MLA Green Parent Information
Accountability: A commitment to this program is displayed through strong attendance and being on time (at practice and meets). This also includes making good choices in and out of the pool setting. Practice time drop off 10 minutes before and after. And for swim meets, (20 minutes before). Your swimmer needs to be ON DECK and READY to swim at scheduled times, not walking in the door.
Evaluation: 8 & Under swimmers must be able to swim 1 length of the pool (25 yards) unassisted on their front and back to participate. 9-10 year old swimmers must be able to swim 2 lengths (50 yards) unassisted on their front and back to participate. 11 & up must be able to swim 4 lengths (100 yards) unassisted on their front and back to participate.
Awareness: Swimmers need to keep track of their best times and should set achievable goals each practice. They also should strive to stay as focused as possible and listen to their coaches to help meet their goals.
Action: Having a positive attitude and being open-minded about the challenges that the coaches present day in and day out.
Equipment: Caps-(MLA cap recommended, all other caps must have 1 or fewer business logos, no caps from other teams or schools) Competitive style suit-(one piece for girls, jammer or brief for boys) Training equipment is provided by Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics.
Internet: At www.hollandswimming.org, you will find the meet and practice calendar, deadlines, qualifying times, directions to pools, team apparel, and lots of other important information. Check the ‘What’s Happening?’ and ‘Calendar’ sections often because things can change with short notice!
Mailbox: Each family is provided a mailbox (folder) located in the lobby of the Holland Aquatic Center. Award, newsletters and other information will be distributed there. Parents and swimmers should get in the habit of checking their mailbox after each practice so papers don’t pile up.
Verbal: There are often verbal communications given to the swimmers by the coaches. Ask your swimmer daily if there is any news you should know from the coaches. Coaches are also usually available to talk in the lobby after practice. Please, do not go on deck!!!
Bulletin Board: There is a team bulletin board located near the mailboxes in the lobby. The bulletin board is used to post articles, schedules, photos, qualifying times, and other important information.
MLA Green Coaches Emails
Don Kimble dkimble9859@yahoo.com
Diana Simmons dianasimmons@hotmail.com
Cody Tozer cody.tozer@gmail.com
Meet Sign Up Information
Be sure to sign up for each meet no later than the Monday prior to the meet. Sign up sheets are posted on the pool side window in the lobby. In order to sign up for a meet, you must highlight your swimmer’s name directly on the posted sheet, as well as one event swim preference. Swimmers are generally entered into two individual events and one or two relays by their coaches at each pre-conference meet. All coaches have the final say in what events and relays a swimmer will swim.
Before each meet swimmer’s names will be listed with the event number, name, and seed time, of each event they will be swimming at that particular meet. This is posted on the same wall as meet signups. Please write down the event names and numbers so you and your child know what they will be swimming. The Chix Classic is an optional short course meet that has a separate cost for each swimmer to be entered.
If your swimmer is sick the day of the meet, or will be missing a meet they signed up for, please call the pool at 616-393-7595, ext. 118 and leave a message so a substitution can be made. If a sick swimmer is signed up for a relay and their coach is not notified soon enough, the relay will not swim.
Each lane during a meet requires two timers. We rely on parent volunteers to help time during home meets and run concessions. These tasks last as long as the meet does and we ask that you arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of the meet. Both timing and concession signups take place during registration.
MLA Green is a very large team and we are proud of our program. As with any quality program of this size, it takes resources to make it function. Our resources are our PARENTS! The only fee we charge is the practice fee, however, we depend on parents to accomplish many other important tasks to keep us organized and well-equipped.
