Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome, if you are new to the Brookstone Swim Team or just want an answer to a question about our swim team, we invite you to look through the questions and answers below. If you still have a question, feel free to contact any of the Board members or reach out to a coach.
Q: What is the Brookstone Barracuda swim team and where does the team swim?
The Brookstone Barracudas are a recreational summer swim team that practices at the Brookstone Community pool during the months of May, June and July. It is open to Brookstone Community members from ages 5 to 18. The team is a member club of the Tarheel Swimming Association which has been active in Wake county, North Carolina since 1971. Brookstone joined the TSA in 2007.
Q: My child is just learning to swim – can he/she be on the swim team?
If your child can swim 25 yards (one length of the pool) in any fashion, then they can be on the swim team! Brookstone also has a prep team for children ages 3 - 7 who are just learning or don't feel they are quite ready for the more competitive team. The goal for the prep team is have those swimmers ready to swim with the main squad the following season.
Q: How often does the team practice?
The team typically practices 5 times per week for ages 7-18 on Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat. 6 & under kids do not practice on Saturdays. Swim meets are held on Tuesdays. Practices are divided into age groups. More practice info can be found HERE.
Q: Do you offer swim lessons?
Many of the teams coaches are available for private swim lessons. There are often postings on the pool bulletin board as you enter the pool with contact information for those offering lessons.
Q: How often does the team have meets and where are they? Who does Brookstone swim against?
Every team in TSA has 6 dual meets per season against 6 different opponents. We will host 3 teams and we will travel to 3 other teams. We are in the southern conference which means our competition is typically in south-western Wake county. On the Tuesday prior to the beginning of the TSA season, Brookstone usually has either a pre-season mock meet (possibly vs another club) or team time trial. Every off season, TSA re-ranks teams based on results in the previous season. Our schedule is set by swimming against the 3 teams ranked higher than us and the 3 teams ranked below us. The goal is to have competitive meets for all member clubs.
Q: What is the Cary City Meet and is there a championship meet?
Cary City Meet is an annual meet hosted by either Cary Swim Club or Scottish Hills. It is a multiple team meet held on a Saturday in July with typically over 20 teams from the Cary/Apex area participating. Kids aged 6-10 swim in the morning session while kids 11 - 18 swim in the afternoon session. Brookstone often attends this very fun meet but it is optional. TSA does offer an end of season Championship meet that is typically held at the Triangle Aquatic Center (TAC) over Saturday and Sunday. It is open to all 88 TSA member teams. Brookstone has sent swimmers to this meet in the past and it is also optional.
Q: What equipment is required for swim team?
All swimmers will receive a team t-shirt when registered. For meets, swimmers must have a team suit, team cap and goggles. Click HERE for info on team suits. For practices, swimmers must have a swimsuit and goggles.
Q: What is expected of the parents?
In addition to getting your swimmer to practice on time and on a regular basis, please make sure you communicate with the coaches and respond to sign-ups and e-mail requests. Parents are also expected to volunteer at swim meets, each Tuesday night from June through July.
Q: What am I required to do at meets?
We rely on volunteers to run the meets. No experience is necessary, and there are several volunteer positions that you can learn on the spot. The mock meet is a great way to learn some of the roles in advance of the meet.
Q: What if we go on vacation or my swimmer goes to camp?
Please declare your swimmer's attendance to meets via our website. There are many kids who miss a week of practice or a meet for camp or vacation, please don't let that deter your family from registering to participate! Summer swim season is about camaraderie, swim improvement, and outdoor fun.
Q: Is my child expected to stay until the end of meets?
The actual meets run about three hours, with warm-ups starting 30 minutes before the meet starts. Swimmers are encouraged to stay until the end of the meet and support the rest of the team, however “6 and Under” swimmers are usually able to leave after their last race, about half-way through the meet. We ask all parents to please inform the coaches if your child is leaving a meet early. There are lots of times the coaches need to fill spots on relays and will be counting on the swimmers who are in attendance.
Q: What should I bring to the meet?
There is downtime for swimmers between events at a meet. Please bring things to help your kids pass the time (cards, coloring books). Some kids like a blanket to sit on, and some kids go through multiple towels (warm-ups, and after each event they swim). You may also bring chairs to sit on, snacks, and money for concessions.
Q: Is there food at the meets?
There is generally some sort of food for sale at the meets (some clubs have a formal snack bar, others will set something up for the meet), and most parents also bring snacks/drinks that are a good fit for their kids. For home meets, our team will share the concessions that will be available via the pre meet Barracuda email.