getTING started

First: Swim Team or Frog lessons?

Martin’s Dam offers swim instruction for children of all ages and abilities.

If your child is able to complete the Frog test, then you may want to sign up for Swim Team.

If your child is not able to complete the Frog test, or does not yet wish to try out for a team, please sign up for Frog Lessons. (Skip to the bottom of this page for Frog Lesson info. No team registration required.)

STep 1: The FROG Test

Completion of the Frog Test is required to swim in the Big Pool. 

  • The Frog test is a requirement for Swim and Dive Team participation.

  • All children under 12 years of age must complete Frog Test to participate on Swim & Dive Teams

 

What is the FROG test, and what do I have to do? 

Successful completion of the Frog test requires both:

  • A 50 Meter Freestyle swim with side breathing

  • 2 minutes of treading water at the 25 Meter point 

The Frog Test is given at Martin's Dam by a Manager during pool hours.

Please ask the attendant at the front deck when a manager will be available to give the test. 

STep 2: Register your child & check team unify

Register your swimmer(s) when Registration opens for the season, usually near the end of April on this main website. Please complete the Frog Test before registering if your child is under 12.

Team Unify

Returning members: Sign into your Team Unify Account.

New members: an account will be created for you. Please be on the lookout for an email indicating when you can log in.

Team Unify is used for:

  • Emails concerning Swim and Dive information

  • Attendance for Dual Meets

  • Dual Meet volunteer signups

  • Signups and event selection for Intraclubs

STep 3: The Early season begins!

Our season officially begins the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Just show up at your child’s practice time and the coaches will take care of the rest! All swimmers of an age group practice together at this time of the season.

Practices at this time of year can be chilly, so please pack extra towels and warm clothing in case we do dryland activities instead.

Evening Swim Team Practices:

Overlapping time-frames are used for team interaction, stretching and Dryland activities.

4:30-5:30  Ages 13-18

5:15-6:00       Ages  6-8

5:45-6:30        Ages  9-10

6:30-7:30       Ages  11-12

STep 4: Time Trials

Near the end of the first two weeks, we host Time Trials at Martin's. At Time Trials, swimmers will swim their respective distances in all strokes so the coaching staff can accumulate times (except swimmers age 15-18)

The data collected, paired with coach discussion and other factors (i.e. if a swimmer may miss meets) will help us decide on which team a swimmer may be placed: Varsity or Junior Varsity. Both sides of the pool work together closely during the summer with joint optional practices offered most afternoons as well as fun team events.

Swimmers age 15-18 are automatically on Varsity.

Teams are posted and emailed sometime during the third week. 

Time Trials 2024

(Choose Thursday or Friday to attend, no practice on the other day)

Thursday, June 6

Friday, June 7

Monday, June 10 - Makeups only. Practices will be in session.

STep 5: the Main Season Begins!

Practices begin in the morning hours. Swimmers will separate by Varsity or Junior Varsity to different sides of the pool.

All practices are composed of technique work, building of core strength and reviewing of racing skills.

Practices are separated by age group. 

Morning Swim Team Practices:

Monday - Friday

8:30 - 9:30     Ages 9-10

9:30 - 10:15   Ages 6-8

10:15 - 11:15   Ages 11-12

11:15 - 12:15   Ages 13-14

12:15 - 1:15     Ages 15-18

Start and Turn

Start and Turn is a short, optional 30 minute practice where swimmers practice specific skills such as diving off the blocks, flipturns, proper finishes and often some fun relays at the end. These skills are all taught during the normal practice times, but we have found the addition of this extra practice goes miles in cementing those skills faster and more efficiently. Plus, it gets the kids back to the pool where they get to have fun all day long. 

Monday - Friday

No Junior Varsity on Tuesdays, No Varsity on Wednesdays

1:30 - 2:00 Ages 6-10

2:00 - 2:30 Ages 11-18

Long Course

Long Course is another optional practice, but it is limited in size. This practice is limited due to coaching numbers that early in the morning, as well as due to the difficulty of the practice. Swimming long course can be an entirely different beast than swimming short course, and is not yet a feasible option for many swimmers.

Any non-Varsity swimmers who wish to attend should inquire with Coach Phil. 

Monday, Tuesday, Friday*

6:30 - 8:00 AM Ages 11-18

*Swimmers ages 9-10 may attend on Fridays, 6:30-7:30

Meets

Meets are Tuesday Mornings for JV, and Wednesday evenings for Varsity. Rain dates are usually the next day. Attendance is highly desired. Varsity, attendance is expected. The kids work hard at practice each day and meets are a fantastic way to show off their newfound skills as well as joining their friends in celebration of one another and our club.

Martin's Suit and Cap (if your swimmer wears a cap) are required. 

Championship Season

All swimmers regardless of team have a default end-of-season meet called "Divisionals", held on the second to last Saturday in July. 

If your swimmer reaches certain cut times over the course of the summer, they will have the ability to attend "A-Champs".

A-Champs is split into three different meets. The Distance Free meet, the Individual Medley (IM) meet, and the regular A-Champs meet. Distance Free and IM meets are evening meets like dual meets, and the final regular A-Champs meet is a half-day event, morning or afternoon, depending on your child’s age group.

Cut times for regular events must happen during SSL meets (not Intraclubs)

Cut times for additional events (the Distance Free and IM) must be achieved through our intraclub meets or with consistent winter times (only with these two events since they are not offered during summer dual meets).

If your swimmer makes an A-Cut in an event, they may not swim it at Divisionals, even if you cannot attend A-Champs.

Due to entry timing snafus, we may have some swimmers qualify in the final week of the season, after Divisional entries were due. In this case, we scratch the swimmer from that event in Divisionals and quickly enter them in A-Champs before those entries are due.

Please refer to the visual below that may help understand our season.

 
 

SWIM SUIT & CAP

A Martin's Dam suit and cap (if your swimmer wears a cap) are required for participation on the Martin's Dam swim team.

We believe in representing ourselves as a unified front. Swimmers do not have to wear these at practice, but they are required in meets. 

Swim/Dive team SUITS and CAPS are available now through Toad Hollow Athletics!  

Swim Caps

Non-personalized Frog Caps are always available at Toad Hollow 

  • Latex ($5.50 per cap)

  • Silicone ($18.00 per cap)

Personalized Caps are also available. The price is for two caps and there is a two cap minimum.

  • Latex ($16.00 per 2 cap order)

  • Silicone ($40.00 per 2 cap order) 

Deadline for purchase is May 10, 2024.

PERSONALIZED CAPS MUST BE PURCHASED THROUGH www.toadhollowathletics.com  (type Martins Dam in the search bar)

***Taxes added to all prices

Frog LEssons

Registration will open in June

Group Swim Lessons are available throughout the season, taught by Swim Team assistant coaches.

Ages 5 and up with some swimming experience (freestyle and attempted side breathing preferred).

Chances for competition are offered through our Thursday Intraclub meets with fun prizes and ribbons.

Please see an assistant swim coach for an evaluation.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Session 1 11:30 - 12:00

Session 2 12:15 - 12:45

Week 1: June 17 - 21 

Week 2: June 24 - 28 

Week 3: July 8 -12 

Week 4: July 15 - 19