Handbook / Club Information

Parent run organization Team Charlotte Swimming (TCS) is a parent-run organization. TCS is run by a Board of Directors elected every July. We would encourage anyone interested in participating to contact one of the board members.

Board meetings Board of Directors (BOD) meetings are usually held once a month. These meetings are open to all families.

Mascot The TCS mascot is the Piranha.

Team Colors navy, gold and teal Swim Season/Practice

Short Course Season swimmers compete in a 25 yard pool. The season runs from September into May.

Long Course Season swimmers compete in a 50 meter pool. The season runs from late May into July.

Off season is mid-July to early September.

Practice each swimmer should try to attend the number of practices stated per their practice group. The swimmer should bring a water bottle or sports drink to each practice to keep hydrated.

Practice Group each swimmer is assigned to a practice group. The swimmer should only report to that practice group unless approved by the Coach. As a swimmer progresses during the season, they may be moved to a new practice group. This decision is to be made by the Coaches. The decision to promote a swimmer is based on performance, endurance and maturity. Apparel/Team Merchandise

Team store the team store orders supplies at the discounted team price. Items include suits, caps, pull buoys, kick boards, sweatshirts, t-shirts, etc.

Team suit TCS uses a solid navy suit with no monograms. The monograms were damaging to the suits. The Team Store can order a suit for your swimmer.

Team Caps TCS caps are navy with TCS on both sides. Caps may be purchased from the Team Store.

Kick boards & pull buoys the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center requires that all swimmers have a kick board and pull-buoy. The Team Store can order these for the swimmers.

Practice caps the yellow TCS caps are available from the Team Store.

Team shirts TCS team shirts are available from the team store. Each swimmer should wear a team shirt or sweatshirt at the meets. Communications

Web page the web page address for TCS is www.teamcharlotte.com. Please check the web page for updates, etc.

Roster a roster listing team members will be sent to TCS families. This roster will be updated during the year. The roster will not be available on the web site.

E-mail Addresses Please make sure the club has your up-to-date e-mail address please -- notify the Corresponding Secretary and the Meet Entries Committee member as soon as possible if there are any changes. These addresses will be used for the newsletter, urgent notices (such as when the Aquatic Center unexpectedly closes no practice), and any updates that need to go out prior to the newsletter. Using e-mail helps ensure that you get important messages. In addition, saves your club the cost of postage.

Adobe PDF newsletters and flyers are often sent out in a file format called Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), the file extension will be .pdf. You can download the reader for free at www.adobe.com. We strongly encourage you to do so, to stay up-to-date.

Financials

Dues The treasurer for TCS will bill each family for 1/6 of the sum of lane fees and dues in September, October, November, December, January and February. Bills will go out approximately the 15 th of the month, due end of month. The amount due will be the lane fees plus the annual fee (per practice group) divided by five. The treasurer will send a bill to each family. We do not require that each family put up an escrow fee for swim meets each family pays for the meets they attend. For example, the fees may be$10 entry fee and $2.00 per event. Swimmers must fill out a registration each year per USS.

Fundraising requirements every TCS family is obligated to work at fundraisers. The two swim meets annually hosted by TCS are examples of current fundraisers. These meets are the Western Open in February, and the Sun Kissed Junior/Senior Invitational Championships in April. You will be contacted by a Meet Management coordinator for volunteer sign-up's. Both of these meets are held at the Aquatic Center. From time to time, TCS may be called upon to host other meets, such as the 14 and Under Long Course State Championships.

Sponsorships and advertisements TCS seeks team sponsors. In addition, for each meet that TCS hosts, we solicit ads and sponsorships at various levels. This is a good way for the community to support a positive non-profit and receive recognition. TCS may hold other fundraisers, as decided by the Board.

Swim Meets

Swim meets TCS sits together as a team at swim meets. This keeps the swimmers together so that they can get to their events, as well as let the parents get to know one another.

Warm ups at meet each swimmer is expected to be at warm ups for the meet. This time is important to warm up your muscles, check out the pool, and to practice starts and turns. The Coach will direct the warm up.

Heat Sheets a heat sheet is available for sale in pool area. It lists all swimmers in each event in order of “seed time. When the team entry is sent in, each swimmer and his/her previous best time in that event is listed. If the swimmer is swimming an event for the first time, he/she will be entered as a “no-time” or “NT”. Determine what heat and lane your swimmer is in for each event and write it on the swimmer’s hand or leg in ink. This helps the swimmer get to the correct event/heat/lane.

During the Events According to USS rules, parents are not allowed on the pool deck near the starting blocks. You are welcome to come down and cheer on the sides, not impeding foot traffic. You may not stand at the blocks during the swim. Part of what the swimmers learn is the responsibility of being ready, in the right place at the right time for their events. The Coaches will be nearby let them do their job with the swimmers. A swimmer should report to the “Clerk of Course” area prior to their event. The “Clerk of Course” area is where the swimmers check in before their event.

After each event, the swimmer should ask the timers for his/her time. The swimmer should then go directly to the Coach to get feedback on their performance and positive comments. The Coach will send them to cool down if there are lanes available. Let the Coach instruct the swimmer on what they should improve parents should praise the swimmer for their event. Any questions or concerns should be directed to the Coach. All the swim teams sit as groups. Look for the team in the bleachers. When your swimmer has completed all of his/her events, check with the Coach to see if the swimmer is on a relay. Do not leave the meet without checking with the Coach. Electronic timing is used at the swim meets. There is a touch pad in each lane, as well as several back-up systems. Each lane will still have two timers. Do not worry if your child does not hit the touch pad the timers will get their time.

Swim meet locations the schedule for swim meets will be given to each family. The meets are about once a month and are generally in NC and SC. We have meets in Charlotte, Huntersville, Shelby, Hickory, Asheville, Spartanburg, etc.

Signing up for a swim meet each family will receive an entry meet form for eligible meets. The swimmer/parent choose the events to enter but the coaches may encourage additional events. If you are not going to attend a meet, return the entry form to the Coach and tell them you will not be attending.

What to Expect at the Swim Meet

This pertains to meets held at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center (MCAC), but also applies elsewhere.

Logistics

The MCAC doors will open at 8:00 AM. The Coaches ask that all swimmers be there 10 minutes prior so that they are ready to go in when the doors open.

• Sometimes, we will not be able to park at the MCAC. Park at the Education Center or at the metered parking on 2 nd Street both are free on Saturday. You will be allowed to drop off your swimmers at the door.
• Please remember the MCAC only allows water and sports drinks in the pool area. Chug the Starbucks in the lobby before going in. There is usually someone in the lobby checking.

What to take to the meet

For the Swimmer:

• Team suit and cap
• Goggles (take an extra pair)
• Towels swimmers will need several
• Something to sit on such as sleeping bags, blankets, etc. for the swimmer to rest on between events. Parents may also need folding chairs.
• Sweat suits/ t-shirts the swimmers need to stay warm and not get chilled
• Diversions books, Gameboys, games. There is down time between swims.
• Food swimmers will need snacks and drinks. Not all meets allow coolers in the pool area. Suggestions for food granola bars, fruit, yogurt, dry cereal, pretzels, etc. Swimmers should drink water, fruit juice or a sports drink. The swimmer must stay hydrated.

For the Parent:

• A sharpie to write the event info on your child. This simplifies things for everyone and makes a quick check at the blocks.
• Money for the heat sheet usually around $5.
• A highlighter to quickly reference your swimmer in the heat sheet.
• A pen to jot down their times.
• Diversions (remember that down time) newspaper, book.
• Something for you to drink in the cooler
• All aquatic centers get hot and humid with a few hundred of your closest friends and a large body of water. Dress accordingly!

There is a snack bar, but it is not always open.

Finally, let’s show some team spirit. Wear team apparel and/or team colors to the meet.

The meets are a lot of fun for the swimmers! He/she gets to be with friends, play games and meet kids from other teams. The swimmer also gets to race and see how much he/she has improved from all of his/her hard work at practice.