NEWSLETTER 2018-19 ISSUE 4

 

WORKOUT CHANGES

Monday Oct 8 NO workouts

Tuesday Oct 9 Senior Bronze/Blue 4:30 – 5:30 pm WSRC

Thursday Oct 11 Senior Bronze/Blue 4:30 – 5:30 pm WSRC

Friday Oct 12 Senior Bronze/Blue 4:30 – 5:30 pm WSRC

 

The 2018-19 training schedule is posted on the LAC website.

The 2018-19 competition calendar is posted on the website.

 

COACHES REPORT​

As we get going on another year, a few reminders about the London Aquatic Club:

1) our mission statement is: “To provide opportunities for all to be the best they can be in a positive, caring, and safe environment.” We are proud to tell you that all of our coaches are coach-certified and safety-trained, or working towards it, and have completed the now mandatory Vulnerable Sector Check or Offence Declaration Form.

2. The primary objective in the Development program is “Learn to Swim”; in the Age Group program is “Learn to Train”; and in the Senior program is “Learn to Race.” However, the coaches strive to consistently teach in all three of these key areas at all levels of the club.

3. Two of our main messages to our swimmers, on the training side: a) “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Your child will learn the value of hard work – our coaches praise hard work over talent. b)”Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Your child will learn the importance of self-confidence, self-reliance, and the power of positive thinking. A great work ethic and a positive attitude will take you far, in swimming but more importantly in life.

4. Two other messages we consistently bring home to our swimmers, regarding the competition side: a) “You can be a winner without placing first” and b) “It can be a good race without being a personal best.”  As in life, so in swimming: take pride in the victories and successes, but remember we learn more from our setbacks and disappointments. Use the inevitable failures to come as stepping stones, not stopping points, and remember: if you're not failing, you need to get out of your "comfort zone." 

CONGRATULATIONS to Carter Buck for his selection to, and participation in, a Swim Ontario male training camp last weekend, and to David Hickey for being awarded a 2017-18 Team Aquatic Supplies Regional Scholarship, recognizing outstanding athletic and academic achievement, for the 2nd consecutive year.

And BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Coach Meggin Moffatt on her wedding last Friday! 

 

TEAM BUILDING EVENT ~ ALL LAC SWIMMERS!

Sunday, October 7^th 8:30am – 11am at SKYZONE!!   Cost is $20 per swimmer (including the non-slip socks, snacks and drinks)

784 Wharncliffe Road South, London

Come and join the fun on Thanksgiving before your turkey dinner!  LAC has the entire facility before it opens to the general public.  Be sure to be there early – the first 30 minutes you will enjoy the GLOW session – blacklights, lasers and music.  From 9-10, the lights will be back on.  You will have access to The Challenge Zone, Freestyle Jump, Skyslam, Ultimate Dodgeball, Rock Climbing, Warrier Course, Drop Zone, Skyladder, Warped Walk and Sky Joust. 

From 10-11 we have access to the private party room for snacks and drinks.

Sign up is available on the LAC website under the “Events” tab.  DEADLINE is Oct 4^th but please sign up as soon as possible as we need a minimum of 100 swimmers to take advantage of the early opening.  $20 will be automatically billed to your account.

**Please be sure to print off the attached waiver, completed and signed to bring with you**

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]​

 

LAC BANQUET - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21 - HELLENIC COMMUNITY CENTRE - SOUTHDALE ROAD

We are excited about our new venue for this year's gala celebration of our great 2017-18 season! If anyone has photos from last year's swim season that you would like to include in our Banquet slideshow, please forward them to [email protected] before October 14.

Those of you who won annual trophies at last year's banquet, i.e., Most Improved Swimmer, please return them to your coach before the end of September.

 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY CHANGE ROOM POLICY

This is to make all LAC parents and swimmers aware of the changeroom/washroom policy in all buildings on the Western University campus, including the Western Student Recreation Centre (WSRC). The policy states that all washrooms and changerooms are gender neutral. There are signs posted in all Western U. facilities including WSRC and the following link outlines the policy in more detail: 

 http://uwo.ca/equity/doc/inclusive_washrooms.pdf

If your swimmer is uncomfortable changing in a gender neutral changeroom at WSRC, they can ask at the lower level equipment desk for a key to a private family changeroom. Should you have any questions or concerns on this matter please contact either a LAC board member or your child's coach.

 

SPIRITWEAR ORDERS

Spiritwear order forms (includes swim bags, parkas, hoodies, warm up suits, towels, toques) are now available on the LAC website, you can find it under the “swimmer equipment” tab. We will be placing an order on Monday October 22. You can bring your order and payment to the Time Trial at CGAC on Sun Oct 21 or place your order from and payment in the LAC mailbox at CGAC just inside the front entrance on the wall leading into the administration office before then. This will be the only order placed before the Christmas holidays. The next order will be in the New Year. Any questions please email [email protected]

 

SWIMMER ACCOUNTS

The next Swimmer account statements will be sent out within the next week. PAD payments will come out October 17th. Any concerns need to be sent to Donna [email protected]

For families with swimmers in the Intro program or have just completed your two week free trial. Your payments and registration are now due. If you have any questions please email Donna at [email protected]

 

IT’S OFFICIAL!​

Upcoming Meets:  I am the Competition Coordinator for the 3 Time Trials prior to Christmas and the Nothers Fall Invitational.  It is never too early to request positions as a senior official as long as you are qualified.  To be qualified, you must have taken the clinic for the position that you wish to work.  If you want to get ahead of the game you can email me with the meets, sessions, and positions that you would like to work.  I already have people from LAC and other clubs asking for spots! 

Officials Clinics: I will be hosting 3 Introduction to Swimming Officiating clinics prior to the Fall Start-Up Time trial on October 21.  The Introduction to Swimming Officiating clinic covers all of the basics of being a swimming official, the various positions that we need to fill at meets, how you can become a senior official, session credits, and the first two positions, Safety Marshal, and Timekeeper.  If you have not already done so, it is STRONGLY encouraged that you attend one of these early in the season, so much so, that when you registered, the registration package said that you were agreeing so take the clinic.  Here are the 3 clinic dates so that you can plan.  Sign-ups will be posted on the LAC Home Page shortly.  Please only sign up if you intend to come.

Confirmed: Friday, October 19, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, CGAC, Entry Level Meeting Room, maximum enrollment 40 students.

Confirmed: Saturday, October 20, 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM, CHOCC, Conference Room between the front desk and the change rooms, maximum enrollment 12 students.

Confirmed: Saturday, October 20, 10:00 AM to Noon, CGAC, Entry Level Meeting Room, maximum enrollment 40 students.     

Official Registration: There is not a lot to do to register as an official.  If you are a returning official you can find the form here.  Print it, fill it out and put it in the LAC mailbox at CGAC.  Alternatively, you can ask for a form in the office at your first swim meet, fill it out and hand it back in at the office. We will register you once you have taken a clinic other than the Intro clinic or are requesting a sign-off (we will cover that another time).  If you are a new official, when you attend your first clinic, ask for the PIPEDA form so that we can register you.  New officials need to provide additional information which you provide when you sign-in at the clinic.  When we do register you, you will receive an email from Swim Canada with instructions that you must follow to complete the registration process.

If you have any officiating questions please contact me, Mark Lukings L.A.C. Co-Club Officials Chair at [email protected]

 

UPCOMING MEETS

LAC SESSION CREDITS

Club hosted meets help to reduce membership fees by 20-25% as well as reducing travel costs by attending fewer out-of-town meets. To ensure the Club has sufficient resources to host meets, most LAC swim families are required to work a minimum of 22 sessions* during club hosted meets (please see below for exceptions). These sessions may be worked through officiating or working at the club’s food canteen, awards or other positions. Any unfulfilled session credits will be billed at a rate of $40.00 per session to the swim family’s Swimmer Account at the end of the season. Please note that this is not meant to be a “fundraiser” but rather an incentive to participate in the running of home meets. Swim families may receive up to 5 donated session credits from another club family to complete their credits, however any more than the 5 donated session credits must be approved by the board. Session commitments are waived for first year swim families with no prior competitive swim club affiliation, as well as for introductory and post-secondary students training full time with the club and for varsity swimmers, although assistance during swim meets from these groups is greatly appreciated.  First year families ARE required to fulfill the LAC orientation program. This includes participating in an Introductory to Swimming clinic during the swim season and a follow up “on-deck” mentoring session.

*** Families of Development swimmers who are not in their first year of competitive swimming who do not have a swimmer in another level are required to fulfill only 11 of the assigned session credits.***

*The number of session credits will be reviewed by the board in the fall upon club enrollment and may be subject to change.

There is a session credit FAQ under the "Parent Info" tab under "Session Credits.

 

LAC EQUIPMENT

Instructions for ordering swim equipment can be found on the LAC website under “Swimmer Equipment” tab. Also found on the website is the TAS shark card, you will need this card when purchasing Team Aquatic Supplies merchandise at swim meets or in their stores. There is a list of equipment needed for each group posted here.

If you have any equipment questions please contact [email protected]

 

SWIM EQUIPMENT SHARK CARD

The 2018-2019 Shark Card is now available on the LAC website under the “swim equipment” tab. This offers a 15% discount off all regular priced goods.You MUST have this card with you at the time of purchase. Either as a pdf saved on your phone or a printed hard copy. The new online coupon code is listed on the cards as well this year. This code will be valid on the new website/webstore which is in the process of being launched. It offers a 15% discount on all regular priced goods listed on the site/store.

 

NEWSLETTER

Information for the newsletter should be emailed to [email protected]  by 10 am Monday mornings.