Swimming
Welcome to the Holy Family Swimming Eagles
The 2023-2024 season is set to begin in November and will carry through the Championship meet in April 2024. We will once again be practicing at our new home, the state-of-the-art Hicksville Aquatic Center, located on the Hicksville High School Campus.
Tryouts: Tuesday November 7, 2023, beginning at 6:30pm. This is the only available date for tryouts. Those who have not swam for Holy Family in the past must be registered and must tryout.
Swimmers aged 10 & under (as of Dec 1st, 2023) must be able to complete one (1) length of the swimming pool, or 25 yards, without grabbing on to the lane ropes, walls or touching the bottom of the pool.
Swimmers aged 11 and over (as of Dec 1st, 2023) must be able to complete two (2) lengths of the pool – or 50 yards, in the same manner.
Swimming Team
Our swim team is designed for boys and girls aged 7-18 as of Dec 1st, 2023, who are looking to swim competitively. Practices are split into two sessions, with those age 10 and younger swimming in the first session and those age 11 and older swimming in the second session. Swimmers are then grouped by age. This is subject to change based on the final registrations.
The season will start in November (practice sessions will be posted below) and we compete in 8 meets starting in January (Schedule to be posted in mid-December).The season culminates in a Championship Meet held in late March or early April.The team will swim against teams from other Catholic parishes in Nassau and Suffolk County.
The program is open to all. You do not need to belong to a Catholic Parish to participate. However, you must live within the Holy Family boundary. For those who live outside of Hicksville and who do not have a CYO Swim Program in their town, please contact us for more information.
A Swimmer's Prayer
Dear God, another swimming meet
Is scheduled for today
I'm going to be quite busy
So I won't have long to pray
Bless my Mom, Dad, and Coach
And keep us close to you
Let the friends I make today
Be loyal, good, and true
Please help me not forget you God
Each time I take the blocks
I sometimes get distracted by
The noise and all the clocks
Let my starts and turns be quick
My arms and legs be sure
And help my strokes be smooth and strong
To help me to endure
Help me find the confidence
I've struggled for so much
So I can find the shortest way
From start to final touch
And when the droll computer
Writes my times across its face
Please let me not think win or lose
But how I swam the race
Swimming Records
Click here to see CYO Swimming records.
Holy Family CYO – Swim Club
Welcome to the Holy Family Swimming Eagles
Below are some points of information I thought would be important for you all to have regarding parent protocol, communication, contact information, practices, the website, swim suits, meets and the championships.
Access to Pool Deck
Only coaches, timers, and swimmers are permitted on the pool deck. This is a Hicksville Aquatic Center Regulations, as set forth by the Board of Health. Failure to abide may result in a loss of our facility use permit.
Once Swimmers enter the pool deck via the locker room, they are not permitted to enter the stands. Swimmers must change into and out of swim suits in the locker rooms. This is a Hicksville Aquatic Center Regulations, as set forth by the Board of Health. Failure to abide may result in a loss of our facility use permit.
Communication
Every attempt will be made to keep all of you informed as to scheduling changes and any other pertinent information.
Contact Information e-mail
- coachcarroll@verizon.net (home)
Swim Suits
Per league rule, swim suits must be team suits (fitting and orders will be taken at the first 3 practices). This year’s or previous year’s TEAM SUITS are allowed to be worn at league meets as long as the suit is a “Team Suit” representing your parish.
If your swimmer uses a swim cap, team swim caps are also required for all league meets.
CYO of Nassau Suffolk County Dual Meet Competition
Division Classification - all participants are classified with maximum age limitations. If a Participant exceeds the maximum age as of December 1st of the program year, they must participate in the next higher division.
The divisions are 8 and under, 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, 18 and under (high school student only).
Eligibility - Note that interscholastic and club swimmers are eligible to swim with the CYO program, Varsity swimmers, public and private may participate in program. Relays are to be followed by Composition of Relays allowing athletes’ to swim up one division. (One age group) If there is an ineligible swimmer, regardless of when reported, the event shall be forfeited or disqualified.
Participation in Regular Season and CYO Championships:
Contestants may swim in only three events in the regular season Dual Meets as well as in the CYO Championship Meet.
- A swimmer may participate in three (3) events per meet, no more than two (2) of which may be individual events.
- If a swimmer swims more than the allowed amount of races (3 events) they shall be disqualified from their last events
Holy Family Swim Club Dual Meet Competition
Swimmers
In order to compete
- Swimmers age 10 & under must be able to complete one (1) length of the swimming pool, or 25 yards, without grabbing on to the lane ropes, walls or touching the bottom of the pool.
- Swimmers age 11 and over must be able to complete two (2) lengths of the pool – or 50 yards, in the same manner.
- All swimmers must be comfortable enough to dive into the water from the starting block, as opposed to the side of the pool.
During the Dual Meet
- There will be 8 Dual Meets scheduled – 4 home and 4 away. Ribbons will be earned for placing 1-3.
- All swimmers must be on the pool deck ½ hour prior to the posted starting time of the meet.
- All swimmers are expected to remain on the pool deck with their teammates throughout the competition. Swimmers are not permitted in the stands, as this violates pool regulations.
- No food or drink is permitted on the pool deck or in the stands.
- No phones may be used on the deck during meets. This is a distraction and will cause swimmers to miss their events.
- No toys, decks of cards, books, etc. onto the pool deck during competition. This time should be devoted to cheering on their teammates and watching the more experienced swimmers.
- Only swimmers, coaches and scheduled volunteers are permitted on the pool deck. All Coaches / Timers / Scorers MUST wear a shirt identifying their parish at all CYO Meets while on the pool deck.
- NO JEWELRY ALLOWED TO BE WORN BY SWIMMERS – this includes practices and meets
- All swimmers are expected to remain on the pool deck until the conclusion of the final race. Unless you have made prior arrangements and there are extenuating circumstances, this is an important request. It is my hope that all of the swimmers will embrace the idea of teamwork and teammates and cheer each other on. The younger swimmers benefit from the cheers of close to 100 teammates and their fans, I would like the older swimmers to experience the same.
- At the conclusion of each meet, we will all participate in a team cheer for the opposing team (another reason it is important to remain together as a team).
General
- Every effort will be made to include your swimmer in 2-3 events for every meet. However, this is dependent on other swimmers. As an example, if your swimmer is scheduled to swim in 2 relays, and other swimmers from that relay do not show up, we may not have other swimmers to fill in the vacant spot. The other option would be to have swimmers “pending”. For this reason, it is imperative that you inform the coaching staff as soon as possible if your swimmer is unable to make a meet.
- While CYO Swimming is a competitive sport at the team and individual level, my primary consideration will be to ensure the swimmers improve and most importantly, enjoy themselves.
- We will therefore have 2 in house meets (t/b/d) so that all swimmers will have the chance to compete and earn ribbons. Ribbons will be earned for all places -1 through 6.
Holy Family Swim Club – Championship Meet Competition
Swimmers
- Rosters are limited for the championship meets.
- While the championships are geared for team competition, this is an opportunity for our most experienced swimmers to excel.
- Placement in the championships will be dependent on a variety of factors, including but not limited to…
- Individual and relay results from the dual meets
- Attendance at practice
- Attendance at dual meet competitions (minimum of five).
- Even if your swimmer is not competing in the championship, I invite you to come down with them and your families (the swimmers are welcome to join us on the pool deck) to cheer on your teammates. We may also need them as alternates in the event of sickness, injury or last-minute cancellation.
Fair Play
I welcome any and all comments now and throughout the season. As a CYO sport, our primary focus is on the children. We want them to not only succeed and improve, but to enjoy themselves. If you have any concerns with regards to anything regarding your swimmer during practices, at meets, etc., please do not hesitate to bring it to my attention.
As members of both CYO and the Town of Oyster Bay, we also abide by the Fair Play Agreement. So if you have any, please feel free to contact me or our Board via the website at www.holyfamilycyo.org.
One final note
Swim meets can seem long and drawn out, but when the competition is close; there is nothing in sports more exciting. You have all seen football games that are won with a final minute drive or a baseball game won with a walk off home run. Just imagine the thrill of watching a 2 minute relay race that wins or loses a championship in the final .001 seconds of the meet. – And nothing is louder.
Losing is not coming in second. It's getting out of the water knowing you did your best and will try to do better. If you can remember that, you will have won every race you’ve ever I've been in.
Looking forward to a great season
Coach Carroll (Kevin)
2017 CYO Championship