Team procedures
Our Mission
The Holly Park Sharks are committed to developing the technical skills of competitive swimming, strengthening friendships and encouraging our swimmers to strive for their personal best. With this in mind, we urge our swimmers, coaches and parents to commit themselves to practice and meets, and to set high goals, as well as to conduct themselves with courtesy, goodwill and sportsmanship.
The Basics
The Holly Park Sharks swim team competes in the A1 division of the Mountain Hi Swim League. The league has 24 teams divided into four divisions (A1, A2, B1 and B2). Teams are placed in divisions each year based on a weighted scale that ranks teams into two main divisions (A and B) according to roster size and number qualifiers for All Stars. The swim team is open to any swimmer 18 and younger who can swim one length of the pool. The age of a swimmer on June 1 determines the age group in which that swimmer will participate.
Registration
To be a member of the Holly Park Sharks team, swimmers must be registered with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District and pay an annual fee. In 2009, the fee for district residents is $115 and $165 for non-district. The league collects a $6 secondary insurance fee from the team for every swimmer, in addition to $5 league dues per swimmer, regardless of a swimmer’s primary insurance coverage; and an insurance waiver, a copy of which the team must have present at every meet. The insurance/dues fee is included in the South Suburban registration fee. There is also a team booster fee ($15 per swimmer) collected by the team for trophies and special medals given out at the end-of-season banquet, and used to replace or upgrade team equipment not provided by South Suburban. In 2009, South Suburban is collecting the insurance waivers and team fees at registration, as well as the registration and emergency contact forms.
Swimsuits
Holly Park is on a two-year program, with a new suit design in even years. The 2008-2009 blue and black suit made by Speedo called the “Sparkler” will be available from April 2008 to May 2009. An alternate basic black and blue team suit called the Speedo “Splice” will also be an option if the “Sparkler” becomes unavailable in the summer of 2009. Sizing and orders are taken every year at the April all-team meeting by Out of Breath Sports, 42 E. Arapahoe Road, 303-798-5037. The store, which also sells caps, goggles, sweats, T-shirts and other apparel, has a close connection to the league and offers discounts to MHSL team members. However, suits may also be purchased online or at other sports retailers.
Team and Individual Pictures
This year’s team and individual pictures will be taken (date and time yet to be determined).
Regular Season Meets
Coaches will determine which swimmers are entered in which events, but parents and swimmers are encouraged to make known their preferences. Place your written preferences in the coaches’ divider at practice no later than Wednesday before the meet.
Swimmers are expected to be prompt and to participate at practices and meets as much as possible, and to communicate with their coaches about expected absences. Please arrive 15 minutes before your practice time for stretching and informational talks.
Coaches will need to know by Wednesday before the meet if a swimmer will not participate. Coaches will spell out their specific policies, but swimmers should not leave a meet early without telling their coach, in writing, in order to prevent confusion in the makeup of relays.
Five regular-season dual meets are held each season, with a different opponent from our division each week. Maps can be found on page 11 of this manual. Meets begin at 8 a.m., with 7 a.m. warm-ups, and are usually completed before 2 p.m. Each swimmer may swim in three individual events and two relays in his or her age group. Each event has a number of heats, in which swimmers are seeded by their entry times. For example, the slowest swimmers in an event will be in the first heat, followed by the fastest swimmers in succeeding heats.
Swimmers are coached to swim strokes according to MHSL guidelines. The league awards ribbons to the top six finishers in each event, but team points are awarded to the top four places only (1st place, 6 points; 2nd place, 3 points; 3rd place, 2 points; 4th place, 1 point). Only swimmers 8 and older are subject to disqualification for stroke violations. Swimmers 6 and under do not compete for points, but they still receive participation ribbons.
Preliminaries
After the regular season, each division puts on Prelim meets to determine which swimmers move on to swim in the Championships meet the following Saturday. Because the three Prelims are on weekdays, divided by age groups, parent volunteers are especially important. MHSL by-laws state that for a swimmer to compete in prelims and/or championships, he or she must have attended at least 10 practices during the regular season and swam in at least two dual meets.
Championships
The Championships meet is the sixth meet of the season. Prelim qualifiers from all teams in the division, as well as alternates and relay swimmers, are involved. (Relay swimmers need not have qualified in an individual event.) All swimmers are encouraged to attend and cheer their teammates. Team trophies are presented at the end of the meet.
All-Stars
The league has established times for each event by age group to qualify for the All-Stars meet, in which the four divisions’ fastest swimmers compete. To qualify, swimmers must beat or meet a pre-set time in an event during a dual meet, Prelims or Championships. 2008 times are on page 12 (when 2009 times become available, you will be notified). Another way to qualify is to win an event at the Championships meet. There is an additional fee for a qualifying swimmer to enter this meet, but that fee is paid by the team.
End of Season
A potluck banquet after the season is held to recognize swimmers, parents and coaches. All swimmers receive a trophy or special medal. Medals are awarded to swimmers for their in-pool accomplishments, but coaches also have their own awards for sportsmanship, leadership and dedication. Team and individual picture packages purchased earlier in the season are handed out at this time. The 2009 banquet will be at Grace Community Church, 7200 S. Clinton St., starting at 6 p.m., on Sunday, July 19.