Make a Splash This Summer with the Tiger Sharks!

No prior swim team experience is necessary! Children should be enthusastic about water experience and willing to have face and ears submerged in water. The must be able to jump from the side of the pool, kick to the surface and swim 10 yards without stopping. 

Children that aren't ready for this are encouraged to consider our  Hurricane Learn to Swim program. 

Children who can already swim 25 yards in a front crawl and kick on their back for 15 yards are eligible for evaluation and placement in our Hurricanes Category 1 practice group.

That is fine! We understand that life is busy. We recommend you come as often as possible to get the full benefit of the practices. We do not offer makeup sessions for missed sessions.

Yes, all athletes are required to hold a valid USA Swimming Membership before their first practice.  The team will process a limited, seasonal membership for each of our Tiger Sharks and this cost is built into your Tiger Sharks fees.  No action is required by parents unless your swimmer is transferring from another team.  For transfers, please notify the coach!

Swimmers will need a suit, a towel and goggles for Tigersharks:

Swim Suit: Swimmers can wear any one piece swimming suit, though we do recommend making sure it's secure enough to stay in place during the swimming, splashing, jumping, and diving! Excess fabric, ruffles and shirts can get in the way while swimming.  

Goggles: We recommend basic swimming goggles, though some of our younger swimmers may not wish to use them.  (We do not recommend the full face scuba-style goggles as they are bulky and cover their nose!)  

Towels: Swimmers can get chilly in the shade, even in summer! Bring one or two towels to make sure they stay dry and warm. On meet days, they may appreciate a cover-up or hoodie!

Other Items:

• Sunscreen: Since we are outdoors, we also recommend applying sunscreen at home so that it is dry before your swimmer hits the pool. 
• Sunshirts are also acceptable, though some swimmers find the sleeves limit their range of motion or the excess fabric cumbersome.
• Nose plugs are optional. 
• Earplugs: Most swimmers don't use ear plugs, but we leave that to you based on doctor's recommendation.
• Water bottle: There is a water fountain at the facility, but water bottles are helpful, too.  

We will do all we can to proceed with practice as planned, even if it's a little drizzly! However sometimes the weather will not cooperate and we must cancel. We will send out notices as quickly as possible via our team email and text alerts.  It is very important you ensure your contact information is updated on your account and that you include all caregivers who will drive your swimmer to/from practice. 

We typically are not able to schedule make up sessions due to facility availability, but will handle this on a case-by-case basis. 

The same applies to small routine maintenance issues. The City works very hard to keep the pools in great shape, but occassional issues are unavoidable. We will handle this on a case-by-case basis.  If the facility is unavailble for an extended period, we will work with the City to make alternate arrangements.

Parents are always welcome to observe practices and are encouraged to stay to cheer on their swimmers during the meets, but are not required to stay on-site. We will have a parent meeting the first day of practice that we ask a parent or guardian to attend.  Deck seating is available for parents that wish to watch practice, but there is limited shade on deck!

Families are expected to be present as soon as practice is over and depart the facility within 15 minutes. 

Meet days may run a bit longer than a normal practice, so we ask your patience as we make sure all swimmers get a chance to learn the ropes of meet participation. Coaches will place swimmers in 1-4 events, depending on their skills and what the coaches worked on that week.  Your swimmer will need their usual practice items but will need extra water since the deck can be quite sunny as they wait for their events. Spectators will also appreciate a chair, sunblock and water! Coaches will have heat sheets available at the beginning of the mini-meet for parents to see what events their swimmers are participating in. We will also announce names over a speaker.  Swimmers will recieve a ribbon for each heat and we celebrate with popsicles at the end!  We will also ask for parent helpers to serve as timers for each lane - this helps the swimmers see their progress over the session. 

We sure hope so! Coaches will provide feedback and recommendations for your swimmer at the end of each session, so that you know whether they are ready for the Hurricane's year-round program and what practice group they would recommend.