Southside All-Stars Swim Team 2026

Our beloved Swim Team has been a Southside tradition for decades, combining fun with skill-building to help children become better, safer, and more confident swimmers. The Southside All-Stars compete in the Southwest Aquatic League (SWAL) alongside neighborhoods such as Bellaire, West University, and Willow.

We are excited to announce that long-time Southside Swimmer, Pearl Cooper, will be stepping into the role of Head Coach this year for the All-Stars! You will see Pearl overseeing practices, swimmer development, and competition readiness. She works with the coaching staff to plan practices and determine which swimmers will participate in meets and specific events.

Janite Grooms will also be returning this year as our Swim Team Coordinator. Janite will be at most practices to support parent communication and logistics, including parent volunteer coordination, communication with other league teams, and coordination with any other third parties involved with making Swim Team a success.

Parks and Recreation Director Alyssa Harrison will be back for the start of the Summer as well, and is happy to answer any questions regarding registration, scheduling, and anything else that may come up as we get swim season started! 

Registration:

• Registration fee includes a team t-shirt and swim cap:
  • Age 12 & Under - $275
  • Aged 13 & Up - $175
• Registration packets will become available at the Southside Place Summer Program Kickoff Party on March 4th. Online registration will also open that same day. 
• Please register before May 8th
  • Swimmers can register at any point in the season - there is no cut off to sign up, however there are no discounts issued for joining later in the season.
• Requirements to register:
  • Be a resident of Southside Place with an active Southside Place City Season Pass and be in good standing. For more information, please contact Alyssa Harrison (aharrison@southsideplacetx.gov, 832-509-4642).
  • Sign up for two volunteer spots per family for the season. Parent volunteers are essential to ensure that meets go smoothly!
    • A signup.com link will be sent out prior to meets to sign up for volunteer spots.
  • To participate in league meets, swimmers must be able to swim the length of the pool unassisted. Our team supports water independence and is willing to take on swimmers from the ages of 3 or 4 who can tread water and are fully potty trained (no swim diapers). All swimmers will be cleared by the coaches to swim in competitive meets. 
    • This rule does not prevent your child from joining the team for practices and the fun meet, and we encourage you to still sign them up, as it is amazing what growth we see during the season!
  • To participate in meets, swimmers should have our team suit. The team suit can be purchased at the Suit Purchase Day on May 21st. We use Texas Swim Shop (10429B S. Post Oak, 713-723-0910). Kat Groover owns the shop and is familiar with our team.

Follow THIS LINK to register starting March 4th! 

Practices & Meets

• Practice is held Monday–Friday 

• Practice attendance is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged. Regular practice allows coaches to assess each swimmer’s skill level and stroke proficiency, which is necessary for appropriate placement in competitive meets. Swimmers under the age of 6 will only be entered into swim meets once coaches are confident they can safely swim the full length of the pool.

  • Friday practices wrap up 5–10 minutes early with “Fun Friday” games like sharks and minnows, plus a “Swimmer of the Week” award for two athletes in each age group.

• Swim meets typically take place on Mondays and are held in two parts:

  • 6 & U, 7&8: 4:00pm Warm-up / 4:30pm Start
  • 9 & Up: 6:00pm Warm-up / 6:30 Start / Meets typically end between 9:30 and 10:00
• Parent Volunteers
  • SWAL meets are run by parent volunteers who help time, hand out ribbons, run timecards and gather swimmers for their events. Volunteers are critical to the smooth running of meets! 
  • Each Southside family is required to sign up for at least two volunteer shifts during the season. 
  • Signing up is easy. The swim team coordinator will be sending out signup.com links closer to the summer with specific jobs. 

Season Timeline

• This season will officially kick off on Monday, May 11th with a Pizza Party in the Park from 5pm - 7pm! Note: this is not a pool / swim party, no need to bring swimsuits! The pool will be closed.

• The season runs through the end of June and concludes with a celebratory banquet after Finals week. The banquet this year will be held in the Clubhouse on Friday, June 26th

Optional Swim Lessons: 

• We encourage all novice swimmers to sign up for swim lessons at a location of your choice. While everyone’s skills will improve over the summer, your child may also benefit from the smaller group environment of lessons with our coaches.
• More information will be available once the season begins. Payment is set by the city, and arrangements can be made directly with the coaches.