Cherry Valley Swim Team Parent Guide
Welcome to the Cherry Valley Swim Team! This guide is designed to help families understand how our swim team works, what to expect during the season, and how parents can get involved.
Cherry Valley Swim Club is a member of the Tri-County Swimming Association, which includes swim clubs throughout Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties. For competitive swimming, Tri-County is divided into divisions from A through F, with A Division being the most competitive. For the 2026 season, Cherry Valley will compete in D Division.
About the Team
The Cherry Valley Swim Team is open to swimmers generally ages 5 through 18.
A swimmer’s competitive age is determined by their age on June 15. For example, if a swimmer turns 13 on June 16, they will compete as a 12-year-old for the entire season.
Swimmers compete in gender-specific age groups:
- 8 & Under
- 9–10
- 11–12
- 13–14
- 15–18
Swimmers may compete in their own age group or an older age group, but never in a younger age group.
Swim Meets
Saturday “A” Meets
Saturday morning meets are competitive league meets that count toward the team’s division standings.
Each team typically swims five A Meets during the season, competing against every other team in its division once. Some meets are held at Cherry Valley, while others are hosted by opposing clubs.
Because A Meets are scored and entries are limited, not every swimmer will swim in every A Meet. Coaches select the lineup based on swimmer times, event limits, and the overall team strategy.
Typical A Meet schedule:
- Swimmer arrival: approximately 7:45 AM
- Meet start: 9:00 AM
- Meet end: around 12:00 PM
Wednesday “B” Meets
B Meets are developmental meets held on Wednesday evenings. These meets are a great opportunity for swimmers to gain experience, try new events, and build confidence.
B Meets are typically less formal than A Meets:
- No team score is kept
- Multiple heats may be run
- Swimmers may have input on events they would like to try
- Less experienced swimmers are often featured
Typical B Meet schedule:
- Swimmer arrival: approximately 4:45 PM
- Meet start: 6:00 PM
Practices
Swim team practices begin after the club opens on Memorial Day.
While school is still in session, practices are typically held after school. Once the school year ends, practices move to the morning for the remainder of the season.
Practice groups are organized by age and ability. The coaching staff will determine the appropriate practice group for each swimmer.
All swimmers are expected to attend practice regularly. Our coaches are Red Cross certified and may also offer private lessons for an additional fee. Families interested in private lessons should contact the coaches directly.
Parent Volunteers
The swim team depends on parent volunteers. Aside from our coaches, the program is run entirely by volunteers, and every family is expected to contribute.
It takes approximately 35 volunteers each week to run a swim meet.
Volunteer roles may include:
- Meet setup and cleanup
- Timers
- Referees
- Starters
- Stroke and turn judges
- Scorekeepers
- Record keepers
- Announcers
- Ribbon writers
- Team parents
- Concessions volunteers
- Fundraising support
- Pep rally and banquet planning
If your child is swimming in an A or B Meet, a family member is expected to volunteer.
Volunteer sign-ups will be shared throughout the season and linked in team emails. Reminders will also be sent before each meet.
Families may also be asked to donate items for pep rallies and the swim meet concession stand, which is the swim team’s largest fundraiser.
Meet Officials
Some volunteer positions require certification, including:
- Scoring table
- Referee
- Starter
- Stroke and turn judge
The Tri-County Swimming Association offers clinics before the swim season begins. Parents are encouraged to attend one or more clinics to become certified in an area of interest.
Meet Events
A Meets include 66 events, including:
- Individual Medley, also called IM
- Medley Relay
- Freestyle
- Backstroke
- Breaststroke
- Butterfly
- Freestyle Relay
In a dual meet, swimmers may participate in up to:
- 2 individual events
- 2 relay events
Ribbons are awarded to the winning relay team and to the top four finishers in individual events.
Team points are awarded as follows:
- Relay win: 7 points
- Individual 1st place: 5 points
- Individual 2nd place: 3 points
- Individual 3rd place: 1 point
B Meets may include many of the same events as A Meets, along with some different distances. Times from B Meets do not qualify swimmers for Tri-County Championships.
Championship Meets
At the end of the regular season, swimmers may have the opportunity to participate in championship meets.
Cherry Bowl
Cherry Bowl includes only the 12 Cherry Hill swim clubs.
Each club may enter:
- One swimmer per event
- One relay team per age group
Swimmers are selected at the discretion of the coaching staff, generally based on best times within each age group.
Tri-County Championships
Swimmers qualify for Tri-County Championships by meeting or beating the qualifying times set each year by the Tri-County Swimming Association.
Swimmers may participate in:
- Up to 2 individual events
- Up to 2 relay events
A relay team for each age group may participate regardless of entry time.
Parents of swimmers participating in Cherry Bowl or Tri-County Championships are expected to help fill official volunteer roles as assigned by the host club.
Awards Ceremony
The season concludes with an Awards Ceremony for swimmers and their families.
Each swimmer will receive recognition, and special awards will also be presented. Additional details will be shared later in the season.
To qualify for the team gift, each swimmer must participate in at least two meets, and their family must contribute to the program through volunteering or other support.
Questions or Suggestions
We welcome constructive suggestions and are happy to answer questions throughout the season.
Please contact a member of the swim team parent committee or the coaching staff with any questions.