FAQs

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Many questions can be answered by checking “Handbook” on the MCST website. Other questions? You can always contact one of the board members or the Head Coach.

About Practices
1. What should my swimmer do first each day at practice? Sign in on the Sign-in Board to keep track of attendance, and then check the White Boards for any important upcoming information.

2. What is a typical practice like? Generally speaking, every age group will begin with dry land exercises and running. The less experienced swimmers do lots of stroke drills and practice turns and dives. The more experienced swimmers swim more distance and focus on strength more than technique.

3. What should I bring to practices? All 9 year olds & older swimmers should come prepared for dry-land practice first, that is “dressed” (clothing worn over swimsuits) and wearing running shoes. For swim practice, all swimmers should wear practice suits (not competition suits), swim caps, and goggles. Swimmers ages 13-18 need to bring fins.

4. Can parents watch practice and help coach? Parents are encouraged to watch practice from the bleachers. Please do not talk to the swimmers or coaches on deck as it distracts them and does not allow our coaches to adequately focus on the swimmers. If I can't disturb the coaches while they are on the deck, how do I ask them questions about my swimmer? Call our Head Coach Keelan Kirshen and leave him a message at home or you may e-mail him. Please, no phone calls after 9:00 p.m. E-mails will be checked between 8:30 & 9:00 p.m. You may also leave a note in his file at practice.

Buying Team swimsuits
Where can I purchase swim suits and equipment for my swimmer? Team Unify is the official supplier for our team swim suits and apparel. Please see Meets and Event Gear under the Team Store link on our website.

About Swim Meets
1. What is a typical meet like? The events of the meet are planned & announced in advance. Dual meets between just two teams may include the following events, in this order: Medley Relay, Individual Medley, Freestyle, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Backstroke, Free Relay. Each event begins with the youngest age group, and alternates girls’ heats first, then boys’. The coaches select the event(s) for each swimmer, in advance. Each swimmer will typically participate in 2 individual events (e.g. 25 yd freestyle) and may participate in a team relay event. Who should I talk to if my swimmer wants to swim an event that they have not been entered in yet? Your swimmer should talk to our Head Coach, Keelan Kirshen.

2. How long does a swim meet take? A dual swim meet will last approximately 3-4 hours. You should check the White Board the day before a meet; the coaches will indicate what time you should arrive to a meet. Swimmers need to be there in advance to warm up and get settled prior to the meet. (Swimmers who are late for warm-up will not be allowed to swim in the meet.) If your child misses warm-up due to an emergency, speak with the Head Coach when you arrive at the meet.
 

3. What should we bring to a meet? Swimmers should have a team suit, cap, and goggles at all meets. (We recommend that you wear your team suit only for meets, and wear a practice suit at all practices.) It’s a good idea to keep an extra pair of goggles and cap in your swim bag. Bring extra towels—for colder weather (early foggy AM or Wednesday PM meets). Your swimmer will want several dry towels, because they will be in and out of the water several times in the course of the meet. Don’t forget sunscreen!
Parents typically bring a ground cloth, folding chairs, umbrella or EZ-Up for shade, and layered clothing. For colder weather, some families bring sleeping bags or small tents to help their swimmers stay warm between events. Depending upon the length of the meet, parents might want to include cards, board games, or other activities for their children while they are waiting & resting between events.
You may want to bring a cooler with snacks & beverages, or plan to purchase food & beverages at the Snack Bar at the meet.
 

4. What do we do if we are going to be out of town on the day of a meet? Since it is summer, we know you will be traveling. When you need to miss a meet, “sign out” your swimmer in the Vacation Binder at least three weeks before dual meets, & one month before Invitational meets.
 

5. If your swimmer is sick—telephone the Head Coach as soon as possible.
 

6. What’s an Invitational? Is my swimmer required to participate? Participation in Invitational Meets is strongly recommended, but not required. Note that ALL swimmers are SIGNED-UP, unless they are “signed-out” in the Vacation Binder. An Invitational Meet is a large, planned meet that includes a large number of teams. The same races are conducted, as at a Dual Meet, although the order of events might be different. With the larger number of participants, the Meet is much longer, e.g. 7 AM – 4 PM, and may be conducted over two weekend days. MCST usually participates in two Invitational Meets--the Devil Mt Pentathlon (July 10 & 11, 2010) and the Scottsdale Invitational (August 7 & 8, 2010.)
 

How does MCST ‘”run” ?
1. The Martinez Community Swim Team (MCST) has been an established summer recreational swim team for over 30 years. The volunteer governing Board of MCST is comprised of parents who are elected to two-year terms. The Board hires professional & certificated coaches to supervise the swimmers at all swim practices and competitive meets. Parents perform the various “jobs” that are necessary to run the swim meets (e.g. timing & recording, ribbons, computer entry, snack bar) and to conduct other important activities of the team.
 

2. What is TCSL? MCST is one of 7 summer recreational swim teams in the Twin County Swim League (TCSL) (Most summer recreation swim teams in Contra Costa County belong to a League) MCST will swim a “dual meet" against each one of the teams in the TCSL League during the summer--Benicia, Crockett, AquaKnights, American Canyon, Hercules, and Vista Diablo.

3. What is the League Meet?
All 6 teams in TCSL participate in the League Championship Meet which will be held July 31st & August 1st, 2010 at Diablo Valley College). This is a large meet; it is typically a meet at which our children swim their fastest times of the season.

Special Events
1. What is Swim-a-thon? Why are we required to participate? The Swim-a-thon is the only required fundraiser for the season. We try to defer some of the cost of registration with fundraisers, such as Swim-a-thon. It is a fun way for swimmers to challenge their endurance, and at that same time they can get family and friends involved in their sports events. Swimmers can win prizes for collecting donations that are greater than the minimum of $75.00. Beginning with the 2010 season, Swim-A-Thon monies not paid by the due date, will incur a $10.00 fine.
 

2.What is BBQ at the Vineyard?
Each year the team hosts an annual fundraiser event. This year’s event called BBQ at the Vineyard will be held at the Viano Vineyards and Winery on Saturday, June 5th from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. Enjoy the sounds of Big Wave Dave & the Breakers, while you taste Viano wines, splurge on the silent auction items, and eat a Santa Maria style BBQ. This event is for adults only.

3. What is the Annual “Rat and Rabbit” Event? Rat and Rabbit is a game using listening skills and quick thinking. We play it frequently at practice and this tournament determines the rat and rabbit champion of the year. This year’s event date is still to be determined.

4. What is the Team Camping Trip? Saturday & Sunday, July 16th & 17th, 2010, the swim team will be going camping at Rollins Lake, a beautiful group area and resort right outside of Auburn, California. Available: swim beaches, volleyball courts, showers, store and lakefront camp area. You can even bring your own boat, and dock it camp side. Tent camping and RV parking available. Meals provided: Breakfast on Saturday & Sunday; Lunch & Dinner on Saturday. Cost is $20.00 per person – includes camping fees and food. Bring your own drinks. Boat launching fees and car fees are separate – costing just “pennies”.

5. What is Rigatoni Night? The week before "League," the coaches will be "pumping-up" the swimmers, identifying their "goal" times, and providing other fun & morale-boosting activities. The Friday night before "League," we enjoy Rigatoni Night, serving a pasta meal to “fuel” our swimmers for the League Meet. This year’s event will be Friday, July 30th at Martinez Junior High School.

6. What is the “After-League” get-together? At the end of the League Meet weekend, the team families get together on Sunday PM, at an identified restaurant, to celebrate the team’s achievements.

7. What is Awards Night? MCST holds an annual Awards Night, on the Monday evening following the County Meet, in August. This year’s Awards Night will be Monday, August 16, 2009 at Martinez Junior High School. You won't want to miss this event -- all swimmers (including Little Otters) receive medals honoring their achievement level in their swimming, and other trophies & awards are presented, as well.

About swimming ability & competitive swimming
1. My child cannot swim, can we still join the team? If your swimmer has a basic knowledge of swimming, the coaches will teach them the different strokes and help them to develop their skills. If your swimmer is having difficulty, the Head Coach, Keelan Kirshen, will contact you to discuss this.
 

2. Who should I talk to if my swimmer is struggling or if I think they are in the wrong practice group? Communicate any concerns that relate to your child's swimming ability to our Head Coach, Keelan Kirshen.

3. What are the best things we can do to help our swimmer improve over the course of the summer? The most important thing is regular practice attendance throughout the spring and summer. Most new skills though are taught in the first weeks of practice. If your child wants/needs extra help, some of our coaches offer private lessons. Private lessons in addition to attending regular practice will help swimmers improve much more quickly.
 

4. What is a County-Qualifier?
Swimmers who achieve "qualifying times" for the County Meet will compete at that event at the close of the summer recreation swim season. The meet is typically held at Acalanes HS, hosted by LMYA swim team. (MCST typically has from 8 to 15 swimmers who attend this event.)

5. What do I do if my child decides not to swim after the first month of practice? Can I get a refund? New swimmers (defined as a swimmer who has never been a member of MCST) are allowed to swim with the team on a trial basis for the first two to three weeks of practice (in May.) If the coaching staff determines that the swimmer is not ready for the team, all registration fees and deposit will be refunded, less $25.00 for administrative costs.
Once registered, new or returning swimmers who decide to discontinue from the team, and who request a refund, will be reimbursed their registration fees on a prorated basis at the discretion of the Board. Refund requests due to medical reasons will require a written note of explanation from the child’s physician. See “Trial Period and Refund” in Handbook found on website for more information.
 

Miscellaneous
1. What if a swimmer has an injury? If your swimmer is injured, please notify the coaches immediately.
 

2. Will my child be supervised at all times? In order for coaches to supervise the swimmers we would ask that parents and non-swimmers remain on the bleachers during practice. You are responsible for supervising your swimmer during meets and when they are not in the water.
 

3. What is a “family file”? Family files are mobile files that are placed on deck, at all practices. Please check your file folder frequently as notices, ribbons and other miscellaneous information is placed in them for your information.
 

4. Can my child play another sport and still be on the swim team? If your child is on another team such as soccer or baseball, and the schedule conflicts with swim team practices and meets, please consult with the head coach to discuss possible conflicts.
 

5. League Ads: Families have an opportunity to purchase an “ad” to be printed in the program of the League Championship Meet, which is read by the several hundred families & swimmers attending the meet. This ad can be a fun promotional item with a photo of your swimmer and an encouraging remark from parents, e.g. “Swim fast, Johnny,” or it can be a commercial ad promoting your business. Prices typically range from $10 to $50. Look for more information in the Family Files beginning end-June/beginning July.
 

6. How can I participate with MCST as a Parent? With a swimmer’s registration, parents make a commitment to perform a minimum number of necessary “jobs” to assist in the operations of the team and swim meets.
Additionally, parents are always welcome to become involved in the planning and operations of the team through the decisions and activities of the Board. A Board meeting and Parent meeting are held monthly to conduct the necessary planning for the swim team’s operations. The Parent meetings are open to all MCST parents, and all are encouraged to attend, in order to better understand the operations of MCST. Any parent may run for an open position on the Board during elections in September.