2026 Practices Times
Practices occur at the Willow Bend Pool on Sauls Drive in Wells Branch.
Our season dates are set by the Northwest Swim Circuit [NWSC], and our practice times are set by Wells Branch MUD (based on pool and lifeguard availability).
Practices are Monday–Friday in the evenings until school is out, then move to the mornings. The week prior to the Invitational Meet will have a different set of times. See the schedules below for full details.
Have your child in their swimsuit with their goggles and swimcap so they are ready when practice starts. Towels are great for drying off or keeping warm after getting out. Girls need a one piece bathing suit (circuit rules) with nothing loose (i.e. no ruffles), boys are recommended to wear jammers or jocks instead of trunks. Please label everything you bring to the pool with your swimmers name, we donate a lot of lost and found items to charity each year.
Practices are organized by swimmer's age as of May 1st. Below are descriptions of our older age groups.
- Beginner 9 -10: Swimmers new to competitive swimming and need to learn the technical skills of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly and build endurance. Racing techniques will also be incorporated throughout the season.
- Intermediate and Advanced 9 - 10: Swimmers who have experience of 1+ years of competitive swimming, including swim meets. These swimmers feel confident in the basics of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. They will focus on the details of each stroke along with speed work.
- Beginner 11 - 12: Swimmers experiencing their first season of competitive swimming and need instruction in two or more of the 4 competitive strokes, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. This group will focus more on stroke technique in the beginning of the season and slowly work on building endurance and speed.
- Intermediate and Advanced 11 - 12: Designed for swimmers who are proficient in all 4 strokes and have 1+ years of competitive swimming and swim meet experience. Their practice time will focus on the technical details of each stroke, race endurance and speed.
Afternoon/evening practices run Monday - Friday, beginning Mon, Apr 27th, 2026.
| TIME | AGE GROUP - based on your child's age on May 1st |
| 4:30 - 5:10pm: | 7 - 8 years old and beginner 9–10 years old |
| 5:10 - 5:50pm: | 6 and under |
| 5:50 - 6:50pm | Intermediate/advanced 9 - 11 years old and beginner 11 - 12 years old |
| 6:50 - 8:00pm: | 12 and older |
Morning practices run Monday - Friday, beginning May 26th, 2026.
| TIME | AGE GROUP - Based on your child's age on May 1st |
| 7:15 - 8:45 am: | 12 and older |
| 8:45 - 9:30 am: | 6 and under |
| 9:30 - 10:30 am: | 7 - 8 years old and Beginner 9 - 10 years old |
| 10:30 - 11:30 am: | Intermediate/Advanced 9 - 11 years old and Beginner 11 -12 years old |
| 11:30 - 1:00 | Swim Clinics - Dependent on coach and pool availability. Talk to our head coach(es) for more information. |
Did You Know
Check out our Parent Orientation for information on team history, board members, coaches, meet expectations, schedules, practices, volunteering, Weather delays and cancellations.
Practice FAQs
Review this guide that covers Tips for New Swim Families.
Practices begin after school and run Monday through Friday. After Memorial Day, practices are held Monday through Friday mornings. Practice times are set by the coaches, with an emphasis on making sure there is adequate lane space for each practice time and that all swimmers are getting the best possible instruction for their ability level. For the youngest swimmers who need more hands-on attention, practices will be four days a week--Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
What do swimmers wear and bring to practice?
Swimmers should wear a competition-style swimsuit. They should also have goggles, a swim cap, a towel, and a water bottle. Please put your name on everything you bring to the pool. Swimmers are welcome to bring their own kickboard and fins if they choose, but we do have some at the pool.
When does the weather affect our swim season?
Two weather events cause practice delays or cancellations: lightning (sighted or possibly near) and/or hard rain. If a lightning strike is seen or if thundering is loud overhead, practice will be called for about 30 minutes. Coaches will take the swimmers to the pavilion to wait. Light rain without lightning is no problem; hard rain that prevents a swimmer from seeing the bottom of the pool will cause practice delays or cancellations.
What do parents do during practice?
Parents need to check family folders. If you have an older swimmer, feel free to walk the Wells Branch trails. Otherwise, have fun watching your swimmer and getting to know the other Armada parents! Please note that coaches are not available to speak with parents during practices as they are ensuring each swimmer gets their full attention.
When do swimmers receive ribbons from meets?
All ribbons will be in the family folders by Tuesday after the meet.
What is a Family Folder?
After each swim meet, check your family file box. We recommend checking it 1x a week. Each family will have a folder, arranged alphabetically by family last name. After each meet, any ribbons won will be placed in the swimmer's family folder. In addition, DQ slips and other items of interest can be found there. Family File Boxes are in the clear boxes by the east baby pool entrance.
