How involved do I need to be as a parent?
Parents play an important and integral part in the success of both the swimmers and the club. Besides the obvious involvement of support, encouragement, and transportation to and from practices/meets for the swimmers, the club needs parent involvement in order to be successful.
GLSC is based on parents volunteering their time and efforts in many aspects. One area is participation as an officer or member of the Board. All of our Board Members are volunteers and are valuable in the decision making process of the club and the future success of the team.
There are many other opportunities for parents to volunteer their time and talents as well. Parents are needed for the success of swim meets – timers, ribbons, computer workers, announcers, set-up/clean-up, and other general organizational help.
Parents help with picture taking at meets/practices, setting up bulletin boards, organizing suit/t-shirt orders, donating weekly popsicle treats, notifying local schools and news organizations about upcoming registration dates, organizing banquet information, and much, much more.
Please volunteer your time generously in any way that you can – it is always appreciated!
How does my child earn a GLSC jacket?
Earning a GLSC jacket is a fun and exciting goal for swimmers. In order for swimmers to earn a team jacket, there are a few things they need to do. First, participate in meets – both dual and USS. Next, show dedication to swimming by completing # of sessions, and finally, fill out the paper work by the deadline and attend the banquet. Enjoy!
What are the different swim levels and why?
The swim team is dedicated to having successful, well-rounded athletes. Based on a swimmer’s ability and need, they will be assessed and placed into one of three different performance groups.
Discovery Group – These swimmers are new to competitive swimming and are ready to learn correct stroke and swimming techniques. This group is discovering the sport of swimming in a smaller, supportive environment.
Challenger Group – These swimmers have successfully developed the four competitive strokes and are ready for increased yardage, refining starts and turns, and more intense training.
Comets Group – At this point, swimmers have shown an increased desire to improve their strokes and times with a strong commitment to the sport. At this level, the intensity of training and practice increases.
At all levels, swimmers are encouraged to participate in both dual and USS meets.
Do swimmers really need to wear a cap and for girls, a 1-piece bathing suit?
Yes! Because this is a competitive team environment, girls should come with a 1-piece, competitive suit. These can found at local sporting goods stores. The team will have a team suit and orders for these are usually taken in the fall.
Caps are required. GLSC offers team caps for purchase. Swimmers are expected to wear a cap to keep their hair out of their face during swimming.
Are practices and meets mandatory?
Practices are mandatory in order to continue to build on skills learned and levels of endurance achieved. If you are unable to make a practice, please make every effort to let a coach know ahead of time. Of course, we do understand if swimmers become ill unexpectedly and plans change.
Meets are both mandatory and voluntary. Dual meets are usually during practice times so attendance is expected. USS meets are on weekends and require a small fee per event. We STRONGLY encourage all swimmers to participate in competitions – both dual and USS. This gives coaches, swimmers, and parents a better understanding of the progress and growth each swimmer needs. By evaluating their competitive performance, coaches can create a training program that is best to meet the individual needs of each swimmer.