**Registration Information for the 2023 Summer Season will be posted by March 1st**
RaptorSwim Team FAQs
What is the River Run Raptors Swim Team and why should my child participate?
It’s fun and it’s great exercise. It builds confidence and it’s a great way for your child to meet other kids in the neighborhood as well as a great way for you to meet other parents! Not only will your child have a healthy summer routine, but they will also develop a good work ethic and friendships becoming a part of the Raptor Family!
Are there any team building events for my child to participate in?
Yes! Our social events throughout the season consist of pep rallies, themed family events (luau and hoedown are past event themes) as well as fun team building activities throughout practices.
What strokes do the swimmers use in competition?
Swimmers age 7 and up swim freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Swimmers 6 and under swim only freestyle and backstroke.
Who will my child be swimming against in these competitions?
The River Run Raptors are a part of the NSC or Naperville Swim Conference. The Naperville Swim Conference is a summer recreational league swim team conference comprised of 22 teams and more than 3,000 swimmers. All of the teams are local to the Naperville area and are members of either a neighborhood pool or one of the area high school teams. Swimmers in the league range from 4 to 18 years of age. As part of a swim season, teams swim at dual meets at the area pools during the summer season which culminates with a set of championship meets known as the City and Classic meets.
How do I know if my child is ready to be on the Swim Team? He can't even swim across the pool!
Some kids are unable to swim across the pool initially without assistance or encouragement. Our coaches do a phenomenal job encouraging and supporting those children who are new to the sport! According to the Naperville Swim Conference, swimmers need to swim independently across the pool to continue in meets after July 1st. We encourage all new swimmers and those 8 and under who need a refresher on swimming, to attend our indoor clinics through out the winter and spring and participate in our stroke clinics the end of May (stroke clinics are included in the cost of the season). The coaches will take that opportunity to get those swimmers ready for the season. For those new to the sport, the first weeks of practice will be preparation and confidence-building for the season.
I see that there are different age groups for the swimmers. How does that work?
Your child’s swim age group is determined by his age as of May 31st. The age groups are 6 & under, 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, 15-18. Every other year your child will have an "up" year when they are the oldest in their age group and a "down" year when they are the youngest in their age group. The system generally works well.
When are meets? Meets begin in early June and go through late July.
Tuesday meets: swimmers arrive at 4:30pm for warmups, meets begin at 5:30pm .
Saturday meets: swimmers arrive at 7:30am for warm-ups, meets begin at 8:30am
Meets run approx. 3-4 hours in total. We have 8 scheduled dual meets plus an Invitational (open to 7-14 yr olds)
All swimmers are invited (and encouraged!) to participate in a Championship meet at the end of the season, which would require an additional time commitment for part of the meet. There are two Championship meets-Classic Meet and City Meet, both held at Naperville high school pools. City Meet (last weekend in July) is open to any Raptors who meet the "City Meet qualifying times." Classic Meet (second to last Saturday of July) is open to any swimmers not reaching those City Meet qualifying times.
What happens at a meet?
All swimmers are entered into events by their coaches. Depending on the swimmers' ability and number of swimmers in a given meet, swimmers are entered in up to a maximum of 3 individual events and 2 relays per meet. During the meet, swimmers hang out with their teammates in the team area or cheering poolside. Events will be called to the "Bullpen" area by parent volunteers when it is nearing time for their race-these volunteers will organize and escort swimmers to their lanes. Swimmers should come to the bullpen ready with goggles, etc. Once a swimmer's races are completed for the day, the swimmer may leave but only after checking with the coaches to make sure they are not needed for any additional swims. Meets are fun and exciting! It's a great time to show off what swimmers have been working on in practice!!
When does the season start and end?
This year, our season will begin the week after Memorial Day - with after-school practices outdoors until school is out, and then morning practices through our Championship Meets at the end of July. We will have our end of Season Banquet earlier this year in hopes of having more swimmers attend on Sunday, July 23rd from 10-2 at the Bolingbrook Golf Club immediately following the Classic Meet the day prior on Saturday, July 22nd. There is still plenty of time left in summer after swim season!
When are practices and does my child have to attend all practices?
Our season will begin around Memorial Day with after school practices. Once school ends, morning practices will begin daily. Although it is not required, swimmers are encouraged to attend practices daily. Practices are not held too early either! Our team is the only one in the area with practices starting at 8 am for the older groups!
Practice schedule is as follows:
11 and up 8:00 AM—9:15 AM
9 and 10 9:15 AM—10:15 AM
7 and 8 10:15 AM—11:00 AM
6 and under 10:15 AM—11:00 AM
The Raptors will participate in 8 meets throughout the season, held on Tuesdays starting at 4:30 pm(warmups/check-in), and Saturdays, starting at 7:30 am(warmups/check in). We host 4 home meets, at our clubhouse pool, as well as go to 4 away meets held at local Naperville pools (5 home meets this year with 3 away meets and one Invitational).
The Championship meets (Classic and City) will be held at the end of July, which will wrap up the season on July 22nd and July 29th respectively with our team banquet on Sunday, July 23rd from 10a-2p.
Not only will your child have a healthy summer routine during the season, they will also develop a good work ethic and friendships becoming a part of the Raptor Family!
What support do you need from parents?
Each family will be required to work 6 meets throughout the season**. Parent volunteer jobs range from timers to concessions! We have different committee options as well if you are interested in heading up one of our available committee head positions. If you are interested in becoming a committee head, please talk to any member of the Raptors Swim Team Board regarding the commitment/expectation.
We have vacation plans/summer camp plans this summer. Can my child still participate?
Absolutely! Ideally, we would love to have each child attend daily practices and all meets, but we realize that it's summer and sometimes, this is not possible. It is not unusual for a swimmer to miss meets/practices due to summer conflicts. Please communicate with your coach as early as possible to let them know about any absences.
This sounds like a great opportunity for my child. How do I sign up?
Again, we will have online sign-ups through our website. Online Sign-Ups will open first of March for returning swimmers and March 13th for new swimmers. We will have a Raptor Swim Team Meet and Greet at the Clubhouse where you can purchase a swimsuit, spirit wear as well as meet the coaches for the upcoming season on Saturday, March 18th from 12-2p!
You will have the opportunity to sign up for your parent job assignments at the beginning of May. An email will be sent out with the job descriptions as well as directions on how to sign up for your jobs weeks prior to signups opening
(specific dates and times will be posted on the home page and under the EVENTS section when finalized each year.)
What is the cost of this program?
The program costs are minimal. For 2023, the first swimmer in the household is $250 with each additional swimmer in the household $125. The price includes all practices and meets which is a great deal for all that exercise and instruction! Swim suits are available for an extra charge which will cost approximately $40 Boys Suits and $58 for Girls Suits. All swim caps, goggles, and spirit wear are also available for purchase at an additional charge. Swim Caps are not required for Boys.
Further questions, please contact our Raptor Parent Board at [email protected]
