FAQs
GETTING STARTED
Q: How do I know what's going on throughout the season? All meet schedules, RSVPs, and team communications run through SwimTopia, our team management website. Make sure you're registered and checking it regularly — this is your home base for everything season-related. Important updates and announcements are also sent via email, so keep an eye on your inbox. Make sure to sync schedules with your calendar and activate push notifications.
Q: How do I RSVP for meets? Log into SwimTopia and RSVP for each meet individually for each of your swimmers. Please do this as soon as possible — coaches spend hours building meet lineups, and the more notice they have, the better they can place your child. Even if your child can't attend, please RSVP "no" so coaches can plan accordingly.
Q: Who are the Swim Team Reps? Your Swim Team Reps are Jake Torok and Josh Collins. They serve as the team's liaison to both the Hideaway Swim Club board and the Colonial Swim League board, and are responsible for managing and coordinating the team's financials, operations, and swim meets. If you have questions or concerns that go beyond day-to-day coaching, they're your point of contact.
Q: Who do I contact if I have questions as a new family? That's what our Parent Liaisons are here for! Don't hesitate to reach out — no question is too small, and we all remember what it felt like to be new.
Q: What does my child need to get started? A properly fitting swimsuit (racing suits are recommended for meets), goggles, a swim cap, and a positive attitude. For meets specifically, bring two towels, extra goggles, a Sharpie for arm writing, sunscreen, water, and chairs.
The Season
Q: What does the season schedule look like? The summer season moves fast! Dual meets are held Tuesday or Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. The season includes a few optional invitationals and wraps up with B Champs, Diving Champs, and A Champs in the last week of July.
Q: What types of meets are there? There are three types: dual meets (head-to-head against one other team), invitationals (open to the broader league), and championship meets at the end of the season. Most of your regular season will be dual meets.
Q: What are A and B Champs? Championship meets held at the end of July. The top 18 swimmers in each event qualify for A Champs (League Champs). All other eligible swimmers are invited to compete in B Champs. To qualify for either, your child must compete in at least 2 regular season meets.
Q: What is the Swim Blast invitational? Swim Blast is Hideaway's seasonal invitational, typically held on a Saturday before the regular season begins. It's open to any swimmer in the league who chooses to participate and usually runs 2–3 hours. It's a great chance for coaches and swimmers to get a baseline time and set goals for the season ahead. Participation is not required, but highly encouraged.
Q: How do meet results work? After each meet, coaches post results at the pool for viewing at practice. Take photos with your phone to keep track of your child's progress over the course of the season. Watching times improve week over week is one of the most rewarding parts of the summer!
Swim Meet Basics
Q: How do I know when my child is swimming? Coaches post the meet lineup at Friday morning practice. Find your child's name to see their event number, heat, and lane. Snap a photo for easy reference at the meet. Lineups for championship meets are available for purchase at the meet itself.
Q: Why is my kid covered in Sharpie?!? Before each meet, swimmers write their Event, Heat, Lane, and Stroke on their arm in Sharpie. With so many events and heats moving quickly, it keeps them organized and ready to go. Younger swimmers (10 & under) get help from ready bench parents — don't worry, they're in good hands!
Q: How do I read the lineup? Each entry shows an event number, event type, and a heat/lane combination like "2/3" — meaning heat 2, lane 3. At dual meets, the fastest swimmers go first. At invitationals, the fastest go last. Your child will typically compete in 2–4 events total, including relays.
Q: What is an IM? IM stands for Individual Medley — one swimmer completing all four strokes back-to-back in this order: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle. Ask your coach if your child is ready to give it a try. The only way to learn is to do it!
Q: How do relays work? Each meet features one relay type. The first half of the season uses the free relay, where all legs are swum freestyle. The second half uses the medley relay, swum in Back → Breast → Fly → Free order. Younger age groups (8U and 10U) swim a 100M relay; 12U and older swim 200M.
Q: What happens if my child gets disqualified (DQ'd)? Don't panic — DQs happen to every swimmer, including experienced ones! After the meet, coaches receive a full report explaining the reason. Email your coach and they'll walk you through exactly what happened. Think of it as a learning opportunity, not a setback. It's part of the sport.
Q: When can my child compete in a dive meet? Your child needs to complete the required number of dives for their age group before competing: 3 dives for 11-under, 4 for ages 12–14, and 5 for ages 15 and older. Each meet also has required dive categories. The dive coach will communicate when your child is ready and share the lineup before the meet.
Volunteering
Q: Do I have to volunteer? Yes — and we mean that in the best possible way. This team, and this league, runs entirely on parent volunteers. Outside of the coaching staff, every single role that makes a meet happen is filled by a parent just like you. Without volunteers, there is no meet. It really is that simple.
Every family is required to volunteer at a minimum of 3 meets during the regular dual meet season. If your child participates in A or B Champs, you will also be assigned a volunteer role for those meets.
Q: What volunteer roles are available? There's something for everyone, and most positions require zero prior experience:
- Timer — Start and stop a stopwatch when swimmers touch the wall. Meet managers provide stopwatches and instruction. One of the easiest and most important jobs at every meet (and a front row seat to watch your kid swim!).
- Backup Timer — Stands in a central position on deck and covers any lane where a timer has a malfunction or error. Usually runs two stopwatches simultaneously (and another good view to watch your kid swim!).
- Ready Bench Parent — A great role for getting to know younger swimmers. Help kids line up, escort them to the blocks, write events on their arms, and keep the poolside organized and energized.
- Runner — Circulate the pool deck collecting timing slips, judging slips, and stroke and turn slips and delivering them to the scorer's table. Wear good shoes — pool decks can be slippery!
- Snack Stand — Help set up, sell snacks and merchandise, and break down after the meet. Volunteers rotate so you won't miss your child's events.
- Scorer's Table — Assist with sorting slips and supporting the meet's timing and scoring systems. Early arrivers especially welcome — the table gets busy fast before a meet starts.
- Announcer — Call events, heats, and swimmers by name throughout the meet. No formal training required, though shadowing an experienced announcer first is recommended.
- Finish Judge — Record the order in which swimmers finish each heat. Requires focus and a keen eye. Working with a partner makes this much easier.
- Diving Table — Record diver scores, calculate totals, and check sheets for accuracy. Each team provides two representatives.
Some roles — including Stroke and Turn Judge & Diving Judge — require certification or additional training. If you're interested in any of these, reach out to the Swim Reps.
Q: How do I sign up to volunteer? Volunteer sign-ups are managed through SwimTopia alongside your meet RSVPs. A sign-up is created for each meet and you'll be notified when it's available. Sign up early and you're more likely to get the role you want.
Q: What if I've never done this before? That's completely fine — and exactly why most roles require no experience. Every new volunteer was once in your shoes. Meet managers and experienced volunteers are always on hand to help orient you. Jump in, ask questions, and know that your time makes a real difference for every child on that pool deck.
Q: Why does volunteering matter so much? A home dual meet requires approximately 30 volunteers to run. An away meet requires around 20. Multiply that across an entire season of meets for every team in the league, and you start to understand the scale of what parents make possible every single week. The coaches focus on the athletes — parents make everything else happen. Your participation isn't just appreciated, it's essential.
Coaching & Communication
Q: How should I communicate with the coaches? Coaches are always happy to hear from you — just be mindful of timing. Please don't interrupt practice, as that time is fully devoted to swimmer safety and development. Instead, reach out by email or connect with coaches after practice or during non-practice times at the club.
Q: What is my role as a swim parent? You are your child's number one fan. Cheer them on, celebrate their effort, and remind them how proud you are — regardless of the result. Leave the technical coaching to the coaches. They are the experts in stroke development and will work directly with your child on improvement. Your job is to make this summer a memory they'll always look back on fondly.
Q: What if my child is struggling or I have a concern? Talk to the coaches! They want to know and they will work with your child directly. Email is a great way to open that conversation. The coaching staff is committed to the development of every swimmer and diver on the team.
End of Season
Q: How does the season wrap up? The final week of July is a big one. B Swim Champs is typically the last Wednesday, Diving Champs (A and B) is the last Friday, and A Swim Champs is the last Saturday. The end-of-season awards celebration is held the evening of A Champs and is a wonderful opportunity to come together as a team family and celebrate everything your Hurricanes accomplished over the summer.
Have a question that isn't answered here? Reach out to our Swim Reps or New Parent Liaisons — they're here to help!
