Information
*Season 2025 Coaching Staff*
Head Coach: Ian Cullicott
Ian joins the Typhoons with over 15 years of swimming experience. A student and competitive swimmer at William & Mary, Ian has over 4 years of coaching experience. Previously, Ian has coached with the Texas School for the Deaf, Special Olympics, and provided private swim lessons. He has coached youth, adults, and individuals with special needs and is familiar with running practices, coaching small break-off groups, and coaching technique in the water with the swimmers.
Assistant Head Coach: Norah Cullicott
Norah currently attends and swims for Kenyon College and will be joining our coaching staff late June. She has coached with the Texas School for the Deaf, Special Olympics, and Kenyon College Swim Club and has over 16 years of competitive swim experience. Norah is experienced with creating full 1-hour practices; one-on-one technical work; adapting drills and practices for individual abilities; assisting head coaches in and out of the water during practices and meets, and facilitating communication between coaches, swimmers, parents, and other teams. Norah believes that a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer.
Assistant Coach: Broc Hafl
Assistant Coach: Kara Hanchett
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The Governor’s Land Typhoons Swim Team is a member of the Virginia Peninsula Swim Union (VPSU). The league strives to sponsor competitive swimming between community pools and to foster a love for the sport, advanced aquatic skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Currently there are 18 teams divided into 3 divisions in the league. Each year, teams are seeded into appropriately competitive divisions as determined by the VPSU.
The Governor’s Land Foundation has an appointed Swim Team Leadership Committee made up of 5 members that are responsible for supervising all the Typhoon programs.
Swim Team Committee Chair : Karen Reich
Treasurer : Audrey Russell
Secretary : Kate Hinton
Member at Large : Lindsey Mosley
Volunteer Coordinator : MacKenzie Hamilton
The Swim Team Committee is dedicated to making the most out of the summer swim team each year. Our members work behind the scenes during practices and swim meets to help ensure the team operates efficiently and effectively amongst GLF & the swim team families within the Governor’s Land community. The committee meets once a month during the swim season, starting in February.
Cost/Registration Information
The registration fee (subject to change) is $150 (includes team operating expenses and league-wide, mandatory liability/medical insurance coverage). There is a $25 discount for each additional sibling. Ages 15-18 may register for FREE!!
This fee will be collected at the time of online registration.
Participation
To participate on the Governor's Land Typhoons swim team, your swimmer must be able to swim 25 meters (one length of the pool) with no lane line assistance, in a reasonable amount of time. They must also present themselves in a mature manner to practice in an organized group setting.
To participate in Typhoons in Training, your swimmer must have independent mobility in the water (i.e., the ability to safely reach the edge of the pool on their own while swimming) but does not need to know any technical strokes.
On the first practice, the head coaches will evaluate the ability of the swimmer to determine placement within the practice age groups. These evaluations are subject to change throughout the season. All placements are at the discretion of the head coaches. It is strongly recommended that parents/guardians of new swimmers attend this first practice evaluation to discuss placement decisions with the head coaches.
Typhoons In Training
The purpose of the Typhoons in Training program is to work with young children who have already had water safety training or swim lessons and have a strong desire to learn how to improve their strokes, participate in meets, and move up to the Typhoons Swim Team.
Generally, Typhoons in Training should be 5-7 years old, mature enough to work in a group situation, comfortable in water over their heads, but unable to swim a legal stroke across the pool (25 meters). This program is not meant to replace swim lessons. The instruction will offer smaller groups and practice in the shallow end of the main pool, as opposed to the Typhoons that practice in the upper pool with no shallow end.
Kick-Off Banquet
The “Kick-Off” banquet is typically held at the TRCC clubhouse before registration has officially opened online. The Swim Team Committee & coaching staff (tentative) is available during this time to answer general questions about the upcoming season. This meeting is an opportunity for both new & existing Typhoon families to get information on the structure of the team, meet procedures, volunteer requirements, etc. Attendance is suggested but not mandatory. The kick-off banquet is typically scheduled for April/May.
Swimsuits
All Swimmers require a swimsuit and goggles. Team suits/caps are encouraged but not mandatory for competition. Unfortunately, the same swimsuit style is not necessarily available from year to year. A new team suit may be selected each year. A recommended strategy is to use this year’s new team suit for swim meets and use previous years’ suits for practice.
Practices:
All swimmers are expected to attend as many practices as possible. Regular practice enables swimmers to reach their potential and impacts their ability to swim in meets. Swimmers are expected to practice with their designated groups, as they are organized by ability. This is especially important for relay teams in order to build team spirit. If a swimmer needs to switch practice time, he/she must first get approval from a head coach. Summer swimming is a team sport, and we count on everyone’s participation.
Swimmers are expected to come to practice on time and prepared. Parents/guardians of 10 and under swimmers must remain at the pool during the entire time that the 10 and under swimmer is in the pool or its surrounding areas. Swimmers should not be dropped off earlier than 15 minutes prior to the start of their practice and should be picked up promptly once their practice has concluded. The coaches are busy coaching the next age group, and there are no lifeguards on duty prior to the pool opening each day to be responsible for your child’s safety. The shallow area of the pool will be closed during practice for safety reasons.
If you need to discuss anything with the coaches one on one, please make arrangements to do so after all practices have finished for the day. Every swimmer on the team deserves the undivided attention of the coaching staff during practices. The staff and team reps understand your need to see how your child is progressing, but please do so from afar. The Swim Committee has a Team Rep that will be available to discuss your concerns at this time.
Meets
The Typhoons will participate in the following swim meets each season:
1 Friendly Meet
5 VPSU Divisional Meets
1 Summer Awards Meet
1 VPSU Championship Meet [pending swimmer qualification]
Divisional Meets take place on Monday nights at 6:00pm.
The coaches will select swimmers for each event using a seeding process based on the swimmer's past performance, official best times, and the opposing team's past performance. This is a subjective process driven by the need to maximize team points. What is best for the team is paramount in all coaching decisions.
If you are unable to swim at any meet, please give the coaches as much notice as possible (preferably at least a week ahead of time). No-shows must be avoided. It is difficult to substitute for a no-show at the last minute. Advance notification gives another child the opportunity to swim.
Volunteer Requirements [ IMPORTANT ]:
The Typhoons are a parent-run swim team. Neither Governor's Land Staff nor TRCC Staff are actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the team, which is why we rely on our parent volunteers to help run a successful swim season! For that reason, each family is required to volunteer for at least one position per swim meet (both home and away) at which you have a child swimming. You will be asked to sign up for volunteering positions listed below during the registration process. Failure to comply with volunteer requirements may result in a $50 fine per missed shift.
To assist you in deciding job/duties, please review the following position descriptions:
Announcer – this position requires someone who has a loud, clear, and friendly voice, as you will be announcing events and other announcements throughout the meet.
Clerk of Course - Assign swimmers to proper lanes and heats. Usually works with one other person from another team. You also hand out cards to swimmers as they are called to report to the clerk of course.
Head timer – this person is not assigned to a specific lane. He/she holds two stop watches and starts them both simultaneously when the light/buzzer goes off. In the event that a timer in one of the lanes missed the start or started their watch late, the head timer provides them with a back-up/accurate time for the swimmer in their lane of that heat.
Meet Director/Referee – this position requires VPSU training, so if you are interested, please let us know ASAP, and we will get you set up for training and let you speak to a member of the team who can give you more information about the position.
Meet Set Up/Meet Break Down - Set up and break down includes (1) tents to cover the swimmers on deck; (2) chairs for the swimmers on deck; (3) scoring tables and chairs; and (4) ice for Concessions. Informal training will be provided, and no prior experience is required.
Ribbons – these volunteers will receive “on the job” training, and they have the fun task of writing out the ribbons for all the children who earn them at the meet! They sit at the scoring table during the meet, but they can certainly get up to go watch their children swim!
Runner – If you like exercise and a chance to be on deck during the meet, this is the job for you! The runner takes the swimmers’ cards from the timers after the times have been recorded (after each heat/event) and delivers them to the scoring table. It is one of the most active positions and very important!
Scorer – At each home/away swim meet, we are required to provide at least two scorers. Scorers receive the timing results of each event and enter this data into the online results software. This position requires training (one session) before the season begins but otherwise does not require any particular level of experience with competitive swimming.
Starter – this position requires VPSU training, so if you are interested, please let us know ASAP, and we will get you set up for training and let you speak to a member of the team who can give you more information about the position.
Stroke & Turn judges – At each home/away swim meet, we are required to provide at least 2 Stroke and Turn Officials. S&T Officials oversee the events to ensure swimmers are properly executing the designated strokes and to disqualify swimmers who are not these volunteers must wear a white top and navy shorts/skirt to the meet. This position requires training through VPSU.
Sweep judge – this position enjoys a great seat at the meet! They have a chair right at the corner of the pool where the swimmers will be finishing their events, and they determine who touched 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. and write it down.
Timers – At each home/away swim meet, we are required to provide at least 9 timers and 1 head timer. Timing is critical to ensure accurate results in each lane. While important, this position requires no training (only the ability to start and stop a stopwatch) and is the default for new parents to the team.
Floater - This position is open to families to meet registration requirements. You will be contacted before each meet to see where extra support is needed.
*FYI – VPSU training generally involves one training session on a yearly basis for approximately 1.5-2 hours. Training times will be communicated as soon as they are determined.
Code of Conduct for Parents & Swimmers:
Parents of 12 & under swimmers must be present during the meet.
Follow pool and facility rules, always respecting others’ property.
Display respect, courtesy, and good manners toward athletes, coaches, Team Representatives, and spectators. Team Representatives shall assist officials in maintaining control of spectators during meets.
Avoid using inappropriate language, profanity, humiliating or intimidating remarks or behavior, verbal or physical assault toward any athlete, coach, Team Representative, official, VPSU leadership representative, or spectator.
Parents should never disturb the scorers with questions on times or scores. If questions arise during the meet, please direct them to the Swim Team Committee
Refrain from visiting your child in the Clerk of Course area.
Think positive, be supportive, and have FUN!
Team Photos
Team photos are taken each year. Swimmers should wear their team suit to practice that day. Date/time of photos will be announced early in the season.
End of Season Awards Banquet
The Swim Team will host an end of season Awards Banquet typically the week after the VPSU Championship Meet has concluded.
