El Dorado Stingrays

Welcome to the El Dorado Stingrays Swim Team!

This handbook has been prepared to give you and your family information that is needed to know throughout the swim season.  Please read it carefully especially if you are a new member of the team. You will find information about the coaches and practice sessions as well as the procedure for letting the team know whether your child will be swimming in the meets.  Please review the Meet Procedure section found on page 7 of this handbook.  If you have any questions, ask the Swim Team Rep of Head Coach.

The swim team’s goal is to provide the support our swimmers need, to help them have a completely enjoyable and rewarding experience, and to learn the four competitive swim strokes.  Swimming is a life skill that each person should master for safety’s sake.

The residents of the El Dorado subdivision organized the Swim Team many years ago.  The team is a member of the Maverick Summer Swim League (MSSL) which organizes the summer swim program for 24 swim teams from all over the greater northern San Antonio and outlying areas. 

We are excited to have you and your family as members of the El Dorado Stingrays Swim Team, and we look forward to another exciting and fun summer swim season.

Team Goals: The goal of the Swim Team is to provide our neighborhood youth, ages 4 – 18, with a high-quality summer swim program.  The team provides a program in which swimmers improve their aquatic skills, promote teamwork and good sportsmanship, and most of all have lots of fun with people from the neighborhood!

2026 Season Overview: The 2026 program will last about two months.  The program begins on Tuesday, May 5th.  On that date, the coaches will begin holding daily practices to improve strokes and build endurance. Until school is out for summer vacation, practice sessions will only be held in the early evening.   The practice sessions shift later in the evening once school is out for the summer. Time trials are held during May practices, to get a beginning seed time for the swimmer before the regular season begins.

The four meets will be held on Saturday mornings or Monday nights depending upon which day the host team conducts their meets. The first regular season meet will be held the week of June 1st. We always anticipate finishing the regular season by July 3rd..

The season concludes with an end-of-the-season Family Awards Party.

About This Handbook: The purpose of the handbook is to inform swimmers and their parents about the Swim Team and how it operates.  Your participation on the team is more enjoyable if you are familiar with the contents of this handbook and if you eagerly take part in our volunteer organization.

The handbook does not include MSSL rules or rules for executing the strokes.  This information can be found on the league web site at mssl.swimtopia.com

Eligibility: Swimmers are eligible to join the team if they are 4 to 18 years of age (or their summer immediately following high school graduation whichever comes last) as of June 1 of the current year. To join the team, a swimmer must consistently swim the following distances without holding onto the sides of the pool or lane lines (unless the swimmer is 6 or younger) or touching the bottom of the pool until the required swim distance has been completed.

Ages 4 - 10 - Must be able to swim one stroke for 25 yards/meters.  Note: Freestyle means any means of swimming across the pool to include “doggie paddle” for the youngest swimmers ages 4-6.

Ages 11 & Up - Should be able to swim any two strokes for 50 yards/meters or 2 lengths of the pool.

If you are unsure about your child’s ability, attend the practices as scheduled. The coaches will determine each swimmer’s ability and decide if a swimmer meets the requirements. If a swimmer is unable to meet the requirements, a full refund will be made.

Swimmers must demonstrate their ability to meet the above requirements by the predetermined date set by the Coach.

Registration Fees: Your family must be purchase a family El Dorado Swim Pool Membership or pay a pool fee before registering your child for the swim team. The fees to join the team are as follows: First swimmer in a family $110.00, swimmer 2 $100 and swimmer 3+ $85.00 each.  A parent must complete a registration form, pay the fee, and agree to the MSSL insurance waiver form before attending any practice.

Late Registration: Swimmers may register late, or even after the regular season has begun. However, they must register by Thursday, May 18th in order to compete this summer.   

2026 COACHING STAFF:

HEAD COACH: Marty McGrath

Assistant Coach: Nate Perez

Practices are Important: Swimmers benefit greatly through regular attendance to practice sessions. At practice swimmers receive instruction in the four competition strokes, a racing dive technique, flip turns, and are given the opportunity to build physical endurance.  Regular attendance at practice also helps the swimmers and their families keep up with what is going on as important team information is distributed at practices. 

In an attempt to maximize the benefits of the practice sessions, each coach is assigned the responsibility for a particular age or ability group.  This enables the coach to get to know the swimmers better, to identify their strengths, and to work on their weaknesses.  The coaches are then able to place the swimmers in the appropriate events for swim meets.  The coaches prepare the meet entry sheets for their assigned age /ability group. This allows coaches to give your swimmer more individual attention.

Be On Time: Swimmers should be at the pool and ready to swim 10 minutes prior the time their practice session is scheduled to begin, get ready for stretching exercises, and check their name off on the attendance roster.  When the practice is over all older swimmers should promptly leave the pool area.  Younger swimmers should stay with an adult, team rep, or coach until his or her parent has arrived.

Practice Schedule During School Time: Practices are held Tuesday through Thursday & occasional Fridays when no pool parties are booked.  Practice times are as follows; 6:00-7:00 p.m. younger swimmers 10 yrs & Under & 7:00-8:00 p.m. swimmers 11 yrs & Older

Practice Schedule for the Summer: Begins on Tuesday, June 2nd. An occasional Friday or Monday may be requested if rain has prohibited several regular practices.   The times are as follows:  7:00-8:00 p.m. younger swimmers 10 yrs & Under and 8:00-9:00 p.m. swimmers 11 yrs & Older

If there is a need for three swim practice times, the following times may be utilized. This will be decided after the size of the team is determined.  

Group C (Littles) 6:45 - 7:30 PM    

Group B (Middles) 7:30 - 8:30 PM     

Group A (Bigz) 8:30 - 9:30 PM

Practice Dos and Don’ts: All of our activities take place in community or city pools. We are given special permission to use these pools by the city or homeowner’s associations.  Swimmers are expected to obey all normal pool safety rules during practices and meets.  Disruptive behavior not only wastes the coaches’ time, but also may jeopardize future use of a pool by the swim team. If necessary, a swimmer will be asked to leave the pool area. Parents who are present during practice are asked to help keep swimmers in order and to enforce pool rules.

Swimmers and their siblings are not allowed to play in the Baby Pool during swim practice or meets.   As no lifeguard is on duty for the baby pool during practices or meets, it is a safety risk to the team and the league which secures the liability insurance for all teams.

Need to Speak With a Coach: The coaches are responsible for a large number of swimmers during practice sessions, and a lot must be accomplished at the practices.  For these reasons, please do not hold conferences with the coaches during scheduled practice times.  If you need to speak with a coach, please try to do so before or after the practice session. If you have any concerns about a coach or instructor, please contact the swim team rep, Shannon Grabill 210-387-0137 of Christina Locke 210-863-9545

Swimsuit Requirements: Team swimsuits are available for purchase either at team registration, at a specifically scheduled team practice, or at Swim Freak located at 3988, 2250 Thousand Oaks #206 in San Antonio.  However, swimmers should not wear their team suit to practice sessions.  Swimmers may wear the previous year’s team suit or any other competition type suit.  This will save wear and tear on the team suit.

Team Suits: This year the girls’ team swimsuit is black by Speedo.  Girls suit team cost is $68 + tax.  The boys will wear a matching jammer costing $53 + tax.

Suits will be available for purchase from Swim Freak during their regular operating hours.

Other Equipment: Unlike other sports, very little equipment is required for a swimmer.  Most swimmers like to wear swim goggles.  All girls (and boys with long hair or those who want to swim fast) must wear swim caps.  Team swim caps are required equipment at all meets for girls and boys with long hair.  Swimmers should get use to wearing caps at practice.

Please make sure that every item your swimmer brings to a practice or a meet has his or her name or initials on it including shirts, shorts, towels, goggles, swim caps, water bottles, etc.  Fingernail polish works great on goggles and swim fins.

Also, please ensure that your swimmer is well protected against sunburns by using an appropriate level of sun block at all practices and meets.   Swimmer’s Ear is a painful infection associated with people who are in the water a lot.  To prevent Swimmer’s Ear, over-the-counter drops can be purchased at Walgreen’s, CVS, or HEB.  Please be vigilant about using drops in your children’s ears to prevent a painful infection from ruining their summer of fun and exercise.

MAVERICK SWIM LEAGUE: The El Dorado Stingrays Swim Team is a member of the Maverick Summer Swim League (MSSL).  The MSSL is a non-profit organization that coordinates competitive swimming events between 22-26 teams of varying sizes in the greater northern San Antonio and outlying areas.  The Maverick Summer Swim League maintains a web site AND Facebook page both containing a lot of useful information for swimmers, parents, coaches, and volunteers.  The MSSL site is mssl.swimtopia.com.

Competing Teams: Currently the 24 teams of the MSSL will be divided into four divisions: Division 1, 2, 3 and 4 for the championship meets.  The placement in divisions is determined by team roster size from the current season.  For dual meets teams will compete as close to home as practical. 

2026 MSSL Teams:  Braun Station, Canyon Lake, Churchill Estates, Cibolo Canyons, El Dorado, Encino Forest, Fair Oaks Ranch, Heights at Stone Oak, Jewish Community Center, Lifetime Fitness, Lookout Canyon, Mountain Lodge, Oaks at Sonterra, Olympia, Parkwood, Promontory Pointe, Sonoma Ranch, Smithson Valley, Sonterra Country Club, Steubing Ranch, Stone Mountain,  Stonegate Hill, Timberwood Park, Valley Ranch, Whispering Oaks and Wildhorse.

Function of the MSSL: The MSSL Board of Directors is an all-volunteer body formed by one elected representative from each member swim team and the President.  The MSSL Board functions as the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government for all the league’s member teams.  The board determines the meet schedules, sets all policies and rules, and votes on new team applications to the league.

The MSSL provides liability, sexual abuse & misconduct, and medical insurance for the member teams, HOA and their pools as well as Directors and Officers insurance for the MSSL Board members.  The board determines the league’s budget, pays all bills associated with the operation of the league, solicits sponsorship money, creates new ways of earning revenue for the league in order to keep team costs low, and collects fees from the member teams that covers part of the costs for insurance, awards, and operation of the league’s Division Championship and All-Star Meets.

MSSL seeks sponsors to assist in the cost for awards--medals, ribbons, and banners.  In addition, the League provides forms, information, and resources that teams may use for a variety of purposes.  The league purchases the place ribbons for the team’s dual/tri meets.  The league offers a free mentoring program to all newly-formed teams who join the MSSL.

The MSSL provides free training clinics for stroke and turn judges, referees, and starters, Hy-Tek swim software Meet and Manager with Dolphin Timing clinics for scorekeepers, Hy-Tek Team Manager software clinic for coaches & team reps, New Team Rep clinic, and rules clinics for all Head and Assistant coaches.  The league runs criminal background checks for every team’s paid and volunteer coaching staff at no cost to the member teams.  MSSL secures the venue and provides the necessary coordination amongst all league teams for the Division Championship Meets.  To ensure fairness for all swimmers, the MSSL head officials, Bruce & Beth Anderson, run the meets with assistance from the teams’ volunteer judges at the Division Championship Meets.

The MSSL maintains official scores from all the dual/tri meets and lane timer sheets and meet results from all current Division Championship and All-Star Meets and archives from previous Championship Meets.  The league posts the MSSL swim records on the league web site. 

MSSL Rules: The League keeps a current copy of the MSSL Rules on its web site.  The rules include information regarding meet equipment and organization, team personnel, season, and uniforms, safety, meet management with the order of events at the meets, information regarding timing, ribbons and scoring, judging officials’ rules, DQ’s and protests, violations of the rules, and the rules for swimming the strokes.  The current MSSL rules are located on the league web site at mssl.swimtopia.com.

MSSL UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP: In 2006 the league began a scholarship program to honor at least two former swimmers who aged out in the previous season and awarded each swimmer with a $500 scholarship.  The MSSL encourages more swimmers to compete through their final year of eligibility with their team.  The scholarship application is a simple process.  Criteria for applying includes: having swum at least two years on their MSSL team, competed through age 18, and must have at least an 80 or above GPA.  Candidates may download the application from the league web site. 

Students submit a letter of admittance from the college they choose to attend, a copy of their SAT scores, a high school transcript through the end of the first semester of their senior year, and a counselor’s recommendation form.  The application also requires their Team Rep’s signature.  If the MSSL Board deems that extra money is available, more than two scholarships may be awarded.

Regular Season Meets: Each of the MSSL teams participates in four regular-season meets held on Saturday morning or Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday night as determined by the host team.  The dual meets may last 3 to 4 hours in length depending on the sizes of the competing teams and how efficiently the meet is run. 

Events: At meets, swimmers compete against other swimmers of the same sex in the same age group.  There are six age groups: 6 & under, 7- 8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18.

A meet consists of seven types of events.  There are five individual events: Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Individual Medley (one-fourth of the race is swum in the order butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle).  The other two events are relays: Medley Relay and Freestyle Relay.  Each age group competes in every type of event except the 6 & under swimmers who compete only in Freestyle, Backstroke, but may be placed in an 8 & Under Freestyle Relay. 

Entries: Swimmers may be entered in four events per meet of which one must be a relay event.  The maximum number of individual events a swimmer may be entered in is three. Coaches may not always enter each swimmer in the maximum number of events. An entry list identifying the events each swimmer is entered in is usually posted at the practice preceding the meet.

Heats and Scoring: Most events consist of more than one heat.  A heat is when the swimmers race against other swimmers, usually six at a time, depending on the number of lanes in the pool.  Heats are designated by numbers.  If an event has four heats, they are designated Heats 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Ribbons: Place ribbons are awarded to all swimmers who come in 1st through 6th place in dual meets and 1st through 9th place for tri-meets, except in the case of a DQ, according to their times. The event, date, swimmer’s name, and official time are recorded on the back.  The ribbons are distributed by the coaches at a practice session following the meet.

Disqualification (DQ’s): Swimmers sometimes are disqualified during a race, usually for executing a stroke illegally or for starting or turning improperly.  A disqualified swimmer will not score points for his/her team or receive a place ribbon for the event.  The starter, stroke and turn judge, and the referee may disqualify swimmers. Parent volunteers who have been trained by MSSL fill these positions at dual meets.  Their purpose is to help swimmers learn to swim properly and to assure that no swimmer gains an unfair advantage.  Please represent yourself, your swimmer, and the team appropriately by being respectful of the officials.

Times and Records: Swimmers should realize that they are competing against the clock as well as other swimmers in the water.  The swimmer’s goal should be to better his or her time at each meet.

Birthdays: Swimmers compete based on their ages as of June 1st of the current year.  If they have a birthday during the swim season, they will not change age group.

Entry Procedures: It is very important for parents to understand the entry procedures and for swimmers to arrive at the meet at the prescribed time, typically an hour or more before the meet begins.  Swimmers entered in meets who do not attend deprive other swimmers of a chance to swim.  They also create extra work as substitutions must be arranged for relay events.  Therefore, it is VERY important for parents to let the team rep or Head Coach know whether or not swimmers will be at each meet. If a swimmer cannot attend a meet for which he/she has been entered due to illness, etc., the team must be informed by calling the Head Coach or team rep as soon as possible.

Please Check-in On Time: It is essential that every swimmer check in on time with the coaches on the day of the meet.  If your swimmer shows up late at a meet, he/she will be scratched from that meet.  Other swimmers will be given an opportunity to fill in for any scratched swimmer.  In case of rainy weather:  It is essential that all swimmers show up to the pool no matter what the weather is at your house.  Only the Meet Referee can cancel a meet due to foul weather conditions.  A team that does not show up forfeits the meet.

CHECK-IN POLICY: Check-in will take place at the pool where the meet is being held.

CHECK-IN TIMES: Home meets: 7:45 a.m (Sat Morning) / 4:45 (Mon evenings).  Away meets: 30 minutes before warm-ups

Transportation to Away Meets:  Please note that each family is responsible for providing transportation for swimmers to away meets.  Carpooling may be an option for swimmers needing a ride.

STAY WITH OUR TEAM:  During the meets, swimmers should sit with the team in the designated swim team area until they are called to the ready area for an event.  When swimmers arrive at the ready area they will check in with the Ready Bench person from our team.  An event will begin on schedule whether or not all swimmers are present when the event begins. Swimmers are responsible for reporting to the ready area on time.  Please be sure to listen for events when they are called.  We do not want any swimmer to miss his or her event or to lose any points because he or she cannot be found.

Questions and Complaints: During the swim meets, any questions or complaints about actions of the officials or the opposing team must be directed to our Swim Team Rep, who will relay your question or complaint to the Meet Referee.  MSSL rules prohibit parents or swimmers from directly approaching judges or referees.

Need to Leave Early: Swimmers should not leave a meet before it is over.  Swimmers leaving before completing their events may cause the team to lose points, and a relay team may have to be scratched, denying the remaining three swimmers on the relay team a chance to compete.   However, if a swimmer must leave before the end of a meet, the swimmer must notify one of the coaches.  Swimmers who leave a meet before swimming all of their events (including relays) without the permission of a coach will not be entered in the next meet.

MSSL DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP MEETS: After the end of the regular season dual meets, the MSSL conducts the Division Championship Meets. Unlike regular season meets, the Championship Meet is when each team competes against all the teams with a similar team census at the same meet.  Team’s scores are tracked and teams winning 1st through 3rd place earn a place banner.  Swimmers are awarded 1st through 3rd place medals and 4th through 16th place ribbons at the Division Championship Meet. 

The league sells pre-ordered Championship Meet t-shirts @ $15 each and programs (heat sheets) $5 at this event.  The meet program and t-shirt sales help fund our college scholarship program and assist with the high expenses of running the championship meets. The Championship Meet is the most important and exciting meet of the summer for each team. 

MSSL ALL-STAR MEET: Individual swimmers and relay teams can earn a spot at the All-Star Invitational Meet held on the week following the Division Championship Meets. 

To be invited the swimmer or relay team must place 1st or 2nd place in their event at the championship meet. Swimmers are the best of the best to compete for individual bragging rights.  First through third place earn medals and fourth through eighth place swimmers earn ribbons. At half time the league presents the University Scholarships, the High Point Awards, and hosts the most anticipated event of the season—the Coaches’ Relay.  This event is not to be missed!

TEAM PICTURES: The team provides an opportunity to order and pay for a picture package consisting of a group team photo and or an individual photos.  Currently, the team photo day is to be determined at the pool.  Swimmers are to wear their team suit and boys shall also wear their team t-shirt.

TEAM PARTY: In addition to the ribbons that the swimmers earn by participating in the events at the meets, each swimmer will receive an award for participating with the El Dorado Stingrays Swim Team.  Swimmers’ awards from the Division Championship Meet and trophies will be presented at this party.   

PARENT PARTICIPATION: Because a swim team is run by volunteers, parent participation is essential at every swim meet.  The El Dorado Stingrays Swim Team must furnish volunteers for both home and away meets, although more volunteers are needed when hosting a home meet.

Each family is expected to work at least three (3) times during the swim season.  At registration, parents were given the opportunity to sign up to work in various positions.  Please be on time for your job and shift.  If you have a schedule conflict or must be absent, it is up to you to schedule a replacement.  The best way to do this is to contact people assigned to your same job at another meet and arrange a switch or if you become available at the last minute please, contact the Volunteer Coordinator to assign a substitute in your place.  Please do so as soon as you know you will not be able to attend the meet you signed up for.

No Experience Needed: Parents of new members are encouraged to sign up for these jobs. There are easy jobs to fit everyone’s skills or abilities.  Even mothers with small children can bake for the concessions stand or do other odd jobs like sorting the place ribbons alphabetically after a meet for the team.  Each job is important and can be fun!  Below is a list of jobs which are necessary to run a swim meet.  Please sign up to work as a starter or stroke and turn judge if you have a competitive swim background either at the high school or college level.   

Event Writer keeps tracks of the meet events & heats and writes them on the white board so that swimmers and parents can see who is currently swimming at each home meet.

Concession Workers aid in setting up the concession stand, selling refreshments, and cleaning up the concession stand at home meets.  Bakers are also be needed to provide muffins, cookies, or cupcakes for sale at the stand.

Team Ready Area Parents call swimmers to the ready area and help the coaches get swimmers lined up for the next events and maintains order in the ready area.  The assistant coaches and sometimes the older swimmers take the youngest swimmers to the starting block area.

Timers use digital stopwatches to time and record the time on the lane timer sheets.  Each lane has three timers—one is in charge of the clipboard and legibly writing down the watch times, a second timer watches to ensure the times are correctly transcribed, and the third timer asks the swimmer his or her name to be sure the correct swimmer is in their event, heat, and lane.

Runners collect lane timer sheets and disqualification slips from timers and judging officials and takes them to the scorekeeper’s table at the home meets

Ribbon personnel attaches a printed label with each swimmer's results (recording the swimmer's name, event, and time) to the appropriate place ribbon and sorts them for the team to pass out to swimmers at practice. This will be done at the volunteer’s home after the meet. You must pick up ribbon labels from the scorekeeper table at the end of each meet.

Positions requiring training at a free, annual MSSL clinic includes the following:

MEET REFEREE: has complete responsibility for a speedy and impartial conduct of the competition, knows the MSSL and swim stroke rules, is familiar with the whistle start procedures, inspects the pool and equipment, and conducts an officials’ meeting before the meet begins. The Meet Referee usually has worked as a stroke & turn judge for at least two swim seasons and could be, but DOES NOT have to be a nationally certified official.

STARTER:  primary job is to ensure all swimmers have a fair and equitable start, knows the MSSL rules and how they are applied, and is familiar with the whistle start procedures.

STROKE AND TURN JUDGE: observes the swimmers in their assigned lanes, makes disqualifications when applicable, and understands the MSSL and swim stroke rules and how they are applied.

Note: Only new scorekeepers need to attend a software clinic.  If a scorekeeper wants a refresher course he/she can attend as well but is not required to.

SCOREKEEPER: captures the Dolphin stopwatches’ data files and inputs it into the Meet Manager software.  He/she also double checks the Dolphin watch data against the times written on the lane timer sheets.  The scorekeeper prints the ribbon labels at the end of the meet.  He/she creates the final score report and asks the Referee and 2 head coaches to sign it.