Shiloh Swimming and Diving Team

Frequently Asked Questions

1. If my child is participating in band, cross-country, football, volleyball or any fall activity; can they still participate in swimming/diving?

There are three seasons for activities at SHS. Swimming is considered a winter sport. All swimmers and divers who are active in a fall activity must be released by the coach prior to beginning practice with us. The same type of release from swimming/diving will be necessary prior to beginning a spring sport (baseball, soccer, track, tennis ect)

2. Does my child need a physical to participate on the team?

Yes, all athletes participating in sports at Shiloh must have a physical on file with the Athletic Director’s office. A physical is valid for one year so if you have had a physical for another sport since March of 2009 it will not be necessary to have an additional physical. A valid physical is required before an athlete can begin practice.

3. Where and when is practice held?

Swim team practice is held at the Quinn Ridge Pool. Diving practice is held at the Mountain Park. Swim team practice is held Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 4:30. Diving practice is Mondays and Wednesdays from 7-9pm plus additional Fridays. Practices will be held during the winter holidays.

4. When does practice start?

Official practice will begin on Monday, October 19, 2009.

5. Is transportation provided to practice?

No. You may want to consider to car pool with other parents or allow your child to join a car pool group. A signed Gwinnett County Transportation Release Form is required for students that are transporting themselves or any other students.

6. When do meets start/end?

Our first meet will be held November 14^th. The last dual Meet, Jan. 23^rd will conclude the regular season. Any swimmer/diver who qualifies for County Championships (Jan.28-30) or State (Feb. 10-12) will continue training. Please see schedule for more details.

7. Where are the meets held?

Meets will be held at the Mountain Park Pool, Collins Hill Park Pool and the New West Park Pool in Duluth (which is also the site of the County Championships). We also travel to Cobb once this year. Directions will be posted on our website.

8. How long do meets last?

All Dual/Tri meets will last no longer than 4 hours (including the warm-up periods). Championship or Invitational meets are often 6-8 hour events.

9. Is transportation provided to and from the swim meets?

Yes, bus transportation will be provided to all swim meets. Swimmers and divers are expected to ride the bus to and from all meets unless alternate arrangements are made with the coaches at least 1 day prior to the meet.

10. How will I find out additional information throughout the season?

Documents may be delivered to athletes at practice and you can access most info from our website. Also, make sure you have give us a valid e-mail address that you check.

11. What is expected of parents?

Our team, and the meets in particular, cannot function without the support of the parents. A list of worker assignments will be created and distributed prior to the first meet. If you have a conflict with one of the dates you are scheduled to work, please make arrangements to switch with another parent. A list of names, phone numbers, etc. will also be provided. Also, parents are needed to support our team in other areas such as recruiting sponsors, taking pictures, production of the team video, website, social events, etc. If you have a certain skill that would assist us, please let us know.

12. As a parent, how can I get more involved?

Let any member of the board know that you are interested and would like to become more involved. We are looking for committee chairpersons, new board members, etc. Strong parent involvement is essential for the success of our team.

13. What does the Booster Club provide? Are there any additional costs?

Your registration fee covers the pool time for practice and meets, lifeguards, diving coaches, officials for meets, and a number of other expenses. The team also provides a team cap, a team T-shirt and sweat pants. A required purchase is the Shiloh team swim suit (returning members can choose to keep last years suit if in good condition). Other spirit wear items are optional purchases. We encourage family and friend to buy these optional items too. We encourage all parents/family to wear spirit wear to our meets to show support. Banquet fees may be an additional expense at the end of the season.

14. What needs to be brought to meets?

Athletes should bring Shiloh suits, T-shirt, sweats, towels, goggles, caps, etc.

NOTE: Parents and all spectators should dress comfortably for meets. If you have never been to an indoor swim meet it gets hot in an indoor facility.

15. What should swimmers and divers eat before practice and meets?

Athletes should eat foods high in carbohydrates that are easily absorbed and digested, Foods such as chicken, pasta, turkey sandwich, yogurt & bananas are good choices. Try to avoid foods high in sugar. Swimmer must have a bottle of water or sports drink at every practice and should bring several with them to meets. Avoid carbonated or caffeine filled drinks as both lead to more fluid loss.

16. What is the order of the events at a meet?

Event #1-2 200 medley relay Event # 13-14 100 Free

Event #3-4 200 freestyle Event # 15-16 500 freestyle

Event # 5-6 200 individual medley Event # 17-18 200 Free relay

Event # 7-8 50 freestyle Event # 19-20 100 Backstroke

Event # 9-10 1m Diving Event # 21-22 100 Breaststroke

Event #11-12 100 butterfly Event # 23-24 400 Free Relay

17. What is required to letter in Swimming and Diving?

Each year the coaches post the letter criteria on the website and provide a hard copy to all athletes. The requirements include attendance, performance at meets, and qualifying time/point standards. You will want to review all of the requirements at the beginning of the season to be sure you understand them.

18. What events will I swim at the meets? How will that be determined?

The coaches will determine in which events you will compete. If you want to swim a particular event, please notify one of the coaches and an effort will be made to place you in that event. The County and State Meets have qualifying times that must be reached in order to participate. These times will be posted at the beginning of the season to assist in setting personal goals. Good communication with the coaches is the key.

19. Will parents receive training before being asked to work at meets?

We encourage you to team up with more experienced parents for training. If you are unsure of your assignment, ask a board member to assist you. All of these functions are simple to master and a few minutes of on-the-job training is usually sufficient.

20. How is the high school team different from a summer league team?

· Practices are mandatory.

· Boys swim first in each event.

· Diving event is included. (except for some invitationals)

· Athletes can only compete in a maximum of 4 events at any meet, no more than 2 of which are individual events. There are no age groups.

· Competition is more intense – times and points are tracked and very important.

· Parent involvement is more crucial.