Swim Team 2026 Preseason Email #4
Hi swim team families,
It’s heating up, school is almost out, and summer is almost here!
tldr: 1) Meet Opt In/Out 2) RSVP for summer kickoff party 3) Volunteer for meets 4) Order Apparel and Team Suits 5) Gather hand-me-downs for Red/Blue or Otter Gear Swap
As we prepare to shift into full summer mode, it is time to RSVP for the Red vs Blue Meet, for our Summer Kickoff Party, and sign up for volunteer roles. Read on for more information:
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jun 13 Red & Blue Practice Meet*
Red vs. Blue is a Saturday morning practice swim meet. Arrive with your swimmer by 8 am and plan to stay at the pool until around 11. This event is like a scrimmage swim meet: we randomly assign swimmers to either the red or blue team, and each participant will have the chance to race in up to four individual events in each stroke (free, back, breast, fly) This is an important event for practicing how a swim meet runs, both for the swimmers and for parent volunteers. All families, but especially returning ones, are expected to sign up for a volunteer job. There will be Q&A opportunities for new families and training for volunteer roles. If you have a teen in the house who needs service hours, they can volunteer to help out with Red & Blue, sign them up! There will also be food and fun, and a table for swapping old/outgrown gear- bring your hand-me-downs!
Jun 19 Summer Kickoff Party* (and NO PRACTICE)
This party is where all our youth teams come together to celebrate the beginning of the summer season. The whole family is invited, arrive at 5:00 and dinner will be served around 6:00. We will be serving chicken wings, burgers and dogs, with potluck side dishes. I hear there will also be a special “hot ones” activity featuring some of your favorite coaches. Also- as is our tradition, swimmers will have the opportunity to sign their name on the iconic AH Rock. There will be a special meeting for Seniors & 14&U’s, please meet on the pool deck at 5:30. There is no practice on Friday June 19, due to the holiday
June 22 First Day of Summer Schedule
This is when the fun really starts: review the Practice schedule.
Jun 26 Team Picture Day & Pancake Breakfast*
Arrive at 8:00 am, we will do individual/sibling photos then the big group photo at 8:30. After the group photo, the team will enjoy a pancake breakfast. If your swimmer is not participating on the dive or tennis teams, they will probably be ready to leave around 9:30-10. No practice, just photos and pancakes. If you participate in other teams, Dive is at 9:00 and Tennis 10:00. We need helpers for breakfast, plus a couple of people to assist the photographer.
<Photo order form coming soon> | Volunteer for Team Picture Day/Pancake Breakfast
* Starter Swim families: you are also invited to participate in all of these activities. Summer Kickoff Party includes staying for open swim from 5:00 until the pool closes at 8:45. Please RSVP so we can add you to our guest list.
VOLUNTEER ROLES
Are you still reading? Amazing- thank you! Here’s a little more about volunteering with swim team. We depend on you to lend your time and talents to make everything happen. Volunteer opportunities are listed in this sign up genius (it has multiple tabs): Volunteer
There are three main volunteer roles at swim meets:
– Concessions: We have a great concessions stand, and need helpers for setup, sales, operating the cash register, working the grills/kitchen, and clean up. Concessions is friendly, fun, and social. It is lively but also easy to step away for a minute to help your kids or watch them race. If you’re a skilled leader capable of coordinating teams, John Stivers is recruiting for a lead for concession operations for swim meets. This is an important role and if you enjoy a fast paced environment and good food, we’d love to have you step up!
– Stroke and Turn Judge: If you are a former competitive swimmer, or you are decisive and have good attention to detail, you’d make a great stroke & turn official. It helps to have technical knowledge of swimming– like what a breaststroke kick or legal flip turn looks like, but don’t be intimidated; we can train you! We are fortunate to have Michael Dyson leading our officiating team this year- I can connect you with him if you have questions.
– Timers: If you can operate a stop watch, you can be a timer! This role does require some focus and also entails a little bit of herding kids behind the blocks. Every lane needs 3 timers so you’ll be part of a small team running one lane. If you’re newer to timing or prefer a more chill environment, the outer lanes are less intense.
Responsible teenagers over the age of 14 can also time or help with concessions at dual meets.
Other roles for swim meets include announcer, starter, runner, and computer operator, it’s a whole production. If you’re interested in training for any of these roles, Red & Blue is a great opportunity to try this.
Outside of swim meets, there are also opportunities to volunteer for events or projects. Can you help with picture day? Pancake breakfast? Coordinate a craft project? Help throw parties? There are many ways to get involved, we have roles listed on this tab: Other volunteer opportunities
Thank you in advance for lending your time, we definitely need your help! Plus, by stepping back and doing your own thing, don’t forget that this helps give your swimmers room to build independence and confidence– and they get to see you model what it looks like to engage and build community. Here’s the sign up again: Volunteer
That’s it for now, please feel free to reach out with any questions.
BTW, if you registered late, or want to see past emails, you can find these and key links on our Swim Team Family Page. And if you haven’t already, there’s still time to Order Team Suits and Apparel.
Let’s go Arbor!
Kirsty
