Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What ages can join swim team?
Ages 4 through 18. A swimmer's assigned age group is determined by the swimmers age as of May 1 for the given season.

What swimming level does my child need to be?
All water-safe swimmers are invited to join the team, but the Cudas swim team is not a learn-to-swim program. A good rule of thumb is whether a child can swim the length of the pool without assistance. Their stroke doesn’t need to be perfect, and they don’t need to be fast; that’s where our coaches come in! With new Cudas and little Cudas, our Junior Coaches are stationed at intervals in the lanes to help with swimmer progress during practice. At swim meets, however, coaches are not allowed in the water with swimmers.

Read about our 6 & Under Stars program for first-time swimmers here.

Is volunteering required?
Yes! A swim team does not exist without the help of hundreds of volunteers each season. Especially for swim meets, to run 200+ kids through 80 events, we need parents helping out with everything from setup to timing to concessions. With more than five decades of experience, the Cudas are a well-oiled machine, and you’ll have everything you need to volunteer easily, along with the support of many veterans. Learn more about the volunteering requirement here.

What’s the best way to find out team news and event updates?
If you read your emails from the Cudas, you’ll always know everything you need to. Our Facebook and Remind groups are also great resources for announcements and last-minute changes such as rainouts:

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/319663577422
sportsYou team: 4ZSE-Y3JX

Is there a lost and found?
Yes! Ask a coach for access to the lost and found, and label all swim supplies with your last name.

Questions About Practice

How often should my child attend practice?
There is no formal requirement. To get the best swimming results and the best Cuda experience, we encourage coming to practice every day—but we’re not taking attendance or hassling anyone to show up more. Practice duration is graduated by age group, so kids get just the right amount of time in the water for their little (or big) bodies.

Do I need to stay with my child during practice?
Parents with children aged 8 and under should stay on site for practice. Parents are not allowed on the pool deck during practice.

Does the team suit need to be worn to practice?
No! Any swimsuit will work for practice. Girls should wear one-piece suits. Racing suits are recommended for boys, as swim trunks create drag and may be more difficult for new swimmers to move easily in.

Can a swimmer practice with another age group?
Only in special circumstances with coach approval.

What happens when it rains?
We never cancel practice because of a forecast. The reasons we get out of the water are thunder, lightning, or low visibility to the bottom of the pool. Otherwise practice goes on! A rain delay lasts 20 minutes from the time of the last thunder or lightning (delays do not compound). Practice will get cancelled altogether with too many delays. Coaches communicate all practice changes through our Remind app and Facebook page.

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/319663577422
sportsYou team: 4ZSE-Y3JX

Questions About Swim Meets

What is Friday Night Lights (Time Trials)?
Time Trials is the first “meet” of the season. It’s a practice meet without an opposing team where all swimmers establish their baseline times for their strokes (events). The Cudas call it Friday Night Lights because we schedule it on Friday night—giving our families one more free Saturday before dual meets (against an opposing team) begin. 

Importantly—a swimmer cannot compete in a dual meet without having baseline event times recorded at Time Trials.

How do I register my swimmer for a meet (or opt out of a meet)?
Whether attending or not, each meet needs to be “declared for” individually on Swimtopia. On the Cudas home page or Meet Signup page, find the upcoming meet, select Meet Entry, and click Edit for each of your swimmers. Use the dropdown to choose your attendance. If attending, follow the prompts to choose up to three age-eligible events. From here, you may also choose to be available for relays or not.

How do I register myself to volunteer?
On the Cudas home page or Meet Signup page, find the upcoming meet, select Job Signup, and click Edit for the parent who will be volunteering. View and select from the available volunteer job openings.

How many events can my swimmer sign up for at a meet?
For Time Trials, sign up for every age-eligible individual event that your child is comfortable swimming. For dual meets, sign up for up to three individual events. Coaches reserve the right to change swimmer events if needed, and coaches pick relay participants based on availability and speed.

Do I need to stay with my child at meets?
Absolutely, 100%, yes. As organized as it is, a dual swim meet has hundreds of people and lots of activity. Parents are responsible for the safety and whereabouts of their own children between their race events.

The Cudas organize into age tents during a swim meet for streamlined event logistics and to foster relationships. For younger swimmers, each age group has a Tent Parent who helps organize the group’s swim events and shepherd the kids to the ready bench when their event is called. Only swimmers, Tent Parents, and Big Fish are allowed at ready bench and behind the blocks. Parents, family, and friends watch events from bleachers and dedicated viewing areas on deck. Parents of younger swimmers should meet them as they exit the water to bring them back to their age tent.

What should we bring to a meet?
Goggles, swim cap, sunscreen, towel, camp chairs, picnic blanket, coloring books, and games. Bring drinks and snacks if you would like, and be sure to stop by the Cudas concessions stand at home meets, where breakfast, lunch, drinks, and snacks are always ready. Cuda families don’t need to worry about pop-up tents! The amazing Cudas Setup Crew takes care of all our team’s age-group tents.

How long do swim meets last?
Dual meets typically last between 4 and 5 hours on Saturdays, depending on number of swimmers and volunteer participation.

Do swim meets have concessions?
Yes! All league teams have food available for purchase for breakfast and lunch during a meet, usually with credit card capability. The Cudas are known for the best concessions in the league!

Does the team suit need to be worn to meets?
No, but we encourage at least wearing a black or yellow suit to match your teammates! Girls should wear one-piece suits. Team suits and caps of other teams should not be worn.

What happens when it rains?
We never cancel a swim meet because of a forecast. The reasons we get out of the water are thunder, lightning, or low visibility to the bottom of the pool. Otherwise the meet goes on! A rain delay lasts 20 minutes from the time of the last thunder or lightning (delays do not compound). We do everything possible to get through the required event number to finish the meet. Rarely does a meet get cancelled altogether.

Is attendance required at all meets?
No, but we encourage participation in as many meets as possible! To attend the end-of-season Divisionals meet with all six teams from our NWAL division, swimmers must have participated in two dual meets.

What are invitational meets?
Invitationals are meets outside of the league’s regular dual meets that we participate in for fundraising, extra competition, and more fun! Learn more about invitational meets here.