• Eligibility
  1. A swimmer must be a resident of Cinco Ranch I Subdivision who is in good standing with the homeowners association.
  2. A swimmer must be at least 4, but not older than 18 years of age as of May 1, 2010.
  3. A swimmer must be a novice swimmer as defined by the West Houston Aquatics League:
     • has not participated in USS after June 1 of the current year until the West Houston Aquatic League season is over.  This is not intended to preclude any type of organized practice.  If a swimmer has a current TAGS time in any stroke in their age group, he/she must swim that stroke up one age group.  If a swimmer has a Sectional time in any stroke, he/she is precluded from swimming that stroke in a meet.
     • cannot have swum on any college or university swim team.
  4. A swimmer must be comfortable reamining in the water independently.  Coaches may not be in the water and swimmers may not hold onto the ropes or side of the pool; nor touch the bottom of the pool during the swim test, two weeks after practice commences. 
  5. A swimmer must have competed in a minimum of 50% of the scheduled intra-league dual meets.  (i.e. 2 of 4, or 3 of 5) to be eligible to swim in the Meet of Champions.
• Refund Policy and Release Form
  • CRST REFUND POLICY is as follows:  A portion of the registration fee may be refundable.  If a swimmer chooses for any reason AND notifies the REGISTRAR in writing PRIOR to May 1st, a $50 refund will be available upon request.  On May 1st, all fees become non-refundable except for swimmers unable to swim the length of the pool by the 10th scheduled day of practice as determined by the team's Head Coach.  Swimmers who are unable to swim the length of the pool will be eligible to request a refund of $25.  All written requests for refunds must be received by the Registrar by June 1st.  Absolutely no refunds will be considered after June 1st.
  • All swimmers must have signed Release and Consent Form.  No swimmer may enter the water without having turned in this completed signed form.
• Attendance
  • Swimmers are expected to attend all practices except due to illness or extenuating circumstances.  We realize that during May there are several other extra-curricular activities that conflict with swim team practice.  By offering practice five days a week, it is hoped that swimmers will make the effort to attend as many as possible during this time.
• Safety Policy
  •  General
    • During practices and meets, the wading pools and water features are closed.  Parents are responsible for and are expected to control any child they bring to practices or meets.  No one is allowed in the pool, except for swimmers that are swimming at their designated practice time, or their scheduled event at a meet.  Thus, it is strictly prohibited for any waiting friends or family members (including parents, toddlers, non-participating swimmers, etc.) to enter or partially enter any wading pool or water feature.  No one is allowed to climb on any equipment, including all water features, diving boards, lifeguard stands, swim ladders leading in/out of the pool, chairs, lounge chairs.  There will be absolutely no running on the pool deck.  Skateboards, roller blades/skates, scooters and bikes are prohibited inside the pool deck.
    • CRST defines the Pool Deck, itself, as anything inside the gates of the pool area.
  • Weather Delays/Cancellations
    • Practice Only - The coaches will make the call to suspend or cancel practice due to thunder or lightning.  If this occurs, everyone will be removed from the pool deck and will wait 20 minutes before returning.  If the weather has not cleared by that time, it is at the coaches' discretion to cancel practice for that particular age group for the day.  If it is only raining, practice will continue unless itis raining so hard you cannot see the bottom of the pool.  Each age group's practice time will be treated separately.  (Example, just because the first group's practice was cancelled due to weather, this does not mean that all of the practices are cancelled for the day.)  The coaches will take it hour by hour.  If unsure there will be a practice, a good rule of thumb is to show up for practice and let the coaches send the swimmers home if they determine practice will not continue due to inclement weather conditions.  Coaches will not be making phone calls about practice cancellations.
    • Dual meets - If the lifeguards hear thunder or see lightning, then the meet will be suspended for 20 minutes.  Everyone must go outside the pool deck gates immediately.  All gates, at each pool, will be open for easy access.  It is each family's responsibility, after exiting the pool gates, to determine what course of action your family will take for your family's safety.  Once the all clear sign is given, an announcement will be made and everyone will be allowed back inside the pool gates and onto the pool deck.  This will be done one age group at a time, starting with the youngest swimmers first.  Parents and/or spectators will be allowed in, only after all swimmers have made their way back to their tents.  All events through the 15-18 year old Breaststroke must be completed, for a meet to be official.  If it is determined, by both teams league reps, that the meet cannot be continued that day, an announcement will be made of that decision.  An additional announcement will be made when a make up day, location and time has been determined (not necessarily at the meet).  If you were working a volunteer job, you will be required to resume that responsibility on the day of the make up meet.
• Behavior/Discipline Policy
  • The pool and homeowners association rules will be enforced.  Any swimmer whose behavior is disruptive, unsportmanlike and/or dangerous will be asked to sit out of practice the rest of that day, or be sent home.  This includes pushing others in the pool, bad language, making fun of others, not paying attention to coaches' instructions, talking while coaches are talking, or doing anything that causes harm or ill feelings towards others in the pool.  Depending on the severity and/or frequency of the misbehavior, the swimmer may be suspended for several days or expelled from the team with no refund.  The parents will be contacted if there is a frequent problem.  Any decision to suspend or expel a swimmer will be made by the coaching staff and team board.
  • Parents will also be respectful of others on the pool deck and not allow their behavior to be disruptive or unsportsmanlike.  Parents will not coach or instruct the team or any athlete at a practice or meet.  There will be no discussions, concerning your swimmer or swimmers, with coaches while practice is occuring.  If you have anything to discuss with the coach, please arrange a time, after practice, to discuss the matter with them.  Anyone causing disruption of a practice and/or meet, using bad language or not conducting themselves in a proper manner may not be allowed on the pool deck the rest of the season, including meets.
  • This policy will be enforced by the team's elected members of your respective CRST.  These include Team Director(s), League Representative(s), Member(s)-at-Large, and Volunteer Coordinator(s).  If any of these indidviduals are not present at the time of the incident, but another parent witnesses the incident, a meeting will be held to determine the facts and course of action that will be taken.  This may be appealed to the CRST Board for a separate hearing.
• Swimsuit Policy
  • It is mandatory that each family purchase the current suit of the team for which they are registered.  All swimmers must wear their designated Cinco Ranch Swim Team suit for all dual meets, team pictures, Meet of Champions and All Star Meets.

    All swimmers must have a signed Safety/Discipline Policy on file with his/her team.  This Policy must be read and signed by each CRST family before registration may be completed.  All policies begin on the first day of practice.  Violating any of these policies may result in suspension or dismissal from Cinco Ranch Swim Team.

• Reporting Meet Absences
  • A meet attendance form was included in your take home registration packet.  Please complete this and bring it to the pool by May 21st.  It should be turned in to the hanging file folder marked Meet Attendance Coordinator.  Any changes or other anticipated absences must be reported to the Meet Attendance Coordinator, not to the coaches or the board members.  We realize that it is impossible to anticipate illness, but please email the attendance clerk as soon as possible after it becomes clear that the swimmer cannot participate in a meet.
• Reporting Email Address Changes
  • It is the practice of CRST to utilize email to disseminate future years Pre-Registration Information.  Thus, it is imperative that the REGISTRAR be made aware of any changes to your email address.  Should your email address change, please notify the registrar of the change promptly.  Email address changes should be reported to: registrar@cincoranchswimteam.org .  In the body of the email, you MUST include the following information with any request to change your email address:
    1. The full names of ALL your swimmers
    2. The current (2010) CRST Team on which your swimmers are/were registered
    3. Your NEW email address
  • Should you fail to update your email address with the Registrar, you will not receive Pre-Registration documents for the following (2011) swim season.  Please note that while we can store information regarding alternative email addresses in your swim team records, we can only send registration related emails to one primary email address per swim family.
• Policies in pdf format for download.
• By-laws
  • Click here for document