States Warmup Times

Warmup times for States, August 3rd and 4th at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center

 

Saturday Morning: 8:20 arrival, meet starts at 9am

Saturday Afternoon: 12:50 arrival, meet starts at 1:30pm

Sunday Morning: 8:00 arrival, meet starts at 9am

Sunday Lunch session (200 Frees only): 11:00 arrival

Sunday Afternoon: 12:45 arrival, meet starts at 1:45

 

Looking forward to a great meet! 

 

END OF SEASON PICNIC

Hi WST,

Next Tuesday is our annual Swim Team Picnic!  This event is open to all swimmers and their families, and we’re very excited to have everyone come join us for a night of yummy food and awesome fun!  The Picnic will start at 5:00 PM, and the Rec will have paper products available in addition to providing drinks.  However, the event will also be potluck, so we’re asking families with the last name A-P to bring a main dish and Q-Z to bring an appetizer or dessert.

We will still have normal practice next week and these practices are open to all swimmers, regardless of whether or not they are attending states!

Happy Swimming,

Maddie and Sam

Leagues and Next Week

 Hello WST, 

Leagues

This weekend we have the Southern Vermont Swim League Meet at Rutland!  In order to be entered into this meet, parents must pay the $10 fee by 12:00 PM Thursday at the latest.  If money is not in and parents have not emailed Maddie or Sam specifically about it, swimmers will not be entered.  If you enter your swimmer but do not show up on Saturday you will be billed by the Rec Center for the additional $10 of the full entry fee.  10 and Unders will need to arrive by 7:00 AM, and we will let you know about 11 and Overs when we find out.  Directions can be found at svslvt.org.

At Leagues this weekend the concession stand will also sell T-Shirts.  Short sleeves will be $10 and long sleeves will be $15.  You can see the design below.

Next Week

We will have practice next week, however the emphasis will be on preparing swimmers for the State Meet on August 3-4.  Swimmers not attending States are still welcome to attend, practice will just have a slightly narrower focus.

Next Tuesday is our Swim Team Picnic!  The picnic is open to all swimmers and their families.  This event is a potluck, so we will send out further information about which families need to bring which types of food.  We hope to see everyone come out and enjoy a night of swimming, food, and fun!

We found a pair of glasses on deck after the UVAC meet; if you’re missing your pair and think they might be yours, let us know!

Happy Swimming,

Sam and Maddie

Health and Safety Update: Ears, Eyes and Skin

As everyone heads to the lakes and rivers, don't forget to take care of your ears! The bacterial counts in fresh water is higher than our chlorinated pool, and every year we have at least a handful of swimmers who end up with the painful condition. After lake or river swimming, a little water can get trapped in the ear, and it is a perfect environment for bacterial growth.

If your child is complaining of an ear ache, and he or she says it hurts when you tug on the earlobe or press on the tragus (that funny bump on the ear), it is a good idea to get your kiddo to the doctor for a check. Ask your pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns.

For a simple and cheap preventative solution, please click the Mayo Clinic link provided for information about how to prevent Swimmer's ear.

SWIMMER'S EAR Prevention Info

Also, please take care of your eyes and body by keeping your equipment and body clean. Try to shower soon after an open water swim and be sure to change or clean your contacts after open water swimming. Barbara Hummel, head coach of the UV Rays, also recommends swabbing your goggles with a Q-Tip and some anti-bacterial soap to prevent eye infections.

When entering the water, don't forget to check for plants such as poison ivy, poison parsnip or giant hogweed. All of those plants can create havoc on an otherwise great summer day! Poison parsnip and giant hogweed are sun-reactive, and the sap can create chemical burns on the skin when exposed to UV rays.

We want everyone to have as much time on swim team as possible, and we hope this helps keep our swimmers as healthy and as safe as possible!

Happy swimming!
Nicola

On the Horizon

Hi WST,

Believe it or not, it's already time to start thinking about Leagues and States!  For those of you who are new to the team, this post will give some preliminary information about what to expect. 

 

Leagues: Saturday July 28th at Rutland

This is a meet for all swimmers with all of the teams in the Southern Vermont Swim League.  10&under swimmers will compete in the morning and 11&over swimmers will compete in the afternoon.  We do not have specific warmup and start times yet, but we will let you know as soon as we do.

 

States: August 3rd and 4th at UVAC

This is the final meet of the season and is open only to those swimmers who have qualified.  Qualifying times are posted on the bulletin board and are available here: http://www.vtswim.org./2013_VSAMeet/VSA_13_Events_List_and_Time_Stds.pdf. 

Each day there is a morning and afternoon session, and, like usual, 10&unders swim in the mornings and 11&overs swim in the afternoon.  Swimmers can qualify up through Leagues.  In order to be eligible, swimmers must have competed in a total of THREE meets prior to States.  We will soon be emailing about eligibility.

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have questions about either of these two meets!

Happy Swimming,

Maddie and Sam

Update 7/15/13

Hi WST,

Hope you've all recovered from last week and are ready to take on another!  Tomorrow we have a meet at Rockingham.  Swimmers should arrive between 4:45 – 5:00 pm.  Directions can be found here: svslvt.org.  Because it's an away meet, we WILL NOT have afternoon practice tomorrow. 

Our annual Distance Swim will take place this Friday at Silver Lake.  This is open to swimmers 13 years and over.  We will be handing out permission slips with much more information!  We also need at least one adult to accompany us in a canoe/kayak; if you're interested please let us know!

Just a reminder for parents: as the weather stays hot, make sure swimmers bring water with them to practice.  Dehydration is nothing to mess with and we want to make sure all our swimmers are safe.

HUGE thanks to Steve Hiller who was able to secure for us a big batch of new pull buoys, kickboards, and swimming fins.  This new equipment will increase our ability to effectively teach all our Swim Team skills.  Thanks again Steve!  And thanks to everyone who donated time, money, and supplies for the Pancake Brunch.  The money raised will allow us to purchase even more equipment for our swimmers!  

Happy Swimming,

Maddie, Nicola, and Sam

RESULTS- What do all those things mean, anyway?

A small x before a swimmer's name means he or she does not score points for the team because we are only allowed two point-earners per event in dual meets, but the swimmer still earns an award for his or her place. 

A large X next to the name means the swim was an exhibition swim (not usual for most swimmers). Exhibition swims count only in the fact that they are offical times for the swimmers, but they do not count toward the overall score or for placing. 

Disqualifications (usually for a stroke infraction such as finishing on the stomach in backstroke) will show as "DQ" in the results.

Final score is the accumulation of points. In case you didn't know, WST has won both of the dual meets this season! Congratulations!

PANCAKE FOOD DONATIONS-FULFILLED!

Thanks to your generosity, we have all the food supplies we need to cook and feed the team on Friday. Please be sure to RSVP by email, blog or bulletin board, so we can prepare for the number of people who wish to eat!

Updates, Updates, Updates! 7/8/13

Meets

Rutland comes to town tomorrow for our first home meet of the season.  Swimmers need to arrive by 3:45 to prepare for warmups and parents are asked to provide a deliciously healthy snack to sell at the concession stand during the meet.

If you're still not signed up for the make-up meet on Thursday please stop by the bulletin board or email the coaches before practice on Wednesday.

If you're planning on signing up for Rutland Sprints that must be done soon, and the $8 must be paid before swimmers can be entered.  Money and signups must be done through the upstairs office before afternoon practice on Thursday.  Warmups will be between 7:30 - 9:00 AM.

Pictures On Wednesday!

Bring your team bathing suits and bring your smiles for pictures on Wednesday at 12:45.  Older Swimmers who attend the 1:00-2:00 practice will want to arrive a little before 12:45 to ensure they're prepared to promptly take pictures and start practice.

Pancakes

Meet Week! July 8th-July 13th

WST v Rutland, Tuesday, July 9th at HOME
WST v UVAC rescheduled for Thursday, July 11th at HOME

For Tuesday's and Thursday's home meets, please be sure swimmers arrive to WRC by 3:45 in time for 4pm warm-ups. Swim practices will be offered at the regular times on both days.

Rutland Sprints Invitational meet on Saturday, July 13th at White's Pool in Rutland
More information to follow.

Pancake Brunch July 12th from 12-2pm

Our 2013 Annual Pancake Brunch is Friday, July 12th.

All WST swimmers and families are invited to attend our Annual Pancake Brunch from 12-2pm on Friday the 12th. Brunch will be served starting at 12:00pm.

The donations raised during our Pancake Brunch will go directly to the WST program, including helping us purchase new equipment for the swim team, including kick boards, pull buoys and training fins. With your support, we can ensure a high quality swim program that remains both accessible and affordable for our community.

2013 Menu:

3 Buttermilk Pancakes and juice- $3.00

3 Chocolate Chip Pancakes and juice-$4.00
4 Pancakes and juice-$5.00

We are also hoping for donations of the following items:

• 20 boxes of buttermilk pancake mix (just add water)
• 12 sticks of butter
• 2 cans of non-stick spray
• 10 large bottles/cartons of juice
• Maple syrup
• Your time (1-2 hours, 2-4 volunteers)

If you can donate any portion of these items or if you would like to assist on the day, please post a comment below by Wednesday, July 10th! This way others can see what has already been offered.

Thanks in advance to Amy Martsolf and Teresa Tan for offering to donate the chocolate chip pancake supplies and for help with flipping and consulting!

Please RSVP by July 10th

with the number of people in your group.

There will be a sign-up sheet on the WST Bulletin Board or you can post a comment here or email us at wstcoaches@gmail.com

Team Photos Wednesday, July 10th

Swimmers are encouraged to wear a team suit if they have one.

 

Schedule:

12-12:45 10 and Unders swim practice

12:45-1:15 Team Photos, all WST swimmers should attend

1:15-2:00 11 and Overs swim practice

7/1/13 Update

Hello WST Families,

Tomorrow we will be heading over the mountain to swim against the Killington Sharks.  We’re asking that swimmers arrive at 4:15 in order to prepare for warm-ups.  Since this is an away meet, we will not be having any afternoon practice.  If you’re looking for directions they can be found on the SVSL website.

In addition, there will be no practice Thursday July 4 or Friday July 5.  We hope everybody enjoys the Fourth of July Weekend!

There are a few upcoming dates that families ought to keep on their radar.  Next week we have a home meet against Rutland on July 9, a home meet against UVAC on July 11, the pancake breakfast on July 12, and Rutland Sprints on July 13.  Swimmers are expected to arrive by 3:45 for all home meets, and just to remind parents: every swimmer who is attending the UVAC make-up meet must be signed up on the bulletin board or via email.  The Pancake Breakfast will most likely be during the 12-2 time slot on that Friday, and we’ll provide further information on that event later this week.  Right now there’s a sign up sheet on the bulletin board so we know how many attendees to expect (siblings and parents are welcome!).  This year it is a fundraiser for our team, so there will be a small, expected donation of $3-4 per attendee.

One final note: as we continue to swim and as swimmers continue to earn ribbons, those ribbons will be placed in the ribbon box outside the guard office!

Happy Swimming,

Maddie, Sam, and Nicola

June 27 Update

Hello WST Swimmers and Families,

We’ve had a wet and thunderous last few days, but we’re crossing our fingers for blue skies and sunshine the rest of the summer!  Thanks so much for everyone who came prepared and ready to help out on Tuesday: it was a great practice run.  We have rescheduled the meet for July 11 and we hope the delay won’t dampen the fervor!  There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board to re-enter swimmers for the meet.  Because we didn’t actually start the meet, swimmers who were not originally entered are now eligible.  However, we don’t want to assume previously entered swimmers are still available to swim so please sign up each attending swimmer.

This Sunday is the Icebreaker Invitational in Springfield.  The first session of warmups runs from 8:00-9:30 and afternoon session of warmups run from 12:00-1:30.  We do not yet know which particular slot we’ll have, so be on the lookout for an email with specific times.  For those attending, here is a link to directions on the SVSL website: http://svslvt.org/Directions/CRVSSpringfield%20Directions.html

In the future, directions to all SVSL pool locations can be found here.

Suits are now in for those who ordered them.  A number of people picked up their suits before the meet but if you have not, talk to the coaches and they will get you your new suit!

Our first week has been excellent and we are excited for what the season holds.  We have 99 registered swimmers after one week, marking the largest WST team in recent memory!  Even though there’s quite a few of them, the kids of all been exceptional and if our drill-meet on Tuesday is any indication it seems that parents are also going to be great about stepping up to the plate this season.

Please continue to let us know if and when questions arise, we’ll be happy to respond to any queries!

Happy Swimming,

Maddie, Sam, and Nicola

UVAC Meet Rescheduled

We wanted to clarify that the UVAC meet is NOT rescheduled for tomorrow, Thursday the 27th.  We will have it in mid July and will get you a date soon.

WST Coaches

Home Meet on Tuesday 6/25

Hello all!  As you probably know, we have our FIRST MEET at home on Tuesday (6/25).  We are excited to have many swimmers participating.  Here is some important information.

Where: Woodstock Rec Pool
When: Swimmers arrive at 3:45pm for warmup; the meet starts at 5pm

1.  Things to bring: suit/cap/goggles, healthy snacks, warm clothes, and WATER!

2.  Please plan on staying through the very end of the meet.  Many swimmers are in relays, and they may not know before the meet starts if they are entered in one.  When one swimmer in a relay leaves before the end, we end up having to scratch relays and other swimmers cannot swim either.  If you are planning to leave early, please check with a coach as early as possible.

3.  Please check in with Tammy, our volunteer coordinator, upon arriving to the meet, to let her know you're there and ready to help out. 

4.  We have a concession stand during home meets where the Rec cooks some food, such as hotdogs and hamburgers.  However, we ask that all parents also bring a small donation to the concession stand.  Ideally, donations consist of healthy snacks such as fruit, granola bars, home made goodies, etc., but anything you can do is great!

5.  We see meets as just another way to keep practicing what we've been doing in practice.  Meets are fun and no-pressure, and we encourage swimmers to cheer on their friends and teammates!

We are looking forward to seeing you all at practice on Monday and at the meet on Tuesday!
 

First Day Is Coming Up!

Congrats to all the area graduates from Pre-K on up. You are on to new and exciting ventures this summer and beyond.

Our first day of WST practice is Wednesday, June 19th. The WST coaches Maddie, Sam, Nicola and Megan are so excited for the 2013 season, and we are frantically gearing up for next week.

Speaking of gearing up, thanks to Tammy Meyers and Jo MacMaster for sharing the Volunteer Coordinator responsibilities. They are already off to a great start, but they need your help with the paperwork, so please return all your forms ASAP. Thanks!

New and returning coaches or anyone interested in volunteer coaching: There is a training session on Tuesday the 18th from 7:15-8:15pm at the WRC pool. Please come. Bring a pen and a bathing suit!

First Stroke and Turn Clinic for Volunteer Officials: 
Wednesday, June 19th
Rutland's Godnick Adult Center
6:30 pm

Too old for WST? Try UV Rays!

This is the second year WRC Executive Director Gail Devine has graciously arranged lane space to enable us to host Masters swimming at the WRC. In collaboration with WRC and UVAC, Head Coach Barbara Hummel and Assistant Coach Nicola Smith will lead morning practices; look for one or both of us at the Rec from 7-8am, Monday through Thursday. Appropriate for various levels including those looking to train for fitness, for triathlon skills or for technical instruction. WRC pool pass and UV Rays membership required. While we are not a learn-to-swim program, we can accommodate a range of abilities. Please contact Nicola or Head Coach Barbara Hummel for more information.

UV Rays Team Site

Icebreaker Meet on June 30th

Where: Springfield.  Directions can be found here: http://svslvt.org/Directions/CRVSSpringfield%20Directions.html.

When: June 30th
Morning session: 10&unders
      Warmup: 8:00am
      Start: 9:30am
Afternoon session: 11&overs
     Warmup: 1:00pm
     Start: 2:20pm
(These warm-up times are approximate and we will be more specific as we get closer to the date)


--For those of you training to be Stroke and Turn officials, there will be a clinic offered at 8am right before this meet if this one works best with your schedule. 

--The fee is $10 per swimmer for this invitational, which can be dropped off at the front desk at the Rec or given to a coach.  If you leave it at the Rec, please make sure you also tell them your name and what the money is for.  We cannot enter swimmers without first receiving the entry fee. 

Important Registration Information

As you register for swim team, please be sure to collect and fill out the three forms needed to ensure your swimmer is fully registered. Your swimmer is not on our official roster unless all forms are complete. Once you have completed the forms, please submit them to the WRC main office.

1) A two-page WRC registration and release form
2) Meet Sign Up Sheet
3) Volunteer Sign Up Sheet

All forms are available at the Rec center. Thanks!

Morning Practice Change and Registration Night

June is here and summer is just around the corner. And that means it's almost summer swim season!

Don't forget, WST Registration Night is June 4th from 5-7pm. Share the news with anyone you think would be interested in swimming for the summer. If you can't make it, please know that next week is the best time to order your suits if you want them in time for the early part of the season.

Also, just to make sure everyone is aware of the practice schedule. Please note the change to the morning practice time.

12-12:45pm for ages 8 and Under
12-1pm for 9-10 years old

1-2pm for ages 11 and over
7-8am for ages 11 and older; younger swimmers would need permission from a coach

We can't wait to see you all soon!
WST Coaches

It is never to early to think about summer...especially for WST members! Our league, the SVSL, is pulling together the competition schedule for 2013, and the coaches will be sure to update our swim families as soon as possible.

Some competition dates are tentative, but highly probable: League Champs, July 27th (Rain Date: July 28th); VSA State Champs: August 2nd and 3rd. We will confirm ASAP.

In the meantime, we are looking for a Volunteer Coordinator for 2013 as Julia Haynes has chosen to step down. If you are good at organizing others, have a nack for communication and an hour or so per week to offer to WST during the summer, please contact us at wstcoaches@gmail.com.