E-mail Update 11.18.07

Hello parents! Here's an update on the weeks to come.

1) ALL GROUPS WILL START PRACTICE AT 4:30 PM THIS WEEK. I will be out of town Monday through Thursday so all groups will be swimming with Coach Hess. The stars will get out of the water no later than 5:30 and the seniors and stripes no later than 6 pm. There is no Wednesday a.m. practice and no practice on Thursday for Thanksgiving. I will be there Friday and all groups will start at 4:30 pm.

2) Last I heard, the plan was still to open Los Altos the week after Thanksgiving. I haven't heard anything definitive yet, and as soon as I do, I'll pass it on. The plan is to return to our regular scheduled practice time as soon as the other teams move to Los Altos. Until then, thank you for your patience.

3) Saturday practices are starting this coming Saturday, Nov. 24! They will run from 9-10 am on weekends we aren't swimming in meets or there isn't a meet being hosted at Highland. These will be a great opportunity for make-up practices, tightening up stroke work and just becoming a better, stronger swimmer.

4) USA Swimming registration renewals are due soon! If you are new to the team or re-registered with me within the past few months, you are OK for 2008. All other continuing swimmers must get registered for 2008. Don't worry about this until I return, then I'll pass out forms to those who do not have them.

5) Highland is hosting a Rio Grande meet on Dec. 9! Parents, it is important that we as Duke City Aquatics--Highland step up to volunteer for this meet. We are in charge of setting up a concession stand for the meet with pre-packaged foods (yes, we will keep some of the proceeds) and need to provide timers, runners and other helpers during the meet. I will announce a meeting day and time to prepare for this meet when I'm back in town. As for as registering for this meet goes: I do not have any paper work yet, but I'll pass it out ASAP. This is a "format two" meet, so the events will be different than the Rio Grande meet in Santa Fe.

6) I've made an executive decision to postpone the swim-a-thon-like fund raiser until we are certain about Los Altos. Plus, the Friday we planned at the last meeting is the same weekend as the Rio Grande meet we are hosting and I'd like to focus our attention on that. I'll will keep you all updated.


Thanks again, everyone, for your support, understanding and for bringing your kids to the pool!

Coach Amy

Practice at 5:45 pm starting tonight!

This is the official confirmation that we will start having practice at 5:45 pm until Los Altos re-opens. Thank you all for your understanding and flexibility. This is, of course, a temporary situation and we should be back to normal in mid- to late-November.
Tomorrow is Halloween, so if I don't see some young ones at practice, I'll understand. Coach Hess and I will be there ready for practice--maybe with some treats?

Call or e-mail me with any questions!

Cheers!

P.S. Lobo entries are still due tomorrow!

E-mail Update 10.23.07

Here are a few reminders and updates so please read through to make sure you have all the information you need!

Dues!

* If you have not paid me October dues, please talk to me ASAP!

Meet stuffs:

* The Duke City Spooktacular meet is this weekend. Warm-ups start at 7 am on Saturday and Sunday. If your swimmer is competing, please get there early so s/he will be ready to warm up on time. Since we are the host team, we will need to have some parents/family members/friends volunteer to time. Even if you've never timed before, you're help would be greatly appreciated. They'll tell you everything you need to know and keep you fed. If you need help preparing for the meet, here's a link to some tips on the DCA website.

* The next swim meet is already around the corner! The Lobo Invite will be Nov. 9-11 held at West Mesa. This meet will have events suitable for all ability levels so it would be great to see a big turn out from DCA-Highland. Kim and Laura are passing out copies of the meet information and you can find it here. Entries are due to Kim or me on Wednesday Oct. 31. Please look this over and feel free to ask me or Coach Hess any questions you may have.

* The first Rio Grande League meet will be in Santa Fe on Nov. 18. When I get more information, I will pass it on to you, but here is the general information flyer. Any swimmer may participate in the Rio Grande League as long as they do not hold a state qualifying time for the event they wish to swim. This is a bit different then what I've telling parents (as I just found out myself) and means Rio Grande League meets are another way for your athlete to qualified for state in an event even if they have already qualified in another.

Events this week/next week:

* Wednesday is arts and crafts day! We'll be working on some crafty things to put up on our bulletin board as well as encouraging signs for the upcoming meet. If you have anything you'd like to share during arts and crafts day, please bring it along! We will be getting in the pool for the first part of practice.

* Also on Wednesday we'll be holding our second fundraiser meeting right after practice in the classroom. The fundraiser is an optional way to pay the $50 family fund for the season and for some equipment, a team retreat or whatever else we want. If you have not paid the family fund please let me know if you intend to pay or participate in the fundraiser. The actual fundraiser event date is tentatively Nov. 16.

* Next Wednesday is Halloween and in a effort to keep our kids safe (and to let them enjoy the holiday) we will be getting out of practice at 5:30 pm that day to save on day/twilight. Coming costume ready for trick-or-treating action right after practice is highly recommended!

Water polo and a really full pool:

* The plan is to continue offering water polo twice a week to middle school (non-traveling team) athletes with Coach Wes. I have yet to work out all the details but this is something we would really like to continue to offer but ... (there is always a but)

* Starting Monday there will be three high school teams practicing at Highland during the same pool time as us and SWMS. THIS IS TEMPORARY! We will be in a tight spot for possibly a month then two of the three teams will be moving to Los Altos pool as soon as it opens up. With this in mind, water polo will have to wait until there is a bit more pool space and we'll be required to make due with the cramped conditions. This will be a great time to do some more team oriented work outs and really challenge each other to work harder, swim faster and get to know each other even more intimately.

Thank you all for your time and dedication.

E-mail Update 10.15.07

Upon confirmation, I found that there is no Rio Grande League Meet on Nov. 4. I know I've been insistent that there would be a meet that weekend, but I was wrong and confirmed the schedule this weekend. The first Rio Grande League Meet will be Nov. 18 in Santa Fe.

I will be sending out an updated meet schedule soon. I will e-mail it, post it on the blog and have copies at the pool.

See you all soon!

E-mail Update 10.09.07

Hey everyone!

We had a great time at the retreat this past weekend. I hope to get some photos up on the blog (dcahighland.blogspot.com) soon, so if anyone who went has some digital images they could send me, it would be great!

Coming up at the end of the month is the Duke City Aquatics Spooktacular! This is the first meet of the season and it's going to be a fun one! We'd really like everyone to come out for the meet, even if only for one day or one event. There will be a lot of fun things going on at the meet (a haunted house, a climbing wall) in a festive, Halloween atmosphere. You can get the information here, or you can pick up a paper copy today or tomorrow at practice. It is due to Kim Burks on Monday, Oct. 15. To aid new parents and swimmers, Kim and Laura will be holding a "What's the deal with these swim meets" informal meeting on Thursday at 5 pm in the classroom (during practice!). They will be there to help fill out forms, answer questions about how swim meets run and give you tips to make it a smoother experience. Myself and Coach Hess will be available to talk with you if you are unsure what events your swimmer should enter after practice.

This Friday, Oct. 12, we will be holding a time trial/mini-meet during practice to give all the swimmers a chance to experience meet-like conditions or refresh their reflexes. If any parents are willing to help time, that would be great! Bring any stop watches you may have, though I'll try to have enough to provide one to everyone. This is a really informal thing just to have some fun and gain some experience!

Thanks to you all! Cheers!

Who doesn't love a vacation?

I forgot something major!

We are going to need another chaperone (or 2) for the retreat this weekend! We need to be able to get all our kids (and their stuff) up there with the parents we have. If anyone has a large vehicle and would like to spend the weekend relaxing in beautiful Angel Fire, please let me know ASAP!!!

E-mail Update 10.01.07

Ok, speed update!

One: Team retreat is this weekend. If you want to go and haven't give me the $75 fee yet, well, get in touch with me right away! Ask me any questions you need answered about trip details, packing, etc. If you are not going, there will still be practice on Friday and Monday at the regular time lead by Coach Hess.

Two: The Highland Team Building Day is this Wednesday. There isn't anything special you need to know or do, everything will take place at the pool during regular practice time. If you remember, send your kid(s) with sturdy shoes.

Three: There are a few of you who haven't paid dues yet--gasp! I'll be approaching you soon ...

Four: Family Fund is also due! The fee is $50 per season per family. Or, you can participate in the team fundraiser to cover the fee. More information to come, but be sure to stop in on our next meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 24, after practice if you're interested!

Five: Everyone should attend the Duke City Spooktacular meet at the end of October, even if only for one day. More info about this meet to come soon.

Six: Saturday practices should be happening soon. I'm still waiting on the go ahead from the pool management, but it should pan out soon!

Seven: All swimmers need to start registering with USA Swimming for 2008. I'll be handing out those white forms, make sure you get one and fill one out. I do not need a copy of your birth certificate if it's a renewal.

That's what I've got for now. See you all soon!

Just One of those Days

It's amazing how many times I've heard that phrase as a droopy looking swimmer (or parent) comes sliding through the door into Highland pool. I'm tired. My suit's wet. My cap smells funny. My tummy's been doing loop-de-loops all afternoon. It's just one of those days.

I feel ya.

I have those days, too. Sometimes, I even have those weeks. And then I have one of those days (like today) that turns out to be something else. I walked into the pool and thought to myself, “What kind of coach am I going to be today? Am I the super friendly, silly, smiley coach who has athletes who can do no wrong? Or am I the super nasty coach with the perma-scowl ready to crack down at even the slightest indication of slacking?”

The world isn't black-and-white, so I sat somewhere in the middle—dancing happily along the deck as my swimmers turned pink the face with hard work. There is nothing as satisfying as seeing your athletes push themselves in practice and still get out of the water with smiles on their faces. Even if the smile is partnered with gasps, grunts and sighs. The day was filled with the air of hard work—both in my day job and at the pool. Just one of those days turned into a day of accomplishment.

E-mail Update 09.23.07

Hi Duke-Highland Parents!

After all that, I seem to have misplaced the e-mail list from the meeting last week. If you can forward this on to anyone not on my list and/or e-mail me [duke.highland(at)gmail.com] their contact info so I can update it, that would be great. I'll post a sign up sheet at the pool as well.

First, just a quick reminder that fees for the season/first month were due on Tuesday, Sept. 18. If you have no already given me a check or talked to me, please do ASAP. Also, if your swimmer is new to Duke, I need you to fill out a USA Swimming registration form right away (with a copy of their birth certificate). Returning swimmers will be filling out their paperwork at the beginning of October.

Second, we have a brief fund raising meeting this Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 6 pm to discuss details for a fund raising event. Participation in the fund raiser counts towards payment of the family fee, which is $50 per season/per family. Depending no how well the fund raiser goes, it could cover multiple seasons for those participating. If you are not planning to participate, the $50 family fund fee is due this Friday, Sept. 28.

Third, for those swimmers 11-and-up interested in going on the team retreat Oct. 5-8, the $75 fee is due to me by Friday, Sept. 28. I am still looking for chaperones (with large SUVs and trucks, if possible) so if you are interested, please let me know. This will be a really fun trip and a great way for our three pools to bond, so I'd really like to see some representation from Highland!

Fourth (and last), please glance at the Duke bulletin board from time to time. I try to keep everyone updated via e-mail, but sometimes I post things there as they come up and before I can get out an e-mail. It's just another way of being as in-the-know as possible as quickly as possible.

Thanks again for all your support! See you pool side!

Fast off the block

I'm so excited things are off to a start. It's amazing how quickly one can acclimate to a new schedule. I was just getting used to not going to the pool every afternoon. And not being surrounded by sprightly youth. And not being challenged to better myself as a person and a coach everyday.

Dang, life was getting so boring.

Welcome back, Duke City—Highland. I'm sure the pool missed you as much as you missed it. And welcome, welcome all our new team members and their families. I hope you find our little aqua family fun and friendly.

The first week of practice also means re-acclimatizing to swimming (and water polo!) life. Everyone's excited about learning, about working hard, about having a great season, about going to state this year, about making new friends. Remember, breathing is very important to swimming—both in the context of stroke work and in your mental preparation. At this stage in the season, it isn't supposed to be the hardest workout of your life. Right now, we are working on technique, basic fitness and functioning, as a team, in a crowded pool environment where the coaches (my) attention is going to be split 100-plus ways. Be patient--your body and mind need some time to adjust.

I'm already having tons of fun and look forward to how much we can accomplish together this season!

Am I getting all misty eyed?

Nah ... couldn't be ...

E-mail Update 09.05.07

Just a quick note with a few things.

One: Welcome back! I'm excited to be back in season, I hope you are, too. Check out our new blog at dcahighland.blogspot.com for more details. I'll be posting stuff there occasionally.

Two: We will be having a team/parent meeting next Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 5:45 pm. We'll talk about season dues, parent volunteers, the fall schedule and more. If you can not attend, please let me know!

Three: There is also an all Duke parent meeting on Saturday, Sept. 15, at West Mesa from 5-8 pm (go here for more details). I will not be able to attend this and do plan to have information about team suits, ect. available to those parents who also can not attend.

Four: Parents, please have your swimmers wait inside the pool for you after practice. There have been a few safety concerns with kids staying outside alone/unattended. Please tell them to wait inside until you or their designated ride arrives. And, also, please look out for each other's children. We want to keep everyone safe! Thank you so much for your help on this matter.

Five: Hey, look, a new e-mail address [duke.highland (at) gmail.com]! This e-mail is the official DCA--Highland e-mail, but you are more than welcome to contact me via adalness (at) hotmail.com if you'd like. I do check both regularly.

Six: OK, I've typed enough. Please pass this on to anyone else you think may need this information who is not on the list. One of the things we'll do on Wednesday is update the e-mail list. All info from e-mails will also be posted on the blog (see!).

Almost There!

Well, the swim clinic starts tomorrow marking the unofficial start of the Fall season. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and getting my chlorine fix. I hope to see a lot of familiar faces at the clinic and I know I'll see some new ones. If you haven't already called or e-mailed me to sign up, no worries—just come on by tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. ready to get in the water and work on your strokes while having some fun.

Tomorrow also marks the first day with our new stars coach, Hess Yntema. Coach Hess brings a wealth of knowledge to Highland pool with his many years of coaching experience in all levels of swimming (and some water polo, too!) as well as a tremendous love for the sport. I'm very excited about this opportunity to work with such an enthusiastic individual and I know he will make our program stronger. Coach Hess will be there tomorrow and all week for the stroke and water polo clinic, so please stop in and introduce yourselves if you get a chance!

So this is our blog! It will not replace the usual means of communication i.e. e-mails or flyers, but I will be posting additional information here related to swimming, water polo, the world of swimming and more so keep an eye out.

See you pool side!