Tennis Team Families

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!!