allowed three scratches prior to the start of the meet Saturday morning.
A scratch is a swimmer being taken out and a new swimmer entered in
their place. For example, Johnny & sister Sue are each scheduled to swim
the free, back and breast in the meet (for a total of six events) but
they go to visit grandma instead of coming to the meet. The team can
then only fill three of their six events with new swimmers.
The other three
events will run an empty lane, short one Seven Locks Swimmer. This hurts
the team in points and is unfair to the swimmer who could have swum the
event. Please be sure to notify the coach if you are unable to attend.
Swimmers will
sign up for Wednesday meets with the coaches at practice starting on
Thursday evening through Tuesday morning. The coaches will encourage
swimmers to do all eligible strokes that the swimmer can legally do.
If you are away,
but know you will be back and want to swim on a Wednesday, let the coach
or rep know ahead of time. We prefer not to enter a swimmer at the pool
just before the meet begins!
Swim Meets & Meet Schedule
Wednesday and Saturday Dual Meets
These are
competitions between 2 teams within the Division. Wednesday meets are
for B Team Swimmers, Saturday meets are for A Team Swimmers. Each meet
includes competitions for Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke,
Butterfly, Individual Medley, and Relays. There are about 50 events in
each meet, which typically last 2 to 3 hours.
After home
meets, the A meet team has pizza at the pool ($3 per head). After away
meets, the team often goes out for lunch at a nearby restaurant. B meet
swimmers eat at the meets. Parent must contribute to dinners at each of
the home meets.
A Meets
MCSL is
organized by divisions of 6 teams, from the most competitive in A
division to the least competitive in the O division. Seven Locks Swim
Team is in D division, where we will compete in 5 Saturday morning
meets, a relay carnival and Divisionals (division championships).
Swimmers bettering the all-star qualifying times may compete in the
coaches long course meet, all-star relays or all-star individuals.
Our A meets are held on Saturday mornings, with warm-ups usually
starting at 8:00 a.m. and the official meet start at 9:00 a.m.
Click here to check the
full meet schedule for 2009!
B Meets
We have joined 5
local MCSL teams for B meets. We will have 5 Wednesday evening meets and
a B relay carnival.
Relay Carnivals
There are both A
and B Relay Carnivals which consist of 4 person (girls, boys, and mixed)
teams, swimming a variety of relay races. The meet consists of 22
relays. It is a blast to watch! Relay teams that win at the division
relay carnival earn a place at the all-star relay meet in Rockville at
the end of the season.
Parents please
be aware as fewer swimmers swim in the meets you are needed even more to
volunteer & work the meet.
Division Championship Meet
Each of the six
teams in Division D may enter two swimmers in each event. The meet will
follow a standard Saturday meet format, with two heats of each
individual event. Swimmers will be placed in order of times.
Scoring for
individual events is as follows:
1st place 16
points 7th place 7 points
2nd place 13
points 8th place 5 points
3rd place 12
points 9th place 4 points
4th place 11
points 10th place 3 points
5th place 10
points 11th place 2 points
6th place 9
points 12th place 1 point
Scoring for
relay events at the Divisional Meet:
1st place 28
points 4th place 12 points
2nd place 20
points 5th place 8 points
3rd place 16
points 6th place 4 points
The team’s
finish at the relay carnival contributes points to race for division
champion. Please check the bulletin board and tell the coaches if you
cannot attend.
Coaches Invitational Long Course
Swim Meet
The top 8
fastest swimmers in MCSL, plus 2 alternates, in each age group and
individual event is invited to participate in this swim meet. Times are
based on the first 3 dual A meets. The events will be the same as in
regular dual meets, but with double the distances they normally swim.
Swimmers can
only participate in 2 events. The meet is held at the Rockville pool.
Individual All-Star Swim Meet
The top 16
swimmers in MCSL, plus 3 alternates, in each age group and individual
event participate in this event. Swimmers can only compete in 3 events.
All- Star Relay Meet
The relay team
with the fastest official time within each MCSL division, in all relay
events, will be invited to attend this meet. These times are determined
from the A relay, A meets, and the Divisional Meet.
Ribbons &
Scoring
Ribbons are
awarded for the top 6 swimmers for the Saturdays, the top 10 swimmers on
Wednesdays. Separate ribbons will be given to 6 & under, 7 & under, and
8 & under).
Dual Meets
Dual meet
results contribute to the race for Division champion as follows:
·
6 pts for a win
·
0 pts for a loss,
·
3 pts for a tie
Individual
Events
Scoring is as
follows:
1st place 6
points 4th place 2 points
2nd place 4
points 5th place 1 point
3rd place 3
points 6th place 0 points
In events having
more than one heat, results of all heats are combined to determine
points and awards.
Relay Events
Relays are
scored differently! Relays are in A meets only.
Open Age Medley
Relay
1st place 8
points
2nd place 4
points
Graduated
Freestyle Relay (notice this event has changed from 150 meters to 175
meters 9-10 – 2 lengths, 11-12 - 2 lengths, 13-14 - 2 lengths, and 8 &U
- 1 length)
1st place 8
points
2nd place 4
points
3rd place 2
points
4th place 0
points
Scoring at a
Relay Carnival is as follows:
1st place 14
points 4th place 6 points
2nd place 10
points 5th place 4 points
3rd place 8
points 6th place 2 points
The team’s
finish at the relay carnival contributes points to race for division
champion.
Please check the
bulletin board and tell the coaches if you cannot attend.
Scoring for
individual events is as follows:
1st place 16
points 7th place 7 points
2nd place 13
points 8th place 5 points
3rd place 12
points 9th place 4 points
4th place 11
points 10th place 3 points
5th place 10
points 11th place 2 points
6th place 9
points 12th place 1 point
Scoring for
relay events at the Divisional Meet:
1st place 28
points 4th place 12 points
2nd place 20
points 5th place 8 points
3rd place 16
points 6th place 4 points
The team’s
finish at the relay carnival contributes points to race for division
champion. Please check the bulletin board and tell the coaches if you
cannot attend.
Swim Team Practices
Swim team
members are welcome to come to as many practices as possible. Practice
helps develop skills, get fit, fast, and have fun! Pre-team members may
attend either the morning or evening practices, not both.
Tuesday
after Memorial Day - end of public school year
Monday - Friday
8 & unders: 4:00 - 4:45 pm
9 -
10s:
4:45 - 5:45 pm
11 & over:
5:45 - 7:00pm
End of public school year - end of regular
season
Morning
practice: Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs & Fri.
Times:
11 & over:
7:30 - 9:00 am (8:00 - 9:00 am on Fridays)
10 & under:
9:00 - 10:00 am
Afternoon practice: Mon., Tues. & Thurs. (No practice Wed. due to
B meets)
Times:
Pre
Team: 3:30 - 4:00 pm
8 & unders:
4:00 - 4:45 pm
9 -
10s: 4:45 - 5:45 pm
11 & over
5:45 - 7:00 pm
Fridays:
4:00 - 5:00 pm:
All Ages! (precedes team dinner and pep rally)
* note: evening
practices only have use of three of the six lanes. It is strongly
recommended that swimmers attend morning practices. Rumor has it that on
some days morning practices includes donuts!
Divisional practice
8:00 - 9:00 am
and 4:00 - 5:00 pm for everyone swimming in divisional meets.
All-Star practice
8:00 - 9:00 am
and 4:00 -5:00 pm for everyone swimming on an all-star relay or in an
individual event.
Pre-Team
For those
swimmers who are comfortable with their face in the water and are able
to swim one-half a length of the pool in either freestyle or backstroke,
we offer the Pre-Team. Lessons are available and encouraged for swimmers
working towards swimming half the pool length.
All decisions on
Team / Pre-Team eligibility rest with the coaching staff which will
conduct evaluations at the beginning of the year. This year we are
introducing the mini-sharks, a group lesson designed for kids trying to
make the pre-team. The lessons will offered at the pool for a fee to be
determined. Once the swimmer can meet pre-team requirements they can
transfer to the pre-team on a prorated basis. The fee for the pre-team
is per swimmer for the season will be determined shortly.
Pre Team Practices
Afternoon
Practice Mon, Tues, and Thurs. 3:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Reps, Coaches, Officials & Committees
Swim Lessons
Swim lessons are
available for those just learning to swim and for those wishing to
improve their strokes & move on to the swim team. Group lessons are
coordinated by the coaches.
Swimmers first
attend a leveling session to be placed in the appropriate group (new to
swimming, beginner, advanced beginner and intermediate). Group lessons
cost $40 per week.
Private lessons
are available from any of the coaches or older swimmers. See the
bulletin boards for more information. Prices for private lessons are $30
per half-hour.
Please bear in
mind that lifeguards and coaches cannot teach private lessons while
coaching / life guarding. All private lessons with coaches and
lifeguards must be scheduled for off days/hours.
Team Dinners & Pep Rallies
Team dinners and
the pep rallies are a favorite activity all swimmers young and old.
PLEASE VOLUNTEER
- We can’t run these events without help from parents!
Fridays: Team Pasta Night Dinners
The
Friday before each Saturday meet, one age group will bring pasta
dinner for the entire team to enjoy (100+). Please note your child’s
age group and when you are expected to bring food and help serve. The
sign up sheets are posted on the bulletin board at the pool.
Please bring
food by 4:30 pm. The team practices 4:00-5:00 pm and then eats from 5:00
to 6:00. Dinner is followed by a team activity - making posters for the
meet, decorating the pool for the meet, tie dying t-shirts, water polo
or Beaver in the Well.
Red, White & Blue Breakfast
Traditionally
the Red, White and Blue Breakfast takes place at the morning practice
closest to the 4th of July. People volunteer to bring waffles, pancakes,
strawberries, blueberries and lots of whip cream. Watch the bulletin
board for more information.
The YOs & HOs
Swim Meet and Breakfast
The Friday
morning practice before the divisional meet is the annual Seven Locks
YOs and HOs meet. The team is divided into two teams - the YOs and the
HOs. They compete in wacky events such as the corkscrew, underwater,
two-person freestyle, and t-shirt relays.
A breakfast
feast and a trip to the movies follow the meet. Food providers and movie
drivers are always needed. Check the bulletin board for more
information.
Awards Banquet
Our awards
banquet is a great night! The evening begins with a potluck dinner.
Please bring a dish to feed 20. The team provides drinks, paper products
and dessert. The pool is open for swimming. Rafts are allowed in the
pool as long as safety is maintained. The coaches take the microphone,
sum up the season and hand out team awards both serious and humorous
(also known as The Paper Plate Awards). Every swim team member earns an
individual participation award. The High Point swimmers in each age
group, male and female are recognized, as well as an Overall High Point.
Most Improved Swimmer Awards are given as deemed
by the coaches. Outstanding dedication, sportsmanship and team spirit
are acknowledged with the dedicated swimmer awards, the Paul
Phillips Sportsmanship award and the team spirit award. The Coaches
award is given to the swimmer who beyond others has given the most
Heart to the team. The graduating seniors are
thanked for all their years of swimming and contributions to the team
with a traditional pewter mug. The night ends with the famous slide
show. It truly is a night not to be missed.
Join the Sharks
for a fun filled summer 2009!
Need more information? Email Us!
swimming@sevenlocks.net
GO SEVEN
LOCKS SHARKS!
