Jun 5, 2017
Dear Penguins and Parents:
Great job everyone at Time Trials! This week is the last week of night practices — and we have our first dual meet at home against Montevideo on Saturday. Now the fun really begins!
TIME TRIAL MAKE-UPS AT 7:15 TONIGHT
Please note that since the pool is open to members, we have moved Time Trial Make-Ups tonight (Monday 6/5) to 7:15 pm. Please arrive on time and ready to swim, as we have a lot of races to get through before it gets dark. Parents, please stay to help out with timing and recording. Any swimmers who missed any of their races on Saturday should come to Make-Up Time Trials. Everyone else gets the night off from practice!
PRACTICES THIS WEEK
This is the last week of condensed night practices; morning practices will start next week. Please note that some age groups may be doing dryland exercises in addition to swimming during practices this week. Please wear shorts and running shoes over your suit so you’re prepared for either one!
WILL YOU BE AT THE MEET ON SATURDAY?
Remember, if you will be missing a meet, you need to let the coaches and volunteer coordinators know at least one week in advance. So far the only families we know will be missing all or part of this Saturday’s meet (6/10) are: Buchanan, Hocevar Tabuchi, Blacow, Minasian, Espinoza, Morales, and Mamola. Please let us know TODAY if your swimmer will not be there on Saturday!
SATURDAY’S MEET: MONTEVIDEO @ LPAC
We do love swimming in the friendly confines of our home pool, but the downside of having only four racing lanes is that we have to get up pretty early. LPAC swimmers will need to check in with the coaches by 6:30 am on Saturday morning. Please plan to get a good night’s sleep on Friday so you’re ready to swim fast on Saturday!
Parents, if you haven’t already done so, be sure to sign up for your volunteer shift(s) on SignUp Genius. We’ll have more details about the meet in our end-of-the-week reminders.
SAVE THE DATE: CANCER RELAY FUNDRAISER ON JUNE 23
This year the swimmer reps are helping to organize a fun relay event on Friday, June 23 (during regular practice times) to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Sadly, our team has had many families affected by cancer; please plan to participate and help us channel our penguin power into making a difference! More details to follow.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jun 2, 2017
Happy Friday! Just a few quick notices and reminders:
- Swimmers and parent volunteers need to check in at Time Trials tomorrow morning by 7:15 am. Please call or text Coach Scott at 408-613-5126 if your child is ill that morning.
- If you want to check out your event numbers ahead of time, see the Meet Entries posted on the website. (Note that all swimmers are entered here, even if they will not be at Time Trials on Saturday.)
- Please check the updated Volunteer Assignments and be sure you are able to work your assigned shift(s). Remember to check in with the volunteer coordinators when you arrive at the meet.
- Any swimmers who do not attend Time Trials (or miss any of their events) MUST come to Time Trial makeups on Monday (6/5) at 6:00 pm. Parents are needed to stay and help as timers and recorders. Note there will be no regular evening practices on Monday.
- In general, if your child is going to be missing any part of a meet, you need to let the coaches and volunteer coordinators know at least one week in advance. Please send email to coaches@swimlpac.org as well as volunteers@swimlpac.org. Our first dual meet is on June 10 at home against Montevideo, so please notify us ASAP if your swimmer will not be there.
GO PENGUINS!
May 29, 2017
Hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend! The coaches were happy to see so many swimmers at Monday’s clinic. This week we’ve got new practice times, Picture Day on Wednesday, and then Time Trials on Saturday!
*NEW EVENING PRACTICE TIMES START TODAY*
For the next two weeks, our evening practice times are compressed because the pool is open to members until 6:00 pm. Please note the new times and age groups (May 30 through June 9):
- 9 & under: 6:00–7:00 pm
- 10-13: 7:00–8:00 pm
- 14-18: 8:00–9:00 pm
THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE
The coaches will be focusing on meet readiness before Time Trials on Saturday, so it’s especially important that new swimmers come to practice every day this week if possible.
PICTURE DAY: MAY 31
Team Picture Day is on Wednesday, May 31. Individual photos start at 4:00 pm for swimmers who are also Association members. The team photo will be taken at 5:30 pm; all swimmers should be at the pool ready to line up at 5:15 pm. The remaining individual photos will be taken after the team photo is done. Please note that the pool is open to members until 6:00 pm on this day, so please stay off the pool deck except while your photo is being taken.
Swimmers should wear their LPAC team suits or plain black suits. Your registration fees include one individual photo, one team photo, and a photo button. Please bring your checkbook if you’d like to order any extras, like buddy photos or additional prints. See the Photo Order Form for all the fun options.
We could use a few additional parent helpers to corral all the penguins for the team picture; please stay to help out if you’re able!
We will have regular team practices on this day.
TIME TRIALS ON SATURDAY, JUNE 3
Time Trials will be this Saturday, June 3. Swimmers and parents should check in no later than 7:15 am. Coach Scott will have a brief meeting for new swimmers and their parents starting at 7:20 am. The meet should be done around 1:00 pm.
If you are new to the team, you might want to check out the Swim Meet Survival Tips article on the website for some helpful advice about what to bring, what to wear, etc.
If your child will not be able to attend Time Trials, you need to let the coaches and volunteer coordinators know ASAP if you have not done so already. Please send email to coaches@swimlpac.org and volunteers@swimlpac.org. Any swimmers who do not attend Time Trials must come to the make-up day on Monday, June 5 at 6:00 pm.
So far, we have heard that the following families will be missing all or part of Time Trials: Buchanan, Calderon, Castro, Cendejas, Fang, Janssen, Julian, Mamola, Morales, Seps, Tran, Yacono.
TIME TRIALS MAKE-UP DAY: MONDAY, JUNE 5
Swimmers who cannot attend Time Trials on Saturday must come to Make-Up Day on Monday, June 5 at 6:00 pm. Parents are expected to stay and volunteer as timers and recorders during Make-Up Day. Please arrive on time! Please note there will be no regular night practices on Monday.
UPCOMING AGE GROUP EVENTS
We have a couple of fun events coming up for different age groups:
- 12-14 practice group: Virtual Reality Fun at Santa Clara Paintball
Wednesday, June 14 at 12:00 noon
- 9-11 practice group: Despicable Me 3 at Tennant Station in Morgan Hill
Friday, June 30 after morning practice
For more details, see the Age Group Events web page or contact Judy Seps.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Tuesday, May 30: Practice times change
- Wednesday, May 31: Picture Day
- Saturday, June 3: Time Trials
- Monday, June 5: Time Trials Make-Ups (no regular practices)
- Saturday, June 10: Montevideo @ LPAC
- Monday, June 12: Morning practices begin
- Wednesday, June 14: Virtual Reality Fun (12-14 age group)
- Saturday, June 17: LPAC @ Belwood
- Friday, June 23: Cancer Relay Fundraiser
- Saturday, June 24: LPAC @ Almaden
- Friday, June 30: Despicable Me 3 (9-11 age group)
May 22, 2017
Hope everyone had a great time at Penguin Madness! Thank you to all the Board members and other parents who helped make it a fun time for all, including the hardy souls who stayed up late with the high school gamers.
WILL YOU BE AT TIME TRIALS ON JUNE 3?
The first meet of the season is Time Trials on Saturday, June 3. Every swimmer is expected to participate if possible. If your child is not able to swim that day, please send email to both coaches@swimlpac.org and volunteers@swimlpac.org as soon as possible (if you haven’t already done so).
Hopefully you’ve already signed up for a volunteer shift (or two!) at Time Trials as well. If not, there are still a few slots available on the SignUpGenius page.
Anyone who does not swim all their events at Time Trials will need to come to Time Trials Makeup Day on Monday, June 5. We need all parents to stay and help time. Please note that there will be no regular practices on that day.
MEMORIAL DAY SWIM CLINIC: MAY 29
There are no regular team practices on Memorial Day (Monday, May 29), but swimmers are invited to attend an optional Swim Clinic that morning from 9:00am to 10:30am. The coaches will be working with small groups of kids on diving from the blocks, backstroke starts, pulldowns, and all types of turns. Swimmers who want to work on any of these skills are welcome to attend. Swimmers do not need to stay the whole time; they are welcome to drop in at any time and leave whenever they’d like.
PRACTICE TIMES CHANGE: MAY 30
After Memorial Day, the pool is open to its members until 6:00 pm. This means that we have to compress our swim practices for two weeks until school is out (May 30 through June 9). Please note the different times and age groups:
- 9 & under: 6:00–7:00 pm
- 10-13: 7:00–8:00 pm
- 14-18: 8:00–9:00 pm
PICTURE DAY: MAY 31
Team Picture Day is on Wednesday, May 31. Individual photos start at 4:00 pm for swimmers who are also Association members. The team photo will be taken at 5:30 pm; all swimmers should be at the pool ready to line up at 5:15 pm. The remaining individual photos will be taken after the team photo is done. Please note that the pool is open to members until 6:00 pm on this day, so please stay off the pool deck except while your photo is being taken.
Swimmers should wear their LPAC team suits or plain black suits. Your registration fees include one individual photo, one team photo, and a photo button. Please bring your checkbook if you’d like to order any extras, like buddy photos or additional prints. See the Photo Order Form for all the fun options.
We could use a few additional parent helpers to corral all the penguins for the team picture; please stay to help out if you’re able!
We will have regular team practices on this day.
UPCOMING EVENTS
GO PENGUINS!
May 15, 2017
Dear Penguins and Parents:
Hope you all had a nice Mother’s Day weekend! Here’s a peek at what’s coming up in Week 3:
PENGUIN MADNESS THIS FRIDAY
Penguin Madness will be this Friday, May 19, from 6:00 to 8:00pm. There will be no swim practice on this day.
Preliminary team rosters will be posted to the Penguin Madness page of the website later this week and will also be posted at the pool. Swimmers are encouraged (but not required) to wear the color of their designated penguin team. Note that these are all dryland games, so wear comfortable clothes and shoes so you can run, jump, crawl, etc.
Thank you to everyone who has already signed up. If you haven’t yet, it’s not too late! Send an email today to info@swimlpac.org and include your child’s name and age. There is no cost for this event.
Parents and siblings are encouraged to come and cheer for their favorite penguins; this is a family event that is fun for all. This year we will even have games that parents can join in! We recommend that you bring warm layers, plus snacks, water, and folding chairs or blankets to sit on.
GAME NIGHT FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS
Swimmers in the high school practice group are invited to stay for Game Night at the clubhouse immediately following Penguin Madness. Please bring snacks or drinks to share!
We do need at least one or two additional parent volunteers from the high school age group to help chaperone. Please respond to this email if you’re available to help.
A NOTE FROM THE COACHES
Please remember that swimmers need to be on the deck and ready to swim at least 5 minutes before their official practice time begins, so we can start each practice on time.
During practices this week, the coaches will be evaluating each swimmer in all four strokes to determine what specific areas to focus on this season.
VOLUNTEER SIGNUPS ONLINE
This year we are doing online sign-ups for volunteers. You should have already received an email with information about how to sign up. If you did not receive that, please send email to volunteers@swimlpac.org and let our Volunteer Coordinators know the best email to use for contacting you.
There are some “trained” positions that will not appear on the sign up and have already been filled. If you have been contacted about these trained positions, you do not need to sign up online. Also, if you came to the parent meeting and already signed up for Time Trials there, you do not need to sign up again for this first meet.
Sign-ups will be available at 9:00 am on the Monday morning preceding each meet. Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Here is the link to sign up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080e49aea92babf49-lpac
Remember, at Time Trials (on June 3) we need extra helpers, because our team has to fill all the volunteer positions. All families must sign up for at least one shift. If you have two or more children, you may be asked to work a second shift. Families with 3+ children are required to sign up for two shifts. If you have special needs, please contact the Volunteer Coordinators.
STROKE AND TURN CLINIC
One very specialized volunteer position is Stroke and Turn Judge. If you are interested in learning how to do this important job, please come to the Stroke and Turn Clinic at the clubhouse on Saturday, May 20 from 9:00 am – 11:30 am. If you have questions, please contact Nancy Keslin at 408-838-5604 or nkeslin@yahoo.com.
LOST AND FOUND
A pair of children’s eyeglasses was found outside the pool last Friday evening. Please let the coaches know if you think these might belong to your child.
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 8, 2017
It was great to see so many penguins back in the water for the first week of practices! Special thanks to Tabby Vaidyanath and her hardy crew of flapjack flippers for hosting a fun Pancake Breakfast to kick off the season. Now it’s on to Week 2!
WELCOME NEW PENGUINS!
We’ve got 14 brand new penguins on the team this year! Please join us in welcoming Paige, Gus, Aria, A.J., Evynn, Isabel, Alyssa, Ona, Yasmin, Benham, Samantha, Kaitlyn, Tai and Ander! And special thanks to all the high school swimmers who have been helping out during practices.
EMAIL COACHES
Just a reminder: if you need to communicate with the coaches about schedule conflicts or any other issues, please send email to coaches@swimlpac.org.
PENGUIN MADNESS COMING SOON!
Most of the year, we’re all one big happy penguin family. But at Penguin Madness, swimmers from all age groups are grouped into different penguin teams to compete in fun non-swimming events like tug-of-war and musical chairs to see who has the most penguin power. This year Penguin Madness will be on Friday, May 19 from 6:00-8:00 pm (there are no regular practices on that day). If your child plans to participate, please reply to this email.
STROKE & TURN CLINIC ON MAY 20
We are in need of new Stroke & Turn judges. Judges are needed to observe every race and be sure swimmers are swimming each stroke correctly. It’s a great way to learn more about the sport and get involved during meets. If you’re interested, please plan to attend the special training clinic on Saturday, May 20, at 9:00 am at the Los Paseos Clubhouse. The session usually lasts until 11:30 am. For more information, contact Nancy Keslin at nkeslin@yahoo.com or 408-838-5604.
RESERVE ROOMS NOW FOR RAFT TRIP
If you are planning to go on the Raft Trip on July 1, you might want to book your hotel rooms now, as spaces are filling up fast. Mention “Los Paseos Swim Team” to get discounted group rates at the hotels listed below:
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Motel 6 (209-847-8181) Group rate: per night: $109 1 king, $119 2 queens
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Holiday Inn (209-847-9121) Call Karen Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday after 4 pm or Saturday before 11 am Group rate: $178 1 bed, $188 2 bed.
UPCOMING EVENTS
