• Themes - Every meet we have a theme. Think of it as an extension of Halloween!

​

• Meet Attendance - We assume everyone will be swimming, unless we hear from you otherwise. We plan relay teams and decide what each swimmer swims 5-7 days before the actual meet.  Usually, it is done on Tuesday preceding Saturday’s meet.

​

• To support the success of our team, please indicate as soon as you know your Barracuda’s availability by either filling out the details in the Volunteer & Meet Attendance Sign Out or emailing us at rsta.lakeaudubon@gmail.com. This also includes indicating if your swimmer will be leaving early or arriving late. Note Sign-Up Genius is preferred as it is easier to manage.

​

• Please do not have your swimmer tell a coach at practice – as you can guarantee the information will be forgotten.  

​

• It is inevitable that something will come up and they can’t be there, but call, text, or email any one of us to let us know.  Unfortunately, we have had many swimmers just not show up or leave early without letting us know.  This makes it very challenging, frustrating and time consuming for those who are depending on your child – particularly when s/he isn’t even there!  It’s also common courtesy.  

​

• Relays can make or break a meet.  It is incredibly unfair to swimmers in a relay when one doesn’t show up or isn’t paying attention and misses the event.  The ripple effect is then none of the swimmers get to swim.  It is extremely important to be informed of whether your swimmer will not be there, will arrive late, or leave early. Please connect with any manager before you leave early.

​

• To reiterate the general rule of meet attendance, all teams in RSTA require swimmer participation in 3 meets throughout the season to obtain first priority status the following year.

​

• Volunteers - you are the backbone of this league.  Without you we couldn’t do this.  We appreciate you more than you could imagine.  You always step up when the need arises.  THANK YOU! Please assume your job goes from 6:45am until the end of the meet.  As with swimmers, please let us know if your attendance and participation changes, to include not being there at all.  When we aren’t informed then we are scrambling on deck to get the job done and this is extremely unfair to other families - parents and swimmers, especially if the meet gets delayed.  Again, we understand unplanned things come up and you may have to back out but please do your best to talk to us via call/text/email.  It makes the meet go so much smoother!

​

• Meet programs – RSTA posts programs on Friday evenings the night before meets. We will do our best to link it when it is available under our Meet Info tab.  Based on the time sensitivity and the speed in which the meets run we ask that you write the swimming assignments on your swimmer’s arm before arriving to a meet with a permanent marker.   New parents, if your swimmer is swimming backstroke in heat 3, lane 3 – write BK H3L3. This way if they are confused anyone can help by looking at the writing on the arm!

​

• Check In With Clerk of Course - During the meet all swimmers check in with the Clerk of Course before each event.  The meet program is a great guide letting you know where we are in the meet and how the meet works.  Please help your swimmer learn how to follow the meet so s/he knows what’s happening and when s/he should check in.  We’ve had multiple people miss their events even though they were present.  If you are unsure where/when to be at the meet, ask us!  Your active participation allows us to focus on the overall running of the meet for 110 swimmers!  This is a sport where it truly takes a village to make the whole thing work!! 

​

• During Practices

  • For families with younger swimmers - sometimes they are not sure of what’s going on and it effects them if you’re not present. Please stay around to support your child, have a towel ready, or just give them sense of comfort.  At the very least, make sure your Barracuda is aware of where stuff is for when s/he gets out of the pool.  All 8 and under first year swimmers must have an adult present

  • If you do leave the pool area, please pick your kids up on time.  Coaches and managers cannot leave the pool until everyone is safely gone.  It is unfair to make them hang around.  

  • If you see your child acting out, please feel free to discipline them as it is surely for the safety and &*(*()*^(*& of the team.  

  • Lastly, for younger children who stay for the older practice – they cannot play on the pool deck.  They must be in the grassy area or outside the pool area.  If you leave them unattended at the pool, please be aware no one is watching them, they are your responsibility.

​

• Team Pool Party-the Sunday following our last meet we have a giant team end of regular season pool party.  It’s in the evening; we have tons of pizza and fried chicken plus a plethora of sides, desserts, and drinks galore.  There are also games, trophies, and an amazing slide show to wrap up the season.  

​

• Snack Shack - We pay for the end of season pool party with proceeds from the concession stand.  We ask for you to please support the snack shack via home meet concession donations, providing change and one dollar bills are also appreciated!