Hi Poolsharks - 

1) Buddies - match up list is HERE.  Action item - Big Buddy parents - please look at list and send email to the parent of the little buddy by 12 noon tomorrow Tuesday.  Little Buddy parents - if you have not heard from a Big Buddy by 12 noon, then please go ahead and email them yourselves.  Buddies Meet Up will be on this Tuesday @ 5:15, after Starfish/6U/8U practice and before 9-12 practice.  Most of our big buddies will be there - if a big or little buddy is not present, then the Big Buddy parents will help facilitate the first meet up. We'll have all the kids on the wooden deck and coaches will help the buddies pair up. 

2) Reminder - Parent Meeting to learn about College Athletics - free but please sign up HERE (Tuesday May 16 @ 6:15 pm)

3) Reminder - Olympian Nic Fink Pro Clinic - Wed May 24 @ 6:30 pm - about half of the spots (out of 40) are left.  Sign up HERE.  We'll keep open to only Poolsharks this week and then if spots remain, we will open up on Thursday May 18th to other local summer swim programs to fill up remaining spots.  

4) Time Trials Intrasquad Tues May 23 - all swimmers must declare by this Wednesday May 17th - we will make 2 teams (Silver vs Blue).  100% need to declare YES or NO.  We are at ~50% right now.  Please declare HERE.

5) Water temp - pool was 76.5 yesterday (Sat) so we will be in water 100% of practice after our daily wooden deck team meeting.  

*If your child come to practice but does not want to swim - here is the process:

  a) coaches will not force kids to swim and are directed to not force kids to swim

  b) if they don't want to swim, they will have 10 minutes to shadow the coach and transition to sitting on edge with feet in water kicking.  If swimmer still does not get in after 10 minutes passing, they will go back to their grownup at the pool and try again the next day.  The reason for the 10 minute window - we cannot have kids standing/sitting around the whole practice, because this can be contagious and other kids will then also say 'hey i am not getting in.'  All of these expectations will be communicated to swimmers during our pre-practice wooden deck team meetings.  

6) Please be aware of your children - reminder - coaches will be responsible for your child during their practice time only.  We are not watching your children outside of this time - for example - many children play in the baby pool before practice - please keep your eye on your kids for both their safety and the safety of others.  If you drop off your child at practice (this is fine), please make sure your child has a supporting adult at the pool (other than the coach) that they can go to.  The weather is always potentially stormy and if we have to send kids home, they need to know a non-coach adult to go to.

7) This week will feel different for the kids since we will be all water - especially if swimming is not your relative kids strength, they may say things like "swim practice is so hard, and cold, and i'm not having as much fun."  This is a great opportunity for kids to build resilience, work ethic, and commitment.  The fun will come - when they see their time improvements, when they realize they are making new and great friends, when they notice they are stronger in the water, and when they enjoy a Wednesday morning June donut after a swim meet.  They will be proud of themselves and beam with joy & strength.

Have Fun, Work Hard, Do Your Best, Go Poolsharks!

- Coach Beth