Winterset Sharks Swim Team

Registration for returning families will begin April 1st and registration for new families will begin April 8th.

Shark Attack! Calling all Winterset swimmers! It is time to start thinking about summer and summer means swimming! Please consider joining the Winterset Sharks swim team! The Winterset Sharks compete in the Lee's Summit Suburban Swim League (LSSSL). Eight Lee’s Summit area neighborhood teams comprise this league. The season usually begins right after school ends and ends around the second week of July, all depending on the snow days that have to be made up at the end of the school year.

Participation Policies:

1. • Safety is our number one concern. Due to our large numbers, we cannot accept kids who we feel cannot safely practice. All new swimmers will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of swim strokes at a new swimmer evaluation, normally the first day of practice. Each new swimmer will be asked to complete one lap of freestyle without assistance, without grabbing the side or rope or touching the bottom, without dog paddling or swimming underwater. Once that lap is complete, a coach will have the swimmer briefly demonstrate his knowledge of the other three strokes, back, breast and fly. In this portion of the evaluation, we are not looking for legal strokes, but we are looking for some level of proficiency in at least one other stroke. The coaches have some subjectivity in this evaluation. There are many factors that play in to the safety and coach-ability of swimmers. In the event that the coaches identify a registered swimmer who will be unable to participate safely, that swimmer’s registration fees, less any processing fees, will be fully refunded. The team will not, however, refund any money paid for additional t-shirts or the team suits. Please do not register your child unless you are confident in his ability to demonstrate a readiness to swim on a team. As a general rule of thumb, if your child has learned freestyle and backstroke, he will be fine. Conversely, if your child has never had any training at all, you might expect to have your registration fees refunded.

• • We have seven competitive meets, six in the regular season and one for the league championship. We require you to attend 3 of the 6 dual meets and expect that you will attend championships.

• • In order to qualify to compete in a meet, swimmers must attend at least three practices during the week. This requirement is only waived in the event that the swimmer is also currently practicing with the high school team or a year round club team during the Sharks season. Please email us at [email protected] if that is the case.
  • Swim meets are a volunteer intensive undertaking. For every meet in which a swimmer competes, we require that the family provide one volunteer to work at least one half of that meet.

Registration Information:

1. • Winterset residents who are 6 -18 yrs old as of June 1st and whose parents/guardians are Winterset residents in good standing with the Homeowners Association are eligible to participate in the program.

• • Registration is conducted on a first come, first served basis. The first 115 qualified swimmers who register will be given slots on the team. Once full, a wait list link will appear in place of registration link. We can have any where from approximately 3-5 registered swimmers drop out by the first meet.

• • Open registration will be held April 8^th– May 1st, first come-first serve. To register, click the link on the home page. The fee is $145 per swimmer. Registration fees include team t-shirt for each swimmer, swim cap and entry fees for Championships.
  • Team Swim Suits are purchased at Swim Things in Blue Springs. We will have the same suit as the past several seasons, however we are starting to sub in a new suit when the stock runs out on our current style, they are very similar so we can continue to have families pass on suits to each other.

Practice and Meet Information:

1. • Practice is Monday through Friday for morning practices and Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday for evening practices. New swimmers, plan to attend the new swimmer evaluation. There you will receive your practice assignment after the new swimmer evaluation.

• • Evening practice slots will be available for occasional use for swimmers who cannot attend the required 60% morning practices due to an acceptable conflict.
  • There are six meets, which are held wednesday nights the week after practice starts.

More questions? Contact [email protected].