FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.  Does my swimmer need to be able to swim all four basic strokes in order to participate on this team?  While we welcome young swimmers (which are the foundation of our team), all new swimmers must be able to swim one length of the pool unaided in at least one stroke.  If you are unsure about this requirement, please contact us.  If necessary, a coach can evaluate your child's readiness for team membership.

2.  When I registered, my child's age group was already full.  What do I do?  For the safety and enjoyment of each swimmer, we limit the number of swimmers in each age category.  If the ceiling for your child's age group has been reached, your child will be placed on a wait list and we will contact you if a spot opens up later.

3.  Does my child need to participate in all of the practices?  We encourage all swimmers to practice as much as possible to improve their skills and build their confidence as well as to grow their friendships with their teammates.   Swimmers should try to attend at least three practices per week.

4.  How many meets are there and will my child participate in all of them?  There are five regular season dual meets held each Saturday approximately from 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. beginning on June 15, 2024.  We typically have two home meets, and three away meets.  In addition, there is a Divisional Championship Meet on and an All Star Meet on July 27, 2024 for which some swimmers will qualify.  There’s also a Mini Meet for all 10 and under swimmers held in mid-July.  With respect to the regular season dual meets, our goal is to accommodate every swimmer's participation in every meet; however, please understand that this is not always be possible due to the number of swimmers in a particular age group, the number of heats per event allowed by the host team, etc.

5.  Is participation in meets  mandatory?  No, participation is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged, so please keep the swim meet schedule in mind as you plan for summer vacation.  If your child is unable to attend a swim meet, you must inform Coach Mark (i.e., “scratch” from the meet) as soon as possible so he can plan accordingly.

6.  Does my child need to stay for the entire meet?  We strongly encourage all swimmers to stay until the meet is over.  Summer swimming is a team sport and cheering on teammates is an important part of the experience.  Moreover, after the meets, the swimmers, parents, and coaches get together for lunch at a nearby restaurant.

7.  Are there social events over the summer?  Yes, in addition to practice, meets, and post-meet lunches, swimmers, parents, and coaches have other opportunities to socialize.  We have pizza parties once a week following afternoon practice, our team participates in the Palisades’ Citizens Association 4th of July Parade (Except this year which happens to fall on a Saturday and our swimmers have a meet that day) and there’s an annual awards banquet at the end of July to celebrate the season.

8.  Are parents expected to volunteer?  Yes, the MVP Dolphins depends on parent volunteers, particularly at swim meets.  There are many different ways to support the team.  Most importantly, parents can become trained as officials.  We also need parent volunteers to help with meets as timers, clerk of course, concession helpers, place judges, awards/ribbons, etc.  In addition to meets, we need parents to help with weekly pizza parties, the July 4th parade, and the awards banquet at the end of the season.

9. What is your refund policy?

Refund guidelines are as follows:

• If our season is cancelled after a swimmer has registered, a 95% refund will be granted. 5% will be retained as an administration fee.

• If our season is shortened after a swimmer has registered, we will contact you as soon as possible regarding our applicable refund policy.

• If a swimmer withdraws prior to the first practice noted in our season calendar on our website, a 75% refund will be granted.

• If a swimmer withdraws within the first two weeks of practice noted in our season calendar on our website, a 50% refund will be granted.

• If a swimmer withdraws after the second week of practice noted in our season calendar on our website, there will not be refund.

• Refunds must be requested in writing and sent to info@mvpdolphins.com.

Other questions?  Please contact info@mvpdolphins.com and/or refer to the Prince Mont Swim League Handbook, which includes helpful information about summer swimming.