Frequently Asked Questions
SPAR Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What swim association is the SPAR swim team affiliated with?
A: The SPAR swim team is part of the SAIL organization, established in Greenville in 1964. Our team began in 2004 and currently competes in the Green Division of SAIL. For more information about SAIL, visit their website http://sail.swimtopia.com.
Q: Does my swimmer have to swim the length of the pool?
A: Yes, to participate, your child must be able to swim the length of the pool unassisted. Swim evaluations for new swimmers are held at the start of each season.
Q: Do we need certain supplies for swim team?
A: Yes, your child will need a bathing suit, swim cap, goggles, sunscreen, and towels. Team t-shirts are included in the registration cost. Team suit details are available at Augusta Swim:
- Website: www.swimoutlet.com
- Username:
- Password:
Q: Does my swimmer win anything at meets?
A: Yes, swimmers receive ribbons at the weekly Donuts and Ribbons, held on most Friday mornings after a meet. Ribbons are distributed by coaches, and donuts are provided by the team.
Q: What if it rains or the weather looks questionable on meet or practice day?
A: Practices and meets proceed in the rain, but if it's heavy enough to obscure the pool bottom, there may be a delay or cancellation. Thunder or lightning leads to a pool evacuation, causing a delay. Persistent inclement weather may result in cancellation. Sign up for "Remind" texts at the season start for timely updates on delays and cancellations.
Q: How do I sign my swimmer up for a meet?
A: Register your swimmers using www.sparswimteam.com. Meet sign-up deadlines will be announced to ensure proper meet seeding by coaches.
Q: We are going on vacation/participating in summer camps during swim season. Is it OK to miss practices and meets?
A: Certainly! We understand that families have commitments beyond the swim team. Participation is flexible based on your child's level. Declare your child's attendance on the team website for each meet and specific events with a set deadline for proper meet seeding. You will receive weekly emails and reminders of these throughout the season. Practices are available twice daily, but attendance is optional, accommodating other commitments like summer camps or VBS. While practice attendance isn't tracked, it is recorded at swim meets.
Q: What is the volunteer requirement, and what positions are available?
A: Our swim team relies entirely on parent volunteers to ensure smooth meets and support of our swimmers. Each family must contribute by working both halves of a home meet and one half of an away meet, as specified in registration forms. Various roles are available, including tent parents, timers, head timers, runners, records and ribbons, starters, referees, and stroke and turn judges. Parents are also needed for set-up and clean-up at home meets. If a parent can't volunteer, the swimmer won't be allowed to participate in that meet. Exceptions are possible if a substitute volunteer is provided, ensuring the swimmer's participation.
Q: What does each volunteer position involve?
A: Each position becomes straight forward after you've given it a try. If you're new to the team or interested in exploring a different role this summer, reach out to a board member or the volunteer coordinator, and we'll guide you through the process.
Tent Parents: These parents sit in the tent area with swimmers during the meet, assist with check-ins, and use heat sheets to organize swimmers for upcoming heats. Since there are usually multiple tent parents, individuals can also go up on deck during their swimmers' events to watch them swim.
Clerk of Course: Volunteers line up kids on benches by event and heat, and then proceed to guide them to the chairs provided for each lane. The clerk of course prepares each lane for the recorder, to ensure the children get into the right lane and the right heat. Clerks of the course may also work before the meet starts to combine events and ensure smoother operations.
Timers: In each lane, four timers (usually two from each team) use stopwatches to time their swimmers based on the strobe light start and their swimmer touching the wall. One timer acts as the "recorder," sitting at a small table to record the three times on the swim meet heat sheet that is provided to them. The recorder MUST check with each swimmer before they step on the block, ensuring their name and event that is being swum.
Head Timer: This person stands behind the timers and signals to the starter/referee when timers are ready for the next heat to start. The head timer also starts a stopwatch in case a timer's watch does not start. During away meets, our team's head timer serves as an assistant head timer, working in conjunction with the hosting team's head timer.
Runners: Parents in this role take completed heat sheets from the recorder and deliver them to the computer operators.
Records and Ribbons: These volunteers collect the sheets, check them for accuracy, and read them off to the Team Computer Operator to enter official times in the computer. The Team Computer Operator then prints labels placed on the back of different ribbons after the meet.
Stroke and Turn Judges: Using official rules learned during certification, these judges ensure a swimmer's stroke is legal. If a swimmer's stroke is found to be non-legal, the judge raises their hand and communicates with the referee regarding the possible disqualification of the swimmer.
Referee: This person oversees home meets and serves as an assistant referee for away meets, ensuring proper conduct and fair enforcement of rules for all swimmers.
Starter: This individual acts as "the voice" of the meet, starting each heat using an electronic starting system, once the assistant referee and head timer signal that swimmers are ready.
Most positions require a short online certification and test before the season. Some roles, such as referee, starter, stroke and turn, and clerk of course, require in-person training. Training dates will be posted on the team website. We always need help in these certified positions, so please consider signing up for training in several different positions.
Q: What are Divisionals?
A: Divisionals typically take place mid-July. We meet against other teams in our division, determining the division winner. It precedes Championships and Classics, held the following weekend or sometime thereafter.
Q: Does my swimmer have to attend Divisionals?
A: Divisionals are optional but strongly encouraged for qualified swimmers (2 regular meets' participation are required to attend divisionals as well). An "Intent to Swim" form is required. You will find that on our website under events.
Q: What are Championships and Classics?
A: Championships and Classics are qualifying meets held after Divisionals. Top swimmers from all SAIL divisions compete, with Classics for the top 16 swimmers and Championships for swimmers ranked 17-40 in each event.
Q: Will there be any other swim team events besides practice and swim meets?
A: Yes, with the help of our social committee, we plan to have various fun events throughout the summer, including a kick-off party, Pasta Pump Up, end-of-season awards night, and more. Check the website for updates.
