Neptune News
Week of October 16, 2006
www.y-neptunes.com
Time Trials was a success! Thank you to everyone who made the effort to participate and to all the volunteer timers. I still have some swimmers who I would like to time, so I might pull you aside at practice to get that done.
Our first meet against Ashtabula is this Saturday, October 21 at our pool. Be at the pool by 11:45; we warm-up at 12:15. Go to our website for more information on what you should know about meets. Also, we need workers for the meet. Parents, please sign up to do a job. The list is on the Neptune’s Info Board. If you do not choose your job, one will be assigned to you. We also need donations for the concession stand. That list is posted as well. Thanks in advance for donating so our stand is filled with yummy food.
I attended the NEO League meeting on Saturday and new rules were discussed. I will go over these in practice. Also know at swim meets, we will be using whistles to call swimmers to the blocks and to have them step-up on the blocks. The starter then states what the event is, says “take your mark” and the horn or beeper sounds just like before. We will go over the whistles in practice, as well.
At the NEO meeting, I was given some more YMCA Invitational information. These are now posted. Two meets have entry deadlines this week. Get your info to me ASAP, if you plan to attend either of these. You can always check our League website at www.neoyswim.org for information about invitationals and other Y happenings in our League.
Speaking of meets, I learned at the meeting that Leagues will be held at C.T. Branin this year on Saturday, March 3. You must qualify for this meet at our Divisional Championships held the first weekend in February – everyone attends this meet. The location of our Divisional meet has not yet been decided.
Larry at Knabe’s called and said the fin order was in and he is shipping it to me now. I hope to have the fins at the Y before the end of the week.
About practices - A round of applause for how large our team has grown this year, but with growth come some issues that need to be addressed. Whenever possible 11 and older swimmers who are only planning on swimming one hour should come to the last practice of that day. We have a huge 9 & 10 age group and we need to free up some space in that practice time (Mon. & Wed. – at 6:30 p.m. and Tues & Thurs. at 7:00 p.m.). If you are planning on swimming 2 hours, then continue to do so, but everyone else should try to be at their age group practice so we can get more accomplished. Thanks in advance.
Also, at practices, when there is a crowd of people in the water, everyone must remember the main rule of practice – when a coach is speaking, no one else is. Catch up with friends before or after practice. We coaches only have this practice time frame to work with you and we want to use every second to help you improve. If coaches are constantly having to tell people to listen, that takes up valuable time. If I have to ask you to be quiet, and you continue to chatter, you may be asked to sit out of practice. I have lots of swimmers who are there to work and I will not let a couple of swimmers who can not listen disrupt the practice time of those who are there to work hard. So come to practice to work hard, improve and learn. That’s the attitude for success!