Banquet 8.3.08

The new banquet date is now set for:

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3RD
6:00PM DINNER
6:30PM AWARDS
ASAP POOL PARTY

This date is final...pending no hurricanes, tornadoes, or bubonic plagues!

Banquet Date Change!!

RICHARDSON RAPIDS END OF SEASON BANQUET

Come and celebrate the end of a wonderful summer of swimming with the Rapids!!!

Friday, August 1st @ the Richardson YMCA Pool
Dinner starts at 6:00pm
Awards start at 6:30pm
Pool party begins ASAP!

The main course for dinner is catered barbeque from Sonny Brian's. Please sign-up to bring a side dish or dessert.

Don't miss this fun opportunity to see all your friends for the last time and say goodbye to your coaches!! You won't want to miss the famous GREASED WATERMELON TOURNAMENT!!

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* did you notice the date is now Friday, Aug. 1 instead of Saturday, Aug. 2? HOPE SO!! Don't be that family who shows up on the wrong day...then you'll have missed all the fun!

Season Closing Newsletter

1. TEAM BANQUET has been moved to this FRIDAY NIGHT!! The Richardson YMCA is superchlorinating our pool this Saturday which will make it unsuitable to swim in all weekend. Sorry for the late notice!! Come enjoy free catered BBQ from Sonny Brian’s, get your 2008 trophy, and play the famous “Greased Watermelon” game. Parents and swimmers, bring your suits! Dinner begins @ 6pm, with awards @ 6:30, followed by a pool party until it gets dark!!
2. TEAM RECORDS. We have set an astounding 22 new team records this season. Congrats to the following for setting team records:

Sophia Falies: Girls 6&U 25 FR, Girls 6&U 50 FR, Girls 6&U 25 BK
Madison Williams: Girls 9-10 50 FR, Girls 9-10 100 FR, Girls 9-10 200 FR, Girls 9-10 50 BK, Girls 9-10 100 BK, Girls 9-10 50 FL, Girls 9-10 200 IM
Hannah Dunlap: Girls 9-10 50 BR
Ryann Heim: Girls 9-10 100 BR
Rachel Balke: Girls 15-21 100 FR, Girls 15-21 50 BK, Girls 15-21 100 BK, Girls 15-21 100 BR, Girls 15-21 200 IM
Ryan Rutoskey: Boys 13-14 100 FR, Boys 13-14 100 BK, Boys 13-14 100 IM, Boys 13-14 200 IM, Boys 13-14 400 IM

3. LONESTAR. The Richardson Rapids placed 2nd in the summer division with 1033.5 points at the 2008 YMCA State Swim Meet. Congratulations to the following for achieving high point honors in their age group: Rachel Balke (Girls 15-21 First Place), Ryan Rutoskey (Boys 13-14 Third Place), Sophia Falies (Girls 6&U Second Place).
4. LONESTAR MEDALS. If you did not get a chance to grab a Lonestar medal, they will be available at banquet. If you think your swimmer earned a medal and did not receive it, please let Coach Ryan know ASAP. Medals are awarded to top 16 finishers in individual and relay events.
5. LEVEL 4 SOCIAL. Your coaches are hosting an end-of-summer cook out/pool party for the 15 and up age group for all their incredible leadership on the team this season. It will held be at Jessica’s clubhouse pool this Saturday @ 6pm. Please call Jessica to confirm that you are coming. Directions will be provided at Banquet on Friday night.
6. MISSING TEAM SHIRT. If you misplaced a team t-shirt at Lonestar and you happen to be a Youth Large, then we have it. It will be available for you to pick up at banquet.
7. TEAM PICTURES are finally in and ready for pickup at the banquet!! If you are not planning to attend the banquet and you ordered a package/print, please e-mail Coach Ryan at ryanc@ymcadallas.org to arrange a time to pick yours up.
8. YEAR ROUND SWIMMING. If you are interested in a year round program for 2008-2009, please talk to Ryan or Jessica at Banquet. We have compiled a list of USA Swimming teams around the area with contact information and practice times/locations. If you wonder how people set team records and final at Lonestar, this is it!

2008 Team Records

Congratualations to the following for setting new team records this season:

Women 6 & Under 25 Free
1 26.84 Y F Falies, Sophia
Women 6 & Under 50 Free
1 41.59 Y F Falies, Sophia
Women 8 & Under 25 Back
1 31.69 Y F Falies, Sophia
Women 9-10 50 Free
1 34.34 Y F Williams, Madison
Women 9-10 100 Free
1 1:17.48 Y F Williams, Madison
Women 9-10 200 Free
1 2:58.15 Y F Williams, Madison
Women 9-10 50 Back
1 39.81 Y P Williams, Madison
Women 9-10 100 Back
1 1:30.04 Y P Williams, Madison
Women 9-10 50 Breast
1 49.75 Y F Dunlap, Hannah
Women 9-10 100 Breast
1 1:49.67 Y F Heim, Ryann
Women 9-10 50 Fly
1 41.59 Y F Williams, Madison
Women 9-10 200 IM
1 3:19.54 Y F Williams, Madison
Women 15-21 100 Free
1 57.08 Y F Balke, Rachel
Women 15-21 50 Back
1 29.80 Y F Balke, Rachel
Women 15-21 100 Back
1 1:03.63 Y F Balke, Rachel
Women 15-21 100 Breast
1 1:17.83 Y F Balke, Rachel
Women 15-21 200 IM
1 2:20.30 Y F Balke,Rachel
Men 13-14 100 Free
1 57.01 Y F Rutoskey, Ryan
Men 13-14 100 Back
1 1:05.46 Y F Rutoskey, Ryan
Men 13-14 100 IM
1 1:05.92 Y F Rutoskey, Ryan
Men 13-14 200 IM
1 2:20.92 Y F Rutoskey, Ryan
Men 13-14 400 IM
1 5:08.60 Y F Rutoskey, Ryan

Spaghetti Dinner TONIGHT!

Who: The Richardson Rapids
What: Potluck dinner
When: Tonight, Wednesday, July 23rd
Where: Richardson YMCA
Why: Team spirit, bonding, and Lonestar info

Lonestar is coming and the kids need to build up their carbs! Mom and dad may need some too for the long and grueling weekend of shouting at the top of your lungs!

Please join us TONIGHT for our annual Spaghetti dinner. Everyone is asked to sign up for a dish on the signup sheet in the swimmers box to ensure we have enough variety of things. We also need a count of how many family members plan to attend. So break out your great grandma’s best Italian recipe and we will enjoy the great food. Please remember to bring whatever appropriate serving utensils you need and to label your dish so that we are sure it gets back to the right owner.

After dinner the kids will go to the gym to make some spirit gear for lone star. During this time Coach Ryan will give parents the low down on what to expect. So come armed with your questions.

We are also proud to announce our first ever team election on our T-shirt slogan for next year. We will have a ballot box at the dinner and the kids can come up with their favorite slogan and put it in the box. All slogans will be reviewed and the top 5 will be voted on at banquet. The winner will earn bragging rights for an entire year and get a free t-shirt next season with their slogan on the shirt.

The dinner is BYOD (BRING YOUR OWN DRINKS). We will not be providing drinks so please pack a cooler for the family!

So come hungry and ready to enjoy some great food and fun!

Lonestar meet fees

The following have not paid their Lonestar fees yet and need to do so as soon as possible. The deadline for this was last Monday. Please turn in money into a board member at practice. If you have a special situation or see a problem, please talk to a coach. Thanks in advance!

Burkert - $85
Christiansen - $50
Dembny – PD $55, Owes $5
Keith - $5
King - $15
Luckinbill - $20
Moss - $20
Patterson – PD $30, Owes $15
Robbins - $5
Sabzkooh - $25
Taylor - $15
Waldron - $40
Wang - $40
Webb/Williams - $100

Week 8 Newsletter

1. SPAGHETTI DINNER. Bring your appetites and your favorite Italian dish…oh, and your questions! The Potluck Spaghetti Dinner is this WEDNESDAY evening in the gym and you do not want to miss this. Dinner begins at 7pm; Parents meeting followed directly after while swimmers will be getting in the spirit of Lonestar. We will be discussing everything you need to know about Lonestar, including directions, seating, schedules, diet and rest, relays, team goals, and more.
2. PRACTICE. Don’t forget about the revised practice schedule this week. All levels will practice MON-WED ONLY from 7:30-8:30am.
3. LONESTAR 2008. Lonestar begins this Thursday and we want to be ready! That means take it easy this week. Sleep lots, eat tons of carbs, and save energy. Parents, make sure swimmers are resting between each event and eating HEALTHY snacks immediately after every race. Also, preparing themselves mentally for upcoming races and concentrating during races. Once your swimmer is finished racing, help them concentrate on their next race. If they have a bad race, make sure they forget about it and move on. MOST IMPORTANTLY: Swimmers must check in with a coach BEFORE every race to get strategy/encouragement and AFTER every race to get stickers. YOU MUST CHECK OUT WITH COACH JESSICA OR COACH RYAN BEFORE YOU LEAVE!! This is crucial as you may be in a relay or final and not even know it.
4. LONESTAR VOLUNTEERS. We need volunteers to help us run the coaches and officials hospitality room at Lonestar. Richardson is in charge of Thursday night dinner and Sunday lunch. We just need willing parents to make sure everything is set up and cleaned up afterwards. A plus to this is that you can be on deck to see your swimmers race at a front row spot. Please volunteer for this at spaghetti dinner.
5. LONESTAR SPIRIT PARADE. We think it’s about time the Rapids won the Spirit Award at Lonestar…but we need your help! Swimmers and parents alike, let’s be the most spirited group at Lonestar. Bring your posters, cowbells, shakers, spirit attire, and team spirit. The spirit parade is when we get to show off our team spirit to the entire meet. This takes place on Sunday afternoon before the last evening session begins. Be there no later than 2pm to march around the pool decked out in spirit gear.
6. UNIFORM. The Dallas Swim League requires that every swimmer wear a team swim cap or a cap labeled with a Y logo. Make sure you follow these rules so we don’t make the coaches and team look bad. Also, don’t forget to put your team logo on your suit if you have not done so already. Just drop by Kiefer Plano to have this done for free!
7. BANQUET. Mark your calendars for August 2nd. The team banquet is where we honor every swimmer with a team trophy and certificate, eat dinner, and have a pool party. Also, additional individual awards will be given out. This is will take place at the Richardson YMCA so be looking for more info next week.
8. 2009 PARENT BOARD. If you are interested in a board position for 2009, please let Kristen Falies know via e-mail by July 30th. This group is vital to the successful operation of our team! We need to have the new board names secure by the team banquet where the new board will be announced. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to ask any current board members.
9. T-SHIRT SLOGAN. We are proud to announce our first ever team election on our T-shirt slogan for next year. We will have a ballot box at the dinner and swimmers can come up with their favorite slogan and put it in the box. All slogans will be reviewed and the top 5 will be voted on at banquet. The winner will earn bragging rights for an entire year and get a free t-shirt next season with their slogan on the shirt.

2009 Parent Board Positions

Have you ever wondered how all the activities of the swim season get accomplished? Well we owe a lot of thanks to our coaches who keep us on track, but we also have a wonderful parent board that help organize and plan all the events of the season. It is not only a good way to get to know other parents better, but you also get the inside track on how the team is doing and get input in the events of the season. This group is vital to handle all the social and team events so that the coaches have more time to dedicate to actually coaching.
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The 2008 parent board consists of:

President: Charlotte Balke
Treasurer: Bruce Dillow
Historian: Michelle Hamaker
Secretary: Annette Hornbeck
Swim Official Rep: Bill Webb
Meet Coordinators: Luke and Laurie Plese, Mike and Becky Kmak, Kristen Falies
Social Coordinator: New position for 2009
Lone Star Coordinator: New position for 2009
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Things we accomplished this year: Team t-shirts, team pictures, food donation for all swim meets for Hospitality rooms, manning two concession stands, distributing ribbons for the Richardson meets, Pep Rally, Ice Cream social, Lap-a-thon, Spaghetti dinner, Banquet, coaches appreciation and two successful swim meets. Wow, that is a lot in 2 months!

It is time to find a new board for next year. So if you are interested in any of these position please let Kristen Falies know via e-mail by July 30th. We need to have the new board names secure by the Team Banquet where the new board will be announced.

We have great parent participation on the Rapids and we now need some of you great volunteers to step up and help us out on the board. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to ask any current board members.

Week 7 Newsletter

Hello Rapids!

Wow, impressive results at the Summer Championship Meet this weekend! We finished 6th overall and 2nd place out of the summer teams. As coaches, we were very impressed with the 44 swimmers that represented the Rapids. League Champs is a very good indicator of how Lonestar will turn out so let's work really hard in the next week and a half to become the SUMMER STATE CHAMPIONS once again!

There is a lot of information that is going to come at you in the next two weeks so make sure you are checking the website and asking questions if you have them. Here is what you need to know for this week:

1. STROKE CLINIC will be starting this week and running Monday-Thursday from 7:30-8:15pm. Jessica will be coaching all week. All age groups welcome, sign up at the front desk before you get there tonight. Remember, 10 swimmer max, $40. Please take advantage of this before Lonestar!
2. INTERSQUAD MEET. Since our dual meet was cancelled, we will be holding an intersquad meet to get qual times for those swimmers who weren't able reach them through out the season. Everyone will be expected to swim, even if you have qualified an event. Please be keeping track of what events your swimmer still needs to qualify and have them available TOMORROW MORNING. If you have questions about this, please email richardson.rapids@hotmail.com. A top times spreadsheet has been placed in your swimmers folder so you can check your swimmers time to the Lonestar qual time (found in the meet info packet).
3. PEP RALLY. Come get excited for Lonestar with the team this Saturday at Hawaiian Falls Garland!! We have reserved a pavilion and a group rate of $10.99 per person. We will be meeting at the pavilions at 1pm to make team banners and spirit equiptment, eat snacks, and hang out. The team will provide snacks and drinks but if you'd like to bring your own food/drinks then you have to pay the additional cooler rate ($10). Come early and stay late: the park is open from 10:30am tp 7pm! Check your folder for flyer and directions.
4. SPAGHETTI DINNER. You do not want to miss our carb overload the night before Lonestar begins! Our 3rd annual spaghetti dinner is a pot-luck where you bring your favorite Italian dish. Starting next week, there will be a sign up at the box every morning at practice so please sign-up for what you'd like to bring. This is a really fun time, great food, and a lot of vauable information for Lonestar. If you are attending your first Lonestar, you do not want to miss this. We will eat together in the gym at 7pm and split the kids and adults after dinner. Flyers are available in your boxes.
5. LONESTAR. The big show-down is coming up and we want every possible swimmer to come help our team. It is a FOUR DAY MEET (July 24-27) with older kids in the morning, younger in the afternoon, and finals/relays at night. Remember, you must have had participated in 2 meets and optained qual times (9 and up only) to be eligible for the Lonestar State Meet. Entries are due TOMORROW @ 9AM after the intersquad meet is finished. Please e-mail us with specific questions!
6. TAPER. We will begin tapering for Lonestar on Wednesday of this week until Wednesday of next week. This means purely stroke work, starts, turns, and sprint workouts. By reducing the workload in the training plan, it allows the swimmer to perform optimally for shorter stretches of time as a result of a season’s worth of training. It’s like compressing everything learned throughout the season into one quick and successful winning race!While the physical effects of taper workouts for swimming are undeniable, tapering also offers positive mental effects as well. As a big competition nears, a swimmer must build their self-confidence and bolster their positive self-image in order to swim their best. By tapering their workout regime instead of powering towards the competition, athletes are given more time to relax and focus on each individual stroke. A clear mental picture is the first step towards a successful, race-winning stroke.
7. TEAM PICTURES. If you didn't get a chance to order the group team picture, there's still time. They are $7 for a 5x7. Please email futurestarsphoto@sbcglobal.net of your interested.

Thanks for your committment to the Richardson Rapids! Let's have a fun and focused week of practice.

Thanks,

Coaches

Revised Practice Times

We have begun tapering for Lonestar and are mainly focusing on stroke work, starts, and turns at practice.

Starting next week, we will begin practice at different times:

Monday, July 21-Wednesday July 23
7:30am-8:30am
ALL LEVELS

The practice season will end on Wednesday. Lonestar begins on Thursday so do not show up for practice!

Lonestar Entries

Our team entry for Lonestar has been placed in your e-mail inboxes. If you have not received this document, please e-mail richardson.rapids@hotmail.com. Please double check and make sure your swimmer is entered in all their events correctly. Relays are also included.

Lonestar meet entry fees are not included in the cost of registration and require you to pay additional funds.

COST OF ENTRIES:
$5 per event
Relays are paid for by the team if you are swimming in one or more.

Please turn your CHECK into the hanging folder entitled "Lonestar" located in the box. The deadline for entry fees is Monday, July 21st.

Hawaiian Falls

Attention Parents:

Hawaiian Falls tickets are available at practice tomorrow for the discounted rate of $10.99 per person. If your family is planning on coming to the pep ralley, you will need to come buy a ticket tomorrow. Cash and checks (payable to Richardson YMCA) wil be accepted. Otherwise, you will have to pay the regular price at the gate.

Lonestar Entries

Lonestar Entries are due this TUESDAY, JULY 15 @ 9am.

If you are 9 and older, you must have reached your QUALIFYING TIME that can be proved by meet results or through a time trial. If you are 8 and under, you must be close to your GOAL TIMES to able to swim that event. All of these can be found in the Lonestar Meet Packet. You should have picked these up in your swimmers folder by now.

If you would like a coach to handle your entry, let us know!

Dual Meet

The Dual Meet with Lewisville has been cancelled. Instead we will be holding an Intersquad Meet during TUESDAY MORNING PRACTICE. Every swimmer will be expected to compete, even those who have already qualified all of their desired events to Lonestar. Events will be decided by coaches. You can e-mail richardson.rapids@hotmail.com if you'd like to petition for a certain event to be offered.

Stroke Clinic UPDATE

Stroke Clinic will take place this MONDAY, JULY 14 - THURSDAY, JULY 17 from 7:30pm-8:15pm.

This is the only time available for the clinic. The morning clinic has been CANCELLED. If you plan to attend, please pay at the front desk by Monday at 9pm. Once again, the cost is $40.

Stroke Clinic

Stroke Clinic will begin this Monday, June 14 and run through Thursday, June 18. We will be holding a morning session (9am-9:45am) and an evening session (7:30-8:15pm). Ryan will be coaching the morning, Jessica in the evening.

The final cost for four 45-minute sessions is $40. Class size is limited to 10 people so if you are interested then sign up at the front desk! First come, first serve. Deadline is MONDAY @ 9AM. Ten bucks a lesson is a really good rate; with Lonestar around the corner, it will help tremendously getting more individualized focus on strokes. Don't miss this great opportunity!!

We will be working on very specific technique on butterfly, back stroke, breast stroke, and freestyle, dive starts, relay starts, flips turns, open turns, IM turns, and sprints.

The following have already indicated interest:

Brenner Fody (AM)
Kate Dembny (AM)
Susan Dembny (AM)
Sophia Falies (PM)
Kaytea Luckinbill (no pref)
Beca Reno (PM)
Natalie Bell (no pref)
Alicia Bell (no pref)
Gwen Robbins (no pref)
Ryann Heim (PM)
Samantha Costigan (PM)
Jillian Costigan (PM)
Stella Gresham (PM)

TEAM PICTURES

Don't forget we have team pictures scheduled for 7am tomorrow morning!!! If you're scheduled at 7:30, get there early. Wear your team suit and your team shirt. The individual pictures will take place first followed by the group picture. Order forms/package sizes will be available at practice.

League Champs

We are now officially in championship meet mode. With League Champs this weekend and state right around the corner, we have to make sure we are on our A game. This means resting in the shade between each event and eating HEALTHY snacks immediately after every race. Also, preparing yourself mentally for your upcoming race and concentrating during your race. Once your swimmer is finished racing, help them concentrate on their next race. If they have a bad race, make sure they forget about it and move on. Parents, make sure you are helping your swimmers get the best race every time!

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Swimmers must check in with a coach BEFORE every race to get strategy/encouragment and AFTER every race to tell us their time. Please encourage them to ask their time keeper their time after racing.

YOU MUST CHECK OUT WITH COACH JESSICA OR COACH RYAN BEFORE YOU LEAVE!! This is crucial as you may be in a relay and not even know it.

Week 6 Newsletter

1. DUAL MEET has been moved into next week so don’t show up tomorrow night! Everything depends on pool availability at the Y. Meet packets will be distributed ASAP. More to come.
2. LEVEL 4. Drylands tomorrow morning so don’t forget your tennis shoes. We will be doing weight training. Be on time at 6:45.
3. STROKE CLINIC. The following people have expressed interest in stroke clinic: Brenner Fody, Kate Dembny, Susan Dembny, Sophia Falies, Kaytea Luckinbill, Beca Reno, Natalie Bell, Alicia Bell. Please e-mail richardson.rapids@hotmail.com with a time preference: morning (after swim practice) or evening (around 6 or 7pm). The majority will decide the schedule. E-mail soon so we can get started next Monday!
4. TOWN NORTH MEET. The league championship meet is this Saturday and Sunday. Yes, it is a two day meet and it’s a hot one!! You may sign up for as many as 6 individual events; coaches will sign you up for 2 possible relays. Meet packets are due TOMORROW by the end of practice. This is your last meet opportunity before Lonestar!! If you don’t have two meets, you need to attend this meet if you expect to compete at the state meet.
5. TEAM PICTURE DAY is scheduled for this Friday during practice. Please wear your team suit along with your team shirt. Individual and group packages will be available for purchase.
6. SPAGHETTI DINNER. Please put WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 (or the night before Lonestar) on your calendars! We have our potluck Italian dinner this night. You can bring any Italian dish you’d like. We like to encourage high carb diets with your swimmers the week before Lonestar and it’s a really fun time. Also it’s a really good information session for those who have not attended a Loenstar! Sign-up will be available at practice next week.
7. PARENT BOARD MEETING is scheduled for tomorrow night at 7pm. Please e-mal if you'd like to attend.

Week of July 4th Practice

NO PRACTICE WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 - FRIDAY, JULY 5. PRACTICE WILL RESUME MONDAY, JULY 7 AT YOUR NORMALLY SCHEDULED TIME. PLEASE BE ON TIME.

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!

We are extremely low on volunteers for the following:

Morning Session set-up (7am)
Concession Stand (all day)

If you can help, it would be much appreciated.

Richardson Meet Entries

We are extending the deadline to turn in meet entries for this weekend. We will take entries until tomorrow morning. Make sure you turn the form into the tab in the box labeled JUNE 28/RICHARDSON. If you put it in your swimmers box or a coaches box, they will most likely not be entered!! PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND THIS MEET!!

SWIM CAPS

TEAM SWIM CAPS ARE FINALLY IN & WILL BE AVAILABLE AT PRACTICE STARTING TOMORROW!!!!

THE COST IS $12 CASH OR CHECK MADE OUT THE RICHARDSON YMCA.

THERE ARE 30 AVAILABLE SO FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.

U.S. Olympic Team Trials

Team, the following are the air times/networks for the upcoming Olympic time trials:

U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS, SWIMMING
Sunday, June 29, 8:00-9:00 pm ET, NBC
Monday, June 30, 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA
Tuesday, July 1, 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA
Wednesday, July 2, 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA
Thursday, July 3, 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA
Friday, July 4, 8:00-9:00 pm ET, NBC
Saturday, July 5, 8:00 -9:00 pm ET, NBC
Sunday, July 6, 8:00 -9:00 pm ET, NBC

Officials Training

There will be an YMCA Swim Officials training at the Richardson YMCA this Wednesday night from 7-10pm. It will be taught by Phillip Nelson from White Rock. If you are still interested in uptaining or re-certing your official certification, let coach Ryan know as soon as possible!

Week 4 Newsletter

(1) STROKE CLINIC. We have not had a huge response for the stroke clinic offer. This is something that could help your swimmer tremendously in the water. Please e-mail richardson.rapids@hotmail.com if you are interested so we can get an unofficial roster started. If at least 4-6 swimmers are not interested, the clinic will not make.

(2) LEVEL 4. Remember to bring tennis shoes on Wednesday morning for dry land workout. We will begin at 6:45 AM.

(3) LAP-A-THON. We had a great turn out for our third annual lap-a-thon and raised a lot of money!! The coaches were really impressed by how many sponsorships your swimmers got. If you have not turned in your money yet, please do so by the end of the week. You can turn it into the box or give it to our treasurer (Bruce Dillow) at practice.

(4) VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We are extremely low on volunteers to help us run a successful meet this weekend. Meets do not run themselves; it takes a collective effort by the whole team, swimmers and parents alike. Swimmers: there is no reason why you can’t be a time keeper or runner for the afternoon session. Parents: please help us by picking up any slack & don’t be surprised if we ask you to do a job J. By volunteering, the coaches can focus on coaching your swimmers!! The more help we have, the less stressful it is on everyone. Sign-up is located in a binder by the box. If you have any questions about a specific duty, ask a coach or team parent at practice.

(5) RICHARDSON MEET ENTRIES are due to the box by WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25^th @ 9AM. There are only two more opportunities for you to get your meets in for Lonestar. You cannot go to Lonestar if you have not attended at least 2 meets; you cannot compete at League Champs if you do not attend this meet. There should really be no excuse as to why you are not at this meet (short of a family emergency or planned vacation). Let’s represent our team well and sign up for the meet! Returning swimmers, you must have at least 3 meets…we are keeping track! The reason we require this of you is because you have chosen to come back to your team, which means commitment becomes an expectation of you.

(6) CAPS should hopefully be in by Wednesday but no later than Friday. We are very sorry for the delay.

(7) BOARD MEETING. If you are interested in attending our parent board meeting, please e-mail richardson.rapids@hotmail.com so we can accommodate seating. The board meeting is currently set for this Wednesday night @ 7pm. We will mainly be discussing our meet this weekend.

(8) MEET SET-UP. If you would like to help the parent board set up the pool for the meet, come this Friday @ 7pm. Bring the family, let the kids play in the pool. Plus, you can reserve a spot by setting up your tent or chairs.

Rockwall Relays

Girls 10 & U Medley Relay

Alicia Bell (10)

Hailey Falies (9)

Abigail Harlowe (9)

Natalie Bell (8)

Girls 10 & U Medley Relay

Kelsey Stafford (9)

Katie Presz (10)

Ryann Heim (10)

Hannah Dunlap (9)

 

Girls 8 & U Medley Relay

Sophia Falies (6)

Kate Hickerson (7)

Hannah Kmak (7)

Carly Presz (7)

 

Girls 13-14 Medley Relay

Rebecca Reno (12)

Kayla Stafford (13)

Hannah Moss (13)

Gwendolyn Robbins (13)

 

Boys 10 & U Medley Relay

Andrew Plese (9)

Brenner Fody (8)

Cole Dillow (9)

Josiah Taylor (10)

Rockwall Individual Meet Entries

Here is the entry for Rockwall. 26 Swimmers Total. Relays will be posted by Friday afternoon. Please let us now if you see a problem.

Alicia Bell (10)

Girls 9-10 100 Free, Girls 9-10 50 Back, Girls 9-10 50 Breast 

Natalie Bell (8)

Girls 7-8 50 Back, Girls 8 & Under 25 Breast , Girls 8 & Under 100 IM 

Brianne Burkert (11)

Girls 11-12 100 Free, Girls 11-12 50 Breast, Girls 11-12 50 Back 

Lauren Burkert (19)

Girls 15-21 100 Free, Girls 15-21 50 Back 

Hannah Dunlap (9)

Girls 9-10 100 Free, Girls 9-10 50 Back, Girls 9-10 50 Breast 

Hailey Falies (9)

Girls 9-10 100 Free, Girls 9-10 50 Back, Girls 9-10 100 Fly, Girls 9-10 100 IM 

Sophia Falies (6)

Girls 6 & Under 25 Free, Girls 6 & Under 25 Back, Girls 8 & Under 25 Breast

Abigail Harlowe (9)

Girls 9-10 50 Back, Girls 9-10 100 Fly

Ryann Heim (10)

Girls 9-10 100 Free, Girls 9-10 50 Back, Girls 9-10 50 Breast, Girls 9-10 100 IM

Kate Hickerson (7)

Girls 7-8 50 Back, Girls 8 & Under 25 Breast

Hannah Kmak (7)

Girls 8 & Under 50 Fly, Girls 8 & Under 25 Breast

Kaytea Luckinbill (12)

Girls 11-12 100 Free, Girls 11-12 50 Back, Girls 11-12 50 Fly

Hannah Moss (13)

Girls 13-14 100 Free, Girls 13-14 50 Back, Girls 13-14 50 Fly

Carly Presz (7)

Girls 7-8 100 Free, Girls 8 & Under 25 Breast, Girls 8 & Under 100 IM

Katie Presz (10)

Girls 9-10 100 Free, Girls 9-10 50 Back, Girls 9-10 50 Breast

Rebecca Reno (12)

Girls 11-12 100 Free, Girls 11-12 50 Breast, Girls 11-12 50 Back, Girls 11-12 50 Fly 

Gwendolyn Robbins (13)

Girls 13-14 100 Free, Girls 13-14 50 Breast, Girls 13-14 50 Back, Girls 13-14 50 Fly 

Kayla Stafford (13)

Girls 13-14 100 Free, Girls 13-14 50 Breast, Girls 13-14 50 Back, Girls 13-14 50 Fly 

Kelsey Stafford (9)

Girls 9-10 100 Free, Girls 9-10 50 Back, Girls 9-10 50 Breast 

Brian Balke (12)

Boys 11-12 100 Free, Boys 11-12 50 Breast, Boys 11-12 50 Back, Boys 11-12 50 Fly 

Cole Dillow (9)

Boys 9-10 100 Free, Boys 9-10 50 Back, Boys 9-10 50 Breast, Boys 9-10 100 IM

Brenner Fody (8)

Boys 7-8 50 Back, Boys 8 & Under 50 Fly, Boys 8 & Under 25 Breast, Boys 8 & Under 100 IM

Hunter McCann (8)

Boys 7-8 100 Free, Boys 7-8 50 Back, Boys 8 & Under 25 Breast, Boys 8 & Under 100 IM

Andrew Plese (9)

Boys 9-10 100 Free, Boys 9-10 50 Back, Boys 9-10 50 Breast, Boys 9-10 100 IM

Josiah Taylor (10)

Boys 9-10 100 Free, Boys 9-10 50 Back

Connor Webb (14)

Boys 13-14 100 Free, Boys 13-14 50 Breast, Boys 13-14 50 Back, Boys 13-14 50 Fly

Stroke Clinic

A few years back, we used to host a stroke clinic for any swimmer who was interested in getting extra focus on stroke technique. Since we mostly focus on endurance in practice, this would prove to be highly beneficial to you and your swimmer. The ratio of coach to swimmer would be 1:8 (or less) which will provide for much more individual focus than you receive in practice. This would be a lesson only open to Richardson Rapids swim team members and always be taught by one of us coaches. The cost would be around $60 for eight 45-minute sessions. The time would take place from 9:00-9:45am, immediately following swim practice. Ideally, stroke clinics will run all summer long (up until Lone star) but only if we have the interest. Please e-mail richardson.rapids@hotmail.com if you would be interested in this offer.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OVERDUE!!

Parents,

The deadline for swim team payment was last Friday and I have noticed some people swimming in practice who have not shown up on my newest roster. If you have not registered and paid for your swimmer, you need to do so by tomorrow morning. League membership fees are due tomorrow and I need a solid number of people to turn into the league. If you are not registered with the Richardson YMCA, you are not registered with the league. Therefore, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SWIM IN YMCA SANCTIONED MEETS!! Please get to the front desk if you have not done so. Let me know if you have a special circumstance.

Thanks!
Coach Ryan

Week 3 Newsletter

1. TEAM T-SHIRTS & PARENT POLOS are in and being distributed at practices from Becky Kmak. The cost is $10. If you did not sign up for a shirt, we are considering making a second order. But we must have A LOT of interest in order for this to happen. Let Becky know if you are interested.
2. LEVEL 4. Remember to bring tennis shoes on Wednesday morning for dry land workout. We will begin at 6:45 AM. Don’t be late…Ryan is coaching you this week and likes to give everyone extra work for tardy people. Also, bring any extra training gear (if you have them) this week.
3. ROCKWALL MEET ENTRIES are due this WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18 @ 9AM. This is a strict deadline as we will be sending the final entry to the Rockwall team by noon. Meet packets (with map attached) are available in your boxes. Remember to be checking the blog to confirm we have your swimmers entry and to see if you are participating in a relay. There are only 3 more meet opportunities until Lonestar!!
4. LAP-A-THON/MONTHLY SOCIAL is our next big event and it is this Friday night! Be getting those sponsors...remember to hit up family, neighbors, and co-workers. This is such a fun event for the team and a valuable information session for parents. Build-Your-Own ice cream will be available to parents and swimmers after the lap-a-thon (but let’s try and keep that a secret from the swimmers). Also, stay late and play in the pool.
5. RICHARDSON SPLIT RESULTS & RIBBONS will be available in your boxes this week. We had an impressive 43 swimmers represent our team…thanks for your commitment!
6. RICHARDSON MEET. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success!! We received many compliments on hospitality and how well the meet was generally run. Also, thank you to everyone who made a donation to get the meet season started off. We made a little over $1,000 for our team this weekend alone! Get ready because we will be hosting another one in just two weeks!!
7. RIBBONS. Many of you have asked about ribbons since Coppell’s have not come in by now. We will distribute ribbons as soon as we receive them. We are not in control of how soon we get these from other YMCAs…it all depends on how on the ball they are.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!

Parents & Older Swimmers,

There is still a lot of spaces available to sign up to volunteer; you can do this by the box. We are lagging on ready bench and runners for the afternoon session. This is a very profitable fundraiser for our team and we need as much help as possible. We want to run a quality meet that people will want to come back to year after year because of their positive experiences. IT'S A TEAM EFFORT!! Remember to be gracious meet hosts.

Thanks,

Coach Ryan, Coach Jessica, & Coach Lauren

Richardson Split Entries

The deadline has passed to turn in meet entry forms and here is everyone we received entries for:

[Brittany Hamaker, Hannah Hamaker, Macie Hamaker, Brian Balke, Rachel Balke, Madison Williams, Carly Presz, Katie Presz, Hannah Kmak, Miles Donihoo, Ryan Rutosky, Ryann Heim, Allie Hornbeck, Alaina Hornbeck, Elena Christiansen, Gwen Robbins, Rebecca Reno, Sophia Falies, Hailey Falies, Susan Dembny, Kate Dembny, Stella Gresham, Abby Gaines, Brenner Fody, Hunter McCann, Jack Togonidze, Cole Dillow, Alicia Bell, Natalie Bell, Bayli Bush, Hannah Dunlap, Gabriel Schafer, Kevin Muehleman, Kate Hickerson, Kaytea Luckinbill, Gabriella Gonzalez, Hannah Moss, Josiah Taylor, Abby Waldron, Andrea Sabzkooh]

If you would still like to swim in the Richardson Meet, there is still time! We have extended the deadline until tomorrow morning at practice since we are hosting. Get those forms in!! Relays will be posted by tomorrow afternoon.

Level Breakdown

Here is the level breakdown for everyone who has registered and paid for the summer. If you do not see your name on this list, we do not have you on our roster. Effective immediately, you will bring your swimmer during these practice times. Levels 3 & 4 will do dryland workouts every WEDNESDAY so remember to bring tennis shoes to practice. From time to time, levels 3 & 4 may be required to bring additional training materials (such as personal fins, pull buoys, and kickboards). If you do not already own these items, they can be purchased at any swim shop (linked in the bottom, right cloumn). Remember, these levels may change for your swimmer over the course of the summer so we will inform you if you need to come at a different practice time as indicated below. Please be on time so we can stretch and warm-up with our groups!

LEVEL ONE (Practice 7:30-8:30)
Natalie Bell
Bayli Bush
Jillian Costigan
Sophia Falies
Stella Gresham
Macie Hamaker
Kate Hickerson
Marina Thuesen
Jack Togonidze

LEVEL TWO (Practice 7:15-8:45am)
Alicia Bell
Caroline Clark
Samantha Costigan
Mile Donihoo
Kristen Farley
Brenner Fody
Abigail Gaines
Gaby Gonzalez
Hannah Hamaker
Allison Hornbeck
Isabel King
Hannah Kmak
Kaytea Luckinbill
Hunter McCann
Katie Presz
Carly Presz
Richard Ralston
Grant Weidner
Matthew Zimmer

LEVEL THREE (Practice 7:00-9am)
Brian Balke
Susan Dembny
Cole Dillow
Hanna Dunlap
Hailey Falies
Ryann Heim
Alaina Hornbeck
Andrew Plese
Becca Reno
Gabriel Schafer
Kelsey Stafford
Madison Williams
Brianne Burkert
Morgan Weidner
Hannah Patterson

LEVEL FOUR (Practice 6:45-9:00am)
Rachel Balke
Alysse Burkert
Elena Christiansen
Kate Dembny
Brittany Hamaker
Alyssa Hornbeck
Hannah Moss
Kevin Muehleman
Ryan Rutosky
Andrea Sabzkooh
Kayla Stafford
Katy Tsychoepe
Abby Waldron
Michael Wang
Connor Webb

URGENT: OFFICIALS TRAINING

The Officials Training has been moved from tonight, 7-10 to tomorrow night (June 11th) from 6:30-9:30 at the Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce (Which is located right next to the Waxahachie YMCA).

If you need to find directions, go to YMCA Links in the bottom right corner of the page and click on YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. You will find a tab called 'Locations-Branches' that will give you addresses and maps.

I apologize for the late notice!

Coach Ryan

CHECK YOUR BOXES!!

The results from the Coppell Meet and the Lap-a-thon forms will be in swimmer's folders tomorrow morning so make sure you check these.

Team Shirts

THE DEADLINE FOR ORDERING A T-SHIRT OR POLO HAS PASSED!!!

The order has already been submitted and we are hoping to have them available for pick-up at practice this Friday. The cost is $10 for T-shirts and $20 for Polos. Becky Kmak will collecting your money as you pick up the shirts, cash preferred.

Week 2 Newsletter

1. RICHARDSON MEET. We are hosting a meet this weekend and the parent board is working hard on getting everything coordinated. If you have not signed up to volunteer, please help us out!! Sign-up is located by the box. We especially need help in the afternoon session with runners and ready bench parents. Meet info packets were placed in swimmer’s boxes today so get those turned into us by WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 @ 9AM. Remember, this is a home meet and we want to represent our home turf well so sign up for this meet!! If you are a returning member, you must have three meets by the end of summer…this will be an easy way for you to get a meet in! New members, what better way to start of the summer with a familiar and friendly meet environment? We would love to see the whole team signed up for this meet!!
2. BOARD MEETING. There will be a board meeting this Friday night. If you are interested in attending this, please e-mail richardson.rapids@hotmail.com and let us know. We will also be setting up the pool for the next day after a brief meeting.
3. OFFICIALS TRAINING. There will be a training located at the Waxahachie branch this Wednesday night. I know it’s far, but we are in desperate need of officials for our meet. If you expressed interest or need to be re-certified, we should be able to work out getting your gas mileage reimbursed. The trainer is Kevin Navarro from the Waxahachie Water Moccasins. It will be a 2-3 hour course with dinner provided. Please e-mail us so we can get you registered for the course.
4. LEVELS will be distributed tomorrow on the website so be checking for that. If you have not registered, you will not see your swimmers name on the list. If swimmers are placed in levels 3 or 4, they are required to do dry land workouts every Wednesday. Drylands will last the first 30 minutes of practice and will consist of stretches, aerobic, and strength training. Don’t forget to bring tennis shoes!!
5. T-SHIRTS. The deadline for team shirt orders is tomorrow (6/10/08) at practice. Parents also have the option of ordering blue team polos. The sign-up sheet and t-shirt design is available by the box if you are interested.
6. CAPS, SUITS, & LOGOS. Caps are on order and should be into us in the following weeks. Remember, you must wear a cap at the meets that display our team name or the Y logo. If you do not have a team cap, you can borrow one from Jessica or Ryan until they come in. We only have a few extras so remember you must turn them back into us before and after every race so we can share with all. Don’t forget to stop by Kiefer Swim Shop in Plano to pick up and have your logo put on your ROYAL BLUE suit. Boys should order the small logo in the bottom corner of the jammer, girls should order the large logo on the chest of the suit. These are available at no additional cost.
7. LAP-A-THON. The lap-a-thon is next Friday night so put this on your weekly things-to-do. It is a really fun and easy way to raise a bunch of money for our team. Sign-up sheets will be distributed with collection envelopes by Wednesday so you will have a week and a half to get donations. You can ask neighbors, family members, co-workers, etc. to sponsor your swimmers in this event. Even 25 cents per lap goes a long way!
8. TEAM SOCIAL. Due to the hectic nature of getting ready for a home meet, we will not be having our June ice cream social on Wednesday night. Instead, we will push that event into the Lap-a-thon fundraiser. It should be a good reward after swimming a bunch of laps!
9. ROCKWALL MEET. Just a reminder, we will be at the Rockwall YMCA next weekend for our meet. This is a semi-indoor pool with outdoor seating. Meet packets will be distributed on Monday.

Practice Cancelled TONIGHT!!

Evening practice has been cancelled for tonight due to Cool Nights at the YMCA. If you would still like to go swim, the pool will be open to the community for free during our regular practice hours. For those going to the meet tomorrow, go to bed early so you have energy for your races!!

Coppell Entries

Here is every one we have received entries for to compete at the Coppell Sprint Meet this weekend:

Stella Gresham, Gabriel Schafer, Carly Presz, Katie Presz, Ryan Rutoskey, Elena Christiansen, Ryann Heim, Kate Dembny, Alyssa Hornbeck, Alaina Hornbeck, Allison Hornbeck, Hannah Patterson, Jack Togonidze, Hannah Kmak, Cole Dillow, Hunter McCann, Brittany Hamaker, Macie Hamaker, Hannah Hamaker, Kevin Muehleman, Samantha Costigan, Jillian Costigan, Rebecca Reno

If you do not your name on this list, we do not have your entry. Please e-mail it to richardson.rapids@hotmail.com no later than 10AM TOMORROW MORNING.

Here are the events if you did not receive a meet info packet:

(Girls Event #) Event (Boys Event #)

(1) 15-21 100 Freestyle (2)
(3) 13-14 100 Freestyle (4)
(5) 11-12 100 Freestyle (6)

(7) 15-21 50 Backstroke (8)
(9) 13-14 50 Backstroke (10)
(11) 11-12 50 Backstroke (12)

(13) 15-21 50 Butterfly (14)
(15) 13-14 50 Butterfly (16)
(17) 11-12 50 Butterfly (18)

(19) 15-21 50 Freestyle (20)
(21) 13-14 50 Freestyle (22)
(23) 11-12 50 Freestyle (24)

(25) 15-21 50 Breaststroke (26)
(27) 13-14 50 Breaststroke (28)
(29) 11-12 50 Breaststroke (30)

(31) 15-21 100 Individual Medley (32)
(33) 13-14 100 Individual Medley (34)
(35) 11-12 100 Individual Medley (36)

(37) 9-10 100 Freestyle (38)
(39) 8 & U 50 Freestyle (40)

(41) 9-10 50 Backstroke (42)
(43) 7-8 25 Backstroke (44)
(45) 6 & U 25 Backstroke (46)

(47) 9-10 50 Butterfly (48)
(49) 8 & U 25 Butterfly (50)

(51) 9-10 50 Freestyle (52)
(53) 7-8 25 Freestyle (54)
(55) 6 & U 25 Freestyle (56)

(57) 9-10 50 Breaststroke (58)
(59) 8 & U 25 Breaststroke (60)

(61) 9-10 100 Individual Medley (62)
(63) 7-8 100 Individual Medley (64)

Week 1 Newsletter

Hello Parents and Swimmers!

Practice has begun and we are excited to see all the new faces. Once the first week goes by, it will be much less hectic. A few things to keep in mind for this week:

1.       REGISTRATION. If you haven’t registered and paid at the front desk yet, make sure you do so ASAP. You cannot swim this weekend at the Coppell Meet if you are not registered with our team. Even if you haven’t been able to make practices this week, drop by the Richardson YMCA to do this.

2.       THE BOX. The swimmer box will be out at practice shortly. Once everyone is registered, we can begin making the hanging folders with your swimmers names. Remember, this is where you can get all hard copies of information—including meet packets, driving directions, flyers, ribbons/awards, etc. You will also turn in meet entry forms to this box. This should be out by the end of the week.

3.       OFFICIALS. It’s that time again: we are looking for officials to represent our team! Our only remaining officials are Bill Webb, Blake Hamaker, Kristen Falies, Regina Moss, Annette Engle and Mike Kmak. If you are interested in obtaining your YMCA Swim Official Certification (valid for 3 years), please e-mail richardson.rapids@hotmail.com and let coaches know.

4.       COPPELL MEET. We told you it was going to go by fast! Our first swim meet is this weekend at the Coppell Family YMCA. It’s an indoor pool with primarily outdoor seating. Indoor seating is limited as the bleachers fill up fast. Get there early if you want to sit inside. It’s a sprint meet, only short events will be offered and no relays. Warm-ups for 11 & over begin at 8am, warm-ups for 10 & under begin at 12pm. Maps are available on the meet info packets for your convenience. Meet entries are DUE BY 1PM TOMORROW!!! If you have not turned in an individual meet entry form or e-mailed us and are planning on swimming this meet, let us know ASAP! We will be taking electronic entries (via e-mail) since many cannot make practice this week. All swimmers will be posted to the site tomorrow so you can confirm that we received your entry form.

5.       T-SHIRTS. A sign-up sheet will be available at practice beginning Thursday so be looking for that. You will be able to see the t-shirt design, color, slogan, and price at that time.

6.       DONATIONS. We are asking for a $20 donation per family to get the summer started off. The money will be used for purchases toward concessions and hospitality for the June 14 Richardson Meet. Then it will be rolled over to pay for team equipment, banquet, and such. Since we start off the summer will a zero budget, it really helps our team if you have the money to invest in the Richardson Rapids. You can turn your donation into our team treasurer, Bruce Dillow, or any board parent/coach at practice. Thanks in advance!

7.       PRACTICES. We are excited to be having 40 swimmers a night at evening practices! We certainly anticipated on having much less since school is still in and club practice times are still conflicting. Thanks for your commitment! Remember that practice will resume the morning times next week. Times are as follows: Level 4—6:45am (dry lands on Tuesdays), Level 3—7:15am, Levels 1 & 2—7:30am.

8.       LEVELS. We hope to get this out to you by next Monday. Once everyone has registered for the summer and we have gotten a better understanding of what all swimmers capabilities are, we will place them accordingly.

9.       RICHARDSON MEET. Calling all parents!! We are hosting a meet next weekend and need any and all volunteer help. A sign-up sheet is available at practices and will continue to be into next week by ‘the box’. We need volunteer help with timers, runners, concession workers, ready bench, and hospitality. Also, if anyone has a connection to someone who could help sponsor our hospitality room by donating food and/or drinks then let us know!

'LAST CHANCE' INFO MEETING CHANGE

CORRECTION!!!!

The Info meeting scheduled for Friday, May 30th @ 6:30pm is being moved to Saturday, May 31st @ 6:30pm. We are running a lifeguard training that conflicts with the Friday date & time. The packet calendar has been updated and will be distributed at the meeting. Sorry for the confusion.

2008 Preliminary Information

Hello Team!

Hope the school year is winding down easy for all, but we will have to switch into swimming mode pretty fast so get ready. Here is some preliminary information for summer:

(1) REGISTRATION. Don't forget to stop by the Richardson YMCA to sign up for the 2008 Season. The cost is $135/swimmer for family members and $175/swimmer for program members. Financial assistance is always available for those who qualify so ask the front desk if you're interested in this.

(2) T-SHIRTS. The 2008 T-shirt design will be on display at the parent/swimmer information meeting on May 30th. We will have a sign-up sheet available as well. Usually the cost runs anywhere from $8-12. Youth and Adult sizes will be available.

(3) PRACTICE SCHEDULE. We realize the surrounding school districts (RISD, GISD, PISD) all get out June 4th and our season starts on June 2nd. Additionally, the Dallas YMCA Swim League have not pushed Lonestar back; this creates a conflict. But we have a solution: in order to keep our full summer of practice, we are holding evening practices the week of June 2-6 (6:30-8pm). We will begin morning practices the week of June 9th and continue our regular schedule through the end of summer. This may conflict with club schedules so if you are a year-round swimmer and cannot make these practices, just let coaches know.

(3) INFO MEETING. Still scheduled for May 30th @ 6:30pm. It will most likely be out at the pool, if the weather permits. There will be extremely valuable information given out so you will not want to miss this! Plus, you will be able to meet our new Aquatics Director and our new part-time coach for 2008!

(4) COPPELL MEET. The first meet is the weekend after most swimmers get out of school. Hard copies of the meet information packet will be available at the May 30th meeting. We will be accepting electronic entries for this one if you cannot make it to the first week of practice. Coppell entries are due June 4th.

(5) UPDATED INFO PACKET. The meet schedule has shifted around a little bit (as decided by the Swim League) and the team calender has undergone some pretty major changes. Make sure you have a Mayy 208 updated team information packet. Hard copies will be available at the May 30th meeting. You can also pick up a copy at the Y or e-mail us and request a copy.


As you can see, its all going to happen very quickly. Get excited! We look forward to seeing you on the 30th!

Thanks,
Coach Ryan & Coach Jessica

MAY 11 MEETING CANCELLED

The first parent meeting has been cancelled due to lack of interest. Happy Mother's Day!

2008 Season Information Meetings

Hello Team!

Summer is quickly approaching and the anticipation is becoming unbearable! Hopefully, you have all gotten your hands on the 2008 parent info packet. If not, please e-mail the team address and we will send it to you as a word attachment.

We are deciding whether or not to have two information meetings this year. Last year, the turn out for the earlier meeting wasn't too big. We have set aside SUNDAY, MAY 11 @ 3pm for the first meeting, location undecided but somewhere in the Y. If you are interested in attending this one, please RSVP to richardson.rapids@hotmail.com. The second meeting is has changed slightly from what appears on the info packet calendar. The second meeting will now take place on Saturday, May 31 @ 6:30pm out at the pool; no need to RSVP for that one.

Best of luck as you finish out your 2007-2008 school years!

Coaches

2008 Parent Info Packet & Calendar

Hello parents and swimmers!

It's been a while since we last updated, but we have several announcements to give you guys:

(1) The 2008 Parent Packet is available to all and has been delivered to your email inbox. If you have not received an email with the word document attachment, you are not on our email listserve. Please email richardson.rapids@hotmail.com to be added! We hope that this has been delivered in time for you to plan vacations accordingly: Lonestar is July 24-27 this year.

(2) Swim League Meeting. It will held at the Lakewest YMCA on February 26th @ 7pm. Jessica will be representing our team and will update you guys with any urgent information and/or major changes to the Dallas Metro swim league.

(3) Meet Coodinator position(s) open for 2008 season. We have just received word that BOTH of our meet coordinators, Casey Heim and Taressa Anderson, will have to step down for the upcoming season. If any one is interested in either taking on the role or nominating another parent (with their consent, of course) please let Ryan know. The role of meet coordinator is a very important part of our parent board and, therefore, open to two people. To give you a better idea of what the role entails:

• Attend regular board meetings if necessary and provide an active voice to the successful functioning of the team.
• No meet running experience necessary, but should possess excellent event planning and organizational skills.
• Work closely with coaches to coordinate June 14 and June 28 split meets.
• Coordinate parent volunteers and assign volunteer duties at meets.
• Acquire donations from local venders to provide for hospitality room and concession stand.
• Proficiency in Meet Manager operating program not needed, but willingness to learn.

The successful operation of our program depends strongly on parent voluteers like you! Please let us know if you are interested in stepping up to the plate. As coaches, our main goal this season is to provide your swimmers with undivided attention in stroke development; by helping us in this regard, we can provide more quality coaching for your family.

Looking forward to the 2008 season! Have a great end of school year.

Sincerely, Coach Ryan and Coach Jessica