Valentine's Day does not usually conjure up thoughts of hot summer days at the pool, but there are plenty of reasons to love swimming. The benefits of joining a summer swim team last all year long, and can be a perfect match for kids and families new to competitive swimming. Months before most pools are open for summer, swim teams around the country are getting organized. Open registration … [Read more...]
Reflecting Back, Looking Forward
As 2013 winds down and we look ahead to the new year, I wanted to take a moment for reflecting back on how far we've come and to share some of the exciting new developments we're looking forward to in 2014 and beyond. Today we are growing at an accelerating pace with customers in 19 states, including summer league, high school and year-round swim teams. Our team has grown to ten, including our … [Read more...]
New feature: Online Team Store
SwimTopia's new Online Team Store feature allows your team to sell merchandise, team sponsorships and more -- anywhere on your web site and at any time. Introducing the Online Team Store We are thrilled to announce the immediate availability of the Online Team Store for all SwimTopia customers. The new Online Store makes it possible to offer products for sale from any page on your website with … [Read more...]
New feature: WePay
SwimTopia is excited to announce support for WePay, a secure online payment processing service. Why WePay? A Better Experience We're excited because WePay helps us provide a better experience to our customers with a clean, simple, integrated checkout flow. No longer will customers need to visit an external website to complete payment. We know from analysis of our traffic and feedback from … [Read more...]
Catching up with Elli Overton, Author of Jay’s Swimming Journey
This week we bring you an interview with author Elli Overton, a three-time Australian Olympian, mother of two beautiful boys, Summer league swim team coach, swim instructor and SwimTopia Account Manager based in Austin, Texas. We talk to Elli about her new book, Jay's Swimming Journey, her experience as an Olympian and growing up as a competitive swimmer in Australia. SwimTopia: Elli, you are … [Read more...]
“Winning” with Summer League Swimming
More than most organized activities undertaken by kids, summer league swimming offers numerous ways of growing, developing and "winning." Some speculate it’s because swimming offers a somewhat unique combination of both personal and team-related achievement. Whatever the cause, below are just a few of the ways your child can “win” by participating in summer league swimming: Goal Setting - … [Read more...]
Helping Your Swimmer Set Goals for the Summer
There are several life lessons that can be learned from participating on a summer swim team. Helping your swimmer set goals and then pursue them throughout the course of a season is a skill that carries over to success in school, and later on in a career. Swimming is both an individual sport and a team sport wrapped together. The coach usually has goals for the team like winning various meets … [Read more...]
Keeping Goggles in Place During a Racing Start
Keeping goggles in place during a racing start isn't easy. If this hasn’t happened to your child yet, it almost certainly will: your child's goggles are on nice and tight before he dives in from the blocks, only to come to the surface with his goggles around his neck. At this point he either proceeds forward as best he can or gets so thrown off by the surprise that he does something that gets him … [Read more...]
Is Your Child Ready for Year-Round Swimming?
Your son or daughter really loves competitive swimming and has reached a point where they are one of the better swimmers in their age group. How do you know if they are ready for year-round swimming? How can you tell if your child is ready for year-round swimming? Stepping up to year-round swimming is a noticeable difference in a variety of ways: Considerably more serious, not necessarily … [Read more...]
Pacific Swim Coaches Clinic 2013
The Pacific Swim Coaches Clinic starts today, at the Solano Marriott in Napa, California. NorCal Swim Shop hosts former Phelps, University of Michigan, and North Baltimore Aquatic Club coach Bob Bowman, Pine Crest Swim Camp & USA Club Team Director Jay Fitzgerald, and UC Davis Associate Head Coach Pete Motekaitis at the 2013 Pacific Swim Coaches Clinic. Give them a call at (800) 752-7946 for … [Read more...]