Swim Team News

Swim season is almost here. We will have our first registration on Sun., March 24th from 3:00 ­ 6:00 P.M. at the clubhouse. If you haven't heard yet, our coach for this summer is Jon Cain, swimming and diving coach for Klein Collins High School. Coach Cain has been a swim coach since 1984. He has coached YMCA, High School, and KOAST as well as summer league. Coach Cain believes that the skills of setting goals, working hard, working smart, and being consistent which are learned in the pool transfer to other areas of life. You will have the opportunity to meet Jon at registration. From 4:00 ­ 6:00 we will have a representative from the Swim Shops of the Southwest available for the purchase of swimsuits.

Included in this newsletter are a registration form and an informational brochure. If you are unable to drop by the clubhouse on the 24th, feel free to drop off your registration form and check at 19135 Candletrail Dr. Remember we are still looking for volunteers in several areas such as referees and officials. Training for these positions takes place in April. Contact me for more information. We are looking forward to seeing many new faces as well as all of our swimmers from past seasons. This season we plan on having a lot of fun and improving the swimming skills of all our swimmers.

Sheri Howe
Swim Team President
Howefam@sbcglobal.net

This brochure provides information about the Candlelight Hills Cudas Swim Team. If you are new to Candlelight Hills subdivision, welcome to our neighborhood. If you are new to the Spring, TX area, we want you to be a part of the Candlelight Hills Cuda swim team. Most important of all, we have fun! We look forward to you joining our team in 2002.

Purpose
The purpose of the swim team activity is to foster competitive youth swimming and to provide instruction in competitive swimming skills. This is accomplished in an atmosphere supportive to good sportsmanship and conducive to proper social and physical development of our youth.

Eligibility
Swim team membership is open to all members in good standing of the Candlelight Hills Civic Association. All youth swimmers up to the age of 18 years old as of June 1st are eligible. Swimmers are expected to be water adjusted and be able to get to the opposite end of the pool (a length of 25 meters). The Coach is not hired to provide swim lessons for beginners, but to provide competitive skill instruction according to age group. Registration for the upcoming season is held during spring.

Eligibility for an age group is determined by an individual's age as of June 1. The Northwest Aquatic League (NWAL) defines the age categories below.

Swim Team Board
The Candlelight Hills Swim Team Board consists of various positions. The board member must be a parent of an eligible swimmer for the current swim season. Each position has a two-year term. (Additional terms are usually discouraged in order to insure the team's growth and to encourage the participation of other parents.) The current Board selects new board members at the end of each swim season.

The Board's responsibilities include hiring a coach, setting a budget, maintaining and purchasing equipment and supplies, setting up committees and assigning volunteers to perform the various and many tasks necessary. The board also has responsibility for practice sessions and meets, assisting the coach, training and certification of officials under the direction of the NWAL (Northwest Aquatic League) and representing the team in league and division matters.

The election of the Board of Directors or a presentation of a slate of officers for a Board position is held at a General Meeting at the conclusion of the swim season.

2002 Candlelight Hills Swim Team Board Of Directors

When Is Swim Season?
Swim team practice sessions usually start in early May - a few weeks before the first swim meet and are held in the afternoons after school. During summer, practice is held during weekday mornings. Practice sessions are segregated according to age group. Swim meets start around Memorial Day and last during the month of June. Meets are held each Saturday morning. There are usually 5 meets (home and away) that are followed by a divisional meet, where all teams of our division (usually 6 teams) compete against each other. Coaches may also hold advanced classes (e.g. Stroke and Turn) for those interested in improving their competitive swimming performance.

Parents Help Make The Team
Swim team members' parents are involved in making successful swim meets happen. Without the parents help, we would not be able to have a swim team. If you not familiar with activities involved in running a swim meet, the table on the next page describes some activities that Cuda parents help with the following duties at the meets.

Please consider your position as the parent of a "Cuda" swimmer! Our children enjoy swimming for Candlelight Hills and do a good job at it. We ask for your help to work together to make sure our children continue to have this opportunity.

2002 Planned Swim Team Activities

Registration	Team registration occurs in Spring just before the beginning of the swim season, usually in April, with an early registration period in March.
Swim-a-Cross	A swim event that raises donations for Red Cross.
Family Fun Night	This is weekly social during the swim season where Cuda families get together and enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. for a very reasonable price. Donation help fund swim team activities.
Spirit Ads	Purchase a spirit ad in the heat sheet cheering your Cuda swimmer. Available for Home meets only.
Team Pictures	Have a picture taken of your swimmer(s) and a team photo.
Team T-shirts	Team T-shirts are provided for swimmers. Parents can purchase one also for a Very reasonable price.
Cuda Chatter	An informative weekly member newsletter during the swim season with important dates and announcements.
Cuda Yard Sign	Yard signs let your neighbors know that there is a Cuda swimmer in your house!
Poster Party	Team coaches/parents involve the swimmers in making spirit posters for our Divisional meet.
Team Party	This is our annual end of the season party. Swimmers are presented trophies along with other special awards.
Divisionals	Divisional Swim Meet held at end of season.
All-Stars	A regional competitive swimming event.
Ponderosa	A regional competitive swimming event.