The Guppies is the preparatory team, where children learn how to become competitive swimmers. The season is shorter than the "Big Team" season (4 weeks) and practice is 30 minutes. The Guppy program is not for learning to swim.

Guppies must be able to swim the width of the pool without assistance (any stroke or variation). Guppies must demonstrate independence, including putting their faces in the water and not being afraid. The program is for learning to swim competitively.

Instructors will work with the swimmers to learn the competitive strokes (primarily freestyle and backstroke) so that they can eventually transition to the Big Team. There is no minimum age for joining the Guppies, although 3 or 4 years old tends to be the lower end. Although occasionally there are some 7-year-old Guppies, swimmers of that age are generally encouraged to transition to the Big Team.

All Guppy practices are planned and supervised by the coaching staff. A team of teenage helpers from the Riptides Big Team are also typically on hand to help during practices.