CRANBROOK SWIM CLUB

SWIM TEAM FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SWIMSUIT, SWIM CAP AND TEAM APPAREL

Included with your team registration:

Team T-Shirts:  Swimmers that register on or before May 30, 2024, will get a 2024 theme CSC swim team t-shirt.

Team Caps:  We ask that only CSC caps may be worn during meets. There are cap options available at the time of registration.  One (1) latex cap included per swimmer, or upgrade to one (1) silicone cap for discounted price of $10.  Personalized silicone caps available for purchase at time of registration for $25 each.  Throughout the rest of the season standard caps can still be purchased from swim chairs.  The price is $10 for latex caps and $20 for silicone.

CSC Team Gear:  Additional team gear, including swim suits, will be available online thru Varsity Shop. Look for an email, usually early May, with the link to order.  Swimsuits and other gear are available to be tried on at the Varsity Shop at your convenience.

Team Swim Suits:  You are not required to buy new suits each year, but we do want every swimmer in Cranbrook Dolphins suits. NSSL guidelines state that swimmers should only appear in logos that represent the team, for which they are swimming, during meets. These requirements ensure that CSC swimmers look like a team, and make it easier for coaches to identify our swimmers in the water.  

Dolphin-Wear: Spirit wear for grownups, fans and athletes is optional but strongly encouraged. It’s a great way to advertise our club!! We are asking that parents wear ROYAL BLUE when attending our meets – for both home and away.  If you did not get a t-shirt with registration, you may still order one through this venue.

MEET DAY INFORMATION

Who Swims? - Everybody is entered in two individual events by the coaches. Some swimmers are also chosen by coaches to be in relays. You are entered in every meet, unless you have indicated in advance that you will not be at the meet. The ONLY way we know you will not be there is if you have signed the “Coach I can’t Swim” sheet available on SignUpGenius. The link is available on the CSC swim page website.

Home Meet Concession Donations - This year, meet donations will be dropped off at a table near the entry to the club. An email will go out with the donations we need for the home dual meets. Thank you in advance!

Practice - Everyone comes to their age group practice in the morning. There will be bagels for the swimmers after practice. Coach Kate tells the swimmers which events they are swimming and if they are in a relay. The swimmers then swims a meet warm-up.

After Practice – Rest and relax. Eat with enough time to digest your food before you swim.

What to pack for a meet - Pack a bag for the meet. Include 2-3 towels (one for sitting, one for drying off), swim team cap and 2 or more pair of goggles, sweatshirt or jacket, sweatpants (it gets cool when the sun goes down, especially when wet), a golf umbrella or tent for rain or sun protection, sunscreen, and something to do (like cards or books). Be sure your name is on everything you bring. Each swimmer should bring a “Sharpie” marker to the meet to write events/heats/lanes on their hands.

Travel to meets - Parents are responsible for taking their children to and from every meet. CSC does not provide transportation. Be sure to allow adequate time for travel and parking so that your child is on time for warm-ups.

Meet Warm ups - Home meet warm ups are at 3:00 pm. Away meet warm ups typically start at 4:00 pm. Be there at least 15 minutes before the warm-up starts. This gives you time to put down your belongings and get your cap and goggles on before you get in the water. Wear your team suit to the meet if you have one.

Meets - Meets last around 3-3 ½ hours and have 52 numbered events (click here for the Order of Events). There may be multiple heats in each event. Swimmers are seeded slowest to fastest. If your swimmer is in the final heat, they are swimming for points. Swimming for points just means that the place those swimmers finish in will count towards the points total for the CSC team for that meet. At the end of the meet all the points are added up and the team with the most points is announced as the winner. All swimmers not swimming for points are swimming for exhibition. Remind your swimmer that swimming for exhibition may earn them a spot to swim for points at the next meet.

Swimmers are encouraged to stay until the meet is over to cheer on the relays. This is the super fun part of a swim meet – please, please stay and cheer on your teammates!! The score of the meet will be announced throughout the meet – at the end the winner of the meet will be announced.

Volunteering - If parents are volunteering at the meet, please check in with your chairperson to confirm when and where you are needed to work.

Marshaling - What is marshaling? It is a system by which you get your swimmer into their race. The marshals organize the 10 and under children by heat and lane on giant mats and take them to the blocks for their event. Watch for the number of your child’s event to be posted on the fence by the diving well at home or near the marshaling mats at an away meet. Make sure you know where the children are being marshaled at away meets because the events being marshaled are posted there. The event number will be posted well before the race. It is your responsibility to get your child to marshaling when the event is posted, we will not call your child over the loudspeaker, nor can we search the premises for your child. If your child is not in marshaling when the swimmers in that event go to the starting blocks, they will most likely miss their race. It gets crowded in marshaling, so please drop off your child and return to your viewing area. Parents who are not marshaling or timing are not allowed behind the blocks.

11 & up self-marshal and are responsible for getting themselves to the starting blocks in a timely fashion.

After warm up, all swimmers aged 10 & under should have their parent write their event, heat and lane (E, H, L) of each event they are swimming on their hand.

The E is the first thing we need to know - in which event is your swimmer swimming? Coach Kate will go over the line up with swimmers at each practice the morning of the meet. Each number below the E corresponds to a different event such as 25 backstroke, 100 I.M. etc. Typically you will have two events plus the possibility of a relay. Always check the "heat sheets" for relays. The H is for heat. There may be several swimmers in the event so they are divided up into different heats. You will not know this prior to arriving to the swim meet. You will check the sheet and list the corresponding heat number for the event. For example, your child is swimming in heat 7 of event 8. So put a 7 next to the 8, under the H. Heat sheets may be purchased at a meet or you can find them posted near marshaling typically so you can get your swimmer squared away. Always double check the heat sheet for relays. The L is for lane. Finally the easy part. You will not know this prior to arriving to the swim meet. Check the lane that your swimmer is in on the heat sheet for their heat in their event and note it under the L. Try to keep them still and get this done before they get wet - it's easier - trust us. Your marshaling team is their to help if you get confused, as are our other experienced families. We recommend a black sharpie for your grid. We suggest keeping a black sharpie in your swimmer's bag.

Award Ribbons - Only those swimmers in the last heat are awarded place ribbons. All other swimmers receive participation ribbons in each event with their name, the event and the time swam on the back of the ribbon. You may pick up ribbons at the meet usually a few events after yours is complete. Each team has an area where they can be picked up by the event number. If you do not get them at the meet, the awards chair will make them available in the plastic folder located at the entrance of CSC.