Pleasant Hill Swim Club

1. Swimtopia Declaration deadline: Sunday by NOON each week.
   Can be done prior to that.
2. MUST declare YES or NO for each meet.
3. Can choose what your child swims: 2 Individual Events
   Coaches will place relays for 4 total events (generally speaking)
4. Please communicate early & often about conflicts.
5. It’s completely fine to do other fun summer stuff….
6. If you’re on the fence about a meet vs. another commitment…
   Sign your child(ren) up as swimming
   (it's easier to remove a swimmer than add them after deadline has passed.)
7. If there is a "CHANCE" your swimmer could swim at the meet, leave us a note in the notes section.
   For Example: If they have a “baseball game” and can come to the meet late - write that in the notes section with ETA; your swimmer will be signed up for 3 individual events and no relays.  This will give them a chance to swim but will not affect other swimmers if they do not make it to the meet.
8. NO SHOWS hurt the team, it’s hard to fill in the gaps, especially on relays- this lets down 3 other children on that relay team if we can’t place an alternate.

Duel meets will NOT be cancelled before 6:15PM. In the event lightning and/or thunder occur in the vicinity of the host pool, a 20-minute delay is required. The total amount of delays will not exceed one hour for any one meet. SSA reps and coaches and/or club representatives shall determine whether a meet should be cancelled or suspended. If weather or imminent circumstances deem it necessary to stop the meet, it is considered an officially completed dual meet after event #46 (or last individual medley event). 

• Team Spirit Wear/Meet Suit, TEAM Swim Cap
• Extra towels for swimmers
• Footwear that can get wet if you’re timing or acting as a lane parent for that meet
• Hair ties for girls with longer hair (makes getting that cap on easier!)
• Chairs/Blankets (we sit as a team in designated areas)
• Change of Clothes for Swimmer(s)
  (They LOVE their oversized PHSC sweatshirts!!)
• Snacks or Drinks if you’d like (we have a GREAT grill team, though!)
• Coolers and such are fine. All drinks must be in cans or plastic, NO glass
• Sharpie Markers
• Bug Spray

• Arrive by 5:15 (Home)/5:30 (Away) at the latest
• Find our designated Team Area & Grab a spot
• Check-In @ the Volunteer Check-In Table (if you’re volunteering)
• Get Swim Caps on & ready for warm-ups (watch the PHSC cheer in the diving well!!)
• Look out for Individual Heat Sheets (usually emailed by 4pm to team)
• Write on your Swimmers’ arms (E/H/L)
• Write (at least) their Last Name on their back/shoulder area
  (especially helpful for 8 and younger)
• Have fun with writing on their backs if you’d like!
  (Swim Fast! Eat My Bubbles! Let’s Go Fighting Fish!)
• Listen for Volunteer Meetings to be called (Timers, etc)
• Watch for coaches coming around to get swimmers for their relays
• Enjoy the Meet

• Fulfill any volunteer shifts you signed up for (you can split the meet with your spouse or older teenager, 16+)
• Keep your eyes on the Event Numbers on the main building (above the back office window) and/or listen to the announcer. This will help you keep track of your child’s next event.
• Try your best to keep track of your swimmer(s)- they love to run around and hangout with friends- help them get to their event on time! Coaches will help with this for younger swimmers.
• Encourage your swimmer(s) to check in with their age-group coach at the end of each of their events for in-the-moment feedback/coaching.
• Get dinner and baked goods/fruit at the Grill!
• Cheer on your kiddo and the team.
• Make sure swimmers are being respectful of each other, opposing swimmers & PHSC property.
• Make sure swimmers are not hanging out around the lifeguards, ribbon table or grill team.
• Help clean up at the end of the meet- many hands make light work!

For Relay Events:

• Coaches will help assemble the relays
• If your child is the 1st or 3rd swimmer of a 100 yard relay, they will start on the blocks
• If your child is the 2nd or 4th swimmer of a 100 yard relay, they will start in the shallow end (they’ll stand in the pool, hand on the wall)
• Encourage your child to stay after their leg of the relay to cheer on their relay teammates

For individual events:

• Encourage your child to stay in the water until all participants in their heat have finished
• Encourage them to offer a kind word to the other swimmers in their heat as they exit the pool
• They’re more than welcome to ask the timers what their time was

• Check your swimmer’s folder for ribbons (all swimmers get ribbons for all events/heats!) AND DQ slips (DQ slips not for 6 & under). 
  • Ribbons will be filed the morning AFTER a Swim Meet, please have your swimmers wait until the end of their practice to look for their awards.
• Swimmers will be expected to take DQ slips to their coach during their next practice to ask for feedback, coaching, etc.
  • DQ Slips are for learning - if your swimmer received a DQ slip it's important for your swimmer to talk to our coaches to learn how to correct their mechanics, this will help your swimmer develop and learn.
• Celebrate personal victories: a drop in time, making it across the pool without assistance, a better dive off the blocks, trying a new stroke, etc.
• Celebrate team victories: did we all stick around and cheer for each other? Did we celebrate other’s personal victories?  Winning is FUN and we have a good shot this year due to the size of our team, but it is secondary to the learning, growing and fun for our swimmers. 

One of the most important aspects of competitive swimming is learning from experience, and disqualifications (DQs) are a key part of that process. While no swimmer enjoys being disqualified, we encourage everyone—especially young athletes—to view them as stepping stones to improvement rather than discouragements.

Disqualifications happen when a swimmer doesn’t meet specific rules set by governing bodies like USA Swimming. These rules ensure fair competition and promote proper technique. Whether it’s an early start, an incorrect turn, or an improper stroke, each DQ provides a chance to refine skills and grow stronger as a swimmer.

Here’s why DQs are valuable:

• Encourages Learning: Identifying mistakes allows swimmers to improve their technique and avoid the same issue in the future.
• Builds Resilience: Handling setbacks with a positive mindset teaches perseverance, a critical skill in swimming and life.
• Strengthens Focus: Knowing rules and following them carefully helps swimmers become more disciplined and attentive in competition.

We encourage parents to support their swimmers by reinforcing that DQs are not failures—they’re lessons. Coaches work closely with swimmers after a DQ to help them understand what happened and practice corrections. Every great swimmer has faced disqualifications at some point, and learning from them is part of becoming a stronger, more confident athlete.

Thank you for supporting your swimmers in their journey. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out