Another great week of practices in the books! Thanks for getting your swimmers to practice this week–we know it’s not easy to make it happen each day but the more they attend, the better they will get!

Please take a moment to read through this whole message as there are several important reminders.

🐬 Our first Saturday Swim Clinic of the season was a success! Despite the chilly air, it was well attended, swimmers practiced starts and touches, and everyone enjoyed some coffee and donuts! We hope to see you at our next swim clinic on Saturday, June 9th. The focus of this clinic will be determined this week and posted on Swimtopia. Please RSVP in Swimtopia so coaches can get an idea of groupings and so we have enough coffee and donuts to share!

🐬 Time Trials: Time Trials are this Tuesday, June 4th at 5:30pm at the BBW Pool (timing will begin at 6pm). It will be run just like a meet and initial times for each stroke will be recorded for our swimmers. Coaches use these times to help inform the heat line-ups for upcoming meets.

Please note:

• Please RSVP by tonight at 6pm in Swimtopia if you have not already done so. (on the mobile app, scroll down to Upcoming events>>click on Time Trials>>click on meet signup>>mark your swimmer(s) as attending or not attending.)
• Swimmers should be at the pool before 5:30 to get situated and be ready for warm-ups.
• No one will be allowed in the pool (even in the shallow end after warmups) unless they are being timed for a stroke.
• Concessions will be available!
• If you are signed up to volunteer, please check in at the volunteer table before 5:45.
• Swim Meet 101 information for new families can be found on SwimTopia under the “Meets and Events” tab.
• Time Trials should run about 2 hours.
• We will be running freestyle relays for fun!
• If your swimmer(s) cannot attend on Tuesday, they will be timed during practices on Wednesday, June 5th. Please speak with Coach Ben prior to practice beginning.

🐬 Coaches Corner

Message from Coach Ben: With Time Trials coming up we have been working a lot on our starts and turns, making sure we are fine tuning our details for time trials and the meets following. We should also try our best to get to practice on time or even a couple minutes early just so as coaches we can better prepare. It can be hard sometimes when we have 5 kids walking in as we are stretching.

Message from Coach Mindy: Junior Dolphins Week 3!

Thanks to all who showed for the team pic and potluck! That was a lot of fun! I was very happy with all the positive effort our Juniors did this week! Thank you for bringing me such great kids!

This week the Wees/non swimmers focused on: Safety around pool-no running, skipping. Watch the ground for bees! Safely entering water using stairs. Grasping edge of pool and sliding along side of pool. Telling their adult they are entering water/starting lesson. Walking out into the water to know how deep the shallow end is. We continued the challenge/task/hurdle of blowing bubbles with face in water. Most of the Wees mastered it. It is huge in moving forward with swimming.

To help your Wee: Blow surface of water. Put just chin and mouth in and blow air out slowly. Add the nose to the mix then the eyes/goggles. Once they have done it—repeat, repeat, repeat. We need it to become natural anytime they are in water. I want the face looking at the bottom of the pool. I use diving for items for this purpose but also as an incentive to swim into water that’s deeper. Getting them comfortable, confident makes progressing forward easy!

The Mids worked on the above. Any stroke is a combo of several skills. Freestyle they are to kick from their thighs—I call this their engine. We want them kicking down into the water. A bent leg kick actually will prevent them from moving forward vs a kid with straighter legs. Their elbow comes up bent and stretches out, then pulls water. We want the fingers together but not cupped. Lastly face in water and the bubbles. When they need a breath, they lift head. Kicking solidly thru the breath keeps them from sinking. Side breathing with new swimmers can really have them thrashing around. Once we get the above down, then add side breathing. We also jumped off block and swam to ladder. I want them to know they can do it. Plus lessen the fear of being in deep water and panicking. We dove for items in the deeper water. Again having them kicking and blowing those bubbles! I know I sound like a broken record—don’t care. It’s vital they become safe in and around water. We also started on some back stroke floating. Head is the be back, with nose being the “mountain” highest point out of water. Belly arched, legs straight and kicking down. Feet pointed to be their “flippers”.

Pre team swimmers worked/reviewed the above plus more backstroke work. Arms come up straight and to ear. I have them do a count 1,2,3,4. Once arm is under water they are to pull water. It should be felt up against back of leg.

I will be at the pool Sunday for some dive work 4-5. Any mid/pre team swimmers are welcome.

Regular practice schedule this first whole week for us! I want to have some of my Pre swimmers swim in the meet on 6/11. It’s at home. Let’s discuss Sunday or after practice. I am not going to push a swimmer to do it, if it’s scary to them. I can be in lane with them, but a few can do it without me.

Time trials are at 6:00 on Tuesday (5:30 if your child is swimming). I’d love to have my mids and pres watch with a few participating.

Bottom line for me is having them know I am not going to do anything to spook or scare them. I want them to be comfortable with me, have some fun, but learn to be safe in and around the water. Questions? Text me! 9194171738 Thank you!

🐬First Meet: Our first meet is next week on June 11th at HOME vs. Coachmans. Please mark your child attending or not in SwimTopia as soon as possible (On mobile app>>scroll down to Upcoming Events>>click on 2024 Coachmans Trail at Banbury Woods>>click on Meet Signup>>mark your swimmers attending or not attending.) Warm ups will begin promptly at 5:00pm. Please plan to be there before 5:00 so swimmers can get their numbers on their arms and get settled before warming up. Review the Swim Meet 101 information on SwimTopia before the meet. Don't forget that the only kids allowed in the pool are kids swimming events. Alcohol is not allowed at meets per TSA.

🐬Gone Dates: If your swimmer is going to miss any of the meets, please go ahead and mark this in SwimTopia now! (On the Mobile app>>scroll down to Upcoming Events>>click on each meet>>click on meet signup>>mark swimmers attending or not attending>>repeat for each meet). If you do not mark this in Swimtopia, it is automatically assumed that your child will be attending, and per TSA coaches need to have meet lineups in by the Sunday night before. It is also a mad dash to change heat sheets on the day of if a swimmer is not actually planning on being there. Please take the time to mark your swimmers now!

🐬 Volunteering: We truly cannot thank you enough for filling in your 4 required volunteer spots! Unfortunately, we’ve had less families than expected sign up to swim this year and because of that, we have open volunteer positions that need to be filled. Please take a moment to look at the open positions and see if your family could kindly consider 1-2 more volunteer spots, especially later in the season! Thank you for helping to run our meets and keep everything going smoothly--we couldn't do it without you! 

🐬 Swim Caps: We have plenty of swim caps with the new logo available for purchase. Let Jill know if you are interested and how many you’d like for your swimmer(s). Only $5 each!

Important Dates Coming Up:

June 4 Time Trials, 5pm

June 5 Time Trials makeups during regular practice times

June 9 Saturday Swim Clinic from 9-10am

June 11 First Meet at HOME

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time, at [email protected].

See you at the pool! Go Dolphins!

Jill and Andrea

BBW/Hunters Landing Dolphins