Swim Team News ~ Week of July 22
WEEK OF JULY 22, 2024
Dear Swim Team Families,
How can we only have one regular swim meet left before OMPA? Last Chance at Ranch is this Wednesday July 24. We will send the meet entries as soon as they are ready.
We’d like to thank Jane Bordalo and her parent volunteer crew for a fun Marlin Ball celebration last Thursday. It was a hot night, but that didn’t stop swimmers and parents from having a great time. We’d also like to recognize and appreciate the parents who donated to our silent auction. Thank you for supporting MVP!
This is the final week of Mini Marlins! The Mini Marlins program concludes on Friday July 26 with a celebration during Mini Marlin practice times. Our youngest Marlins have put in the hard work and we would love to congratulate them for their accomplishments. Our Minis will swim in their own “race” and practice will end with a Mini medal ceremony, a photo op with their beloved coaches, and fun treats. Congratulations to our Mini Marlins!
Spirit Week is next week and kicks off on Monday July 29! Our Spirit Week Chairs Angel Johnson and Sian Newman have been hard at work creating a celebratory week for our Marlins, culminating in the OMPA Championship Friday through Sunday. The schedule is below, mark your calendars!
Parents - did you see the email about the Coaches’ Bonus Fund? Our coaches are incredible and are a key part of not only our swim team’s success, but they are beloved members of our MVP family. Let’s show our appreciation by donating to the Coaches’ Bonus Fund. The suggested contribution is $100 per swimmer. Thank you for considering.
SWIM TEAM LESSONS ~ GO LIVE ON TUESDAY JULY 23
Swim team lessons for the week of July 29 will go live at 8:00pm on Tuesday July 23. Sign ups are on www.mvpswimteam.com. This will be our final week of lessons for the summer season. Lesson availability will be limited to Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Questions? Reach out to Myrna Volpentest or Emily English.
OMPA VOLUNTEER SHIFTS
Please find the list of OMPA shifts for each family attached as well as basic job descriptions. If you have any questions regarding your job/shift please reach out to OMPA Volunteer Coordinator Kristen Brunson. Volunteer check in times are listed on the attachment and with a few exceptions for early parking lot shifts you will check in at the MVP tent with OMPA Volunteer Coordinator Kristen Brunson for your shift. It is absolutely critical to show up for your volunteer shift on time. If you are a no show, MVP is fined, and you are fined $350 by MVP.
OMPA TEAM POTLUCK BREAKFAST SIGN UPS
The team potluck breakfast on Saturday and Sunday is a wonderful MVP tradition, energizing swimmers and parents alike for the day ahead. Please sign up to contribute on either Saturday morning, Sunday morning, or both! Phoebe Harris Millman is coordinating our team potluck breakfast over the weekend so please reach out to Phoebe with any questions.
MVP SWIM TEAM’S SPIRIT WEEK ~ WEEK OF JULY 29
MVP families, let’s get excited about Spirit Week! The week leading up to OMPA is full of fun activities for swimmers and parents, so mark your calendars.
Monday, July 29 (9:00am-1:00pm during practice)
Get Your MVP Spirit On!
Show your Marlin Pride and join us in the MVP parking lot to decorate your family’s car after your swim practice. We will be writing spirit slogans on our cars, like “Go MVP”, “Swim Fast”, and “Eat My Bubbles”. There will be a limited number of chalk pens available, so order yours ahead of time here to bring along. If you can not make the morning decorating session, come decorate your car later in the day.
Then join us for an evening of fun and tradition with Cannonballs, hot dogs, and the cherished Marlin Cake Contest.
Monday, July 29 (5:00-8:00pm)
Top Dog will be on hand to provide us all with a tasty dinner, THANK YOU to Angel Johnson with California 24 Real Estate agents for sponsoring the first 100 hot dogs for us! Come and grab one from 5:00pm-6:30pm. Sides will be available for purchase.
Then show us your best Marlin splash at the Cannonball Contest at 6:30pm. This is for swimmers and parents!
Finally, back by popular demand, the infamous Marlin Cake Contest! Flex your creative muscles! Bake and decorate a cake to enter into the cake contest and win a prize in one of two categories: Best MVP Team Spirit and Most Creative Glow for the Gold themed cake. We will enjoy your creations for dessert!
If you bake a cake, please bring a knife and a serving utensil. Parents of bakers, we will need your assistance in cutting your child’s cake. Thank you.
Cake winners will be announced at 7:30pm. Cake eating to follow.
We will also distribute OMPA spirit shirts to every swimmer, so don’t miss out!
Tuesday, July 30 (After your swim practice)
Breakfast of Champions
Pancakes are back by popular demand! After your practice, fuel your body with delicious pancakes at MVP! Fruit also provided.
Wednesday, July 31 (4:30-8:30pm)
Glow for the Gold Family Night
Join us for a fun evening of potluck dinner, ice cream, MVP tattoos, and senior recognition. Dress to impress in your MVP team colors, with a splash of gold too!
Get in the OMPA groove with a custom airbrushed MVP logo tattoo! Why wait in line at OMPA when you can get a tattoo at MVP?! Tattoos will be available starting at 4.30pm through 7:30pm. Prices will range from $8-$10. Feel free to get a tattoo, go home, and then return for a fun-filled evening. Come early to avoid the line.
Potluck Dinner: 6:00-7:30pm
Families A-L bring salads/sides (and your own drinks)
Families M-Z bring main dishes (and your own drinks)
Moraga’s Loard's Ice Cream will be on hand for sweet treats after the potluck dinner.
Finally, let’s appreciate and recognize our graduating seniors with a Marlin-style sendoff.
Senior Recognition: 7:45pm
Thursday, August 1 (beginning at 9am)
MVP Pep Rally & Caravan
Join us for a light breakfast of croissants, danishes, and juice at 9:00am. Then at 9:50am the MVP Pep Rally and OMPA Orientation will be led by Coaches Trevor, Ashley, and Jake at MVP.
Following the rally, parents drive their swimmers caravan-style over to the Soda Aquatic Center at Campolindo High School. Swimmers will have the opportunity to do a few laps in the “big” pool prior to OMPA. Practice will start promptly at 10:50am and end at 11:30am.
Caravan - Parade Style!
Decorate your cars for the occasion! When we leave MVP we'll drive down Ivy Drive, all the way to the end and left onto Moraga Way (at the light by Miramonte). Please no honking once near Campo.
Friday, August 2, Saturday August 3, Sunday August 4
Orinda-Moraga Pool Association Championship (OMPA)
The 67th Annual OMPA Championship meet will be held August 2 - August 4 at the Soda Aquatic Center in Moraga. The OMPA Championship Swim Meet is one of the largest recreational swim meets in the country, with over 4,800 entries and over 1,700 swimmers competing from 9 member teams.
Parents - dress in your favorite MVP or OMPA spirit wear and join us in the stands as we cheer on our fellow Marlins. There is no such thing as “over-doing” it when it comes to OMPA spirit wear!
Sunday August 4 (immediately following OMPA Finals)
OMPA Celebration Dinner
Save the date for the Post OMPA dinner at MVP. Do not miss this celebratory event. More details to follow!
SPIRIT WEEK PRACTICE TIMES ~ MONDAY JULY 29, TUESDAY, JULY 30, WEDNESDAY JULY 31
PRACTICES RUN MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY (July 29-31)
REMINDER - MINI MARLIN PRACTICES CONCLUDE ON FRIDAY JULY 26.
All Team Warm Ups at Soda Aquatic Center at Campolindo High School on Thursday August 1 (time TBD). No practices on Friday August 2.
MVP COACHES’ BONUS FUND 2024 ~ LET’S THANK OUR COACHES!
MVP coaches work extremely hard all season to provide our swimmers with the best possible experience in the Orinda Moraga Pool Association (OMPA). They are supportive, enthusiastic, and are some of your child's biggest cheerleaders both during practice and at swim meets. Did you know that the majority of our junior coaches started swimming at MVP as Mini Marlins? The success we have experienced this season is due in large part to the dedication and commitment of our incredible coaching staff.
We have a tradition at MVP of collecting contributions to the Coaches’ Bonus Fund. Did you know that our first and second year junior coaches do not earn an hourly wage? They commit to working these first two years purely as volunteers while juggling their own personal academic, family, and other personal commitments. Let's show our coaches how much we appreciate and value them.
The suggested contribution is $100 per swimmer. Donations can be paid through TeamUnify until September 1.
We appreciate you considering this donation. Let’s remember that there would be no Mini Marlins program or swim team without our fabulous coaches. Thank you.
UPCOMING KEY DATES*
*Complete 2024 calendar can be found on www.mvpswimteam.com
Note - dates highlighted in green are earlier registration deadlines as they are invitational meets or special events.
Swim Team Out of School Season (aka Summer Season) - June 3 to August 1
Mini Marlins - June 3 to July 26
Last Chance @ Ranch - July 24
Mini Marlin Celebration - July 26
Spirit Week! - July 29 to August 1
OMPA - August 2 to August 4
OMPA After Party @ MVP - August 4
Go Marlins!
Jenn Curran & Hadley Mickel
MVP Swim Team Co-Presidents
