To join the team, the Sharks require youth swimmers to tryout. At the tryout, swimmers must complete one length of the pool independently. The Sharks also determine admission by evaluating swimmers’ deepwater safety, underwater comfort, and overall readiness. Senior swimmers (14 and older) and Masters swimmers should contact the Sharks for more information.

Swimmers can tryout any Tuesday evening at the Middle School Pool at 7:20 p.m. The pool entrance and locker rooms are just inside the parking lot and school entrance shown below.

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Swimmers trying out should at least bring (or wear) their swimsuits, googles, a towel, and clothes (or pajamas) to go home in!

The coaches are frequently asked if there are suit or goggle requirements. While the Sharks have no specific requirement, some good tips are:

• For boys, wear a suit that can be tightened. Diving and pushing off the walls tends to drag loose suits down! The best idea is to wear a suit designed for competitive swimming, but coaches know that many swimmers are not yet comfortable with this style of suit or are not yet sure of their commitment to the sport.
• For girls, if you have long hair (and you don’t want to try a swimcap), put your hair in a pony tail! Hair in your face when you are trying to breathe can be a real headache! The best idea is to wear a swimcap (a nifty Shaker Shark swimcap will come with your registration), but coaches know that many swimmers are not yet comfortable with wearing swimcaps.
• Most swimmers swim with goggles. When selecting goggles, it is important to find ones that fit the size of your face! Speedo goggles with fixed-width nose pieces are quite popular although by no means necessary. Beware of goggles with extraneous pieces, parts, or decorations because these usually do not last very long.
• Finally and most importantly, put your name on all of your swimming equipment, clothing, and bags! Learning to keep track of swimming equipment and personal belongings will be an important early skill to master for each new Shark.

If you need to arrange an alternate tryout time or you have a question about what your swimmer may need, please contact Sarah Tobin, Shaker Sharks Manager, at (216) 295-4163 or shakerswimming@msn.com.

See you soon!