If your children will not be competing at any swim meets, then you will only be required to volunteer 5 shifts of gatewatch or deck cleaning (75 minutes each) during swim practice between April 4 and June 9.
Dual meets relays are scored 8, 4, and 2 points for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. A team can not score both 1st and 2nd place points on relays, the maximum points earned by a team on relays is 10 points. Individual events are scored 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point for 1st to 6th places, and ribbons awarded through 8th place, as well as Improved Time (Personal Best) and Participant ribbons.
Parents play a key role in developing a positive team and family environment. The following are guiding principles for all parents:
Brittney Paulsen Eich, is on sabbatical this year with 2nd daughter expected late May. Coach Andrew is acting head coach. Coaches Sara Schiro, Coach Matt Smith, Nick McCord are back. New Coach in Training is Danielle Emile. In April pre-season we focus on stroke mechanics and we have teachers in the water with the youngest swimmers. Our coaches will emphasize stroke techniques and want all Gators to enjoy swimming as much as they love coaching, to understand the rules, safety and good sportsmanship. After preseason, Monday to Wednesday focus is conditioning, while Thursday/Friday focus is on stroke mechanics. Detailed coaches’ biographies are updated yearly and posted on our website.
The team’s home pool is Westgate Cabana Pool at 4750 Bucknall Road, San Jose 95130. We are guest users of this facility. We must abide by the City of San Jose rules and regulations for parking according to our operating permit. NEVER park adjacent to neighbor’s homes and do NOT jaywalk when walking across Bucknall Road. Use the Baker School parking lots, and Bucknall or Woodglen adjacent to the school, not any homes. The Bucknall curb (not red) in front of the Cabana is for loading/unloading of passengers or pool chemicals. Do NOT park more than 10 minutes for drop off and pick up of swimmers. Neighbors do report License Plate numbers to the San Jose police for permit violations of parking in front of their homes.
We’re delighted to see all our returning swimmers, and very happy to welcome new Gator families.
This handbook is designed to assist Westgate Gators’ families in understanding summer league swimming, information about the sport, the team and parent responsibilities. We hope that every family, new and returning, will take time to read the updated handbook. Seasonal information is provided by email and on our website www.westgatecabana.org .
Co-Director Claudia Smith:csmith@vcs.net Cell: 408-499-7710 weekends/evenings
Co-Director Parent Volunteer Coordinator Wahid Kazem: wahidkazem@yahoo.com
Westgate Swim Team (Gators) is a member of Valley Aquatic League, along with 4 other swim teams that we compete against. They are Los Ranchitos Swim Team (Sharks) – 5 lane pool in Campbell, Encore Swim Team (Dolphins) – 6 lane pool at Pioneer High School, Los Gatos (Stingrays) – 5 lane pool on Oka Road and the Morgan Hill Splash Aquatics, Olympic size pool at the Morgan Hill Aquatic Center. The Championship meet is also held at the Morgan Hill Aquatic Center on the last Saturday in July. The Westgate Cabana Club’s San Jose Conditional Use permit doesn’t allow the team to host a meet at our Westgate facility as we do not have sufficient parking without being a nuisance to the neighborhood. Westgate Swim Team rents Valley Christian High (100 Skyway Drive, San Jose CA) for our home meets. Additional League info here. Valley Aquatic League Standing Rules and Bylaws available here.
Volunteers are the KEY to success of our swim team. Unlike other youth sports, where generally a handful of people can run the team, a swim program simply can not be run without parental help and participation, and lots of it. It takes over 1500 volunteer hours from April to July. That’s why every Gator family is REQUIRED to volunteer a minimum of 15 hours for 1 child, 20 hours for 2 children, or 25 hours for 3 or more children over the course of the season. There are many ways in which this commitment may be met. Hours due but not contributed will be billed to my account at the end of the season at the rate of $25 per unfilled hour.
ALL families must help out at meets in which your child is swimming, with rare exception, such as both parents at work or out of town. It takes more than 100 individuals to set up, clean up, check in, officiate, line up kids, work snack bar, team store, time, write ribbons and enter and post results for a typical meet. There are numerous other “behind the scenes” jobs, including pool set-up and take down, arranging team-bonding activities, Swimathon, locker room monitors, deck cleaning, fund raising. Parents select a committee or position on which to serve during the season. If you have any questions, please contact the Team Director, Parent Volunteer Coordinator or Committee Chairs by email. We will also have a parent meeting mid-May.
The swim team cannot survive without fundraising activities. All families are required to donate 3 items to the snack bar during the season, 1 item per meet, or 3 items at 1 meet (if you are absent). Other fundraisers are the Swimathon and championship ads in the printed program and the 50th anniversary bricks for the front walkway.
Sign-ups for the team are January 1-20 for returning swimmers and returning 2018 Cabana members. January 21-31 is for new 2016 Cabana members. If there are openings in any age group, then non-Cabana members can join starting Feb. 1. Once an age group is full, a waiting list will be started. Westgate Swim Team is limited for all meets by Valley Aquatic League to 135 swimmers ages 41⁄2 -18 years. Because there are many vacations, graduations, weddings, in June and July, we often have 25 to 45 swimmers absent at a meet. We have about 160 on the team for this reason. Please notify the swim team director and coach of your meet absences at least 4 days before a meet so that your swimmer’s place can be filled and all the relays can be arranged.
New 41⁄2-7 year-olds have teachers in the water during the preseason weeks in April. New swimmers must be water safe before starting preseason. During the month of May, the coaches are explaining and guiding the four strokes. By the end of May all swimmers must be able to swim 25 yards UNASSISTED. The first Saturday in June is the practice meet at our Cabana which helps the youngest swimmers see what a swim meet is like, get guidance for technique and determine times for time improvement awards.
Non-profit ID #94-1626721 1963 to 2019!
One of the main goals of the Westgate Swim Team is to promote good sportsmanship to your own teammates as well as to any other team members. We believe that each member of Westgate Swim Team should be a role model in this endeavor. Westgate’s Swimmer’s Code of Conduct lists behaviors considered essential to this goal. This document is intended to be positive, but parents and swimmers need to know that a swimmer’s failure to uphold the Code of Conduct may result in a warning, and that repeated failures or a particularly extreme incident may result in suspension or disqualification from participation in swim team activities, including swim meets. The Valley Aquatic League is serious about promoting positive behavior and eliminating poor sportsmanship.Type your paragraph here.
Westgate Gators are expected to:
The Westgate Swim Team supports the development of the skills of each individual. We value the participation of ALL swimmers, every swimmer is a winner. Winning, while valued, is not our primary objective.
1. SWIMSUITS
CARE OF SWIMSUITS
2. SWIMCAPS
3. GOGGLES
4. OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS
For the last meet of the season, all five teams compete together, with up to 650 swimmers. Parents, family, friends and supporters have an opportunity to send a personal greeting or advertise a business. Personal greetings are $10, business card size ads $15, quarter page ads $25, half page ads $40, full page ads $75 and cover ads on back, inside back or inside front are $100, full page color is $300. 50% of the proceeds benefit the Gators and 50% benefit Valley Aquatic League.
The Sunday evening following Champs from 600 to 900pm, the Westgate Cabana Pool is reserved for the end of the season pot-luck dinner and the presentation of awards. Team trophies are presented to all swimmers who have swum in at least one meet, and many other awards including ribbons and medals are distributed. The coaches spend a great deal of time and effort to recognize each swimmer’s special qualities.
What to bring for the potluck? (Below is subject to change)
Event Number | |||
---|---|---|---|
Boys | Girls | Age Group | Event Description |
1 | 2 | 15/18 | 200 yard Medley Relay |
3 | 4 | 13/14 | 200 yard Medley Relay |
5 | 6 | 11/12 | 200 yard Medley Relay |
7 | 8 | 9/10 | 100 yard Medley Relay |
9 | 10 | 8 & under | 100 yard Medley Relay |
11 | 12 | 15/18 | 50 yard butterly |
13 | 14 | 13/14 | 50 yard butterfly |
15 | 16 | 11/12 | 50 yard butterfly |
17 | 18 | 9/10 | 25 yard butterfly |
19 | 20 | 7/8 | 25 yard butterfly |
21 | 22 | 6 & under | 25 yard butterfly |
23 | 24 | 15/18 | 50 yard backstroke |
25 | 26 | 13/14 | 50 yard backstroke |
27 | 28 | 11/12 | 50 yard backstroke |
29 | 30 | 9/10 | 25 yard backstroke |
31 | 32 | 7/8 | 25 yard backstroke |
33 | 34 | 6 & under | 25 yard backstroke |
35 | 36 | 9/10 | 100 yard Individual Medley |
37 | 38 | 7/8 | 50 yard* freestyle |
39 | 40 | 11/12 | 100 yard Individual Medley |
41 | 42 | 13/14 | 100 yard Individual Medley |
43 | 44 | 15/18 | 100 yard Individual Medley |
45 | 46 | 6 & under | 25 yard breaststroke |
47 | 48 | 7/8 | 25 yard breaststroke |
49 | 50 | 9/10 | 25 yard breaststroke |
51 | 52 | 11/12 | 50 yard breaststroke |
53 | 54 | 13/14 | 50 yard breaststroke |
55 | 56 | 15/18 | 50 yard breaststroke |
57 | 58 | 6 & under | 25 yard freestyle |
59 | 60 | 7/8 | 25 yard* freestyle |
61 | 62 | 9/10 | 25 yard freestyle |
63 | 64 | 11/12 | 50 yard freestyle |
65 | 66 | 13/14 | 50 yard freestyle |
67 | 68 | 15/18 | 50 yard freestyle |
69 | 70 | 6 & under | 100 yard freestyle Relay |
71 | 72 | 7/8 | 100 yard freestyle Relay |
73 | 74 | 9/10 | 100 yard freestyle Relay |
75 | 76 | 11/12 | 200 yard freestyle Relay |
77 | 78 | 13/14 | 200 yard freestyle Relay |
79 | 80 | 15/18 | 200 yard freestyle Relay |
*Note: A 7/8 year old swimmer can NOT swim both the 50 free and 25 free. |
SWIMMER PARTICIPATION PLEDGE: print name _______________________ I, _________________________age_______, promise to always show respect and good sportsmanship in my words and actions to my coaches, my teammates, parents and to all other teams in Valley Aquatic League. I will be positive, kind and respectful to all swimmers and adults from every team. I understand that if I lack respect or good sportsmanship, I may be prohibited from participating. Parent’s signature:____________________________ date ________ I have read and talked with my child about showing respect and good sportsmanship.
Westgate Cabana Club’s facility was built in 1962 as a nonprofit corporation. Ann West swam (along with her three siblings) for the Cabana Club in 1966 and the team was already established. One of their ribbons had the year imprinted on it (1968) and "VSA" on the front. The name of their swim coach was Steve Fox (he was tough and made quite an impression on them!). Their family moved out of the neighborhood in 1968 and soon after started swimming for LTAC (Lynbrook-Tantau Aquatic Club) at Lynbrook High School. Ann remembers taking team photos at the Cabana Club (swim suits had blue and red vertical stripes. In the 1970s Westgate combined with Cloverdale and was known as the Cloverdale Westgate Dolphins. It was then a part of the Mission Oaks Aquatic League where swimmers could only swim 2 individual events. The parents voted in 1986 to become the Westgate Gators. A few years later, they joined the Valley Aquatic League. One of the main advantages was that each swimmer could now swim 3 individual events at a meet. The League has a limit of 135 swimmers ages 5 to 18 years per team.
Westgate Cabana Club’s pool and deck were renovated in 2003. Westgate has a 15-year loan for the renovation that was paid off in 2014. The Cabana is open to all neighborhoods and has a goal to fill the membership and raise funds to purchase new pool covers, continue renovations to the facility.
Time Trials are held the first Saturday of June at the Westgate Cabana Pool. The purpose of this meet is to provide an opportunity for the swimmers and the parents to participate in a trial run of a meet. This practice meet helps the coaches to determine if a new swimmer is ready for competition. Each swimmer’s goal is to obtain times in all events that will be used for forming relays and as a base for improved time ribbons. There are no relays at time trials. The parents receive hands-on training in the volunteer position they have selected.Type your paragraph here.
REV 4/7/19
For dual meets and Championships, swimmers are limited to 3 individual events, and at most 2 relays. The coaches choose the events based on how much progress a swimmer is making in different strokes, and balancing the number of swimmers in each event. The younger swimmers may not swim the same 3 events every week. The older swimmers may have established their best events with little or no fluctuation. At least one meet per season is a “swimmer’s choice” meet where the swimmer and parents can choose which individual events they would like to swim. The Head Coach is responsible for developing the “meet sheet entries” each week and providing the event list to the director for preparing the computer entries for the following Saturday’s dual meet. The director emails entries to the host team. The “meet sheet” is then emailed to all families and posted on our bulletin board at the Westgate Cabana Pool.
How does a coach decide who is going to swim what? The coaches try to put an equal number of swimmers in each event and almost all swimmers will do freestyle. The coaches also know which stroke a child may need more work on before competing in it so that he is not disqualified. The director and coaches keep track of best times and relay split times. The Valley Aquatic League has a limit of 135 swimmers at each swim meet.
WESTGATE SWIM TEAM BOARD Article 1 -- Membership
Section 1. The Westgate Swim Team Board shall consist of two classes of members.
a. General Members – parents or guardians of swim team children who have swum for the team a minimum of one season.
b. Officers.
The Swim Team Board must have a minimum of two officers: co-directors of the team. They will divide up the following duties.
At least one of the officers must be a member of the Westgate Cabana
Club from the previous season and act as a liaison from the Swim Team Board to the Cabana Board. This officer is elected at the annual Cabana meeting in September and shall serve a maximum of three consecutive years.
One director shall have general supervision, direction and control of the affairs of the swim team subject to the approval of the Swim Team Board, and shall sign on behalf of the swim team all papers necessary for operating the swim team, hiring of coaches and renting facilities for League meets.
One director shall prepare annual budgets, maintain accurate records of the checking account, maintain a swim team roster and assist the other director/s.
One director will coordinate the parent volunteer duties necessary for running the swim meets and the duties required by Valley Aquatic League.
Section 2. Only members of the Westgate Swim Team Board shall be entitled to vote on swim team business. Each member shall have one vote.
Section 3. Removal of an Officer. A majority of the Westgate Swim Team Board members present at a special meeting duly called and held for that purpose may remove any officer for just cause.
Article 2 -- Meetings
Section 1. Place of meetings. Meetings shall be held in Santa Clara County at the Westgate Cabana Club or home of any swim team member.
Section 2. Notice of meetings. A notice for the first meeting of the season, usually in May, will be made to all the swim team families at least 7 days in advance of the meeting. Notices of the meeting shall specify the place, date and hour of the meeting.
Section 3. Quorum. The presence of 7 or more members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, business may be transacted but will not be official until ratified by a majority of the voting members of the Westgate Swim Team Board.
Article 3 -- Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1. No part of the net earnings, profits or assets of Westgate Swim Team shall inure to the benefit of any private person or member or officer of the Westgate Swim Team Board. Upon dissolution of the Westgate Swim Team, all assets remaining after providing for all debts and obligations shall be donated to the Westgate Cabana Club.
Section 2. The Westgate Swim Team is a member of the Valley Aquatic League. Any action to change leagues must be approved the Westgate Swim Team Board. Two members of the Westgate Swim Team Board are required to attend the Valley Aquatic League meetings and fulfill duties assigned by the League.
Section 3. Amendments. These by-laws may be altered, repealed, or amended and new or additional by-laws adopted by the Westgate Swim Team Board upon 30-day written notice of the changes to be made to members of the Board. These by-laws shall become effective following their adoption by the present Westgate Swim Team Board and the Westgate Cabana Board.
Section 4. The Westgate Swim Team Board may adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of their meetings and management of their affairs as they may deem proper.
Westgate Cabana Club
(Lessons) +1-408-703-2458
The website and email are the primary method for parents, coaches and swimmers to share information. A correct email address, cell phone are essential. Each family has a Gator file folder kept at the pool for notes or gifts from swim buddies, flyers, newsletters and ribbons not picked up at the end of a swim meet. Check your folder at least weekly. We have two Facebook pages. The first is a public page that you "like" if you interested in receiving updates. This page is public so it will not include meet details, photos or anything else that is private to the team. To join this page click this link and push the like button: https://www.facebook.com/westgateswimteam/ The second page is for confirmed swim team members, parents and staff. This page will have meet details (as calendar items that will synch to your Facebook account), and we will be leveraging Facebook photo archiving ability to store and share photos. To join, click this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WestgateSwimTeamMembers/
Contact Info:
WELCOME TO WESTGATE SWIM TEAM
WHAT TO BRING TO A SWIM MEET FOR PARENTS AND SWIMMERS
Pencil/pen & paper to record your swimmers events, times, etc.- Know your swimmers’ events. They are emailed and posted at the meet. Participate in warm-ups, team meeting, and ‘Gator cheer before each meet. Make sure your swimmers are a part of this—team spirit is essential.
Stay after the meet for the awarding of the “Matt Mikaelsson Sportsmanship Awards” and “Swimmer of the Week” honors.
ARRIVE on time! CHECK IN on time! Don’t be late for relays – your team counts on you.
Swimmers are encouraged to attend all meets. Team members enjoy hearing the cheers from their parents and friends on the team. Parents, please limit talk to the coaches during swim meets. The coaches’ responsibilities are with the swimmers. You are welcome to talk to the coaches after practices and swim meets.
Whenever possible, stay for the entire meet to cheer on the relays and receive ribbons. After the meet is over, please help clean up and join the team meeting for ribbons distribution. Special awards are the “Matt Mikaelsson Sportsmanship Award” presented to 2 swimmers and the “Swimmers of the Week” presented to 7 swimmers. ALL swimmers receive ribbons for every event they have swum.