Pottawatomie Porpoises
Swimming is an individual activity and a team sport. Children can easily set and achieve tangible goals. The harder they work, the sooner they’ll notice improvements in fitness and self-confidence. Swim teams are structured to introduce and refine swimmer skills and abilities as participants progress from a learn-to-swim program to a recreational competitive swim team. Swim Team lays the foundation and encourages swimmer’s long-term skill development. Swimmers will practice a minimum of three days per week and participate in local swim meets to be held on Thursday nights and/or Saturday mornings. Participants receive a swim cap and t-shirt.
Pottawatomie Porpoises practice at Swanson Pool. Team colors are navy, green and white.
Minimum requirements per age group as follows:
Ages 5-8
25 yards freestyle with face in the water using side-air breathing, 25 yards backstroke with a concept of breaststroke
Ages 9 & 10
Swim continuously for 50 yards freestyle with side-air breathing, 50 yards backstroke with a concept of breaststroke and butterfly
Ages 11 – 16
Swim continuously for 200 yards freestyle with side-air breathing, 200 yards backstroke, 50 yards breaststroke and butterfly
Jun 10-Jul 25*
| Ages | Day | Time | Code | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-6 | MWF | 5:30-6:30pm | 19072 | RES $150/NR $200 |
| 7-8 | MWF | 5:30-6:30pm | 19073 | RES $150/NR $200 |
| 9-10 | MTWF | 5:30-6:30pm | 19074 | RES $204/NR $254 |
| 11-16 | MTWF | 7:30-8:45am | 19071 | RES $253/NR $303 |
*NO PRACTICE JULY 4. ALL SWIMMERS RELAY JULY 25. END OF SEASON PARTY JULY 26.
REGISTER ONLINE
Swim Team Apparel
Team Shirts
Each participant will be given a team shirt on Picture Day. See the Head Swim Team Coach if you are unable to attend practice that day.
Team Caps
Each participant will be given a team cap in their file folder. Replacement caps will be available for purchase: $4/cap
Team Swim Suit – Navy Color
Team suits are not required but are recommended. Team suits are NOT intended to be everyday practice suits. Pool chemicals and extended use fade and thin the material, causing it to stretch and become transparent. A second practice suit is recommended. We provide suit sizing for both teams on picture day, however, you may purchase your team suit anywhere suits are sold. We have chosen solid colors as the team suit for both teams. Team Suits are available for purchase online or in store from Swimmer’s Edge. Store locations are 7532 Janes Ave. in Woodridge or 3600 Thayer Ct. #500 in Aurora.
Swim Team Information
Team Communication
A weekly newsletter will be e-mailed to parents and a copy available during practices to update you with any information. We will be using the email address listed under your account with the park district. Please make sure this information is up to date.
Picture Day & Swim Team Mixer
Friday, June 14 • 5:30-6:30pm at Otter Cove
Swimmers and families are invited to join their coaches for fun team building activities. Swimmers are requested to wear a swim suit and their team shirt for the team photo. Team shirt will be passed out on Picture Day. Individual pictures will be taken either directly before or after the team photo. Please arrive promptly to practice to ensure all photos can be taken. Order forms will be distributed in your team file folders. Bring your completed form and payment to picture day. PMI is the photography company. Rain Date: Monday, June 17
End of Season Party
Friday, July 26 • 5:30-7:30pm at Swanson Pool and Pottawatomie Park’s pavilion
Potluck, awards and swimming with the team and coaches. Families welcome!
Swim Meet Information
- A sign-up sheet will be posted at practices one-week prior to each meet. If you are interested and able to attend, you can sign your child up on the sheet. Each sheet will list the location and date of the meet at the top. It is important you sign your child up for the meet the week before the actual meet. This ensures the coaches have time to do the line-up and get the information back to swimmers. Coaches will try their best to have swimmers’ swim meet events in their mailboxes the Tuesday before each Thursday meet. Late meet entries may not be accepted.
- All meets are on Thursday evenings or Saturday mornings. We swim 3-6 dual meets & 1 Relay Meet.
- Swimmers may swim 4 events total per meet (e.g. 2 individual events and 2 relays or 3 individual events and 1 relay)
- Thursday meets will be 4:30pm home team warm-ups; 5pm away team warm-ups; 5:30 meet start. Saturday meets will be 8am home team warm-ups; 8:30am away team warm-ups; 9am meet start. Home meets at Swanson Pool will begin at 6pm.
Pre-Meet Preparation
- Nutrition: Good nutrition plays a very important role in your swimming success. Nutrition is the fuel for the body.
- Eat properly before the swim meet. Plan your nutrition for the meet, before the meet. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate (before, during, and after).
- Mental Preparation: Swim meets are like exams. To do well on an exam at school you must study the night before. The same is true for preparing for a swim meet. Go over your races in your head. Try to visualize your races and be as vivid as possible. Good visualization lays down the tracks for a successful meet.
- Sleep: Make sure to get a good night sleep before each day of the meet. If you don’t get proper sleep it will have an effect on your swimming.
- Equipment: Make sure you have all of your equipment packed for the meet. Swim suits, goggles, towels, proper clothing for the meet. Usually it is not a good idea to use new goggles for the first time at a meet.
Stroke Clinics
Ages 5+
Focus is on stroke technique, stroke refinement and drill progressions for competitive swimming. Participants must be able to swim breaststroke, backstroke, freestyle and be comfortable in deep water to enroll. Register for all 5 or individual stroke clinics.
SWAN
RES $25/NR $38 for all five stroke clinics
RES $8/NR $12 for individual stroke clinics
| Stroke | Date | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Freestyle | M Jun 10 | 18986 |
| Backstroke | W Jun 12 | 18983 |
| Breaststroke | M Jun 17 | 18984 |
| Butterfly | W Jun 19 | 18985 |
| Starts & Turns | W Jun 26 | 18987 |
| All Clinics | Jun 10-26 | 18982 |
REGISTER ONLINE
Inclement Weather
What to do if bad weather occurs before practice: The coach and pool management will determine if there will be practice. One hour before a practice, you may call Swanson Pool at 630-584-3314 or Pottawatomie Community Center at 630-513-6200 to determine if practice has been cancelled. This decision will not be made prior to 5:30pm for night practices and 6am for morning practices.
What to do if bad weather occurs during practice: The coach and pool management will determine to end practice in inclement weather conditions (lightning, thunder, heavy rain…). All patrons will be asked to leave the water and pool deck. Coaches and swimmers will be directed to the hallways inside the main building of Swanson Pool. Kids will be allowed to call for rides. Coach will remain on site until all participants are picked up.
Swim Meet Parent Volunteers
To successfully run any swim meet, we need parent volunteers. A meet volunteer sheet will be posted along with the meet sign-up sheets or sent as a Google Doc so parents may coordinate which meets their child will attend with the meets they are able to volunteer at. The following are positions we will need volunteers to work each meet:
- Timers: need 6-8; this position is located on the pool deck at the end of each lane. Each timer will be assigned a specific lane. You need to be able to operate a stop watch and document times on each swimmer’s card/sheet after the race.
- 8 & Under Helpers: need 2; for this position, you will assist the 8 & under coach(s) keep an eye on the 8 & unders to ensure they are lined up and ready for their race.
- Ribbon Writer: need 2; this position writes the name and time on the place and participant ribbons after the results are determined for each event. In most cases this position will be adhering preprinted labels to ribbons.
- Runner: need 1-2; this position requires walking from one end of the pool to the other to distribute participant’s time cards. They are also in charge of taking swimmer’s cards from the timers and bringing the cards to the scorer’s table. (Home meets only)
- Check In/Hand Writers: need 4; this position is at the beginning of the meet. Volunteers will highlight each swimmer’s name on a check in form when they arrive at the meet. Once a swimmer has been checked in a volunteer will write the swimmer’s events on their hand.
Swim Meet Locations
Windings Association
42W346 Retreat Ct., St Charles, IL 60175
When you enter the subdivision, look for the street signs that direct you to the club house. Limited parking in lots; street parking available:
• Take IL-64 W/E Main St west.
• Turn right onto Burlington Rd
• Turn left onto Empire Rd
• Turn left onto Arboretum Ln
• Turn left onto Jens Jensen Ln
• Turn right onto Hidden Springs Dr.
Fox Mill
3N550 Vachel Lindsey St, St. Charles, IL 60175
Limited parking in lots; street parking available:
• Take Rt.64 west (go about 3-4miles past Randall Rd.)
• Turn left (south) on La Fox Rd.
• Go about 1 ½ miles pass the white barn club house and go to the 2nd entrance into Fox Mill Clubhouse (should be a sign) turn left. Pool will be on the right side of the road.
Thornwood
850E. Thornwood Dr, South Elgin, IL 60177
• Take Rt. 64 and go North on Randall Road.
• Go west on Silver Glen Road.
• Turn right into the Thornwood subdivision on Thornwood Blvd.
• Take Thornwood Blvd. until it ends at the Thornwood Sports Core.
Barrington
235 Lions Pkwy, Barrington, IL 60010
LAC Building is located next to the Barrington Park District Fitness & Recreation Center. Pool is behind the LAC Building.
• Take IL-25 N/N toward W Stearns Rd.
• Continue onto W Stearns Rd.
• Turn left onto S IL Rte 59 for about 14 miles
• Turn left onto Lions Pkwy
• Turn right to stay on Lions Pkwy
Genoa Chamberlain Park Pool
400 East Second St., Genoa, IL 60135
• Take Rt. 64 west
• Turn right onto Burlington Rd
• At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit and stay on Burlington Rd
• Turn left onto IL-72 W
• Turn right onto N Brown St.
• Continue onto Eureka St.
• Turn left onto E 2nd St.
Geneva Country Club
831 South St., Geneva, IL 60134
• Take Rt. 64 west
• Turn onto S 3rd St. and continue onto Anderson Blvd.
• Turn left onto W State St.
• Turn right onto S 7th St.
• Turn right onto South St.
Elgin High Tides
3711 Highland Woods Blvd., Elgin, IL 60124
• Take IL-25 N
• Take Red Gate Rd. west
• Take Rt. 32 N to S McLean Blvd.
• Get onto US-20 W in Elgin
• Merge onto US-20 W
• Turn right onto Highland Woods Blvd
Questions? Please contact the Head Swim Team Coach or Aquatic Facility Supervisor Rosie Fasching at 630-513-4334.