Hiddenbrook Swim Team

Is prior experience required for joining the Hiddenbrook Swim Team?

No, the team welcomes all who wish to swim. There are no tryouts -- simply complete the registration process and come to practice. If unsure of your child’s readiness for the swim team or Waterspouts developmental program, arrange with Coach Jon Radow to have your child assessed prior to swim practice.

Are private swim lessons available?

Yes, please contact the coaches for details.

What times are practices?

Practices are held Monday through Friday. They are in the afternoon while school is in session and in the morning during the summer. The exact times are given on our Home page.

Can I stay and watch a swim practice?

Yes, you’re encouraged to watch. Please refrain from talking with the coach during practice. Practice is when the coach spends time with the swimmers. Please hold you questions for the coach until before or after practice. We suggest that you sit in the pavilion area during the practice.

Does my child need to wear the team swim suit during practice? During a meet? What brand and where do I buy it?

Not during practice. In fact, to reduce wear-and-tear, the swim team suit should probably only be worn during meets. It appears that the manufacturers are trying to change designs each year and force us to choose a new design every year. If that’s not the case, then we get another year out of last year’s suit. 

How can I best help the coach help my child?

Bring them to practices regularly, prepared and on time. Be supportive and let them enjoy the sport. Let the coaches do the coaching. 

What can I do to help prepare my child for a meet?

Have your swimmer eat a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep, bring a water bottle to the meet, and get them to the meet on time. Advise them to listen to the coach and to have fun! Cheer them on too!

What strokes do the swimmers use in competition?

Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly.

What is an A meet and what is a B meet?

A meets occur on Saturdays and are competitive. A score for each team is tabulated based on the results of each event, and the meet will end in a win, loss, or tie for the Hurricanes. The coaches determine which swimmers participate in the meet and what events they will swim. Roughly half of the swimmers on the team participate in an A meet.  However, who is selected for the A meet each week changes based on attendance, changes in our swimmers' times, and the times of the swimmers on the other team.  A meets have 40 individual events and 12 relay events.  The fastest swimmers in each event earn points for their team using the following scale: Individual events: 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 3 points, 3rd = 1 point. Relay events: 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 0 points.

B meets occur on Monday nights and are open to all of our swimmers. In these meets swimmers are generally permitted to swim events of their choosing, (although there are some restrictions to this, which are described in the team handbook). A score is not kept for B meets but these are the meets where our swimmers can clock a time that will allow them to compete on Saturdays. 

How long do the meets run?

Monday evening B Meets generally run from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., while Saturday morning A Meets generally run from 8:00 a.m. until noon.

Where can I find directions to the swim club we are visiting?

Directions to the swim club for an away meet can be found at either the signup calendar or the printable grid calendar.  

Is it necessary for swimmers to stay for the entire meet?

While swimmers are encouraged to stay for the full meet and support their teammates, they may leave with a parent once they have finished swimming their event(s). This is especially true for our younger athletes on Monday nights.

If my child is not swimming in a meet, should they still go to the meet to watch?

Yes! Watching more experienced swimmers is a valuable learning tool.

What are the age groups for the swimmers?

The age groups are 8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-18. 

How do we know which meet(s) my child will swim?

The coach will tell you or your child what event(s) they are swimming on the day before the meet. The “meet sheet” is usually e-mailed to parents well before the morning of the meet. Your swimmer will chose their own events for the Monday evening meets and you will get a confirmation email from the team.

What happens if my child has a conflict for a meet?

Without consistent participation, the team will have a poor season. But we do understand that conflicts will happen. Let the coach know as soon as possible if your swimmer will not be able to attend a meet. In addition, if you know that your swimmer may miss a meet due to a conflict, e.g. vacation, go to the signup calendar, select the meet that your child can't attend, and indicate that he/she will not be attending.

What does it mean when my child is swimming up?

Under certain circumstances, a swimmer may be entered in an age group that is older than his/her designated age group.  For example, a 12 year old is entered in an event of 13-14 year olds.  This often occurs when we have absences in an older age group that need to be filled.  Swimming up only occurs in A meets.

What does DQ mean?

Disqualification – this can happen for a variety of reasons including starting early (false start), leaving the diving block early in a relay, performing an illegal stroke, performing an illegal turn. Your child's DQ slips will be placed in your family's folder and your coach can help interpret the slip.

Didn't find an answer to your question?  If so, check out the Resources section.  It has several very detailed documents that give even more information about the swim team.