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Week 1 Recap & Practice Group Assignments

May 30th

Hello Penguin Families,

Attached is our first Penguin Post of the swim season. This weekly newsletter includes important information about the upcoming week and season, as well as general reminders and a message from the coaches.

The first week of practice is in the books. Despite the cold pool water, it was great to see our swimmers back on the pool deck!

Our Coaches have carefully considered the levels of experience of our Penguin swimmers and we have designed the practice groups and schedule to ensure that all our Penguin swimmers get the attention and instruction they deserve. If you do not see your swimmer listed in a group, they are still pending placement and the coaches have not seen them in the water yet, and/or do not have enough information for placement. Those swimmers should attend the 6:20pm - Rockhopper practice. If your swimmer did attend practice this week and is not listed, please reach out to us directly at [email protected].

Please note that the ability level that we have identified for your swimmer is flexible as we see improvements of swimmer technique over the season.

  • Little Blue Penguins ~ Beginning swimmers who are learning the elements of swimming technique
  • Rockhopper Penguins ~ Novice swimmers who are able to swim the length of the lap pool and are in the process of building confidence with freestyle and backstroke
  • Macaroni Penguins ~ Developing swimmers who are building confidence with freestyle and backstroke as well as mastering the other two strokes
  • Emperor Penguins ~ Experienced swimmers who are proficient in two or more strokes

Below is the Penguin Practice schedule for the next two weeks through June 17, Monday through Thursday:

  • 4:30 - 5:20pm = Emperor Penguin Group
  • 5:25 - 6:15pm = Macaroni Penguin Group
  • 6:20 - 7pm = Rockhoppers Penguin Group
  • Little Blues: Group A 4:30-5p / Group B 5-5:30p / Group C 5:30-6p / Group D 6-6:30p

Here are a few reminders for our second week of practices:

  • Ensure your swimmer brings their swim cap, goggles, water bottle, and kick board if they have one to every practice.
  • Your swimmer should use the bathroom BEFORE practice starts!
  • Remind your swimmer to listen to the coaches and pay attention during practices.
  • Parents generally should not be poolside during practice. If you wish to observe your swimmer, please do so from the main pool deck and do not approach the coaches, or engage with your swimmer, during practice unless it is an emergency.

This upcoming Saturday, June 6th is our first big event, Time Trials.

We are asking all swimmers and families to arrive by 7:30am to help with set-up and for swimmers to warm-up. Please RSVP your swimmer by Wednesday, June 3. (To learn how, please use this SwimTopia help article.)

This is a Penguins-only event where all swimmers will be timed in as many events as they are eligible in the same structure as a regular meet. Time Trials provide the coaches and swimmers with a baseline or “seed” time in each event and helps the coaches determine which meets and events in which to place swimmers for the subsequent weeks. Ideally, we hope to see all our Penguins at the event as it is a great meet simulation and an important bonding experience for the team.

Friendly reminder for parents - without parent volunteers, we will not be able to run this event and/or any of our swim meets. Please sign up in SwimTopia to volunteer at the meet ~ we have many positions available based on experience and comfort levels.

During this event, we will NOT be selling concessions but will be hosting a “Grab & Snack'' table for our hungry Penguins. Please volunteer to donate individually wrapped breakfast snacks and/or drinks through the linked Sign Up Genius and bring your donation to the Time Trials on Saturday morning.

As always, if you have any questions and/or need any additional information, please email your friendly Team Reps - Tobii & Lori at [email protected] or find one of us on the pool deck.

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