Tennis Team Families

Hello Swim Team Families,

Spring practice starts TODAY! For the rest of the season, you can expect Sunday emails each week…this one is a little late, am still knocking off the rust.

Practices

Practice starts today, refer to this practice schedule if you need it. Bring suit, googles, towel, and a swim cap if you have one- they aren’t necessary but a lot of kids wear them, and they’re nice for keeping hair off the face and limiting chlorine damage.

At your first practice, please check in with the coaches at the start of your practice time. Speedy Six families- you start tomorrow. Practice is Tues/Th for the spring and there are 2 timeslots to choose from– feel free to show up for the one that works best for you- we’ll see how the numbers balance out and make adjustments as needed. Spring is preseason, and practice is optional. We know many are juggling other sports and activities, and practice times conflict with tennis or dive for most age groups. If you have conflicts and can only make some practices- that is ok! If you have a schedule conflict, there may also be some flexibility in swimming up or down an age group for the spring depending on your swimmer’s ability – talk with Coach Chris if you are interested in exploring this option. While spring practice is optional… if your swimmer is young or a new to swim team, we hope you’ll prioritize making time for practice. Time invested in the water during preseason is so valuable for building strength and endurance, which improves water safety and will help your swimmer be more successful during the summer when the pace picks up. (And it will pick up!)

Registration

If you are getting this email, it means you’ve registered for swim team/Starter Swim. Thank you! We have 150 signed up so far, and I anticipate our numbers will grow to about 200 as we get closer to summer. Registration closes June 20.

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

Team suits are available in our Team Store! Our 2025 team suit is the same as last year-  a solid red printed with the AH Otters logo. If you are ordering a team suit, order early to ensure you have your suit in time for Picture Day on June 27. Plain red suits are also fine- and the team suit isn’t required. The most important thing is that your swimmer is comfortable. Email me if you have any questions! As is our tradition, team caps will be distributed at the Red & Blue meet – we will also offer silicone team caps for purchase ($10 ea).

Coaching Update

This season we are welcoming back our head coach Chris Veraya, and Assistant Coach Jojo Southwell, who will be moving into the lead assistant role this year. Rounding out our coaching team is Ty Sunderland, Julia Bentler, and finally Addie Wisen, who will be joining us nearer to the summer once she’s home from college. We are also happy to have Intern Coach Sadie Pallotta returning to lead the Speedy Sixers, and will be adding one more speedy coach TBA.

Volunteering

We are a community club and working together to make things happen is how we do things at the Arb! Running a swim team, and swim meets, is not possible without volunteers, and every family is expected to do a minimum of 4 volunteer hours per swimmer.

I am also looking for a few leaders to step in and fill some key roles this year in officiating, volunteer coordination, and swim meet logistics. We have 3 home meets this year, plus Red and Blue and B-Champs and I would love some help– email me if you’re willing to step into the otter magic inner circle this season and let’s chat!   😉

New to Swim Team

Are you new to the team this year? Welcome! We are happy you’re here. You may be feeling somewhat overwhelmed… we’re kind of a lot, I know. But I promise that it gets easier! For families who are new and/or who have questions about swim team, I’ll be doing a virtual orientation on Tuesday May 20 8-9 pm here is the  Google Meet Link 

For those still reading and are new here– Hi! I’m Kirsty, I’m the AHSTC board member who coordinates the swim team. I’m a volunteer and also have a day job… so thanks in advance for your patience with my communications. I have two teens on the swim team:  Avi who is almost-16 (almost driving!!) and Helena who is 13. They have been on swim team since they were littles and are not serious year-round swimmers, we do other sports/activities in the offseason and return to the pool each summer for summer swim league. I am an OG West Seattleite, I grew up at the Arb and swam on the swim team at the Arb from age 7-17. My flex is that I still have one record on the AHSTC board, the 8U medley relay. I’d love to see it broken someday- but it’s a tough one because back then it was normal to let swimmers dive on both sides of the pool for races… because…well, it was the 80’s. If you can believe it, when I first started swimming at the Arb, the blocks were located at the shallow end of the pool–  what were they thinking??

Anyway, looking forward to a safe, sunny and fabulous summer of swim team! Can’t wait to see you all at the Arb!

Kirsty Grainger

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