Common Questions
Does my child need to know how to swim?
Yes. At the beginning of the season, your child needs to be able to swim 25 meters across the pool without stopping. Your child can use any stroke but may not hang onto the side of the pool, touch the bottom, or hang onto the lane lines. If your child is unable to accomplish this, we recommend lessons. Many good lesson programs exist, including Nitro Swim and the City of Cedar Park Aquatics programs. If you are unsure, come to one of the Swimmer Evaluations days. Coaches will be available to test your kids and determine their readiness. Bring your swimming suit, goggles, and a towel. The Cedar Park Typhoons do not provide swim lessons.
Where can I find more information on swim terms or my swimmer?
Yes, most of us are new to swimming! There are terms, videos, and tips are available under the "Swimmers" tab.
Does my swimmer need to know all of the swimming strokes?
No. Your swimmer only needs to have the stamina to swim 25 meters. We will teach your swimmer all proper strokes, safe racing dives, and flip turns.
What if there is bad weather?
Your children’s safety is our primary concern. Emails will be broadcast to the team as soon as possible if practices or meets are canceled or delayed. Rain alone does not cancel practices or meets. Your swimmer is already wet. Lightning is the most common reason for cancellations. We must follow each pool's safety protocols. The City of Cedar Parks has a 30-30 rule for lightning. City lifeguards will clear the pool deck if lightning is spotted. Many summer storms are short-lived and unpredictable. Depending on the forecasted storm tracking and time of day, the Head Coach and a ranking board member at the pool will decide on full or partial cancellation of practice. Click here for our bad weather policy
Should I just plan to stay during practices?
If your swimmer is in the 11-12 age group or older, you do not need to stay for practice. If your swimmer is in a younger age group, a guardian must be present for practice. Many Typhoon families have several swimmers across age groups. There is no shortage of swimmers and families to get to know. Bring a folding chair, some snacks, activities, and stay a while!
Where do I mail my registration check?
Cedar Park Typhoons
PO Box 2786
Cedar Park, TX 78630
Please note zip code is NOT 78613
When do we need to check-in for each meet?
For Home meets, check-in is around 5:30 am for most positions, whether you are working the first half or the second half of the meet. Age Group Tent Volunteers need to arrive before 5:20 am and the Setup Crew, Sound Crew and Concessions needs to arrive by 5:00 am.) Times are subject to change depending on the size of teams. The Meet Director will email you before each meet with updated time.
For away meets, the times may vary, depending on the schedule of the host teams. Please watch for emails communicating those times.
What do I need to know about the Volunteer system?
All volunteer information is found under the "members" tab
What are the family folders?
Family folders can be found at the picnic tables Mon-Wed at the Buttercup Pool during practice. They contain important information, ribbons, etc.
Ribbons and Medals:
Ribbons and medals will be placed in the family folders after the meet for pick up at Monday's practice.
- Time Trials: The time trial meet is for the establishment of base or "seed" times. There are no ribbons or medals.
- Dual or Tri Meets: Ribbons only
- Divisional Meets: Ribbons, Medals, and Trophies
- Participation ribbons: The 6&U and the 7/8 age group swimmers will receive a participation ribbon for a meet if they do not win a ribbon for another reason.
- Time improvement ribbons: When a swimmer receives an official race time faster than their fastest official time (for that event), they will receive a time improvement ribbon. Official times are established during the time trials and swim meets throughout the regular season. Time improvements are not awarded when a swimmer bests a previous season's time.
- Heat Winner ribbon: Immediately given to the swimmer who wins their heat as they come out of the pool. There is a parent assigned to hand these out.
- Place ribbons for individual events: Given to swimmers with the fastest 10 times at regular dual or tri meets.
- Place ribbons for relay events: Given to relay teams who finish in the top 3 at regular dual or tri meets.
- Medals for individual events (Divisionals only): The 3 fastest swimmers receive a medal. The remaining swimmers receive ribbons up to 12th place.
- Medals for relay events (Divisionals only): The 3 fastest relay teams receive medals. The remaining teams receive ribbons up to 8th place.
- Divisional Trophies: These are given to the highest overall point winners in each age group.
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End Year Celebration: Medals are given to each swimmer. In addition, 3 to 4 trophies are given out to each age group.
Why was my swimmer's event changed?
The coach has discretion to change a swimmer's events before seeding the meet, and may do so for any of a number of reasons. Some of the reasons follow:
- Swimmers in an age group are not distributed evenly among events. For example, if there are a lot of swimmers in the freestyle event, and only a few, or none, in the Individual Medley (IM), the coach may move one or more swimmers from freestyle to IM in order to have adequate representation from our team in that event.
- The coach may move a swimmer from one event to another to encourage growth in the swimmer's skills, to have the swimmer try an event they haven't tried, etc.
- Especially in the Divisional meet, the coach may move swimmers around for the purposes of maximizing the team's potential to score points.
If there is a particular event that the swimmer does not want to be changed out of, perhaps because they are trying to qualify for Invitationals, or break a record, or any other reason, this should be indicated in the "Note to coaches" section of the online Meet Attendance Form, and usually the request will be honored.
Why is it important for my swimmer to be at the meets if they are not scoring points?
In dual meets, only 1st to 3rd place score points, while there may be 30 or more swimmers in some events. Yet we say every swimmer matters to the team. How can that be?
Athletics are unpredictable. Just because your swimmer hasn't scored points in previous weeks, doesn't mean they won't; this may be the week. It might be that your swimmer has been disqualified in the past, but this week it all comes together and they win! It has happened, more than you might think.
Relays require depth. If your swimmer is not on the "A" or "B" relay, which are more likely to score points, they still matter. The "A" or "B" relay may false start, in which case the other relays become very important. Swimmers also love to swim with their friends. The more people who show up, the more relays we can have, and the more swimmers that get this experience.
Thirdly, the team benefits when all its members are present. The swimmers support each other, cheer each other, and help each other pass the time in the tents. Their teammates really do miss them when they're not there.
Finally, and possibly most immediately noticeable, the individual swimmer benefits because he gets to see the results of the week's hard work. The emphasis of the Cedar Park Typhoons team has traditionally been on individual improvement, or "dropping time" (beating your own previous personal best), as well as winning. In a sport where there is only one winner in a race with 30 or more participants, this is a way that everyone can be a winner. While you can't control who you swim against, you can work to improve yourself.
What does "INV" next to a swimmer's name mean on the results page?
The swimmer has qualified for the Invitational Meet.
Do I need to let coaches know if I will miss practice?
No, you do not need to notify a coach if you will miss practice; however, consistent attendance is recommended for improving technique, speed and endurance.
What does "shifts" mean?
Most rolls are divided between first shift, event 1 through event 45, and second shift, event 46 through 87. Obviously the first shift is in the cooler hours of the morning, but you have to be on your toes earlier in the morning and the shift is a little longer than the second shift. 6 & Unders finish at the end of event 47. If you only have 6 & Under swimmers, you will need to sign up only for first shift. Second shift is a bit shorter due to the fact that there are three less events AND there are only two 6 and under events. However, the second shift will be a bit warmer.
My spouse and I are going to be gone one weekend, and the kids' grandparents (or babysitter) will be taking the kids to the meet. Do they be allowed to fulfill our volunteer role?
Yes, we welcome them to fulfill your role. If you are a tent volunteer please reach out to our volunteer coordinator for Safesport clearance.
We have younger swimmers on the team, and we have other young children who are not swimming yet. How can we possibly both volunteer and still watch our young children?
As you can imagine, you are certainly not the first family in this situation and we absolutely understand this predicament. We have a couple of different solutions to your dilemma, and depending upon your situation, we will absolutely work something out. One option is to volunteer for roles that occur before or after the meet such as equipment setup and take down. We also have a few roles that don't require assistance during a meet. Some may take place during practice times or during other special events. Regardless of your situation, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected] to work this out.
Do parents need to volunteer? Are there opt-out fees?
Parents are required to work one volunteer position per meet that your swimmer attends. At the present time, there is no opt-out fee in use by the Typhoons. If your child swims the meet, you are expected to volunteer.
Is there additional merchandise for purchase?
A variety of additional merchandise will be available for purchase during registration, at the kick-off event, and at meets, such as Typhoons Swim Caps, goggles, Typhoons hats & Visors, etc.
What is the difference between a record breaker and record holder?
Any swimmer that breaks a record in any meet leading up to the Championship meet will receive a record breaker cap. The last swimmer to break a record during the season or championship meet will receive a plaque and be recognized as the Typhoons record holder.
What is the difference between an 'Aging Out Swimmer' and 'Senior Swimmer'?
An 'Aging Out Swimmer' is a swimmer who is 17 as of May 1st. A 'Senior Swimmer' is a swimmer who is entering their Senior year of high school after the summer season.
How Is Swim Meet Scored?
Dual meet scores are determined as follows:
Individual Events: Relay Events*:
1st place = 4 points 1st place = 5 points
2nd place = 2 points 2nd place = 3 points
3rd place = 1 point 3rd place = 1 point
* A team may only score 2 relays in a regular-season meet (the rule is different for post- season meets such as the Divisional Championship). If a team comes in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, points will only be awarded for 1st and 2nd place relays.
Championship meet (Divisionals, Invitationals if applicable) scores are determined as follows:
Individual and Relay Events:
1st place = 9 points
2nd place = 7 points
3rd place = 6 points
4th place = 5 points
5th place = 4 points
6th place = 3 points
7th place = 2 points
8th place = 1 point
What Are The Meet Order Of Events?
