Swim Team

Sideburn Run Swim Team is proud to be sponsored by:

Amarisearch, Inc

Providing Real Estate Title Abstracting in 18 jurisdictions covering
Northern & Central Virginia.

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Swim with the Sideburn Run Sharks!

CONGRATULATIONS 2010 SWIM SHARKS FOR PLACING 1ST IN DIVISION 6 RELAYS!!

FOLLOW THE TEAM ON TWITTER–GET READY TO TWEET IN 2011!

Come swim with the Sideburn Run Sharks! Are you a Lil’ Shark (as young as age 4 with coach’s approval), a novice, or an experienced competitive swimmer? Our coaches and staff run a summer program that’s fun and challenging for all levels! SRRA hosts both swim and dive teams that teach appropriate technique, team building, and preparation for local competition with nearby community pools.

Join the Swim Team!
Participation requires a fee of $95  per swimmer and a commitment to volunteer at least six hours to assist the team. For 2011 the maximum registration fee per family for swim is $250-regardless of how many swimmers you have. There is no maximum for combined swim and dive fees for 2011.

The swim and dive season begins with practice on May 31 and ends in late July, except for those competing in All Stars the first week of August. (Note: Dive practices are scheduled so there is no conflict with swim practices for those who want to do both.) The Lil’ Sharks begin morning practice on June 22 and have a Lollipop Meet and awards (with cookout!) on August 1 to celebrate their first official swim across the pool. An Annual Awards Dinner will be held at the pool pavilion on July 31 to recognize all swim team members with trophies for their contributions and thank the many volunteers who make the Sideburn Run Sharks program successful. Check the calendar for more detailed information about social activities and meets.

For more information, please contact Team Reps: Judie Schuler at hollyhighfarm@aol.com, assistant reps: Tammy Burns at stuartandtammy@verizon.net, or Elizabeth Simon at es2169@gmail.com.

Who Can Swim
The swim team is open to children of SRRA bond members and summer members. Generally, children 8 and under who can swim one length (25 meters) of the pool unassisted are accepted as swim team members. Children who are 9 and older must be able to complete two lengths (50 meters) to compete in meets. Any child 7 and under who needs assistance from the land line to complete a pool length may be asked to swim in the Lil’ Sharks program. All interested children are encouraged to come and be evaluated. Young children who may not have the strength to complete a length of the pool at the beginning of the season are welcome to attend an evening practice session,  but may find Lil’ Sharks more appropriate (at the Head Coach’s discretion). Little Sharks begin practice on June 22, 11:00-11:30 am, first day of summer break! Little sharks season concludes on Aug. 1, with a lollipop meet at Fairfax Club Estates, followed by a cookout and awards ceremony back at Sideburn pool.

Please remember that swim team is NOT swim lessons! Please feel free to discuss your child’s skill level with the Swim Team Rep if you have any questions. Registration fees will be returned for those swimmers who cannot meet the unassisted swim requirement. Swimming lessons are available through the NV Swim Kids program. Private swim lessons are also available through our coaching staff for a nominal fee.

Swim Meets
Northern Virginia Swimming League (NVSL) “A” and Fairfax Area Swim Teams (FAST) “B” developmental meets allow swimmers to gain competitive experience and improve their individual times while supporting their team’s efforts.

“A” meets are on Saturday mornings for five consecutive weeks and the roster is determined by the coaches. Swimmers qualify based on their time trials and “B” meets, so the roster may change each week due to improved times or absences. “A” meets are governed by NVSL rules. They are scored and determine standing in our division. Selected swimmers are notified at practice and by email.

“B” meets on Monday nights are designed to give developing swimmers a chance to compete and improve their skills. These meets are not NVSL related and are not scored. Ribbons are awarded to every swimmer. Eligible swimmers interested in competing sign up for events on Monday morning after practice. See 2011 B-meet Schedule and 2010 B-meet Rules and Procedures for more information.

NVSL Swim Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded each year by the Northern Virginia Swimming League to assist NVSL graduates defray a portion of their continuing education expenses. This year the NVSL will award scholarships to graduating high school swimmers and divers to be used at the school of their choice. Scholarship applications are due by 6:00 pm on Tuesday, June 22, and will be presented at the All Star Relays on Wednesday, July 21. Scholarship information is available at www.nvsl.org.

Officials and Volunteers Needed!
Swim meets require a large volunteer staff of over 40 people to time, officiate, and score. Meet officials receive free certification training at NVSL Officials Clinics held each year. Please consider attending if you’re interested in any official duties (see Swim Volunteer Job Descriptions and Team Contacts).

Volunteers are also needed for all home meets to help set up (Saturday A Meets–generally after the Friday evening potluck; Monday B Meets–arrive at pool by 4 pm), run the snack bar during the meet, and tear down immediately after the meet to get the pool ready for members. There are other non-meet opportunities to help the team–serving Monday morning breakfasts, signing up swimmers for B meets, working at the Thursday Raft Night & Sharks Fundraiser, and assisting with team spirit and group activities. The Team Reps can always use some extra help, too!

A commitment from each family to volunteer at least six hours during the season is essential to make things run smoothly for the team. All skills and positive personalities are welcome!

Team Apparel
Team suits are not mandatory; however, swimmers cannot wear a suit that advertises another team such as Curl-Burke, Makos, etc.! Suits can be purchased at SuitUp, University Mall, 10631 Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA 22032; (703) 278-8202; www.suitupnow.com. They will be on sale at Registration Day ?and at an evening practice ?. The team also offers several spirit items for sale, including shark car magnets! T-shirts will be available to purchase with our team apparel sales.

Communication
Communicating with parents and team members is done primarily through email. The website will be maintained during the season, but may not have the latest information. Always check your email and/or follow-up with the coaches and Swim Reps when in doubt. If your family doesn’t use email, please notify the Swim Reps so you can be notified by phone.

Philosophy
While competing is part of what NVSL is all about, at Sideburn Run we place equal emphasis on all parts of summer swimming and diving. Our philosophy for the season is:

Sharks, coaches and parents having fun and working hard–both
individually and as part of a team–in a respectful atmosphere.

In keeping with the NVSL’s goals and standards of conduct we hope to “develop in our children a love for the sport, advanced aquatic skills, teamwork and the principles of good sportsmanship.” We ask that all families and their swimmers and divers keep this philosophy in mind throughout the season and work together in the best interests of the team.