VAST News Monday, January 5th, 2026
Valley Aquatics News
Monday, January 5th, 2026
Thank you, Coach Emma! Emma is off to continue her college out of state. We appreciate all that she taught our swimmers this fall and hope she will join our team again when she returns!
PRACTICE CHANGES THIS WEEK:
Practice schedule returns to normal this week.
Saturday practice at Sumner:
Gold Elite/Silver Elite: 8-10 AM, Gold/Silver: 10-11:30 AM
USA SWIMMING REGISTRATION: We still have 25 members that have not been registered for USA swimming. I sent a message to these families on Saturday. As a reminder, your swimmer will NOT be allowed back in the water until your registration is current as this covers insurance!
If you have not registered for USA swimming for 2026, please do so NOW. Swimmers not current on their registration will NOT be allowed in the water come Monday, January 5th OR entered in any upcoming swim meets.
VAST Specific Registration link: https://omr.usaswimming.org/omr/welcome/A52F8A5114D44E
Swim Meets:
Upcoming Meets:
January Meets
Washington Open (January 15-18th) : entries have been submitted
For those swimmers not at the Washington Open, we will be participating in the PDST winter invite.
PDST Winter Invite (January 24th/25th) entries have been submitted
February Meets:
IST Meet @ KCAC (Feb 7th/8th): Still waiting for the meet file but believe this meet is open to all swimmers. Please declare your intent to attend as soon as possible as the turnaround time may be quick.
Lost Dutchman Meet @ Mesa, Arizona (February 13th-16th): This meet has time standards that swimmers must meet to attend. Please enter by Friday, January 16th
February Fly-In Meet @ Curtis (February 14th-15th): This meet is open to all swimmers. Please enter by Friday, January 23rd
February Age Group Invitational @ Anacortes (February 27th-March 1st): This meet has time standards. Please enter by Monday, February 9th.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED at Washington OPEN: Volunteer Signups are open for the Washington Open. This high-level meet is generally for swimmers in Gold Elite/Sprint Performance (and a few Gold/Silver Elite swimmers). Even if your swimmer is not swimming, all families are expected to volunteer.
Please don’t forget that all members must register for 2026!
USA Swimming registration for 2025-26 NOW AVAILABLE: All Members new to VAST, must complete USA swimming registration to practice (this covers insurance). Swimmers need to complete this within a week of starting practices. Please let me know if you have any questions.
VAST Specific Registration link: https://omr.usaswimming.org/omr/welcome/A52F8A5114D44E
Swimsuits & Practice Gear: Please order your supplies for practice and swim meets through our team store on swimoutlet.
Swimmers should wear a “competitive style” swimsuit for practice and should be a TYR swimsuit for swim meets. You can either order a team suit or wear a black suit or a black suit with green ascents for swim meets (Tech suits should be TYR brand) Males can wear either jammers or briefs. The team store on swimoutlet has a lot of options.
How do I enter swim meets?
To enter meets, log on to your account on the website, go to the events tab, click on edit commitment and select "Yes". If you do not wish to attend, you can select "No", but this is not necessary. In the notes field, enter days your child can attend and if there are any other special requests for events. Please note that you can select events on your own, but the coach may change them based on what they would like to see your swimmer compete in. You must enter the event by the deadline which is posted under the event itself. Most meets need to be entered at least 3 weeks in advance.
USA Swimming registration: All Members new to VAST, must complete USA swimming registration to practice and compete in meets (this covers insurance).
VAST Specific Registration link: https://omr.usaswimming.org/omr/welcome/A52F8A5114D44E
If you do not have a USA swimming account, please follow these steps first:
TEAM GEAR: We are a TYR team. Swimmers are expected to wear TYR suits at championship meets. Check out the team store to place an order for gear. Swimmers that will be attending practices at an outdoor pool may want to order a parka for the upcoming colder months. Swimoutlet.com is our team dealer.
Parent Resources: We will continually update our parent resources on the website. Here you can find information about the best way to support your athletes. Links to resources to explain meet expectations (and what to expect at different times of the season), nutrition for your swimmers, and other frequently asked questions.
Time standards: For swimmers looking for setting goals, Time standards for championship meets can be found here.
QUESTIONS ON PRACTICE/ GROUPS/MEETS, ETC: Questions regarding the “wet” side of VAST should be directed to your child's coach, or the Head Age Group Coach, Derek Frenzel. He can be reached at [email protected] or by text at 208-310-3317.
VOLUNTEERING: As a member of VAST, there are volunteer requirements. You can find more information here. For questions, contact Charis Tucker, Volunteer coordinator @ [email protected]
QUESTIONS ON BILLING: should you have any question about the “dry” side of the sport (billing, etc.), please contact Suzanne at [email protected] or by text at 253-241-4827
MEMBERSHIP SUSPENSION: If during the year, you are taking time off/canceling your membership, please fill out the following survey link to put your membership on hold/cancel. This should be completed by the 20th of the month before. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/vastsuspension
