Machine Aquatics Team Update 09.11.2025
Machine Aquatics Team Update
2025-26 Season: Issue 1 - 09.11.2025
In this issue:
-
Welcome to the 2025-26 Season
-
Upcoming Meet Information
-
Team Apparel Package Update
-
Meet Participation Reminder
-
Become a Machine Meet Official
-
Getting to Know Machine
-
Volunteer Hours
Welcome to the 2025 - 2026 Season!
We wanted to take a moment to thank you for choosing Machine Aquatics and allowing us the opportunity to work with your children. It is a privilege for us to be able to get to know them, strengthen their love of swimming and encourage their dreams. This new season has started with lots of changes and an incredible Parent Day Kick Off meeting. Thank you to everyone who attended! It was so nice to meet many of you for the first time and to have a chance to welcome back our returning families.
Over the coming weeks you will receive a good amount of information from us. We will do our best to condense all the information into a weekly update email. Email Communication is the main form of communication to parents from Machine Aquatics. The Team Update is typically sent Wednesday afternoon/ Thursday morning. You will also be receiving site specific emails from your head site coach and group emails from your child’s primary coaching team. We will be scheduling Zoom meetings for each site in the coming weeks.
If you are not receiving messages from the team, please contact the office so that we can determine if there is a software reason for not receiving our communications.
Please make sure you read all communications sent to you. We do our best to streamline the flow of information but it is equally important that you read the communications.
Team Apparel Package Update
Thank you to all of our new families who were able to attend Parent Day and collect your new swimmer apparel packages. If you did not have a package to pick up, please reach out to Alison ([email protected]) to receive the link to order your apparel for the season.
For returning swimmers, we are waiting on a backorder of team suits to arrive from TYR. We are working on getting apparel packages out as quickly as we are able. We anticipate that we will have all packages out by the beginning of October.
Exchanges:
If you ordered a team suit with your apparel package and need to make an exchange. You will use this link to submit your request.
Please note:
-
All returned suits MUST have the tags attached. Without the tags, you are not able to exchange or return the suit.
-
We will complete all exchanges in person at the Machine Performance Center in Vienna. Suits will not be exchanged at the pool locations.
-
DO NOT give the suit to your coach.
-
Once you have submitted your form, we will contact you when we have your exchange ready to complete.
Upcoming Meet Information
Smith Mountain Lake Open Water
September 13-14, 2025
Smith Mountain Lake State Park 1235 State Park Rd. Huddleston, VA 24104
SML OPEN WATER ENTRY DEADLINE: ONE HOUR IN ADVANCE OF RACE START TIME
Click HERE for the meet announcement
Click HERE to enter SML Open Water
Machine Distance Run- HOSTED BY MACHINE!! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
September 27-28, 2025
The St. James, 6805 Industrial Road, Springfield, VA 22151
DISTANCE RUN ENTRY DEADLINE: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Per Swimmer Surcharge: $4.00 Individual event fee: $5.00
!! ALL EVENTS ARE TIME YOUR OWN SWIMMER!!
Click HERE for the Machine Distance Run meet announcement
Click HERE to enter Machine Distance Run
HAC Harvest Moon Invitational
October 4-5, 2025
Herndon Community Center - 814 Ferndale Ave, Herndon, VA 20170
HARVEST MOON ENTRY DEADLINE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
OPEN TO 9-12 VA SWIMMERS ONLY
Per Swimmer Surcharge: $10.00 Individual Events: $12.00
Click HERE for the HAC Harvest Moon Invitational meet announcement
Click HERE to enter HAC Harvest Moon Invitational
OCCS Medley Series 1
October 5, 2025
Occoquan Swim Academy, 10371 Central Park Drive, Manassas, VA 20110, USA
OPEN TO NATIONAL PREP/NAT TEAM SWIMMERS
OCCS MEDLEY SERIES 1 ENTRY DEADLINE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Per Swimmer Facility Surcharge: $10.00 Individual Event Fee: $10.00
Click HERE for the OCCS Medley Series 1 meet announcement
Click HERE to enter OCCS Medley Series 1
October Open (Fairland) - OPEN TO MD SWIMMERS ONLY
OCTOBER 10-12, 2025
Fairland Aquatic Center, 13820 Old Gunpowder Rd, Laurel, MD 20707
OPEN TO 9&O MARYLAND SWIMMERS
OCTOBER OPEN ENTRY DEADLINE: MONDAY, SEPT 22
Individual event fee: $5.00 Per Swimmer Surcharge: $5.00
Click HERE for the October Open (Fairland) meet announcement
Click HERE to enter October Open (Fairland)
October Open (Ashburn) - OPEN TO VA - WEST SITES SWIMMERS ONLY
OCTOBER 10-12, 2025
Ashburn Rec Center - 21105 Coopers Hawk Dr Ashburn, VA 20148
OPEN TO VA WEST SITES 9&O VIRGINIA WEST SITES (Claude Moore, Dulles South, Ashburn, Ida Lee, Round Hill) SWIMMERS
OCTOBER OPEN ENTRY DEADLINE: MONDAY, SEPT 22
Individual event fee: $5.00 Per Swimmer Surcharge: $5.00
Click HERE for the October Open (Ashburn) meet announcement
Click HERE to enter October Open (Ashburn)
Meet Participation Reminders
WHEN POSTED & EMAILED: Please read the meet announcement before registering your swimmer(s) for a meet.
If the link for the meet announcement is not posted, the meet host has not released the information yet.
Many meets are restricted by age or by qualifying times. The definition of the meet key (NFT/ NST) is located on the top of the Meet Schedule and will be included in meet information when sent out.
To ensure that meet invitations reach all qualified swimmers, there will be times when you will receive an invitation that does not apply to your swimmer (too old, too young, etc.). We apologize for the extra email but we don’t want swimmers to miss an opportunity to swim!
Meet Fees are outlined in each meet announcement. Please be sure to review this portion of the meet announcement. Once the entries have closed, the fees for each meet will be charged to your account. If you are unable to attend a meet or choose not to swim, these fees are non-refundable.
If you have questions about which events your swimmer should be entering, please reach out to your swimmer’s coach. The coaches are very happy to provide guidance or select events for your swimmer.
How to Become a Machine Official
If you're interested in supporting the sport of swimming, helping swim meets run more smoothly, and—most importantly—getting the best view on deck, consider becoming a Machine Official. The process to become a USA Swimming Certified Official is simple, and we have a lot of fun along the way!
Step 1: Registration
-
USA Swimming Registration
-
Create an account on the USA Swimming website. If you already have an account from registering your athlete, use that same account to register as an official. The cost is approximately $70. We will reimburse you for your registration fees.
-
-
Background Check
-
Complete the required background check through USA Swimming.
-
Athlete Protection Training
-
Complete USA Swimming’s Athlete Protection Training.
-
Concussion Protocol Training
-
Finish the Concussion Protocol Training.
Step 2: Certification as an Official
The foundational level position for any new official is a Stroke & Turn Judge or Administrative Official.
Each position has its own certification criteria, which you can access by clicking here:
Stroke & Turn Judge or Administrative Official.
Each position also requires a specific number of apprentice sessions. Once you're ready to start helping at meets as an apprentice, let me know for Machine-hosted events, and I will pair you with an experienced official. For other meets, I can help connect you with the Meet Referee, who will ensure you're paired with an experienced official.
Thank you for your support of our swimmers. If you have any questions about the process or need assistance during your journey to becoming an official, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Jenn Detrisac
Machine Aquatics Officials Chairperson
Getting to Know Machine Aquatics
Whether you are new to the team or beginning another season with us there is always something more to learn. Our Machine Parent Handbook and Team Policies are posted on our Machine Aquatics main website and on our TeamUnify site.
-
Our vision and values,
-
Outlines our program options
-
Fees and Withdrawals
-
Team Communication Methods
-
Makeup and Practice Cancellation Policies
-
Volunteer Opportunities
-
Meet Participation and Entries
-
Team Apparel
-
Our Relationship with USA Swimming
Also, our coaches and office staff are available to answer any questions you may have about the program through the season.
Volunteer Hours
We can not do this without you! Thank you so much for donating your time at our swim meets. Machine Aquatics has a $100 volunteer fee. We refund this to you when you have completed your 22 hour volunteer requirement. This is time spent helping out at meets or with other special projects that may come up during the season.
Please send your hours as you complete them to our volunteer coordinator by clicking the form below. She’s tracking them for you. When you reach 22 hours, she will let the office know that we can process a refund check for you.
Click here to record your volunteer hours.
