Welcome to the Woodcroft Whirlwinds! Swimming on our team is a lot of fun for swimmers and parents alike, but the new parent experience can always feel a little overwhelming as lots of information is thrown at you all at once when the season starts. Below are the answers to some of the questions most frequently asked by new parents to the team:

Does my swimmer have to attend every practice?

No! Practices are offered 5 days a week, but your swimmer is welcome to attend as many as they’d like.

What if my swimmer can’t make it to their regular practice time?

Once we switch to morning practices in June, there will be an early morning practice available for all ages on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Otherwise, if your swimmer is occasionally unable to make their normally scheduled practice time, they may be able to swim up (with an older age group) or swim down (with a younger age group) at the Coaches’ discretion.

What if my child can only doggy paddle across the pool?

The only requirement for the team is that the child can go one 25-yard length of the pool without assistance from a coach or a lifeguard. It doesn’t need to be fast or pretty.

Are meets required?

Attending meets is not required for your swimmer. However, it is highly recommended. Meets are where your swimmer can see all their hard work pay off. The atmosphere of a swim meet is fun, exciting, and social rather than overwhelmingly competitive and even the most nervous swimmers end up having a great time!

How long are the meets?

Our meets tend to last anywhere between 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Before the meet starts, there is usually an hour set aside for warm ups, with each team getting 30 minutes.

What gear does my swimmer need?

Your swimmer needs a swimsuit and goggles. A swim cap is also recommended, but not required. Kickboards will be provided by the pool when needed for practices.

Does my swimmer need a Woodcroft suit or cap to compete?

No! While we recommend wearing team gear to boost team spirit, you can wear any USA Swimming compliant racing swimsuit and cap as long as it doesn’t have another swim team’s logo on it. The full USA Swimming rules are available in Section 102.8 of the USA Swimming rulebook.

When do I need to sign up for meets?

The signup deadline for Saturday meets is 8pm on the Tuesday before the meet. The signup deadline for Wednesday meets is 8pm on the Saturday before. The schedule, including sign up deadlines, is available on the Whirlwinds Google Calendar

Are there volunteer requirements?

There are no volunteer requirements. However, we cannot run the meets without volunteers and many are needed for each meet. Please see the Volunteer Guide (link to volunteer guide here) for information on the various positions.