Practice Policies
Attendance
To get the most out of the season, swimmers should plan to attend at least one daily practice, either the morning or the evening. Practice helps swimmers develop strength, endurance, and flexibility as well as developing technique for strokes, starts, and turns that will help a swimmer improve. Swimmers should check in and sign the attendance book at the guard station when they arrive to the pool.
Inclement Weather
Practices will be held in rain. Practice may be delayed or canceled due to lightning or thunder. Updates will be sent via Swimtopia. For the quickest alerts, sign up for Team Alerts on SwimTopia Mobile.
Parents Poolside
During practice, we ask that parents observe from the main pool deck and away from the edge of the pool, and that there is no direct interaction with your swimmer unless there’s an emergency. It’s important that the swimmers learn to give the coaches their full attention and follow the routine independently.
The coaches’ primary focus during practice is on the swimmers. Please do not approach the coaches during practice unless there is an emergency. If you need to reach the coaches or would like to schedule a time to speak with them, please contact them via email or through the swim team reps.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Absence Notification
To help our coaches plan, please let them know if your swimmer will miss practice by emailing [email protected]
Practice Schedule
Practice times may be altered or canceled based on attendance trends.
Practice Equipment
Swimsuits
The Penguins & MCSL follow USA Swimming rules with regard to eligible swimsuits for competition. Swimmers wear competition swimsuits; females wear one piece suits and males wear swim briefs or “jammers”, bicycle shorts-like suits. While we do not have a required team suit, we would love to see as much teal and black as possible!
Swim Caps
The Penguins encourage all swimmers with hair longer than “buzz” cut to wear a swim cap during practice and all meets. Penguins will be issued a Team Swim Cap at the beginning of season.
Note: MCSL rules state that swimmers may not wear a swimsuit and/or cap bearing the logo / name of any other team besides their MCSL team.
Goggles
Swimmers should wear swim goggles during practice and all meets. Goggles protect swimmers’ eyes from the pool chemicals and keeps the pool water out of the swimmers’ eyes, allowing clearer visual field while underwater.
Highly Recommended: Kickboard
Kickboards are an integral training tool for all levels of swimmers. The team will have kickboards available for use at practice, but if there is one additional piece of equipment we'd recommend for all swimmers, it would be a kickboard.
