dROP Aquatics Fall 2020 Registration

Registration for returning team members will open on Monday, August 17 at 12:00 noon.
Registration for new members will open on Monday, August 24 at 12:00 noon.
 

All groups are full at this time. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please email Molly Tyler at [email protected]

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the uncertainty going forward, all session dates, times and locations are subject to change. We will continue to stay up to date with local and state orders and look into practice options for the winter. Thank you for your continued patience and support! 

There will be a few changes this season: 

• NEW Practice Group Names
  As you will see detailed below in the information packet, there are new practice group names this year! We have the Navy Blue group (former Competitive), the Mint Green group (former Developmental), the Tardigrade group (former Conditioning) and the Water Cub group (former Pre-Team). 
• Outdoor Pool Facility 
  Since the Glen is an outdoor heated pool, we anticipate we will occasionally need to cancel practice due to weather. Please be sure the contact information on your account is current. 
• Social Distancing Guidelines
  There will be new guidelines set in place regarding social distancing in the pool, on the pool deck and on the club grounds. Please see the ‘Social Distancing Guidelines’ section below for additional details.
• Limited Athlete Capacity
  Due to social distancing protocols in the pool, we will have to limit the Navy Blue, Mint Green, and Masters groups to 30 swimmers. The Tardigrade and Water Cub groups will be limited to 6 swimmers. Registration will open to returning members first. If protocols change during the season and we are allowed to increase our practice capacity, we will do so accordingly.
• Practice Fees
  In order to maintain our social distancing protocols, which we have been implementing successfully since June, we will need to limit the number of registered swimmers per session. Our fixed costs will also be higher than usual, which unfortunately means that we will need to increase session dues to cover team expenses. Please see the price schedule below for specific information. 

Practice Groups, Schedule and Location

Our coaching staff will make recommendations regarding the appropriate practice group for each swimmer. Please contact Coach Molly ([email protected]) if you have any questions about practice groups before you register. 

Navy Blue Group (former Competitive Group) 

• M - F  3:15 - 5:25 PM @ the Farmington Glen Aquatic Club.
• M - F mornings 5:30 - 7:00 AM @ the Farmington Glen Aquatic Club (optional). 
• Saturday mornings 10:00 AM - Noon @ the Farmington Glen Aquatic Club. 
• Virtual Dryland via Zoom, M - F, Time TBD.
• First day of practice is Tuesday, September 8.

Mint Green Group (former Developmental Group) 

• M - F  5:30 - 7:00 PM @ the Farmington Glen Aquatic Club.  
• Virtual Dryland via Zoom, M - F, Time TBD.
• First day of practice is Tuesday, September 8. 

Tardigrade Group (former Conditioning Group) - diving well based practices

• This practice group is for Mint Green Group level swimmers who are only looking to swim two days per week.
• TU & TH  4:00 - 5:00 PM @ the Farmington Glen Aquatic Club.
• Virtual Dryland via Zoom, M - F, Time TBD.
• First day of practice is Tuesday, September 8. 

Water Cub Group (former Pre-Team Group) - diving well based practices

• M & W  4:00 - 5:00 PM at the Farmington Glen Aquatic Club
• Virtual Dryland via Zoom, M - F, Time TBD
• First day of practice is Wednesday, September 9. 

Masters 

• M - F  5:30 - 7:00 AM @ the Farmington Glen Aquatic Club.
• Masters swimmers must be registered with either USMS or USA Swimming (Masters DO NOT need to register with USA/MI Swimming during the online registration process). 
• First day of practice is Tuesday, September 8. 

We follow the Farmington Public Schools calendar. Practice times and locations are subject to change due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Generally, practices will be in the morning on days when school is not in session. Practice will be delayed or canceled due to inclement weather.

Fee Structure

*registration fee includes annual dROP registration, team t-shirt and one dROP latex swim cap

USA Swimming Athlete Registration If you were registered with dROP for the 2019-2020 short course season, your registration is good through December 31, 2020. We will not be charging the annual USA Swim registration fee at this time; however, we may have to charge this fee ($82) at the end of the year, depending on what the 2020-2021 short course season looks like regarding practices and meets. 

Registration and Payment

• Registration will be limited to (30) Navy Blue swimmers, (30) Mint Green swimmers, (6) Tardigrade swimmers, (6) Pre-Team swimmers, and (30) Masters swimmers. 
• Registration will open for returning members on Monday, August 17 at noon.
• Registration will open to new members (if space allows) on Monday, August 24 at noon.
• Given the uncertain nature of this season, we will only be accepting online monthly payments. We anticipate the fall session running through the end of November, but if we are not able to secure indoor pool space, families will not be charged for November.

All registration and payment is handled through the team’s website: dropaquatics.com. Click on the “2020-2021 Team Registration” button to get started.  Any questions about registration should be addressed to Molly Tyler ([email protected]).

Social Distancing Guidelines

There are new rules and expectations this season for swimmers, coaches and parents to follow due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Swimmers who do not follow these rules will be subject to expulsion from the team without refund.

• Please assess your children before they come to practice. If they have any symptoms at all, they should not come to the pool (ex: fever, cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, or at least 2 of the following - chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste/smell, diarrhea, or extreme fatigue).
• Immediately inform a member of our coaching staff of any COVID-19 exposure. 
• Swimmers will be expected to follow the 6-foot social distancing rule at all times while on Glen property, including the parking lot.
• Swimmers will follow the instructions of our coaching staff at all times.
• There will be no access to the locker rooms or bathrooms during practice unless there is an emergency. Swimmers need to come in their suits ready to go. Water bottles should also be filled at home.
• Swimmers are expected to place their swim bag on the deck and head directly to their assigned starting location. They will not be able to enter the club early. Swimmers may line up on the sidewalk outside the club, but cannot enter until their designated time. 
• Swimmers will be expected to leave immediately after practice. They will not be allowed to socialize on deck. We have limited time and quick turn over between groups. 
• We ask that swimmers over the age of 11 wear masks when in line for practice and while entering the clubhouse. Other kids are encouraged to wear masks as well.
• All swimmers ages 9 and up are to enter the pool on their own. Parents will be expected to stay in their cars and they are not to enter the pool during practice unless there is an emergency. Swimmers must be picked up promptly at the end of practice.
• 8 and under parents will be allowed to accompany their child onto the pool deck. These parents may stay for practice, provided they stay socially distanced on the grass. You must bring your own chair or blanket and cannot use the club chairs during this time. Also, please minimize the number of people in your group. If you must bring other children, they have to stay with you at all times. 

Team Accounts

Each family will have a team account.  The credit or debit card listed on your team account will be charged for all monthly fees in the early morning of the first day of each month.  Invoices will be emailed out the week prior to these charges.  Please make sure your payment information is current on your account by the end of each month.  A $5 late fee will be charged for all declined transactions. Any questions about your account should be addressed to Molly Tyler ([email protected]).  

Team Store

We have partnered with Making Waves to create a dROP Aquatics team store, which includes team suits, apparel and practice equipment. The link is available on the ‘Suits/Apparel’ tab of our website. 

Suits, Caps, Apparel and Equipment

• See “Team Store” section above for information on our Making Waves team store. 
• Our team suit is a solid navy suit with a screened logo.  Swimmers may choose whichever brand and style they prefer.  Customized items cannot be returned, so if you’re unsure of size, we suggest trying on a friend’s suit or visiting a local retailer to determine size before ordering anything with the team logo on it. Team members are not required to wear team suits. 
• Each registered swimmer will receive one latex dROP swim cap. Additional caps may be purchased at practice from Drew for $5. An order for silicone caps may be placed during the season if there is enough interest. Swimmers are not required to wear caps, but if they do wear a cap at meets, it must be a team cap.  
• Additional customized spirit wear can be purchased from MyLocker.net. The link is available on the “Suits/Apparel” tab of our website. 
• While it is not mandatory, we recommend that swimmers bring their own equipment to practice (ex: kickboard, pull buoy, hand paddles, fins, snorkel). Swimmers who would like to purchase their own equipment should ask their coaches for specific recommendations regarding brands and styles.