Informational Letter 2024-25

2024-25 Middle School Girls Swim


6th, 7th and 8th grade Girl’s Swim will be happening this Fall in November, December and part of January.  Practices will happen every weekday, but if you are in other school activities you will be excused from swim practice.  


Girl’s swim is great because Middle School Students are learning to be better swimmers while being with their friends.  It is the best free swim lessons you could ever have.  Swim team can also lead to job opportunities in High School like becoming a lifeguard or swimming lessons teacher.  


Swimmers will compete with other Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls swim teams.  Parents will learn about our swim meets and how to help your child be successful.  


Swimming is an individual sport that is done with team points.   SWIMMERS COMPETE WITH THEMSELVES.  Swimmers, like runners, are continually training to swim faster than THEY have ever swam before.  SWIMMERS compete with themselves, not the pack.  It is all about the individual and we will ALWAYS CHEER each other on to do their best.  


We will be starting to practice at the High School Pool on Monday,  November 4th.


 We will be hosting a team meeting in the MS cafeteria afterschool on Friday November 1st..   We will meet from 3:15-3:45 that day.  If you have a team party from a fall sport you can attend both on that day.


Please complete all necessary paperwork, which can be picked up in the office from Mrs. Potter. If you have been out for a sport during the first quarter, your paperwork should be on file.


NEEDS--  

  1. SWIMMERS will want to wear a one piece swimsuit so that it doesn’t fall off when you are diving into the pool or swimming fast.  
  2. SWIMMERS will need a swim cap so that all of your hair isn’t in your face while swimming.  
  3. Goggles are required so that you are not running over other swimmers while swimming.  Please plan to buy 2 pairs of goggles so that when one breaks you will have a 2nd pair.  Goggle breakage is totally normal and annoying.  Goggles with a bungee cord are my favorite because they let in the least amount of water.  

Hope to see Swimmers on Friday November 1st  at the Middle School from 3:15-3:45

PARENTS are welcome but not required at the meeting as well. 





What Parents need to know about Swim:


  1. There are 4 strokes.  Butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.  
  2. An IM or Individual Medley is in the above order.  
  3. Look UP at the Records Board in each pool area to know the event coming up next. 
  4. Middle School Usually swims ½ of what HS swimmers swim.  
    1. Medley Relay-- 4 swimmers and 4 different strokes
    2. 200 Freestyle--  8 lengths of the pool or 4 laps of the pool
    3. 100 IM  which is only 1 swimmer with all 4 strokes
    4. 50 free
    5. 50 Butterfly
    6. 100 Freestyle
    7. 50 Backstroke
    8. 50 Breaststroke
    9. 200 Free Relay-- 4 swimmers all swimming a 50 Freestyle
  5. DQ--  Means Disqualified
    1. Free--  Don’t walk on the bottom of the pool.  Touch the Wall at the other end of the pool.   If you do these things then you will be good and your race will count.
    2. Backstroke-- Stay on your back except for the flipturn.  If you turnover at the wall when you finish you will be disqualified.  
    3. Breaststroke is the easiest to DQ.  Special turns and special starts and correct arms and legs.   This stroke is hard to do well.  
    4. Butterfly--  lots of leg and core strength to do this well
  6. In HS you will swim 4 races every swim meet.  YOU will always swim at every meet.  You will always compete!
    1. 2 individual races and 2 relay races
    2. Each year the HS swim team goes to Sectionals.  You will compete with your teammates for the fastest time so that you can swim at Sectionals.  Everyone swims at the Conference Meet.  More than 3/4ths of the team swims at Sectionals.  
    3. Divers-- Will learn 6 dives well.  Divers will have a goal of 11 dives.  Divers will dive at every meet.  Usually divers swim relay races but not necessarily individual events.  It depends upon what you are good at.
    4. Swim team can also lead to job opportunities in High School like becoming a lifeguard or a swimming lessons teacher.
  7. Swimming is an individual sport that is done with team points.   SWIMMERS COMPETE WITH THEMSELVES.  Swimmers, like runners, are continually training to swim faster than THEY have ever swam before.  
  8. A Parent’s Job is to keep a record of their swimmer’s times  Make a Google Sheets:

Date

50 Free

50 Back

100 Free

11/30/24

        seconds

        seconds

            sec

12/ 5 /24






Points--  Per Race- 1st- 6 points, 2nd- 4 points, 3rd--3points, 4th- 2 points and 5th place is 1 point.  IT is hard to score points for the TEAM!   Don’t worry about scoring points, just worry about swimming faster.