Timber Cove Dolphins

• May 23rd: Timber Cove @ Clear Lake City
• May 30th: Texas City @ Timber Cove
• June 6th: Timber Cove @ Baytown
• June13th: El Lago @ Timber Cove
• June 20th: Timber Cove @ Texas City

Coming Soon - instructions via SwimTopia App!

• New SwimTopia swimmer check in procedure 
• New Volunteer check in procedure 
• What to bring (and what not to bring)
• Staying informed on meet progress

Dolphin Volunteers

Our season consists of 5 meets. We want to provide our Dolphins with every opportunity to swim that we can and that requires our Dolphin families and community to come together. We are volunteer run and family driven. Each family is required to volunteer at meets and throughout the season.

Volunteer assignments are split into 'halfs' events 1-40, and events 41-80. Each assignment is easy to do, reasonable in time, and you will have plenty of training or help. So, there is no reason to be hesitant.

Meet Day Volunteer Roles

Officials - Officials help monitor swim technique during meets. There is a Head Referee, Starter, and Stroke and Turn Judges. Training for these positions are generally in person. The number of volunteers needed for this position vary depending on the size of the pool. We cannot have meets without officials from both teams.

Timers - There are multiple timers (2-3) per lane that help track each swimmer's individual time. The training for this position is quick and easy. We cannot have meets without timers from both teams.

Runners - Runners make sure that coaches, officials, timers, and ready area have current copies of the order of events/timing sheets and help to take waters to volunteers. The number of volunteers vary depending on meet size.

Ready Area - 2 Volunteers per shift. Ready Area volunteers work with volunteers from the other team in order to organize swimmers from both teams for each heat. This keeps the meet progressing in a timely manner and helps to ensure swimmers are scored correctly.

Home Meets

Food Prep/Running Concessions - All families are encouraged to donate supplies to our concessions. In addition we will need volunteers to prepare certain dishes, set up the concessions area before the start of the meet, as well as morning and afternoon shift volunteers to run the concessions area during the meet.

Announcer - 1 volunteer needed per shift. The announcer calls swimmers to the ready area, changes the current race visual signs, and will be set up to send out meet notifications.

Meet Set Up - Meet set up occurs the evening before the home meets. Volunteers will meet at the Timber Cove Pool and work to ensure the area is meet ready for the following morning.

Meet Tear Down - After the conclusion of the meet, volunteers will 'tear down' the equipment, take items to storage and return the pool area to its original state.

For each meet there will be a sign-up list of all the volunteer positions that need to be filled attached to the meet event on the website. 

At least 1 member from each family is REQUIRED to sign up for a volunteer position for EACH meet. The Friday before a meet, we will look over which swimmers are registered to swim and assign volunteers to any open spots. Families that have not yet volunteered will be assigned first. Sign up now to get your first choice!

Also, on the day of the meet, parents must be registered for their volunteer position BEFORE their children can get their event assignments (stickers and numbers). Simply stated – If the parent is not signed up then the kids don’t swim. So sign up early!

Meet FAQ's

Can you give me an overview of the meet day entry process?

Parents must indicate if their swimmer is coming to each meet. If you have NOT committed to a meet by the deadline, your swimmer cannot swim.

• Your swimmer must be at location at the specified time, usually 6:30am, but this will be announced.
• Scratches (swimmer is not swimming in declared events) are due to the coaches and then clerk by 7am (time can vary).
  • Scratches due to illness must be notified before 7am via text to the coach.
  • Once a swimmer is scratched they will not be allowed to swim under any circumstances.
• Plan for traffic and unanticipated events accordingly.
• Swimmers and families should be at the meet location at the specified time in the meet invite, usually by 6:30 a.m.

Failure to show: No show for events, especially relays

We are a team and we score points by swimming relays. Failure to show can result in their entire relay team being scratched.

• Failure to show for a committed meet may result in penalties for the swimmer - such as 1 meet suspension from relays - at the discretion of the coaches.

• Chronic failure to show for a committed meet my result in more serious penalties at the discretion of the coaches and board.

What are my responsibilities during the meet?

1) Volunteer - The meet is run ENTIRELY by parent volunteers. When you register it is acknowledged that you will volunteer during the meets. It takes + 50 people to run a meet. Offer to help and be willing to work, even if you've already worked. 

2) Make sure that your swimmers get to the ready area for their events. We have a team of Junior Coaches to help shepherd swimmers.

3) Kindly, communicate to the coaches or the board if there are issues.

What do I need to bring to a meet?

Swimmers need goggles, cap, and suit

Bring electrolytes, drinks and healthy whole food snacks, although we always have concessions at home meets. Swimmers need protein and carbs - not sugar!

A canopy tent and chairs are recommended. Blanket for the ground or tarp if damp.

Extra towels, sunscreen, and mosquito repellant. Medicine for ant bites, Texas. 

Games, books, etc. to keep little ones busy in-between swims.

Your patience, enthusiasm, and support!

Where are meets held?

Most meets are held at neighborhood and high school pools in the Clear Lake area.

When are the meets held and how long do they last?

Saturday mornings beginning at approximately 6am; check in is generally 6:30, scratches due at 7, meet starts at 8. A meet invite and specific times will be communicated to the team before the meets. Generally our meets are done by 1pm. Meet 1 begins last Saturday in May or 1st Saturday in June; there are 5 regular season meets followed by the CCSL Reserve and Championship meet (qualifying meet).

Order of events

There are 80 separate events that include individual medley, medley relay, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle relay.

How many events will my swimmer participate in?

While a swimmer can be entered in a maximum of five events per regular season meet (3 individual, 2 relays), the Coaching staff may not be able to enter all swimmers in five events. Please refer to the CCSL rule book for more information on entries. We may limit events to 2-3 per swimmer to expedite timely meets or when there is a large discrepancy in the size of the teams.

What are the events?

At meets, swimmers compete against other swimmers of the same gender, age group, and general ability.

There are six age groups:

• 6 and Under
• 8 and Under,
• 9 & 10
• 11 & 12
• 13 & 14,
• High School

A meet includes competition in seven event types.

• There are five individual events: Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Individual Medley.
• There are two relays: Freestyle Relay and Medley Relay.

Each age group participates in each event type with the following exceptions: 8 and under do not swim Individual Medley; and 6 and under only swim Freestyle, Backstroke, and Freestyle Relay.

• The order for a Medley Relay is Back, Breast, Fly, Free.
• The order for an Individual Relay is Fly, Back, Breast, Free.

What if my child has to miss a Meet?

If you will not make a meet, you decline under the event section for that particular meet, by the Sunday preceding any meet your child is going to miss. Individual and relay entries are developed for the coming Saturday meet early in the week.

What if my child has to leave a Meet early?

Please notify the coach of any absence or early departure; please give an explanation for any absence when you declare your swimmer. 

Sportsmanship matters, remember that if your child swims on a relay, his/her absence will affect 3 other swimmers. Don’t abandon 3 teammates, who may have waited hours to swim hanging. Also remember, sometimes your child may be placed in an individual or relay event as a replacement swimmer during the meet – or may have forgotten that they are swimming in the last relay.

Do swimmers get ribbons?

Yes! Swimmers are awarded ribbons in all heats in regular-season meets. The event and time will be recorded on the back of the ribbon. The ribbons are placed in the family folders during practice. 

Can swimmers be disqualified?

Yes. Swimmers are judged according to the CCSL rule book.

Unfortunately, swimmers are sometimes disqualified during a race, usually for executing a start, stroke, turn or finish illegally. They may also be disqualified for early takeoff in relays. The starter, stroke and turn judges, and the referee will disqualify swimmers.

The meet referee has the ability to disqualify individual competitors for poor sportsmanship and conduct as well.

• These officials are parent volunteers who have received specific CCSL training. Their purpose is to assure that no swimmer gains an unfair advantage over another swimmer. (Let us know if you are interested! We always need more officials!!)

What is a DQ?

DQ stands for disqualification. 

Do not approach any official regarding a disqualification. By CCSL rule only an official league representative may do so. Disregarding this rule could cause the team to incur sanctions or prompt your removal from the competition. Please represent yourself, your swimmer, and the team with respect of officials as well as all other meet volunteers.

Who determines which swimmers swim on the relay teams?

The coaches determine who swims on which relay team. They will often rely on statistics the team keeps on individual competitive performances when setting up relays.

Who do we go to when we have questions or concerns?

During swim meets, any questions or complaints about actions of the officials or the opposing team must be directed to any board member, or your designated team representative for that meet. This individual will relay the question or complaint to the proper individuals. CCSL rules prohibit parents or swimmers from approaching any meet official directly. Only an official team representative may do so. Disregarding this rule could cause the team to incur sanctions or prompt your removal from the competition. Please represent yourself, your swimmer, and the team well by being courteous and respectful of officials as well as all other meet volunteers.

What is the Champ/Reserve meet?

The CCSL Reserve and Championship meet, is a time qualifying meet that follows the regular season. CCSL will release the meet invite and it will be shared with qualifying swimmers.

What are “reserve" and "champ" times?

The CCSL publishes a series of time standards for boys and girls by age groups that are used as a scale to gauge a swimmer's level of achievement in each event and therefore qualifies them for the CCSL Reserve/Champ meet. See the CCSL website: https://www.ccslswim.org/time-standards Trying to reach the next level in a particular event can be very motivational to swimmers.

also see: https://www.ccslswim.org/swim-and-swim-meets-101