Newport Yacht Club Sharkies:
Our Sharkies program is a novice swim team for children who have already passed through swim lessons, but are not yet ready for competitive swimming. Sharkies participants must be able to swim one width of the pool in their interpretation of freestyle, without the use of a floatation device, ot touching the bottom or side walls. Sharkies practice MWF and have two fun intramural meets during the season. Practice times the first week of the season will serve as evaluation times for those who wish to participate on the Sharkies team. Please register you child for one of the practice times the week of May 10 - May 14th. Coaches will let you know at the end of the evaluation which swim program will be best for your child (swim lessons, Sharkies, or Sharks).
Sharkies Season Outline
Season Lay Out:
Sharkies will attend practice 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). They will practice during the entire swim season, from mid-May to the end of July. There will be two Sharkies meets, one in the middle of the season, and one at the end. These meets are small and will only involve our Sharkies team. These meets are meant to be a fun and pressure free way for Sharkies to become comfortable with the swim meet process.
Sharkies Age Requirement:
Sharkies is for children ages 5 and up (Coach's discretion to allow a child to swim at the age of 4 1/2 if they meet the physical and emotional requirements) who have already passed through swim lessons.
Sharkies Evaluations:
In order to ensure Sharkies readiness, the first week of practice will be dedicated to Sharkies Evaluations. Parents may sign their swimmer up for a time slot for an evaluation with the Sharkies Head Coach, where they will decide which team (Sharks, Sharkies, or Swim Lessons) is the best fit for the swimmer. The coaches prefer to move swimmers up to a higher team, rather than to a lower one, so we will assign each swimmer to the safest option for their ability. In order to be put on the Sharkies team, the Sharkies Head Coach will look for the swimmer’s ability to swim one width of the pool in the swimmer’s interpretation of freestyle without touching the bottom or the side walls of the pool.
Moving Up:
At any time during the season, based on coach discretion, swimmers who are able may be invited to move up to a higher team if they show the necessary improvement since evaluations.
Sharkies Swimming Up in Sharks Meets:
You can look forward to the last home Sharks dual meet of the season as being a time when the coaches will swim Sharkies up in a Sharks meet. Invitations to swim up will be based on space in the meet as Sharks swimmers take precedence for spots in the meet. Invitations to swim up will also be based on coach discretion and will only be given to Sharkies whom the coaches feel are confident enough to participate in a Sharks meet.
The End of the Season:
Coaches will not make a decision on who will swim in Sharks the following season at the end of the season, as swimming abilities can fluctuate over the winter. All swimmers in question of which team they should swim on the following season should participate in Evaluations during the first week, after which they may be able to move up to Sharks if they are deemed ready. All charges for swimming on the team will not be due until after evaluations.
Note about the Above Procedures:
As a Division Five Summer League Swim Team, the themes of the season will always be neighborhood comradery and fun, sportsmanship, encouragement, and an introduction to kid-friendly and supportive competition. The Sharkies team is the future of our Sharks team, and it is the coach’s goal to welcome as many eager swimmers as possible on to the team as we believe strongly that all kids who want to swim should be given the opportunity. The above procedures are in place for safety purposes only, as it is important for all Sharkies to be able to be in the water on their own, without the assistance of a floaty or a coach to hold them up.
Over the Winter:
With younger swimmers, a few swim lessons can go a long way over the winter! We highly recommend having your child do a few swim lessons over the winter if they are close to being confident enough in the water for Sharkies, or if they are eager to be a Shark the following season, and want to maintain their training from Sharkies. The Newport Hills Swim and Tennis Club and the Coal Creek YMCA are convenient, and offer great swim lessons over the winter!
Swim Lessons at the Yacht Club:
During the summer months at the Yacht Club, the swim coaches are available for private and semi-private lessons. One on one time with a coach is incredibly valuable for improvement and confidence. These are highly recommended, especially if your child wants to move up during the season. Lesson schedules will be posted at the Yacht Club.
Questions:
Please feel free to email, text, or call me at any time during the year with questions or concerns. The coaches are all looking forward to another great season of swimming and neighborhood fun!
Evaluation Days: Please register at the front desk for an evaluation date at time starting April 1st. Office Phone #425-747-3291 or email Eric at [email protected]
- Mon. May 12th 5:00pm or 5:15pm
- Wed. May 14th 5:00pm or 5:15pm
- Fri. May 16th 5:00pm or 5:15pm
Sharkies Practice Times: May 19th - June 23th (no practice on Monday, May 26th)
- Mon, Wed, Fri - 5:15pm - 5:45pm
Sharkies Practice Times: June 25th - July 16th (No practice July 5th)
- Mon, Wed, Fri - 10:30am - 11:00am
For questions, please contact:
Head Coach: Allison Plamondon
Sharkies Parent Coordinator:
