D Squad FAQ's 

Where do I find club information relevant to my swimmer and how will the club communicate with me?

• All parents should have the ‘On Deck’ app downloaded to their phone. 
• This is the app we use to communicate with you. 
• Make sure you have push notifications turned ON for the app, so you’ll be alerted when we post a new message related to your squad.

Where will I see updates from the club?

• When we want to communicate with you we will most likely post a message to the On Deck ‘Social Feed’. 

• We may choose to email you on occasion.

What if I have a specific question?

• if you have a question please first check if it can be answered by anything posted to the Social Feed or on the Guidance / Help section of our public website … www.kilkennyswimmingclub.ie. 
• Please do this BEFORE making contact with a Club Official.

What if my query is still not answered?

• If contacting a Club Official we kindly ask that you email us via our official Club email accounts, and not via text message or WhatsApp. 

Who should I contact if my swimmer needs to miss a session?

• If your swimmer is going to be out sick / on holidays you do NOT need to notify the Coach or Club Officials.  It is not necessary.  There are over 100 swimmers in D Squad, way too many for managing weekly absenteeism notes. 

• If your swimmer is going to miss 3 or more consecutive weeks, then yes, you can notify us, so we don’t release your place to another swimmer on our waiting list.

What if my swimmer wants to drop out?

• Demand is extremely high for places within the Club.  If you know your swimmer is not returning or will not be returning at the end of the current term, it would be helpful if you could tell us ASAP.  It helps us with planning movement within the Squads. 

How many terms are there each year and what months will my swimming train?

• T1 is Sept, Oct, Nov 
• T2 is Dec, Jan, Feb. 
• T3 is Mar, Apr, May and some of June. 
• Holiday and closure dates will be posted to the On Deck Social Feed as and when they occur. 

How do I pay for the term?

• Term fees are posted to your Club account. 
• To make payment it is necessary to log on to your account via a desktop / laptop. 
• Go to the club website and log on via the link in top right hand corner. 
• You cannot make payment via the On Deck app. 
• It’s best to put a bank card on your Club account, then when fees fall due the system automatically takes it from your saved card. 
• It also helps when purchasing club gear like swim hats, as the item can be charged to your card (we don’t accept cash).

How does my swimmer progress in the club?

• Movement through D Squad is decided by the coach, once the swimmer has met certain criteria.   
• Many swimmers come to the Club from other lessons where they have been doing lengths and then question why they’re not continuing to do lengths in D Squad. 
• Our club is a technically proficient club, where the emphasis is on getting the stroke absolutely technically correct before applying it to lengths. 
• This happens in D Squad. 
• The coach breaks down the stroke and often has to break bad habits the swimmer has learnt elsewhere. 
• By doing so, it will make them a much better swimmer overall and in the long run. 
• It requires patience from the swimmer and parent.

Can my swimmer attend galas?

• D Squad swimmers do not attend galas, for two reasons …
• 1) they are not registered with Swim Ireland so are not eligible and
• 2) the coaches do not permit them to attend galas are the not ready yet. 

Finally, as always….please do remember our Club is run by volunteers.  The pool hire and coaches are paid for, the rest are giving of their time freely.  Please do what you can to be self sufficient, by following the steps outlined above, by downloading the On Deck app and using the helpful aids on our public website. 

Please read ALL information issued, fully and carefully.  The answers to your queries are often within these communications.

We want to wish your swimmer well as they continue on in the club.