May 27, 2014
Hope you all had fun at Penguin Madness on Friday — check out the website home page for new photos! We had a great turnout for yesterday’s Memorial Day swim clinic, and the coaches enjoyed working with swimmers on their starts and turns. Now it’s time to start looking forward to 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 27 through June 6):
- 8 & under: 6:00–7:00 pm
- 9-12: 7:00–8:00 pm
- 13-18: 8:00–9:00 pm
THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE
In these two weeks of compressed practices, the lanes are going to be more crowded than usual. The coaches will be focusing on conditioning and endurance, building yardage as they get swimmers ready for Time Trials on Saturday. Swimmers will also be practicing diving off the blocks, so it’s especially important that new swimmers come to practice every day this week if possible.
VOLUNTEER SHIFTS AT TIME TRIALS
The Volunteer List for Time Trials this Saturday has been posted to the Time Trials page on the website under “Links.” Meet entries and results will eventually be posted here as well, once those reports are available.
Please check the list for your name and assigned shift. If you don’t see your name listed but you do have a child who will be swimming at Time Trials, please e-mail Wendy Marley at marleywl@yahoo.com. If you see your name but your child is NOT swimming, please also e-mail Wendy, so the position can be filled.
We still need volunteers to work first shift woman’s bathroom and trash duty and second shift men’s bathroom. These jobs may not sound very glamorous, but they are actually ideal positions for anyone who is new to the team or has younger kids, because there is a lot of flexibility. We have openings for the following 3 home meets as well.
For second shift, we are in need of a couple of timers. This is the perfect opportunity to train as a timer, as the pressures are a little lighter with just our team on deck. There should be an experienced timer in each lane, and head timers on deck, to help out if you have any questions.
Please note, we really need everyone to pitch in at Time Trials. Because there is no other team, we have to man all the volunteer roles, and we have several families who will be out of town this weekend. If you have a child swimming, we need your help! If you have more than one swimmer swimming, we may need you twice. If you know another family in the same position, offer to split a second shift with them!
TIME TRIALS ON SATURDAY, MAY 31
Time Trials will be this Saturday, May 31. Check-in time for swimmers and parent volunteers is 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 be unable to attend time trials, you need to let the coaches know ASAP. Please send email to coaches@swimlpac.org or leave a “Note to Coaches” in the file box. Any swimmers who do not attend Time Trials must come to the make-up day on Monday, June 2.
TIME TRIALS MAKE-UP DAY: MONDAY, JUNE 2 (NO REGULAR PRACTICES)
Swimmers who cannot attend Time Trials on Saturday must come to Make-Up Day on Monday, June 2 at 6:00 pm. Parents are expected to stay and volunteer as timers and recorders during Make-Up Day. Please note there will be no regular team practices on Monday.
NEW CAPS AVAILABLE AT TIME TRIALS
We have new black-and-white LPAC team caps this year! Caps will be available at Time Trials for $10. Check out the Suits and Merchandise page of the website to see what they look like. All swimmers are encouraged to purchase a cap and wear it during meets. A team cap looks cool, shows your penguin pride, and makes it easy for the coaches and spectators to quickly identify LPAC swimmers. If you ordered team merchandise, it will also be available to pick up at Time Trials.
May 19, 2014
Did you know we’re already 1/4 of the way through the swim season? Time goes fast when you’re having fun!
Many thanks to Tabby Vaidyanath and the pancake crew for hosting a yummy breakfast on Saturday morning. We’ve got more fun team events coming up this week…
THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE
It’s Kick Week at Los Paseos! We’ll be spending every day this week focusing on a very important (but sometimes overlooked) part of stroke technique: kicking.
PENGUIN MADNESS THIS FRIDAY
Penguin Madness will be this Friday, May 23 from 6:00 to 8:00pm. There will be no swim practice on this day.
Preliminary team rosters are posted to the Penguin Madness page of the website. Swimmers are encouraged to wear the color of their designated penguin team if possible.
If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s not too late! Send an email today to Jim Read (jamesread70@sbcglobal.net) and include your child’s name and age. There is no cost for this event.
Parents and siblings are welcome to come and cheer for their favorite penguins. We recommend that you bring snacks, water, and folding chairs or blankets to sit on. We will also be doing a fundraiser night at Baja Fresh that day, so watch your email for the flyer later this week. Hope to see you all at the Madness!
GAME NIGHT RESCHEDULED
Game Night for the high school age group has been rescheduled for Friday, May 23 (right after Penguin Madness). Bring your favorite board games and some snacks to share!
MEMORIAL DAY SWIM CLINIC
There are no regular team practices on Memorial Day, 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. There is no cost for this event.
PRACTICE TIMES CHANGE AFTER MEMORIAL DAY
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 the last two weeks until school is out (May 27 until June 6). Please note the new times and age groups:
- 8 & under: 6:00–7:00 pm
- 9-12: 7:00–8:00 pm
- 13-18: 8:00–9:00 pm
TIME TRIALS ON MAY 31
The first swim meet of the season is Time Trials, which is just like a regular meet but without the other team. LPAC swimmers race against their own teammates. The purpose of time trials is to determine, under real race conditions, each swimmer’s time in every event. These times are used to determine seedings and calculate improvement points at the dual meets.
Attendance at Time Trials is mandatory, and we need parents to volunteer for positions just like at dual meets. It’s a good chance for swimmers and parents to get warmed up for the start of the season—and a great opportunity for our newest penguins to experience their very first races!
If your child will be unable to attend time trials, you need to let the coaches know ASAP. Please send email to coaches@swimlpac.org or leave a “Note to Coaches” in the file box. Any swimmers who do not attend Time Trials must come to the make-up day on Monday, June 2.
NEW CAPS AVAILABLE AT TIME TRIALS
We have new black-and-white LPAC team caps this year! Caps will be available at Time Trials for $10. Check out the Suits and Merchandise page of the website to see what they look like. All swimmers are encouraged to purchase a cap and wear it during meets. A team cap looks cool, shows your penguin pride, and makes it easy for the coaches and spectators to quickly identify LPAC swimmers. If you ordered team merchandise, it will also be available to pick up at Time Trials.
LOOKING GOOD, LPAC!
Many of you might have already noticed a number of improvements around the pool this year. Thanks to the generosity of our penguin families and other swim-a-thon supporters, we had enough funds to purchase sturdy new backstroke poles, a brand-new team record board, and new crowd-control stanchions (to finally replace the rusty old cement-poured-in-coffee-can poles that Coach Scott’s father made back in the 1980s!). Special thanks to Kevin Nichols for installing all of the new equipment. It feels good to class up the joint, so thank you everyone for supporting LPAC!
May 13, 2014
Looks like it’s going to be a great week for swimming! Here are just a few reminders about upcoming team events:
PANCAKE BREAKFAST: Saturday, May 17
Celebrate the start of the swim season and catch up with your LPAC friends at the Pancake Breakfast this Saturday, May 17, from 8:30 to 10:00 am. The cost is just $5 for all the pancakes you can eat, and all proceeds benefit the team! You do not need to RSVP for this event, but we could always use extra helpers. Please contact Tabby Vaidyanath (408-578-8319) if you are able to help with setup, cooking, and/or cleanup. Hope to see you there!
SIGN UP NOW FOR PENGUIN MADNESS
Penguin Madness will be on Friday, May 23 from 6:00 to 8:00pm. There is no cost for this fun team-building event, but we do need you to sign up now so that we can assign swimmers to their penguin teams. If your kids plan to attend, please send email to Grand Penguin Poobah Jim Read with your kids’ names and ages. For more information, see the Penguin Madness page on the website.
GAME NIGHT RESCHEDULED
Game Night for the high school age group has been rescheduled for Friday, May 23 (right after Penguin Madness). Bring your favorite board games and some snacks to share!
MEMORIAL DAY SWIM CLINIC
There are no regular team practices on Memorial Day (Monday, May 26), 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.
May 5, 2014
Happy Cinco de Mayo! We had a great first week of practices and are looking forward to seeing los penguinos back in la piscina this evening.
WELCOME NEW PENGUINS!
We’re very happy to welcome 22 (!) new penguins to the team. Please be sure to introduce yourself to the newest members in your practice group and make them all feel at home.
- 8 & under: Cressida Hansen, Robin Janssen, Tanner Buchanan, Easton Apolinar, Viola Sunderman, Vander Katz, Gabriel Nansen, Alexis Minasian, Alex Delgado, Coco Delgado, Martin Kwende
- 9-11: Tara Buchanan, Trevor Buchanan, Karla Julian, Shaun Tran, Ethan Fang, Caitlyn Minasian, Kailyn Altringer, Ethan Calderon
- 12-14: Catlan Tran, Vivek Gupta
- 15-18: Derek Jordan
SWIMSUIT TRY-ONS ON TUESDAY
We apologize that swimsuits were not ready for ordering last Wednesday as originally planned. If you didn’t get a chance to order your team suit, Illusions will be here on Tuesday, May 6 from 5:20 until 8:00 pm. Tuesday is also the last day to turn in LPAC merchandise orders. Remember to arrive early so your swimmers can try on suits before they practice; Illusions requires kids to be dry when they try on suits. And don’t forget your checkbooks! Checks for team merchandise orders should be made payable to “LPAC,” and swimsuit orders should be payable to “Illusions.”
SOME IMPORTANT REMINDERS TO PARENTS
- We know that adjusting to the start of the swim season is tough on everyone’s schedules, but please make every effort to pick your swimmers up on time after practice. Our coaches will always stay late to be sure that kids are not left by themselves, but by 9:00 pm both swimmers and coaches are exhausted and just want to go home.
- Parents are welcome to stay on the pool deck, but please try not to distract kids or coaches during practices.
- Parents of younger swimmers, please be sure to supervise your kids around the pool area before and after practices. The coaches have to focus on the kids in the pool and cannot provide supervision for the other kids.
STROKE AND TURN JUDGES WANTED!
LPAC needs more parent volunteers to serve as starters and stroke-and-turn judges. If you’re interested in either of these important positions, please plan to attend a special training day on Saturday, May 10, at our own Los Paseos Pool. The stroke & turn clinic will be held from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. The training for starters will be from 11:15 am to 12:00 noon. If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP to Nancy Keslin (nkeslin@yahoo.com).
SIGN UP NOW FOR PENGUIN MADNESS
Penguin Madness will be on Friday, May 23. There is no cost for this fun team-building event, but we do need you to sign up so that we can assign swimmers to their penguin teams. To sign up and get more information, see the Penguin Madness page on the website. Click the orange button to send email to Jim Read and sign up; you just need to include your kids’ names and ages.
May 1, 2014
It’s been a great first week of practice so far…and perfect swimming weather for sure! Just a couple of quick updates:
SWIM SUITS & MERCHANDISE
Parents, remember to bring your checkbooks tonight, and plan on spending some extra time either before or after practice for kids to try on swim suits and other LPAC team merchandise. Orders will be accepted tonight (Wednesday) and Thursday, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. We do have a new team suit this year. We ask that all swimmers wear either a team suit or a solid black suit at all meets.
GAME NIGHT POSTPONED
Game Night for the high school age group has been postponed, since this Friday is the BVAL league finals for high school swimmers. Good luck to all Bulldogs and Saints swimmers!
Apr 23, 2014
It’s hard to believe, but swim team practices start next week! We can’t wait to see you all very soon. Here are just a few reminders for the start of the new season:
PARENT MEETING AND VOLUNTEER SIGN-UPS: THURSDAY, APRIL 24
Our new parent orientation meeting will be on Thursday, April 24, at 7:30 pm. This meeting is geared towards families who are just joining LPAC, but anyone is welcome to attend. You should plan to at least stop by, pick up the team calendar and contact list, and sign up for volunteer shifts.
2014 COACHING STAFF
Lots of familiar faces on the pool deck this year! Coach Scott Jackson will be returning as head coach, and Ryan Hussey, Emily Read, Patrick Read, and Julia Thompson will also be returning.
NEW SWIMMER TRYOUTS
Any new swimmers trying out for LPAC must attend the special practice sessions, starting Monday, April 28 through Friday, May 2, from 5:00 to 5:30 pm. The coaches will be getting in the water and working directly with the swimmers during this time. By the end of that first week, the coaches will make the final decision whether the swimmers are ready to be on the swim team. We will also finalize the roster at that time.
PRACTICES BEGIN APRIL 28
Regular evening practices for all age groups will begin on Monday, April 28. The times will be as follows:
- 8 & under: 5:30 – 6:15 pm
- 9-11: 6:15 – 7:00 pm
- 12-14: 7:00 – 8:00 pm
- 15-18: 8:00 – 9:00 pm
We have a spiffy new black-and-white team swim suit this year! Swimmers are required to wear either a team suit or a solid black suit for team picture day and all meets. Try-ons and ordering will be Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. You can also order LPAC team merchandise (shirts, sweats, etc.). Be sure to stop by either before or after your child’s regular practice time to gear up for the new season!
GAME NIGHT FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGE GROUP: FRIDAY, MAY 2
All swimmers in the high school age group are invited to stay after practice on Friday night, May 2, for board games and fun with your swim team friends. Bring your favorite game and snacks to share!
WANTED: STARTERS AND JUDGES
LPAC needs more parent volunteers to serve as starters and stroke-and-turn judges. If you’re interested in either of these important positions, please plan to attend a special training day on Saturday, May 10, at our own Los Paseos Pool. The stroke & turn clinic will be held from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. The training for starters will be from 11:15 am to 12:00 noon. If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP to Nancy Keslin (nkeslin@yahoo.com).
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday, April 24: New parent orientation meeting (7:30 pm)
Monday, April 28: Practices begin
Wednesday, April 30 and Thursday, May 1: Swim suit and merchandise try-ons and ordering
Friday, May 2: Game Night for high school age group (9:00pm – midnight)
Saturday, May 10: Stroke & Turn Clinic & Starter Training (9:00 am – 11:30 am)
Saturday, May 17: Pancake Breakfast (8:30 – 10:00 am)
