WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE SEASON

6TH GRADERS (See MSHSL policy on 6th Graders) The 6th graders are ONLY allowed to swim or dive before or after the varsity home meets (with exception of the Intrasquad Meet).  The last meet for 6th graders is usually the last home dual meet of the season.

AQUAFANS (click link)

BOOSTER CLUB (click link)

DRYLAND TRAINING Athletes on the JV & Varsity team will participate in dry land training, i.e. jump ropes, Vasa trainer, med balls, stability balls, and plyometric boxes.  All athletes must have good tennis shoes and dry land clothing stored at the pool in their lockers. 

ENERGY LEVEL Throughout the season you will be tired after practices and meets.  This means you did your best.  Don't worry that you are sore and your muscles hurt.  If you are working hard, this is to be expected.  We will even have some hard workouts before the meets. Don't worry that you might be tired for a meet.   What we want is that you are ready to taper (rest) before the "big" meets at the end of the season.

EQUIPMENT Swimmers- You are NOT required to wear a Speedo.  Swim trunks will do fine.  Many swimmers choose to wear Speedos or Jammers when they have more experience because it will help them swim faster.  For swimmers-- goggles and water bottles are required, swim caps are recommended. For divers-- Chamois, towels, and workout clothes.

FUND RAISING The boys and girls on the team may be asked to help with fund raising by the booster club.  Car washes, bagging groceries, or Outback lunches can be fun when done as a team.   The funds are contributed by the Booster Club back to the team for overnight trips, pizza parties, or other equipment the team needs.

LATE NIGHTS There will be some meets that run late.  Not every meet will run long, but some may take longer than others and we get home later than the coaches expect.  Phones will be available to call home.

MEETS-   
.....DUAL Dual meets are when the team will compete against one other opponent.  The coaches try to get everyone swimming and diving in our dual meets.   Not everyone will be able to compete in the Varsity events, so Junior Varsity and exhibition events will be added as needed so all athletes can compete.

.....INVITES Invitationals are a chance for the team to compete against multiple teams from various areas. The number of teams competing in the invite is usually 8-14, therefore, entries are usually restricted to 3-4 athletes per event; therefore a smaller roster will be brought to these meets.  Coaches need to have the entries in at least one week prior to the meet, so if there is any reason that an athlete will be unable to attend an invite, notify one of the coaches as soon as possible. (6th graders are not eligible for invites).

.....HIBBING OVERNIGHT MEET  A team of 20 varsity athletes will be selected for a travel squad overnight trip to the Hibbing Invitational.  The Booster Club will help with some of the expenses of the trip in order to keep the cost of the trip under $25.00 per athlete (meals are not included).  More information will be given to those who are selected for this travel squad.

SPECIAL MEETS-
.....AUTOGRAPH NIGHT At the home meet designated as “Autograph Night,” school age children will get in free to that meet and also get a free Varsity Photo (while supplies last) in which they can have autographed by Varsity team members.

.....INTRASQUAD MEET For this meet the captains split the team up into the “Red Team” and the “Blue Team.”  The captains “coaches” of each team then make up the meet lines ups to compete against each other.  In this meet 6th graders are allowed to participate within the whole meet.

.....PARENTS’ NIGHT At the home meet designated as Parents’ Night, the parents of each team member will be recognized.  We please ask all parents to be present if possible.

.....SENIOR NIGHT The last home dual meet of the season is designated as Senior night.  On that night we recognize the Seniors for all their years of participation.

TEAM PARTIES We usually have lots of fun team get togethers throughout the season hosted by the parents--  from pancake breakfasts after practice, to potlucks after a weekend meet.   Information about them will be handed out throughout the season.

TRUE TEAM SECTIONS & STATE   True Team competition is based on the idea that every team member's performance counts toward the team's score in competition. Scoring is based upon how many teams are in the meet.  Each team is allowed to have 4 entries per event/relays.  So, for example, if there are 8 teams in the meet then there are 32 entries per event.  Therefore 32nd place is 1 point, 31st is 2 points,… to 1st place being 32 points.  Relays are double the points. Meets are held at the section level (using MSHSL section assignments). In Boys Class A the top 2 teams will advance.  The 3rd and 4th place teams from each section will compete against the other Sections’ 3rd and 4th place teams for a “Wild Card” birth to True Team State.

TRAINING TRIP The boys’ high school team (9-12 grade) usually goes on an optional training trip someplace tropical after Christmas. The purpose of the training trip is to provide an environment and an opportunity to continue our training efforts that will enhance the team's success at the end of the season.  On most days the swimmers and divers will have the opportunity to work out two times a day.  They will work extremely hard, but still be able to enjoy time off to enjoy other activities that are planned for them as a team.  As the team trains together through the mentally and physically hard practices, they build positive habits and relationships that sustain the team throughout the season. (Additional fundraising will be made available.)

VARSITY POSTER The boys’ Varsity Team (athletes who lettered the precious year) will be putting a poster together for fundraising and promotional purposes. Any seniors or foreign exchange students on the team (who haven’t lettered yet) will be invite to be in the picture.  The rational for this being is that this is their last/only chance for taking part in this event.

WORKING HARD You are expected to work hard at practice or go home.  If you do not work hard at practice, you are not only hurting yourself, but also your teammates who depend on you in meets.  Most of all you will be hurting your chances of improving.  Remember, it is important to continually think about good technique & turns at practice.  At meets your body will naturally do the skills you have practiced, so it's important to always practice the correct technique and turns.

END OF SEASON
.....TAPER At the end of the season swimmers will start to "Taper".  This is the time of the season to get ready for the final meets of the year.  Athletes will taper for the last dual meet (6th graders), the JV Championships, the Section meet, or the State Meet.   During Taper, practices change from quantity to quality.  Rest periods will get longer but times will continue to improve--more rest for sore muscles, and more rest for faster times.  Some practices will end early, and some may go longer.  We may ask you to adjust your eating habits during taper--more carbohydrates and cutting down on the sugar (more information will be given on this as taper approaches.) 

.....JV CHAMPS This meet is the taper meet for all athletes (7-12) who are not part of the Section team.  Athletes compete against other athletes from our conference.  Section cuts can be made at this meet.

.....SECTION MEET The section meet is the meet that will qualify you for the state meet.  This is the big meet of the season for most varsity swimmers and divers.  If you are part of this section team, we do special things as a team before the meet.  To be part of the section team you have to make one of the top 4 qualifying times (scores) of individual events, or be part of the Sectional relays teams.  You must follow all the rules of the school and the coaches in order to compete.

.....STATE MEET Athletes make it to the State Championship by placing the top 4 at Section Finals or by making the State time standards (see time standards on our website).  Team members who are not participating at the State meet are highly encouraged to come cheer on their team.  Tickets can be purchased from the coach ahead of time and all team members can ride on the bus to State with the team.  (More information will be given out around State time.)

.....TEAM BANQUET The final activity of the season is the team banquet at which ALL team members (6-12th grade) are recognized.  All team members sixth through twelfth grades, parents, family, and friends are invited. Varsity letters, team awards, and any meet awards (conference, section, and state) are also given.  The captains also give out gag gifts to all team members.  A season DVD is also watched at the end of the program.

updated 2009-2010