Archive for category: Teams

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!

RSVP  |  Volunteer

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

Summer Kickoff Party RSVP    

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 

Hi swim team families,

his week’s email covers gear and upcoming preseason events.

OG swim team family tldr: Order Apparel  and Team Suits, gather hand-me-downs for Red & Blue/ Otter Gear Swap     RSVP for Summer Kickoff Party    RSVP for Meets   volunteer signups coming soon.

Want more information? Read on!

The season is off to a great start- our numbers are strong, as of today we have reached 200 registrations! Thanks to everyone who joined orientation last week. For those who missed it here is the deck: Swim Team Orientation. We will also hold a short Swim Team 101 session at Red & Blue (see below) followed by a Q&A.

TEAM SUITS 

Team suits are now available at here:  Order Team Suits.

First thing about team suits: there is no pressure to buy one. If you have a 2024-25 team suit (also red, different otter logo), that’s great. If you just want a more versatile plain red suit, that’s great. If you want to swim in a suit you already own, also great!

If you want to buy a team suit, several different styles are available, below is a summary of options. Team suits are custom orders and are nonrefundable, so shop carefully. Competitive swimsuit sizing can be tricky, and they differ from regular clothes. For girls, torso length is key, for boys, hip measurement is key. Some suits run small. If you’d like more advice on sizing, I encourage you to reach out to Teresa Webb (aka Dior’s mom), our resident suit expert, who can talk you through options. You can reach her at [email protected].

Sporti ($30-40) is Swim Outlet’s house brand. It is a good, comfortable nylon/lycra suit. For girls, there is a thin or wide strap style, the wider strap is more popular with little ones. For guys there are briefs and jammers. If you are unsure which to choose- if they are too young for a driver’s permit, get the jammer.

Arena ($40-$50) suits are good quality chlorine-resistant polyester/elastane. The polyester provides a more supportive/compression fit and is very durable. These suits will last a long time. The girls’ suit has medium coverage and good support. The boys’ jammer comes in a couple of options, more polyester = firmer/faster suit.

Jolyn ($70-$80) are pricey, high-quality, and popular with teenage girls. The cut provides less coverage, the Perry especially will be cheeky.

AH AND OTTER HOODIES, TEES AND TANKS  

We have new merch for sale!  Tees and tanks are $15-$20 and hoodies are $25. Order at ahstc.com/apparel/ by May 27 to receive your order before the summer season starts. We will do a second order but it won’t arrive until mid-July.

CAPS, GOGGLES AND PARKAS  

Team caps are available in the office ($3 latex, $10 silicone) and will also be distributed at the Red & Blue practice meet. Our Team Store on Swim Outlet has recommended goggles, accessories, and will soon feature an AH swim parka.

OTTER GEAR SWAP

If you have gear to pass along or sell, we would love to help you find a new home for it. With 200 team participants ranging in age from 5 to 18, things are constantly being outgrown! Post on our Otter Gear Swap or bring it to the Red & Blue Meet on June 13, we will have a table there for hand-me-downs.

UPCOMING EVENTS  

May 25   Memorial Day – NO PRACTICE 

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. There will also be food (John Stivers is planning breakfast!) and fun, and a table for swapping old/outgrown gear- bring your hand-me-downs!

RSVP for Red & Blue   |  < Volunteer sign up coming soon>

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, things will get underway between 5:30 and 6:00. We will be serving West Wings chicken, burgers and dogs, with potluck side dishes. 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 eniors & 14&U’s, please meet on the pool deck at 5:30.  There is no practice on Friday June 19, due to the Juneteenth holiday.

Summer Kickoff Party RSVP   

Jun 26   Team Picture Day* 

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 sign up coming soon>

* Starter Swim families: you are also invited to participate in all of these activities. Summer Kickoff Party includes staying for open swim until the pool closes at 8:45. Please RSVP so we can add you to our guest list.

All this info, past emails, and RSVP forms can be found on our  Swim Team Family Page .  That’s it for now. Please feel free to reach out with any questions!

Let’s go otters!!

Hello swim team families,

Spring practice is underway! This email is going out to everyone registered for swim team and starter swim. Here are a few things to know:

Swim Team Orientation

Orientation is tomorrow evening, Thursday, May 14, at 7:30 PM. The meeting will be held online via this Google Meet Link.

Registration

Our updated roster is here: Swim Team Registration, please email me if you notice any errors. We are currently resolving some form processing issues. If you are one of the handful of families who registered multiple times due to a system error, thanks for your patience while I work with our treasurer, Tim, to audit the registrations and process refunds.

Team Suits & Caps 

Team suits will be available soon, they will be red with the new AH otter logo. However, if you already have a suit with last year’s otter on it, or prefer plain red, these are also great and sustainable alternatives. And team suits are always optional, your swimmer can wear whatever they like for meets. Team caps are available in the office ($3 latex, $10 silicone) and will also be distributed at the Red & Blue practice meet.

Apparel

Our team apparel store will open soon, featuring hoodies, tees and tanks.  Check the link for a preview of our 2026 offerings- we have some fun new designs this year!

Finally- our Swim Team Family Page is updated for 2026. You can find past emails, swim meet RSVP forms, and other key information posted there.

Hello Swim Team Families,

Spring practice starts next week!

Registration

If you’re getting this email, you are registered for swim team/starter swim. Here’s a list of who is on our roster so far: Swim Team Registration as of Wed May 6  If you see any errors please let me know. And if you notice friends who aren’t registered yet, maybe send them a text and nudge them? We’re at about 120 right now, and we aim to be around 200 by summer.

Coaches 

This season we are welcoming back our head coach Chris Veraya, as well as Assistant Coaches Jojo Southwell, Tyler Sunderland, Julia Bentler, and Molly Murphy. We are also happy to have Intern Coaches Sadie Pallotta, Lucy LaBella, and Cookie Hooper who will be leading the Speedy Sixers. So exciting to have such a strong team of coaches who have a deep history with the Arb- we are so lucky!

Practices

Practice starts Monday May 11, check this practice schedule for your age group’s time. There is flexibility to swim up or down an age group if needed. If you are interested in this option, check with Coach Chris—just reply all to this email. While spring practice is optional, we encourage young or new-to-swim-team swimmers to attend as much as possible. Time invested in the water during preseason is so valuable for building strength and endurance. This improves water safety and will help your swimmer be more successful during the summer when the pace picks up. (And it will pick up!)

Bring suit, googles, towel. Any comfortable swimsuit will do. You may want a swim cap- you will receive one at the red and blue meet, and you can purchase one at the office. ($3 latex, $10 silicone)  Aim to be on deck about 10 minutes before practice so you have time to put away your clothes before it’s time to get in the pool.

Speedy Sixers: practice is Tues/Th for the spring and there are two timeslots to choose from. Feel free to attend the one that works best for you, we’ll see how the numbers balance out and make adjustments as needed.

Volunteering

Swim meets and team activities aren’t possible without volunteers. Every family is asked to contribute a minimum of 4 volunteer hours per swimmer for the season. I am also looking for a few leaders to fill some key roles this year in officiating, volunteer coordination, and swim meet logistics. If you’re willing to step up, I’d love to hear from you!

Season Schedule 

Check out our season overview calendar for information about upcoming events, and if you use an electronic calendar, here’s the ics URL if you want to subscribe to the swim team calendar.

Team Suits, Caps & Apparel 

Stay tuned for more info on team suit- we will stick with a red suit for a third year but are updating our logo. The team store will be updated soon. Team caps are available at the office and will be distributed at the Red & Blue meet. Apparel (shirts/hoodies) will be available to order soon too.

New to Swim Team

New to swim team? Welcome! We are happy you’re here. For families who would like a primer or have questions about swim team, I’ll be doing a virtual orientation on Thursday May 14 7:30-8:30 pm. Here’s the Google Meet Link.

And finally, a little about me… Hi! I’m Kirsty, I’m the AH board member in charge of swim team. I’m a volunteer and also have a full time regular day job… thanks in advance for your patience with me and my after-hours emails. I have two teens on swim team — Avi (Senior) and Helena (14U). They have been swimming with the Arb since they were littles but we are not a serious club swimmer family, just summer swim league rec. I love summer swim league because growing within a team where you compete together for ten years is a really special thing, and the Arb has wonderful traditions and an amazing culture. I know this firsthand because I myself am an OG Westsider. I grew up in Arbor Heights and swam for the Arb from age 7-17. My flex- I still have a record on the AH board, 8U medley relay. I would honestly love to see it broken someday- but it’s a tough one because waaaay back then they let 8’s dive in at both ends of the pool(!)

Anyway, looking forward to a safe, sunny and fabulous summer of swim team. Please reach out with any questions- or catch one of the coaches on deck. Can’t wait to see you all at the Arb!

Warmly,

Kirsty Grainger

Swim Rep | Arbor Heights Swim & Tennis Club

[email protected]  |  ig: @ahstc.otters @arborheightspool

 Swim Season Overview Calendar 

  Practice schedule

Arb Calendar  &  swim team ics URL