Q: When and how long is the Swans Synchronized Swimming season?
A: The official VFCAL synchronized swimming season begins the first week in May. This is when we may begin teaching routines.
Q: When do the swimmers start training?
A: Our Spring Training starts at the beginning of April.
Q: What does VFCAL mean?
A: This is the Valley Foothill Competitive Aquatics League.
Q: Are the Sunrise Swans a recreation team or a competitive team?
A: Both. The Sunrise Swans Team is part of the Valley Foothill Competitive Aquatics League. The VFCAL is a recreation league, however, there are weekly dual competition meets in June and July and a final Championship all-team meet in mid-July.
Q: What is the difference between Intermediate and Novice?
A: The Novice swimmers are swimmers who have not yet met the requirement to move up to the intermediate level. To become an intermediate, the swimmer needs to either place first through eighth place in figures at Champs (12 and over), or place first through sixth as an ll-year-old, or place first at three of our mid-season dual meets.
Q: Which swimmers participate in the dual meets?
A: All registered Swans swimmers (up to 40 team members), who have been to regular practices and who feel confident that they know the required figures for that meet, can participate.
Q: Are swimmers required to compete in the dual meets?
A: Swimmers are not required, but are strongly encouraged, to compete in any or all of the meets including Champs.
Q: Could I compete at Champs but not the dual meets?
A: No. The VFCAL rules state that you must compete in at least two dual meets in order to be eligible to compete at Champs. However, you could swim at dual meets and not at Champs, if the situation arises.
Q: What do we wear to the dual meets?
A: All swimmers wear a black one-piece swim suit, a white cap, and goggles. Be sure to bring extra nose-clips!
Q: What are the dual meets like?
A: Swimmers will perform a set of four different figures at each of the meets. Additionally, there will be specific routines (up to two per team) performed at the meets per the VFCAL schedule.
Q: Who decides which routines will perform at the dual meets?
A: The Coaches determine whether a routine will compete at a dual meet and/or Champs.
Q: Who decides which swimmers will be in each routine?
A: The Coaches decide who will be in each routine based on a variety of factors.
Q: Do all swimmers competing at Champs do figures and routines?
A: Not necessarily. Each team can only enter 40 swimmers to compete in figures. A swimmer may compete in a routine, but not in figures, or swimmers may compete in figures, but not in a routine. First-year swimmers typically do not compete in a Champs routine. Coaches again will make all decisions about figures and routines and who will compete.
Q: What kinds of routines are there?
A: There are routines for both novice swimmers and intermediate swimmers. In each level, there are solos, duets, trios, as well as technical teams and combo routines (which have 4-10 swimmers). In both Novice and Intermediate, there are age categories within each routine category; for example, Novice age breaks are 10 and under, 11-14, and 15-18, Intermediates are 11-14, and 15-18 for all Solos, Duets, or Trios. For Novice Team routines, however, the break is 12 and under or 13 and over.
Q: How is information about who is chosen for the routines communicated to the swimmers and parents?
A: Typically during the first week of Official Season practice, Coaches will tell the swimmers which routines they will be in. Parents are always welcome to talk to the Coaches or Parent Committee members about any concerns regarding routine decisions.
Q: Who can I ask if I still have questions?
A: You can ask any Parent Board Member or any experienced parent, or submit a contact us form through this website. All members of our team are more than happy and willing to answer any questions you may still have.