Gators Parent Meeting Recap 🐊🚀
Hi Gators,
Thank you to everyone who joined us for today’s parent meeting. For those who were not able to make it, here is a recap of the main items we covered.
First, one thing I forgot to mention this morning: our theme for the season is “To the Swamp and Beyond!” 🐊🚀
We’re excited for a season full of fast swims, loud cheering, Color Wars, Gator spirit, and the kind of controlled chaos that makes summer swim so much fun.
Board and Team Contacts
This year’s board is:
- Andrew: President, club liaison
- Jamie: Co-President, meet caller
- Becky: Coaches liaison
- Alex: Treasurer, meet caller
- Krista: Merchandise
For deck, logistics, volunteer, club, or general parent questions, please reach out to a member of the board. For swimming, practice, stroke, lineup, or event questions, please reach out to Evan or one of the other coaches.
That helps the coaches stay focused on the swimmers and helps parents get questions to the right place.
Volunteers
The Gators run on volunteers, and we need parent help at every meet for the season to work. Every timer, runner, official, meet caller, tent helper, and snack-bringer helps keep the swamp moving.
Thank you to those who have already stepped up. We now have a Pre-Team parent and someone helping with Spirit Night. Alex and Krista will be focusing on our 8 & Under swimmers.
We still need some help with the end-of-season banquet. If you are willing to help with banquet planning, setup, or coordination, please let us know.
Team Philosophy
Sundance was created for recreational swimming, and that is what we embrace. The goal is for swimmers to improve, compete, try new things, support their teammates, and have fun.
At some point this season, your swimmer may be entered in an event they do not want to swim. That is normal and part of recreational swimming. Coaches may be helping them stretch, balancing the meet lineup, or giving them a chance to discover they can do more than they think.
Please encourage your swimmer to try their events, cheer for teammates, and enjoy being part of the team. Sometimes the event they are nervous about becomes the one they are proudest of afterward.
Practice
Regular practice is divided by age group, and Pre-Team has its own schedule. Swimmers should practice at their assigned time unless Coach Evan has spoken with the parent about a different arrangement. Please help swimmers arrive on time, ready to swim, and with water.
Practice information is available here:
We rarely cancel practice. If it is raining, we generally still practice. We usually cancel only for lightning, extreme cold, or unsafe conditions. Weather or schedule changes will come through SwimTopia.
SwimTopia
SwimTopia is our main communication hub. Please make sure your account is set up, you are receiving messages, and you are checking it throughout the season.
SwimTopia is used for:
- Team emails and alerts
- Meet declarations
- Volunteer signups
- Calendar information
- Meet details
Please declare whether your swimmer will attend each meet. Meet declarations help the coaches build the lineup and avoid scratches or empty lanes.
You can download the SwimTopia app here:
You can also find information about how to subscribe to the team calendar from this page:
Meet Calendar and Team Calendar Subscription
Meets and TimeDrops
Meets are busy, loud, exciting, and occasionally confusing, especially for new families. That is normal. Welcome to summer swim.
Please arrive on time for warmups, help younger swimmers stay aware of their events, and make sure your swimmer knows where the team area is.
Meet entries, heat and lane information, approximate meet flow, and results are typically available through TimeDrops. Meet timelines are estimates, and events can move faster or slower depending on the size and flow of the meet, so swimmers should stay near the team area and be ready.
You can download TimeDrops here:
Pre-Team
Pre-Team is an introduction to swim team. The goal is to help younger or newer swimmers become more comfortable in the water, learn the basic structure of practice, and start feeling like part of the Gators.
A big part of Pre-Team is the buddy program. Pre-Team swimmers are paired with older swimmers, who help them feel connected to the team and supported at meets. Pre-Team swimmers will have the opportunity to swim at all home meets with support from their buddy, and we want those swims to be fun, positive, and encouraging.
There is also an 8 & Under Championship Meet on June 20, and Pre-Team swimmers are often invited to participate in that meet as well.
Team Suit
We know the smaller women’s sizes in this year’s team suit have become hard to find.
The preferred team suit is the 2026 suit we announced. If your swimmer’s size is unavailable, a solid black suit is perfectly fine. Another option is the Speedo Women’s Lunar Storm Crossback One Piece Swimsuit in Team Royal Blue/Bright Green.
The main goal is for swimmers to have something appropriate and comfortable to race in. Nobody should panic if the exact team suit is unavailable.
Club Expectations
Please remind swimmers to be respectful to club staff, clean up after themselves, stay out of areas they should not be in, and follow pool and club rules.
The swim team is a big presence at the club during the summer, and how our swimmers and families act reflects on the whole team. Let’s keep the swamp fun, friendly, and cleaned up.
Color Wars
We had our first Color Wars event this morning. This year’s team colors are Red, White, and Blue.
If your swimmer did not attend this morning, please have them see Coach Evan to find out which Color Wars team they are on.
More Color Wars information will come through SwimTopia. Color Wars is one of the most fun parts of the season, so get ready for some spirited competition.
Thanks again for being part of the Gators. We’re looking forward to a great season in the swamp.
Go Gators!
Andrew 🐊
