Answers to FAQs
I want to learn more about summer swimming lessons for my child, where do I go to learn more?
Kids who swim for the LG Swim Team and those who do not are invited to take swim lessons throughout the summer. In order to learn more about the LG Pool Swim Lesson opportunities please go to this link: https://www.lgpool.org/swim-
What are the Mini Dolphins?
The Mini Dolphins are a development team for kids 8 and under. Evaluations are held at the beginning of the season to determine if a child is ready to practice with the 8 & under practice group or Mini Dolphins, or if they need more lessons before moving up to Mini Dolphins. To be a Mini Dolphin, a child must be able to swim comfortably across the pool on his/her own.
For more information on Mini Dolphins, review the Mini Dolphins tab here.
Who swims in an A meet?
Coaches select swimmers for Saturday A meets based on the times they receive at Time Trials and A & B meets. A swimmer can swim up to two individual strokes and in one relay in an A meet. Swimmers are usually notified by the Wednesday or Thursday prior to an A meet if they have been selected to swim. Typically, the fastest three swimmers in a stroke are selected to swim for their age group. However, since kids can get sick, etc. never count out that your swimmer might be selected. A meets will have a theme where your swimmer can dress up to match the theme adding a fun element.
How do I register for an A meet?
For A meets, we need to know whether or not your swimmer is available to swim. Go to the events tab, click on the A meet to read about timing, location and deadlines, and select "Edit Commitment". Indicate Yes or No that your swimmer is available. The deadline to register for an A meet is the Sunday prior to the meet at 11:30 pm. Coaches will receive a list of who is available to swim on Monday mornings. Remember, you never know if your swimmer might be needed so if you're available please declare yes! Swimmers will be notified by Wednesday/Thursday. For additional information on how to register for a meet, click here. Don't forget to volunteer to help via the job sign up link!
How are A meets scored?
The goal of an A meet is to score points for the team. Swimmers who place 1, 2, or 3rd in a stroke score points. In the individual events, a first place finish earns 5 points for the team, a second place 3 points and a third place finish 1 point. Relays are scored as 5 points for the winner and 0 points for the other team. There are 420 points up for grabs in a Saturday meet. Unless there are one or more places not awarded in an event due to DQs or lack of swimmers, you need 211 points to win.
The NVSL handbook outlines scoring as follows:
a. The order of finish shall be determined by the times of all qualified swimmers in each event. The times of disqualified swimmers shall not be used for any purpose or entered in any League results.
b. Individual events in dual and tri meets shall be scored 5 - 3 - 1. Relay events in dual and tri meets shall be scored 5 – 0. In tri meets, points shall be awarded based on teams swimming against one another in a multiple dual meet format often referred to as a “double dual meet.”
c. When there is a tie, no points shall be given for the place or places immediately following the tied positions. (If a two-way tie for first place, no points for second place; if a three-way tie for first place, no points for second and third places etc.) Tied swimmers shall be awarded an equal share of the total points involved in the tie.
d. Points shall not be awarded for an event unless it is swum.
e. If all swimmers or official relay teams in an event are disqualified, no points shall be awarded and the event shall not be re-swum.
f. The Divisional Relay Carnival shall be scored 14 - 10 - 8 - 6 - 4 - 2 when six teams participate in the meet, and 12 - 8 - 6 - 4 - 2 when five teams participate in the meet.
g. The All-Star Relay Carnival shall be scored: 44 - 38 - 36 - 34 -32 - 30 - 28 - 26 - 24 - 20 - 16 - 14 - 12 - 10 - 8 - 6 - 4 - 2.
h. Divisionals and Individual All Stars are not scored meets
Who swims in a B meet?
B meets are for any swimmer who would like to swim including Mini Dolphins. Each swimmer can select up to two strokes to swim. Swimmers who have placed first or second or third at the preceding A meet in the season should not swim the stroke they placed in during the next B meet to give other swimmers an opportunity to place. B meets are not scored, no team “wins”. Individual Medleys (IM) can be swum at a B meet but it is up to the host team to decide. For B Meets, 8 & Under swimmers should only swim breast and fly with a coach’s approval.
How do I register for a B meet?
For B meets, we need to know whether or not your swimmer is available to swim AND what strokes they want to swim. To sign your kids up for a meet on SwimTopia, log in to your team website or the mobile app, go to the "Schedule" or "Calendar" tab, select the specific meet, and click "Meet Signup" to declare attendance (attending/not attending) and select events for your swimmers. Most B Meets are limited to two strokes per swimmer, however some will have IM and may allow 3 inclusive of IM. Read the B meet event info to determine how many strokes are allowed and the system will also tell you when the limit is reached. Time Trials and Intersquad meets will also have different limits.
The deadline to register for an B meet is the Saturday prior to the meet at midnight.
How are ribbons done at a B meet?
For Lee Graham home B meets, ribbons are given to the top 6 places mixed between the two teams. For example, first place might go to Lee Graham, second to Poplar Heights, third to Lee Graham, etc. All children who don’t earn a top 6 ribbon will receive a participation ribbon. For away meets, we work with the team reps to determine how they want to do ribbons and usually will defer to their preferences. Some pools do prefer to have their team members get 1-6 place and our team to get their own 1-6.
What are the deadlines for meet registration?
The deadline to register Yes/No availability for an A meet is Sundays at midnight. Even if you don't think your swimmer will swim in an A meet, please let us know if they are available...you never know! You can register yes/no for all A meets for the entire season now. Team Reps will notify everyone mid week as to who is swimming in the A meet.
The deadline to register availability and strokes for a B meet (up to 2 strokes and IM if available for that meet) is Saturday at midnight. B meet signs ups are usually posted the week prior to the meet.
What is an IM?
IM stands for individual medley. This is a race where a swimmer swims all 4 strokes (Butterfly, Back Stroke, Breast Stroke, Freestyle) back to back.
What is a 25 and a 50?
NVSL pools swim in pools measured by meters. 25 meters is one length of the pool. 50 meters is 2 lengths so up and back. There is an occasional pool that is a yard pool and many swimmers who swim in the winter may have yard times. You can find conversion charts between yard and meter times online, although they are not exact.
Do I need to sign my child up for every meet?
Yes! Every child, including Mini Dolphins should indicate whether they are available or not for every meet. You never know when we may need your child to swim in an A meet. For B meets, every child should sign up for their events ahead of time too so that time cards can be printed in advance. All of this saves the coaches and team reps time in the end. For more information, view our document on how to enter swim meets.
Where do I find swim meet results for my child?
Results will be posted on the swim team bulletin board usually the day after a meet. Results will also be posted on the Lee Graham Swimtopia site. They can be found by signing in and then selecting My Account and then My Meet Results. Results are posted once approved by the coaches and generally the day after a meet at the latest. Results can also be found on the NVSL website.
How does my child get their ribbon?
Ribbons are placed in the swimmer’s folder in the swim team mailbox just outside the women’s locker room and can be picked up the day after a meet.
What does it mean to be disqualified?
If a swimmer doesn’t do a stroke correctly during a race, the swimmer may be disqualified (DQ) if a Stroke and Turn Judge and the referee agree that the swimmer violated the rules. For each stroke, NVSL has rules for how the stroke can be done including how the swimmer must touch the wall at the turns, if in a 50, and finish, arm and kicking motions for breast and butterfly, the swimmer staying on her back for backstroke and on his breast for breaststroke and butterfly, and some other details. When a swimmer is disqualified, the swimmer’s time doesn’t count, and the referee will give a DQ slip with the reason(s) to the scorers and a copy of the slip to the team reps in an A meet.
How do I find out why my child DQ'd?
Swimmers should always talk to the coach after and event or meet and the coaches will discuss with them. If not, contact the team representative and they can assist.
What are time trials?
Time trials is an intrasquad meet for swimmers to “get a time.” Because swimming centers around improving your individual times, it’s a good way for a swimmer to establish a baseline time at the start of the season and strive to improve from there. Coaches select swimmers for Saturday A meets based on the times they receive at Time Trials and A & B meets. Anyone can swim in Time Trials, including Mini Dolphins. However, swimmers should be comfortable swimming the full length of the pool if they are going to swim. For Time Trials 8& Under swimmers should only swim breast and fly with a coach’s approval. For Time Trials your swimmer can swim up to 4 events.
What is the Rock & Roll Relay?
The rock in roll relay event is a fun and non competitive event where swimmers and coaches wear rock and roll outfits and swim fun relays of mixed age/gender/skill and it’s all about having fun. Any swimmer who did not swim in divisional relays is welcome to swim.
What is the Lollipop meet?
This is a super fun meet for all 8 and unders held at the end of the season. This includes Mini Dolphins and any 8 and under swimmer who has NOT been swimming in A meets during the season. The swimmer can have an older swimmer or coach swim alongside them in the lane if they are nervous or they can use a kickboard. The older swimmers will run the meet (timing and all the other volunteer positions). At the end of the meet, all swimmers are awarded with ribbons and lollipops.
Who swims in Divisionals?
Divisionals is a meet between all of the teams in our division. Each team can enter 2 swimmers per event (so two 8 and under boy freestylers, two 8 and under boy backstrokers, etc). Each swimmer can swim a maximum of 2 events. Swimmers are selected for Divisionals based on their times during the season. However, because swimmers can only swim two strokes each and some swimmers will be away for the meet, it is not necessarily the two fastest in each event. (Meaning, don't assume your swimmer is not eligible for the meet.)
What is the Divisional Relay Carnival?
The Divisional Relay Carnival is the divisional event for relay teams. All teams in our division will send relay teams to compete. Relay Carnival is similar to an A Meet; swimmers for relays are selected by the coaches based on their times. This is a large and very fun meet.
Who swims in All Stars?
All star swimmers are selected by the NVSL. The 18 swimmers (regardless of their Division) with the fastest times in each stroke based on times swum in the Divisional meets are invited to compete. NVSL standings can be found on their website.
What division does Lee Graham swim in?
The Northern Virginia Swimming League (NVSL) sponsors competitive swimming for community pools in the areas with over 17,000 swimmers and 102 teams. Pools are divided based on swim times into one of 17 divisions of six teams each. Division 1 is the most competitive division followed by 2, 3, 4, etc. For the 2026 summer, Lee Graham is swimming as part of division 4.
What does "milk shake" mean?
In an A meet, when Lee Graham gets first, second, and third place in an event (a sweep), the team yells "milk shake" and indeed they are rewarded with milk shakes from the coaches!
Can my teen/spouse/caregiver get the swim team/Team Unify emails?
Yes, we encourage teens/spouse/caregiver to be added as an Alternate email on the account.
To Add another email to your account:
Log into your account
- In the top left corner, click on your name and then My Account
- In the Account Contact Information section, add additional emails to Alternate email 1/2/3 and Save.
This will allow them to stay more involved by seeing the same emails that the registered parent sees. In addition, we usually have email distribution lists meant for 13 and up swimmers! Only the primary login email can be used to sign up for swimming events and jobs.
Is there an App for Swimtopia?
Yes, Please go to the home page of this site to find more information about the Swimtopia app
What happens if there is bad weather?
Swimming and Diving will go on during rain but if there is thunder and/or lightning the pool will be immediately cleared.
During practice please be aware of the weather and ready to pick up your swimmer/diver if we have to end early. Cancellations will typically happen over email.
During a meet everyone should go to their cars to wait until the thunder/lightning passes and we can restart the meet. We have to wait 30 minutes from last heard thunder to resume. We will communicate by email to let you know when to come back into the pool area. Please do not drive anywhere during a weather delay - particularly if there are off and on storms. The teams will try to start the meet up again as quickly as they can as soon as it is safe and you won’t have time to get back to the pool. We ask all swimmers/divers to stay for the duration of the meet and cheer on their teammates. We will have our team canopies to help keep our teams dry in case of rain.
