Good Morning Everyone,

We have gotten off to a rainy start the first two days, but it is looking like we will get our first dose of a true summer swim practice this afternoon. We have still had great attendance given the weather and look forward to seeing everyone back in the water over the next few days. With weather always an issue throughout the summer here is your reminder to sign up for text alerts from Army Navy Aquatics. They will update you on all pool closures as soon as they happen. If you are not already signed up text "ANCCAQUATICS" to 38316 to subscribe. 

This Week In Swim -- What Is It?

This will be the first of ten installments of our This Week In Swim series that will usually come to you on Sunday afternoons. The point is to get you prepared for the week with all the information you could possibly need for all the swim team activities we have on the docket in that particular week. I try very hard to get all the pertinent materials and directions into one email each week so as not to spam your inboxes throughout it. Having all the information in one place makes for an easy touchpoint to go back to throughout the week when you need to check on anything. Having everything in one email though also means that it is eminently important that you read through the full email each week so you know what is going on. So please take the time on Sunday or Monday to go through the information herein.

Website and FAQs

There is not a lot to go through this week as far as events are concerned, but this is a good time to go over some of the bigger picture items and FAQs we usually get. To that end, our ANCC.Swimtopia.com site will be your best and most up to date source for all information throughout the season. We will keep the schedule and entries updated on there. So before sending an email question you can always check that week's This Week In Swim or the Swimtopia site to see if your answer lies within. Also on the Swimtopia site is a large FAQ section. It answers a lot of questions about practices, meets, and events for new and experienced parents alike.

Swimtopia is also where you will go to do all meet sign ups. Whether it is for your swimmer's entries or your volunteer availability, all will be done through the Swimtopia site. Please make sure to make your availability known for each meet throughout the season as only those who are marked as attending will be entered in meets. We have a VERY large team (one of my favorite things about our team). That can make last minute changes very difficult. All meets are currently set up and entered. You can go in and mark your swimmer's availability for all the meets throughout the entire season right now if you know it. All meet availability will close 3 days prior to each meet so that we can begin to finalize meet lineups and have them published prior to the day of the meet. 

Email Communication

The best way to get in touch with me and pass along information will always be via email. You can either reply to these emails or send me a separate email to my personal address posted on the website. We are a large team as mentioned above, so please make sure that your questions are not ones that can be answered by information that has already been emailed our or published. I try my best to answer every email received from parents, but that becomes more difficult when they run up to 30-40/day. For that reason we put as much information out as we can on the website and via email. Lastly, with no practice commitment, there is no need to let me know, via email, that your child will miss, or be late, to a practice. If your swimmer is missing from practice we will assume they have a good excuse for doing so and welcome them back with open arms when they return. 

On Deck Communication

I will always make myself available on deck prior to and after practices and any questions or conversations you would like to have can always happen outside of our practice times. I make sure to be available those times so that I, and the rest of the staff, are able to put our full attention toward your swimmers during our practice times. Please do not confuse this request with a standoffish nature. Simply, I have found that it is the best way for us to provide the type of coaching your children deserve while they are in the water. Catch me before or after practices and you will likely have to fake an important call just to end the conversation as most parents would agree, I do not shy away from the chance to talk about swimming, Army Navy, or both.

We are looking forward to a great season and cannot wait to get everyone back in the water and racing. The season comes at you fast and is over in a flash. So enjoy it while it lasts!

From the Deck,

Coach Ian