Practice starts tomorrow!

Weather
The weather is looking like some rain early in the week. If practice is canceled, Coach Brown will send out an alert through SwimTopia to the entire team. We do not swim in thunder or lightning or if the rain is so heavy it affects visibility. We will swim in light rain like we’ve had most of the weekend.

However, each family can make their own decision about attending practice in the rain or cooler temperatures. There is no required attendance for summer swim league. Parents know their children best – if swimming in the rain would be unpleasant for them or if they would enjoy it. We’ve heard the pool water feels warm, but it is quite chilly when swimmers get out. So, pack sweats and lots of towels if your kids do plan to swim.

School Week Practice Schedule
May 13-21 (Mon-Thurs)
4:30-5 p.m. 6 & under
5-5:45 p.m. ages 7 to 9
5:45-6:30 p.m. ages 10 to 12
6:30-7:15 p.m. ages 13 to 18
*No practice on last day of school

Spiritwear & Swimsuit Exchange
Every family will have spiritwear to pick up this week with your swimmer’s t-shirt and cap. Please have parents pick up and sign for these items. We also have a few extra items for sale – car magnets ($5), bag tags ($3) and a handful of Dolphin Pup women’s tank tops.

We’ll also have our Swimsuit Exchange table set up for the first week, so feel free to bring old suits, team shirts, caps, etc. your kids have outgrown.

New Lane Lines
We are excited to tell our Dolphin families that this season we’ll be getting new lane lines! A big thanks to Team Manager Christina van Maanen for spending many hours this spring researching the best and most cost effective lines for our team needs. We’ve purchased lane lines like ones used in high level swim competitions, which will also be easier for our coaches to get in and out of the water each day. We hope they last the team a very long time – so please remind your swimmers not to hang on them and not to play on the large lane line holder.

The lane lines are scheduled to arrive – in a very large crate – on Tuesday afternoon. So, we may be asking coaches, teenagers and willing parents to help us unbox them and carry them from the road (where the truck will unload them) to the pool deck. We also may need to block off part of the parking lot for Tuesday’s practice as well.

Volunteer Shifts
Mark your calendars: Volunteer shifts open on Thursday at 8 p.m. Each family is required to sign up for 4 shifts. The shifts are first-come, first-serve. So if you know you have roles or dates that you prefer, log in at 8 p.m. to sign up. If you have questions, please reach out to our new Volunteer Coordinator Laura Holder.

Note: Unless you have the paid plan, you can’t sign up for Jobs in the SwimTopia App. You need to be logged in through a browser.

First Week Tips
We’ve got a wonderfully large team, which can sometimes make for a crowded pool deck (and parking lot). Please help us make the first week experience smooth for all by following pool rules (no smoking, no glass, no running). And our team policies, including no swimming in the baby pool.

If kids aren’t actively practicing, they should not be near the pool or engaging with coaches and swimmers in the water. This is for the safety of our kids in the water. Swimmers who are waiting on siblings to finish their practices can play in the grassy area, water table area or find a spot to sit around the pool deck. Parents are responsible for kids not actively practicing.

Please be patient this first week of practice as coaches are getting to know swimmers and their abilities … and swimmers are getting accustomed to being back at summer swim practice. And it might take parents a few days to remember how to navigate our parking lot and narrow driveway. Please, be patient if things seem somewhat chaotic … and offer to help where you see a need.

See you soon! Go Dolphins!