Shepherd's Vineyard Killer Whales Swim Team, Apex, NC

Practice Times

starting May 16
6 & under
5:15-5:45pm

7&8's
5:45-6:25pm

9&10's
6:25-7:05pm

11&12
7:05-7:50pm

13&up
7:50-8:35pm

Pre-Swim
5:15-5:45pm M,W,Th

June 13 - on
6 & under
10:30-11am, 5:15-5:45pm

7&8's
9:30-10:20am, 5:45-6:25pm

9&10's
9:30-10:20am, 6:25-7:05pm

11&12
8:30-9:30am, 7:05-7:50pm

13&up
8:30-9:30am, 7:50-8:35pm

11&up (Fri Only)
8:30-9:30am, 7:05-8:00pm

Pre-Swim
10:00-10:30am (M,Th,F), 5:15-5:45pm(M,W,Th)

Pool Hours

May 16 - June 10
Mon-Fri
1:00pm-4:00pm (unguarded)

Mon-Fri
4:00pm-8:30pm

Saturday
10:30am-9:00pm

Sunday
12noon-8:00pm

June 11 - Aug 24
Mon-Sat
10:30am-9:00pm

Sunday
12noon-8:00pm

Aug 25 - Labor Day
Mon-Fri
1:00pm-4:00pm (unguarded)

Mon-Thu
4:00pm-8:00pm

Friday
4:00pm-9:00pm

Saturday
10:30am-9:00pm

Sunday
12noon-8:00pm

Other Sites

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Answered by our Coach

1. How do coaches determine the line-ups for each meet?

The coaching staff gets together a few days before the meet and spends a great deal of time preparing for each event. Best times as well as times from previous meets are examined to place each swimmer in their proper position. Improvement over the course of the season is taken into account and conversely consistent lack of improvement may affect placement.

Each swimmer is placed in an event for a reason. It could be as simple as trying a new event for a time. Parents have the right to ask for the reasoning behind their child’s events and placement but parents must do so in a respectful manner. Coaches are under a lot of stress and pressure towards the beginning of each meet. It’s best to trust the judgement of the coaching staff and ask upon the conclusion of the meet or via phone/email in the following days.

2. My child can’t be at the entire meet on a given Tuesday… is that ok?

Yes, I would love for all Shepherd’s Vineyard swimmers to put the Killer Whale swim team top on their priority list but I’m a realist. Things come up that a child can’t miss for one reason or another. Also sudden illnesses and other unforeseen events may arise. All that is asked is for the child or parent to indicate the meet the swimmer is missing and whether or not it will be the entire meet on the board by the snack bar at the pool. IF something comes up the Monday or Tuesday before the meet, then Coaches must be called to ensure that he is aware of the situation. Please indicate the meets your child is missing well in advance. Unless your child’s name is on the list, we will assume that they are swimming at the meet.

3. How do I know if practice is cancelled?

Two ways… You can call the hotline and find out what’s going on through this daily updated system (363-4411). Or Coaches will send out an email and notify the swimmers prior to the cancelled practice.

There are only a few reasons why practice would be cancelled. Weather and/or the pool being closed are the only ones that come to mind. Coaches will be responsible for updating the hotline as soon as a change in the normal practice routine occurs. Please call the hotline instead of a coach or the pool number.

4. My child is struggling to keep up… what can I do as a parent?

There are several steps a parent should go about in helping a child reach his/her full potential. Firstly, an analysis of why the swimmer is falling behind or not being able to keep up. A lot of problems result from comparing a child to the rest of the members in his/her group. Every child develops and matures at a different rate. It’s only inevitable that certain young people are going to excel easier than others do. A way to measure success is to compare their times throughout the season. Are they improving? Getting worse? Or staying about the same speed? Just because they aren’t winning main events doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoying swimming or improving. You’ve got to know whether or a not a child needs help or whether it’s just your perspective as a parent that thinks they are not doing so well. At this step it’s probably best to talk with a member of the coaching staff. Don’t be afraid to ask, "How’s Joe doing?… Is that normal?… What could be the causes?"

As mentioned above, every child is different. Every solution is therefore not the same. What works for some children will most certainly not work for all. Perhaps the most crucial indicator missed by parents is attendance. Excuses like "But Joe has baseball, soccer, volleyball and baseball practice. He can only come once a week to swimming" are common. Practice doesn’t make perfect but it does help a swimmer succeed and feel a part of a group. Coaches can only help swimmers if they’re there.

A final step may require a child to get a little extra help from the coaches. Swim lessons can be arranged with any member of the coaching staff. Also clinics will take place throughout the year and it wouldn’t hurt to enroll a child in those even if they seem to be doing fine.

A final word of advice… The only way to truly understand is to communicate. Talk with your child, with the coaches and others often to put everything together.

5. My child can’t get enough of this swimming business and wants to swim year round… where should they go and why?

I get this question a lot and there isn’t a simple answer. I suggest remaining open. The worst thing that you can do is to base your decision solely on the word of another parent. You may trust their judgement but chances are your child won’t get the same things out of a program as another’s. All year round programs in the Triangle area have their costs and benefits. Just like choosing your elected leaders in government, it’s often hard locating all the facts and making the best decision. Research all their histories and discover what they have to offer; see if they have a trial period or "bring a friend days." Talk with the SV coaching staff too and see if your child is ready to make that step forward.

6. What is a Medley Relay? And what strokes are on what side?

Relays in general have their origins in track and field. A relays consists of four swimmers. In a freestyle relay each swimmer does freestyle. A medley relay though involves each swimmer swimming a different stroke. One person does backstroke, one does breastroke, one does butterfly and one does freestyle in that order. 7/8s and 9/10s swim 4 x 25s (one length of each stroke), whereas 11/12s, 13/14s, and 15-18s swim 4 x 50s (two length of each stroke). For the 7/8s and 9/10s the backstroker and butterflier start at the regular end of the pool going off the blocks (backstrokers start in the water like normal). The breastroker and freestyler start at the opposite end of the blocks and dive in off the side. Each swimmer after the backstroker will do a relay start. Swimmers are instructed not to dive in until the preceding swimmer has touched the wall. Leaving early, before the swimmer touches, will result in a false start and the relay will be disqualified. 11/12s and above all start at the end with the starting blocks obeying the same rules for relay starts.

The rules for each of the four strokes apply for medley and freestyle relays. Disqualification can result from improper technique or touches. Additional rules apply for relays.

Those are the big questions that we could think of. Throughout the season I’m sure parents will come with questions worthy of posting here. All names on those new posts will be either changed or removed to ensure confidentiality. As always it’s important to continue to ask the tough questions. The hope of this section is to let others on the team see the answers to questions that may come up or that you’ve always wanted to know the answers to. Email Bob the webmaster with questions that you think would be good for this section of the Killer Whale website.

Let's Go Killer Whales!

2011 Calendar