Rudgear Rats Newsletter: Week of May 28th
Upcoming Dates
May 30 – Summer Practice Schedule Begins
May 30 – First Day of Summer Breakfast (during/after practice)
May 31 - Buddy Forms Due
May 31 – REST @ WCSC (away) | Warm-Ups: 5:00pm
June 2 – 13/14 Social
June 3 – REST vs. YWST (home) | Warm-Ups: 8:00am
June 5 – No Practice
June 5 – Picture Day | 8:00am-10:30am
June 5 – Buddy Reveal | 11am-12:30pm
June 5 – Chipotle Dine-Out Fundraiser | 5pm-9pm
June 6 – Rugrats Begins
June 7 – REST vs. WHO (home) Declare by 5/31
June 8 – 9/10 Social
June 10 – REST @ IVST (away) Declare by 6/3
June 10 – Adult Social and Poker Night
June 11 – 15/18 Rafting Trip
Calendar File
Click here for a calendar file that will put all team events (except age-group socials) onto your calendar. Download it to your calendar and you’re organized for the season.
Coach’s Message
Rats,
Welcome to summer practices! Strong first meet against Round Hill! We definitely had a louder cheer than them + a number of pop times. Excited to continue swimming fast on Wednesday at WCSC. Another fast pool. Also, IM will be an exciting addition!
Morning practices start up this week, meaning it’s time to get serious about our efforts in the pool. Not only will we have more swimmers per practice, but also practices are going to start getting harder. For ages 10 and under we will be assigning lanes to every swimmer. Please keep in mind your swimmer will not always be with their best friend... That being said, we are putting very careful consideration into the lanes which we have divided up to the best of our ability.
Please come talk to Coach Nick if there is an event your swimmers is not comfortable swimming in the meets. Don't be afraid to recommend events for your swimmer in the "notes" section, although it's not guaranteed! Thank you for all the support from the parents/caretakers which helps to make Rudgear Estates such a thriving summer swim community!
Bless Up Bleed Green Go Rats!
-Coach Nick
TL;DR:
-download the calendar file
-bring something to Tuesday’s breakfast
-only practice swimmers in the pool during practice
-if you are working a meet - be on time and check in
-buddy forms due 5/31
-picture day opt-in: Text “2023RATS” to 90738
-lessons available
Summer Practice Begins
On Tuesday, we shift to the summer practice schedule. With this shift, you’ll see a few changes:
-practices are a bit longer
-swimmers will start practice with stretching and, on some days, dryland workouts
-no one is allowed in the pool except team swimmers during their practice time
Reminder: All children ten years of age and younger must be supervised by an adult when not practicing. The team does not provide supervision for swimmers when they aren’t practicing.
First Day of Summer Breakfast
Our traditional first day of summer practice breakfast is going down this Tuesday. Please check out the sign up and help where you can. (If your age-group is full and you want to contribute, you can absolutely sign-up in another age-group’s slot.)
Meet Reminders
Jobs - If you are working a meet job, please be sure to check in on time. If you don’t check in, we can’t mark you off for working the meet and we want you to get credit! Reminder, if you skip your meet job you will be fined $75.
Floaters – If you signed up to be a floater, please remember that you can asked to serve in any meet job role. You may be asked to be a timer, work the snack shack, etc. If you are a floater, please be sure you have child care/someone else to support your swimmer(s) during the meet.
Relays – 6U and 7/8 swimmer families: please be sure you swimmers knows if they are swimming in a relay. For the medley relay, please take them to the shepherding area before the team cheer.
Picture Day
Monday, June 5 – arrive between 8am and 10:30am. Please come at whatever time is best for you – but not everyone can come on the later side, so if you can come earlier please do so. (Even if you don’t want to order pictures, please bring your swimmer by to take their photo so it can be compiled into the team photo.) All the details:
-There is no prepay; instead, opt-In via text message prior to picture day: Text “2023RATS” to 90738
Once pictures are ready for ordering, you will receive the link and access code to order
-All orders are mailed directly to your home
-Opt-in via text to receive the ordering link and special promotions
-Show up with your team suit on, smile, and look fierce!
Buddy Day
Monday, June 5th at 11:00am
Our Buddy Reveal will happen right after picture day! If your swimmer signed up to be a buddy, they will find out who their buddy is! We will play team building games and have lots of fun! (If your swimmer can’t make this event and want to be a buddy, that is totally fine. We will post the buddy list and put your buddy’s sheet in your family folder.)
What’s a buddy? Buddies cheer for each other, write notes of encouragement, and bring each other little gifts or treats at meets. If you swimmers wants to be part of the buddy program (and we highly recommend that everyone participates), please have your swimmer fill out this form and hand it in to the Completed Buddy Form folder by May 31st. If your swimmer has a question about the buddy program, please tell them to chat with Coach Ari, Coach Sophia, and/or Coach Ava.
Lessons
Lessons are available! We post all the coach’s sign-up links on our website (click here); however, it is the coaches’ responsibility to update their sign-ups (usually on Sundays or Mondays), set prices, receive payment, etc.
We have a lot of swimmers on our team, so please be considerate when booking lessons. We don't want one swimmer having three lessons per week and another left with none.
Please note: Swimmers may only sign up for one lesson per week with Coach Nick. If you sign up for multiple lessons for one swimmer, the earlier lesson will stay on his schedule and the remainder for the week will be deleted.
Time Pop Program
You’ll notice Time Pop posters hanging on the fence at the pool. Each Friday at practice, coaches will recognize swimmers who “popped their time” during a meet (this means swam a best time for the season) by giving them one Time Pop bracelet and a star for each time popped. (If your swimmers isn’t on practice on Friday, the stars will be placed on the poster for them and the bracelet will go into your family folder.) Once a swimmer pops 15 times, they will earn a special reward!
County
Now that meets have begun, you may hear swimmers say that they “got county!” A County Time is established by the County Committee and achieving this time allows swimmers to enter the County Meet. These swimmers will receive a county cap and their name will go on the County banner. Read more about County here.
A note about relays: Throughout the season, relays may swim a county time – which is awesome! Being one of the swimmers in that relay, however, does not guarantee that swimmer a spot in the County relay. Swimmers who are placed on the County relay will receive County caps the first day of County practice.
Just like any other meet, relay teams are chosen by the coaches. Coaches look at records times, attitude and participation, starts/finishes, and team needs in order to determine who swims in relays. No swimmer is owed or guaranteed a relay spot.
Please note: The majority of swimmers do not make County and that is absolutely fine! Our goal is for our swimmers to work hard to beat their own times and to have a ton of fun along the way.
Coach Lunch
We have a great tradition of keeping our coaches at Rudgear fed! Please sign up here to bring our coaches lunch one day this summer. (We have EIGHT coaches this season, so we encourage you to team up with another family.)
Let’s Connect
Instagram: @rudgear_rats
Facebook: Click here to join our Facebook group
Let's make it a great week everyone and GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO RATS!!
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