Dunn Loring Dolphins

Our Philosophy: Summer swim should be fun and rewarding. Personal development is what we’re after, and for a swimmer that means improving times, refining strokes and learning to be a great teammate. We strive to establish a healthy environment, encouraging kids to do their best, recognize their contribution, and provide fun for the entire family.

Parental Help: It takes a village to run a swim team...It takes over 45 parents to time, officiate and score a typical swim meet and that doesn't include pool set up and break down. We have ask each family to volunteer for at least 15 hours during the season. There are positions for all parental abilities; some require less than 20 minutes of help.

You will be prompted to volunteer for every event that your child attends, so please consider helping in whatever way that you can. You can find the list of volunteer jobs here: VOLUNTEERS .

Expectations: In our league, swimming is a team sport. Any team is only as good as the people on it. In keeping with our philosophy, our expectations are simple:

• 1. The Dunn Loring Swim Team is not a swim lesson program: A swimmer should be able to swim a length of the pool to join the team. It can be slow and illegal, we'll help your child become a better swimmer, but in fairness to the other 200 plus swimmers on the team, all swimmers must be able to swim.
• 2. Let us know if you're going to miss: We're planning on your kids being available for all swim meets unless you tell us you are not available. We want them to participate, race, and learn from successes and failures. You will fill out weekly availability forms for each swimmer. If check “available”, you have committed to show up.
• 3. Respect for the coaches: Parents: ask team reps questions during practice. Do not interrupt the coaches while they are coaching. Swimmers are expected to pay attention and respect the coaches- our lanes are full! Disruptions aren't fair to other swimmers.
• 4. Doing your best is a lot more important than being the best.
• 5. Have FUN along the way!

Swim Team Basics

Practices: Swimmers should attend regularly, be on time, and be prepared to do their best.

Swimmer Apparel: In competition, swimmers should wear a swimsuit with a snug but comfortable fit. The Dolphins, like every other swim team, have team suits. Wearing the team suit is highly encouraged, but optional. Swimming in trunks, board shorts, and swim shirts is like running with a parachute on- not optimal.

You should also consider buying at least one practice suit for your swimmer.

Accessories for the well-dressed swimmer: Every swimmer needs a towel (labeled with their name, please), and swimsuit; most need goggles. Other accessories to consider are a swim cap (especially for girls with long hair), water bottle, sunscreen, and swim. During swim meets, bring a water bottle and light snack. There are plenty of post-swim treats at concession stands.

Organizational Information

Team Reps: Volunteer parents. Administrative leaders for the team and liaisons to the Dunn Loring Board, other swim teams, and NVSL.

Swim Leagues: Dunn Loring participates in both the NVSL and Vienna Developmental League: The NVSL is the largest summer swim league by membership in the United States with 102 teams and over 20,000 participants. NVSL hosted meets include Saturday dual meets, Divisional Relays, All Star Relays, Divisionals, and Individual All Stars. More information here: Swim Meet 101.

The Vienna Developmental Swim League consists of Dunn Loring, Cardinal Hill, Vienna Aquatic, Shouse Village, Vienna Woods, Lakevale Estates, and Hunter Mill. We conduct unscored swim meets on Monday nights. These meets provide a fun environment in which the whole team can participate.

Swim Stroke Basics

NVSL rules are USA Swimming rules as modified for use in the NVSL:

Freestyle: The swimmer is free to swim in any style. The standard for freestyle is the Front Crawl stroke. The only don'ts in freestyle, as with all strokes:

1. Swimmers may not push off the bottom of the pool, walk, or pull using the lane lines or the side of the pool.

2. In a 50 meter race (two pool lengths) swimmer must touch the wall at the turn end before touching the wall start end of the pool.

Backstroke: Like freestyle, almost anything goes as long as you stay on your back. "On your back" is defined as the shoulders 90 degrees from flat. 90 degrees of shoulder rotation is legal, 91 degrees is illegal- the swimmer has turned towards the breast and is no longer on the back. The one exception: backstrokers may turn onto the breast and take one stroke preceeding a flip-turn, as long as there is one continuous motion with no delay between the end of the pull and the start of the turning process.

Breaststroke: A cycle stroke with two components, kick and pull. Arms may not extend below the waistline. The kick is a frog kick; toes must be pointed outward during the propulsive part of the kick. No propulsion may be made from the top of the feet. No flutter or scissor kicks are allowed. The pull and kick must be in an alternating sequence and the elbows must stay below the water except when touching a wall. Breaststroke turns and finishes require a simultaneous two hand touch.

Butterfly: There are typically two components of the fly; the arm pull and the kick. The arm pull must be an over the water recovery (elbows breaking the surface of the water) with the arms moving simultaneously. The kick is a dolphin style with both legs moving simultaneously (no flutter kicks). Although fastest, butterfly is not required to be a cycle stroke. If swimmers cannot move their arms, they can kick. If they cannot kick, they can pull. Turns and finishes require a simultaneous two hand touch at the wall.

Individual Medley: IM is composed of each of the four strokes in the sequence Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle. We swim a 100 Meter IM; one pool length of each stroke. Not part of Saturday A Meets.

Relays: We swim freestyle and medley relays. Both require four swimmers, each swimming one quarter of the total distance. In the freestyle relay, each swimmer swims freestyle. In the medley relay, the sequence is Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle.

In relays, each swimmer may not fully leave the pool deck before the previous swimmer touches the wall. Running starts or pushes from teammates are not allowed.