Team Formation
All competitive teams require a minimum of five athletes to proceed. In the absence of a viable team, all efforts will be made to accommodate swimmers, following the Atlantis principle of “team-first” philosophy. Where at all possible, teams will be made stronger with the use of alternates.
Teams will be set based on quarterly club testing results and coach discretion. Team formation will be finalized no later than one month after the first practice of the season.
Extra Routine Formation
Extra routine placement is at the discretion of the head coach, based on coach and pool resources, swimmer’s skill level, and athlete drive. An extra routine expression of interest call will go out to all registered athletes before the competitive season begins. Failure to meet the deadline for expressions of interest may result in the lack of an extra routine.
Extra routines are above and beyond the commitments of a team routine. Practice time is outside of regular team practices. Should a swimmer fail to meet his or her full regular team commitments, extra routine placement will be revoked, following team-first philosophy. In this circumstance, the club will pro-rate (to the month) the extra routine fees based on the time between the start-of-season and the date the extra routine was revoked.
Extra routine placement will be confirmed at the same time as regular team formation — no later than one month after the first practice of the season.
Private Practices
Athletes may arrange private coaching during Atlantis pool time. This can only be arranged through the Atlantis head coach. Athletes will be invoiced for private coaching hours at the end of each month. There is a per-hour set rate for private coaching regardless of the coach and including pool time.
Athletes may also arrange private coaching outside of Atlantis pool time. In this case, athletes and coaches are required to find and pay for pool space and the per-hour coaching rate and payment form are negotiated between the athlete and coach.
Inter-Club Teams
Athletes swimming on inter-club teams must adhere to Atlantis club policies and travel guidelines and swim a similar number of training hours as their teammates, as determined by the Atlantis head coach. Athletes must spend a minimum of 65 per cent of their training hours together. In the case of combo, duet or highlight routines, minimum percentages will be set by the Atlantis head coach. Athletes joining an inter-club team must participate in mandatory Atlantis testing to determine placement. In cases where athletes of similar ability/scoring are competing for the same inter-club spot, Atlantis athletes will be given preference. Fees for inter-club team spots will be set on a case-by-case basis, depending on hours trained.
Atlantis coaches will determine which local, regional, and national competitions teams will attend. Finalized plans will be presented at the year-start parent/guardian meeting or may be informally discussed for parent/guardian planning purposes before this meeting. Attendance at assigned competitions is mandatory for all athletes. A typical competition year, by age category and Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) stage is as follows:
10U
11-12
13-15 Provincial Stream, 13-15 National Stream Prep and 16&O
13-15 National Stream
Junior/Senior
(*Local: within HRM, Regionals: within Atlantic Canada, National: within Canada)
All Atlantis athletes — competitive and recreational — participate in the club’s two yearly water shows. One takes place before the December break; the second at or near the end of the competitive season in April. Spectators are encouraged to attend all competitions and water shows.
Coaches will provide a detailed itinerary to athletes and parents/guardians prior to each competition. Itineraries are set based on competition packages from host clubs and sometimes arrive late. Coaches do their best to create schedules and turn around information as soon as possible. Athletes are required to follow the coach’s itinerary closely and may not deviate from the set schedule, change preparation plans, or leave early or late, without coach consent.
Club uniforms
Competitive athletes buy these mandatory items in their first year and replace them as needed as they grow. Club uniforms are not required for recreational swimmers.
Routine suits
All competitive routines have custom-designed handmade suits. These suits are more fragile than typical swimsuits and require extra care. Routine suits cannot be worn for anything other than water demos or competitions. It is difficult and expensive to replace custom suits and therefore, they should only be hand-washed when needed.
Caps, goggles, and nose clips
Expect your swimmer to misplace and/or break these items throughout the year. Club caps, figures caps and nose clips can be purchased through the club. Figure caps and nose slips can also be purchased independent for the club.
Athletes’ individual travel expenses
Individual travel costs such as flights to competitions and team outings are paid out of pocket. For more information, please see the Travel Policies section.
Athletes’ shared travel expenses
Shared travel costs such as hotels and accommodations, groceries and meals, and coach expenses are split between all athletes that attend that competition. These costs will be invoiced to athletes after the competition is complete. For more information, please see the Travel Policies section.
Competitive athletes are required to have the following club attire, to be worn when representing the club, at home and away, at the coach’s direction:
Atlantis t-shirt, Atlantis jacket, Atlantis practice swimsuit, two Atlantis swim caps, Atlantis Speedo backpack, and ankle-length black leggings. Competitive athletes competing in the figures event will also need a plain black swimsuit, and a plain white swim cap.
Athletes will be measured in the fall to size team routine and extra routine custom swimsuits. Custom swimsuit delivery typically takes place before the December break. Samples of Atlantis-branded clothing, including the club attire items, will be made available for sizing early in the season, prior to the club clothing order. Atlantis-branded clothing and team or extra routine custom swimsuits should not be worn outside of club events during the regular season.
Ensure your swimmer has what they need to be successful, including healthy routines (eating, sleeping, hydrating), stretching regularly, and arriving to practice on time. Remind your swimmer to respect fellow swimmers, coaches, and the club, as per the Athlete Code of Conduct signed as part of registration. Remind them to have fun!
Every swimmer brings different strengths to the team. Trust the coaches’ decisions on the position and role of each swimmer. Support the coach by reminding your child to respect the rules, and to come to practice ready to give their best. Please also remember that coaches are giving their very best each and every practice to every athlete, and any questions or concerns from parents/guardians should always be communicated in a respectful manner and in the proper forum, as per the Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct signed as part of registration.
The club is made up of a volunteer board, and always needs help to ensure a successful year for swimmers. Please volunteer!
Volunteering requires no experience, and is always very easy.