1) Hard to believe that it is now July! July is packed with swim team events so please make sure you have your calendar marked with all the following team dates:
Tuesday, July 4th: NO PRACTICE
Wednesday July 5th: Home Meet (v Massanutten Marlins) & Post Meet Pizza Party
Monday, June 10th 5:45PM - Make Up Team Pictures
Tuesday, July 11th: Home Meet (v ERRA) & Post Meet Pizza Party
Tuesday, July 18th: Away Meet at Broadway
Tuesday, July 25: Team Banquet (@ SCC Pool)
Saturday, July 29: Champs at Westover
2) The leadership team for the Valley Swim League (VSL) is busy preparing for champs, which will take place on Saturday July 29 at Westover Pool (JMU is being renovated). Leading up to champs, there are many details to cover, and deadlines to note:
Friday, July 14 - Champs T-shirt store closes (no exceptions)
Saturday, July 15 - Heat sheet ads due.
Saturday, July 22 - Champs entries deadline
3) Of important note: I will be traveling abroad from July 13-24th. This means that I will not be present for the meet at Broadway (and we need a volunteer meet director to take my place, stroke & turn required). It also means that the work for champs needs to be as complete as possible before I depart.
4) Champs Details
a) T-shirts Team stores have been set up for all participating in Champs. The store will close on July 14 (no exceptions) and shirts will be delivered to a team rep or available in your team's designated area at Champs. If you would like to order a shirt, please use this link: Spotswood Dolphins- https://commonwealth-promotional-9c2d82fe-dc44-426a-8508-2f82d70ec2a3.printavo.com/merch/spotswood-dolphins-champs-2023
b) What are Heat Sheets? A heat sheet is a paper that not only lists the order of events during a swim meet, but also delineates which heat and lane for each swimmer. It tells wear and when to swim, and provides an estimated time line for the entire meet. At champs, the heat sheet is actually a booklet for champs that contains the more than just the heat sheet itself. Each team submits rosters & pictures, and we have the opportunity to raise money for our team by purchasing heat sheet ads.
ALL funds raised from the sale of these ads benefit our team. So if our team sells $1000 in ads - that money is ours to keep.
Here are a few bullet points:
Individual families and/or businesses can buy ad space. Over 800 people will see these booklets, so it is a wonderful advertising tool.
If you aren't sure how to create an ad - do not worry. Ads are easy to design using google slides, powerpoint, or my preferred method: www.canva.com
ALL ad pages need to be submitted in black and white.
If you aren't sure what these look like, here is an example of one I made for my family a few years ago:
Quarter Page ad: $25; Half Page: $50; Full Page (8.5" x 11" size): $100.
c) Champs Volunteers. We need to fill a number of volunteer positions at this meet. This will look different this year given the change in location. The signup list will come out next week after we attend the VSL Champs meeting on July 12. Our team is also in charge of the hospitality at champs this year. More info, TBA.
d) VSL Senior Scholarship Applications are due to the VSL 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
5) Details for this week's meet:
a) Volunteer sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094eafa623a6fc1-2023#/
b) Remember to make sure your phones are charged and that you have downloaded the swimmingly app.
c) We need a volunteer to perform the national anthem at all home meet. If your child has an additional talent in voice or on an instrument, we would welcome their performance!
b) Arrival Details:
Report to SCC pool by 4:30PM.
+Remember to have swimmer numbers written on the swimmer's arms.
+We will have home meet Dolphin Tattoos to distribute! Your swimmer can come find them at the score keepers tent.
+Home Team Warmups will begin sometime around 5pm. The meet will begin at 6PM.
c) Junior Dolphins! Please arrive at 5PM also. Juniors will enjoy their first home meet race experience with a swim across the shallow end of the pool. This will occur during the visiting team warm up period, and will start sometime around 5:30PM.
d) Heat Sheets & Team Line Ups will be ready, and will be attached to the remind app. You can also find them in the swimmingly fan app. To locate the step by step procedure to access that info, please see last week's update.
e) Post Meet Pizza Party: please plan to stay for the entire meet tonight and to join us for our after meet pizza party and night swim. There in no alcohol allowed during any VSL event, but we are free to open the club bar as soon as the opposing team departs the pool deck (time usually 8:45pm-10:15ish). I will have a team roster at the score keepers tent, and please bring cash or venmo $5 per person ($20 max per family) if you plan to enjoy pizza. Please remember to pay for past pizza via Venmo @hilary-irons.
That's all for now!
Hilary :-)