Stingrays, congratulations on some fine teamwork at our meet against Cy-Mills.  I’m thankful for great participation and enthusiasm.  Did you know that out of our 176 members, 163 competed in the meet this Saturday?  That is 92% and shows what we can do when we put the team first.  I would love to see us continue to show up and dominate in our next meet, which is at Oak Ridge near the Woodlands this Saturday.  Please see new meet sign-up instructions below and Summer Thunder info at bottom of this email.  And please plan travel time well for Saturday so that we can be warmed up and man our relays effectively.  If you say you're going to be there, I expect you to be there on time.

This week at Stingrays we’re going to focus on improving our worst stroke.  Often ignored entirely, there are often small changes in technique in a least favorite stroke that can make a big improvement in a short period of time.  I call this “low hanging fruit.”  This is our only out of division meet, so it is a perfect time to work on this and then get some immediate feedback at our meet on Saturday.  Funny how our least favorite stroke can change priority once a swimmer has some success in it.  Each day’s focus is:

Small on the walls (Tuesday).

IM Transitions (Wednesday).

Freestyle and early catch (Thursday).

Sprint breakouts and finishes (Friday).

If you miss a day, you miss a lot! 

Oak Ridge Away Meet on Saturday.  New and for this meet only, please sign up your swimmer for 3 events, as follows: 

6 & Under:  still 25 Fr/25 Bk.  If your swimmer knows Br or Fly and you want them in a new event at the meet this Saturday, please notify me via email. A parent can only sign up for an event that the swimmer has done a time trial for.  I can do a time trial this week if notified early in the week.

7/8:  Please sign up your child for an event you want to see them in, an event they want to swim, AND their worst stroke.  3 events.  If there is a stroke they have not yet swum at a meet, this is the time. 

9/10:  Please sign up your child for at least one event they have not swum yet in a meet.  For many this will be the 100 IM or the 50 Fr.  Also sign up for a 25 in their worst stroke (or any 25 they haven’t swum yet).  Finally, choose an event they really want to swim.

11/Up:  Pick an event not yet swum in a meet (100 IM?  100 Fr?) and a “least favorite stroke” 50.  Also an event you really want to swim!

Keep in mind, I really want everyone to come swim this weekend.  If they would rather not swim at all than swim a least favorite event, I would rather they come and swim the same old events over and over.  But this is our opportunity to get a new time and find out what we’ve learned since time trials.  Take advantage of it if you can.  The other team will likely be doing the same, since it is their out of division meet as well.

Summer Thunder:  This is the only invitational meet our team will be participating in mid-season.  There are qualifying times, but the majority of our team qualifies, which is the reason the board and I have chosen this meet over Pentathlon.  Swimmers simply get too tired (and have a mediocre finish to their season) if they swim in more than one invitational.  This meet is scheduled for June 5 and 6 at Klein H.S., but you must sign up by this Friday if you plan to participate.  If a swimmer qualifies on Saturday for the meet or for an event, they may see me during the meet Saturday and be added in. Summer Thunder should be open for declaration by this afternoon.

Goal Sheets:  Thank you for so many turned in.  We’ll be using them this week.  I love knowing more about your swimmer!

Equipment we’ll be using:  Fins (all week) and Paddles (all week).  It’s best to have all equipment every day this week.

See you at the pool!

Coach Elise