These questions come directly from our pre-season parent survey.

What are the practice times?

Complete practice times and days are now listed on our website, along with some frequently asked questions.

Can my swimmer get more individual instruction?

Yes, through individual paid lessons. Many of our coaches will be providing individual lessons this summer. We’ll have details on which coaches and how to contact them before practice starts. On some Fridays at 9 a.m. (before Fun Friday practice) coaches will offer a paid clinic on a specific stroke. These will be posted closer to the date.

My kids are brand new to swim team, will coaches teach them the basics?

Yes, for ages 7 and up coaches teach kids all for strokes – freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. For the 6 and under swimmers, they learn freestyle and backstroke. For most kids, one or two of the strokes will come more naturally than the others, so you might see your swimmer work more in practice on certain strokes. You can learn about the four strokes on our website and also about common reasons for disqualification in a meet.

Is there any way for different age kids to practice at the same time?

If your children attend the evening practices, they can swim at the same time. But space is limited in these practices, so please reach out to the head or assistant coach if you plan to attend.

How many meets does a swimmer need to participate in to swim at the county meet?

According to league rules, swimmers must participate in two dual meets during the season in order to be eligible for the County meet in July.

Why is the baby pool closed during practice?

The baby pool is closed during practices and meets because of liability. The team’s insurance, provided through Gwinnett County Swim League, only covers team members in the lap pool. This rule is standard for summer swim teams in the county.

Is there app with swim team information and where parents can communicate with each other?

There is no specific app just for communications among parents, but the HW Dolphins Swim Team group on Facebook has been a place for parents to communicate with each other – everything from posting lost & found items to sharing ideas for what to pack for a meet.

The meets can be so hot for spectators – any suggestions?

Yes, especially early in meets it can be very hot – and many pools don’t offer much shade. Like you tell your swimmers: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate early in the day. You’ll also probably see parents with hats, cooling towels, neck fans and coolers of ice-cold drinks. The concessions stands (proceeds support the team) will also be selling drinks to keep cool. There are other tips on our website for what to bring to a meet.

Is there a way to know ahead of time what food will be offered at away meets or what the visiting team setup will be for spectators?

An email with meet information will be sent out the week of the meet, and it will include information about parking and spectator seating. We rely on the home team to provide us with concession information or any other details – and we’ll include this information if we have it.

Can we leave the meet before it ends? 8:30?

If your child has finished all of their events, they can check with Coach Brown to see if he/she can leave the meet. Often swimmers are needed for the free relay at the end of the meet. Be sure you know your child’s schedule and what they are swimming. If you want to learn more about the schedule of events, check out the meet page on our website.

Is there a buyout option for volunteering?

We are currently not offering a buyout option. We approximately 60 volunteers to run a home meet and 30 volunteers to run an away meet -- so our volunteer parents are critical to the season. If you have specific challenges or needs related to volunteering, please let our volunteer coordinator know. We’ll work with you to find the best fit for both your family and the team.

It’s stressful to have little kids – who are swimming or not old enough to swim – at the meets. Any way to make this easier on parents?

If you have young children, please let our volunteer coordinator know. We do have a few volunteer positions that occur before the meet. We suggest bringing small waterproof games or toys for young kids to play during the meet. For the younger swimmers, this is a great bonding experience – to play together and socialize as they wait for their turn to swim.

Can I get some details ahead of time about the basics of my volunteer position?

Yes! Some basic information is posted on the website, but new this year, we are planning to have “volunteer breakouts” at the pancake breakfast along with a more detailed description for parents.

What time does a swim meet start?

All swim meets start at 6 p.m. Swimmers are asked to arrive early to check in and warm up – between 4:45-5:15 p.m. depending if we are the home or away team. You can view more specifics about the schedule of a meet on our website.

How do I help make sure my swimmer gets to his/her events?

Make sure your swimmer checks in when they arrive at the meet.
Talk through the heat sheet with them. You’ll have this prior to the meet before you leave home. Use a Sharpie to write your swimmers’ schedule on their arm. See example in the link here.
Have your swimmer sit in the bullpen and pay attention to coaches or adult volunteers that might be calling their name. If they leave the bullpen, let someone know where they’ve gone. There is an event number sign – that changes according to what event the meet is on – next the starter. Parents and swimmers can keep an eye on this sign to know what event is next. Swimmers usually start lining up 10 events ahead of time.