Heart of Texas
Swimmers of Fredericksburg
“Simply the Best”
Swimmers’ & Parents’
Handbook
2009-2010 Edition
Dear Swimmers and Parents,
I’m glad you joined the Heart of Texas Swim Team and hope that all parents will
become active supporters of all the swimmers. This booklet is designed to help you and
your swimmer learn more about the swim team and certain aspects of competitive
swimming. I encourage you to read the information very carefully. If you have any
questions, please feel free to ask me or any of our parent Swim Team Board Members.
Our program is designed to help each swimmer realize his or her own potential in life.
Improvement is the measure of success and every swimmer can be successful.
Improvement is very closely related to practice. Those who attend workouts regularly
will improve much faster than those who do not.
Be enthusiastic and supportive! Remember that your child is the swimmer. Young
people need to establish their own realistic goals, and make their own progress towards
them. Be careful not to impose your own standards and goals. Do not over burden your
swimmer with your desire to win or touch the wall first. Learning about oneself while
enjoying the sport is the most important part of the swimming experience.
It is important that everyone has fun, has a chance to participate, and learns what
competitive swimming is all about. All swimmers have the opportunity to swim in the
events in which they qualify. There is no “second string”. There are no “bench
warmers” in this sport.
I want to provide a “safe” environment for each swimmer to make mistakes without
judgment or ridicule. Athletic success is built on experiments: some work, many don’t.
Our Team’s environment encourages learning and fun which will help your child
develop a positive self-image. Each swimmer is allowed to learn at their own pace with
the long term focus on developing techniques for life skills. If a swimmer is putting
forth their best effort and continues to improve, what more can anyone realistically ask
of him?
Sincerely,
Al Carr
Head Coach, HOT Swim Team
Mission: To develop the character traits, technical skills and
intense desire necessary for maximizing each individual’s
potential.
Philosophy: The Team philosophy is encompassed in the words
“Empowering Champions in Life”. Empowering is providing for and
encouraging a young athlete to embrace the opportunities and not
fear the outcome. Courage is the willingness to accept risk and
endure failings. Perseverance is the backbone of success in any
endeavor in life. Perseverance allows young people to transcend
the most difficult times of adolescence. It allows the individual
to find the true inner strength of their character. Through
courage and perseverance, each swimmer can become a “champion”
in their own right.
Motto: “Simply the Best”. We strive to set the example for
other swimmers and teams to emulate. Simply the best attitude,
the best sportsmanship, the best effort, the best cohesion, the
best parent volunteers………..
Heart of Texas, Fredericksburg
The Heart of Texas (HOT) team is an independent, coach owned, Local Swim Team
which is affiliated with the South Texas Association of swim teams under the auspices
of the USA Swimming, Inc. The HOT team is also affiliated with U. S. Masters, Inc. to
support adult competitive swimming.
Each summer, HOT affiliates with the SwimAmerica™ “Learn to Swim” program for
beginning swimmers. This summer program is taught by our own team instructors under
the supervision of the head coach.
To accommodate the wide range of swimming skills, the competitive team is divided into
four levels of skills and experience:
Bronze Squad
Program Overview: The Bronze program is designed for the beginning swimmer who can
swim a length of the pool on their stomach and back. They must be considered safe in
the water for one hour. Most of the children in our Bronze program are first, second
and some third season swimmers. Bronze members practice with an emphasis on learning
the fundamentals of competitive swimming in a team environment. The goal of this
group is to prepare the young swimmer for his/her first competition with children of
the same age and ability level.
It is the goal of the Bronze group members to be able to swim 25 yards of legal
backstroke and freestyle and then advance to the intermediate team. The Bronze group
is expected to participate in USAS sanctioned meets. Bronze team members will also
receive instruction in breaststroke and butterfly techniques as determined by the
coach.
Practice: The minimum practice requirements are two times per week during the school
year and three times per week in the summer. Always refer to your HOT monthly
calendar for practice times and possible changes. Winter after-school practice is
from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m at the Wellness Center. Summer practice is 8:00 to 9:45
a.m at the Lady Bird Johnson Pool.
Silver Squad
Program Overview: The silver swim group is comprised of swimmers who are ready for
regularly scheduled USAS team competitions.
Specific Goals: Competes in a USAS sanctioned meet in all four legal strokes for their
age and distance. Can swim at least 50 yards of breaststroke or butterfly in legal form.
Has the maturity and endurance necessary to participate in the silver squad practices.
Is ready to receive additional technical and endurance training in the four competitive
strokes.
Practice: Minimum practice requirements are three time per week. Always refer to
your HOT monthly calendar for practice times and possible changes. Winter after
school practice is from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Wellness Center. Summer
practice is 8:00 to 9:45 a.m. at the Lady Bird Johnson Pool.
Gold Squad
Program Overview: Gold squad members have competed in a 200 or 400 I.M.
(depending on age) with legal technique, or have competed in four strokes in a single
meet. Swimmers have demonstrated mastery of strokes at USAS competition in all
four competitive strokes. They can complete endurance type training of up to 3000
yards in a 90 minute practice segment. Swimmers have the necessary skill and
endurance to participate in highly organized training sessions designed for competition
including dry land training.
Practice:
Practice requirements are a minimum of four times per week. Always refer to the HOT
monthly calendar for practice times and possible changes. Winter after school
practice is from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Wellness Center. Summer practice is
8:00 to 9:45 a.m. at the Lady Bird Johnson Pool.
Platinum Squad
Program Overview: The Platinum Squad is comprised of swimmers who have qualified
for STAGS, Senior Champs, TAGS and beyond. The squad meets with Coach Carr each
Tues/Thur morning from 6:00 - 7:00 a.m. These workouts are additional workouts and
not in lieu of after-school workouts.
USAS Registration – A swimmer must have a valid (annual) USAS swimming card in
order to swim in USA swimming competition (we attend at least eight USAS sanctioned
meets throughout the year). The swimmer’s USAS number is used on all entry data.
Fill out the 2011 application and return it to the coach. All “first time” USAS
registrations must be accompanied with a copy of a birth certificate. USAS annual
membership expires on 31 December each year. Swimmers competing year around must
register on an annual application. Swimmers registered for USAS annual 2011 season
need not pay the seasonal summer fee.
Meets: HOT Team members are invited to participate in appropriate USAS swim
meets. Check the monthly calendar for individual meet deadlines. Please talk to the
coach should you have any questions about your child’s ability to participate in a meet.
Directions to winter USAS meets can be found on the STS website www.stswim.org.
Team Equipment for Practice: Any color, modest, one piece suit is permissible. (No
denim cut-offs or bikinis). All swimmers need to bring fins, goggles and
a towel. The coach requires swimmers to wear goggles during all
workouts for safety reasons. These are easy to lose and almost impossible
to recover. Same thing applies to fins. Keep your equipment well marked. Caps are
required to keep long hair out of eyes/mouths. Team suits and caps are required for
meets. Other work-out equipment is provided.
All personal items left behind at practice will be held in our Team “Lost & Found” and
can be reclaimed for $.25 per article. Lost and Found proceeds go to defray the costs
of our end of the season party.
Fundraising: It is vital that all parents assist in these efforts throughout the
year. Any suggestions concerning events of this type are welcome and
necessary since these funds help meet the team’s annual expenses.
Social Events:
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“Swim-aThon” held at the end of summer annual family event is held at Lady Bird
Johnson Park Pool (Date TBD).
Concessions sales at the Texas Mesquite Art Festival – second weekend in Oct.
A “Dark of Winter” pot luck party is usually held in late January or early
February.
An Ice Skating party is held in December.
Coach Biography
Head Coach – Alan Carr – Al was a competitive swimmer back in the dark ages. He
organized, coached and was a member of a Navy co-ed triathlon team. The team won
first place in open Olympic style competition two years in a row. He has attended the
USS National Coaches workshop at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado
Springs, Co. He has attended the Texas Swim Coach Conference for several years. He
is certified as an American Swimming Coaches Association Level FOUR coach. He
recently attended the American Swim Coaches Assoc. (ASCA) World Swim Coaches
Clinic in Indianapolis, IN. This is Al’s 18th year as head coach for the Fredericksburg
team.
Assistant Coaches – Bill Burk, Laura Furber, Jeff Hammond, Jody Knesse and
Mercedes Stenburg.
Questions relating to the swimmer’s progress should be directed to one of the coaches
and other questions relating to the functioning of the swim team should be directed to
the Head Coach.
HOT Facts
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Pool – We swim at the Wellness Center during the winter season. Each
summer, the city allows the team to use the pool at Lady Bird Johnson Park.
The team owns all specialized equipment, such as lane lines, start platforms,
etc.
Insurance – The team activities are insured through the auspices of United
States of America Swimming, Inc Insurance is only applicable for registered
USAS swimmers during sanctioned team practice and meets. Any other social
functions and unsanctioned events are absolutely outside the limits of liability.
This is one reason that Coach Carr is very strict about the conduct of
practice.
Practice workouts are designed to be challenging. The team gets maximum
benefit from a tight, rigorous routine with minimum distractions. Every time a
coach has to repeat instruction to an individual, time is lost that the entire
team could benefit from. Listen and follow instructions!!
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Warm-ups – are part of the daily workout. Swimmers who arrive late for
practice will complete the required warm-up swim prior to joining the workout.
(Start on time – maximize your water time!)
Absences from practice – it is always appreciated to know when your family is
going to miss several sessions due to family vacation, etc. Please inform the
coach in writing if you are going to miss a meet. Parents are responsible for
paying meet fees whether or not the swimmer attends the meet. There are no
refunds as the team pays all meet fees in advance to the hosting swim clubs.
Meet results – will be published the week following the meeton the team
website. Swimmers are encouraged to wait at the meet for their times to be
posted and record them in their swim log.
Team swim suits – are black with our team logo on them. They can be
purchased at a considerable savings (group discount) from the team website.
Other personal swim equipment, i.e., fins, goggles, snorkels, etc. can also be
purchased on line. Replacement of lost articles or additional equipment ca be
purchased directly through the team web site at the team discount prices.
Team Web Site – www.swimhot.org.