Bradshaw Farm Barracudas

Welcome to the Bradshaw Barracudas Swim Team!

2016 Team Coordinators:
Lara Sparkman - [email protected]
Sarah Williams - [email protected]

2016 Team Treasurer:
Wendy Verdon - [email protected]

2016 Coaches:
Head Coach Nell Hess - [email protected]
Head Coach Pam Hess - [email protected]
Asst Coach: Ben Syers - [email protected]
Asst Coach: Jack Syers - [email protected]
Asst Coach: Jessica Teixeira - [email protected]
Asst Coach: Jack Garnham - [email protected]

2016 Lead Job Holders:
https://bradshawfarm.swimtopia.com/lead-jobs

2016 Registration:
You can pay when you register via credit card (small service charge) or by check. If you pay by check you need to get the check to Lara or Sarah the same day to reserve your spot.

February 28-29, 2016– team lead job holders & team sponsors will be sent a private link to register via Swimtopia ((it will be sent from Lara or Sarah))
Starts: Feb 28 at 8am
Ends: end of day Feb 29

March 1-2, 2016– Bradshaw Farm residents will use a private link to register via Swimtopia ((it will be sent via email blast to neighborhood, from Heidi Steele - if you do not get it please contact Lara or Sarah))
Starts: March 1 at 8am
Ends: end of day March 2

** All residents must register by end of day March 2nd. **

March 3-4, 2016– out-of-neighborhood families will be sent a private link to register via Swimtopia ((it will be sent from Lara or Sarah via SwimTopia email))
Starts: March 3 at 8am
Ends: March 4 at 2pm

If you get a prompt saying the team is full, it will prompt you to a waiting list sign up on SwimTopia.

March 5, 2016 – 10am-2pm: Everyone will come to the upper clubhouse to buy team suits and merchandise, and turn in the paper forms required by the CSSA.

NEW!!! We will serving hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks for a fundraiser that day. Please come by and have lunch!! Fresh off the grill!

****Our fees this season, are the same as last:

Bradshaw Farm resident registration costs:
$120 (1st child)
$100 (each additional child)

Non-resident registration costs:
$155 (1st child)
$135 (each additional child)

EVERYONE please come by on March 5th so you can turn in your forms to Sheila, purchase your new suit if needed because the SWIMshop will be on hand to do fittings for suits (they take cc, checks or cash)….And see our existing team merchandise (we take checks or cash)!

Also coming soon will be a link to order spirit wear, it will all be done through the website this year.

Important 2016 dates:

Sunday, May 22 – Bradshaw Fun Meet – Olympics theme

Thursday, May 26 - (no swim meet/last day of school)

Thursday, June 2 - Bradshaw vs Wyngate – at Wyngate

Thursday, June 9 - Bradshaw vs Laurel Brooke – at Laurel Brooke

Thursday, June 16 - Bradshaw vs Arbor View – at HOME

Thursday, June 23 - Bradshaw vs Woodlands – at Woodlands

Thursday, June 30 - Bradshaw vs Orange Shoals – at HOME (90's and early rap/hip hop theme!)

All meets begin at 6 pm. For home meets, the pool closes at 4 pm for meet setup - we are finished with the meet and clean up by 10:30 pm hopefully!

Friday, July 1 will be our annual Swim Team Banquet!

2016 Practices:
1st day of practice, Friday, May 13.

Practice times are as follows from May 13-20 (with exception of May 19):
6 and unders 4 - 4:45 pm
7 and 8 year olds 4:45 - 5:30 pm
9 and 10 year olds 5:30 - 6:15 pm
11 year olds and up 6:15 - 7 pm

May 19 (due to Coach Hess retiring from HFE):
6 and unders 5:00 pm
7 and 8 year olds 5:30 pm
9 and 10 year olds 6:00 pm
11 year olds and up 6:30 pm

May 23-25:
8 and unders 4 - 4:45 pm
9 and 10 year olds 4:45 - 5:30 pm
11 and 12 year olds 5:30 - 6:15 pm
13 year olds and up 6:15 - 7 pm

NO PRACTICES on these days:
-last day of school (5/26)
-Memorial Day (5/30)

Starting on Friday, May 27 and all of June our practices run will run every week day 8 - 11 am:
8 and unders 8 - 8:45 am
9 and 10 year olds 8:45 - 9:30 am
11 and 12 year olds 9:30 - 10:15 am
13 year olds and up 10:15 - 11 am

Also -- the week of July 4th - TBA practices -- for those kids that will be going to the District swim meet. That meet is scheduled for July 9th at the CCAC.

You can see all of this on our calendar here as well:
https://bradshawfarm.swimtopia.com/

Picture day with Smax Photography (http://smaxart.com/) will be:
Monday, June 6, 2016
10am – individuals
11am– group picture of team
order forms here: https://bradshawfarm.swimtopia.com/forms

Meets MORE INFO:
Swim Meets Warm up Schedule:

When we are the Home Team - 5 pm
Barracudas should report to the pool by 4:45 pm

When we are the Visiting Team - 5:30 pm
Barracudas should report to the pool by 5:15 pm

All meets start at 6 pm and providing there is good weather and no lengthy delays, each meet should end around 10:30 pm.

Things you will want to bring to the meet:
3-4 towels, a blanket, a robe or warm sweatshirt (it gets chilly when the sun goes down and swimmers are wet!), sunscreen (the 1st couple of hours of the meet are quite sunny!), snacks (concession stand is available, but swimmers STAY hungry!), something to do for those children who like to stay busy (cards, books, crayons, games, etc.), chairs for spectators not in the bullpen, a sharpie (to write your child’s events on them as a reminder of what they are swimming), a camera (see below for what to do with those awesome pictures!), a swimsuit (obvious?!), goggles, swimcap (if your child prefers one-not required) and a great attitude (these are the times your child will never forget).

Inclement Weather:
In the event of dangerous conditions due to the weather at the meets, the meet official and team coordinators will determine the length of the delay. Following a period of at least 15 minutes from the last clap of thunder, the meet will be restarted from the point at which it was suspended.

If the delay lasts longer than 1 hour, the meet should be called and rescheduled if necessary. The meet is official and will count toward the standings after the 46th event (scoring heat only) has been completed.

Age Divisions:
6 and under
7 and 8 year olds
9 and 10 year olds
11 and 12 year olds
13 and 14 year olds
15-18 year olds

The age control date is determined by the swimmer’s age as of June 1st of the current year.

A swimmer will swim in their proper age group for individual events; and could be asked to move up one age group for relay events only (determined by our coaches if they need to move a swimmer up for a relay event).

Each swimmer may swim in a maximum of 3 events plus relays:

6 and under events:
25 freestyle, 25 backstroke, 100 freestyle relay

7&8, 9&10 year old events:
25 freestyle, 25 backstroke, 25 breaststroke, 25 butterfly, 50 freestyle, 100 IM
100 freestyle relay, 100 medley relay

11&12, 13&14, 15-18 year old events:
50 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke, 50 butterfly, 100 freestyle, 100 IM
200 freestyle relay, 200 medley relay

6 and under age group – Special Considerations:
Swimmers in this age group must be able to swim the length of the pool unassisted by the first swim meet. They may stop momentarily to rest while holding on to the lane rope. They cannot however, pull themselves along the lane rope.

Ribbons are awarded for 1st-5th place in each heat (Bradshaw has a 5-lane pool); or 1st-6th place if we swim at a pool with 6 lanes.

STROKE ORDER
100 IM (Individual Medley)
One lap (25 yards) per stroke:
Butterfly
Back
Breast
Freestyle

100 Medley Relay
4 swimmers, each swims a single lap of a different stroke:
Back
Breast
Butterfly
Freestyle

200 Medley Relay
4 swimmers, each swims 2 laps of a different stroke:
Back
Breast
Butterfly
Freestyle

More meet info here: https://bradshawfarm.swimtopia.com/meet-info

Parental Involvement:
Barracudas swimming runs solely off of the commitments of our parents. It takes a lot of help to put a meet together. We must fill many positions for both away meets and home meets. Parents are required to work at least 5 volunteer shifts and may be requested to participate more if need be. Remember, this is your swim team and we will only succeed if everyone participates.

Bullpen/Shepherds – lining up of swimmers for events

Concession Stand – Home Meets only

Timers – Sit at a lane and record times

Runners – Run time sheets from timers to Ribbon Table

Place Judges – Record the order that swimmers finish

Flip Chart – work the flip chart of events

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS:

SHEPHERDS –

6 and under Girls “Shepherd” –

Responsible for organizing swimmers in this age group and making sure they arrive on time to the Ready Bench area for their race

6 and under Boys “Shepherd” –

Responsible for organizing swimmers in this age group and making sure they arrive on time to the Ready Bench area for their race

7-8 Girls “Shepherd” –

Responsible for organizing swimmers in this age group and making sure they arrive on time to the Ready Bench area for their race

7-8 Boys “Shepherd” –

Responsible for organizing swimmers in this age group and making sure they arrive on time to the Ready Bench area for their race

9-10 Girls “Shepherd” –

Responsible for organizing swimmers in this age group and making sure they arrive on time to the Ready Bench area for their race

9-10 Boys “Shepherd” –

Responsible for organizing swimmers in this age group and making sure they arrive on time to the Ready Bench area for their race

BULLPEN LANE ASSISTANTS – workers stand at each end of the pool with heat sheets and make sure swimmers are in the correct lane.

PLACEMENT JUDGE – this worker is at the end of the pool and writes down the order the swimmers finish the race.

CARD RUNNER – this worker gathers the cards from our timers and our placement judge. Cards are then taken to the scorekeeper table.

TIMER – This job is essential to running the meet but it is not difficult. Each timer is assigned a lane and asked to double check swimmers as they come up to swim (names match swimmer’s card). You will be given instructions ahead of time. If you like to be close to the action, this is the job for you!

RIBBON TABLE – These people sit at the score keeper table and prepare ribbons for the swimmers.

EVENT BOARD – also known as the Vanna White position. This person has a board with numbers for the Events. You sit in a lifeguard chair near the announcer and turn the cards so swimmers and spectators are able to keep track of the meet.

D.Q. JUDGE – this position requires a little knowledge of swimming strokes and a few rules.

CONCESSIONS – during home meets, help with selling food items to swimmers and guests.

SET-UP CREW – arrive at the pool at least 1 hour before the meet starts and set up areas for the bullpen and spectators. The crew also sets up the canopy tents and lends a hand to help set up concessions (if needed).

CLEAN-UP CREW – after home meets, the chairs and all pool furniture need to be returned to their original locations. Take down the tent canopy. The pool deck needs to be cleared of all litter and the trash will need to be taken to the cage across the parking lot.

ICE PICK-UP – this is a pretty physical job. This team takes several large tubs and coolers to the Publix in Hickory Flat and scoops ice to be used at the concession stand. You will work with the concessions leader to coordinate a time so the drinks can be chilled well before the meet. On away meets, we need a much smaller supply of ice to chill the water bottles we transport for volunteers. Please consider signing up for this multiple times. It is a little confusing the first time but after you do it once, it is much easier! This is also a good job because your duty is finished before the meets start.

Registration Fees cover:
CSSA fees per swimmer (League dues)
Team t-shirts
Ribbons
Coaches awards
End of year medals
End of year gifts
Laptop/printer/software expenses
Out of neighborhood fee to BF HOA
SwimTopia yearly website fees
Swimmer of the Week materials
Coach certifications, background checks
Coaches’ salaries
***all other team jobs are volunteer/not paid

General Information:
Practice will be held in the rain. Thunder and lightning will stop a practice.

1.Clean up after each meet is the responsibility of everyone. If we are visiting another pool, please clean up OUR designated area. For home meets, please help clean up the entire area.

2.The coach has the authority to dismiss a child from practice or a meet for improper behavior.

3.Swimmers should stay with their team in the designated team area during the meet….during home meets, the “bullpen” is where all swimmers are required to stay: for 10 and unders – the mushroom, for 11 and ups – the playground.

4.Swimmers are responsible for reporting to the bullpen on time. Especially important for Relays.

5. Our coaches do a great job with the swimmers and making the heat sheets. It is a HUGE job to divide kids into the heats for a meet. Once you declare on our new site www.bradshawfarm.swimtopia.com if you are NOT coming to the meet, and the heat sheet is started, NO ONE can be added. (We will no longer be doing the sign-out paper sheets).

6.If you need to talk to our coaches and/or coordinators about your swimmer, please do so at an appropriate time and place. Before or after practices would be best or via email.

7.Please help us in teaching and reinforcing GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP to your swimmer. There are a lot of kids at meets and we want to represent Bradshaw Farm in the most positive manner

8. NO DRINKING will be tolerated per CSSA; drop-ins from CSSA could happen to check

Your great pictures! We want them!
For local media use send your best pictures to:
Larry Blase – [email protected]

We appreciate your support!!!
Lara Sparkman   [email protected]   404-645-0088
Sarah Williams   [email protected]         404-569-3855
2016 Bradshaw Farm Barracudas Swim Team Co-Coordinators

Only new swimmers, or those not certified with our team, need to be certified. 5 year olds don't get certified. 6 & up do get certified. These must be done for anyone who is new to the team regardless of whether you swim somewhere else during the year. (All kids 6-18)

Cherokee County Aquatic Center DIVE CERTIFICATION through the County:
Dates are as follows and you are responsible for booking online if your child hasn't done one.

Register your child at www.crpa.net

You can pick from any of these 2016 dates:April 2 (1-2pm)
April 23 (1-2pm)
May 7 (1-2pm)
May 14 (1-2pm)
May 21 (1-2pm)

$3.00/child for check off (11+yrs)
$5.00/child for class (10 and under)

Please arrive 5 minutes before class at the Cherokee County Aquatic Center.

Note: Please contact Sheila Zeigler if you have any questions about dive cert. Sheila's email is: [email protected]

NOTE: Swimmers have to be ages 5-18, and have to be able to swim the length of the pool by the first meet. No coaches in the water with swimmers.

Another option for dive certification is through year round swim team Chattahoochee Gold. Please see below for details.