Jul 7, 2014
Hope you all enjoyed the three-day weekend. We’ve only got two weeks left in the swim season now, and those two weeks are going to be action-packed!
THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE
With just 9 practices left in the season, coaches are continuing to focus on the details that lead to improved times. This includes a heavy emphasis on “wall work” — turns, breaststroke pulldowns, backstroke starts, and dives. Swimmers will also be doing some final conditioning before we begin tapering for Champs. Every practice is a learning opportunity, so swimmers should try to attend every workout possible.
SATURDAY’S MEET: @ OAKTREE
Our final dual meet of the season is this Saturday, July 12 at Oaktree Cabana Club. If your child has to miss any part of this meet, please let the coaches know today by sending an email to coaches@swimlpac.org. Swimmers need to check in with the coaches by 7:30am. For more information, see the Oaktree meet page on the website.
ARE YOU SWIMMING AT CHAMPS?
The VCSL Championship meet (“Champs”) will be on Saturday, July 19, and will likely run all day until around 4:00pm. The coaches have to do entries for Champs this week, so please send email to coaches@swimlpac.org today if your swimmer will miss any part of the meet. We also need all families to sign up for one or more volunteer shifts at Champs; if you haven’t done so already, please sign up this Saturday at Oaktree.
OVERNIGHTER THIS SATURDAY – GET YOUR FORMS IN NOW!
The annual Overnighter is this Saturday, July 12, starting at 6:00 pm. If you haven’t already done so, please turn in your form and payment by Tuesday (that’s tomorrow!) to the Overnighter folder. Forms and additional information are available on the Overnighter page of the website. Time to start building those cardboard boats too!
GOLFLAND TRIP FOR 8 & UNDERS
This Friday (July 11), all swimmers 8 & under and their parents are invited to a fun team outing to Golfland on Blossom Hill Rd. We will plan to meet in the pool parking lot and drive over after practice is done at 10:15am. The cost is just $9 for 3 hours of unlimited water slides and golf. If you have any questions, contact Judy Seps (408-506-3532 or judyseps@yahoo.com).
GIFTS FOR COACHES
[A note from Judy Seps] The season is flying by, and we want our coaches to know how much we appreciate all their hard work!! I will be collecting money for their season end gift starting on Monday, June 30th. I will have cards for you to sign. Please come approach me during swim practices or at the Oaktree swim meet. Or any other time you see me. 🙂 There is no set amount for how much to contribute. There are five coaches, and I will distribute what we collect amongst the five. We have AWESOME coaches (undefeated in the coaches relay!), and we want them to feel the love!!!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jun 30, 2014
Our LPAC swimmers did a great job on Saturday, and the meet was very close. We were down by several points halfway through the meet and mounted a strong comeback in the freestyle events, but fell just a little short. Montevideo ended up winning the meet by a score of 114.65 to 113.03. Let’s see if we can catch them at Champs!
Meet results have been posted to the Montevideo meet page of the website.
WATCH FOR FALLING RECORDS!
On Saturday our LPAC team records were falling right and left. Here’s a quick summary: Nicole Richards improved her 15-18 Girls 50 Butterfly record again (:28.70) and then beat her own record from 2012 in 100 freestyle with a time of :56.66. Mackenzie Keslin also improved on two of her own records, the 15-18 Girls 50 Backstroke (:29.19) and 100 I.M. (1:04.12). Daniela Fasan lowered her own 11-12 Girls 50 breaststroke record by more than a second (:33.40) and then broke Lexie Barber’s 50 freestyle record from 2013 with a new time of :27.40. And Leah Thompson broke her big sister Julia’s 2007 record in the 13-14 Girls 50 Butterfly with a time of :29.04. Great swimming, girls!
THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE
Congratulations to all 73 swimmers who earned themselves a donut today in the two-week Donut Blitz! The coaches want to encourage all swimmers to keep coming to practice every day. It’s the best way to get stronger and faster, and it’s lots of fun too. Only three weeks left in the swim season now!
Be sure to check the Coaches tab of the website for some new stroke technique tips for breaststroke (Coach Ryan’s favorite!). This week the focus will be on conditioning, and the coaches will continue to work with small groups of swimmers on specific stroke issues as well as starts and turns.
ICE CREAM SOCIAL ON TUESDAY
Don’t forget to come out to the pool for the Ice Cream Social and Pool Party this Tuesday, July 1, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. The cost is $1 for Association members and $2 for non-members. We still need some parent volunteers to come and help scoop!
NO PRACTICE ON FRIDAY
Enjoy the 4th of July holiday!
OVERNIGHTER: TURN IN FORMS NOW
The annual Overnighter is one of LPAC’s most treasured traditions and a highlight of the swim team season. LPAC swimmers get to camp out in tents on the grass next to the Los Paseos pool and stay up late swimming, dancing, playing dodge ball, and just having fun with their friends. LPAC Board members and their spouses stay the night to be sure children are supervised at all times. The Penguin Regatta Cardboard Boat Races also take place during the Overnighter.
The Overnighter will be on Saturday, July 12 at 6:00 pm. Please see the Overnighter page of the website to download forms and find additional information. The cost is $15 per swimmer. Please turn in forms and payment no later than Tuesday, July 8. Note that children must be 7 or older to spend the night. Swimmers age 6 and under are welcome to attend but must be picked up by 10:00 pm Saturday night.
GIFTS FOR COACHES
[A note from Judy Seps] The season is flying by, and we want our coaches to know how much we appreciate all their hard work!! I will be collecting money for their season end gift starting on Monday, June 30th. I will have cards for you to sign. Please come approach me during swim practices or at the Oaktree swim meet. Or any other time you see me. 🙂 There is no set amount for how much to contribute. There are five coaches, and I will distribute what we collect amongst the five. We have AWESOME coaches (undefeated in the coaches relay!), and we want them to feel the love!!!
SAVE THE DATE: BANQUET ON JULY 20
The team awards banquet will be on Sunday, July 20, starting at 4:30 pm. We’ll have more details and signup forms coming soon.
Jun 27, 2014
Happy Friday!
Some quick reminders before tomorrow’s meet:
CHECK-IN TIME: 7:30 AM
Check-in time is 7:30 at Gunderson High School, 622 Gaundabert Lane. If your child is ill, please call or text Coach Scott: 408-613-5126. See the Montevideo page of the website for meet entries and a map. Last year LPAC barely defeated Montevideo by less than two points, so we’ll need all Penguins swimming their fastest tomorrow to beat the Piranhas!
WHY WARM UP?
Every swimmer needs to warm up with the team in the morning. The coaches understand that it’s hard (after all, they were all LPAC penguins themselves and remember what it’s like!), and it may seem illogical to “warm up” when it’s cold in the morning and you might not be racing for another hour or two. Warming up in swimming is different than in other sports, but it is still an important part of getting ready to swim fast. First of all, it helps to wake your body up and get it used to the water. It’s also critical to get in a practice dive or two, especially on unfamiliar blocks like at Gunderson. And, most important, it’s just part of being on the team. We all warm up, all the time, at every meet. Parents, please support the coaches and be sure your swimmers get in and warm up with the rest of the team. Thank you!
NINE LANES!
We’ll be swimming nine lanes at tomorrow’s meet, which means things should move along much faster than we’re used to. There will be fewer heats of each event, so be sure to pay close attention to the announcements and get to Clerk of the Course on time. We don’t want any penguins to miss their races!
VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED
Because we have so many lanes, we still need a few more parents to volunteer as timers and recorders for second shift. An updated Volunteer list has been posted to the Montevideo meet page of the website. If you can help out, please contact Julie Waldron (jnewcomb65@yahoo.com) or (408) 578-2574.
SWIMMING BACKSTROKE TOMORROW?
If you are swimming backstroke tomorrow, be sure to check out the new Backstroke technique tips that Coach Scott has posted in the “Coaches” tab of the website. (Butterfly was posted last week.) Try to apply these tips when you swim your race and see if you can improve your time! Parents, you might also like to read these, so you can better understand the official rules as well as the drills that the kids are doing in practice.
GET THOSE FORMS IN!
Tomorrow is the last chance to get in forms and payment for the Raft Trip, Champs meals, and Champs program ads. Remember that proceeds from Champs meals benefit the league and help offset the cost of hosting the meet. And all proceeds from the Champs ads go directly to LPAC. It’s a great way to show your penguin pride and help support the team at the same time!
FUN EVENT UPDATES
The Ice Cream Social and Pool Party on Tuesday (July 1) will be from 3:00-5:00pm. Swimmers of all ages are invited to attend; the cost is $1 for Association members and $2 for non-members.
And Judy Seps negotiated a group rate deal at Golfland for the 8 & under trip on Friday, July 11. The cost will be $9 each (both kids and adults) for 3 hours of unlimited water slides and golf.
See you all tomorrow morning…GO PENGUINS!
Jun 25, 2014
Just a few mid-week updates:
CHECK-IN TIME AT GUNDERSON: 7:30 AM
LPAC check-in this Saturday is 7:30 am at Gunderson High School. Please leave plenty of time to drive and park so you arrive on time. Check the Montevideo meet page for a map and other details.
VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED FOR SATURDAY
Montevideo will be running nine lanes (!) at the meet this Saturday, so we need several more timers and recorders for second shift. Also, your job assignments will be different than they are at home meets. Please be sure to check the Volunteer Assignments link on the Montevideo meet page so you know your assigned shift(s). If you don’t see your name listed and/or are available to help out with timing second shift, please email Julie Waldron (jnewcomb65@yahoo.com) ASAP. This meet should go quite a bit faster than usual, so the shifts will probably be shorter.
OOPS…WE MISSED ONE!
Apologies to Mackenzie Keslin, who was inadvertently left out of the record-breaking list in Monday’s email. Yes, she did it again — broke her own 15-18 Girls 50Y Backstroke record, with a new time of :29.94. Congratulations Mackenzie!
DON’T MISS THE BOAT!
Just another reminder…if you want to go on the raft trip July 5, you need to turn in your waiver AND payment no later than this Saturday. Forms go in the “RAFT TRIP” folder; the LPAC file box will be on the ribbon table at the Montevideo meet. Contact Chad Seps (chadseps@gmail.com or 408-887-3267) if you have any questions about the raft trip. You can download the forms from the Raft Trip page of the website.
CHAMPS FORMS DUE SATURDAY TOO
Also, don’t forget to place your orders for Champs meals and Champs ads. Forms are available on the Champs page of the website.
SOME FUN EVENTS COMING UP
Next Tuesday, July 1, will be the Ice Cream Social and Pool Party at Los Paseos Pool. This fun event is open to all penguins and their siblings. The cost is $1 for Association members and $2 for non-members. Please pay at the gate as you come in. You do not need to RSVP for this event. We do, however, need some parent helpers to scoop and serve. Contact Kris Fuss (krisnbob@fussorama.com or 408-225-8797) if you can stay and help.
Friday, July 11 will be a mini-golf outing for swimmers in the 8 & under age group. Parents are responsible for taking their kids to and from Emerald Hills Golfland at 976 Blossom Hill Rd. We’ll plan to leave from the pool right after practice is over (10:15 am). The cost is $7.99 for kids and $8.99 for adults (golf only). You can also go on the water slides, which is an additional $7.99/$8.99. You can bring your own food or purchase snacks and lunch there. Siblings are also welcome to attend. Contact Judy Seps (judyseps@yahoo.com or 408-506-3532) if you have any questions about this event.
TURN IN THOSE PLEDGE FORMS!
Congratulations to all our penguins who swam their hearts out yesterday at the Swim-a-Thon! Remember to turn in your pledge forms and money to the “SWIM-A-THON” folder no later than July 11 to be eligible for prizes. We appreciate your support! You can download the pledge form from the Swim-a-Thon page of the website.
Jun 23, 2014
Dear Penguins and Parents:
Congratulations on another victory! LPAC defeated Silver Creek on Saturday by a score of 120.96 to 102.36. Let’s keep up the momentum this weekend against Montevideo!
MORE BROKEN RECORDS
We’ll have a brand-new name added to the LPAC record board this year: speedy six-year old Sarina Seps went a :21.97 in the 25Y butterfly, breaking Madison Mamola‘s record from 2007. Great job, Sarina! Meanwhile, Daniela Fasan shaved another hundredth of a second off own 11-12 girls 50Y breaststroke record with a time of :34.53. We might see more records fall in the big pool at Gunderson this weekend…stay tuned!
THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE
This is the second week of the Donut Blitz, and attendance has been great so far. The coaches are seeing noticeable improvements as a result, so keep up the good work and keep coming to practice every day!
SWIM-A-THON ON TUESDAY
The Swim-a-Thon fundraiser will be tomorrow (Tuesday, 6/24) during your regular practice time, so be sure to come a little early so you can start swimming right away! It’s a great chance to challenge yourself to swim as many laps as you can while earning money to support the team. The coaches will have goals for each age group. If you meet the goal, you get a ticket to enter in the raffle for fun prizes. You can earn extra tickets by swimming more laps beyond your target.
Download the pledge form from the Swim-a-Thon page on the website. We do need parent volunteers to help count laps, so please plan to stay during your child’s practice time to help out if you can.
PHOTO MAKE-UPS ON WEDNESDAY
If your child missed picture day last week, come to the pool on Wednesday (6/25) at 8:00 pm to take makeup individual photos. You will still receive a copy of the team photo as well. Remember to bring your checkbook if you plan to order extra prints or buddy photos.
GET THOSE FORMS IN NOW!
Remember, if you want to go rafting, eat at Champs, or show your penguin pride with an ad in the Champs program, you need to turn in those forms and payment THIS WEEK. Download the forms from the website:
SATURDAY’S MEET: @ MONTEVIDEO/GUNDERSON
This Saturday’s meet will be an away meet against the Montevideo Piranhas. Montevideo’s home pool is too small to host meets, so we will be swimming at Gunderson High School (622 Gaundabert Lane). See the Montevideo meet page for a map to Gunderson, which is the big pool you can see from the junction of Highways 85 and 87. We don’t know the LPAC swimmer check-in time yet but will let you know by Friday.
PENGUIN BRIEF #6
Coach Ryan has penned another Penguin Brief, about how every race can be a learning experience. You can read the article on the Penguin Briefs page of the website.
