Lake Manassas Blue Dolphins

We are so excited that you are interested in becoming a Blue Dolphin!

What are the age requirements?

• Any swimmer aged 4 - 18 as of June 1 of the current year is welcome to join. Events at swim meets are grouped by age bracket.

What if my child isn't a strong swimmer?

• We do require that our teammates be able to swim, but it's ok if they aren't strong swimmers yet!  We will hold a new swimmer test on the first day of practice: swimmers must be able to jump in at the deep end and make their way down the lane. For kids 10 & under, it's ok if they need to rest along the way, as long as they don't pull themselves or touch the bottom. For our new kids aged 11 and up, they'll need to demonstrate at least a basic understanding of breaststroke or butterfly. We find that many kids who start out unsure at the beginning of the summer are confidently winning heats by the end of the season. If your child isn't ready for that yet, we can definitely point you to some great private lessons!

Does my family have to live in Lake Manassas?

• Nope! We are happy to have swimmers from all over the area. Anyone within the neighborhood can sponsor you - please reach out via the Contact Us form if you need a sponsor.

Will we need to get up early?

• Only about 7 times a summer. We practice at pretty reasonable times. Meets are early, but there are only 7 of them, on Saturdays. You can do this!

How much is involved? What am I committing to?

• Practices are every weekday from Memorial Day until the end of July; swimmers normally attend either the morning or evening session. And we get it - it's summer, and kids might not make every one. That's ok! Note that our swimmers 12 and under must have an adult on deck during practices.
• There are 7 meets on Saturdays; if your swimmer will miss a meet, just be sure to let the coaches know in advance. Note that to participate in the final Divisionals meet, a swimmer must swim in at least two regular-season meets, and we want all our swimmers at Divisionals!
• Meets are completely run by volunteers, so parents, we'll need your help at any meet your swimmer attends. Don't worry - we'll train you on how to do the various roles.
• We have several social events during the season that are optional, and we definitely recommend getting tickets to the end-of-season awards banquet!

What do I get for registering?

• Each swimmer registration includes in-pool swimming practice every weekday, all meet entries, a swim cap, and a team t-shirt. Swimmers who place 1-12 in individual meet events are awarded ribbons, and we provide opportunities for special recognition of swimmer achievements during the season.

What about uniforms?

• We have a team suit that will be offered for sale, with our without team personalization. We recommend purchase of that suit for use at meets. It is not required. 
• We have some swimmers who choose to wear rash guards, wetsuits, or other more covering swimwear for warmth, modesty, or preference. That's fine as well! The league does restrict use of performance enhancing suits.

Sounds great! How do I sign up?

• During the active season:
  • To register, please visit the Team Registration page. Registration opens March 1, 2025.
• In the off season:
  • Please use the Contact Us form to get in touch and be added to our mailing list.

Where do I go?

• Our practices are held at the Lake Manassas Swim and Tennis Center:
  • 14900 Turtle Point Drive Gainesville, VA 20155
• Meets are held Saturday mornings, some at our home pool and some throughout the county.  Look at the season schedule for more details. 

How do I qualify to swim at the Divisional Meet?

• Per the PWSL bylaws, in order to be an eligible swimmer at the Divisional Meet you must:
  • Swim in 2 regular season meets, and
  • Record a legal swim in a stroke.
• Because swimmers may only swim in events they have recorded legal times during the regular season, it is the team's goal to have every Blue Dolphin legal in several strokes by season end.