General Schedule
This is, overall, what the Cyclones calendar looks like. Specific dates vary year to year: this is intended to give the big picture.
When | What | Description |
March | Online registration opens | Pay dues, provide contact information for parents and swimmers, further information from this site and e-mail; registration usually open into early June |
April | Orientation | In-person registration, swimsuit sizing, orientation meeting |
late May (Memorial Day to 31st) | Pool opening | Traditional opening weekend for pool; first team practice Memorial Day |
early June | Afternoon practices | Team practice Monday to Friday, after school day, roughly 5pm to 9pm, using a few lanes in pool while other residents swim in the rest; one hour sessions, divided by age group |
mid-June | Evaluation |
In-practice evaluation of swimmers to ensure all can swim one pool length unassisted
|
mid-June | Time trials | A practice home meet, usually on a Saturday morning, with no opponent; provides baseline times for swimmers, practice in meet operation for swimmers and parent volunteers |
late June | Morning practices | Practice schedule shifts to mornings after the end of the school year for Fairfax County Public Schools; uses whole pool before it opens to all residents, same one hour sessions sorted by age, roughly 7am-11am Monday to Friday |
late June | Meets | 6-8 meets per season against 1-2 opposing teams, into late July, Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, each roughly 3 hours; locations home or away, Centreville to Herndon |
late July | All League Meets | Day-long Saturday meet including all teams in League |
late July or early August | End of season party | Dinner and swim party to celebrate the season, recognize and award each swimmer, thank parent volunteers and sponsors |
August | Clinics | Optional small-group coaching clinics, usually on weekends |
year-round | Organizational meetings | Occasional organizational meetings and training sessions for particular volunteer roles |
year-round | "Social" events | Variety of teambuilding, fundraising, and community improvement activities |