hi Poolsharks -

Here we go, heading into Week 8, our final week of the season.

Version 1 of heatsheets & handwriters for our Lake Claire meet (at home) have been posted on our team site HERE.

Attendance swim caps!  We have had 67 swimmers earn the magical 33 points required for a black sparkly V attendance cap.  HERE is the parent view - thank you for taking a look and if you notice an error, sending a brief specific polite email to me.  

It was a full week even after our meet on Tuesday - Wednesday we had our annual Poolsharks Olympics (synchronized swimming, water polo shots, relays, cannonball contests), Thursday was our final Super Dryland Day with Coach O'Day, and Friday we welcomed Poolshark alum & US National Team member / NCAA Champion / American record holder Dean Farris.

SENIORS!  Ben, Claire, Emily, Macey, MC, Isaiah!

Our kids have grown up swimming together (here are MC & Claire as littles, and Ben & Isaiah as 6U's!)

Tomorrow we will celebrate our 6 seniors during the meet.  

Afterwards, our seniors will each hand down their vintage red Venetian kickboard, to an underclassman.  

This is an annual tradition where our graduating seniors decorate a vintage Venetian kickboard to hand down to a swimmer that they see as representing all the characteristics we value in our Poolsharks (coachable, hard workers, amazing teammate).

Here is Coach Maddy '23 handing her kickboard down to Claire 3 years ago (and tomorrow she will hand down to the next generation).  

I cannot thank our parents enough for getting your kids to practice & meets each week, volunteering in sun and rain, and for all of your support of the team throughout the season.

I also want to take a moment to thank each member of our coaching staff, from our amazing Coach Ashley leading our Starfish and her tween & teen groups, our full time paid coaches, our volunteens, and our volunteer technique & dryland specialists Coach Blair & the ODay's - they each give their heart, time & energy each day to our swimmers and team.

Next, I want to thank each of the parents on our swim team committee, led by the amazing Lindsay Duvall and Meghan Welch!

And finally, I want to thank each of our swimmers! They show up each day, ready to work hard, listen, make friends, do their best, help put in lanelines, try butterfly & 100 IM's, and make me smile every single day. Just spend one practice with our kids and you will be reassured that the future is bright and promising.

Schedule for this week:

Monday: will be our last dual meet of the season, as we host Lake Claire @ 5:30 pm. We will have our senior night, and celebrate our seniors. Swimmers should arrive between 4:30 - 4:40 for our 4:45 warmup start time.

Tuesday: donut/awards and last swim practice day - regular practice times 

Wednesday: Divisionals @ Georgia Tech - there is NO Poolshark practice this day as all coaches will be at Divisionals. We are excited to bring 128 Poolsharks to the championship meet! Divionals info will be shared in a separate email.

Thursday: LAST DAY of Season 9:30 - 11 AM - we will have our End of Season Celebration with some fun & games, and we will recognize 6 Poolsharks of the Year, along with Divisional highlights and the top Jaw Dropper & Top Chomper from each age group.

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

-Beth