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Does my child have to be a good swimmer to be on the team?
For safety reasons, Swimmers must be age 6 by June 1 or have completed kindergarten. Any
swimmer that is 8 and younger must be able to swim one length of the pool (25 meters) without touching the bottom or wall. Swimmers 9 and older must be able to swim two lengths of the pool without
touching the bottom or wall. This requirement will be assessed at the end of the first week. If your child does not meet these requirements, the Indian Creek Recreation Club (REC Club) has summer
swim lesson available.
When will my children have swim practice?
Practice begins either the week before Memorial Day or the week of Memorial Day beginning on the
Tuesday after Memorial Day. Practice will be held after school, Monday through Friday, at the Indian Creek pool. Once school is out, practice will be held in the morning, Monday through Friday at the
Indian Creek pool. Additional information including specific practice times will be sent to team members closer to the start of the season.
What do swimmers need to bring to practice?
For all practices, but especially for early season practices, all swimmers should bring running
shoes, shorts and t-shirts for dry land training in addition to their swim equipment (suit, cap, goggles and towel). For early season practices when the water and air may still be cool, it is also a good
idea to have a sweatshirt or jacket for after practice. A water bottle or sports drink is also important to have at each practice.
What happens if my child has to miss practice for other sports, camps or if we go on a vacation?
We have many athletes in our program that participate in other activities. The morning
practice schedule usually does not conflict with other sports practices, but this is not always the case. Like any sport or activity, the more you practice, the better you become. The coaches recommend
younger swimmers attend practice at least 2-3 times per week and that older swimmers attend 4-5 times per week. If you will miss practices for vacation, sports camp or some other reason, let the coach know
in advance. It is most important to let the coach know if you will miss a meet, so that the line up can be adjusted as needed.
Is it required that my child have the team suit and team cap?
Team suits are available but are not required. Whether or not you purchase a team suit, it is
recommended that all swimmers have a competition suit for all practices and meets. Boys baggy suits and board shorts are restrictive and provide excessive drag. Girls two piece suits are
inappropriate.
If you choose to purchase a team suit, you may do so on your own through or Swim Outlet team
store. Any suit customized with our logo is considered a final sale and cannot be returned. We encourage you to order soon because customized suits with a logo take longer to process.
Swim caps are also not required but are recommended for swimmers. Indian Creek team swim caps are available for purchase.
What are the Time Trials?
The Indian Creek team time trials are run prior to the first meet of the season and serve many
purposes. It is an opportunity for the coaches to see how each swimmer is progressing and to measure them against the clock under real meet conditions. The pool is set up with all of the competition
equipment such as lane lines, backstroke flags, starting blocks and timing equipment. Swimmers are asked to swim one or more events (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) against others on the
team in their age group. For new swimmers, this is an opportunity to race under meet conditions, with competitors, starters and officials, for the first time. The time trials also serve as an
opportunity for the team to set up and test all of the computers and timing equipment needed to run a meet. Finally, the time trials provides a chance for new swim parents to sample volunteer jobs such as
"timer", "finish judge", "runner" or "ribbon writer" in a more casual environment.
I see on the schedule that there are events with Indian
Creek versus another team. I also see events called Invitationals, Divisionals, All Stars and Mid-Caps. What are these things and are they required?
Beginning in early-June, there will be five (5) Saturday morning "dual meets" each summer
season. At these meets, Indian Creek will compete against one other team.
On the Saturday following the last dual meet, those swimmers who have participated in 3 or more
dual meets are eligible to compete in the Division Championship meet – also called "Divisionals". There are four (4) division in our league, the Capital Area Swim League (CASL).
Following Divisionals, the top 16 swimmers from the combined results of the four Divisional meets
advance to the CASL All-Star Championship Meet the very next day on Sunday.
On the Saturday following All-Stars, the top swimmers from our Capital Area Swim League All-Star
meet and the top swimmers from the east shore's Mid-Penn Swim League compete in what is called the "Mid-Cap Championship Meet". This meet is usually held on the last Saturday in July.
Invitationals are meets which are hosted by local swim clubs. They provide swimmers a chance
to swim in additional meets, against new and different competitors, and in events which they might not normally swim.
None of these meets are required although to advance to All-Stars and Mid-Caps is considered a
significant accomplishment and is often an important goal for many of our swimmers.
Will all swimmers get to swim at the swim meet?
It is team policy to enter all eligible swimmers up to the maximum number of individual events
allowed. At the coaches' discretion, a swimmer may swim less than the maximum number of events if, for example, they are not sufficiently proficient in a particular stroke.
In a swim meet, the first heat is the heat that counts for team points, the other heats are called
exhibition. Exhibition heats are important for all swimmers as they are a record of their official time, hopefully, showing improvement from race to race. Every swimmer is important to a team and
should attend as many meets as possible. Even if a swimmer swims exhibition heats, many swimmers are needed, especially for relays, which count for many team points.
What is the process for entering swim meets?
A positive "Check-In" is required for each dual meet meaning that only those swimmers in good
standing who indicate that they will be in attendance at a meet will be eligible to swim. Prior to each meet, there will be a link sent out that will allow you to "Check In" for a meet. Check in is due by
Tuesday prior to each meet.
What is the communication process between parents and the team?
The primary modes of communication are the Remind App, this website, the team newsletter, and
email. During the season, you will recieve communications from our board and coaches. Between seasons, most of the communications will be from the board President. The coaches' and board
members' contact information is listed on this web site and you are encouraged to contact any of them at any time with any questions you may have.
What role do parents play on the team?
As in all of our children's activities, parents play many important roles on
the Indian Creek swim team. In addition to making sure that your swimmer arrives at practices and meets on time with all of the necessary equipment, parents are needed as volunteers to run the swim
meets. Jobs include timers, officials, concessions stand help, and setup and clean up. None of these jobs are difficult or time consuming when everyone volunteers. Finally, parents provide the
support our children need as they challenge themselves to improve. Cheer when they succeed and encourage them to keep trying when they don't.
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