It’s the first day of the 2026 season!

Here are a few reminders and important info as you head to the pool this evening. Please remember the first week can feel a little more chaotic than normal – both in the pool lanes, in the parking lot, and if it’s anything like my house…getting kids out the door with the right gear for a new season!

Tips & Requests for a Great First Week:
- please be patient, especially in the Club parking lot
- start today having your swimmers pack his/her own swim bag! (list attached)
- label belongings! 
- learn our coaches’ names
- for the first week, label your swimmer's back with Sharpie with name & age like we do for meets; this will be a huge help to coaches learning 153 swimmer names
- introduce yourself to other parents, especially those that you think might be new to the team

Practice Schedule
4:30-5 p.m. 6 & under
5-5:40 p.m. ages 7 to 8
5:40-6:20 p.m. ages 9 to 10
6:20-7:10 p.m. ages 11 to 12
7:10-8 p.m. ages 13 to 18

Swimsuit & Spiritwear Exchange
Don’t forget to bring your outgrown suits and spiritwear to practice this week. The coaches will be placing the Exchange bins out every day at practice through Friday – look for the bins near the team message board and shed.

2026 Team Shirt & Cap
If you haven’t picked up your team shirt and swim cap, please find team managers Patricia Heys or Christian van Maanen at practice Monday or Tuesday. They are usually stationed at the table near the team shed. If you aren’t able to pick up on one of those days, please see Coach Brown or Coach Ethan.

Goal Sheets
If you haven’t submitted your swimmer & parents goal sheets for the season, please bring those to practice with you and give them to Coach Brown or Coach Ethan. We will have extra copies available at practice this week, if you want to fill out while you are at the pool (look near the team message board).

Bathrooms & Trash Cans
During the first two weeks of practice, if you notice that bathrooms need toilet paper or paper towels or trash cans need to be emptied or need bags, please let one of our coaches know (when they aren’t actively coaching swimmers in the water). Lifeguard for the Club haven’t started for the summer yet, so you may notice these items early in the season. But throughout the season, our coaches have a supply of paper towels, toilet paper and trash bags they can restock as needed.

Gate at Practices
In an effort to abide by Gwinnett County rules for pools, we will be keeping the pool gate closed during practices. For this first week of practice, one of our coaches will be near the gate to welcome swimmers and help open it as needed.

Moving beyond this week, Club members, please remember to bring your key fob. For non-Club members, we have designated parent volunteers who will be stationed at the first table who can let in swim team members. Please try to avoid sitting at the first table and reserve it for our designated gatekeeper volunteer.

Parking
Please do not park on the grass area of the parking lot. Please let your teenagers know this as well. We want to be respectful of the Club’s property and this is not a parking area. There is plenty of street parking in the afternoon, but please park on one side (the pool side) of the street only.