New Swim Families
Here is the link to a presentation which covers most of what you need to know.
FMKP Swim Team 101
The Fosters Mill - Kings Point Swim Team (FMKP Waves) is a community based summer swim program lasting from late April through June. The Waves has a long history of swimming success within the Northwest Aquatic League (NWAL)
which is one of the 3 largest summer swim programs in the country and as many as 15,000 Houston area kids participate each season.
When you join the team, you and your swimmer are signing up for a lot of fun and excitement. Many kids from both Fosters Mill and Kings Point neighborhoods swim for the team and we expect 225-250 swimmers each season. Children of all ability levels are encouraged to take part in this program, as long as they can meet the minimum eligibility requirements.
During the school year, practices are held in the afternoons after school at the Kings Point pool. They last 30 minutes for our 6 and unders and about 45 minutes for the older kids. The practice groups are set up by age. We love to have the kids show up as much as they like but there is no attendance requirement as many kids are involved in other activities along with summer swimming. Practices move to the mornings once school is out.
The meets are held every Saturday beginning in May all the way through June. They begin at 8:30am and usually finish early afternoon. The 6 and unders are usually done by noon, if not earlier.
Feel free to browse our internet site for additional information about the team and for dates. The web site is our primary communications center for all things related to the team. Check out the About Us page. You will find information on the coaching staff under this tab. We worked diligently in the off season hiring a great coaching staff. Each of our coaches has a lot of swimming and coaching experience. Please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions or need additional information. Read below for a few frequently asked questions from last season.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) How does the team work? The FMKP Waves swim team is a non-profit community organization that is affiliated with the Northwest Aquatic League. The overall management of the team is entirely by parent volunteers. There is a board of directors and a variety of volunteer coordinators. There are no parents who are paid by the team or profit in any way from the Waves. The Boards goal is to run a very professional and organized team so each family has a positive experience, the kids have fun, and children learn to swim better.
The Waves Board is always looking for people to help with running the team. If there is a particular area you want to get involved in email [email protected] and we will try and get you plugged in. Each of the coaches are paid professional coaches with swimming and coaching experience.
2) Can my child swim well enough for the team? Most likely the answer is yes. Most children who try to swim for the Waves make the team and our goal is to help each child get on the team. There is a new swimmer evaluation prior to the season beginning where the coaches make the determination as to the readiness of each individual child. If your swimmer cannot attend the new swimmer evaluation, then they will be evaluated during rookie camp.
The swimmers must be comfortable in the water and able to swim independently. The kids also must be able to follow instruction from the coaches and participate during practices.They also need to be able to use the restroom independently, if needed during practice.
3) Is my child old enough for the team? Most of the swimmers are 5 by May when the season starts. We have had many 4 year olds on the team over the years as well. If they can pass the swimmer evaluation successfully and meet the criteria in #2 above, then they can participate.
4) How does Rookie Camp work? Rookie Camp occurs at the start of the season in mid-April. The practices are for children who have never been on swim team before and are under 8 years of age. The purpose is for the coaches to work with the newer swimmers and get them ready to swim for the Waves. The coaches evaluate the new swimmers and determine their readiness for the team. The camp is made up of mostly younger swimmers (6 and under). The staff may have your swimmer try to swim and determine them ready for the team and release them from the camp. Other swimmers can come to the Rookie Camp practices to try and improve before the official season starts. We try to maintain one instructor per lane during this part of the season and attempt one on one work as much as possible where the basic swimming fundamentals are taught.
5) Who are the coaches? The Board works each season to identify and hire coaches with outstanding character, a love for kids, and passion for swimming. Our staff is a blend of high school students and college students. Each coach has a lot of experience with swimming. Our college coaches will join the team in early May once their semester is complete. Every Waves coach has extensive experience with swimming and coaching swimming. Our coaches each had successful swimming careers and love to teach the sport. Each coach is CPR certified, background checked, and pass NWAL Coaches Certification.
6) What if I can’t make all the meets or practices? There is no attendance requirement. We understand many kids are in other activities and or take some vacation once school is out. Practices are offered Monday through Friday and you can come to as many as you like. Please keep in mind the more regularly your child attends practice the better he or she will become so we encourage attendance but you as the parent must decide what works best. Meets are each Saturday and we would like you at as many meets as possible but once again there is no requirement.
7) What does my registration cover? Registration covers most of the costs associated with the team and a team t-shirt for each swimmer. You will need to buy a team swim suit, goggles, swim fins, and extra team shirts. The fee also covers a trophy and year end party where we rent the pool for a giant celebration.
8) How do the meets work? Meets are each Saturday at either the Kings Point pool or one of the away pools in the Kingwood/Atascocita area. The team provides tents for shade and the kids typically sit by others in their gender and age range. You should bring folding chairs and snacks. Each meet also has concessions. The kids are entered in events via the website and children race with kids of similar ability based on their entry times in the event.
9) How do relays work? During meets the team is able to have up to 3 relays in the relay events. The first 2 relays are selected by the computer system which automatically computes the order of athletes and strokes based on the swimmers current times. The system ensures the relays entered are the fastest combination of swimmers. The C relay is also computed by the computer however the coaching staff attempts to ensure each child gets to be on a relay during the season. Feel free to email the coaches if your child has not been on a relay and they will do their best to enter your swimmer.
10) What equipment is needed? A swim suit, goggles, and swim fins are required. There is a team suit available at D&J Sports for the meets - https://djsports.com/houston-tomball-swim-shop. Boys typically buy a “jammer” which basically look like bike shorts. For practice they can wear whatever suit they want. Avoid 2 pieces for girls. We do not recommend board type shorts for boys as they cause a lot of drag and definitely impede swimming. Encourage your boy to wear a speedo style jammer suit and it will help out a lot.
11) Parking We will put up no parking signs. The Home Owners Association asks our parents not to park on both sides of the road as it causes a hazard in the event of an emergency. Please help out by following posted signs.
12) Communication The team communicates through our web site at https://fmkp-waves.swimtopia.com and through email. During the season please stay alert to both of these sources - we promise the emails end immediately after the season. All meet entries, volunteer registration, and payments are handled online.
13) Outside the Gate Practice Policy The team has a policy that all parents for all age ranges need to stay outside of the gated pool area during all practices. While you think you might be helping by being inside the gate, you are actually a distraction for our swimmers and coaches. There are lifeguards on duty to protect your children and our coaches need to command the swimmer's full attention. If your child is unable to follow instructions from the coaches without you being in close proximity to them, then they are not ready for swim team.
Instructional Links
How do I sign my swimmer up for a meet? How do I RSVP for an event? How do I sign up for a volunteer shift?