Updated - I inadvertantly put Tuesday in instead of Wednesday, Dec 19th for next week's Team picture.  All other is correct.

December 12, 2012

  To:     All New Green Bay YMCA Swimmers & Parents

  From: Coach Dave - voice mail-436-9624

Email- [email protected]   team unify website - www.teamunify.com/wigbymca

 Re:      1)  DCY Jingle Bell Meet  2)  Team Caps   3)  Team Picture/Holiday Relays  4)  2013 Strong Kids Campaign/Swim-A-Long  5) Upcoming Events  6)  Assorted Notes

1)      Eighty one GBY Swimmers will participate in the DCY Jingle Bell meet this Saturday, December 15, at the Sturgeon Bay Y.  We have an assigned warm-up in Lanes 1-3, from 7:00-7:30am. Meet starts at 8:05am.  I sent a note to DCY today about the incorrect psych sheet.  I did have to remove relays because of a relay limit and removed all the relays at the end of the meet.  These still appeared in the psych sheet.  Hopefully this is corrected by the time they create a heat sheet. I am told that the heat sheet is going to be on DCY website.  I will post it on our website when it comes out.  Coach Kari and I will be at the meet all day.

2)      GBY Team caps both silicon and latex are available at the DT Y front desk.  I also carry a few extras along with me so a swimmer can get one at a meet if needed.  The personalized Silicon caps also have been ordered. I would hope they would be here by the end of the month. I will keep you posted. Now with that being said there is absolutely no reason for a GBY swimmer to wear the proper team cap at ALL SWIM MEETS.  Besides the traditional Blue and red caps, GBY swimmers may also wear either the  GBY Strong Kids Caps (green or yellow) and also the GBY Yellow and Green cap that has GBY in the football. You may also wear any of the above caps with State or National team on them also. BUT THAT IS IT for approved caps.  The Packer G is not approved. (Except possibly for the Titletown Freeze if we are playing in the playoffs  J) .  Otherwise only GBY caps listed above.  Thank you for supporting me in my efforts to have our swimmers compete 100% in GBY caps.  And to those few who choose not to wear a swim cap that is still always acceptable – a swim cap is not required – but a GBY cap is if you compete with a swim cap.

3)      We have scheduled a Team Picture on Wednesday, December 19, from 6-6:30pm in the DT Y Large Gym.  This will happen prior to the Holiday relays.  All team members should attend including our High School Boys swimmers. All swimmers should wear the team suit or a dark one colored tech suit.  Information about ordering the picture will be on the website later.  Paul Manke will be shooting the picture. 

Immediately following the team picture we will have our annual Holiday Relays in the pool beginning at 6:30pm.  All GBY swimmers should participate.  There is no sign-up for the relays. Please just be on the pool deck at 6:30pm ready to set-up, make up teams and run the relays.

4)      We are quickly moving towards 2013. That means that the Green Bay Y Strong Kids campaign will be beginning soon.  A couple important dates to remember.  Wednesday, February 6, will be the Downtown Y Community Kick-off, and Calling Night.  I have already secured some volunteers to help make phone calls but can use more.  Please contact me and I will be glad to go over the Strong Kids calling night and how you can get involved.  I will also ask our Gold Swimmers to Volunteer for the calling night too.  2^nd, Wednesday, February 20, will be our GBY Swim Team Strong Kids Swim-A-Long. This will happen during Gold practice from 4-6pm at SWHS, and for Bronze and Silver from 6:30-8pm at the DT Y.  All swimmers will receive a pledge envelope to go out and ask family, friends and neighbors to make a pledge to the Green Bay Y Strong Kids campaign.  Swimmers are perfect representatives of the YMCA because they can tell all their potential donors about their involvement on the GBY Swim Team and other programs that they participate in at the Y.  Swimmers can either get  pledges based on laps swam during the Swim-A-Long or just donations to the Strong Kids Campaign.  This will be our third year with this great event. We raised over $6000 the first year, and over $8000 from last year’s Swim-A-Long.  The YMCA and I appreciate everyone’s support and help with the Strong Kids campaign.  Last year the Green Bay gave over One Million dollars in scholarship and subsidies for Green Bay Y Membership and programs. Strong Kids allows the Green Bay Y to make membership and programs available to all members of our community. Again if you have questions regarding Strong Kids please contact me.

5)      Upcoming Dates (Team events and meets)

Saturday, December 15                      DCY Jingle Bell Meet, Sturgeon Bay Y, (see website)

Wednesday, December 19                 Team Picture (DT Y Large Gym, 6-6:30pm followed by the Holiday Relays, DT Y, 6:30-8:30pm, (All GBY swimmers should participate)

Thursday, December 27                     Team Bowling Party, Pro Bowl, Howard (check website for more info and sign-up)

Saturday-Sunday, January 5-6            Oshkosh Mid-Winter Invite, Oshkosh Y

Saturday, January 12                          DCY Hawaiian Meet, Sturgeon Bay Y

Friday-Sunday, January 18-20             GBY Titletown Freeze, Downtown Y Pool

Wednesday, February 6                      Downtown Y Strong Kids Community Kick-off & Calling night, Downtown Y

Wednesday, February 20                    GBY Swim Team Strong Kids Swim-A-Long, 4-6pm SWHS, and 6:30-8:00pm DT Y.  Pledge envelopes will be passed out around the first of the year

6)      Assorted Notes

·         There will be Friday afternoon practice but no Saturday practice this week due to the DCY swim meet.

·         Bowling party sign-up closes on Sunday night, December 23.  All GBY swimmers and families are welcome to attend and participate. Sign-up and more information is on the website.

·         The Holiday practice schedule is now on the team calendar. All Gold workouts are schedule in the mornings from 7:30-9:30am at the DT Y. Please check the calendar for all workout times.

·         Parent Group committee meetings have been moved to the first Mondays of the Month. Next meeting is Monday, January 7, 2012.

·         GBY swim families have the opportunity to participate in a scrip program to help raise monies for your escrow accounts.  A power point presentation is posted on the website (under documents tab) to explain the whole program and to allow you to get involved with the Scrip program.  Thank you to the GBY Gymnastics Team for allowing us to join in with their program.

·         We have scheduled our annual awards banquet for Friday, May 10, at the Riverside Ballroom.  Please get this on your calendars right away.  We will do a sign-up for this on the website.

·         Please make sure that you are keeping up with entry deadlines, etc.  Many meets are already opened for January and February meets.  Please check the team events regularly for all team activities.  The Titletown Freeze entry and job sign-up are also open for sign-ups.  Not sure when I will receive the info for the January DCY meet but will ask about it this weekend. I will get that on the sight as soon as I have the stuff.

·         Please ensure that you have monies in your escrow account to cover all upcoming swim meets.  Thank you for taking care of this ahead of the charges.

·         A reminder that all GBY swimmers ages 8&over must scan their membership upon entry to all Green Bay YMCA’s.  If you need a new card stop at the front desk and have them make you a new one.  It is very time consuming especially during the rush around team practices to have to stop and type in your information manually to make sure you are a member. Thank you for taking care of this matter.

·         It is winter time.  Please make sure that all swimmers dress properly for the weather.  I expect all swimmers to have on and zipped up a winter coat as well as wearing hat on your wet heads when you leave practices.  A sick swimmer does no one any good. 

·         REMINDER - All swimmers should be showering before using any pool for practices.  This can be a big help with the air quality.  Thank you for doing this.