Do I need to be a member of the Meredith Townes Pool to swim on the Mudpuppy swim team? Yes. All swimmers must be registered as members of the Meredith Townes Pool. For all inquiries looking for Membership to Meredith Townes Pool-please contact Elite Management meredithtownes.org

How old does my child need to be to be on the Meredith Townes Mudpuppy Swim team? The swim team starts accepting swimmers at age 5, and no try out is required.

Does my child need to know how to swim all the strokes to join the team? No; No swimming experience is required! We welcome swimmers of all levels - even those who are just learning to swim! We do not require try outs for our swim team. Swimmers of all abilities are welcomed.

Does my swimmer have to swim in the meets? No; while we encourage all swimmers to join in the fun on Tuesday nights, we understand if your swimmer is not comfortable with it. We would still encourage your swimmer to attend the meets and cheer on their teammates.

Is there a requirement for practice attendance? No; the more your swimmer is in the water receiving instruction from our coaches, the better swimmers they will become, but there is no practice requirement.

Do I have to volunteer? Yes; every family is required to volunteer at a minimum of 3 meets or events. The Mudpuppy Swim Team is an entirely volunteer run organization which is only possible with everyone joining in the fun to volunteer. If you are not sure about what the different positions do, we will be happy to train you. Most positions require no prior swimming knowledge or training. The Parent Meeting which is held at the beginning of the year is a good time to learn about Volunteer positions.

What are Time Trials? Time trials are held the Tuesday before the first meet and serve many purposes. It is rehearsal mini-meet but with only Mudpuppies in attendance. It gives new swimmers and families an idea of how a meet will run and is a good refresher for returning swimmers. Swimmers will be timed, and this will help the coaches with assigning events and seeding. Time Trials are also an opportunity for families to practice volunteer positions and ask any questions. Most importantly, it provides families and swimmers who may attend different practices a chance to meet, socialize, and have fun!

Is there a special swimsuit or other gear that I have to buy? Mudpuppies wear solid black swimsuits for meets. If you would like to purchase a swimsuit with the Mudpuppy logo, you can do so directly from the supplier at https://www.swimoutlet.com/gopups/. However, any black suit is fine. If your swimmer is swimming in the main heat, TSA rules require that they wear a Mudpuppy swim cap. Each swimmer will receive a Mudpuppy swim cap at time trials.

What does it mean to "declare" my swimmer? The coaches need to know which swimmers will be attending the meet each week so they can assign events, heats, and relay teams. By the Friday before each meet, you need to "declare" if your swimmer plans to attend the meet. Pro Tip: At the beginning of the season, check your calendar and go ahead and declare your swimmers for the meets you plan to attend; just don't forget to change it if something comes up!

What happens if I forget to declare my swimmer? Unfortunately, if you forget to declare your swimmer, we cannot guarantee they will be able to swim in the meet. If there are open lanes in the exhibition heats, we will be happy to place them in events.

What is a Main Heat and an Exhibition Heat? The "Main Heat" is the first heat of each event. This is the heat that earns points for each team. The subsequent heats are called "Exhibition Heats." Swimmers are only allowed to swim in the Main Heat in 3 individual events per meet.

How will I know what events my swimmer will swim at a meet? The coaches will post a heat sheet on the wall. After your swimmer gets checked in at the swimmers table, you should check the heat sheet to see in which events they will be swimming. Heat sheets will also be available for your swimmer in the SwimTopia app, and you should get a notification when they are available. Volunteers called "Kid Pushers" will help make sure your swimmers age 12 and younger do not miss their events. Swimmers age 13 and older need to listen for their events to be called to the Clerk of Course.

Will my swimmer get ribbons? The home team provides ribbons for each meet. Place ribbons (1st - 4th for Mudpuppy home meets or more at away meets with more lanes) are awarded to swimmers age 13-14 and younger in the Main Heat.  The ribbons will be available at practice after the meet. In the Exhibition Heats, the winner of each heat age 10 and younger will receive a Heat Winner ribbon, and the other swimmers will receive a Participant Ribbon. These will be given to the swimmers on deck immediately after the heat.

What is TSA? TSA is the Tarheel Swimming Association which is the summer recreation league the Mudpuppies have joined. The Mudpuppies are in the Northern Division. You can learn more about TSA and see schedules and standings at their website https://tsa.swimtopia.com/. At the end of the season, TSA holds a Championship meet at Triangle Aquatic Center (TAC) in Cary with all the teams in the league competing. The meet is held on Saturday and Sunday with each team being assigned a day to swim. Exact day and time information for the Mudpuppies is announced during the summer.