FAQs

Hair must be securely tied back away from their nose and mouth at the meets and at practice. A swim cap should be worn (please wear the KC team cap). Caps and goggles will be available for purchase at each meet.

What time do swim meets start and when does my child need to be there? Events at the swim meet officially begin at 6:00 pm however, swimmers need to be at home meets by 4:30 for check in and warm-ups, and at away meets by 4:45. It is very important to check in so that we have the seedings correct for the meet. If swimmers don’t check in, they will be taken out of their events and will not swim.

What does my child do when they arrive? We will have a table with at least one of the coaches present outside the pool area where your child is to check in. Upon check in they will receive a card with the events that they are swimming. There will also be a list posted with your child’s events and any relays they will be in. Please be sure to compare the card and list and let the coaches know of any mistakes immediately. You can set up chairs and wait for warm-ups to be called.

What should we bring to a swim meet? It is suggested that each swimmer have 2-3 beach towels, sweatpants, sweatshirt, raingear (in case of bad weather), games, books, cards, snacks and a sharpie marker for writing event numbers on swimmers hands. Please note that the Kings Charter Swim Team is not responsible for anything that is damaged at the meet. There will be a concession stand where you can buy dinner and snacks. You should plan to bring your own chairs for seating. Bug spray is also a good idea. Parking can be a problem at all meets. Please carpool if possible.

Please know, Greater Richmond Aquatic League (GRAL) rules prohibit smoking on the deck during a GRAL meet. Also, no person officiating or working a GRAL swim meet shall be allowed to partake OR be under the influence of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during the meet. After being warned by the referee of the infraction, the offending team must comply or be asked to FORFEIT THE MEET. Please always honor the host pools’ policy concerning alcohol and tobacco use at and around their facility.

What happens if we need to miss a swim meet? Please inform the head coach by writing a note and putting it in his folder at the pool at least 2 days before the meet. Remember to include your child’s name and the date of the swim meet you will miss. If your child is unable to attend practice but will be at the meet, please do the same by informing the head coach in writing. If this is not done, your child may not be entered.

In the breezeway of Lakeview pool, there will be a plastic file box with folders for each family, board member, and coaches. These folders can be used to communicate with coaches, etc. as well as to pick up unclaimed ribbons.

If you are scheduled to work a swim meet that your child will miss, it is your responsibility to arrange for a substitute.

How are the events my child swims in determined? The coaches decide what events will benefit your child and the team.

How many events can they swim? Every swimmer may be entered in up to (3) individual events and (1) relay each swim meet

What is the difference between a “heat” and an “event”? An “event” is a particular gender within an age group (mites, midgets, etc.) swimming a particular stroke a certain length. Each event is numbered. There are 55 events in a swim meet and some of the events will be slightly different depending on the week (some events will occur in weeks 1,3,5 and others in 2,4,6).

A “heat” is one race of the event. Swimmers are grouped in heats according to their times. Events often have multiple heats because the number of swimmers in an event often exceeds the number of lanes in the pool.

What are the age groups? Age groups are a way in which GRAL groups swimmers. They are based on their age as of June 1st.
Mini-Mites 6 and under
Mites 7 and 8
Midgets 9 and 10
Juniors 11 and 12
Intermediates 13 and 14
Seniors 15 – 18

What events can a mini-mite swim? Mini-mites are scored separately for 25 freestyle and 25 backstroke but may swim other strokes in the 8 and under category.

How does my child know when to swim and what should they do? An announcer will call out event numbers. Once your child’s event number is called, they are to report to the Clerk of the Course to be placed in their correct heat and lane. Swimmers are normally called four or five events before their event is to be swum.

What do the terms “novice”, ”advanced”, “junior varsity” and “varsity” mean? GRAL has (4) classifications of swimmers determined by the times the swimmer has earned in a particular event in a qualifying swim meet:
Novice (N) – A swimmer is a novice swimmer in an event if he/she doesn’t have a time or hasn’t earned a valid advanced or faster time in that age group and event they are competing.
Advanced – A swimmer who has achieved a valid advanced time but has not achieved a valid JV or V time in that event/age group.
Junior Varsity (JV) – A swimmer who has achieved a valid JV time but has not achieved a valid V time in that event/age group.
Varsity (V) – A swimmer who has achieved a valid V time in that event/age group.

How do swimmers qualify for the Championship meet? Swimmers must have a JV or V time in an event to swim in the championship meet. Swimmers should notify coaches as soon as possible after qualifying if they are unable to participate in this meet.

Practice continues after the regular season for swimmers who have qualified for champs until just prior to the champs meet. Times for these practices will be posted.

How does the scoring work at a meet? Points and ribbons are awarded for the top (6) times for each classification (novice, advanced, etc.) in each event. For individual events, 1st place = 7 points, 2nd place = 5 points, 3rd place = 4 points, 4th place = 3 points, 5th place = 2 points, 6th place = 1 point. For relays, 1st place = 14, 2nd place = 10 points, 3rd place = 8 points, 4th place = 6 points, 5th place = 4 points, 6th place = 2 points. Ribbons are handed out at practice the day after the meet. Final meet results will posted at the pool and on the web site (www.KCSwimTeam.com).

What is a DQ card? When a swimmer swims a stroke incorrectly, they may be disqualified by a Strokes and Turns judge who is officiating the meet. The judge fills out a “DQ” card and it is turned in to the team coach. The coach will discuss the information with the swimmer at the next practice.

What happens if we decide to leave a swim meet early? You must let one of the coaches know if you plan to leave the meet early. This is particularly critical if your child is scheduled to swim in a relay. If they are entered in a relay but leave early, the entire relay cannot swim.

If I don’t feel my child is ready for a swim meet, do they have to swim? No. If you don’t feel like your child would benefit from the experience of a swim meet, they do not have to swim in it. Please write a note to the head coach and place it in his folder to inform him of this.

How many swim meets do I need to work? Each family is asked to work four (4) half swim meets. If a parent chooses to work an entire swim meet, it is considered (2) halves. It takes over 70 people to run each meet so it is critical that each person works their designated assignment or arranges for another parent to work it for them. If a parent fails to show, their child will not be allowed to swim in the next meet.

What is the Season Kick Off? The season kick off is an event that we welcome the entire swim team, parents, and families to attend. The concession stand will be open, spirit wear will sold, coaches will be introduced and available throughout the evening, and we will run through a “mock” swim meet to help new swimmers. This will give the new swimmers a chance to go to the Clerk of the Course and to hear the starter. Certified workers are asked to attend and meet with the Certification Director to help in orientating them to their role. The evening will be a great start for everyone and get us prepared for the upcoming season.

What is GRAL? The Greater Richmond Aquatic League (GRAL) is an organization of swimmers, coaches, and parents whose aim is to promote and participate in the sport of swimming. The league is made up of 28 summer swim teams which are divided into 4 divisions, based on size and location. King's Charter is part of Division I-East. You can visit the GRAL website at GRALVA.COM for more information.

Last, but not least… We ask that you help your swimmers to clean up all their trash before going home. This applies to practice also, but is especially important at meets. Remember that the meets are held at night, and it is very easy to misplace items once it gets dark. We suggest you label EVERYTHING.