FAQ
SEVEN OAKS SWIM TEAM GUIDELINES/FAQ's
WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW
1. How do I get updated information? Our website https://sevenoaks.swimtopia.com is regularly updated with information. We also update the Seven Oaks Tsunamis Swim Team Facebook page regularly and send out emails twice a week to the team. If you still have questions, feel free to e-mail Coach Kim at [email protected].
2. How do I know if my child is ready for swim team? Our swim team has swimmers ages 5-18. This does not mean that every 5 year old is ready for swim team. Many children aren't actually ready for swim team until age 6. We expect children to know how to swim independently. They should be able to swim at least 10 yards independently and be able to stop at the lane rope if they need a break.
We will focus on teaching children the 4 strokes. They do not need to know how to do the strokes before joining the team. The swimmers will be swimming the full lengths of the pool for a 30 minute practice. Our practices are intended to build endurance as well as focus on technique. We do not teach children how to swim at practices.
3. I read the answer above, and am still not sure if my child is ready. There are many facilities in our area that offer swim lessons in Jan-May. We encourage swimmers to take pre-season lessons, even if they could swim last summer. Check out these companies if you are interested.
Swim Kids (located in Forsyth County, but definitely worth the drive)
If you are still unsure of whether your child is ready to join swim team, feel free to call Coach Kim at 770-403-5265. She can help you navigate if your child is ready this summer.
4. Does my child have to participate in the swim meets? While we encourage participation at the meets since the children find these a lot of fun, you do not have to participate in them. Some of our younger swimmers are scared and prefer not to swim in them. No coaches are allowed in the water during a swim meet per league rules. We also completely understand if you do not feel comfortable with the format of the meets this summer. EVEN IF YOUR SWIMMER DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN SWIM MEETS, PARENTS MUST FUFILL THEIR VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS.
5. How much does Swim Team cost? The cost is $170, which includes the league fee. Note: The league fee does increase on April 16. Our team also has a $50 out of neighborhood family fee, if you do not live in the Seven Oaks Community. This fee includes 7 weeks of daily weekday practices, optional dive clinics (time to be announced) & ribbons for swimming events at the meets. Optional additional costs include a team swim suit, team tshirt, swim cap, goggles, & kickboard.
6. How important are my volunteer hours? Unlike any other kind of sports team, this swim team and its functions rely heavily upon the assistance of many parents. You have been assigned a rotation of hours based upon the number of swimmers in your family. Your fulfillment of these hours in the precise location of your assignment is VITAL to each swim meet. If you cannot perform your function at a meet, you must find your own replacement. This also means that you need to make sure that your own children are not encroaching upon you when you are doing your volunteer rotations, plan accordingly and all will go smoothly. When you arrive at the meets, report directly to the sign in table for Seven Oaks volunteers.
7. How often should my child go to practice? Swimming is one of those sports where your child needs to practice more often than he/she did with soccer or baseball. Your child’s body will respond better if they practice all 5 days of the week. Their times will improve at a greater rate and they will feel like more of a part of the team. The coaches understand that you have other commitments over the summer. There is no need to tell the coach if you are missing a practice, but it is very important to use the feature on the website to declare if you will be swimming at a swim meet.
8. Can parents and siblings watch practice? Parents are welcome to stay and observe practices. Typically parents of 8 & Under swimmers will stay and watch, while parents of older swimmers just drop off their swimmers.
Siblings are permitted to be at the pool and wait for their practice times as long as a parent is present. Kids are not allowed in the deep end or slide pool during this time.
9. Poor weather policy? If it is thundering or heavily raining, where we cannot see the bottom of the pool, we will have to cancel practice. We will send out an e-mail and update the website. Please check your e-mail and website if the weather doesn't look good. **For a swim meet, all swimmers need to report to the pool on time even if it is raining. It is very rare that we will cancel a swim meet before any events are swam. Due to common summer afternoon thunderstorms, meets sometimes get delayed. Please show up on time as we will try to swim the meet as long as it does not thunder. Safety of the swimmers will always come first. Feel free to check the league rules on the rain delay procedures in case there is a thunder delay during a meet. www.atlantaswimming.com/NASARandR.asp (page 14 of rule book).
10. How do I get a message to the coach? It is best to NOT approach a coach during practice, and for that matter, in between practices either. They have too much on their minds during the practice window of 8:00 and 11:30am. Therefore, if you must get a message to any of the coaches, please e-mail Coach Kim. E-mails really work well as then the coach can remember important conversations and make sure to address your concerns. If you feel it is more of a concern you would like to discuss on the phone, you can reach Coach Kim at 770-403-5265.
11. Discipline and Conduct- You know your child better than anyone. If you feel that your child would behave better at practice if you were present, then by all means stay and observe. Coaches cannot repeatedly discipline children for poor behavior. A pool is not an environment where coaches can take a lot of time for one-on-one behavior issues. It will be the final determination of the coaches for a child demonstrating repetitive behavior problems for dismissal from the team, with no monetary refund. In addition, if your child shows any DISRESPECT toward the coaches, discipline action will be taken and could result in removal from the team. THERE WILL BE NO TOLERANCE FOR POOR BEHAVIOR.
12.Conduct of Parents. Summer League parents must exhibit good sportsmanship and patience. We appreciate your cooperation.
13. Refund Policy. The refund policy is as follows. Prior to the first week of practice: $60. Prior to the second week of practice: $50. There are no refunds after the second week of practice. The exception to the refund policy is if your swimmer is not ready for swim team and is asked to wait another year. In order to ensure the safety of all of our swimmers, children must be able to swim to be on the team. If your child cannot swim the 10 yards independently by the end of the first week, we will ask you to wait until next year and we will issue a refund. This refund will only be for the team portion of the fees. The league fee cannot be refunded.
