Swimming Pool

Q) Who can I contact with questions?

A) TEAM REPRESENTATIVES AND COACHING STAFF:

The Mohican Swim Team is directed and managed by the Swim Team Representatives (Reps) who are the official liaisons to the Mohican Pool Board of Directors and the Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL). The Reps are assisted and supported by the Swim Team Committee. Through a combination of parent volunteers and subcommittees, the Swim Team Committee is responsible for coordinating: meet officials, trophies, social activities, swim apparel sales, ribbons, refreshments, team spirit, and other functions directly related to the swim team. If you have questions or concerns related to the swim team, please contact your swim team reps listed below:

“A” Meet Team Rep:
Tom Keefer
240 893-5960
tdkeefer_AT_verizon.net

“A” Meet Team Rep:
Bob Robison
301 229-8150
bobr_AT_concur.com

“B” Meet Team Rep:
Jo Borsh
301 320-6219
joejothga_AT_verizon.net

“B” Meet Team Rep:
Susan Sonnesyn Brooks
202 365-3194 (cell)
301 263-9873 (home)
ssbrooks_AT_usa.net

Dive Team Rep:
Laurie Calder
301 320-0303
l.calder_AT_comcast.net

Head Swim Coach:
Gian Polignano
301-717-7883
gianpolignano_AT_hotmail.com

Q) My child is interested in joining the swim team. How good a swimmer must they be?

A) If s/he can comfortably swim across the length of the pool (25 meter) without stopping, then s/he can qualify for the swim team. If s/he can swim half way across the pool and feel comfortable in the water, s/he may qualify to join the DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM until ready to swim in a B Meet (upon coaches approval).

Q) Is the Swim Team very competitive?

A) The Mohican Swim Team has prided itself on team spirit, fun, good work ethics, and commitment to sportsmanship for over 35 years. We always strive to do our best but never lose sight of providing a good environment for our children.

Q) How much time and money is this going to cost me?

A) Swim team practices are scheduled for ~1hr, 5 days/week (See practice schedule for more information) with meets on Saturday morning (A-Meets) or Wednesday night (B-Meets). Swim Team dues are $85 for the first child, $55 for each additional child and $55 for the DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM. Dues are refundable before the first A meet (Swim Team).  Swim suits generally run ~ $35 for boys and $55 for girls. Swim goggles (~$5-15) can be purchased through the Swim Team or elsewhere (Modell’s or Sports Authority).  Team suits are not required to participate.

Q) What do all of the letters stand for (A-meet, B-meet, G-Division)?

A-Meet is for the top swimmers on the team as determined by the recorded times at time trials or swim meets during the year. The A-meets are competitions between teams based upon their standings in the MCSL. Hence, the A-meet may swim against pools that are in different parts of Montgomery County. All A- meets are held on Saturday morning at 9:00AM.   Generally, swimmers must arrive by 8:00AM.

B-Meet is for the remaining swimmers (and A-Meet swimmers who want additional competition experience). Meets are held on Wednesday evenings at about 6:00PM. The B-meets are with pools that are within close proximity of Mohican.

Division: The Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL) is divided into 16 divisions (6 teams/division) based upon the times of the swimmers on the A- team. The teams with the top times are in A- division and the teams with the collective slowest times are in N-Division. Mohican will be in G-Division for the 2009 swim season.

Q) My child can’t make it for a practice(s) or a meet because we had made vacation plans earlier in the year. Is that OK?

A) Yes, however, please inform coaches of all known absences from meets ahead of time by signing the log sheet on the bulletin board. Having a written record makes it easier for the coaches to plan rosters for meets.  Empty swimming lanes cost points in competition and can cause the team to lose a meet.

Q) Someone asked me to volunteer to help at a swim meet but I know absolutely NOTHING about swimming. What could I possibly do to help out?

A) Nobody will ask you to perform a task that you are not qualified to do. Starter, Referee, Stroke and Turn Judge are positions for which the individual must be certified by MCSL. All of the other jobs require NO previous experience. For example, timers are necessary for the meet to begin. Instructions for timing will be given by the referee before the meet starts. All of the training that is required is to push a button. Volunteering is a great deal of FUN. You get to meet people from your pool and other pools too, and you become involved with your child’s interests. (See Volunteer Positions for more information).

Q) How will Mohican coaching help to develop my child’s swimming skills?

A) Mohican offers a great opportunity for kids who can already swim to learn the four competitive swim strokes – freestyle, backstroke, breast stroke and butterfly.  Young kids that can swim the length of the pool can join the developmental team and receive group instruction from Mohican team coaches.  Once they are ready – and with the coaches’ approval – kids can enter a B meet to try out their newly developed swimming skills.  During the swim season your swimmer may swim in A meets too if their recorded times are in the top three for that stroke ­and they can swim the stroke with the proper technique. Note: B meets and A meets are judged events and swimmers with improper technique are disqualified (“DQed”) from the final results.  The team practices provide group instruction and in-pool swimming drills to both develop stroke skills and cardiovascular strength.  The coaches are trained to follow an established approach that will develop beginner skills and progress to more advanced skills as the kids are ready.

Q) My kids are developing better swim technique and I feel that they need some extra help with parts of their swim strokes – Can I request that coaches work with them?

A) Absolutely!  If you would like to talk with the coaches about some part of your child’s swim technique please feel free to bring it up. But please speak with them ­after practice so the team workout is not interrupted or email them at the addresses included in this handbook.  Also, sometimes it can really help to get extra coaching beyond practice.  Some swimmers, new and experienced, periodically seek out swim coaches for focused swim lessons during the season.  Such lessons allow for an extended duration one-on-one session that focuses on important elements of a swimmer’s stroke and turn technique.  The extra lessons can be very helpful if a swimmer needs some help that cannot be accomplished during the Team’s regular group practices. 

Frequently asked food contribution questions 

Q)  How can I help as a swim team family?

A)  In order to provide the fun events and to raise needed funds, we need help with the food that is offered at the various events.   We are asking each swim team family to volunteer for two slots in the FOOD ROSTER at team sign-up and donate a case of drinks (12 oz size of coke, diet coke, sprite, water or Gatorade). To comply with the county regulations, you must supply us with a receipt for your purchase of these drinks. It is ok if other items are on the receipt. If your child is on the developmental team, we would appreciate your participation as well, but are asking only for the drinks donation.

 

Q)  How can I help as a dive team family?

A)  We are asking each dive team family to sign up to work at two dive meets in some capacity, concession or at the tables and to donate a case of drinks with the receipt attached!

Q)  What is the food roster?

A)  This season we have two home dive meets, 2 home A swim meets, 2 home B swim meets, and five pep rallies/team socials. At all the home swim and dive meets (6 altogether) we run a concession stand. On the Friday evening before each meet weekend we hold a pep rally/team social at 6:15 (five in total). In order to do these eleven events, we need your participation. Jobs range from serving to helping to cook to helping to transport food to clean up and set up. None are longer than 90 minutes (shorter if we get enough volunteers), none require any skills or experience, all require a small amount of your time and energy! Check out the roster at swim team sign-up.

Q)  Why do we do all this anyway?

A)  The food concession is both a fundraiser and a convenience. We ensure that none of our swimmers, parents, or fans go hungry while working hard during the home A or B meets. The team socials/pep rallies and team lunches are wonderful fun community building events. The pep rallies also include fun age appropriate activities for your children, allowing you to relax and meet and mingle with your fellow swim team parents. They also mean you don’t need to worry about dinner for your family for five Fridays and when they are starving after a meet and they are a bargain!

Q)  What happens to the money we raise?

A)  This year the County Health Department is imposing additional requirements to keep us all healthy and safe from food born illnesses and we will need to buy some equipment to meet these regulations. Any remaining monies will go to other team expenses and equipment purchases as has been the case in past years. It all benefits your child.

Q)  Do the coaches and life guards pay for these meals?

A)  As a token of our appreciation for the work they do, we do not charge any of the coaches for pep rally dinners. We expect them to pay full freight at the concession stands and for team lunches. If we have leftovers at the end of a pep rally we will happily share them with the life guards at no charge.

Q)  Is this in lieu of what I always do at the meet itself?

A)  In recognition of the hours of work it takes before the season even begins to become a certified official, if you or your spouse are a certified official and will be officiating at 2 meets or more this season, you need only contribute the drinks.   For everyone else (timers, clerks, ribbon writers, runners), we appreciate those contributions greatly, but we REALLY still need your help.  There are plenty of jobs you can do to help that do not interfere with these extremely valuable contributions you already make.  E.g. If you can arrive 30 minutes early or stay after the meet by an extra 30 minutes, we can use your assistance in retrieving or restocking supplies at each event.  Sign up for “set up” or “cleanup/restocking” slots on the food roster.

Q)  I am not in a position to volunteer my time.  What can I do?

A) We ask for a $35 donation in lieu of working a food job or donating drinks. We understand that we all have different lives and obligations and will cheerfully accept your check or cash at team sign-up.

Q)  Where do I sign up?

A)  A member of the food committee will be at both team sign-up sessions with the FOOD ROSTER  to help you understand the various jobs and assist you with signing up. If you cannot make those sessions, please email Francesca Grifo at fgrifo_AT_ucsusa.org to make these arrangements or with any other questions or concerns.

Q)  Where/when do I bring my donation?

A)  We will be accepting drink donations at team sign-up and with advance notice at practices. We will also send out an announcement of an alternative date for families to bring in their drink donations.  We prefer you drop your drinks at the pool and as soon as possible so we can be sure we have appropriate inventory.

Q)  What items are needed?

A)  12 ounce bottles of Gatorade or water, and cans of Diet Coke, Coke and Sprite. We are trying to keep it simple – both for you and at the concession stand itself. To comply with the county regulations you must supply us with a receipt for your purchase of these drinks. It is ok if other items are on the receipt.

Q)  I used to bake brownies, why can’t I do that?

A)  According to the county regulations, all food must either be prepared in a licensed kitchen (a home kitchen cannot be licensed) or at Mohican under controlled conditions.

Q)  What if we don’t have enough volunteers?

A)  If we do not get the donations, then we will only sell the items we have on hand and we will close the concession stand when the volunteers we do have have fulfilled their obligations. In past years, a small percentage of families have done a large percentage of the work. We would like to evenly distribute the work we all do to make our swim season the wonderful event it is!

Q)  Since we are requiring donations this year, do we have to pay for the food served?

A)  Of course!  We have always tried to keep our prices reasonable for families to be able to feed multiple members, but after all, it is one of our main fundraising means!

Q) I have more questions, and/or I have a suggestion.  Who should I talk to about food issues?

Please email Francesca at fgrifo_AT_ucsusa.org. She will be happy to provide longer explanations or help in any way she can.  You can also ask any Food Committee member your question.  Members are: Dawn Paige, Elizabeth Redish, Jennifer Murphy, Tundi Agardy, Susan Brooks.