1) Team Leadership Update: At the end of last season and the start of this season, I announced that this would be my last as team director. That brought up two questions that should and can be addressed:
a) Would the SCC Dolphins still exist? YES! Our team is housed at our club, but it is also a participating entity of the Valley Swim League (VSL). Yes, we would need to either find a volunteer or even pay someone to fill the role. But the team is not dependent on any one person. So please do have faith in, and dedication to the SCC Dolphins as a team. I have experienced great joy to see how the team is growing from season to season since covid. I am excited for the future of our team! I am also fiercely loyal. The Irons family is members of multiple pools (for reasons of residential proximity), but never question: it's Dolphins or nothing for us.
b) Who will direct? The plan to resign from leadership and into more relaxed parental roles on the team is in the process of being revised. We are currently working with our club GM on details, but it appears likely that I will stay on for the foreseeable future.
1a) SAVE THE DATE: Tuesday July 25th at 6PM. We will host our end of season banquet at the club. Tentative plan: 6PM Dinner inside the clubhouse. Team will provide food, and club will provide beer and wine for purchase. Awards will be distributed at this time. After which, the party (and bar) will move up to the pool for night swimming (approx. 7:30-9:30PM). Stay tuned for an evite/RSVP.
1b) The club social committee is hosting a swim up movie night which will be a great opportunity for swim team bonding. Please support the club and attend this event! Check clubster for details, which are: Flick & Float and Ice Cream Social July 19th. "Bring your float and join us at the pool for a flick and float and ice cream social. There will be $2 ice cream cones starting at 7pm. We will be showing The Super Mario Bros. Movie at dusk. The snack shack will be open throughout the movie with snacks and drinks." Reservations are encouraged. Register on the club website at the link below or call 504-433-2659 Ext. 1.
On to info for the end of summer swim season. PERTINENT CHAMPS DETAILS ABOUND> please read ALL info:
2) Champs Deadlines: More champs info at the bottom of this update... but deadlines are first! Reminder: Gannon and I are going abroad tomorrow 7/13 (our 16th anniversary) and not returning until Monday the 24th (if all travel plans go to plan)! If you need something immediate, ask Lauren or Liz! You can still email me, for sure. Remind/Text may still work too, but honestly I have been so busy arranging details for here so that I can go away, that I haven't done much planning into what will happen when I actually go away!
Upcoming champs deadlines:
a) Friday, July 14 - Champs T-shirt store closes (no exceptions):
If you would like to order a shirt, please use this link: Spotswood Dolphins. I found out during our VSL Champs meeting tonight, that the colors of the shirt this year were selected in memory of our former Dolphin swimmer, Sadie Deeble. She passed away unexpectedly at the age of 13 this past October. Her favorite color was lavender, and this is reflected in the navy/lavender design of this year's shirt. Sadie swam for our team for many years; joined VAST; and eventually changed membership to join ERRA. She was also a student of mine, so I can speak to her way of being: she was full of spirit, joy and giggles. Champs was her favorite day of the year.
b) Saturday, July 15 - Heat sheet ads due. Quarter Page ad: $25; Half Page: $50; Full Page (8.5" x 11" size): $100. All sales benefit our team!
-The link to team pictures will be sent out tomorrow via remind. Heat sheet ads can be created on canva or google slides or powerpoint. If you aren't sure how to do it, just text or email to ask. It's much easier than it sounds. If I can make one, I promise anyone can!
c) Saturday, July 25 - Senior Scholarship Applications are due.
VSL Senior Scholarship Applications are due to the VSL (postmarked of emailed) by July 15. Applicants must be a rising freshman at an accredited college. Make sure you email or snail mail your application to Sandi Riggleman.
email: sandiriggleman73@gmail.com or VSL Scholarhip c/o Sandi Riggleman
513 E Riverside Drive
Bridgewater, VA 22812
3) Details for this week's meet: Tuesday, July 18th AT BROADWAY.
Address: 102 S Sunset Drive, Broadway VA
a) Volunteer sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094eafa623a6fc1-2023#/
b) Arrival Details:
Report to Broadway Pool by 5PM. Warmups begin at 5:25PM. Meets starts at 6PM.
+Remember to have swimmer numbers written on the swimmer's arms.
c) Heat Sheets & Team Line Ups will be sent out on Tuesday morning, once the hosting team compiles the heat sheets.
4) MORE CHAMPS DETAILS: Champs is usually held at JMU, but JMU is renovating. Thus, champs will be hosted at Westover. It will be different, but we are grateful that they are working out the details! Champs is a very exciting day!! But, it also means a few big changes.
a) FIRST BIG CHANGE: Because we will be outside the schedule will be changed to avoid the heat of mid day:
10U Swimmers will start at 8:30AM (likely finishing between 11:30-12n)
11+ Swimmers will start at 6PM (likely finishing by 9PM).
b) Second Change: there will be no pre champs practice at the location this year.
c) The VSL has hired Jolanthe Erb (of ERRA and VAST) to handle all the details for VAST. If you recall, the VSL has a 6 year rotating cycle. Last year, our team was in charge. It is A LOT OF WORK. The outsourcing of this job means our team has no specific role to fill this year, just volunteer positions as in every other meet. Sign up genius will be sent via remind in coming days. We will need to fill timer roles, stroke and turn, meet marshall (unabashedly directing people to and from; keeping peace!), etc...
b) Day of Parking will be at a premium! Options will be the westover lot and public park areas; street options on Dogwood; or even nearby to JMU's memorial park. Plan to account for this transportation time in your arrival. You might plan to drop off swimmers and belongings, and then go find a parking spot.
c) Team Warmups start as early as 7:10AM and 4:40PM, respectively. Our team warmup times are: AM SESSION (10u): 7:50AM. PM SESSION(11+): 5:20PM
c) Diving is not allowed on one side of their pool. Relay teams will need to be aware and practice starting in the pool. Lucky us, our first meet of this year was at Westover, so we already experienced this (not every team did).
d) We will use 6 lanes, not 8. This will change the event time schedule, slightly. The heat sheet will provide an estimate of timing for the day. We will send this as soon as we have it (on Monday July 24th).
e) Spectating options are limited. See attached pictures for event layout and flow. At JMU, we can claim seats in the bleachers... this year, we will have to rotate in and out for viewing.
e) Team Entries are due by July 21st at 5PM. All changes need to be complete by Sunday July 23rd at 5PM. After that, all changes/additions cost a fee of $75-100, depending.
IF YOUR SWIMMER IS NERVOUS: JUST SIGN THEM UP. We can easily take them out, but we cannot add them in later. AND, talk to the coaches. We need all of our swimmers to participate if they are able. They already swam at Westover this year, it will feel just like a dual meet only with more people. This is a great year to get feet wet! ;-)
If not me, someone on team leadership will send out info in the coming days... what to look for:
-Link to Team Photos
-Google Drive to upload heat sheet ads
-Signup Genius to volunteer for champs (due by July 23).
-Banquet RSVP.
τα λέμε αργότερα (see you later, in greek)!Hilary :-)