| RIO RAPIDS > survival guide > practice > |
| PRACTICE SESSIONS |
| Practice Makes Perfect |
| Swim practice begins the first of April and continues Monday through Friday until the swim season is over. Practices are held after school when school is in session. Morning practices are also scheduled for the more serious swimmer. After the close of the school year, practices are held in the mornings. One afternoon session a day is scheduled to accommodate the working and/or summer school swimmer. |
| Each swimmer is to bring a towel, swim cap and goggles to practice every day. All equipment should be labeled with the swimmer's name. Swimmers are expected to wear team suits and team caps for meets. But swimmers should not wear team suits to practice. |
| Swimmers must remain out of the spa before, during and after all team practices and meets unless a parent is in the spa with them. Parents are requested to help enforce this rule. Unless accompanied by a parent or guardian, children must stay out of adult locker rooms. |
Attendance |
| Swimmers should attend practice regularly, at least THREE times per week. If you will not be attending every day but will have a regular schedule, please inform the head coach in writing. |
| Regular and prompt attendance is very important for each swimmer and for the team. Swimmers who do not attend practice are not likely to swim their best at meets. Swimmers who are not available at meets deprive the team of their contributions and may also deprive other swimmers of the opportunity to swim. For this reason the team follows an aggressive absenteeism policy that will be enforced vigorously. |
| Notification of all absences from meets must be given in writing to the coach as soon as possible and at least eight days before a meet. Such notification must be placed in the sign-out book, which is located in the family file box at Rio del Oro. Individual slips of paper and calls to the coach will not be accepted. |
| Swimmers violating this rule may not be allowed to swim in one or more meets. |
| Swimmers occasionally will be forced to miss meets because of illness. It is important, however, that advance written notice be given as soon as possible. Forty-eight hours is often too late to schedule substitute swimmers. |
| Promptness also is important to the team's ability to perform well at meets. Swimmers who do not check in one hour before the scheduled start of the meet may not be allowed to swim in that meet. |
| Families are urged to postpone vacation travel until after championships and the awards banquet. |