Laurelwood Dolphins

Our goal is for children to learn teamwork and experience recreational competition in a supportive and encouraging setting while improving their general physical condition and specific swimming skills. We place the highest priority on the development and improvement of every swimmer, on fair sportsmanship and good team conduct. The team does not encourage intense competition.

History

Founded in 1962, the Laurelwood Cabana Club Swim Team ("Laurelwood Dolphins") is a summer recreational swim team that provides Laurelwood Cabana Club youth (ages 18 and under) the opportunity to swim competitively in the Junipero Serra Swim League (JSSL). Laurelwood has been a member of the JSSL since its inception in 1968. Our philosophy is that the Dolphins Swim Team should be FUN for our children and provide a happy social situation.

• Requirements to Join, Attend Champs Meet and Earn a Team Trophy
• Swimmer Responsibilities
• Parent Responsibilities and No-Show Fines
• Point System
• Season Schedule
• Practice Schedule
• New Swimmer Evaluations
• New Swim Team Families
• Swim Suits, Caps, and Apparel
• Team Website
• Image Release and Privacy Policy
• Registration Fees
• Scholarship Policy
• Registration Status Affects Swimmer’s Participation
• Non-Discrimination Policy

To join the Dolphins Swim Team, a child must be 18 years or younger as of May 31st of current year, and must have a parent or guardian who is a member of the Laurelwood Cabana Club. To participate on the Dolphins Swim Team and to compete in swim meets, all swimmers must be able to follow instructions and swim the length of the pool (25 yards) unassisted, without stopping and with side breathing.

Exception: swimmers 6 and under who can follow instructions and who can swim ¾ of the length of the pool with side breathing will have until the practice meet to complete the swim ability prerequisite; a refund of half the registration fee will be issued to any swimmer unable to continue on the swim team (and the swimmer will be encouraged to take swim lessons, attend summer swim camps and try out for the team again).

Exception: In accordance with JSSL, a swimmer whose 19th birthday is prior to June 1 of his/her senior year of high school is eligible to swim in the 15-18 age group the summer that immediately follows their senior year of high school. This allows athletes with such a birthday to compete the summer after their senior year with their peers.

A swimmer who swims in at least 2 dual swim meets is eligible (1) to swim at the JSSL Championship Meet and (2) to receive a Dolphins Swim Team award.

Swimmer responsibilities are detailed in the Dolphins Swim Team Code of Conduct. Completion of this form is a requirement of swim team registration. General swimmer responsibilities include:

• Attend a minimum of two practices per week, and compete in at least two dual meets.
• Respect, support, encourage, and exhibit good sportsmanship toward teammates at all times.
• Always do your best, and obey Laurelwood Cabana Club Pool Rules at all times.

The success of the Dolphins Swim Team requires meaningful parent participation and a substantial time commitment. Generally, parents are expected to support their swimmers, to keep abreast of swim team news and events, and to volunteer in the following ways:

Season Jobs

1. Each family must volunteer to assist with one social or fundraising event. 
2. Each family must contribute two snack bar items during the course of our swim meets. You may elect to donate $25 per food item in lieu of donating food (i.e. $25 for one item or $50 for two items).

Meet Jobs

1. Each family must volunteer for both halves of the practice swim meet.
2. Each family must volunteer for one Champs meet job.
3. Each family must volunteer for a total of four half jobs (if there are two home dual meets) or five half jobs (if there are three home dual meets) over the course of the dual meets. You can choose to spread these out as you wish (e.g., you might choose to work both halves of one meet, followed by not working at the next meet) as long as you volunteer for the requisite number of half jobs over the course of our season.

Please see the team Code of Conduct for additional parent responsibilities.

Note: Some volunteer positions require prior training or experience. On-the-job training is available for most positions. A JSSL clinic is required for parents interested in working as a Stroke & Turn judge or Starter and is optional for parents interested in working at the Scoring Table.

Volunteer No-Shows

If you become unable to work a scheduled position, you must inform the Volunteer Coordinator in a timely manner and do your best to find a replacement (even if this is the morning of a swim meet). Failure to help with swim meets may result in your child not participating in a meet.  Additionally, the Dolphins Swim Team will impose a $100 fine on any parent signed up to work at a swim meet who:

1. Does not have an emergency or good cause
2. Does not show up to work at the meet or find a replacement
3. Prior to the meet, fails to notify the Volunteer Coordinator that he or she was unable to work at the meet.

With the new site we are implementing a point system to track family job requirements. It does not change the requirements. All Season Jobs will be worth 100 points, Snack Bar donations will be worth 10 points and each Meet Job will be worth 1 points. The system will not allow you to complete registration unless you meet the minimum number of points needed to complete your obligations. Note: we know jobs and availability changes and these jobs can be edited once registration is complete.

You will select your volunteer jobs and snack bar contributions at the time of registration.

Calculating Points

1. Each meet job will be worth 10 point.
2. For a season requiring 4 meet jobs you will need to earn a minimum of 60 points (20 points for practice meet + 40 from dual meets).
3. For a season requiring 5 meet jobs you will need to earn a minimum of 70 points (20 points for practice meet + 50 from dual meets).
4. Snack Bar donation will be worth 1 points (you need 2 for the season).
5. Each Season Job will be worth 100 points.
6. Champs jobs are not opened until late in the season and do not factor into the total points required at time of registration.

On our website you will find a season calendar showing dates for practices, meets, and social events. Reminders and event information will be sent through our weekly Dolphin Tales electronic.

We encourage all swimmers to attend as many practices as possible. Swimmers who attend fewer than three practices per week will find that they have difficulty improving their strokes, speed, and endurance. Swimmers should arrive 10 minutes before practice for stretching and warm-up exercises.

Please see the detailed practice schedule on the website and note that there are exceptions for holidays. Our season is divided into two practice sessions:

Parents of 6-and-under swimmers must stay onsite at the Cabana Club during their child’s practice sessions.

Parents of 10-and-under swimmers must be onsite to supervise their children immediately before and after each practice session. Coaches cannot supervise swimmers outside of scheduled practice times.

Swimmers new to the team must attend an evaluation session. During the evaluation, a coach will confirm that the swimmer qualifies for the team and will assign the swimmer to a practice group. If your swimmer is deemed not ready for the swim team, you and Coach Rich can discuss is the Minnow program is a good fit for your child. If not your registration fee for that swimmer will be refunded in full. Your swimmer will be encouraged to take lessons and to try out again.

Swimmers returning to the Dolphins Swim Team after a year or more absence are welcome to come to an evaluation session to be placed in a practice group by a coach.

Please review the sections of the website that cover Season Jobs and Meet Jobs.

Information regarding team suits and how to order will be made available on the Dolphins Swim Team website. Please note the following rules regarding suits and caps:

• Please review the swim suit and other equipment recommendations for use during both practices and meets.
• Wearing an official Laurelwood team suit at JSSL meets is highly encouraged. Prior year suits are acceptable. Also, solid royal blue or solid orange suits are acceptable.
• All swimmers are encouraged to wear a Dolphins Swim Team cap. One cap will be given to each swimmer at the practice meet. Additional caps are available for purchase. Swimmers with long hair must wear a cap at all times during practices and meets.
• Swim suits/caps from another team or club or league must not be worn or brought to any JSSL meets.

Optional team apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc.) will be available for purchase.

Cameras are welcome at JSSL swim meets, and photographs are taken throughout the entire swim season at meets, practices and events. Your registration constitutes consent for the Dolphins Swim Team (1) to use photos, videos, images or the name of your swimmer(s) for swim team purposes including on our website, photo galleries, social media outlets, or other media in covering swimming events; (2) to share your family names, addresses and children’s birthdates with the Dolphins Swim Team community roster; (3) understand that neither my swimmer nor I will receive payment or other compensation for the use of such photos or videos.

Photography and video recording from behind the blocks or starting areas is prohibited unless prior permission is granted by the Meet Director. Use of any audio or visual recording devices, including but not limited to film and digital cameras, cell phones and tablets, and smart eyeglasses are not permitted in changing areas, rest rooms or locker rooms. Violation of this recording prohibition may result in ejection from the swimming pool facility by the Meet Referee or his/her designee. Please contact [email protected] if you would prefer to have personal information omitted from the roster. 

The registration fee is $250 for the first swimmer in a family, $240 for the second swimmer, etc. Dolphins Swim team registration fees are non-refundable after May 3.

Depending on available funding, the Dolphins Swim Team provides registration fee scholarships to help eligible youth join the swim team. This scholarship program provides assistance to youth from low income families or families who have endured a recent hardship such as loss of employment. To be eligible for a scholarship, the swim team family must submit a signed letter to the swim team parent committee no later than two weeks after the date of online registration, attaching evidence of either low income ( e.g., free or reduced lunch program) or an explanation of a recent hardship. The swimmer must commit to attend a minimum of 80 percent of scheduled practices and meets. 

Your swimmer will not be able to compete in swim meets until the following actions have been completed: Finished online registration, paid registration fee, signed up for season and meet jobs, swimmers new to the team have shown proof of age.

The Dolphins Swim Team does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion or gender.