Give us an “S!” What does it stand for? Summer. Socializing. Sunshine. Stroke & Turn. Shepherding. Snack Shack. You got it! Swim Team! Over a dozen neighborhood swim clubs have recreational swim teams—some are competitive, others are more about fun in the sun. Either way, swim team is an all-encompassing, chlorinated, sunscreen-slathered way of life. If you’re new to Walnut Creek’s aquatic culture or forgot how much fun you had on the pool deck last summer, here are a few tips that will help you survive and thrive.

Be Your Coaches’ Best Friend

In the heat of a swim meet, it’s probably not the best time to ask her coach whether little Brianna is taking too many breaths on breaststroke. Save it for practice, or better yet, sign up your swimmer for a one-on-one coach lesson.

Keep it Holy

To the uninitiated, swim meets may look like chaos. But there is a method to the madness—coaches spend a lot of time planning who will swim in each race. You may think your little slowpoke won’t be missed. Wrong. Each event and each heat have a designated swimmer for each lane. When you’re a no-show, it causes chaos. Find the “Vacation Sign-Out Book” and put in the dates your child be out of town.

Lost & Found

Nevermind Google, you may wish you owned stock in goggles. Or Speedo. At big meets—All City, Conference, or County—no problem. Vendors will happily sell you whatever you need. If you’re at a local meet, head to the pool’s “Lost and Found” stash. Borrow what you need, then return it before you leave. It will still be lost.

Snack Shack

Your neighbors are barbecuing and tossing fresh salads. You’re invited. Okay, it costs a few bucks but it’s for a good cause: swim team. And did you really want to cook? Sit back, enjoy, and smell the cup of noodles. Give the kids a budget and let them live it up a little. We remember corner candy stores; they’ll remember Snack Shack. Hint: it’s what keeps a lot of them swimming.

Dial It Down

Worse than the “Screaming Maniac” swim team parent is “The Scold.” We’ve all seen it. No sooner does some drenched little thing clamber out of the pool panting and shivering from a race than a parent is scolding them about what they did wrong. Don’t be that parent. Also, it’s considered bad form to yell at the top of your lungs for your kid if he/she is swimming against a teammate in a heat.

Nice Work If You Can Get It

Jobs are the ultimate parental joy of swim team. Want to be where the action is? Time the races. Like working with kids? Shepherd. Prefer interacting with adults? Record or desk. Want to relive your glory days as a short-order cook and waitress? Snack shack’s the ticket. Try them all, find your niche, and do your best. And don’t grumble. There are plenty of parents putting in way more time than you willingly and lovingly to make swim team happen. After all, what would summer be without it?

Cherish the Moment

Look at your child’s face as they excitedly run around the grass with their friends. Forge tribal bonds with other parents during these fleeting moments. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave at its finest. It may not seem like it when you’re shepherding and can’t find that 7-year-old backstroker or you’re backed up with nacho orders at snack shack, but life doesn’t get much better than this. Your kids will get older. They may drive themselves to swim team. They may stop doing swim team. They may go away to college. This time is precious. Swim Team is a gift. Enjoy it. Cherish it. You’ll be glad you did.

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