Welcome
            I hope you are all ready for a fun filled season of swimming.  I know the coaching staff is.  The weekly newsletter will be a tool to help communicate information.  The weekly newsletter will be placed in mailboxes as well as electronically through the team e-mail list.  You should have received one e-mail already from our head official, Debbie King, about the stroke and turn clinic.  All the messages start with “[BAACfins Summer Team]” in the title.  If you did not receive this check your spam-filter.  If it is still not there contact Lori James to get added to the list.
Practice Drop Off
            The club has made a couple policy revisions to help ensure the safety of everyone particularly children.  They ask that all children 12 and under are escorted in and out with their parent.  They do not want children just dropped off at the door.  The parking lot can be hazardous with all the comings and goings.
            Secondly the club wants to be able to track who is coming and going.  They will be issuing non-club members temporary cards for the season.  They will be encoded for use at practice times.  These will be placed in your mailbox when they are ready.  You will simply present it at the desk and they will scan it like club members do.  If you are coming at a different time then your scheduled practice time simply let them know that it is a temporary practice shift and you should be fine.  This is not designed to be a hassle just a safety pre-caution
Time-Trials
            Time Trials are scheduled for Sunday June 7th. Warm-ups will start at 8:15 AM.  Please be at the club at 8 AM.  You will use the main entrance (Different from regular meets when you use the upper entrance).
            The idea of time trials is to provide a low stress atmosphere for newer swimmers to get used to a swim meet and for the coaching staff to collect data on all swimmers that is more up to date in order to plan out practices and line-ups for the rest of the season.  We will conduct it much like a normal swim meet but it will just be our team.  We will also not have relay events at this meet.  All kids will swim in all stroke events that they are prepared for in the opinion of the coaching staff.  Since this will be just our team it will finish quicker than a normal meet.
            If you are not going to be here for this meet please remember to scratch.  The procedures for this are outlined below.  The scratch deadline for this meet is Friday night after practice.
Scratch Policy
            For those that are new the term “Scratch” means that you are unable to be at a meet.  If this is the case you need to “Scratch” before the deadline so that the coaching staff can make the most appropriate line-up for each meet.  We have a deadline to submit the line-up for each meet.  In order to meet that deadline we need to know who is going to be there.  There are two ways to scratch.  One is to place your name on the scratch sheet in the mailboxes before the deadline.  Coach Chris will remove it at that point or e-mail coach Chris at swimholic@aol.com . If you are e-mailing a scratch please include the word scratch and the meet in the subject.  The Scratch Deadline for Wednesday meets is Monday by Noon and for Saturday meets it is Thursday by Noon.  This gives me three hours to work on the line-up
Parents Role During Practice
            The coaches need to do the coaching during practice.  It is easiest and most productive when children are not receiving multiple sets of instructions.  Please refrain from giving your children instructions once practice has begun unless absolutely needed.  The coaching staff will be available after practice for questions.  Additionally do your best to arrive on time to practice.  I know it is difficult sometimes but please do your best.
Hershey Park….Save The Date
            The team Hershey Park trip will be Monday July 20th.  More details will be coming later.