January 30, 2013

  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)  Weather cancellations  2)  SST A+  3)  Yooper Invite  4) Titletown Freeze Pictures and Team Pictures  5)  For Sale Board  6)  Strong Kids Community Calling Night and Swim Team Swim-a-long  7) Upcoming Dates  8)  Assorted Notes

1)      With Winter upon us.  Just some reminders -- I will send out news updates regarding weather cancellations as soon as I can.  Thus if you have not heard anything then either have I.   Early AM practices like this morning will be posted by 4:50am.  If the weather looks iffy check the website.  Your best bet is to add your cell phone numbers to your account page. Then these quick announcements will go right to your phone.  As I write this newsletter the Y’s in Green Bay are still open.  We are planning to stay open.  The Y’s will always try to remain open and if they do we will continue to run programs such as swim team practices.   A note has already been sent out about practice being cancelled this afternoon for Gold at SWHS. SWHS practice was cancelled due to Green Bay Public schools cancelling after school events.  If the Y remains open Gold swimmers are welcome to attend the late practice tonight with Silver from 7:30-9:00pm.  I will plan to be there myself.

2)      Please check the Schroeder website for all information regarding the meet. They have posted a psych sheet, and timeline.  They also will post heat sheets which you will need to print yourselves. Friday warm-ups are 4:30pm, Saturday AM warm-ups at 6:45am.  Saturday PM warm-ups at Noon. Saturday evening finals warm-ups at 5pm. Sunday AM warm-ups at 8:00am, and Sunday PM warm-ups at 11:30am.  Please arrive early for all warm-up sessions.  I will be at the meet all weekend.

3)      Sixteen GBY swimmers are attending the Yooper Invite in Escanaba, MI.  Coach Kris will coach this meet.  Warm-ups are at 7:45am  EST which means 6:45am our time.  Meet starts at 9:30am.  Map for this meet is on the website.

4)      Paul Manke is going to deliver both the Titletown Picture discs and team pictures possibly today.  I may leave these at the front desk for pick-up for a few days.  I will send out an announcement when these pictures are available for pick-up.

5)      There is, now, a "for sale" space on the swim teams large bulletin board, in the main hall, at the downtown YMCA.  This is a place where you can advertise your gently used, high quality, swim wear/gear that you would like to sell. (e.g. tech suits, practice suits, fins etc.) This is an opportunity for you to advertise high quality items that your swimmer is no longer using.  It may also provide another swimmer a chance to have gear they may not otherwise have the opportunity to own.

If you have items to sell, place a brief description of the item(s), a photo of the item,and your

contact information in the "For Sale" area on the board. After 2 weeks, please remove your posting  so others have an opportunity. Thank you.

If you have questions, please email Robin at [email protected]

6)      The Strong Kids campaign is quickly coming up. Our DT Y Community Calling Night will be held Wednesday, February 6, at the DT Y.  Our Swim Team Swim-A-Long will be held on Wednesday, February 20. Gold will swim during their practice time from 4-6pm at SWHS. And both the Bronze and Silver will swim from 6:30-8:00pm at the DT Y.  Pledge envelopes have been passed out to most of our swimmers.  Information regarding the Swim-a-long is on the website. Simply, all swimmers should ask friends, family and neighbors to make a pledge to the YMCA Strong Kids.  They may pledge an amount for each lap you are assigned to swim or can just make a donation to the Green Bay Y Strong Kids campaign.  Swimmers are encouraged to tell of their YMCA/Swim Team experiences while asking for pledges.  Again the top 5 fundraisers will receive Speedo back-packs.  All GBY swimmers will receive a GBY Strong Kids swim cap for their participation.  Thank you to everyone for their help and participation in the Green Bay YMCA Strong Kids campaign.

A special note regarding the Community calling night next Wednesday night, February 6, DT Y.  I could use a few more Older swimmers to help in our skit which will happen at 5:30pm.  I will make this announcement at Gold practices and try to get a few more volunteers.  We will offer you dinner. (Subway and snacks).  For our community team callers we will have a limited amount of cell phones and telephones.  Please if you can bring along your cell phone to make your calls.  Due to the calling night next Wednesday there will be no Gold practice at SWHS but Gold swimmers are invited to attend with the Silver from 7:30-9:00pm at the DT Y.  All

1)      Upcoming Dates (Team events and meets)

Friday-Sunday, February 1-3               Schroeder A+, Schroeder Aquatic Center

February 2                                           Yooper Y Invite, Escanaba, MI

Wednesday, February 6                      Downtown Y Strong Kids Community Kick-off & Calling night, Downtown Y – No Gold practice at SWHS

Thursday-Sunday, February 7-10        Oshkosh Y/FCY Winter Meet, Oshkosh Y

Friday-Sunday, February 15-17           USA Regional, Fond Du Lac Aquatic Center

Wednesday, February 20                    GBY Swim Team Strong Kids Swim-A-Long, 4-6pm SWHS, and 6:30-8:00pm DT Y

Friday-Sunday, February 22-24           12&under USA State, UW-Madison Natatorium

Thursday-Sunday, Feb 23-March 3     13&over USA State, Schroeder Aquatic Center

Saturday & Sunday, March 3f             FCY Everybody Wins Meet, Saturday only, Appleton Y

Sunday, March 10                               OSHY Last Chance Meet, Oshkosh Y

Friday-Sunday, March 15-17               Y State Meet, Schroeder Aquatic Center

Wednesday-Saturday, April 3-6          Y Nationals, Greensboro Aquatic Center

2)      Assorted Notes

·        There will NO Friday afternoon and Saturday AM practice this week. Coach Bill will be running Friday afternoon practices on both Friday, February 8, and 22. There will be no other Friday or Saturday practices except for the two listed above.  The only Friday workout in March will be on March 8.

·        Wednesday & Friday AM practices have begun. These are held at the BV Y from 5:30-7:00am. Gold I and Invited Gold II swimmers may attend.  To plan ahead there will be no Friday AM this Friday, February 1 due to the A+ meet.

·        There will be no Gold Dry land workouts for the next three Thursdays, January 24, 31, and February 7. 

·        Due to the Strong Kids Calling Night on Wednesday February 6, there will be no Gold practice at SWHS. Gold swimmers are welcome to come with the Silver team at the DT Y that evening from 7:30-9:00pm.

·        Just a reminder about weather cancellations.  Unless the Y closes we will still plan to run practices for the team.  If we do close the Y or have to cancel practices I will send a note out through the web site ASAP.  Do remember that you may add additional e-mail addresses and phone numbers on your account page to receive the notes I send out through the web site.

·        Parent Group committee meetings have been moved to the first Mondays of the Month. Next meeting is Monday February 4, 2013.

·        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.

·        Our graduating High School Seniors are also in need of pictures for their presentations at the Award Banquet.  Please put all pictures on a disc or flash drive and drop off to Coach Dave. I am storing pictures for them on our computer.  Any pictures are welcome and we encourage parents to take pictures at meets for the graduating Seniors.  Thank you!

·        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. 

·        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. Remember that a negative number is really a positive balance for your account. While an amount without a negative is what you are behind in payment to the YMCA.  Escrow payments can be made at the DT Y front desk. By either stopping in and making a payment or by calling in and making a credit card payment over the phone.

·        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.

·        Remember to always check the awards box when at the DT Y. This is located on the bench in the corner underneath our bulletin board.