MAY 2005 Newsletter
Welcome to our new Coach Coach Keric Allen will be our Head Coach this season. Brain and Chaz are transferring this summer and have left us in good hands. Mock Meet
The mock meet is Thursday, MAY 26th. Please be there by 5 PM as we plan to take the team picture. We will be looking for eager workers to jump in and learn their positions. Practices With the unexpected closing of the pool please be sure to encourage your swimmers to attend as many sessions as possible.
Team T-shirts and Caps
If you would like to order a Gators T-Shirt, see Julie, she will be taking orders soon. If you would like to purchase a CGST silicone swim cap, they are $10 each. If you were unable to order a team swimsuit at registration, you need to place an order at Swim N Stuff. 3761 Government Blvd, Suite E-1, Mobile, phone: 662-1178 (just west of I-65) Make sure they know it is for the Coast Guard Gators to receive the team discount. Web Site Be sure to add www.geocities.com/cggators to your favorites list. The site will have the monthly calendars and other useful information posted there. Once the meets begin, you should also be able to check results on the website.
Parent’s Meeting Highlights
Thanks to all the parents who attended the meeting Saturday. Some of the discussion included:
There is a Lost-N-Found box in the swim team room. Be sure to check at practice for those missing goggles or towels. Once the pool season opens, your child must have a pool pass (or pay per use) to swim before or after practice. Parents are asked to donate candy treats to be handed out after practice. No gum or chocolate please! Parents were reminded to stay off the pool deck during practice – it is distracting to the swimmers and the coaches. Remember to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to all swim meets. On rainy days, practice will still be held unless you are notified otherwise. If there is just rain, practice will continue in the pool. If there are occasions of thunder and lightening we will cancel or delay practice. PLEASE when asked, sign up prior to the first meet to help in whatever capacity you can. It takes a lot of workers to make a swim meet happen. To help keep the registration costs down, there will be several fundraising activities. The concession stand operates only at home meets. Any donations are appreciated. We will be having our swim-a-thon June 11th; this is where the swimmers take pledges for how many laps they swim. This is great fundraiser for the team. Lastly, be on the lookout in June for information on how to purchase a “Good-Luck” ad in the heat sheets for the Junior Championship and City Meets. The team receives the proceeds from those ads.
Pool Up-Keep
The CG Gators are very fortunate to be allowed to use the ATC pool for our practices and meets. The swim team is not a part of the ATC Morale office. Since they graciously allow us to use the pool, it is so important that we leave the pool deck and surrounding grounds clean when we leave. So please be sure you and your family pick up your trash and help us to keep the pool area as “sparkling clean” as possible!
Swim Meets
The production of a home swim meet is an “all hands evolution”. We’ll need all available parents to pitch in to get the equipment set up, to fill the variety of jobs required during the meet. Then it is critical that we have parents stay to help tear everything down and pick-up trash when it is all over. Too many meets end up with the same group of parents helping at the end. Please stay to help – and then join the big group headed out to eat after we are all done!
It takes a large group of volunteers to run the meets. How many?? Well …
Meet Jobs People Needed
Set up/tear down 6-8 Announcer/starter 1-2 Clerk of Course 1-2 Runners 1-2 Scorers 3 Ribbon winners 2-3 Sweep judges 2 Stroke and turn judges 2 Head timer 1 Lane timers 6-8 Concessions stand 4-5
As you can see, it takes a bunch of workers to pull off a successful home meet. Find your niche and help us out!! See any Board of Directors member to volunteer!
General Rules
Swim suits: All team swimmers should have an official blue “Gators” swimsuit. If you did not order one at registration, please contact Swim N Stuff. 3761 Government Blvd, Suite E-1, Mobile, phone: 662-1178 (just west of I-65) Make sure they know it is for the Coast Guard Gators
Swim caps: Children with long hair are strongly encouraged to wear swim caps at all meets (some pools will require them for all swimmers). Most children prefer the silicone caps since they are easier to get on and off than the latex ones. You can purchase a cap through the team.
Smoking/drinking: PLEASE DON’T in front of the kids … we want to encourage a positive, healthy athletic environment.
Show time for meets: It is important that the kids get to the meets (both home and away) as early as possible so they will have a chance to warm up and get familiar with the pool and meet lay-out before the meet actually starts. You need to arrive NO LATER than 30 minutes before meet time.
Meet fees: Your registration covers the cost of your child swimming in all team meets. This includes the Junior Championship and the City Meet. These meets cost the team $5-6 per child – per event!! Please do not sign your child up for these events and not show up. The team is trying to keep costs as low as possible, and paying for events for no-shows puts a serious strain on the budget.
Board of Directors
The CGST 2005 Board of Directors are:
President: Bill Spidle Vice-President: Thomas McCormick Secretary: Shinta Stanly Treasurer: Julie Plagge Coordinator: Jeff Rensink
The Directors are elected at the end of the previous season by the parents of CGST. They volunteer their time and want to act in the best interest of the team. If there is something that you think could be done better this year, please tell us about it … we work for you (and your kids!)