Good evening,

We want to share some more specifics about warmups, meets, and Thrill Day for this season. Below are the instructions that swimmers have received from Coach Kristi. Please note that kids should arrive at 4:30 pm, not 4:40 pm as previously stated. Given the size of our team, we need to split warmups into two groups. One goal is to be more organized in going to and from the pool as a team. The lane and time assignments will not change through the season, please mark them on your swimmer’s arm as shown in the example so coaches don’t have to tell them.

On Wednesdays:

Coaches and swimmers will meet in the grass at 4:30. The first warm-up begins at 4:45; it will be all of our 8 & Unders, plus half of our 9-10s. The second warm-up begins at 5:00 and will be all 11-18 yr-olds, plus the remainder 9-10s. Lanes will be very crowded. Warm up assignments are attached. Everyone should arrive for the team meeting at 4:30 and be ready to swim at their designated warm-up time. An example of how a swimmers' arm might be marked for the meet is also attached. This swimmer is warming up in the second group and will be in lane 2 in our pool (but may be in a different warm up lane next week at Lakewood where there are 6 lanes). Their events are marked according to the heatsheet posted Wednesday afternoon. The first number listed is the event number. The second number is the "heat" and the third is the lane assignment. The number in parentheses refers to the swimmer's relay leg (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th swimmer in the relay). In the medley relay, the first swimmer swims back, the 2nd swims breaststroke, the third swims fly and the fourth swimmer swims freestyle. Swimmers may swim a maximum of 5 events (3 individual and 2 relay). It's very common for new and young swimmers to only do one swim event, or one event and one relay, when possible. Coaches and veteran swimmers will be on hand at 4:30 to help swimmers who are new to the team!

Warm up arm example.jpg

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HAXedkNr0AMDI-q26TbT0-dg_LJiTPIV/view?usp=sharing

On Thursdays:

Thursday "Thrill" Day this year will look a little different to our veteran swimmers. We will meet at the pool at our usual practice times (6:30, 7:45, and 8:45am). We will swim for about 30 minutes. Each week, we will focus on a different stroke or swim skill and provide intense instruction in that area, so it won't feel like a workout. It will be more similar to the swim "clinics" we have offered in the past, but now everyone can participate! After "clinic" we will have a light snack while coaches hand out ribbons and we celebrate our accomplishments from the meet the previous evening.

This Thursday, your swimmer will also come home with an assigned "swim buddy". Swim buddies are simply a way for us to build team unity and get to know each other. Swimmers ages 11 and up will have one (occasionally 2) younger swimmers assigned to them. All I ask is that swim buddies make an effort to connect with one another during the season at meets or in between practices. This provides some of our older swimmers with leadership opportunities and a chance for our younger swimmers to ask questions. We all get to cheer each other on--a win-win! There is absolutely no obligation here; sometimes due to practice schedules it is difficult to connect. I just ask them to try!

Clarification: Swimmers may crash on the pool deck during home meets. We suggest our team try to sit together around the pergola and in front of the clubhouse. We want to reduce the number of family members setting up chairs on the deck to give kids more room to spread out. Younger swimmers may need to sit with parents so they can be reminded to go to the Zoo and get lined up for their events.

We want and need parents to come onto the pool deck to cheer on their swimmer and the team in general. Just don’t set up a chair and sit on the pool deck between events as we have in the past. This is the first time we’re trying to reduce chairs on the deck. No one has the desire to be ‘an enforcer’ or ‘deck police’ about this change. We ask that since everyone has been told of this new plan, that everyone cooperates and follows the plan. Thank you in advance!

Team shirts and caps will be coming home after Tuesday practice. We can’t wait to see everyone decked out in OTF gear! We’re checking about a reorder so if you missed out the first time, send us a note and we’ll let you know what we learn.

So excited for Wednesday, see you then!

Dawn, Susan and Coach Kristi