GETTING STARTED

I’m Registered—What Should I Do First?

Welcome to the team! Let’s get you set up for success:

📱 1. Download the SwimTopia App
Your new best friend. Meet entries, results, volunteer sign-ups, and real-time alerts (yes, including weather delays).

📅 2. Subscribe to the Team Calendar
Go to 2026 Calendar & SignUp → Subscribe
→ Boom. Everything syncs to your phone. No excuses for missing things now 😉

✔️ 3. Set A-Meet Availability
Take 5 minutes and mark your swimmer’s availability for the A-meet season.
Coaches need this to build lineups—and yes, it matters more than you think. You will sign up for B meet availability each week.

🙋 4. Sign Up to Volunteer
It takes a village. Actually… about 40 volunteers per meet 😅
Pick your favorite jobs early!

👉 Reminder:
All families are expected to volunteer weekly
Time Trials = all hands on deck

How do I order a team suit & spirit wear?

📩 It's LIVE!! https://sportfairusa.tuosystems.com/stores/mmarlins26

🏊 MEETS

🅰️ vs 🅱️ Meets — What’s the Difference?

🅱️ B Meets (Mondays = Development + Fun)

• Open to ALL swimmers
• Choose 2 events (plus IM optional if approved)
• Focus: learning, improving, having fun
• No team score (no pressure!)
• Ribbons for places 1–6 among the Marlins, not against the other team. 

🅰️ A Meets (Saturdays = Competition Mode)

• Official NVSL meets
• Coaches select swimmers (top 3 per event)
• Lineups announced Wednesday AM at practice. 
• Finalized and sent between NVSL Leadership Thursday afternoon.
• Goal: score points + win the meet

👉 Reminder: If your swimmer places 1st–3rd in an A Meet, they MAY NOT swim that event at the next B Mee

How do I register for a B Meet?

1. Log into SwimTopia
2. Click Swim Meets & Events
3. Select your meet
4. Click Meet Entry
5. Mark Attending / Not Attending
6. Choose events: Remember that if you swam an event in the previous A meet, you cannot swim that event in the B meet. No exhibition swims!
7. Click Save

👉 While you're there… sign up to volunteer too!

Why is the B Meet deadline Sunday at 12 PM?

Because we’ve entered the modern era: no more handwritten cards

We need time to prep everything digitally, so:

• 🚫 No late entries
• 📌 Set a weekly reminder now and thank yourself later

How do I mark availability for an A Meet?

You don’t sign up for events but you need to let the Coaches know if you’re available.

Go to each A Meet → click Meet Entry → mark availability

👉 Do this for the whole season. You never know when your swimmer will get the call!

Why can’t I park at the pool for home meets?

Because we’re classy like that. We give our lot to the visiting team—just like they do for us. Peak NVSL sportsmanship.

📍 Park at McLean High School. 1633 Davidson Rd, McLean, VA 22101

What can my swimmer wear?

Short version: Keep it NVSL-legal

• Team cap or plain cap only
• Team suit or team color suits. 
• No Tech suits can be worn on Mondays
• Tech Suits will be determined at the Division level
• Medical tape = needs approval

👉 Need an exception? Tell Team Reps early.

What’s a DQ?

A Disqualification = stroke/rule violation.

Also = totally normal.

Even Olympians DQ. Your swimmer is in excellent company.

👉 It’s a learning moment and it happens. If your child DQs, know that we have ALL been there (even at Divisionals!).

Where do we get ribbons?

File boxes when you enter the pool. Each family has a folder and our goal is to put the ribbons in the folder by Tuesday for the previous A and B meets.

How do I find times?

• Select <Welcome, Name> top of screen. 
• Select My Account
• Choose your Swimmers Name 
• Times will pop up

🎉 SOCIAL EVENTS

Fun Fridays: 

• Each Friday, following the fun practice, treats are provided by the parents of 13+ swimmers for everyone to munch and mingle. This enjoyable tradition offers a great team-building opportunity that senior swimmers should not miss!

Team Photo:

• Organize sibling session options and friend group photos to encourage camaraderie among swimmers. 

Pep Rallies: 

• Weekly pep rallies held every Friday at 6 PM, where team spirit is emphasized.
• Ensure swimmers dress in costumes for festivities, and facilitate a schedule where swimmers eat first before participating in coach-led activities on the lawn. 
• Selected swimmers do not swim after pep rallies and should typically go home by 7:30 PM. 

Pancake Breakfast: 

•  "Pancake Dads" serve hot stacks of pancakes are served to each swimmer age group on Fridays following practice. 

Laser Tag: 

•  Two laser tag sessions—one for swimmers aged 12 and under, and another for those aged 13 and older. 

York Racing Clinic: 

• Sprint sessions with York Swim Club, providing Marlins with on-deck coaching focused on racing techniques to improve swimmer performance. 

Senior Sendoff: 

• A special recognition event for the senior swimmers during the last Saturday home meet, celebrating their contributions and achievements throughout the season. 

Lock-In: 

• A lock-in event for senior swimmers (13+) on the pool deck after the last home meet, extending into the night.

Progressive Dinner:

• This unique off-deck experience allows 13+ swimmers to enjoy a three-course meal in a "house progressive" fashion, showcasing a more casual side of the team. Hosted by three Marlin families for appetizers, the main course, and dessert, swimmers travel between homes in a fun and bonding atmosphere, singing together along the way. Parents pick up the swimmers at the end of the night.

Pep Rally?

Friday night hype session before A Meets.

Think:

• Themes
  • 6/19: Cowboys/Western
  • 6/26: Outer Space/Astronaut
  • 7/3: America Out/July 4th 
  • 7/10: Ancient Greece
  • 7/17: Blue 2: Return of the Blue
• Music
• Games
• Questionable fashion choices

👉 Do not skip. Seriously.

Marlin Meet Theme Dress Up

• A Meet (6/20 Away): McLean at Pinecrest - Cowboys/Western
• B Meet (6/22): Langley at McLean - Jersey Out (Rep the sports you participate in outside of swimming)
• A Meet (6/27 Home): McLean vs Cardinal Hill - Outer Space/Astronaut
• A Meet (7/4 Home): McLean vs Hamlet - 4th of July/America Out
• Divisional Relay Carnival (at Hamlet) (7/8) - Neon
• A Meet (7/11 Away): McLean at Virginia Hills - Ancient Greece
• A Meet (7/18 Home):McLean vs Orange Hunt (Senior Meet) - Blue 2: Return of the Blue
• B Meet (7/20): McLean Intrasquad - Twin Day (get a group and come to the pool matching)

🙋 VOLUNTEERING

Why does everyone need to volunteer?

Because swim meets don’t magically run themselves.

We need:

• Timers (3 per lane!)
• Officials
• Concessions
• Ribbons
• Data entry
• And more…

👉 About 40 volunteers per meet

Also:

• You meet great people
• Your child sees you involved
• It’s actually fun (we promise)

👉 If roles aren’t filled: Team Reps will assign them (and yes… lowest volunteer families get picked first 👀)

I can’t stay for a full B Meet!

Whether you have young children that only swim free and back or you have a job that gets you to the meet late, we got you.

We have split shifts for select jobs:

• 🥇 First Half: Freestyle + Back
• 🥈 Second Half: Breast + Fly + IM

Pick what works for your schedule!

I LOVE volunteering… can I do both shifts?

First of all—who are you and can we clone you?

Second—YES. Always yes.

These jobs look intimidating…

Let’s be clear: No one was born knowing how to run a swim meet. 

You’ll learn by doing -and we’ll help.

• 👉 Officials training + mentoring available
• 👉 You will not fail
• 👉 Even the serious-looking officials are nice off-deck

📣 COMMUNICATION

📧 Email
Check it. Daily. We send a lot.

📱 SwimTopia App Alerts
Important + time-sensitive = notifications

📸 Instagram
Follow, tag, enjoy the highlights.

✨ Still have questions?

Reach out anytime - we’re here to help and excited to have you on the team!