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Here is a
collection of frequently asked questions (FQAs) that most new swimmers and their parents are
likely to ask. If you have any more questions, please
send me your questions. We all need as much collective
information as possible.
How many days a week will I practice?
What time of day will I practice?
Do I have to buy a team uniform & cap? Where?
How will I find out about dates for swim meets, and if I qualify to go?
What do I need to bring to a swim meet?
Do I need a special diet before a meet?
Can I "chow down" during a meet, since I'm already there?
What's the "Go for the Gold" Program?
How do I get news about upcoming events?
How can parents help?
What are some parental "do's and don'ts"?
How many
days a week will I practice?
The coach
decides how often you'll practice. He bases his decision on
many factors, including age, ability, and experience. Here are
some general guidelines:
-
National Team
{Level 7} (13 & over) - 8 to 9 times per week.
-
Seniors {Level
6} (13 & over) - 5 to 9 times per week.
-
Pre-Seniors
{Level 5} (11 & over) - 4 to 6 times per week.
-
Age Group
Regional team {Level 4} (9-15) - 3 to 6 times per week.
-
Age Group Team
{Level 3} (8-14) - 3 to 5 times per week
-
Pre-competitive
Team {Level 2} (7-12) - 2 to 4 times per week
-
Novice Team
{Level 1} (9 & under) - 2 times per week
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What time
of day will I practice?
Practice time
and frequency depends upon your swimming level. See the "
Current Schedule" page for specific practice times.
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Do I have
to buy a team uniform & cap? Where?
You can wear
any type and color of swimsuit you wish during practice, but you
must have a "team uniform" (Navy-blue Speedo) for
meets. You can either purchase uniforms from the Northwest Swim
Shop (at the intersection of Lakewood Mall Boulevard and 74th Street)
or purchase it through a team order, which is placed the second week
of September. You can also (as an option) order a team
sweatshirt and/or tee shirt with your team order.
The coach will
give you a new WAKO swim cap at your first swim meet.
Replacement for lost or damaged caps is at the swimmer's
expense. Wearing your team cap helps the coach find you in a
crowd (believe me, this is necessary at a meet!), sets you apart as a
member of the WAKOs, and helps shave just a little more time off your stroke.
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How will
I find out about dates for swim meets, and if I qualify to go?
You need to
check your folder every day at swim practice for news on upcoming
events. Although older teens are quite capable, we strongly
recommend parents of younger swimmers check the folder.
When you are
ready for a meet, you'll find an information sheet in your folder
that outlines the name of the meet, the date(s), and how many events
and/or relays the coach wants you to enter. The sheet also
includes the cost per event, meet times, and directions.
It is very
important that you return the sheet with payment by the due date to
the Billing Clerk or place it in the collection box on the wall next to the bulletin
board on deck. If you miss the due date but still want to swim at the meet you
must see the Head Coach.
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What do I need
to bring to a swim meet?
Don't panic.
Here is a list of items you might want on hand while at a competition:
- Water, water,
water. It sounds strange that you need to bring your own water
to a swim meet, but we're talking about the drinking stuff. It
is critical that you remain hydrated, so bring plenty to drink.
Do not bring/drink soda!
-
Healthy
snacks. No candy, chocolate, or donuts. Bring fruits (namely bananas)
and/or bagels to munch on. Once the meet is over you can pig
out, but keep your stomach light during competition.
-
Team
uniform, which includes swimsuit, cap, goggles, and clothes. You won't need
your fins, kick board or pull buoy - that equipment is not allowed in the pool
during competition.
-
Extra
towels, and preferably a sammi-towel to dry you off in between warm-ups and
events so you don't soak your towels.
-
Activities to
keep you busy between events. Bring homework or games that are not
physically stressful, such as Game-boy, Sega, Yahtzee, cards, UNO,
etc. Stay away from Frisbee, football, etc. Save your
strength for competition.
-
Something to
keep you warm during events, like a sweat suit, a terry-cloth robe, or a sleeping bag.
-
This is the
Pacific Northwest, and at outdoor meets you need to be prepared for rain and
sun. It even gets chilly in the summer, so always bring something warm.
There's plenty of deck space and nothing to sit in, so bring some folding chairs.
It's better to bring more than you need and leave the excess in the car, than to
come unprepared and suffer through the meet.
-
When in doubt,
ask another WAKO parent. We're here to help.
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Do I need
a special diet before a meet?
We suggest a
meal high in carbohydrates the evening before a meet. Any pasta
is good. Stop drinking sodas a full day before the meet, and
stay away from milk as well. Push water down the old gullet
beginning the day prior. Have a light breakfast the morning of
a meet - dry cereal or a bagel or other bread. I know you
young, growing swimmers will be hungry, but swimming on a full
stomach will hurt - trust me!
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Can I
"chow down" during a meet, since I'm already there?
Nope.
Sorry, but like we said earlier, eat light and stay light during the
meet. Swimming on a full stomach will make you feel ill, and
may meet with unpleasant and embarrassing results in the water that
delay or cancel a meet.
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What's
the "Go for the Gold" Program?
It's a
time-driven incentive program. You'll wear a swim cap of a
particular color at practice - white, red, blue, bronze,
silver, or gold. The color of the cap you wear at practice is
determined by your fastest time at a swim meet. Times are
divided by gender, but not age. You can get a blue cap as soon
as you make the time for your gender, no matter how old (or young!)
you are. The obvious objective is to get that gold cap as soon
as you can. Remember, these caps are for practice sessions
only. You must still have your team cap at a swim meet.
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How do I
get news about upcoming events?
-
Check your
folder at practice.
-
Read the
"Making Waves" newsletter
-
Check the
"Current Schedule"
page of this website.
-
Talk to other parents.
-
Talk to the coach.
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How can
parents help?
-
Volunteer!
Currently, we need Board Members for the club to keep things running smoothly. At meets we always need meet
officials, timers, etc. Don't worry if you've never done it
before -- it isn't brain surgery, and we provide all the training you need.
-
Volunteer to
serve on a team committee or serve as an officer on the Board.
Parental involvement is what makes the teamwork. If you don't
support the team, it won't survive.
-
Support your
swimmers. Help them keep a positive attitude and reinforce what
the coach tells them.
-
Don't
coach. That's why we pay Taj and Adam. You may
(and should) reinforce what the coach tells your child, but that's
where the line should stop.
-
Be on time for
practice and meets. If an emergency arises that prevents you
from attending a meet, contact the coach immediately. If your
swimmer was scheduled for a relay and doesn't show we lose the event
and you disappoint three teammates, their parents, and the coaching staff.
-
Make the time
to take your own child to swim meets. Although there are always
exceptional circumstances, as a rule you should not depend on another
parent to take your child. Your children need your
support at the meets.
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What are
some parental "do's and don'ts" for parents?
Do:
-
Support your
swimmer. Tell them what a good job they're doing, and support
them by attending meets.
-
Feel free to
ask any parent for assistance. Like any sport, swimming has its
own language. We all need help navigating those waters in the beginning.
-
Make sure your
swimmer eats properly before, during, and after meets.
-
Watch your
swimmer during meets, especially the younger paddlers.
Don't:
-
Coach.
That's why we pay the coaching staff. They'll tell the swimmer
what they're doing wrong in a stroke, and will coach them to
improve. There can only be one chief, and that's the coach.
-
Be upset with
your swimmer if they add time or don't have a good day at a
meet. We all have bad days, and every swimmer will reach a
plateau for a time. Given time and the coach's instruction,
they'll all improve.
-
Depend on
others to take your swimmer to a meet. That's your
responsibility and obligation. We often "trade kids"
and give them rides to or from practice. A meet, though, is a
seahorse of a different color.
-
Be afraid to
ask the coaching staff anything.
-
Be afraid to
ask another WAKO parent for help or advice. Some of us have
many meets under our belts, and we will be happy to share our experience.
-
Forget to have
fun with your swimmer. They are only young once, and it doesn't
last long.
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