Welcome to the home of the Ridge Varsity Swim Team
Please join our google classroom if interested in trying out for the swim team: 3ss44fl
Our Pre season meeting for the 2024-2025 season will be October 22nd after school in room 624 at Ridge. I will post on google classroom We will discuss requirements for the season, tryouts, and I will answer any questions you might have. The official start date for the season is Monday, November 25th. Please use the button link below to complete a google form with your contact information and swimming experience :
Coach Melanie Dupuis [email protected]
Ridge Swim Team Frequently Asked Questions
**It is really impotrant to make sure you submit all of your physical paperwork to athletic office by the end of October. I CANNOT let you in the water to try out unless your name is on a preapproved list of swimmers provided to me by the athletic trainers. Please use the following link to access information about physicals and download the necessary paperwork.
http://ridgehigh.bernardsboe.com/sports
I have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Ridge Swim Team. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]
The official start of the season is on November 25th according to NJSIAA rules.
2. Where and when is practice? Home meets?
Practice is held at Somerset Hills YMCA and begins at 3:30 and ends at 4:15 Monday through Friday. There is a bus that leaves Ridge at 3:10 and takes the team to the pool. However, there is no bus taking the kids back to the high school. All swimmers are responsible for getting picked up at 4:15. If you have a car and drive to school, you may drive yourself to practice. Home meets are also held at SHY and begin at 2:30. Students have early dismissal at 1:40 and the bus leaves at 1:50. Again, if you are a senior and drive, you can drive yourself to home meets. Coaches do not ride the bus, so no attendance is taken. You need to be quick after school and on time for early dismissals to make sure you make the bus! You are expected to attend every practice! Generally we swim about 3500 yards (140 laps) per practice to give you an idea as to what to expect.
3. Is there a JV/Freshman team?
At the end of the year, swimmers are awarded Varsity letters or JV certificates. All the swimmers who are on the team practice together and compete together. Boys and girls practice together and generally have meets together. The coaching staff does try to have every swimmer swim at least once in every meet based on the level of competition, sometimes you will swim more, and sometimes you will swim less. We have a large team so please remember that even if you make the team you may only swim in one or two meets. However, you can still come to all the meets and cheer for your teammates and help time and score even if you are not in the lineup. I take into consideration attendance, seniority, times, and work ethic at practice.
4. What equipment or uniforms are provided?
Since it would not be hygienic to keep a set of team bathing suits, each swimmer can purchase a team bathing suit, but is not required to do so (Cost around $60). For practice, each swimmer is responsible for bringing a suit, towel, cap and goggles. If you need to purchase these items please go to www.metroswimshop.org. Each swimmer will be given a team racing cap for meets, and a warm up/tracksuit that needs to be returned at the end of the season.
5. How much swimming experience is needed to make the team?
We try to give any student who would like to join a spot on the team. However, with limited pool space, this is not always possible. We need to keep the team to about 65 swimmers. (men and women). Therefore, there should be a certain set of skills each student has before joining the team. These include: ability to technically complete all four strokes, flip turns, and diving off the blocks.
6. What accommodations are made for club swimmers?
We want swimmers from all levels to participate but we understand that club swimming is a priority and takes up a lot of your time. State policy mandates that you must attend six high school practices before you can compete in a meet and that you must compete in at least 50% of dual meets to compete in championship meets. Our policy is that you must attend practice every day and if that is club practice, then you do not need to attend our practice. However, we would recommend attending one high school practice a week so that you do not feel isolated from the team. In addition, we still expect you to be able to attend every meet - however - we will make individual accommodations as they arise.
7. What are the criteria for making the team? How do tryouts work?
It is a tough process deciding who will make the team. I have not had to make cuts over the last few years. However, making the team does not mean that you will be swimming in a lot of meets. We will have time trials the first four days of practice. On Day 1 we will have everyone swim a practice and coaches will observe your skills and if you can keep up. On Day 2 we will swim a general practice for the first half and then will have a timed 50 freestyle for the second half. On Day 3 we will have a general practice for the first half and then we will have a timed 100 Individual Medley for the second half. On Day 4 we will have a general practice, final observations will be made and final cuts will be announced. Each individual will be personally notified about whether or not they made the team. Generally, girls have needed to go a 30.5 or faster in the 50 free and under a 1:22 in the 100 IM. Boys generally need to go a 30.0 or faster in the 50 free and under a 1:19 in the 100 IM.
8. What is the time commitment?
Please do not try out for the team if you are not available or planning on attending all meets and practices. I would hate to cut a swimmer from the team in favor of an athlete who is part of multiple clubs and only wants to do the swim team part time. It is a full time commitment during the winter season.
9. How do I join the team?
You need to attend our initial team meeting and information session in the middle of October. Please listen for announcements at Ridge. After filling out a questionnaire with the swim coaches, you will need to have a physical form filled out and returned to Mrs. Schroeder in the athletic office. I will receive notification from the athletic trainers at Ridge who has turned in their physical forms.
If you have turned in a physical form / concussion impact test, and it has been approved, then you can be considered to join the team and may try out. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TRY OUT OR GET IN THE WATER WITHOUT AN APPROVED PHYSICAL AND CONCUSSION IMPACT TEST– NO EXCEPTIONS. Even if you have completed a physical for another sport, you still need to complete a separate physical for swimming. The coaching staff is not in charge of physicals, you need to go through the athletic office.
ALL PHYSICALS ARE DUE BY NOVEMBER 1ST (TRY TO GET THEM IN SOONER)
http://ridgehigh.bernardsboe.com/sports
I have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Ridge Swim Team. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]
- When does the swimming season start and end?
The official start of the season is on November 25th according to NJSIAA rules.
2. Where and when is practice? Home meets?
Practice is held at Somerset Hills YMCA and begins at 3:30 and ends at 4:15 Monday through Friday. There is a bus that leaves Ridge at 3:10 and takes the team to the pool. However, there is no bus taking the kids back to the high school. All swimmers are responsible for getting picked up at 4:15. If you have a car and drive to school, you may drive yourself to practice. Home meets are also held at SHY and begin at 2:30. Students have early dismissal at 1:40 and the bus leaves at 1:50. Again, if you are a senior and drive, you can drive yourself to home meets. Coaches do not ride the bus, so no attendance is taken. You need to be quick after school and on time for early dismissals to make sure you make the bus! You are expected to attend every practice! Generally we swim about 3500 yards (140 laps) per practice to give you an idea as to what to expect.
3. Is there a JV/Freshman team?
At the end of the year, swimmers are awarded Varsity letters or JV certificates. All the swimmers who are on the team practice together and compete together. Boys and girls practice together and generally have meets together. The coaching staff does try to have every swimmer swim at least once in every meet based on the level of competition, sometimes you will swim more, and sometimes you will swim less. We have a large team so please remember that even if you make the team you may only swim in one or two meets. However, you can still come to all the meets and cheer for your teammates and help time and score even if you are not in the lineup. I take into consideration attendance, seniority, times, and work ethic at practice.
4. What equipment or uniforms are provided?
Since it would not be hygienic to keep a set of team bathing suits, each swimmer can purchase a team bathing suit, but is not required to do so (Cost around $60). For practice, each swimmer is responsible for bringing a suit, towel, cap and goggles. If you need to purchase these items please go to www.metroswimshop.org. Each swimmer will be given a team racing cap for meets, and a warm up/tracksuit that needs to be returned at the end of the season.
5. How much swimming experience is needed to make the team?
We try to give any student who would like to join a spot on the team. However, with limited pool space, this is not always possible. We need to keep the team to about 65 swimmers. (men and women). Therefore, there should be a certain set of skills each student has before joining the team. These include: ability to technically complete all four strokes, flip turns, and diving off the blocks.
6. What accommodations are made for club swimmers?
We want swimmers from all levels to participate but we understand that club swimming is a priority and takes up a lot of your time. State policy mandates that you must attend six high school practices before you can compete in a meet and that you must compete in at least 50% of dual meets to compete in championship meets. Our policy is that you must attend practice every day and if that is club practice, then you do not need to attend our practice. However, we would recommend attending one high school practice a week so that you do not feel isolated from the team. In addition, we still expect you to be able to attend every meet - however - we will make individual accommodations as they arise.
7. What are the criteria for making the team? How do tryouts work?
It is a tough process deciding who will make the team. I have not had to make cuts over the last few years. However, making the team does not mean that you will be swimming in a lot of meets. We will have time trials the first four days of practice. On Day 1 we will have everyone swim a practice and coaches will observe your skills and if you can keep up. On Day 2 we will swim a general practice for the first half and then will have a timed 50 freestyle for the second half. On Day 3 we will have a general practice for the first half and then we will have a timed 100 Individual Medley for the second half. On Day 4 we will have a general practice, final observations will be made and final cuts will be announced. Each individual will be personally notified about whether or not they made the team. Generally, girls have needed to go a 30.5 or faster in the 50 free and under a 1:22 in the 100 IM. Boys generally need to go a 30.0 or faster in the 50 free and under a 1:19 in the 100 IM.
8. What is the time commitment?
Please do not try out for the team if you are not available or planning on attending all meets and practices. I would hate to cut a swimmer from the team in favor of an athlete who is part of multiple clubs and only wants to do the swim team part time. It is a full time commitment during the winter season.
9. How do I join the team?
You need to attend our initial team meeting and information session in the middle of October. Please listen for announcements at Ridge. After filling out a questionnaire with the swim coaches, you will need to have a physical form filled out and returned to Mrs. Schroeder in the athletic office. I will receive notification from the athletic trainers at Ridge who has turned in their physical forms.
If you have turned in a physical form / concussion impact test, and it has been approved, then you can be considered to join the team and may try out. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TRY OUT OR GET IN THE WATER WITHOUT AN APPROVED PHYSICAL AND CONCUSSION IMPACT TEST– NO EXCEPTIONS. Even if you have completed a physical for another sport, you still need to complete a separate physical for swimming. The coaching staff is not in charge of physicals, you need to go through the athletic office.
ALL PHYSICALS ARE DUE BY NOVEMBER 1ST (TRY TO GET THEM IN SOONER)