WILDWOOD WAVES SWIM TEAM

Informational Handbook

2017-2018

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the 2017-2018 season of the Wildwood Waves Swim Team! We are so excited to have you as part of our team and are looking forward to a successful, fun year of .

We are committed to offering a quality swim team that emphasizes teaching not only the fundamentals of competitive swimming, but good sportsmanship, positive attitude, personal responsibility and honesty.

The purpose of this handbook is to explain to new members what our swim team is and to outline various policies that affect all swimmers, year after year. All families should read it so that they may become familiar with important facts and rules of the club.

Please read the handbook carefully as it contains information about team policies.

OUR MISSION

To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

OUR VALUES

Caring, honesty, respect and responsibility are the basis for all that we do.

OUR PROMISE

We build strong kids, strong families and strong communities.

“The things you learn from sports- setting goals, being part of a team, confidence- that’s invaluable. It’s not about trophies and ribbons. It’s about BEING ON TIME for practice, ACCEPTING CHALLENGES and being fearful of the elements.” -

“The water is your friend...you don’t have to fight with water, just share the same spirit as the water and it will help you move.” -Aleksander Popov

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“Your biggest challenge isn’t someone else. It’s the ache in your lungs. The burning in your legs. And the voice in your head that yells ‘CAN’T’, but you don’t listen. You push harder. And then you hear that voice whisper ‘CAN’, and you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the person you truly are.” -

HISTORY

The Wildwood Waves Swim Team was founded in 2002. We have always been a competitive team with emphasis on stroke technique.

WHO’S WHO

Aquatics Director-Jen Humphrey

Jen was a lifeguard at the Edward Jones YMCA in 2003 and became their aquatic coordinator in 2004 until early 2006. She worked at the West County YMCA from 2011-2014 and was the aquatic director at Jefferson County Y from 2014-2015. Jen joined the Wildwood Y as the aquatic director in May 2015. Jen is a certified PADI scuba diver and has been for over 20 years, specialties include deep water diving, night diving and rescue diving. She loves training staff in water activities and is excited to have a swim team at Wildwood! Jen looks forward to learning all the ins and outs of a swim team as well as getting to know all those involved.

Please feel free to contact Jen with any questions or concerns at 636-458- 6636, ext. 245, or [email protected].

Coach Rich Murphy

Rich joined the coaching staff during the 2013-2014 season. He has been a member of the YMCA since 2003, with two of his children swimming for the Chesterfield YMCA team for several years. Rich was a competitive swimmer in Nashville, TN for 10 years. (Claim to fame: he was on the same team as Olympians and … different lane, but same team). He has swum on several Masters Swim teams (in 6 states), and coached Masters Swimming, as well. Rich has worked with youth, both as Cub Scout Packmaster and Boy Scout Troop leader; and as a basketball coach in the Rockwood Recreation league. Rich is a retired US Navy officer, and currently an engineering supervisor. He is married with three children. 3

His approach in developing young swimmers focuses on good technique, with age appropriate conditioning, while keeping it fun and enjoyable.

Please feel free to contact Coach Rich with any coaching questions at [email protected].

Coach Molly Meyer

Molly has worked for the Wildwood YMCA since 2003 and joined the coaching staff of the Wildwood Waves in 2004. Molly swam competitively since 3rd grade for the Rockwood Swim Club. She continued swimming up through high school where she was on the girls’ varsity swim team and was captain her senior year for Ursuline Academy. Molly is married with two young sons. Molly is strict on form and technique and pushes the swimmers to know and understand their full potential.

Please feel free to contact Coach Molly with any coaching questions at [email protected].

Coach Amanda Warner

Amanda is an assistant coach who joined the staff during the 2014-2015 swim season. Amanda began her swimming career at the age of 10 on a summer swim team, and then progressed to swimming for several club teams. Amanda swam through high school, and continues to hold four records. Amanda swam collegiately for Truman state University and was a NCAA II All-American. Amanda has been coaching children since high school in both swimming lessons and competitive teams. She continues to coach her four children who have all come to love swimming. Amanda focuses on technique, concentrating on making the most of each lap, and helping children find a lifelong love of the sport.

TEAM REQUIREMENTS and FEES

All swim team members must be full YMCA members.

SWIM TEAM FEES

Level 1: $375 Level 2: $450 Level 3: $475

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We do not charge separate fees for administration fees, fundraising fees, or pool fees.

We offer discounts for each additional child and for parent board members.

An additional $100 registration fee applies to those registering after Nov. 30, 2017.

TEAM LEVELS

Level 1 This is our entry level group and is intended as an introduction to competitive swimming for ages 5 and older. An athlete needs only to swim 25 yards freestyle and 25 yards without assistance and have a basic knowledge of rotary breathing. Emphasis placed on learning all four strokes.

Level 2 This group is for elementary age swimmers that have knowledge of all four competitive strokes. Emphasis placed on stroke technique, endurance, starts, and turns. Swimmers must be able to swim 100 IM and 200 Freestyle.

Level 3 This group will be comprised of advanced swimmers that have mastered proper technique of all four competitive strokes and are becoming more involved in the competitive aspect of swimming. Emphasis placed on technique, endurance, dry land, and team commitment. Longer distances swum regularly.

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PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Practices begin on Tuesday, September 12th

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Sunday*

12:00-1:00 Level 1 4:30-5:30pm 4:30-5:30pm pm* 5:30-6:45 6:00-7:15 12:00-1:15 Level 2 5:30-6:45 pm 5:30-6:45 pm pm pm* pm* 6:00-7:30 6:00-7:30 12:00-1:30 Level 3 6:00-7:30 pm 6:00-7:30 pm pm pm pm*

*optional practices. No Sunday practices on meet weekends.

NO PRACTICE: November 22, 23, 24 December 25-January 2

PRACTICE CANCELLATIONS/INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

In the event of thunder or lightning, the pool must be closed for safety. Swim practice will be canceled in the case of thunder or lightning. Other cancellations may occur due to snowstorm, power outage, etc. We will do our best to notify every family by email as quickly as possible.

TEAM SUITS

You can purchase team suits at B & B Aquatics located at 1747 Clarkson Road Chesterfield, MO 63017. Please do not wear team suits to practice. We recommend that your swimmer wear a practice suit made from 100% polyester or a Speedo endurance suit.

GEAR

Swimmers must bring their own equipment to every practice. This includes goggles, fins, pull-buoys, paddles, swim caps and water bottles for levels 2 and 3. Water bottles are essential. Equipment for Level 1 includes swim caps, goggles and water bottles.

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PRACTICE ETIQUETTE for SWIMMERS

1. Come to practice on time with all equipment. 2. Wait for your coach on deck before getting into the water. 3. Always swim from wall to wall. No stopping or walking on the bottom of the pool. 4. Walk on the pool deck. 5. When you are swimming breaststroke or butterfly, make sure you touch the wall with two hands. 6. If you know how to do flip turns on backstroke and freestyle, we expect you to do them all the time. 7. We circle swim at practice. Circle swim rules are as follows: 8. Swim down the right side of the lane and back on the right side. (The right side would be the side to your right from whichever end of the pool you are looking at.) 9. We expect all swimmers to be caring, honest, respectful and responsible at all times. 10. If you have a question, always ask your coach and please raise your hand. 11. When you are on the wall, keep your head above water and your eyes on the coach. 12. Have FUN!

PRACTICE ETTIQUETTE for PARENTS

1. Coaches will reevaluate participants the first few days of practice and may recommend changes to better meet your swimmer’s needs. We realize that some participants have little or no experience in competitive swimming while others are quite accomplished. By separating the groups by ability, we hope to move swimmers ahead as soon as they master the progressive skills. 2. Please get your swimmer on deck in suit (preferably a one piece), goggles, and cap at scheduled starting times. Please make sure your swimmer uses the restroom before practice. 3. You are encouraged to watch practices in the viewing window, across from the front desk but please let the coaches do the “coaching”. 4. Please stress to your swimmer that they are expected to conduct themselves properly on the grounds, in the building, and especially in the locker rooms. Any swimmers who do not act accordingly may be asked to leave the program. We follow the same rules that are in place at the

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YMCA. At the end of practice, after swimmers have cleared the deck, parents are responsible for seeing that a responsible adult pick up their swimmers. 5. We are a competitive team and want parents to encourage the success of their swimmers. However, the success of swimmers should be measured against the stopwatch rather than other swimmers.

MEETS

General Meet Information The Wildwood Waves Swim Team participates in the YMCA Heartland Area. Signups for meets and information pertaining to the meet will be posted on the Team Unify website. You will receive an invitation to join Team Unify within the first few weeks of the season. All meet availability must be updated on our website through Team Unify to be entered in meets. Many factors go into planning what events your child will swim. Please do not try to change what events your child is swimming once event entries are posted. There will be a $25 charge to your account for failing to attend at any small meet your child has been entered. There will be a $50 charge to your account for failing to attend at any invitational meet your child has been entered. There will be a $100 charge to your account for failing to attend at the Regional Championships or Area Championships once your child has been entered. If there is an emergency or sickness, please notify a coach immediately. We attend different types of meets during the season. Below is a basic description of each: Dual/Tri Meets These are small meets with one or two other teams with limited events and typically last no more than 6 hours. These meets are free to attend. Invitational Meets Invitational meets are larger, more formal swim meets. These meets are conducted in multiple sessions that can span an entire weekend. Invitational meets vary in format and events offered. Other invitational meets offer a combination of sprint events and distance events. The type and number of

8 events that an athlete can enter in a given session, on a given day or during the entire meet are limited. Nearly all invitational meets require athletes to complete an advance entry process. Specific entry cut-off dates are stated in meet invitations and entries will not be accepted after the deadline. There will be fees to attend invitational meets. Meet fees will be charged to your account after meet entries are completed. Age Divisions A swimmer’s age classification for competition shall be determined by the swimmer’s age as of December 1 of the competitive season. 6 years old & under (at some dual and invitational meets) 8 years old & under 9-10 years old 11-12 years old 13-14 years old 15-21 years old

What to Bring to Meets 1. Healthy snacks, such as fruit, nuts, cheese and crackers, water, sports drinks 2. Spending money for food, snacks or equipment replacement (i.e. goggles, caps) 3. Sleeping bags, or blankets for relaxing between meets 4. Camping chairs 5. Sweats 6. Books, music, video games for entertainment. 7. Extra towels

Swimmers Conduct at Meets 1. Swimmers must follow all facility rules and directions from the meet officials. Officials are final authority on how the meet is run. Failure to follow the officials’ directions could result in the team being disqualified. 2. Swimmers must remain in team bullpen between events. 3. Immediately after getting out of the water, the swimmers should report to the coaches on the pool deck. (Swimmers must meet with the coaches on the pool deck after each event.)

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4. After meeting with their coaches, swimmers must immediately report back to the bullpen. (Due to limited pool space, swimmers are not allowed to watch team members swim on the pool deck.) 5. No food or drink allowed in the pool area. 6. Horseplay is not tolerated in water, on the pool deck or in the locker room.

Parents Conduct at Meets 1. Parents must follow all facility rules and directions from meet officials. Failure to follow the officials’ directions could result in the parents being asked to leave and the team being disqualified. 2. Parents are not allowed on the pool deck during a meet unless volunteering except for when designated seating areas are on deck at some locations. 3. Parents may greet young swimmer at the locker room doors after an event. 4. Parents are to respect all decisions made by the coaches in regards to which events their child is entered to swim at meets.

Volunteering at Meets

Volunteers working together with the YMCA staff operate all of the swim team event opportunities for our children. Without your help and support, we simply cannot make worthwhile opportunities happen.

Most volunteer positions provide the best seat in the house to see your child swim and don’t require special skills and only minimal training. So there isn’t a major time commitment beyond attending the swim meets.

As you become more familiar with swim meet operations, you may wish to volunteer for other positions, including those that require certification (official). These positions are very rewarding, and when done well, can ensure a well-run swim meet. Please let us know of your interest.

Each family will be asked to provide one adult member to work as a volunteer during three of the meets. Generally, at meets, we are required to provide timers and certified officials. We will be collecting two $50 checks from each family to be held until the end of the season. The checks will be returned or shredded after completion of work assignments.

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Important Information

Discipline Policy: Swimmers are expected to show responsible behavior before, during, and after practices, as well as at meets. The behavior of each team member affects our team image and morale. Negative or abusive behaviors will not be tolerated. Due to the number of swimmers and the amount of practice time available, it is crucial that the practice environment remain positive and that practice sessions operate in a smooth, efficient manner. Inappropriate behavior would include, but not be limited to the following:

• Speaking when coaches are speaking • Disobeying the request or instructions of a coach or adult • Failing to respect other people’s property • Behaving in any way that could reflect negatively on the program • Use of Drugs, Tobacco or Alcohol • Failing to respect all areas of the facility and staff. • Adhering to the rules of the aquatics department • Inappropriate use of language

These standards of behavior must be maintained before, during and after all practice sessions, meets and at any other team functions.

It is our hope that the following measures would not need to be used, but if a swimmer fails to maintain the established standards, the following action will be taken:

1st Incident - Swimmer will receive a warning to cease inappropriate behavior.

2nd Incident - Swimmer will be asked to leave practice.

3rd Incident - Swimmer will have a meeting with parents, coaches and aquatic director to determine best course of action for the swimmer.

Notes to Parents

Parents, we would prefer that you observe practice from the pool viewing window

Please be considerate and do not try to communicate with any swimmer from the viewing area. This is not only distracting to the swimmer, but can also be distracting to the entire team as well as the coach. In addition, 11

“coaching” your child from the viewing window/pool deck will not be tolerated. Praise and encouragement is always welcome, but leave the coaching to the coaches. If there is a need to communicate an urgent message to your child, please feel free to come to the pool deck and the coach will get the attention of your child for you. In addition, we will re- evaluate swimmers within the first week or two of practice and we may recommend changes to better meet your swimmer’s needs. We realize that some participants have little to no experience in competitive swimming, while others are quite accomplished. Please don’t be alarmed if we make adjustments to the practice groups. It will only be for the betterment of the swimmer and the team as a whole.

We want your swimmer to relay to his or her coach as soon as possible concerns about swimming matters. This relationship between coach and swimmer produces best results. When parents interfere with opinions as to how the swimmer should swim or train it causes considerable confusion as to whom the swimmer should listen to. If you have a problem, concern, or complaint, please contact the coach. When contacting the coach, please be considerate. The best way to speak with the coach is to meet them after practice. They will make every effort to make themselves available to answer questions, provide information, etc. Sending an email or a note to the coach with your swimmer is also a good way to get information to them.

One of the traditional swim team communication gaps is that some parents seem to feel more comfortable in discussing their disagreements over coaching philosophy with other parents rather than taking them directly to the coach. Not only is the problem never resolved that way, but also this approach often results in creating new problems.

Try to keep foremost in your mind that you and the coach have the best interests of your child at heart. If you trust that the coach's goals match yours, even though his/her approach may be different, you are more likely to enjoy good rapport and a constructive dialogue. If another parent uses you as a sounding board for complaints about the coach's performance or policies, listen empathetically, but encourage the other parent to speak directly to the coach or the aquatic director because they are the only ones who can resolve the problem.

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Wildwood Waves Swim Team Swimmer and Parent Contract

It is the goal of the Gateway Region YMCA to guide children in becoming caring, honest, responsible and cooperative participants in our programs. It is important for participants to grow to respect themselves as well as the rights and feelings of others.

Swim team members must follow all practice etiquette as follows: • Be on the deck and ready to swim at scheduled practice times. • Wait for your coach on deck before getting into the water. • Always swim from wall to wall- No stopping or walking on the bottom of the pool. • Walk on the pool deck. • If you know how to do flip turns on backstroke and freestyle- you are expected to do them all the time • We circle swim at practice. • We expect all swimmers to be caring, honest, respectful, and responsible at all times. • When you are at the wall, keep your head above water and your eyes on the coach.

We ask that parents use the following etiquette: • Please stress to your swimmer that they are expected to conduct themselves properly on the grounds, in the building, and especially in the locker rooms. Any swimmers who do not act accordingly may be asked to leave the program. We follow the same rules that are in place at the Y. At the end of practice, after swimmers have cleared the deck, parents are responsible for seeing that a responsible adult pick up their swimmers. • We are a competitive team and want parents to encourage the success of their swimmers. However, the swimmer’s success should be measured against the stopwatch rather than against any other swimmer. • Parents will allow the coaches to coach. If you have questions/concerns about your swimmer or the team, please communicate them to a coach. • Each family sign up to work at three away meets. • Parents must follow all posted rules from the host team. • Parents are not allowed on the pool deck during a meet unless volunteering. (Parents may greet young swimmer at the locker room doors after an event.) I agree and understand all swim team policies.

______Swimmer’s Signature Date ______Parent’s Signature Date

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