Individual place ribbons (1st–4th) will be awarded for events. For relays, 1st and 2nd place ribbons will be given to all swimmers on scoring relay teams. Personal best ribbons will also be awarded to swimmers who improve their times. While our volunteers work to have as many ribbons available by the end of each meet, it is not always possible to complete them all. Ribbons will typically be made available at practice on the Friday following the meet.
2026 Team Handbook
Providence Country Club Swim Team Mission
Providence Country Club’s swim team mission is to provide a fun, motivating summer swim experience for all team members. We hope to attract all levels of swimmers: advanced, intermediate, and beginners. Our objectives are:
- To encourage and promote a love of swimming by working with each child to improve their strokes and swim technique.
- To build self-esteem by encouraging and rewarding personal best performance.
- To develop and foster friendships and team unity through activities that promote team spirit and camaraderie.
- To ensure our swimmers are trained and prepared for competitive meets through fun, well planned and executed practices.
- To build strong character and good sportsmanship by utilizing positive role models and by integrating character building activities into the program.
- And to be a well-organized team that reflects a positive image of PCC with regular program reviews that ensure continual improvement.
Our club, swim team co-chairs, committee members, coaches and parent volunteers will work to achieve these objectives.
Charlotte Interclub Swim League
The PCC Piranha swim team is a member of the Charlotte Country Club Swim League. The League consists of four clubs located throughout Charlotte including, Carmel Country Club, Charlotte Country Club, Myers Park Country Club, and Providence Country Club.
There are two championship levels that can be obtained each year. The Season Champion is the team that has the greatest number of swim meet wins during the season. Each club faces their competitors twice. The League Champion is the team who scores the highest number of points at the League Meet. The League Champion will receive a trophy that travels year-to-year to the winning club.
Eligibility for Swim Team
To be eligible to participate on the PCC swim team, swimmers must be children of PCC members, age 19 and younger. The 15–19 age group is intended for high school swimmers who are currently enrolled or have graduated from high school in the current academic school year. Age group assignment is based on the swimmer’s age as of May 1. Due to safety issues, all participants must be able to swim at least one lap of the pool without assistance to compete in swim meets. For the 2026 season, we are introducing a “Fry” age group to support younger swimmers who need some help getting comfortable in the pool before competing. This group will swim from 5:30–5:45 during regular practice times and will have the opportunity to swim across the pool with assistance from an older Piranha volunteer prior to the start of home meets. Progression from the Fry group to 6 & Under's will be made on a case-by-case basis. Swimmers will have the option to move up during the season once they can safely swim across the length of the pool without assistance.
Sportsmanship
Good sportsmanship is the foundation of and key to the success of our swim team at PCC. Positive role models will be encouraged and recognized throughout the season. During the season, swimmers should encourage team members and be respectful of opposing swimmers. Courtesy is to be shown by swimmers and parents towards all swimmers and coaches, regardless of which team they swim for. Examples of good sportsmanship include:
- Teammates cheering for and encouraging each other throughout the season.
- After a race, congratulating swimmers from both teams.
- During relays, participating swimmers remaining behind the timers to cheer for their teammates.
- Swimmers being thoughtful guests at other pools by cleaning up after themselves, keeping ALL body parts out of the pools until time to swim, and not engaging in rough-housing or other disruptive behavior.
- Swimmers being considerate hosts when meets are at PCC and respecting the areas designated for visitor.
- Parents encouraging their children and other children throughout the season both at practices and meets.
Parent leadership is critical to the success of this program. The PCC swim team’s objectives are focused on teamwork, building self-esteem, developing a love for swimming, and encouraging each child to do their personal best. Winning races as individuals and meets as a team, although desirable, are secondary to the above. Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about good sportsmanship. Children are the ultimate responsibility of their parents, not the coaches, swim team co-chairs, committee members, or parent volunteers. Please check on your children during meets to make sure that all is well. Our coaches reserve the right to remove a swimmer from a relay or individual event during a swim meet for failing to follow instructions or displaying poor sportsmanship. Consistent misbehavior by a team member during practices and/or meets may result in a need for direct parental supervision during meets or dismissal from the team.
Dual Meets
During the season there are six swim meets, held in the months of May and June. Swimmers are limited to three individual events and two relays during these dual meets. A new league rule for the 2026 season allows swimmers from the age group below to participate in up to two additional relays (for a total of four) if an age group has only two or three swimmers present at the meet. However, at least two swimmers must be present in the appropriate age group for a relay to take place, so no more than two swimmers may swim up. This rule will most likely apply to age groups 11–12 and older. Assignment of events is the responsibility of the coaching staff and is based on the swimmer’s interest and ability in a particular event. Swimmers will not be allowed to self-select into events. Selection of swimmers to participate in relays is also the responsibility of the coaching staff and will be based on the swimmer’s times in a particular event.
Please see the team schedule for the 2026 season meets and events. For all meets during the 2026 season warm-ups will begin at 5:30 pm and the meet will start at 6:00 pm for all age groups.
We will hold Time Trials prior to the start of the dual meets season at the PCC pool. This practice meet will allow us to have baseline times for all swimmers. This will take place on May 19th with warm-ups starting at 5:30 and the meet beginning at 6:00pm. Please note since we are not swimming against another team, this meet will run much faster than typical dual meets.
Swim Team Practice Schedule
Practices are an important and fun part of swim team and will start the week of May 11. Practices will be held Monday through Friday at the following times:
| Age Group | Duration | Practice Time |
| Fry | 30 minutes | 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm |
| 6 & Under | 30 minutes | 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm |
| 7 - 8 | 45 minutes | 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm |
| 9 - 10 | 60 minutes | 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm |
| 11-12 | 60 minutes | 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm |
| 13 & Over | 60 minutes | 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm |
Children under 8 years of age cannot be left at the pool without adult supervision. The coaches, co-chairs and other parents at the pool are not responsible for children dropped off for practice.
Stroke Clinics
There will be a number of stroke clinics available throughout the season. Specifics will be available on the swim team website and via email. These clinics are limited to small groups and are an excellent opportunity for swimmers to work on stroke techniques. An additional fee is required to participate in the stroke clinics. Registration sign-up sheets will be posted early in the season and on the swim team website with participation limited to a first come, first served basis.
Private and semi-private swim lessons for swim team members as well as non-swim team members will also be available through head coach, Allie Byron. Details for lessons will be available on the swim team website and via email, pccswimcoach@gmail.com.
Swim Meet Attendance
Swim team members are encouraged to compete in as many meets as possible during May and June. All parents must declare their swimmer’s intent (attending or not attending) through SwimTopia by 8:00 am on the day prior to each meet. This helps ensure the coaching staff does not enter swimmers in events or relays they will miss so meets can run as smoothly as possible. We encourage parents to review their calendars before the season begins and submit availability all at once. If plans change, participation can be edited until 8:00 am on the day prior to the meet. Coach Allie will send reminders throughout the season. Please direct any questions or concerns to pccswimcoach@gmail.com. When possible, please plan vacations with the team’s short season in mind.
Competition – Event/Relay Placement & Assignments
Coaches will take into account the events that each child wants to swim, but meets will be put together for the benefit of the entire team. There will be occasions when a swimmer may be asked to swim individual events or relay strokes that are not preferred. It is hoped that swimmers will use these events as opportunities to improve and do their best for the team. Swimmers (and parents) are asked to please be flexible and swim events as assigned by the coaches.
Final heat sheets will be emailed to all families as early as possible the day of the meet. Heat Sheets will be posted at the swim meet in the PCC team area. Please, check the heat sheet and label your child(ren)'s arm with the event number, stroke, heat, and lane assignment. This will save time at the meet. Line-ups change frequently due to last minute absences and/or swimmers not being where they need to be during the meet. Swimmers and parents can assist by making sure the swimmer is in the right place at the right time for their assigned events.
Ribbons
Swim Meet Results and Team Records
Meet results will be emailed the day after each meet. Individual times will be available to parents and swimmers throughout the season.
Any swimmer achieving a team record during the season will have their name and time posted on the PCC Swim Team Record Board.
Interclub League Meet
The Country Club League Championship Meet is scheduled for June 16th (at MCAC uptown). To qualify, a swimmer must have participated in at least 2 dual swim meets during the season. Invitations to swim in each event are extended by the coaching staff based on criteria such as times, number of events, and the objectives laid out in the mission of PCC’s swim program. It is very important that swimmers who are “alternates” participate in the League Meet practices and attend the meet on June 16th. This will prevent PCC from forfeiting if a swimmer cannot swim an event and no alternate is available. The preliminary list of swimmers for each event will be emailed the day after the last regular season dual meet. A final list will be emailed 24 hours prior to the League Meet. Team spirit is considered a key component in our strategy to swim our best; therefore, every PCC swim team member is encouraged to attend the League Meet and cheer on their team.
Disputes
If a swimmer has any concerns throughout the season, his or her first contact for problem resolution is their coach. If the problem is not adequately resolved it should be escalated to the swim team co-chairs.
Parent Volunteers
It takes more than 50 volunteers to run a swim meet. PCC will be hosting or attending six meets during the months of May and June. We will need help with timing, writing, judging, etc. Additionally, the younger swimmers will need assistance from parents getting to their relays and individual events. The swim team simply cannot function without reliable help and organization to run meets. We are asking that each parent volunteer at least THREE times during the season for one of the many jobs available via our on-line sign up site. The swim team co-chairs can be contacted at any time to indicate interest. Some volunteer positions may be pre-selected by the co-chairs based on prior experience. If 3 volunteer positions per family are not fulfilled during the season, a $250 charge will be applied to the member’s PCC account.
Awards Banquet
The season concludes with a festive, fun awards banquet. Each team member will receive a participation award. Special awards will be presented to swimmers in each age group based on the following criteria:
Most Improved – Awarded to a male and female in each age group based on actual improved performance during the season
Most Valuable – Awarded to a male and female in each age group based on actual performance data (e.g., number of points scored for team)
Coaches Award – Awarded to a male and female in each age group based on coaches’ discretion of the swimmer(s) who exhibited strong character, teamwork, and personal effort throughout the season at practices and meets
In addition to the age group awards, one male and one female team member will be honored as Swimmer of the Year for serving as an outstanding role model for all other swimmers.
Recognition will also be given to swimmers who have participated on the PCC swim team for 5 years or more. Fun awards may also be presented to swimmers by the coaches during the awards banquet. This is a great evening and, along with the team video, is one of the highlights of the season.
Communication
The Swimtopia App is the best way to get a timely info about practices and meets. Any weather-related updates to meet and practice schedules will be communicated through the Swimtopia App. Parents are responsible for checking the Swimtopia app and email regularly during the season. Parents should communicate email address changes to the swim team co-chairs ([email protected]). The coaches and swim team co-chairs are available to discuss issues that arise during the season. Co-chairs are often at the pool during practices and can be easily reached by e-mail or phone.
2026 Swim Team Co-Chairs:
Dana Hefner, Jody Sayre, Lauren Taylor
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