Hey, guys! I can't believe it's almost here!! I know some of you are starting to get anxious about getting all of your ducks in a row, so I thought I'd check in with some extra information for you!

Team practices are going to start on Wednesday, May 10 for most ages, but the 5/6 and 7/8 years olds will get a special introduction day first. This will be a great chance for the swimmers and coaches to get to know each other and ease their way into a smaller practice group. We're going to split them up and let the girls go first on Monday, May 8 at 4:30 for the 5/6 year olds and at 5:15 for the 7/8 year olds. The boys will be up next on Tuesday, May 9 at 4:30 for the 5/6 year olds and at 5:15 for the 7/8 year olds.

We've been watching the weather, and it seems that the warm temps are running a little behind! For the first couple of weeks, we'd be happy for any of the swimmers who would like to wear a swim shirt to practice while the pool continues to warm up!

I have important dates on the calendar for you along with the practice schedule posted on the website. (Note that older age groups take turns on who has be at the pool first thing in for morning practices. Changes for Memorial Day week also posted on that page.) The important dates and meets are on the subscribe-able calendar!

Rookies: You guys will start on the morning of Friday, June 2. We're still working on whether there will one group or two and will finalize practice times as soon as we have that nailed down. More information to come in the middle of May for you guys!

Our snack bar during practices has been such a hit that we're trying to find a way to man the snack bar during afternoon practices! It's a great way to get snacks for your swimmer after school and is a great fundraiser for the team! Most of our key volunteers are still juggling school/work responsibilities until school gets out, so we're looking for a few volunteers to help out for those two weeks when we have practices after school. It could be a teenager who is looking for volunteer hours or a mom or dad who is willing to serve during their swimmers' practice times. Let me know if you're interested in helping out!

For all you new-to-summer-swim families, we've been working to put together Swim Team 101 on our website! I'll also be sending out bits and pieces when they apply. Here's the first segment:

What Gear Do I Need?

There is very little gear you will need to purchase, as Saddlebrook provides most of what's needed (i.e., swim caps, kickboards, swim buoys, etc), but there are a few things you'll want to pick up:

• Good competition goggles are a must, especially for swimmers who are actually diving off the dive blocks. These are not the ones you'll find at the local store. While they do run a little more than play goggles, they are key to not wearing the goggles around your neck once you dive in! Swim Outlet is a great place to find swim gear at decent prices - we even get store credit to use for team equipment from every purchase through this link or by clicking through from our main website homepage! If you need something right away, try a sporting goods store like Academy Sports or Dicks. Most of the kids prefer Speedo or Nike or something similar - a silicone seal around the eye sockets and an adjustable nose are preferable. Many swimmers love to replace their goggle straps with bungee straps. Mirrored lenses are a good option for sunny practices but do limit visibility when swimming after dark.
• You have hopefully already purchased a team swimsuit, but some people like to have an additional suit for practice. Again, Swim Outlet has some nice but fairly cheap options, especially for boys' jammers which are harder to find locally. Girls can typically get away with most any one-piece suit. Additional suits are a luxury, not a requirement, but they may extend the life of your team suit, especially if your swimmer is unlikely to outgrow it for next season.
• Every swimmer will be provided with a latex swim cap, but many swimmers prefer the fit of a silicone cap. Long hair especially seems to work better with silicone. We will have a silicone team caps (along with replacement latex caps) available for sale throughout the season. Reminder: any swimmer competing with a year-round or high school team cap will be disqualified at summer league meets, so make sure you either have a Saddlebrook cap or a plain one at every meet!
• You'll want to bring a towel to practice and two to meets.
• You'll want a bag to carry all of your gear, especially to meets. I can't tell you how many swimmers end up bringing home someone else's gear because it wasn't stowed away! While any bag will do, there are a few styles made especially for swim gear. Take a look at these on Swim Outlet.

Hopefully you all made it to the end of this email - I don't want to give too much at once, but I'd rather give you too much information than not enough!