Good Evening Stingray Parents!

It was an absolutely fantastic hot afternoon for the kids to have their first practice. The first day is always full of excitement, and our swimmers did a great job settling in and completing a few laps. Our coaches did a wonderful job keeping them focused and on track.

I could feel the disappointment when it was time to rotate groups, but that lasted about 15 seconds once they received their brand new water bottles courtesy of Blue-Haven Pools and Spas! If your swimmer missed practice today, they’ll receive one soon.

As we welcome many new families this year, we want to share a few important practice-time protocols that have worked really well for our program. We appreciate everyone’s help in following these so we can make the most of our limited practice time.

1. Parents are not allowed on the swim deck while practice is in session. We’ve found over the years that parents on the deck can be distracting for the swimmers. With only 45 minutes per group and a coach-to-swimmer ratio of about 9:1 for the younger kids, we ask that everyone please watch from the designated areas:
   • Tables to the left of the shower area
   • Tables next to the pavilion
   • The entire pavilion
   • The second row of deck chairs along the baby pool fence

   Please note: Parents are not allowed in the new covered section behind the swim blocks.

2. Once your swimmer finishes practice, they need to clear the deck promptly for the next age group.
3. Swimmers are expected to practice with their assigned age group (unless previous arrangements have been made with the board).
4. The baby pool is closed to all during all swim team practices and meets.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation — it makes a big difference in creating a focused, safe, and fun environment for the kids!

-Oz