Frequently Asked Questions
Practices
What do I need to bring to practice?
Please bring your swimmer to practice in their suit with cap on and sunscreen applied, goggles (already adjusted), and a warm towel. All other equipment will be provided.
I can’t make it to morning practices. What should I do?
We offer evening practices Tuesday through Thursday (except when noted on the schedule). 8&unders will swim 7:00 to 7:45pm, and 9&ups will swim 7:45-8:30pm. Please note that the pool does not close until 8pm, so we will have limited lanes.
If we’re going to miss a practice, do I need to tell my coach?
Yes – this is an expectation and a courtesy to the coaching staff.
Can my child make up a missed practice with another age group?
Only with prior approval. Approval will be based on the swimmer’s ability level in relation to the workout requested.
Do I need to stay for every practice?
The club policy is that children under the age of 9 be accompanied by a guardian when at the pool. However, once the practice has begun, your child will be occupied and under the supervision of a coach for the remainder of practice. Once practice concludes, all children, under the age of nine, are expected to be in the care of a parent or guardian. No exceptions.
Will practices occur in the rain?
We will hold practices if at all possible. If there is not lightning, there is a good chance that we will practice on rainy days. Should practice be cancelled, you will receive an email notifying you of the change as soon as the decision is made. If you do not receive an email, assume that there is practice.
Are practices mandatory?
No. While meet results are directly related to practice attendance and attitude, we do not feel it is our job to determine what you, the paying customer, deem necessary for your investment.
Event Registration
How do I register my swimmer for an event?
- Go to https://brookhaven.swimtopia.com and click Login.
- Sign on to your account. If you can’t remember your password, click Unable to login to reset your password.
- Go to Home page and select Swim Meets under the Schedule tab.
- Click Swimmer Sign-up and then click Edit Entries.
For each of your swimmers, select an option from the drop down next to their names.
- Attending this meet and available for any relays
- Attending this meet but cannot attend early relays
- Attending this meet but cannot attend late relays
- Attending this meet but cannot attend any relays
- Will not be attending this meet
IMPORTANT NOTE: Selecting the correct option is very important. Our computer will place your child in a relay and if you plan to not be there for the early morning medley relay or the end of meet freestyle relay, you need to let us know!!!!! Big deal! Please be sure to list this as accurately as you can based on your Saturday schedule. Any swimmer can be chosen for a relay by our computer generated report. Don’t assume your swimmer will or won’t be selected, please. It’s a time and record driven process.
- Select the three events that you and your swimmer have agreed upon. If a prompt comes up that ask you if you have received coach’s approval, make sure you get that approval on deck or via email.
- Click Save Entries to record your choices.
Meets
What do I need to pack for a swim meet?
Swim meets can be long! Please pack the following with your swimmer’s name clearly labeled on all items.
- 2 towels (one to sit on and one to use)
- Healthy snacks and drinks (no sodas!)
- Team shirt
- Goggles
- Coloring books, an activity or card games (we are an electronic-free team)
Arrive at the meet in your team suit with cap on. Before arriving at the meet, apply sunscreen to your child and once dry, please write their last name on their right shoulder blade and their events on their forearm.
How does my child know what they are swimming and when?
Before each meet, you will receive a heat sheet from Coach Cheri via email and a list of events for each swimmer. Please refer to “How to Read a Heat Sheet” on brookhaven.swimtopia.com.
What is a Heat Sheet?
Once all swimmers from both teams have submitted their meet entries, a heat sheetis generated by the meet management software. For each event (an event consists of a specific age group and a specific stroke, i.e., 9-10 girls backstroke), the software combines swimmers in the same event into “heats” of as many swimmer as there are lanes in the pool. The heats are designed to place swimmers with similar previous swim times in that event into heats together. The heat sheet (“meet program”) is the program of swim events in the order in which they occur. They show every heat and the name and lane of every swimmer in each heat. Helpful hint: Some people highlight their kids’ names in the heat sheet in order to avoid missing their swims.
NOTE: Heat sheets for upcoming meets will be emailed out, usually the night before the meet. Please print out your heat sheets – they will NOT be sold at the meet!
What does a typical meet look like?
A typical dual meet is about 4 hours long. Meets begin with the freestyle relay, followed by freestyle and backstroke individual events for all age groups. The medley relay is in the middle of the meet, and is followed by the individual medley, breaststroke, and butterfly. The mixed relay ends the meet.
All swimmers are expected to sit in the “Shark Cove” (the cabanas) with their age group. Parent volunteers will line up the relays, take the swimmers to the ready benches before their race(s), and make sure the swimmers are safe and accounted for. The adult pool and kiddie pool are closed during our meets.
Swimmers may leave after their last race, but they must check in with Coach Cheri before leaving.
Are the meets required?
The meets are strongly encouraged as they are an important part of what we do. All swimmers must participate in at least one dual meets to be eligible for the Champs meet at the end of the season.
If my swimmer misses a week of practice due to vacation, camp, VBS, etc., can they still participate in the next meet?
Absolutely! We are very aware that conflicts will arise; however, you must communicate all meet absences with your coaches well in advance so that relays are not negatively impacted on meet day.
Do I have a say in what my kids swim at meets?
Very little. Input is appreciated when presented privately and positively. Your swimmer’s best interest is important to us but will not be placed above the team’s best interest. The decision of the coaching staff is final.
How are relay teams determined?
Relay teams are primarily based on the swimmer's time. When very comparable, coaches may go with their best feeling. Often times, workout attendance and attitude can be key tiebreakers.
If my child is going to miss a meet, what should I do?
Let your coach know as soon as possible, so that your swimmer will not be slotted to swim in an event. Empty lanes drag the meets out, and relay units can be damaged. You will need to log into the website and to officially let the coach know.
My child got a DQ. What does that mean?
The coaches will work with your child to do everything they can to make sure they are legal in strokes before they are allowed to swim them at a meet, but mistakes do happen! Getting a DQ means that they did something not permitted in their stroke during their race and they are not eligible to win points for their team. Please refer to the “How to Get Disqualified” sheet on Swimtopia for more specific ways to get disqualified in each stroke.
What is the Champs Meet?
The Champs meet is the culmination of our season. Swimmers must swim in one dual meet before being eligible to swim at Champs. It is the biggest meet of the season with all teams participating and racing against each other. Medals are awarded for 1st – 3rd places and ribbons are given for 4th – 16th place. The DASA team earning the most points wins the meet and receives the trophy and a banner for that year.
Why are you asking for a commitment for Championship Meet now?
All swimmers must be pre-registered to swim at the Championship Meet. BCC pays an entry fee of $30.00 per swimmer to enter. It’s also our biggest event of the season, so we expect a serious commitment to attend. Surprises for this meet are not good.
General
Who do we swim against?
We are member of DASA (Dallas Area Swim Association) South. We swim against Royal Oaks Country Club, Canyon Creek Country Club, Lakewood Country Club, Knights of Columbus, and Dallas Athletic Club.
Do I have to be a member of Brookhaven Country Club for my child to swim on the team?
The Sharks are part of the Dallas Amateur Swim Association South (DASA). League rules require club membership in order to participate. DASA is run by the head coaches of its member teams, and determines league rules, organizes meets, and hosts the Championship Meet.
ALL of my child’s friends are in a different age group. Can he/she swim with that group?
Age groups are determined by birth date. June 1 is the cut-off date, as determined by the DASA. By league rule, swimmers may move up with no penalty, but they may not move down. Approval to move up or down for workouts must be received in advance. Overall team size will affect decision making in this area.
Do I need to schedule private lessons?
Private lessons are optional, but nothing beats one-on-one instruction. Each of the coaches can provide private lessons to swimmers - rates vary depending on the coach.
Where can I find my child's times?
Go to the team website (https://brookaven.swimtopia.com). After you log in, select My Account, and click on your swimmers' name to see their best times and their times from every events that they swam.
What is the Parents Club?
Parents Club is the bonus fund for the coaches. The cost is $30 per season and includes the current year Sharks bumper sticker. All funds go into this bonus pool and are distributed to the assistant coaches at the banquet at the end of year. It’s our way of saying thank you to them for bringing the fun!
I can’t commit to volunteering each meet. What should I do?
Please go to Brookhaven.swimtopia.com and pay the $250 volunteer opt-out fee. This will allow us to hire someone in your place, if needed, and all extra funds will go towards the assistant coach bonus fund at the end of the season.
