• Swim suit.  We do not require you purchase a team suit; however, we do look sharp in our green and black.  Details are here.

• Swim cap.  The team provides each swimmer with one swim cap as part of their registration.  Any additional caps are at your cost.

• Goggles.  Purchase the style your child likes.  Be prepared to by replacements as they often get left behind! (check the pool lost and found first!)

• Towels.  One towel for practice is likely enough, but multiple for a swim meet is a good thought.

• Sunblock.  Even though practices are in the morning and meets in the evenings, that sun can be intense.

• We will swim 7 meets against one other team, thus dual, in 2025.  4 at Forest Hills and 3 in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh.  The full schedule, including arrival times, is on TeamSnap and in the Practices and Calendars section of this website.  Swim meets begin at 6:30 pm and are typically over about 8:30 pm.

• There are 31 events in a dual meet grouped by gender and/or age.  All four strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breastroke and butterfly) are represented. Event 0 is an exhibition event to allow for our young swimmers to participate in the 'off strokes' (not freestyle) while events 1-30 are scored. Our heat sheet (example here) provides a complete list of the events and how a meet is scored.

• For every meet, a lineup, or list of who is swimming, is determined by the coaches.  Swimmers will either swim 'for points' or 'alternate'.   Although alternates are not swimming for points, swimmers experience competition and the excitment of the crowd.  The meet will have as many 'alternate heats' for events as necessary to make sure all swimmers participate.

• Sending your swimmer to the meet with a marker to write their event number on their hand or arm can help them keep track and for when to look for them in an event.

• ESA allows an individual to swim at any dual meet for points up to three times as long as all other swimmers in that specific age range have already swum for points at least twice. This rule assures that as many swimmers as possible from each age group will be able to compete for points. Alternates are not considered as competing for the purposes of this rule (ESA Rules and Regulations).

• Swimmers are expected to remain with the team during the meet so they do not miss their event.

• Swimmers are expected to clean up all of their trash by the end of the meet to leave the area better than when they arrived.

• At the end of the meet, the team gathers with the coaches to do a cheer for the other team, hear words of encouragement, and award the boy and girl Beast of the Meet awards. This only lasts about 5 minutes.

• Please do not drop your child off at the Forest Hills pool and assume that he/she will have a ride to away meets.  You are personally responsible for all transportation arrangements.

• YES! Super critical.

• Coaches spend hours, not exaggerating, developing the lineup ensuring our best chance to win and that all swimmers are included in the meet.

• If the coaches think your swimmer will be there, and they don't turn up, you could be jeopardizing other swimmers chances to swim (e.g., a relay may not be complete).

• It is not easy to 'just add someone else' to the lineup as there are ESA rules both teams must follow. 

• Lineups are submitted to meet officials prior to the meet start.  Once this happens, no changes are allowed.  A missing swimmer will result in a scratched event (ESA Rules and Regulations). And disappointed swimmers.

• Please, please, please keep your availability updated in TeamSnap.

• Yes, yes, and yes!

• There are plenty of easy volunteer opportunities that require little to no prior knowledge.  The great thing is, many of the roles come with prime viewing of the pool action.

• Here are the signup links for 2025:

  • June 17th HOME https://tinyurl.com/HomeJune17

  • June 24th HOME https://tinyurl.com/HomeJune24

  • June 26th AWAY  https://tinyurl.com/AwayJune26

  • July 8th HOME https://tinyurl.com/HomeJuly8

  • July 10th AWAY https://tinyurl.com/AwayJuly10

  • July 15th HOME https://tinyurl.com/HomeJuly15

  • July 17th AWAY https://tinyurl.com/AwayJuly17

• If you remain unsure but are curious about helping, there is a special slot in the signup where you can volunteer to shadow a role.

• Volunteering even one time helps relieve another parent so they may sit back and enjoy the evening watching their child in the pool.

• Chairs

• Packed food or money for concessions

• Multiple towels (swimmers warm up and then have their events, 2-3 towels depending on weather is good to have)

• Sunblock

• Stingray swag!

• Many of the away pool facilities do not have excellent parking.  Carpooling is a great option or just make sure to leave time to scour for a spot.

• New family meeting.  If you are new this year, the coaches and parent booster club members would love to meet you prior to the first practice from 5:30-6:00 pm on Wednesday, May 28th.

• All parent meeting.  After our first home meet, Tuesday, June 17th, parents will gather in the grass at the pool lodge (weather permitting) to formally meet the parent board

• Pizza party. Pizza and dessert is provided after our first home meet, Tuesday, June 17th to swimmers and families.  Swimmers are then able to swim from about 9:00-10:00 pm.

• Picture day.  Who doesn't love an athletics picture!  Individual (or with a sibling) and team photos will be taken by Freyvogel photography on Friday, June 20th at 10:00 am.  A paper form/envelope with all the options will be provided to your swimmer by the coaches about a week in advance of the day.  You need to provide a check and the form upon taking the photo.  Bring your hair brush and smile!

• Movie day.  Also on Friday, June 20th, swimmers, coaches and parents are invited to attend an early afternoon showing of a swimmers choice (age/thematically appropriate) movie at the AMC Waterfront Theater.  The team will vote prior to movie day on what to see.  You are responsible for purchasing a ticket for your swimmer and to arrange transportation.  This event is optional.

• End of Season Banquet.  The evening of Championships, Saturday, July 26th, from 6:00-10:00 pm we will host our end of season banquet.  The cost of each swimmer is covered by the team.  Any non-swimmer 5 and older is $10/person.  More details will be provided on TeamSnap regarding payment.  Our evening includes dinner (catered by Shumans Homewood) and dessert, team awards, team gifts, coaches and other special recognitions, swimming and a slide show.  Bring a chair and enjoy wrapping the season together.

• This meet is held at Forest Hills on Saturday, July 26th.  This is the final and largest meet of the season with all 6 Division I teams present. One heat, no alternates, of each event is run.  Total team score determines winning order.

• Not all swimmers will be entered in the championship lineup as determined by the coaches, based on regular season performance.  

  • However, this is a great day to cheer, volunteer and watch your Stingrays swim their hearts out for back-to-back titles!

• A one hour lunch break is provided, typically there is a recreational swim for the kids (in the meet or not).

• Our Champs Coordinator, Mark Iddings, will be communicating in July regarding volunteering for meet setup, jobs during the meet, and post-tear down.  We set up on Friday evening, host the meet Saturday morning through early afternoon, and complete tear down between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon.

• The food we sell at championships is a significant fundraiser for the team, Kelly and Heather Cass coordinate the food sales.  

• Our ability to do well in these sales reduces our need to fundraising throughout the season.  Families donate supplies, a signupgenius will be sent out in July.  We also receive donations from Giant Eagle and The Wilkinsburg Penn-Joint Water Authority.

These meets are competitions between Forest Hills and several other teams. Coaches will advise on all.

Walt Brown Odd Age Meet @ Haymaker: Saturday, June 28th

• If, as of June 1, 2025, your swimmer is 9, 11, 13, or 15 they may compete at this Haymaker hosted meet. A range of different events are available for entry including individual events in all four strokes and the usual relays. Pay attention to TeamSnap notifications for entry details.

Mini-Meet @ Park: Saturday, July 19th

• Calling all 8 & Unders!  Park Swim Club hosts this meet for young swimmers who compete only against swimmers of their same age and gender.  Swimmers will have a chance to compete in all four strokes, as well as in relays.  Eligibility is based on the child’s age as of the date of the meet. Pay attention to TeamSnap for entry details

Battle of the Borders @ White Oak: Tuesday, July 22nd

• An exhibition meet with three other teams where events range from the silly to the sublime like the train, doggie-paddle (barking encouraged), and t-shirt exchange relays.  Parents, get your laps in to prep for the adult relay!

• No parents are allowed on the pool deck practices. If you need to speak to the coaches, please do so after the practice or via TeamSnap.

• No parents are to be on the pool deck during meets, except those who are working as meet officials.   You are welcome to stay and watch practice, just please remain on the locker room level.

• We would love to meet you!

• Email us at foresthillsswimteam@gmail.com

• Chat with Suzanna, Bethany, Liz, Tara or Lyndsey when you see them around the pool or at a meet this season.

• Our Forest Hills lifeguards, many who are team veterans and swim at a varsity high school level, may offer private swim instruction.   Ask the pool managers or recreation director Walt Reamer, recdirector@foresthillspa.gov.