SHST Weekly Report - March 13, 2023

Tina Fruhauf

 

Prepare to Eat Pasta!

HIGHLIGHTS & NEWS

Have you Ordered your Swimmer's Uniform Yet?

On Wednesday, March 15th, our vendor T&B sports along with parent volunteers will be at the pool allowing swimmer to try on gear starting at 4 pm. You will be able to make all purchases of our Team Uniform & Swimsuits online starting February 28, including Sea Lion TYR swimsuits, sweatshirts, parkas, sweatpants, pajama pants and caps.
 
The online store will close March 19th and all merchandise will hopefully be ready before our Practice Meet on April 22nd. If you have questions or need help with sizing, please contact Winona at T&B Sports ([email protected]) or visit their store in San Rafael.

 

Upcoming Fun Events!

Friday, March 17: Season Kick-Off Team Pasta Potluck Dinner 

Let's Get Ready To Rumble at the team Pasta Potluck on March 17th 6p-8p at the Clubhouse! This family Fun event is a great opportunity to meet new families, learn more about the season from Coach Mark and Coach Paul, enjoy a night with this amazing community, and win prizes! 

Families are asked to bring the following: 

  • Last names A through E: Bring a salad dish to share (with serving utensils)
  • Last names F through Z: Bring a pasta to share (with serving utensils)

Fun Committee will provide sparkling water, juice, and cookies. 

This event is also a fundraiser for the team. We sell raffle tickets ($20 for an arms length of raffle tickets) with the chance to win some fun prizes, so be sure to bring some cash…and long torpedo arms! 

Note that Group 3 practice will end at 6p and Group 4 practice will be canceled on 3/17 for the Pasta Potluck.

Please click HERE to RSVP by Wednesday, March 15th. Thank you!

 

Friday, March 24: SLIC Store

8U swimmers will be coming home with plastic yellow coins each Friday. These are Seal Lion Incentive Coins or SLICs for short. Your swimmer can collect them and then "spend" them at our SLIC stores for little prizes and candy. We will have two stores during the season. The first one is on March 24. The shop will be open from 4:30-5pm in the courtyard. 

 

Friday, March 24: 9/10 Movie Night

Attention all 9 and 10 year old swimmers: Friday, March 24th is Movie Night! Wear something comfy, bring a sleeping bag and pillow, and come watch Puss and Boots - The Last Wish with your friends! Swimmers will enjoy bean and cheese burritos for dinner followed by some yummy treats for the movie! Thank you to the Mullen family for sponsoring this Fun event!

Click HERE to RSVP. We will also send an Evite on Monday afternoon.

 

Spring Break Swim Clinic with Coach Paul

If you are around over Spring Break, come have fun and get fit. This clinic will focus on technique and drill instruction covering all four strokes, starts, and turns. All Sea Lions are welcome to join!

WHEN:  Monday, April 10- Thursday, April 14

11 & Ups 9-11AM

10 & Unders 10:30AM- 12PM

COST:

11 & ups- $245

10 & under- $185

Registration will be released next week.

 

Looking for a Lost & Found Volunteer

If you find yourself at practice at least once a week, and are willing to help us organize and take photos of the Lost & Found, please reach out to [email protected].

 

Spirit Wear Sneak Peak

We are super excited to offer yet another fantastic Sleepy Hollow Swim Team spirit wear line this year!  It will NOT be available at the Pasta Potluck as previously mentioned. Spirit wear WILL be available for purchase at the practice meet and home meets. It sells out quick!

Congrats to our Swimmers of the Week!

Group 1: Christina Luccessi and Mac Porter

Group 2: Charlie Bennett and Sophia Gidirim

Group 3: Ty Sellenreik and Katie Alberton

Group 4: Maeve Kastner and Beau Panzica

 

More Friday Fun... Thanks to Zamira Solari for sponsoring a season of Fun Fridays!  

Follow us on Instagram & Facebook!

             

 

IMPORTANT DATES FOR ALL SWIMMERS

Tuesday, March 14th: Last day to drop from the team and receive a refund - email Kerry Dahnke.

Wednesday, March 15th: T&B Sports will be at the pool for swimmers to try-on team Uniform starting at 4 pm.

Friday, March 17th: Pasta Potluck @ 6-8pm. More information above.

Friday, March 17th: Practice will end @ 6:00 for Group 3; Practice cancelled for Group 4 due to Pasta Potluck

Sunday, March 19th: Last day to order Uniform gear from the online T&B store. More information below.

Friday, March 24th: 9/10 Movie Night. More information above.

Friday, March 24th: SLIC Store #1

Friday, March 31st: 8 & Under Movie Night... We will send out more information on this Fun event soon! HUGE thanks to Ghiringhelli's Pizzeria for sponsoring this event!

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

 

Help Feed Our Coaches

For those new to the team, parents sign up to bring dinner(s) (breakfasts for summer practices) to our wonderful coaches. Mark and Paul really appreciate it! Sign up here for 2023. THANK YOU!

 

Practice Details

THANK YOU to Zamira Solari for sponsoring our Fun Fridays for the entire season!  

Practice groups were sent to ALL SHST families on 2/26. Practices are Monday through Friday and swimmers may attend as often as they like. Our coaches recommend that swimmers attend practice at least three days a week in order to progress throughout the season. Click here for more information.

If you have not received your email(s), please contact Kerry Dahnke.  Remember, practice groups are based on ability and motivation, not age. We recommend you give it at least two weeks of practice before requesting a change to another group. Questions regarding your child's practice group should be directed to Mark Anderson.

Practice Schedule

Swim practices start on Monday, February 27th and go through June 9th. 

Group 1             4:00 PM - 4:40 PM

Group 2             4:40 PM - 5:25 PM

Group 3             5:25 PM - 6:15 PM

Group 4             6:15 PM - 7:25 PM*

*on Fridays Group 4 practices from 6:15 PM - 7:10 PM

Please be sure you have read the important rules/guidelines about swim practice here:

  • We ask that parents of groups 3 & 4 not hang around the pool deck/watch practices.
  • Due to the nature of the landscaping, we ask that all swimmers wear shoes when entering the site to keep the pool clean.
  • Practices will change from the afternoons to the mornings starting Monday, June 12th.
  • For more information, please read Getting Prepared for Practice.

If your child decides not to swim this year, please let us know ASAP!!! There is a waitlist of swimmers hoping to join the team. Refunds are available if the swimmer drops off the team and notice is emailed to Kerry Dahnke no later than on or before March 14th, 2023. Credit card processing fees will not be refunded. There will be no refunds processed under any circumstances, after March 14th, 2023.

 

​Volunteer Assignments

The Family Commitment is an important part of being on the Sleepy Hollow Swim Team. It takes hundreds of volunteers to make each meet possible. All families except for those who have paid the opt out fee or have high school swimmers have been assigned a job. All families must sign up for 4 shifts during the swim season not including All Stars or Champs which are in addition to the 4 shifts. Job signups for Poolside (timers, clerk of course, runner etc.), Officials, Volunteer Coordinators, Medical and Photography, will be sent out by March 3rd using a link to Signup Genius. All volunteers are required to sign up for 4 shifts at any swim meet by March 11th. All shifts are first come so please make sure to signup right away to ensure your family gets the time slots which work best for you. All shifts will be finalized by the end of March. Once you sign up for a volunteer assignment you must fulfill it or find someone else to fulfill your job assignment to avoid being charged $350 for a missing job assignment. The board will not fill missed job assignments or reassign jobs due to scheduling conflicts.

For those who have been selected for Snack Bar, Meet Setup/Take Down, Awards, Tech Desk and Fun Committee will be contacted directly from each committee chair. The signup noted above are ONLY for the jobs noted above. 

In the meantime, read more about the Family Commitment, or if you have questions about volunteering please contact [email protected].

 

​​​New Family Buddies

In order to help orient our new families and ensure a smooth transition onto the team, we have kicked off our buddy program!   All new families who joined this year 2023, have been assigned to a returning family and should be in communication. New families: Please don't hesitate to reach out to your buddy family after you receive an email from them--they are ready for your questions and happy to help! If your are new and have not heard from a returning family yet, please contact Kerry Dahnke. Also, don't forget to explore our website as well as there is a ton of very helpful information there.

 

​A Note from Coach Mark

Hello All,

Welcome to the 2023 SHST/MSL swim season. I am super excited to announce the return of Paul Birich to the Sealions Coaching staff and Sleepy Hollow community. Paul previously coached SHST with me for 8 years. He will be a super addition to our team and is available for private and group lessons NOW. Please email him at [email protected] if interested. 
 
We have lots of new swimmers this spring and it will be fun getting them up to speed. We also have lots of very good returning swimmers who will help bring along the team. Getting to know each other better and giving them some attainable goals is always fun.
 
What is important to me are the little things we do every day at practice. These things have very little to do with swimming. Checking in, making eye contact, saying hello and how are you, and using our manners are huge on our pool deck.
 
As always, if there are any special needs, please let me know in confidence. My email is [email protected].
 
I am looking forward to seeing everyone very soon.
 
Coach Mark

And of course, make sure to tell your swimmer that…

IT’S TIME TO START KICKING BOOTYAKUM!

GO SEA LIONS!!!

 

Parking and Driver Safety

Please be aware of increased pedestrians and bikers around the Clubhouse, with the start of swim team. Be very careful when walking along and crossing Butterfield Road. Help teach our Sea Lions to be responsible pedestrians and bikers. If driving, slow down and focus. When dropping off your swimmer and/or parking for practice:

  • Do not park in front of the Clubhouse, this is strictly for drop off.  

  • Park perpendicular (not parallel) in the gravel spaces to maximize space for other people.

  • Please don’t ever park in the no parking zones across from the Clubhouse or in the handicapped parking spot in front of the Clubhouse - not even to wait for your swimmer after practice/if you remain in the car.

  • Please do not let your child "jump quickly out of the car" in the middle of the road.  This is not safe!  Please take the extra minute and use the drop off circle.

  • Use the walkway on Butterfield from Katrina Ct. to the clubhouse.  

  • Remind your swimmer(s) not to walk behind parked cars. 

  • Do not block driveways or mailboxes.  Please be respectful of our neighbors! 

  • And again, please slow down, and watch out for Sea Lions and parents crossing Butterfield and riding and walking in the bike lanes. These Sea Lions are all of our children!

 

Bikes

 

As we partner with the Sleepy Hollow Homes Assocation to increase safety along Butterfield Road, we encourage families to bike to and from practice, if your child is ready for this.  As a community, we are working to decrease the number of cars along Butterfield Road. If you bike, please remember:

  • Please use the bike racks outside of the main black gate and do not block the Fire Zone/No Parking area. 
  • Don’t forget to bring bike locks! SHST and SHHA are not responsible for lost or stolen bikes.

​

Meets

Our first meet is Saturday, April 22nd and is our Practice Meet. This meet is just for Sleepy Hollow Swim team swimmers to record their first times and for our volunteers to get comfortable with their poolside jobs. April 29th will be our first Dual Meet which will be a home meet. To have a look at our full Meet schedule look here and for more information on meets look here.

 

No Dogs

Please remember that the Sleepy Hollow Homes Association forbids dogs at the Clubhouse and pool area.  Swim team families MAY NOT BRING DOGS to practices or meets.  Dogs may not be tied up or left outside the gates and fence in front of the Clubhouse, even if you are just running in to drop off your swimmer. Please help us abide by this SHHA rule and leave your dog at home. Thank you!
 

Donations

As a volunteer based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, we rely on swimmer registration fees and generous donations to help us operate while maintaining and building upon our incredible community. Donations specifically help us do this while expenses and costs continue to rise. Donations to our team also help us fund the many FUN events that we host during the season where kids build camaraderie and get to know each other outside of the pool (movie nights, karaoke, casino night, etc). 
 
Every dollar and donation counts! You can donate any amount to our team HERE, and/or donate/sponsor a specific Fun event HERE. Your donation will be tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. 
 
We would like to thank Zamira Solari Realty for sponsoring the team's Fun Fridays, the Mullen Family for sponsoring our 9/10 Movie Night, and Ghiringhelli's Pizzeria for sponsoring 8&U Movie Night!  We appreciate your generosity and support!