Salem Fields

The Salem Fields Swim Team is based in Fredericksburg, Virginia. We are part of the Rappahannock Swim League (RSL). The team has roughly 100 swimmers, ages 5-18.

We are a parent run, neighborhood swim team. We are one of 26 area summer swim teams. The RSL is divided into 4 divisions for the 2025 Season: Battlefield, Patriot, American, and National. Our team is part of the National Division, which consists of 7 teams: Eden Estates, College Heights, Fredericksburg Country Club, Lake Wilderness, Idlewild, Caroline YMCA and Salem Fields.There are only six (6) meets for the whole season. Three (3) of these meets will be home meets at the Salem Fields pool and three (3) will be away meets.

The Championship National Division Meet will be the evening of Friday, July 24th at the Jeff Rouse Swim & Sport Center.

The summer swim season is from May 26 to July 24, 2026. Practices will be Monday through Friday, each morning. (The first week of practice for 2026 will be held in the evening.)

The swim program is designed to focus on the development of young swimmers. Our athletes learn to swim competitively, have fun, and exhibit good sportsmanship. Through the hard work of our coaches, athletes, and parents the team won the season and division championship in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2023, as well as, the championship meet in 2025.

Head Coach: Mason Pifer

Assistant Coach: Emma Hicks

Assistant Coach: Brendan Pifer

Assistant Coach: Landon Eckhart

Parents are asked to register their swimmer online.  Swimmers should be able to be independent in the water and comfortable putting their face under water.  

You may pay by credit card online. (Small processing fee will be added to the total)

Team swimsuit

The team suit is Sporti Molecule in Red.

You can order from: Swim Outlet and our team will get a percentage of the cost.  Swimmers may wear a suit with black, red and white in the design or a plain black suit. 

Team Swim caps

ALL Salem Fields Sunfish swimmers should wear a swim cap. We will sell team caps this season. Swimmers should NOT wear other team caps or colored caps during a swim meet. If you do not have a team cap you may wear a plain silver or black cap.

Supervision of Swimmers

Supervision will be provided only to those swimmers participating in the practice during assigned practice times. No siblings or friends are allowed in the water including the baby pool during practices or meets.  

Practice

Practices are divided in groups according to age. Please have your child attend his/her age group practice.  Swimming is a water sport that requires being in the water to improve. Technique and endurance will be emphasized during practice times. Coaches encourage swimmers to attend practice every day. 

Swim meets

Swim meets are held once a week for a total of 6 meets with 1 Division Championship meet. Meets usually start at 6 pm.

For HOME meets please arrive by 4:30pm and be ready to warm up by 4:45 pm. However, we can always use help setting up. Board members are setting up as early as 4 pm. (Please help if you can.)

For AWAY meets please arrive by 5 pm at the pool parking lot.

Meets are a fun time for swimmers to race, win ribbons, and show what they have learned. Parents enjoy seeing their swimmers and socializing with neighbors. These are scored meets and the Salem Fields Swim Team works hard each day for just these few meets, please try to attend each meet so your swimmers points will count towards the team’s total.

Rain Dates

If a swim meet is cancelled the make-up meet will usually be held at the same pool, at the same time the next day. This decision is made by the RSL Representative of both teams in the best interest of the swimmers.

Cancellation of Swim Practice and Swim Meets

Swim practice will not be cancelled due to rain. Please come to the pool unless you are notified of a cancellation. However, practice and swim meets will be delayed by 30 minutes after each incidence of thunder and lightning. Practice may be cancelled at the coach’s discretion if there is not sufficient time remaining after a thunder break to have a good workout. Swim meets are held in the evening, and as we all know weather can be very unpredictable in the summer. As soon as the RSL representative hears of a cancellation, the information will be sent out by email if possible, as well as on a Swimtopia Alert. If weather creeps up during a meet, the officials do everything they can to get the meet in at the scheduled time. It is very hard to reschedule during the short summer season. If you are told to wait in your car during a swim meet for safety precautions  all swimmers and their family members MUST move to their cars for shelter. Please do not linger in the parking lot. DO NOT leave until a coach has told you to go.

Communication

The majority of communication is done through our website Swimtopia and email. Please check your e-mail regularly. A weekly e-mail will be sent to remind you about the meet for the week with directions to the pool, as well as any reminders from the coaches. 

Your child's events will be posted in Swimtopia the morning of a meet and also printed out and available during practice that morning.

Coaches Conferences

If you would like to speak to one of the coaches concerning a swimming matter, please contact them before or after practice. Please refrain from talking with the coaches during practice since they should have their eyes and attention on the swimmers.

If a swimmer is going to miss practice and/or a meet you must notify a coach by-mail or text. This information can be found on the General Information page of the handbook.

Rappahannock Swim League Information

General information and directions can be found on the RSL website: Rappahannock Swim League

Vacations/Absences

We understand that not all swimmers are able to swim every swim meet due to vacations, etc. However, advance notice is crucial, especially for planning relays- which often determines whether we WIN or LOSE a meet or how we place in Finals!

• If your child gets sick before a meet: Please text or email the board or a coach ASAP.
• If you are going to miss a meet or Championships, e-mail or text the board or a coach, and declare your child's attendance on Swimtopia.

We raise money for our team through spirit wear, concessions, ice-cream sales, doughnut days and spirit nights at various restaurants.

Parent Volunteers

Our swim team is a parent run team. We will have 6 meets per season.  These meets require the help of every family. Whether you have experience or not with swimming, you MUST sign up for one of the jobs listed below. Parents are required to work at least ½ of each meet. The number in the brackets represents the number of volunteers needed per position. The * represents positions with training required. All parents with at least one year on the team need to attend a training session as well.

Referee* (1)

Starter* (1)

Stroke &Turn* (4)

Clerk Of Course* (4)

Head Timer * (2)

LaneTimers (18)

Score Keeper* (2)

Time Drops Operator* (2)

Announcer

Safety Marshall (2)

Setup/Clean up 

Concessions

Training will take place at online and is free.  All parents with at least one year on the team need to attend a training session. During the summer months families are on vacation and missing meets. We will need to have officials at every meet.

It takes all parents volunteering to run a swim meet!

Meet Volunteer Job descriptions:

Announcer: Calls events/swimmers to the Clerk of Course via microphone and announces sponsors (HOME meets only)

Clerk of Course*: Organizes swimmers by event/heat/lane in ready area, then escorts each heat of swimmers from the Clerk of Course to the starting blocks. Also signals to the head timer/referee when each heat is ready to start and works with Runners to keep the meet moving.

Stroke & Turn *: The Stroke & Turn Judge watches the swimmers’ legality for the event being swum. If the Stroke &Turn judge finds that the swimmer’s stroke is not legal, he/she disqualifies (DQs) the swimmer.

Head Timer*: Organizes timers for swim meet shifts; hold Lane Timer meeting prior to meet (HOME meets only)

Lane Timers: Uses Time Drops system to record each swimmer’s time as accurately as possible. We use 9 timers per ½, meets cannot be run without Timers (these are the best seats in the house!)

Scorer/Data *: Complies event/meet results in Meet Maestro (part of Swimtopia).

Safety Marshal: The safety marshal walks around the pool deck and bathrooms, etc. To be sure that there are not hazards.

Set up/Cleanup: Comes before and stays after meets and puts all equipment away. The more who help, the faster this gets done. 

Concessions/Snack Bar: Many are needed to work concessions-setup, preparing, buying and selling food and beverages; and cleanup afterwards (HOME meets only)

Referee*: Instructs Stroke & Turn Judges before meet begins; makes any decision regarding disputes during the meet. Must know RSL Rules and Regulations and USA rules (HOME meets only)

Starters*: The starter instructs the swimmers and directs them to “take your mark” and starts each race with an electronic starter. The starter controls the pace of the meet. (HOME meets only)

Practice Rules

Be at practice on time.

Make sure you have goggles that fit properly and a towel.

You must come to the pool regardless of the weather, unless otherwise informed.

Always have a way home when practice is finished.