Dale City Swim Team

Swimmer Commitment

Remember to declare your swimmers by noon on Wednesday before Saturday’s meet. Late entries are not accepted. We are also not able to add swimmers the day-of. 

Volunteer/Job Sign-up

At least one parent is required to volunteer at least one shift during the swim meet. Please check-in with our Volunteer Coordinator, Latrice, as soon as you arrive. 

Concessions

The Dale City Swim Team appreciates and depends on concession donations during our home swim meets. This helps keep our fees lower for swim families and helps cover overhead costs. 

Download the SwimTopia App

The free version of the mobile app shows a personalized view of your family’s meet entries, volunteer signups and swim history. You can signup for meets and jobs, and receive push notifications from your team. With a Pro subscription you’ll get full heat sheets, results, and notification alerts about upcoming swims and your favorite swimmers’ results. We will no longer be using Meet Mobile or the On Deck App.

Swimmer's Event(s): For the meet, especially with young swimmers, it is helpful if parents write their events on their hand/arm WITH A SHARPIE. This can be done by reading the heat sheet from your e-mail (see e-mail from Stephanie) or using the SwimTopia app. This helps the swimmer remember what events they are swimming and what event number to listen or watch for to ensure they arrive at Clerk of Course promptly. An example is below:

Event # / Heat # / Lane #

10 / 3 / 3 / 25 Free     

Packing List:

• Swimsuit
• Swim Cap
• Goggles
• $$ for concessions
• Towels (two for each swimmer)
• Sweatpants and sweatshirts
• T-shirts and shorts
• Baby powder (sprinkle into the cap to prevent sticking)
• Ink pen/Sharpie (to mark swimmers’ event #’s on their hands)
• Cards, games, toys, etc.
• Tent, tarp, umbrella
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• Lawn chairs
• Sunblock
• Bug Spray

Address (Home Meet): 14730 Birchdale Ave., Woodbridge, VA 22193.

Swimmer arrival time, Warm-ups, and Start Time: Dale City arrival time is 5:45 a.m. with warm-ups, 6:10 – 6:30 a.m. Visiting team warm-ups, 6:30 – 6:50 a.m. National Anthem is at 6:55 a.m. and the meet will start promptly after.

Volunteer Check-in: Please check-in with our volunteer coordinator, Latrice, upon arriving at the pool Saturday morning. You will get your volunteer tag which will allow you to access the designated area of the pool deck during your volunteer slot. At least one parent is required to volunteer at each meet where their child swims. Please check by 6:30 a.m. and all Timers and Recorders are required to attend the Timer and Recorders Meeting.

Concessions: Donated items should be dropped off on Thursday at practice before our home meets. We will have concessions available for purchase during the meet. Card or cash is accepted!

Parking: Spots have first come, first served. Please observe parking signs for the town home community across the street from the pool. There is plenty of street parking on surrounding streets.

Parking DON’T’S:

• Do not park in non-designated parking areas, such as townhome parking spots. Please be careful not to block driveways, and you are required by law to park 15’ from an intersection.
• Do not park on Dale Blvd. An officer will be checking. Illegally parked cars will be ticketed.

Swimmers Pickup and Drop off: There will be a designated area for pickup and drop off at the beginning of the Birchdale parking lot. Please be aware of other’s needing to use this turn around and be quick. This area is NOT temporary parking while you set up your tent, it is only for loading / unloading of swimmers or equipment. Do not drop off in the condo lot across the street.

Team Area: Visiting teams set up around the outside of the fence adjacent to the road, in front of the hillside from the upper parking lot, and inside the fence along the hillside towards the diving board. There are entrances beside the shed, next to hillside, and the double main gate near the Concessions. Dale City sets up in the grass inside the fence closest to the main entrance.

NO FILMING/CAMERAS behind the block: Spectators and volunteers are not permitted to take photos/video from behind the block where swimmers start. This is for the swimmer's protection and privacy.

Deck Access & Viewing: There is limited deck space for viewing. Stay behind the roped off areas. Please watch for Working Officials, Swimmers in line moving to events, and ESPECIALLY our Runners. Meet Officials (Those wearing the white shirts) should never be asked to move. They are working in an official role to help conduct a safe and successful swim meet. Absolutely no spectators will be allowed at the start and finish ends of the pool as it gets very crowded and interferes with both the swimmers and the timers/recorders/runners. Do not camp out on the pool deck or the deck tables. These areas need to be kept open for foot traffic and use for coaches to organize swimmers at their discretion.

Disqualifications (DQs) are a crucial part of swimmers’ development no matter the age or skill level of the swimmer. They strictly enforce proper stroke technique and should be considered educational not punitive. The Coaches use DQs to refine practice plans and training not just for the individual swimmer, but the age group and team generally. Even when a swimmer disqualifies, an accurate time is usually recorded. Although unofficial, such a time may serve as a gauge of swimmer improvement.

Address (Away Meet): Look for the exact address to be sent in weekly e-mails. 

Swimmer arrival time, Warm-ups, and Start Time: Visting team warm-ups are typically the second shift (later than home team warm-ups schedule). Exact times will be sent directly to swimmers.

Volunteer Check-in: Please check-in with our volunteer coordinator upon arriving at the pool Saturday mornings. You will get your volunteer tag which will allow you to access the designated area of the pool deck during your volunteer slot. At least one parent is required to volunteer at each meet where their child swims.

Parking: Parking details are specific week to week and will be sent by e-mail. 

NO FILMING/CAMERAS behind the block: Spectators and volunteers are not permitted to take photos/video from behind the block where swimmers start. This is for the swimmer's protection and privacy.

Concessions: Concessions are typically available at away meets. Make sure to prepare cash as some vendors will not accept credit card.