LPST Information Guide

PRACTICES

Practices are daily Monday through Friday mornings at the Lincoln Park Pool. The practice time is based on your child's age. Parents are permitted to stay and watch but are respectfully asked not to interfere. Unless there is thunder/lightning, it's a rain or shine event!  

Summer practice schedule is daily Monday through Friday:

• 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM -  11 & Over

• 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM -  9 & 10

• 10:30 AM -11:00 AM -  8 & U

• DUAL MEETS

Dual meets are competitions between two teams within a division.  These meets determine our win/loss record in our division, the Atlantic Division, for the season. Our dual meets are Monday evenings at 6:00 PM.  Although times may vary, typically expect to arrive for a home meet no later than 4:45 PM and an away meet no later than 5:15 PM. Our summer swim meets include 58 events. (Order of Events on the website)

There are 42 "individual" events where swimmers from both teams race. Each team enters 2 or 3 swimmers, based on the number of lanes the pool has, in each of the individual events into a "live" heat" - the heat that determines points for the team score. For each event, there may also be multiple individual "exhibition" heats - non-scoring heats.  Exhibition heats allow all swimmers on both teams to participate. Individual events are broken down by gender and into the following age groups: 8 & under, 10 & under, 12 & under, 14 & under, and 15 and over (or Opens). The age of the swimmer on July 24 determines the swimmer's age group for the season. Individual events include freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

The other 16 events of the dual meet program are "relay" events, the medley and free relays, also broken down by gender and age. A medley relay team has four swimmers.  Each swims a different stroke:  Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Freestyle.  The swimmers on a free relay team, all swim freestyle. There are no exhibition heats in the relay events. The maximum number of events a swimmer may race in one dual meet is 3 events - individual events and relays combined. The team with the most points at the end of the dual meet is the winner.

Dual Meet Scoring:

lndividual Events:

• 1st place 5 points

• 2nd place 3 points

• 3rd place 1 point

Relay Events:

• 1st place 7 points

• 2nd place 0 points

*A team may not sweep all points for any event.

All swimmers attend dual meets.  Please let Coach Lexie know in advance of vacations, and call her immediately if your child is sick.  The coaches make an effort to enter each swimmer in three events, the maximum number permitted.  As a result, the coach will need time to adjust and resubmit the line-up.  If you do not have a ride for a meet, please call a friend.

All pools have concession stands where you may purchase food, drink, or snacks.  You may also bring your own food to the meets. During Lincoln Park sponsored events, where we run our own food stand,  we ask that you please support the team by purchasing your food and drink items from our concession area.  A light meal between 4:30 and 5:00 PM is best.

On Mondays, the days of dual meets, the coaches ask swimmers not stay and play at the pool after practice.  Sun and heat do cause fatigue and will impact an evening meet.  Each dual meet lasts approximately 2-3 hours. The coaches will also tell the swimmers which events they will swim after practice on days of a dual meet.  They will also post a line-up at the meet. 

It's best for swimmers to wear their LP swim team (not for summer 2021) or plain black racing suits to the meets - two piece suits and boxer-type suits are not permitted.  Some other items to pack for the dual meet: goggles, swim cap, towel, sweatshirt or sweat suit, and money for concessions - there are no admission charges to attend dual meets.  Spectators should consider bringing lawn chairs.  There is usually little, if any, seating available. Please mark all personal items with the swimmer's name.

All swimmers must sit with the team - the coaches need to know where swimmers are at all times and there will always be parents volunteering, unable to keep their swimmers within arm's reach.  It's important everyone ensures swimmers arrive in a timely manner to check-in and to the staging area/heat benches and stay as a group.  This is a team activity.  Please make every effort to remain for the end of the meet and final team cheer.

Before leaving the meet, survey the team's area for trash and articles left behind. We have a Swim Team lost & found box in the team shed you may check during practice.  The Lincoln Park Pool has a lost and found area, too.  Check with the pool manager or a lifeguard to check the general lost and found. Please note, the Swim Team is not responsible for personal properties lost or left behind during a swim meet.

Invitational/Championship Meets

The majority of invitationals take place on Saturday or Sunday mornings. These are optional meets for swimmers who would like more opportunities to compete and earn individual awards. There is a fee per event, spectator admission, and heat sheets.  To participate, you must submit at practice a completed registration form with payment to the coach by the entry deadline. The coach will provide the arrival/warm-ups times and other pertinent information as soon as that information is available.  

Again, some items to pack for these meets are: LP swim team suit or plain black racing suit, goggles, swim cap, a towel, sweatshirt or sweat suit, books/games/cards to occupy down time, and a light snack (fruit/crackers).  There will be concession stands at all meets and invitationals, too.  Remember, two piece suits and boxer-type suits are not permitted. And swimmers should wear their suits to the meet.

Lincoln Park typically erects a team tent for these meets. When you arrive, look for the team tent.  Your child reports to this area and checks in with one of the coaches. Some of these meets do not supply any/many bleachers or seating.  You may want to bring lawn chairs.  Feel free to bring your own to add shade for the swimmers.  

Spirit Wear & Shopping

We like to support local businesses, so we recommend T & T Swimming in Leola, PA for a wide range of your swimming needs:  Caps, Goggles, suits, kickboards, floats, and more.  We use T & T Swimming for our swim caps and have used them for our team suits.  We’ve been pleased with their service and selection of products.

As a courtesy, we invite John Secoges of Secoges Photographics to take team and individual photos. Because our photo day is not a fundraiser, you may buy an item(s) ala carte to meet your needs.  Packages are not required for purchase.  Have multiple swimmers in a family?  He can take “sibling” or “family” photos so you can order one memory mate, which features an individual (or sibling/family pic) and team photo.  Not only is he a local photographer, he is a member of our pool and has donated a money to the swim team every year since 2013.  You can check out the sports tab on his website to see some of his work.      

And, Rockhound Apparel meets all the needs of both the LP Swim Team and Swimming Association for spirit wear, lifeguard t-shirts, board member t-shirts, designs for swim caps, and more.  This local group does a fantastic job creating fresh designs, selling a variety of products across a range of price points, turning around an order in a timely manner, and managing great relationships with people.  We couldn’t be happier with anyone else.