the Bear Branch Swim Team
Bear Branch Swim Team 101
Welcome to the Bear Branch Swim Team • You have chosen to join a
great community! • We are in our 36th year! • We are a member of the
Northwest Aquatic League (NWAL). • Questions? Ask a Board
Member.
Swim Practice Your swimmer’s practice time is determined by their age. Age groups are: 6 & under: 3:45 – 4:30 7 & 8: 4:30 – 5:15 9 & 10: 5:15 – 6:00 11 & up: 6:00 – 7:00 Practice every weekday! Yes! Everyone needs to attend every day.
Required Gear ● Swimsuit ● Goggles ● Swim cap (optional but recommended) ● Towel
PARENTS MUST STAY OUTSIDE THE GATE DURING ALL PRACTICES! This is an NWAL policy. There is a lifeguard on duty at practice.
Parents at Swim Practice • Please DO NOT try to speak with coaches during practice
time. Their full attention needs to be on the swimmers in the pool. • You must be present at the end of practice to pick up your
6 & under or 7 & 8 swimmers. We will not release them unless eye contact has been made with the adult picking them up.
Swim Meets • The season has 7 meets beginning with Time Trials on May 6
and ending with Divisionals on June 17. • BBST families should plan to attend ALL of these meets. • Swimmers may also qualify for 3 invitational meets: Summer
Champs (in early June), Trinity, and Ponderosa (one week after Divisionals). • Invitational meets require minimum qualifying times for each
stroke and separate registration fees to participate.
What Parents Need to do Each Week • Meets are listed on the team
website: www.bearbranchswimteam.com . • You must log in and “Commit”
to each meet NO LATER THAN TUESDAY of that week. • Sign up for service hours or
check to see what you are signed up for.
To log in, click on “Sign In.”
Commit Swimmer and Job Signups Click on Swim Meets > Meet Signup on the Main Menu.
Click on this button for Job Signups. Click here to “Commit” or “Decline” your swimmer for this meet.
Stroke Requests • When you log in to the team website to “commit” your swimmer for a
meet, you can send a note to the coaches. • Requests to swim a specific stroke can be made in the “Comment” section.
Example: "My swimmer would like to swim breaststroke this weekend. She is trying to make an Allstars time.” • Coaches will try to accommodate requests but ultimately must make
decisions that are best for the team. If there is a conflict, then your stroke request could be postponed for another time.
Pool Rules at Swim Meets • NO Swimming in the children’s pool! It will be roped off. There is no
lifeguard on duty at the children’s pool during a meet—NWAL policy. • NO Swimming in the deep end of the pool. This area will be roped off, and
swimmers are NOT allowed to sit with their feet in the water or fill swim caps with water from the deep end! • The diving board and slide are closed. There is NO Lifeguard on duty at this
part of the pool. • No Running or Horseplay! In fact, all of the regular pool rules are still in
effect!
Preparing Your Family for a Meet • Swim meets last from 7 a.m. until
about 2 or 3 p.m. Plan to be there most of the day. • Bring your swim gear (swimsuit,
goggles, cap, and towel). • Don’t forget your swimmer(s)!
Bring them early for warmups. • Sunscreen
Preparing Your Family for a Meet • Bring folding chairs and/or a blanket. • Pop-up tent – You will need shade. Some pools offer more shade than others, and the sun is pretty intense in June. • Games – There will be breaks between swimmers' events, so they need something to fill the time while keeping cool and hydrated. • Bring a cooler with snacks and drinks or money for concessions.
Time Trials – For the Swimmers • Time Trials is a meet where official
entry times are recorded for each swimmer in every event that will be used for future meets.
• Swimmers will swim in all events for
which their age group is qualified (other meets limited to 3 individual events).
• NO relays will be conducted. • BBST swimmers only swim against
other BBST swimmers.
• New swimmers get to experience a
meet.
Time Trials – For the Team • Dress rehearsal for area supervisors
and workers ➢ Age Group Parents ➢ Ready Bench ➢ Timers and Scribes ➢ Computer Room ➢ Concessions ➢ Officials/Starters/Referees
• Test Equipment ➢ Sound System ➢ Starter System
Dual Meets: What & When? • 5 dual meets against ONE other
team in our division • Will swim at either our pool or
opponent's pool • Always on Saturday morning • Swimmers must be checked in
before warmups or they will be scratched from the meet
Dual Meets: Home vs Away HOME MEETS
AWAY MEETS
• Swim at Bear Branch pool • BBST sets up inside the pool area
• Swim at opponent’s pool • BBST usually sets up outside the pool
• Warm-ups from 7 to 7:30 a.m. • Team merchandise is available
•
• Concessions available and workers
•
are needed • Must have workers for Timers, Scribes, Runners, Ready Bench, Concessions, Computers, Ribbons, Age Group Parents, and Officials
• •
area Warm-ups from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. No team merchandise Concessions depend on the home team Workers needed for Timer, Scribe, Computer, Ribbons, Ready Bench (maybe), Age Group Parents, and Officials
Dual Meets: When You Arrive • Come to the check-in table: ➢ Check in your swimmers and
get their event numbers ➢ Check in parents for service hours
• Get swimmers in the water ON
TIME for warm-ups • Set up your personal gear • Get a “Heat Sheet”
Dual Meets: Timeline • 78 events, including relays • Each swimmer can swim up to 3 •
• •
•
individual events plus relays 6&under swimmers only swim freestyle, backstroke, and possibly freestyle relay 6&unders' final event is 40 • 6&under swimmers are usually 7&8 swimmers can also swim finished around noon (end of shift 1) butterfly, backstroke, and possibly • Meet is usually over around 2 p.m. medley relay • End times depend on many factors – 7&8 swimmers' final event is 70 weather delays, delays to find workers, etc.
Divisionals • This is the meet we work for all season—The championship
meet! • All NWAL teams in the same division will compete in one meet. • All swimmers should plan to attend—no minimum qualifying
times. • Meet is at an indoor high school pool. • Meet lasts until 4 or 5 p.m. typically. • Last meet unless your swimmer has qualified and registered to
swim in the Allstar/Trinity or Ponderosa Invitational meets.
Summer Champs Invitational • This meet is optional. • Swimmers must have minimum
qualifying times in each event. Look for “SC” next to your time on final results. • Registration for these events is
separate. • Held at Kingwood High School on
Sunday, June 4
Trinity & Ponderosa Invitationals • Post-season optional meets • Must meet minimum qualifying times • Look for “TI” or “PI” on meet result times • Ponderosa times are faster than Trinity
times • Open to all teams that are part of NWAL
across North Houston
Team Service Hours • We need everyone! • Meets are run completely by parents. • Sign up on the website for a job each week. • When you registered, you wrote
a $300 check for service hours. It will be returned at the end of the season if you have worked AT LEAST 5 service hours. • Be sure to sign in at each meet!
select where it says “need volunteer”
Service Opportunities • Timers – run a stopwatch at the end of a lane. It’s a great place to watch
the meet! • Scribes – record all times for each heat. Great view and a seat! • Runners – pick up sheets from scribes and take them to computer room. • Age Group Parents – gather swimmers and get them to the ready bench. • Ready Bench – organize swimmers into heats and move them to the
blocks for each event. • Computers – verify times recorded into the computer.
Service Opportunities • Concessions – HOME MEETS ONLY ➢ Help the team raise funds for equipment, pep rallies, equipment, etc. ➢ You must wear closed-toe shoes and a hat to work concessions (OSHA) ➢ Many different jobs: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Food Prep – Friday night Grillmaster – everyone’s favorite person … the cook Concessions Set-up and Take down – get your credit before and after the meet Ice Captain – pick up ice, bring it to the pool, and keep drinks iced down Cashier, Sno Cones, Candy/Popcorn (3 separate jobs) Servers – work in the kitchen and serve hot food through the window
Service Opportunities • NWAL-Certified Officials, Referees, and Starters are vital to
every meet ➢
Officials work pool-side at each meet These jobs will meet your service obligations Officials also receive a discount on swimmer registration 3 NWAL Official Certifications are available:
➢ ➢ ➢ o o o
Referee Starter Stroke and Turn
Fun Events • Kick Off Party – Friday evening before Time Trials meet Kick off the season with a bang! • Pep Rallies – Friday evenings before each home meet ➢ In the past we have had tie-dye parties, super soaker parties, and root beer float parties ➢ Looking forward to some great team spirit-building this year • End of Season Banquet – Held indoors, sunday best is typical dress
code. Swimmers get trophies* and special awards. *Swimmers must swim in at least 2 dual meets to receive a trophy.
Text Alerts and Email Messages • Text Alerts ➢ Remind 101 – the code to register to receive one-way text messages is on the home page of the BBST website. ➢ Alerts through Team Unify (our website) – Our web service has the ability to send out text messages if you have entered a phone number when you signed up. • Emails Watch your email (used for registration) for messages from the board.
Final Words… • Check the website often! • Commit your swimmer NO LATER than Tuesday of each week. • Sign up for team service. • Don’t be shy! Ask any question you may have to any of the board members. If we
don’t know, we will find out! • Swim team offers our children a chance to see that practice leads to improvement.
It allows them to experience personal accomplishment and team accomplishment. • Swim team is a great example of working together as a community. • Swim team teaches good sportsmanship. • Thank you for choosing to be part of our community! Go Bears!
Welcome to the Bear Branch Swim Team • You have chosen to join a
great community! • We are in our 36th year! • We are a member of the
Northwest Aquatic League (NWAL). • Questions? Ask a Board
Member.
Swim Practice Your swimmer’s practice time is determined by their age. Age groups are: 6 & under: 3:45 – 4:30 7 & 8: 4:30 – 5:15 9 & 10: 5:15 – 6:00 11 & up: 6:00 – 7:00 Practice every weekday! Yes! Everyone needs to attend every day.
Required Gear ● Swimsuit ● Goggles ● Swim cap (optional but recommended) ● Towel
PARENTS MUST STAY OUTSIDE THE GATE DURING ALL PRACTICES! This is an NWAL policy. There is a lifeguard on duty at practice.
Parents at Swim Practice • Please DO NOT try to speak with coaches during practice
time. Their full attention needs to be on the swimmers in the pool. • You must be present at the end of practice to pick up your
6 & under or 7 & 8 swimmers. We will not release them unless eye contact has been made with the adult picking them up.
Swim Meets • The season has 7 meets beginning with Time Trials on May 6
and ending with Divisionals on June 17. • BBST families should plan to attend ALL of these meets. • Swimmers may also qualify for 3 invitational meets: Summer
Champs (in early June), Trinity, and Ponderosa (one week after Divisionals). • Invitational meets require minimum qualifying times for each
stroke and separate registration fees to participate.
What Parents Need to do Each Week • Meets are listed on the team
website: www.bearbranchswimteam.com . • You must log in and “Commit”
to each meet NO LATER THAN TUESDAY of that week. • Sign up for service hours or
check to see what you are signed up for.
To log in, click on “Sign In.”
Commit Swimmer and Job Signups Click on Swim Meets > Meet Signup on the Main Menu.
Click on this button for Job Signups. Click here to “Commit” or “Decline” your swimmer for this meet.
Stroke Requests • When you log in to the team website to “commit” your swimmer for a
meet, you can send a note to the coaches. • Requests to swim a specific stroke can be made in the “Comment” section.
Example: "My swimmer would like to swim breaststroke this weekend. She is trying to make an Allstars time.” • Coaches will try to accommodate requests but ultimately must make
decisions that are best for the team. If there is a conflict, then your stroke request could be postponed for another time.
Pool Rules at Swim Meets • NO Swimming in the children’s pool! It will be roped off. There is no
lifeguard on duty at the children’s pool during a meet—NWAL policy. • NO Swimming in the deep end of the pool. This area will be roped off, and
swimmers are NOT allowed to sit with their feet in the water or fill swim caps with water from the deep end! • The diving board and slide are closed. There is NO Lifeguard on duty at this
part of the pool. • No Running or Horseplay! In fact, all of the regular pool rules are still in
effect!
Preparing Your Family for a Meet • Swim meets last from 7 a.m. until
about 2 or 3 p.m. Plan to be there most of the day. • Bring your swim gear (swimsuit,
goggles, cap, and towel). • Don’t forget your swimmer(s)!
Bring them early for warmups. • Sunscreen
Preparing Your Family for a Meet • Bring folding chairs and/or a blanket. • Pop-up tent – You will need shade. Some pools offer more shade than others, and the sun is pretty intense in June. • Games – There will be breaks between swimmers' events, so they need something to fill the time while keeping cool and hydrated. • Bring a cooler with snacks and drinks or money for concessions.
Time Trials – For the Swimmers • Time Trials is a meet where official
entry times are recorded for each swimmer in every event that will be used for future meets.
• Swimmers will swim in all events for
which their age group is qualified (other meets limited to 3 individual events).
• NO relays will be conducted. • BBST swimmers only swim against
other BBST swimmers.
• New swimmers get to experience a
meet.
Time Trials – For the Team • Dress rehearsal for area supervisors
and workers ➢ Age Group Parents ➢ Ready Bench ➢ Timers and Scribes ➢ Computer Room ➢ Concessions ➢ Officials/Starters/Referees
• Test Equipment ➢ Sound System ➢ Starter System
Dual Meets: What & When? • 5 dual meets against ONE other
team in our division • Will swim at either our pool or
opponent's pool • Always on Saturday morning • Swimmers must be checked in
before warmups or they will be scratched from the meet
Dual Meets: Home vs Away HOME MEETS
AWAY MEETS
• Swim at Bear Branch pool • BBST sets up inside the pool area
• Swim at opponent’s pool • BBST usually sets up outside the pool
• Warm-ups from 7 to 7:30 a.m. • Team merchandise is available
•
• Concessions available and workers
•
are needed • Must have workers for Timers, Scribes, Runners, Ready Bench, Concessions, Computers, Ribbons, Age Group Parents, and Officials
• •
area Warm-ups from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. No team merchandise Concessions depend on the home team Workers needed for Timer, Scribe, Computer, Ribbons, Ready Bench (maybe), Age Group Parents, and Officials
Dual Meets: When You Arrive • Come to the check-in table: ➢ Check in your swimmers and
get their event numbers ➢ Check in parents for service hours
• Get swimmers in the water ON
TIME for warm-ups • Set up your personal gear • Get a “Heat Sheet”
Dual Meets: Timeline • 78 events, including relays • Each swimmer can swim up to 3 •
• •
•
individual events plus relays 6&under swimmers only swim freestyle, backstroke, and possibly freestyle relay 6&unders' final event is 40 • 6&under swimmers are usually 7&8 swimmers can also swim finished around noon (end of shift 1) butterfly, backstroke, and possibly • Meet is usually over around 2 p.m. medley relay • End times depend on many factors – 7&8 swimmers' final event is 70 weather delays, delays to find workers, etc.
Divisionals • This is the meet we work for all season—The championship
meet! • All NWAL teams in the same division will compete in one meet. • All swimmers should plan to attend—no minimum qualifying
times. • Meet is at an indoor high school pool. • Meet lasts until 4 or 5 p.m. typically. • Last meet unless your swimmer has qualified and registered to
swim in the Allstar/Trinity or Ponderosa Invitational meets.
Summer Champs Invitational • This meet is optional. • Swimmers must have minimum
qualifying times in each event. Look for “SC” next to your time on final results. • Registration for these events is
separate. • Held at Kingwood High School on
Sunday, June 4
Trinity & Ponderosa Invitationals • Post-season optional meets • Must meet minimum qualifying times • Look for “TI” or “PI” on meet result times • Ponderosa times are faster than Trinity
times • Open to all teams that are part of NWAL
across North Houston
Team Service Hours • We need everyone! • Meets are run completely by parents. • Sign up on the website for a job each week. • When you registered, you wrote
a $300 check for service hours. It will be returned at the end of the season if you have worked AT LEAST 5 service hours. • Be sure to sign in at each meet!
select where it says “need volunteer”
Service Opportunities • Timers – run a stopwatch at the end of a lane. It’s a great place to watch
the meet! • Scribes – record all times for each heat. Great view and a seat! • Runners – pick up sheets from scribes and take them to computer room. • Age Group Parents – gather swimmers and get them to the ready bench. • Ready Bench – organize swimmers into heats and move them to the
blocks for each event. • Computers – verify times recorded into the computer.
Service Opportunities • Concessions – HOME MEETS ONLY ➢ Help the team raise funds for equipment, pep rallies, equipment, etc. ➢ You must wear closed-toe shoes and a hat to work concessions (OSHA) ➢ Many different jobs: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Food Prep – Friday night Grillmaster – everyone’s favorite person … the cook Concessions Set-up and Take down – get your credit before and after the meet Ice Captain – pick up ice, bring it to the pool, and keep drinks iced down Cashier, Sno Cones, Candy/Popcorn (3 separate jobs) Servers – work in the kitchen and serve hot food through the window
Service Opportunities • NWAL-Certified Officials, Referees, and Starters are vital to
every meet ➢
Officials work pool-side at each meet These jobs will meet your service obligations Officials also receive a discount on swimmer registration 3 NWAL Official Certifications are available:
➢ ➢ ➢ o o o
Referee Starter Stroke and Turn
Fun Events • Kick Off Party – Friday evening before Time Trials meet Kick off the season with a bang! • Pep Rallies – Friday evenings before each home meet ➢ In the past we have had tie-dye parties, super soaker parties, and root beer float parties ➢ Looking forward to some great team spirit-building this year • End of Season Banquet – Held indoors, sunday best is typical dress
code. Swimmers get trophies* and special awards. *Swimmers must swim in at least 2 dual meets to receive a trophy.
Text Alerts and Email Messages • Text Alerts ➢ Remind 101 – the code to register to receive one-way text messages is on the home page of the BBST website. ➢ Alerts through Team Unify (our website) – Our web service has the ability to send out text messages if you have entered a phone number when you signed up. • Emails Watch your email (used for registration) for messages from the board.
Final Words… • Check the website often! • Commit your swimmer NO LATER than Tuesday of each week. • Sign up for team service. • Don’t be shy! Ask any question you may have to any of the board members. If we
don’t know, we will find out! • Swim team offers our children a chance to see that practice leads to improvement.
It allows them to experience personal accomplishment and team accomplishment. • Swim team is a great example of working together as a community. • Swim team teaches good sportsmanship. • Thank you for choosing to be part of our community! Go Bears!
