The Week Ahead #18 (2025-2026)

Tiburones Info

The Week Ahead 2025-2026 (#18)

 

 Please be sure to read carefully, and reach out to the office ([email protected]) with any questions.

In this Week Ahead:

  • Practice News
  • Facility News
  • Team News
  • Meet News
  • Additional Information 
  • Updating Your Account

Practice News:

  • Practice this Week:
    • Practices this week are as scheduled
  • ​Upcoming Practice Changes: 
    • Saturday 1/17/2026: Celeste Practice (7:30-9:00am) will be cancelled 
    • Sunday 1/18/2026: Verde Practice (1:00-2:30pm) will be cancelled
    • Monday 1/19/2026: In observance of Martin Luther King Day, Montgomery College will be closed
      • ​All Practices AM & PM will be cancelled at both campuses

 

  • Practice essentials:
    • Coaches have compiled the list of Required & Optional Equipment for all groups.  Please make sure your swimmer arrives prepared for each practice.
    • Water Bottle: It's important that all swimmers (especially those in competition groups) stay hydrated through practice. Swimmers should all have water bottle 
      • Please be sure to clean the water bottles regularly. We have seen some water bottles with mildew/mold.
    • Extra Goggles: Goggles do break after months of use, so its always a good idea to have extras that are easily available for your swimmer. 
    • Labeling Equipment: Please be sure to label your child's equipment. There are only a handful of fin color combinations out there and with so many swimmers wearing the same sizes it makes it easier for swimmers and coaches if they are labeled. ​
  • Weather Policies: We occasionally have to cancel practice due to inclement weather, including high winds. We will send out an email and/or a text alert in the event of a weather-related closing. We do not always follow MCPS cancellations. For more information, please take a look at our inclement weather policy.
  • It’s a germy season, and we want to do our part to reduce the spread of sickness. A good guideline is if your child is too sick to go to school, they are too sick to come to practice. If they have a fever, or are coughing/sneezing excessively, please keep them home to rest. Click here for more on our health policies.​

Facility News:

Montgomery College Campuses: 

  • Parking Enforcement: MC campuses enforce parking rules. Please print parking permits and display them in your vehicle when parked on campus. You are only allowed to park in spaces with white lines. 
  • Minors on Campus: Per our agreement Montgomery College young athletes must be escorted to and from the facility. 
    • If for any reason your child cannot find you at the end of practice please instruct them to always return to the pool deck. Per the minors on campus agreement swimmers should not be unaccompanied while on campus. The coaches on deck will be able to assist in locating parents.
    • Swimmers should not wait for parents unaccompanied in the parking lot
    • Please note that for the safety of our swimmers we will utilize the buddy system when traveling to the locker rooms once swimmers have been left on deck. Minors on Campus literature
  • Accessing Facility: See the website for more information on accessing MC-Rockville or MC-Germantown

  • Late Pick Up Policy: 

    Please be sure to pick your swimmer up on time following practice. We recommend that you arrive within 5-10 minutes prior to the conclusion of practice. TIBU staff will never allow swimmers to remain unattended following a practice. In the event that a swimmer is not picked up on time, Tibu will charge the family according to the following schedule. 

    • Pick up after 15 minutes: $20 charge
    • Pick up after 30 minutes: $30 charge
    • Pick up after 45 minutes: $50 charge

  • Additionally: Please direct your swimmers that they are not to wait outside in the parking lot unattended. This is a violation of our Minors on Campus agreement. Swimmers should remain within the pool area until they are picked.  

Team News:

Inclement Weather Policy: 

As we move into that time of the year, please review our inclement weather policy. We will make every effort to inform families of weather cancellations in a timely fashion. However there are times when last minute cancellations will occur. Please take time to enroll in our TEXT ALERT feature under your account information. 

  • SMS/Text Alert: Log In>My Account > My Account> Account Info>Enter an SMS cell number and select its Carrier 
    • To add an SMS number for one of the athletes attached to your account, click the Members tab and then click their name

Session 2 Registration: 

Registration for Session 2 of Junior Development, Stroke Clinic, and Advance Stroke Clinic is OPEN.

  • Session 2 runs January through April.  All families enrolled by session must initiate a renewal for session 2. We do not automatically renew swimmers. 
  • Session 2 of Stroke Clinic: January 11th-March 22nd

Private Lesson:

 TIBU coaches are offering 30-minute private coaching sessions on Sundays between 3:30 and 5pm at QOSTC. For rates and availability, or for more information, contact [email protected]. These sessions are available to non-TIBU swimmers as well. 

Team Merchandise:

We will have merchandise available for purchase at MC-R the evening of Tuesday, January 20 (on the pool deck). Parents are welcome to come look at the inventory and take it home that day. Merchandise is always available for order by email ([email protected]). Orders are delivered to swimmers at practice and billed to the card on file, unless otherwise specified. 

Meet News: 

Meet Entry Deadlines: The default setting within our system closes entries at midnight leading into the date. (eg: If the deadline was 9/16 the system closes at 11:59.59 on the 9/15). Once meet entry deadline has passed we cannot guarantee swimmers can be entered. 

  • At ALL meets, TIBU attire must be worn. Do NOT represent other organizations at meets (including summer teams, high school teams, college teams). Swimmers wearing another team’s logo may not be permitted to swim.

2026 PVS January Open

  • Date: January 17-18, 2026
  • Location: Fairland Aquatics Center
  • Meet Schedule: 
    • Saturday, January 17 and Sunday, January 18, 2026  
      • 11-12: Warmup 6:30am – 7:20am; Events 7:30am
      • 9-10: Warmup 11:00am – 11:40pm; Events 11:50am 
      • Athletes must arrive 15min prior to the start of the warm up session
  • Eligibility: Open to all registered 9-12 swimmers in good standing. 
  • Meet Information will be distributed once it has been recieved. 
  • Team Wear:
    • ​Saturday: RED
    • Sunday: Blue (Navy or Royal)

​2026 PAC Little Blue Penguin Pentathlon

  • Date: January 25th, 2026
  • Location: Fairland Aquatic Center
  • Meet Schedule: 
    • Warm-up: 12:00 pm; Events: 12:35 pm
  • Eligibility: Open to all 10 & Under swimmers that did not participate in the January Open

2026 DSA Winter Classic

  • Date: February 13-15
  • Location: Rawston Natatorium, University of Delaware
  • Hotel Information: 
  • Meet Schedule: 
    • Saturday: - February 14th
      • ​12&U: Warmup 10:00 AM- Start 11:00 AM
      • 500: Warmup 2:30 PM- Start 3:00 PM
      • 13&O: Warmup 5:00 PM-Start 6:00 PM
    • Sunday - February 15th
      • 12&U: Warmup 8:00 AM- Start 9:00 AM
      • 13&O: Warmup 3:00 PM- Start 4:00 PM
    • Positive Check-In is required to be seeded for the 500 Free and the 400 IM. A check-in table will be set up on deck.
      Swimmers must check-in in order to be seeded into each event. A swimmer who positively checks in for an event and
      fails to swim the event will be barred from swimming his/her next individual event.
      • Check in closes for the 500 Free at 2:40 PM on Saturday.
      • Check in closes for the 400 IM at 5:00 PM on Sunday. 
    • The 500 Freestyle will be run SLOWEST to FASTEST, alternating one heat of girls then one heat of boys.
    • The facility will open no earlier than 9:45 AM on Saturday, and 7:45 AM on Sunday. Please do not
      attempt to enter the facility before these posted times.
  • Eligibility: Open to all registered athletes in good standing with USA-Swimming. 
  • Entry Deadline: January 25th A Preliminary Entry File will be submitted to hold our spot at this meet. Entries can be modified or cancelled up until the entry deadline January 25th 2026

 

Additional Information: 

 Updating Your Account:

Account information such as cell phone numbers, additional email address and credit card information, athlete sizing can be updated whenever you wish. Some terminology to remember when using SportsEngine (formerly TeamUnify and GoMotion): Parents are Account Holders and Swimmers are Members.

  • Account Updates: Account Holders can update most information on their accounts. Remember to always click SAVE before exiting.
    • Emails: Log In> My Account > My Account> Account Info>Enter up to 3 additional emails.
      • Plus you can add athlete email addresses in the member section
    • SMS/Text: Log In>My Account > My Account> Account Info>Enter an SMS cell number and select its Carrier 
      • To add an SMS number for one of the athletes attached to your account, click the Members tab and then click their name; 
    • Payment Information: My Account > Payment Set Up/Set Up Autopay>Add New Card or Add Bank Account> Save.
      • You will not be able to remove old cards. To remove an old card please email the office with the last 4 of the desired card. 
    • Member details (shirt size, suit size etc)
    • REMEMBER TO ALWAYS SAVE BEFORE MOVING TO A DIFFERENT SCREEN

SafeSport Training

Help our clubs achieve USA Swimming Safe Sport Club Recognition by participating in upcoming Safe Sport Training.Complete the training, and get a free TIBU shirt! Forward the email confirmation that you completed the training to [email protected]. ​ 

Attendance will be recorded, and will count towards Safe Sport Recognnition. Attendance for these programs is limited, and will be closed five minutes after starting. Here are some additional resources and information from USA Swimming relating to the online training.

Upcoming Training for Athletes and Parents:

Parents: January 20 (8 PM)   February 17 (8 PM)   March 17 (8 PM)  

Athletes: January 22 (8 PM)   February 19 (8 PM)   March 19 (8 PM)  

Other SafeSport training oppertunities can be found on the Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS) website: Click Here

Team Apparel

Team Dealer (Cassel’s).  

Additional team merchandise (t-shirts, caps, and other branded gear) is also available through the TIBU office by sending an email to [email protected]. Orders are billed to your account on file and delivered to swim practice. 

  • newLimited Edition 20oz TIBU YETI TUMBLER (only 3 left) $50.00 
  • newWe have limited supplies of 2025-2026 shirts available
    • Red, Navy & Mint Green: $20 each
  • Previous Season TIBU shirts available: 
    • 1 Shirt $15 (various colors & sizes)
    • 3 Shirts $30
    • 5 Shirts $40
  • Silicone Caps: $17.00ea
    • Original Logo (white or blue) NEW INVENTORY
    • New Logo (navy, silver, black, or pink)
  • Navy Latex Caps (Original Logo): $5
  • Lavender hoodies: $50 - XL and XXL only
  • Croc jibbitz: $5
  • Collared shirts, jackets, bags - email [email protected] to inquire!