News Splash June 5

Andrew Hasek

Good morning Aquajets,

A quick shoutout to our Masters swimmers that competed in the Lake Berryessa open water race last weekend. Good job Sar, Joanne, Charlie, and Deb! For those that don't know, our masters group is our adult swim group. They practice early in the morning (6:00am-7:00am) and are always looking new friends to welcome into the group.

Table of Contents

  • Coach Andrew’s Corner
    • In Motion Locker Rooms
    • Swim Meet Committee Meeting Thursday June 6
    • CAJ Winzenz Family Summer Splash Meet is open for signups!
    • CAJ Winzenz Family Summer Splash Meet Volunteer Sign up link
    • Requests from In Motion
    • NVAL Championship Information
    • NVAL Theme: Pirates!
    • Bring Water to Practice
    • NVAL Launch Camp
    • RAD Trials and Finals Meet is open for signups
    • Start of the Summer BBQ Wed June 12
    • Team Pictures Tue June 18
    • Swim-a-Thon Tue July 16
  • Important Reminders
  • Upcoming Meets
  • New Aquajet Reminders
  • USA Swim Registration Link
  • Swimmer Account Reminder
  • Membership Cancellation Policy
  • Old Business

Coach Andrew’s Corner

Save the date: CAJ Winzenz Family Summer Splash Meet is Friday 6/14/24 - Sunday 6/16/24

Please remind your swimmers that the locker rooms at In Motion are only to be used when absolutely necessary. In order to help maintain a positive relationship with others using the gym, chico Aquajet swimmers (regardless of In Motion membership status) should prioritize using the outside restrooms and showers when needing to change, shower, or use the restroom. If our swimmers need to use the locker rooms, they need to be quick and respectful while doing so. The locker rooms are not a place to be social. I will talk to each of the groups this week to remind them, please talk to your swimmer(s) as well to help make sure we are using the facilities as intended.

The Swim Meet Committee is meeting tomorrow Thursday June 6 at 6:00pm in the In Motion Café. They are encouraging anyone that is planning on attending our Winzenz Family Summer Splash meet to come to their meeting. We need a lot of parent volunteers to help run our meet. If you come to the meeting, they can let you know what they need help with. It is also a chance to ask questions you may have about being a parent at a swim meet and what you can do to be best prepared.

The CAJ Winzenz Family Summer Splash Meet is open! This is our hosted meet for the summer! I want every Aquajet to sign up and race at this meet, let’s have a huge Aquajet turn out. Swim meets are a ton of fun, and this meet is a great way to kick off our busy Summer season. Since we are hosting this meet, we will also need as many parent/guardian volunteers as possible to run the meet smoothly. Signups close on Sunday June 9 at 11:59pm. Here is the link to sign up for the meet, if you have any questions please let me know: OME Link

We need your help to run our meet smoothly. Meets are organized and run by volunteers; we need as much help as possible to ensure our meet goes well. The more help we have, the better. Here is link to sign up for the various volunteer positions we need filled (Volunteer Sign Up Link). Please help us out and sign up for one of the jobs. It will be greatly appreciated and will go a long way in making this an enjoyable weekend for all those involved.

To help maintain a safe environment, In Motion has asked us to follow a couple rules. The first rule is that any children under the age of 14 need to be supervised by an adult. Our coaches are focused on the actively practicing group(s). Which means when your swimmer(s) is waiting for their practice to start or when they have finished their practice, they need to be supervised by a parent or guardian until they leave the facility. The second rule is to not park in handicap spaces when dropping off or picking up if you do not have the clearance to park in a handicap spot.

The North Valley Aquatic League Championship (NVALs) is our end of the Summer championship meet and will take place 7/26/24-7/28/24. This meet is one of the highlights of the entire year, great racing and great fun! We have a theme each year and quite a few team events surrounding this meet. To be eligible to race at this meet, your swimmer will need to compete in at least two other meets this summer (June and July), please plan accordingly. Our team has some rooms blocked off at the Towneplace Suites Hotel in Redding for this weekend. If you know you are going to attend this meet, which I hope all Aquajets are, and you would like to stay with the team, then be sure to call and make your reservation as soon as possible (530-223-0690). When making your reservation be sure to mention you are with Chico Aquajets and would like one of our blocked rooms. The rooms are going on a first come first serve basis, and any rooms left after July 1st are forfeit to regular hotel reservations.

Our theme for this upcoming North Valley Aquatic League Championship (NVALs) will be Pirates! Part of the fun of NVALs is getting dressed, lots of decorations, and in general embracing our theme to have an entertaining championship meet experience. If you have not gone to an NVALs yet, then I suggest going onto our CAJ Instagram and looking at the pictures from last year’s NVALs to get an idea of how we utilize our theme. Last year we had three themes (Greek, Under the Sea, and Aquajet Pride). This year, to simplify it, we are going to do one theme, which will be Pirates! Start planning now.

Bring Water to practice every day! It may not seem like it, but swimmers do sweat all the time during their practices. With the weather warming up, it means they will be sweating more. To help keep them healthy and comfortable they should bring water, or better yet an electrolyte drink, to practice everyday. Going without sufficient fluids can lead to dehydration, irritability, and poor performance in the pool. Staying hydrated is essential.

There will be an NVAL (North Valley Aquatic League) Launch Camp on Sunday June 9 from 9:00am to 2:30pm. Launch camps can be a great resource in helping your swimmer grow as an athlete and get to know more of their peers in the greater area. I will send out another email with more information shortly, keep an eye out for it.

RAD Trials and Finals meet is open for signups (OME Link)! This is a three-day, long course meters, trials and finals meet in Redding. This is a great meet to practice racing in a long course pool, as well as practicing the trials and finals format. I recommend this meet for swimmers that are planning on attending, or hoping to attend, the Bill Rose Classic: Sierra Nevada Swimming’s Long Course Championship in July. Keep in mind, this meet is the same weekend as the Durham Dolphin’s Invitational swim meet. If you are not sure what meet your swimmer should attend this weekend (6/21/24-6/23/24), let me know so I may give you my recommendation.

The Start of the Summer BBQ will be on Wednesday June 12 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Elks Lodge. This is a big social event for our team and helps the swimmers (and parents) get to know their fellow Aquajets better. Swimming is a lot of fun, and even more fun when you have friends to do it with. This BBQ is a great way to establish connections within our team before our busy summer season. We are asking for donations to eat, preferably at least $5, to help cover the cost of this event.

Team Pictures will be on Tuesday June 18 from 7:00am-9:00am at the PV pool (2320 North Ave). We will do a full team picture and then there will also be an opportunity for individual or family pictures. Picture packets will be available at a later date.

The Swim-a-Thon will be on Tuesday July 16 from 7:00am-9:00am at the PV pool. This is arguably our biggest fundraiser for the year. Save the date, be ready to participate. More information will come out at a later date when we get closer to the swim-a-thon.

IMPORTANT Reminders

  • Make sure your swimmer is USA Swimming registered (the link can be found in the “USA Swim Registration” section of the news splash)
  • Make sure your swimmer is bringing a water bottle to every practice
  • Check out the Team Store for winter gear: Team Store Link
  • Swim meet committee meeting Thursday June 6 6:00pm at In Motion cafe
  • NVAL Launch Camp on Sunday June 9 in Redding 9:00am-2:30pm
  • Start of the Summer BBQ on Wednesday June 12 6:30pm-8:30pm at the Elks Lodge (1705 Manzanita Ave)
  • Team Pictures Tuesday June 18 7:00am-9:00am at the PV pool (2320 North Ave)
  • Swim-a-Thon Tuesday July 16 7:00am-9:00am at the PV pool

UPCOMING TEAM MEETS

  • CAJ Winzenz Family Summer Splash in Durham [SCY, AGO] 6/14/24-6/16/24 OME Link Volunteer Sign Up Link
  • Durham Dolphin Invitational [SCY, NVAL] 6/21/24-6/23/24
  • RAD Trials/Finals [LCM, AGO] 6/21/24-6/23/24 OME Link
  • Gridley Gators Invitational [SCY, NVAL] 6/28/24-6/30/24
  • Bill Rose Classic: Sierra Nevada Swimming Long Course Meter Championship [LCM, Qualifier] 7/11/24-7/14/24
  • Plumas Rapids Open [SCY, AGO] 7/13/24-7/14/24
  • Durham Mini Meet [SCY, 8 & Under] 7/17/24
  • Orland Otter Invitational [SCY, NVAL] 7/20/24-7/21/24
  • North Valley Aquatic League Championship (NVALs) in Redding [SCY, Invitational] 7/26/24-7/28/24

NEW AQUAJETS: 

Please Familiarize yourself with our  CAJ Handbook located on the CAJ website under Join the Team.  

We ask that parents avoid being on deck during practice as it can be distracting to the coaches and the swimmers.  

NEW SWIMMERS: SIGN  CAJ WAIVER  AND HAND IT TO YOUR COACH    

USA SWIM REGISTRATION

This link will show you all you need to register your swimmer until the end of 2024.

https://omr.usaswimming.org/omr/welcome/2945A4A75BFD45

SWIMMER ACCOUNT REMINDER:  All swimmer fees are due on the 1st day of each month and are considered late if not received by the 10th. A $10 late fee will be assessed for late payments.

Membership Cancellation Policy: Notice of intent to discontinue swimming must be provided to the Chico AquaJets in writing by the 15th of the month before the date of inactivity to cancel monthly fees. Written notice must be provided through the "Contact Us'' button on the CAJ website. Verbal notice to coaches is not sufficient. Any written notice occurring after the 15th of the month before deciding to discontinue will be charged the following month. Any hanging balances left will be billed and payment will be required before any re-registration. 

  • BE ADVISED: if you discontinue your membership, the $65 registration fee will be reassessed upon re-registration. 
  • CAJ WEBSITE: All members must double-check your Team Unify member account to ensure that your e-mail is correct and verified. We also need you to verify your SMS number, and make sure you use dashes. This will ensure you receive ALL of our communications. 
  • REMINDER FROM IN MOTION: If families discontinue their In Motion gym membership it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify In Motion that the swimmer is remaining an Aquajet swimmer. We’d also appreciate notification to the team through the “contact us” button so that our bookkeeper and membership coordinators are aware of your IMF membership status. This will assist in smooth entry to the club as well as accurate billing information for CAJ. Thanks! 

Old Business

  • For the safety of our swimmers please make sure to pick up your swimmer(s) on time after their practice ends.
  • In order to keep our swimmers safe and to ensure a positive relationship with In Motion Fitness I am asking our Aquajet families to adhere to the following. When swimmers are on deck, they need to follow the pool rules: 
    • this includes walking on deck,
    • no horseplay
    • no foul language.
    • Aquajets are only to use the lap pool, the outside showers, and the outside bathrooms during their practice time as well as 30 minutes prior to and after their scheduled practice.
    • Aquajets that are 14 years old or younger need to be supervised at all times. If you are unable to supervise your swimmer while waiting for the start of their practice then your swimmer will need to sit at the tables located on the deep side of the lap pool so the coaches can watch them.
    • If you are going to watch the practices, please do so at the tables located on the deep side of the lap pool, which In Motion has reserved for us during our practice times. This helps keep the entire outside pool area organized and helps us work with In Motion better.
    • When picking swimmers up, make sure to follow the rules of the road in the parking lot; 
      • stop at stop signs,
      • follow the speed limit of 5mph
      • do not park in the handicap spaces (if you are not approved to do so).
  • We use an app called TeamSnap in order to improve the ability of our team to communicate with each other, and to make it easier for our members to see upcoming events. Please download the app and turn notifications on, so you do not miss any information. If you have not received an invite to our team’s profile on TeamSnap, send me an email and I will get an invite to you.
  • Our Team Snap schedule has been updated for the 2023-2024 swim season. The majority of our planned meets as well as some planned practice cancellations have been posted. A couple meets I want to highlight and for you all to start planning for is our CAJ Winzenz Family Summer Splash meet June 14, 2024-June 16, 2024, and the NVAL championship July 26, 2024-July 28, 2024. We will be hosting the CAJ Summer Takeoff and will need all hands-on deck to make the meet run smoothly. The NVAL championship is our final meet of the summer and a lot of fun.
  • Be sure to check out our Chico Aquajets Facebook and Instagram pages for fun posts and information about the team!
  • There is new merchandise available at our online store (Link). There is a lot of good options on there to choose from in order show off your Aquajet spirit. There’s gear for cold weather. There’s gear for warm weather. There’s even pajama pants to help you dream about swimming! Take a few minutes to sit down with your swimmer(s) and see if there is anything on the store either of you are interested in.
  • We have CAJ water bottles, t-shirts, and car magnets available for purchase. Water bottles are $35, t-shirts are $15, and car magnets are $5. If you would like to purchase a water bottle, t-shirt, or car magnet, let me know so I can get it to you.
  • If your swimmer is not USA swimming registered yet, please do so as soon as you can. There is a link to do so in the “USA SWIM REGISTRATION” section of this news splash.

 

Let’s go Aquajets!

Coach Andrew