Frequently Asked Questions

What should I bring to practice?

• Yourself - Be on deck ready to practice 5 minutes before your practice start time so you don't distract others or the coaches
• Put on sunscreen before leaving home so it dries before you get in the water
• Swim Suit - Jammers for boys (baggy board shorts are hard to practice in), girls should wear a one piece - tight fitting competition style suit.  No bikinis or tank-inis or loose fitting one piece suits (kids spend more time adjusting these suits than paying attention to coaching)
• Swim Cap - you can purchase extras from the concessions stand at Home Meets or the Coordinator for $5.  Any sports store have these as well.
• Goggles - it's best to keep 2 or 3 pairs in your swim bag (or mom's purse) - it is worth it to get good ones.
• Water Bottle - you do sweat in swim practice, you just don't notice - stay hydrated!
• Several towels
• Change of clothes for the ride home on cooler practice days

Do I have to stay at the pool for my child's practice?

Per pool rules, you must be 13 or over to be at the pool without an adult 18 years or older watching you.  If your child is under 13, you must stay at practice or have another parent that is staying agree to be responsible for your child.  You must tell your child who to go to if they have a problem in your absence.

If your child is swimming in the shallow or deep end before or after their practice, parents are responsible for their children's safety  in the water and ensuring there is no running or horseplay per pool rules.  The Coaches are there to coach and not supervise children that are not part of an active practice.  If coaches need to use the shallow end or deep end for instruction, then everyone else may be asked to exit that area. To avoid overcrowding, we ask that you please exit the pool after your assigned practice. This helps with the parking and overcrowding in the pool area. 

How do we handle inclement weather and cancelations?

Practices and Swim Meets are conducted in the rain if the bottom of the pool is visible during the downpour, but not if there is thunder or lightening.

For practices, we will do our best to inform you of delays when there are scattered storms that look like they will blow over for subsequent practices.   Most everyone lives close, so just come on out and check for yourself rather than wait at home if nothing has been announced.  If storms appear to have 'set-in' and all remaining practices will be canceled then we will do a text blast to your cell phone.

For swim meets, if you don't get notice by about 4:00 pm that a meet is canceled then plan on heading to the swim meet site.  If the weather is bad during the meet, please go to the clubhouse if open / available or your car.  Do not leave the pool vicinity unless you hear that the meet is canceled from one of the coordinators or coaches.  We will also try to email and text but telecommunications are often unavailable at pools.  It is often best to wait out storms in your car at the swim meet parking lot rather than to attempt to drive home in the brunt of violent storms.

How many swimmers can go to the swim meet?

We can only take 120 swimmers to a swim meet.  We enroll around 140 on the team since there are generally 20 to 25 on vacation or sick each week.  This usually allows everyone that wants to swim to be able to race each week.  But, if we have more than 120 sign-up for any given swim meet we may have to hold a few swimmers out that night.  We don't hold any one swimmer out of more than one meet per year, so everyone should get to compete in at least 4 regular meets during the season.   

How many events will my swimmer be entered in at each race?

The maximum number of events that any one swimmer can be entered in at a race is 5.  They are allowed 3 individual events and 2 relays.  We always try to enter swimmers in as close to 5 races as possible.  We will always try to enter a swimmer in at least 3 events to give them plenty of action.

What should I bring to a swim meet?

• Yourself - Be at Home Meets by 4:30 pm for 5 pm warm-ups and Away Meets by 5 pm for 5:30 pm warm-ups - If you know you will be late please communicate with Dilcia Lila  (770) 330-9908
• Swim Suit
• Swim Cap - you can purchase extras from the concession stand at home meets or Coordinator
• Goggles - bring extra pairs - they tend to break right before the race
• Towels - 3 or more per swimmer - you can't have too many!
• Sharpie Markers - to put Event/Heat/Lane on swimmers arm or leg and name on shoulder / back
• Blankets or extra towels to sit on
• Warm clothes for post-race - it does get chilly at night so a sweat shirt and pants are nice to have
• Cards, games, toys, etc (nothing with little or lots of pieces)
• Sun block (very important!)
• Sports Chairs / Lawn Chairs
• Tent, tarp, umbrella, etc (please know there is not always room for tents)
• Large plastic garbage bags to keep things dry if it rains
• Rain Poncho
• $$ for the concession stand - please support the Home and Away concession stands!
• Bug spray
• Be wary of bringing expensive items that are easily lost or broken

Why is my swimmer being asked to 'swim-up'?

Swimmers may be asked to ‘swim-up’ an age group for either individual or relay events.  This could be for competitive reasons or simply to give a swimmer more events at the race if all the heats are full for a given race in their age group.  This often occurs in the older age groups where teams typically have fewer swimmers.  Swimmers are only allowed to swim-up one age group and may never swim-down an age group.  It is a major rules infraction to swim up more than one age group or down an age group.  The only exception to this rule is for swimmers that have a disability and the league has approved that they can swim-down.

Can my swimmer wear their high school or USA Swimming team logo gear?

Swimmers cannot wear caps, t-shirts, jackets or team logo swim-suits from their High School or USA Swimming Team (Stingrays, Tidal Wave, YMCA, etc.)  to swim-meets (this includes warm-ups).  This gear can be worn to practice.  The Association considers this to be potentially intimidating to other swimmers and not in keeping with the recreational nature of summer swim competition.

Camden Pointe prefers that all swimmers wear the team t-shirt and cap and swim-suit (where possible).  You will receive a Camden Pointe swim cap prior to the first swim meet.  If you lose yours or it breaks, you can purchase another one for $5 from the Concessions Coordinator.  If you do not wear the Camden Pointe cap then you need to wear a plain royal blue cap - no other colors or designs are permitted.  

How are meets scored?

The first heat is the only scoring heat in summer swim league for each of the 86 events offered.  For individual events, lanes 1 – 4 score while lanes 2 and 3 score for relays.  Lane 5 (and 6 if available) are considered ‘exhibition only’.  We do give ribbons based on finish place.  For example, if lane 5 wins, they will get the first place ribbon but will not actually score any points for the team.  Similarly, if any lane besides lane 2 or 3 wins or places second in a relay, then they will get the place ribbon but won’t score points for the team.

What ribbons are awarded?

First place through last place in each heat are awarded ribbons.  First place for each heat will receive a blue ribbon, second place will receive a red ribbon, etc.

Can adults consume alcohol or tobacco products at the swim meets?

The league prohibits alcohol and tobacco product use inside the pool fencing during swim-meets which includes warm-ups.