FAQs

Langley Flippers

Frequently Asked Questions

“S” status refers to strictly summer swimming, not training more than 2 hours/week from October – April. “O” status refers to swimmers who train and/or compete year round (more than 2 hours/week from October-April)

Langley Flippers is a “speed swimming” swim club, we do not offer water polo, diving, or artistic swimming

Your child will be placed into a group according to their skill level. The first few practices are considered assessment practices where coaches will move swimmers around to find their appropriate group. Groups may change any time in the season at the discretion of the coach based on the progression of the athlete.

No. Training times are set for each group. There are multiple practices a week, so try to make as many practices that works for your family.

No. Please come to as many practices as your schedule allows.

No. It is highly encouraged, but not mandatory.

Not necessarily. Swimmers are placed into groups according to their skill level.

Our program is first come, first serve and generally fills up quickly. Registration will be accepted until our program is full. There will be no prorating for missed practices or late registration. Please see our cancellation policy for injury.

You’ve just signed up for an overwhelming first few weeks of your summer. But once you know swimming lingo and meet some new friends you’ve found yourself the best way to spend your summer. Swimmers will improve their swimming ability, learn how to be responsible and dedicated to a sport and make new friends in a fun competitive environment. Parents will spend many hours hanging out with other fun parents and getting a nice tan.

You will receive regular e-mail notifications, you can email the head coach, an executive member, or the coaches' liaison. Lastly, you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Because the swim season is so short, there is not a lot of time to prepare for Regionals. As a result, swimmers must practice daily sometimes twice a day in order to improve quickly. We try to coordinate a few social activities outside of practice times for team bonding. Try to come to as many social activities as possible.

We understand that life is busy; however, we encourage your swimmer to attend as many practices as possible.

Dryland training is done to prevent injuries, to get into great shape and to help foster self discipline in swimmers. It's also fun. Please come on time to dryland with a water bottle, running shoes and appropriate clothing.

Swimmers don’t need to be fast to participate at swim meets. Division 1 and higher need to be able to swim the entirety of the race unassisted. 6 and Under can have an assistant in the water during their race. While swim meets are not mandatory, they are encouraged.

Please wear team bathing suits and shirts at meets. For boys, no board shorts. For girls, no rash guards or two piece bathing suits. All swimmers should wear Langley Flippers swim caps.

No. You can sign up for Saturday or Sunday or both. Please be aware that there is a late registration fee if you register within 24 hours past the deadline. After that, swimmers are required to deck enter the day of the meet, with all fees the responsibility of the family (cash only). To sign up for swim meets please login to the parent portal on our website.

Yes. Within the club there are many awards given out at the end of the season. At swim meets, ribbons are generally given out to the top 6/8 swimmers depending on the meet.

If your child is scared to race, bring them to a meet anyways. Our coaches are here to encourage a love for swimming and competition.

Relays consist of 4 swimmers within their division competing against relays from other teams. There are 2 types of relays: freestyle and medley. In the medley relay, each swimmer on the team will swim one of the following strokes: Backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle.

Please bring a bathing suit, goggles, a swim cap, a bottle of water, and all required swim gear as per coach's instruction. If there is a dryland portion to the practice, please wear runners and appropriate exercise attire.

Be prepared for all types of weather. Some families like to bring pop up tents, but not absolutely necessary. Camping chairs will definitely make your day more comfortable. Swimmers should bring warm clothes, extra towels, blankets or sleeping bags, team cap, suit, and clothing. Make sure to bring lots of water, juice and healthy foods. Some suggested foods are fruit, veggies, light snacks.

A swim meet may have up to 500 swimmers competing in it. So make sure you keep tabs on your children at all times. Swim meets can last anywhere from 6 to 12 hours per day depending on the swim meet.

Try talking to coaches, executive members, or other parents, everyone is friendly.

Please speak directly with the coach or coaches' liaison at a time that is suitable for both parties. Try not to gossip and complain, instead lets try to be proactive and prevent any possible disagreements before they begin. Do not talk to coaches during practice time, they need their full attention on the swimmers in the water.

Please talk to the coaches’ liaison regarding any of these issues. If you are not able to solve the problem then please speak directly to your child’s coach or a member of the executive. There are also a number of BCSSA officials on the swim team.

We are a volunteer run team, therefore your help is always appreciated. If you are unsure how you can help, please speak to an executive member.

Should you have anything you want to share with the coaches feel free to speak with them before or after practice to schedule a meeting. You can also email them directly.

Please refrain from talking to the coaches when they are coaching on deck; this means during practices and swim meets it is not okay to have lengthy discussions with your child’s coach. Instead, wait until practice is over or for a break in the swim meet to chat.