South Hampton Hurricanes

Who runs this? Your neighbors! We are your fellow parents and neighbors. We do this on a 100% voluntary basis because we love the neighborhood, our team's mission, and our kids. We are governed by the (also volunteer-based) St Johns Summer Swim League.

Why should my child join the swim team?
Your children will become more proficient swimmers, remain active during the summer break, and enjoy being on a team while also competing against themselves to improve each week. If they are already a swimmer, this is a great way for them to keep in shape and competitive. Your children might also make new friends. The kids aren’t the only ones that might make new friends, the swim team is a good way to meet other neighbors.

Does my child have to be a proficient swimmer to join the swim team?
No, as long as your child can swim the length of the pool and float independently, we’d love them to join. Our coaches will work with them on all aspects of technique, strokes, and endurance. By the end of the season, you’ll have a much stronger swimmer.

What is the cost of joining the team?
Residents: Until March 8th, $200 for the first swimmer, $190 for the second swimmer, & $180 for the third swimmer. Each additional swimmer will incur a $30 cost to cover league dues. 

Late & Non-Residents: Between March 9th and April 26th, $250 for the first swimmer, $240 for the second swimmer, & $230 for any additional swimmer.

Price includes the league fees of $30 per swimmer, team shirt, and swim cap. Please note that there are additional equipment requirements not included in the registration price.

Refund Policy

Through 1st week of practice – You will receive a full refund less a $30 fee.

After 1st week of practice – No refund

A 100% refund will be given to any new swimmers that try out for the team and do not make the team. 

When does the season start?
The swim season (including practices) runs from May – July. See the website calendar for more details.

What are the age groups for the competition?
There are six age groups: 6 & under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-18

My child has a summer birthday. What age group will he/she compete in?
The league uses the age of the child on June 1 for placement in age group competitions at the meets.

What equipment will I have to purchase?
Appropriate swimsuit, swim cap, goggles, and a REUSABLE water bottle with swimmer name. Optional items: fins and kickboard

What strokes do the swimmers use in competition?
Freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

What swimming strokes does my child need to know to join the team?
Your child does not need to know any strokes to join the swim team. They do need to be able to swim the length of the lap pool (25 yards) without assistance and float comfortably on their back. The first practice will be used to evaluate swimmer readiness. If the coach determines that the child is not able to be safe in the water, all fees will be refunded. Safety is our top priority at all times.

How often and when is practice?
The practice schedule will be updated soon. Practice begins in early May and will be in the afternoons during the school year. During the summer, practices will be held in the mornings.

What happens if we have a conflict and my child is not able to attend practice?
Practices are offered 4 times a week. It is at your discretion how many practices your child attends. You will see the most progress if your child attends at least three practices a week. Practices are not mandatory and you do not need to let us know when your child will be absent.

Does a child have to swim in a particular number of practices during the week to swim in a meet?
No, but the more practices they attend the better they will swim at the meets!

Does my child need to wear the team swimsuit during practice? During a meet? What brand, and where do I buy it?
No special swimsuits are needed during practice. Girls should wear a one-piece with no ruffles or decorations. Boys should practice in "jammer" style shorts. Team suits during meets are encouraged but not required. The suits are available at an additional cost through Williams Athletics. If your swimmers choose not to wear the team suit at meets, we ask that they wear a plain black or purple suit. Tech suits are not permitted during swim meets.

What is the volunteer commitment?
Volunteers are critical to the success of running our meets smoothly - and it takes a village - or more precisely, it takes between 50-60 parent volunteers to run each meet, in addition to the coaches and staff!

Enrolling in the program means that you agree to volunteer. You have a variety of positions to choose from and we'll provide all the guidance you need! Volunteering is a great way to directly engage with your swimmers.

It's an all-volunteer effort, and there is always something more that can be done. Consider becoming a starter or stroke & turn official. The officiating is all volunteer, and it always helps to have more people trained to step in when others have scheduling conflicts for a meet. You may also enjoy the meet more when you know the rules well, in addition to being able to help in your child's swimming development. Some positions such as Timers and Stroke & Turn Officials have a front-row seat to the swimming events and will have an unlimited supply of cold water brought to them throughout the meet. 

Home & Away Volunteer Assignments

Ready Bench (2 Shifts, 2 Adults Per Shift)

These volunteers line up swimmers for their events and get them ready to race.

Team Area Parent (2 Shifts, 2 Per Shift)

These volunteers work with the Ready Bench, gathering swimmers missing from the Ready Bench Area, grabbing missing swim caps and goggles, and aiding in the South Hampton Hurricanes Tent City as needed.

Stroke and Turn Officials (2 Shifts, 2 Per Shift)

Training is done through the league online. These volunteers must have completed a clinic and have a badge. They observe swimmers in their jurisdiction and record any stroke-and-turn infractions, which may result in swimmers being disqualified from events.

Timer (6 Shifts, 6 Per Shift)

These volunteers time swimmers during events. We will be going over this job during the mock meet.

Home Volunteer Assignments

Head Meet Official (HMO) (1 Shift, 1 Per Meet)

This volunteer must have completed a clinic and have a badge. The HMO runs home meets and resolves all disputes. Before the meet, the HMO runs the briefings for timers and stroke-and-turn officials. He/she assigns officials to watch for early take-offs during relays. During the meet, the HMO reviews all DQ slips, signs, approves, and submits them to the computer operators.

In the case of a false start, the starter and HMO determine when to re-run a heat and inform computer operators. The HMO knows the weather policy and has the authority to suspend or stop a meet due to weather conditions.

Clerk of Course (2 Shifts, 1 Per Shift)

The Clerk of Course is the heart of the swim meet. This is the person who runs the Ready Bench/Clerk of Course and helps to place swimmers in the correct heat. This person will be notified of all scratches before the start of the swim meet.

Computer Operator (1 Shift, 2 Per Meet)

These volunteers must have completed a clinic. They prepare meet documents/heat sheets before the meet; enter times and DQs during the meet; and post results following the meet.

Starter/Announcer (1 Shift, 1 Per Meet)

The Announcer calls out the upcoming events to alert swimmers of their event and also makes general announcements. This volunteer must have completed a clinic and have a badge. They announce each event; start the races; monitor false starts; and keep the meet flowing according to schedule. They must be able to consistently start races and identify starting issues on the blocks.

DQ Card Runner (2 Shifts, 1 Per Shift)

These volunteers pick up DQ slips from stroke-and-turn officials and deliver them to the HMO.

Head Timer (1 Shift, 1 Per Meet)

This volunteer serves as a backup timer if any timer’s watch fails. This volunteer starts his/her watches for every race.

Ribbons (2 Shifts, 1 Per Shift)

This volunteer presents the fastest swimmer with a ribbon at the end of each heat.

Concession Stand (2 Shifts, 2 Per Shift)

These volunteers sell food and beverages. Responsible for cash, set-up, and break down. Arrange pick-up from outside vendors (Chick-Fil-A, Dunkin Donuts, etc.)

Alternate Volunteer (2 Shifts, 2 Per Shift)

These volunteers work with the Volunteer Coordinator to plug any volunteer holes in the meet.

HHS Cleanup Crew (1 Shift, 4 Per Shift)

As a meet is winding down, these volunteers will start the process of cleaning up the facilities. Tasks include meet supplies put away, putting furniture back, removing starting blocks, all trash cans emptied, relined and trash in dumpsters, furniture put away, bathrooms neatened up, bathroom floors mopped, forgotten swimmers’ items gathered and moved to team closet. The South Hampton Hurricanes leave the pool area cleaner than we found it. 

What should I expect at the swim meets?
Meets are on Saturdays and generally run from 8am until about noon. Expect a high-energy atmosphere filled with sportsmanship, camaraderie, food, music, and yes, heat. Your swimmers will be wet but you will not; plan accordingly. Bring a cooler, a shade structure and some seating. We'll have cold drinks and food for sale to keep you going.

How can I check if I have RSVPd for an event?
Ensure you are logged in to the website. Go to the Calendar on the Team Tab on our website. Find the meet in question and select the MEET ENTRY button. This page will have show if you have RSVPd for the event. You can leave as is or change. Just hit save when done. NO CHANGES CAN BE MADE AFTER THE MEET SIGN UP DEADLINE HAS PASSED.

How can I check if I am volunteering for an event?
Ensure you are logged in to the website. Go to the Calendar on the Team Tab on our website. Find the meet in question and select the JOB SIGNUP button. Once you click there it will tell you what job/session/ and swim meet you are signed up to volunteer for. If you would like to sign up for additional Volunteer jobs, you may do so here.

What does the writing on the swimmers mean?
Each Friday before a swim meet you will be sent a Heat Sheet letting you know which events your swimmer(s) will be competing in along with the specific heat and lane numbers. In order for everyone to remember, swimmers should write their events on their arms. Here is an example of the way that most swimmers do it:

E = Event #, H= Heat # and L = Lane assigned

the rest is the length of the event (meters) and the stroke.

FR = Freestyle, BK=Backstroke, FL/FLY= Butterfly and BR=Breaststroke.

What is a Heat Sheet?
This is the printed listing displayed before and during a meet that tells swimmers what events they will compete in. It also defines the swimmer's lane assignment per event. Lanes are typically assigned based on seed times, with the fastest swimmers in the center of the pool. Events are listed in order usually alternating girls and boys events.

Sample Individual Event from a Heat Sheet:

Important Terms:
Seed time is the fastest time a swimmer or team of swimmers has swum an event prior to the submission of entries for the meet. For individuals, this is the time entered for the swimmer for the event, and is a good goal to try to beat. It also factors into lane placement and heat number. Swimmers with no seed time will usually be in the first heat. The heats are usually placed with the faster seed times at the end.

An “NT” listed for seed time means no seed time has yet been recorded for that swimmer, i.e. that swimmer has not competed in that event, or was disqualified during the event.

An X in front of seed time means the swimmer is swimming an exhibition heat. In exhibition heats, swimmers receive a time, but do not score points for the team. Exhibition heats are performed so that more swimmers can participate in events, and are a valuable opportunity to get a legal time for championship eligibility, or achieve one’s personal best.

Individual Medleys (IM) are swum in order:
1) Butterfly, 2) Backstroke, 3) Breaststroke, 4) Freestyle.

It’s important for swimmers to know the order, because any other order will result in a “DQ” or disqualification.

As in the example above, swimmers in age groups 6 & under and 8 & under swim one length of the pool, or 25 meters, whereas older swimmers swim two lengths, down and back, or 50 meters. In their relay medleys, swimmers 1 and 3 enter the water at one end of the pool, and swimmers 2 and 4 at the opposite end. Older swimmers start and finish at the same point.

Relay medleys are swum in order:
1) Backstroke, 2) Breaststroke, 3) Butterfly, 4) Freestyle.

Accordingly, in the relay event below, Nicholas Wolf will swim backstroke, Keith Miller the breaststroke, Ryan Anthony the butterfly, and Chris Carlin the freestyle. They will swim in Heat 1, Lane 4. Their team has not yet received a legal seed time, so they have “NT.” This team is in the age group that swims two lengths of the pool, or 50 meters, each, which is reflected in the 200 meter event distance.

How do you figure out the lane and heat assignments?
The computer places everyone in a particular event by age groups (5&6, 7&8, 9&10,11&12, 13&14, or 15-18) and will start with the fastest 6 swimmers. The fastest two (best recorded times either from meets or possibly time trials) go in the middle lanes the next fastest go in lane 2 and lane 5 and finally lane 1 and lane 6 unless there is a child with a disability. They may be pulled into lane 1 next to the starter. This is the last heat to race in an event.

If there are 6 or more swimmers for this event the computer will take the next 6 fastest swimmers and place them the fastest in the middle two lanes and so and so on. They will be in the next to last heat or race. Then the computer puts all the NT swimmers in the first heat or race in a random order.

Do you ever change heat or lane assignments after the heat sheet has been posted?
Sometimes after we have checked all children into a meet we need to go to the computer person and delete swimmers who have not showed or are sick. We then remove these swimmers from the event. This will change the heat sheet which impacts heat and lane assignments. Another situation that changes the actual heat sheet is from time to time events may be merged. Generally if there is a race that has only a few swimmers, they may combine like events. For example, if there are only 2 relay teams for the boys and 1 for the girls we may merge those teams into one heat. Often times this can be done prior to a meet and prior to production of the heat sheet but it may also not be decided upon until the actual meet. Generally announcements will be made advising of this event just prior to the swim. So really the most important thing on the arm is the event and what stroke it represents.

What is a heat ribbon?
The heat and lane assignments are managed by seed time to allow the most comparable swimmers to swim together in a heat. The winner of that heat will win a heat ribbon at the swim meet. Although the swimmer has won first place in his heat that does not mean he has won first place for the entire event. The fastest swimmer of all of the heats in the event will place first.

When are the meets, and where are they held?
The meets are generally held on Saturday mornings. We will swim three meets at home and the rest of our meets at the pools of our league team competitors.

How long does a meet last?
Meets begin at 8 a.m. and usually last about 3-4 hours.

What is a dual meet? A tri-meet?
A dual meet is held between two swim teams and a tri-meet is held between three swim teams at the same time. One swim club is the host team and the other(s) is the visiting team. The schedule is posted on the website under the tab labeled Swim Meets. There is a championship meet in July when all teams will compete with each other at one meet. It is a one day meet at Cecil Field Aquatic Center and a lot of fun!

Swim Blocks
During the South Hampton Summer Swim Team season we will have our starting blocks on the pool deck throughout the season. The starting blocks should only be used during swim meets and when specified during swim practices. For safety purposes please refrain from playing on or using the starting blocks. We appreciate you helping keep our community safe.