Happy Hot Afternoon Everyone,

After a three year wait since we last had a CCSDA Championship meet in 2019 it's finally here. It's Champs Week again! While much of this email centers around the Champs Meet and those swimmers participating in it, the majority of the events are open to all of our swimmers if they would like to come and support their teammates from the deck. There are also events that are not Champs-related that all families should know, so read on.

General Champs Notes

Attached is the full Champs packet that is provided by the host club, Kenwood. This packet has waaaaaaay more information than any of you need, but it is comprehensive so in case you have an specific questions or are just the curious type of person that reads all of Apple's terms of service every time you upgrade your software please feel free to peruse. I am going to go over some of the finer points for the non-sociopaths.

Parking

The parking situation at Champs is always a fun little adventure. You may pull in to Kenwood to drop off your swimmers, however no spectator/family parking will be offered in the Kenwood lot. The Fourth Presbyterian Church directly across River Rd from Kenwood will have space in their lower lot for swim meet attendees. There is also street parking available in the neighborhood around the church across River Rd or in the Kenwood neighborhood next to the club on River Rd. Please do not try to park in the Kenwood lot even if there are open spaces. Given this situation, carpools are always a good idea. 

Food and Beverage

All clubs restrict outside food and beverage from being brought onto the premises, but Kenwood tends to be hyper aware of this. Swimmers should bring refillable water bottles to fill at the myriad water stations around the grounds, but any other drinks or food will not be allowed in.

There will be many places at Kenwood to procure sustenance and I would refer you to pg. 22 of the Champs packet for the uber specifics. For the most part, you will not have trouble finding it once you arrive. More importantly, all food and beverage purchases will be done on a ticket basis. You will need to purchase tickets to use at all food and beverage establishments around the pool and club. Those tickets will be able to be purchased with cash on Monday and Tuesday. You will be able to purchase tickets with your Army Navy member number on Sunday during Pool Familiarization, but you will NOT be able to use you AN member number on Monday and Tuesday to purchase food and drink.

Spectating

Kenwood will have bleachers set up along the grass side of the pool. This will be the main spectator area throughout the meet. This area will fill up quickly most days and you will see some parents, not from Army Navy, saving seats. I am always proud to see that it is not our parents that do this and I hope that it will continue to be true. You may not get the best seat in the house, but everyone always manages to see their child's race. This will be no different. So thank you in advance for being cordial, accommodating, and respectful of all those around you (you are sure to meet some that will not be, so be the better person). 

Only swimmers, coaches, and officials/volunteers will be allowed on the immediate pool deck. I also ask that other than a quick check in or a last bit of advice for your swimmer please do not plan to hang out in  the Army Navy team area. It will be very crowded and chaotic (chaotic good as opposed to chaotic evil, but chaotic nonetheless). Coaches will be trying to get swimmers ready for their races and any shaded areas will be at a premium and we would like to save it for our competitors. 

Heat/Storms

As is almost always the case at Champs, it will be very hot on Monday, and maybe Tuesday. Please make sure your swimmer brings a water bottle to stay hydrated. They should have a small snack (shhhhh) deep in their bag to keep themselves sustained throughout each session, and please make sure you put sun screen on your swimmers or send them with some so that they are not liable to be bright red come Tuesday. 

In the event of storms (possible on Monday right now) swimmers and coaches will be ushered into the men's and women's locker rooms or into the ballroom in the clubhouse. Please follow direction of Kenwood staff and trust that your child will be taken somewhere safe. You do not need to grab your child prior to leaving the pool deck. If we do have to delay at some point please do not leave without having spoken to a coach. We will attempt to wait out any storms that arise throughout the meet to keep us from having to go into Wednesday. If you leave and we restart the meet, your swimmer will miss their event.

Pool Familiarization -- 11:00AM-12:00PM -- Sunday, July 24th

The host club for Champs every year opens their pool on Sunday morning to the rest of the league in order for the swimmers to 'familiarize' themselves to the blocks, walls, depth, etc... Since Champs is at Kenwood and we have swum their this year it is not a necessity that swimmers come tomorrow. That being said the coaches will be on deck from 11-12 tomorrow to give some last minute pointers if you so desire. 

Where: Kenwood CC

Who: Swimmers entered, and swimming, in Champs

When: 11:00AM-12:00PM, Sunday July 24th (that's tomorrow!)

Monday Champs Schedule

As with all of our meets, all registered swimmers are welcome to come and watch or hang out in the team area throughout champs whether they are swimming or not. 

One note about Champs warm ups. Throughout the meet all warm up times are only 15 minutes long. It is imperative that swimmers are ready to go at our warm up time so that they can make the most of the short time we are given.

8&U and 10&U Prelims

Warm Ups: 9:00AM -- Events Start: 10:00AM -- Estimated Finish: 12:00PM

12&U, 14&U, and 18&U Prelims

Warm Ups: 1:00PM -- Events Start: 2:00PM -- Estimated Finish: 4:30PM

Tuesday Champs Schedule

All swimmers who finish in the top 16 on Monday will come back on Tuesday for finals. All swimmers competing should plan to come back on Tuesday. It's always good to think positively! Tuesday's finals are split up into two sessions. The morning session has events #1-24: IMs, Freestyles, and Backstrokes. The afternoon session is packed with events #25-50: Medley Relays, Breaststrokes, Butterflies, and Graduated Free Relays.

Morning Warm Ups 

For swimmers competing in IM, Free, or Back only. Warm ups start at 9:45AM. Events will start after the Champs Parade...

Champs Parade

Immediately following the the end of the warm up session at 10:30AM. This is a great tradition with every team in the league surrounding the pool and doing cheers leading up to the National Anthem. As Army Navy, we will be dressed up in our best Navy blue and Army gold or dressed up in military regalia. Again, swimmers who are not entered in champs are welcome, nay encouraged, to attend and cheer with the team. The bigger our group the louder we will be (you may even get to see Coach Ian lead some cheers).

Afternoon Finals Session

For the afternoon session warm ups will begin at 1:15PM. Only swimmers competing in the Medley Relays, Breaststroke, or Butterfly should plan to warm up at this time. The session will begin at 1:45PM. This session, without interruption, usually runs until about 4:00PM. And then we're done!

After Champs Party

The evening after Tuesday's finals we will gather and revel in our successes and decompress from the meet at Army Navy Arlington. Hopefully with many trophies in tow. There will be food, there will be drink, there will be merriment. More details to follow.

THE Banquet

The Army Navy Swim & Dive banquet is Friday, July 29th in the Arlington Clubhouse Ballroom. It is a wonderful night of memories, good food, awards, and (of course) dancing. This event is limited however, due to the size of our team. If you are planning to attend you will need to reserve your spot. The registration link for the banquet is up on Swimtopia or you can simply click, here: Army Navy Swim & Dive Banquet Registration. 

The banquet will open at 5:30PM with dinner and the talking will commence at 6:30PM followed as quickly as possible by singing and dancing.

I cannot wait to get back on deck for a Champs meet and get some fast swims in. Let's have some fun!

From the Deck,

Coach Ian