Weekly Update: 5/23/16

May 23, 2016

PENGUIN PLAYDATE ON TUESDAY!

Our youngest penguins (5-6 year olds) and their parents are invited to meet at Los Paseos Park this Tuesday (May 24) at 4:30 pm for a pre-practice playdate. It’s a chance to catch up with old friends and make some new penguin pals! Please bring a snack to share; we can all walk or ride over swim practice together afterwards.

PENGUIN MADNESS THIS FRIDAY

Penguin Madness will be this Friday, May 27, 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 (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.

If you haven’t signed up 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 welcome to come and cheer for their favorite penguins. We recommend that you bring warm layers, plus snacks, water, and folding chairs or blankets to sit on.

NorCal Swim Shop will be coming to Penguin Madness this year and will be selling practice suits, caps, or goggles. This is a great chance to stock up for the season without making a trip to the store!

Swimmers in the high school practice group are invited to the Burkes’ house (26 Via Campina) for Game Night immediately following Penguin Madness. Please bring snacks or drinks to share!

MEMORIAL DAY SWIM CLINIC

There are no regular team practices on Memorial Day (Monday, May 30), 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.

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 one week until school is out (May 31 through June 3). Please note the new 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
 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Parents, there are several important volunteer positions that we still need to fill. We are looking for 2 clean-up helpers, 1 clerk of the course, 2 deck marshals, 2 kitchen “shadow” helpers, and 2 assistant volunteer coordinators. It really does take a village to run our swim team, so please step up to help out if you can! As an extra incentive, we’ll put your name in a hat and draw for a guaranteed up-front parking spot at home meets. Send email to Cecie Boston at volunteers@swimlpac.org and let us know how you’d like to help.

TIME TRIALS ON JUNE 4

The first swim meet of the season is Time Trials, which is just like a regular meet but without the other team. At Time Trials, LPAC swimmers race against their own teammates to establish times in every event under real race conditions. These times are used to determine seedings and calculate improvement points at the 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!

Attendance at Time Trials is mandatory, and we need parents to volunteer for positions just like at dual meets. If you haven’t yet signed up for a volunteer shift, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Cecie Boston at volunteers@swimlpac.org.

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 Time Trial Make-Ups on Monday, June 6 at 8:00 pm.

UPCOMING EVENTS

LPAC Weekly Update: 5/16/16

May 16, 2016

Thanks to Tabby Vaidyanath and her crew of flapjack flippers for hosting a fun Pancake Breakfast on Saturday. Now on to Week 3!

PENGUIN MADNESS COMING SOON!

Are you ready for Penguin Madness? If your child plans to participate, please reply to this email TODAY so we can start assembling the penguin teams. This year Penguin Madness will be on Friday, May 27 from 6:00-8:00 pm (there are no regular practices on that day). Parents are welcome to come watch the madness!

THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE

This week, the coaches will be evaluating each swimmer in all four strokes to determine what specific areas to focus on this season. We’ve had great attendance so far; please continue coming to practice every day if you can!

NEW RULES AT POOL DURING PRACTICES

The Los Paseos Association asked that all children and parents please comply with the following rules during swim team practices:

  • Children not participating in practice must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
  • No children are allowed south of the pool, above the grass area, or south of the upper deck, and specifically no access to the shed area, or in and around the Pool Equipment House.
  • No one is allowed in the baby pool at any time.
  • Swim team members not in the pool must either be with their parents or in the Sports Court.

Pool Off Limits Map

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER SHIFTS YET?

Every family needs to sign up for at least one shift at every meet their swimmer(s) attend; families with more than one swimmer may be needed to work additional shifts. If you haven’t signed up yet, please send email to Cecie Boston at volunteers@swimlpac.org. We are especially in need of more volunteers for the clean-up shifts after home meets. This job is very important, as we really need to have all hands on deck (literally) to clean up the pool and get it ready to open to members. It’s a good fit if you have young kids and don’t want to have to work during the meet — or if you’d rather sleep in late and come help after the meet is over! We are also looking for additional volunteers for Announcer, Clerk of the Course, and Stroke and Turn judges (see note below). If you are able to help out, please send email to volunteers@swimlpac.org.

STROKE AND TURN CLINIC FOR PARENT VOLUNTEERS

Parents, if you’re interested in getting trained as a Stroke & Turn judge, plan to attend the Stroke & Turn Clinic on Saturday, May 21 from 9:00 to 11:30 am at the Los Paseos Clubhouse. 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!

RESERVE ROOMS NOW FOR RAFT TRIP

The team raft trip this year will be on Saturday, July 2. Many families like to stay overnight (either Friday or Saturday, or both). We have reserved a small block of rooms at the Motel 6 in Oakdale, but they do fill up quickly and will only be reserved until June 5. Rooms with one king bed are $99; rooms with two queens are $109 (plus tax); breakfast is NOT included. Call 209-847-8181 to reserve your room today. For more information, see the Raft Trip page on the website.

UPCOMING EVENTS

LPAC Weekly Update: 5/9/16

May 9, 2016

It was great to see so many penguins back in the water for the first week of practices! Even though things are always crazy busy this time of year, we hope you’ll keep up the good work and keep attending as many practices as you can.

WELCOME NEW PENGUINS!

We’ve got 15 brand new penguins on the team this year! Welcome to Benjamin, Marcus, Niondre, Maleah, Lowen, Eva, Sophia, Cailyn, Maddy, Braden, Chakkit, Neylan, Lavenia, Vasiti, and Gavin! And special thanks to all the high school swimmers who have been helping out during practices.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST ON SATURDAY

Kids and parents are invited to catch up with their swim team friends at the annual Pancake Breakfast this Saturday, May 14 from 8:30 am to 10:00 am at the clubhouse. The cost is $5 per person at the door; you do not need to RSVP for this event. Hope to see you there!

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 27 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 21

We are in need of new Stroke & Turn judges. If you’re interested, please plan to attend the special training clinic on Saturday, May 21, 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.

SIGN UP FOR VOLUNTEER SHIFTS

If you haven’t already signed up to volunteer at meets, please contact Wendy Marley at marleywl@yahoo.com or 408-218-2779. For home meets we still need people for the clean up crew; many hands make light work! We also need snack bar help first and second shifts, selling yummy food to hungry meet attendees. For the away meets, we’ll need lots of timers and recorders.

UPCOMING EVENTS

LPAC Update: 4/25/16

Apr 25, 2016

The long winter wait is almost over! We’re looking forward to getting all penguins back in the water for the first day of practice next Monday (5/2).

PARENT MEETING ON THURSDAY
The New Parent Meeting is this Thursday, April 28. Returning families are invited to come by the clubhouse at 7:00 pm to pick up handouts and sign up for volunteer shifts. New families should plan to attend the meeting, which will start at 7:30 pm. Returning families are welcome (but not required) to stay as well.

2016 COACHING STAFF
Coaches Scott Jackson, Ryan Hussey, and Nicole Richards will be returning this year, and Connor Bleeg and Ben Jackson will be joining the coaching staff. We’re looking forward to a great season!


PRACTICES BEGIN MONDAY, MAY 2
Practice times will be as follows:

  • All new swimmers: 5:00-5:30 pm (May 2-6 only)
  • 8 & under: 5:30–6:15 pm
  • 9-11: 6:15–7:00 pm
  • 12-14: 7:00–8:00 pm
  • High school: 8:00–9:00 pm


UPCOMING EVENTS

Check the Team Calendar for a complete list of upcoming events.

Hope to see you all on Thursday!

Polar Penguin Plunge on January 2!

Jan 1, 2016

Holiday greetings, penguins and parents!

Hope you are all enjoying some time off from school and work.

We’d like to invite you to kick off the new year by taking a Polar Penguin Plunge into the truly frigid waters at Los Paseos Pool on Saturday, January 2 at 10:00 am. Swimmers of all ages (and slightly crazy parents, too) are welcome to join in — it’s definitely going to be chilly, but it is truly a badge of honor to say you’ve taken the plunge!

There will be hot cocoa and cookies afterwards…please be sure to bring towels and warm clothes to hop into as soon as you get out!

Hope to see you there…

LPAC: Post-Season Roundup

Jul 20, 2015

Thanks to everyone who helped out at the banquet yesterday! Just a few final end-of-the-season messages:

TROPHIES: COME AND GET ‘EM

If you weren’t able to come to the banquet but would like to pick up your child’s trophy and ribbons, please reply to this email. Coach Scott has most of them at his house, and you can pick them up in the next week or two. After that, they’ll go into cold storage until next year!

WANT A DVD?

If you didn’t already purchase a DVD of the team slideshow/video, Melinda Doutt still has copies available. The cost is $20. Please send email to mdoutt@gmail.com to order your copy.

JUST KEEP SWIMMIN…

If your kids love swimming and are sad the season is over, maybe they should give year-round swimming a try! We’re lucky to live close to several very good teams that offer flexible programs and schedules. See the Year-Round Swimming page on the team website for more information. You can send mail to coaches@swimlpac.org or contact any of the year-round swim families to discuss which program might work best for you.

Thanks again for a great LPAC season. Enjoy the rest of your summer…and GO PENGUINS!

Champs Scores (7/18/15)

Jul 18, 2015

Congratulations to all of our penguins for great swims today…LPAC finished in third place!

Here are the final scores from Champs:

  1. Oaktree  1818.28
  2. Almaden  1808.24
  3. LPAC  1662.89
  4. Belwood  1563.96
  5. Montevideo  1548.59
  6. Silver Creek  1510.06

Look forward to seeing you all at the Banquet tomorrow!

LPAC: Friday reminders (7/17/15)

Jul 17, 2015

Just a few last-minute reminders before tomorrow:

CHAMPS CHECK-IN: 6:40 AM

Remember: swimmers need to check in tomorrow no later than 6:40 am at the Morgan Hill Aquatic Center.

Please leave plenty of time to drive to Morgan Hill, find parking, and locate the check-in table in our designated team area. LPAC will be in the same location as last year, in the middle of the grassy area (see map posted to the Champs page of the website). LPAC warm-ups will be in the warm-up/cool-down lanes closest to our team area. Gates will not open until 6:15 am, so please do not arrive before then.

If your child is ill, please call or text Coach Scott at 408-613-5126.

Parents, please check in at the volunteer table and be sure to listen for announcement and shift changes.

We encourage you to purchase a program, food, and t-shirts — all proceeds help our team and the league pay for Champs!

BANQUET ON SUNDAY

The LPAC Team Awards Banquet will be on Sunday starting at 4:30 pm. Remember to bring your own folding chairs. We look forward to getting all the penguins back together one last time to hand out trophies and celebrate another great season!

 

GO PENGUINS!

LPAC: Thursday reminders (7/16/15)

Jul 16, 2015

We’re getting very close to the finish line now! Just a few quick reminders/updates as we head into the last few days of the swim season:

SPIRIT NIGHT TONIGHT

Don’t forget to come to Spirit Night TONIGHT (Thursday 7/16) from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. All penguins and parents are welcome (and expected) to attend!

DVDs FOR SALE

The Doutt family has prepared another great slideshow/video to celebrate the 2015 LPAC season. If you’re interested in purchasing a DVD, the cost is $20. Please contact Melinda Doutt (mdoutt@gmail.com) or talk to her tonight to order a copy. Thank you Mark and Melinda for all your hard work!

SPAGHETTI DINNER ON FRIDAY

All swimmers ages 13-18 are invited to come carbo-load and decorate cars at the clubhouse on Friday from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. Please bring $7 per person.

CHAMPS CHECK-IN: 6:40 AM

Swimmer check-in on Saturday will be at 6:40 am at the Morgan Hill Aquatic Center (16200 Condit Road). Champs can be very chaotic, and we have first shift warmups this year, so please be on time! We estimate the meet will end around 4:30 pm, so prepare for a long day.

Parking is going to be very tight this year, as there is a circus going on at the soccer complex next door. And no, we’re not speaking metaphorically…it’s an actual CIRCUS! Please be prepared to carpool and to park in the dirt lot. We will share lots more information about Champs tonight at the parent meeting during Spirit Night.

Meet entries have been posted to the website, so check the Champs meet page so you know what you’ll be swimming.

VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENTS FOR CHAMPS

Updated volunteer assignments have also been posted to the Champs meet page; please check so you know your assigned shift(s). If you are going to be working as a marshal, please click on the Champs Map and Marshal Info link so you know where to go and what to do when you get there. (Even if you’re not a marshal, you might want to check the map just so you know where everything will be this year.)

All parents, please be sure to check in at the volunteer table when you arrive at Champs in the morning. You can also pick up your pre-order BBQ and Panera meal tickets there.

 

Look forward to seeing you all tonight at Spirit Night…GO PENGUINS!!

LPAC: Weekly Update (7/13/15)

Jul 13, 2015

Dear Penguins and Parents:

We’re very proud of our penguins, even though the Oaktree Sharks won Saturday’s meet by a score of 116.6 to 100.3. We were actually pretty close in place points, but Oaktree beat us in improvement. Still, we finished the season with a winning 3-2 record. This weekend at Champs we’ll need every penguin to swim their very best!

DANI DOES IT AGAIN

Daniela Fasan bested her own breaststroke record by almost half a second with a new time of :32.57 and also improved her freestyle record with a :26.28. Congratulations!

THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE

Although swimmers will be tapering and resting up for Champs this week, it’s still very important to come to practice very day to keep refining those small improvements that can add up to big points at the meet. Please note that there will be no dryland exercises the rest of this week. Night practices will be Monday through Wednesday at the usual time; there is no night practice on Thursday because of Spirit Night.

 

SPIRIT WEEK

We’ve got fun dress-up days and snacks at practice all week:

  • Multicultural Monday: Dress in clothes from other countries and cultures
  • Teddy Bear Tuesday: Come to practice in your PJs and bring your favorite stuffed animal
  • Wow You’re Bright Western Wednesday: Dress in neon clothes and/or western wear
  • Thuperhero Thursday: Dress like your favorite superhero
  • Black and White Penguin Friday: Dress like a penguin!
SPIRIT NIGHT ON THURSDAY

Parents and swimmers are invited to attend Spirit Night on Thursday (7/16) from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Swimmers will get together to eat pizza, decorate posters to hang up at Champs, and elect swimmer reps for next year.  Meanwhile, parents have a meeting to discuss Champs and elect next year’s Board members. Then we’ll all get together in the clubhouse for Swim-a-Thon awards and a slideshow/video that celebrates the season and energizes the team to do their best at Champs. There is no cost for this event. Look forward to seeing you all there!

PURCHASE A DVD FOR $20

If you’re interesting in getting a DVD copy of the team slideshow/video, please bring $20 to Mark or Melinda Doutt. It’s a great way to remember all the fun we had this season!

SPAGHETTI DINNER FOR TEENAGERS ON FRIDAY

All swimmers ages 13-18 are invited to the clubhouse on Friday from 6:00 to 7:00 to  “carbo-load” before Champs at the annual Spaghetti Dinner. We’ll also decorate cars to show our penguin pride. The cost is $7 per swimmer; please pay at the door. We do need some parents to help serve and clean up as well.

BANQUET FORMS DUE WEDNESDAY!

If you haven’t already done so, please turn in your meal order form NOW for Sunday’s Awards Banquet. Swimmers eat for free, but we still need you to fill out a form so we know how much food we’ll need. See the Banquet page of the website for more information.

CHAMPS VOLUNTEERS: PLEASE CHECK YOUR ASSIGNMENTS

Champs volunteer assignments have been posted to the Champs page of the website and are also attached to this email. Please check to see what shift(s) your family has been assigned. Please note that families with more than one swimmer may be assigned to multiple shifts. Even if you don’t see your name listed here, please check in with Wendy Marley and Julie Waldron on Saturday morning, as you may still be needed to help fill in.

MORE INFORMATION ON CHAMPS COMING SOON

We’ll send another email later this week with more detailed information about the VCSL Championship Meet (“Champs”), which will be held this Saturday (7/18) at the Morgan Hill Aquatic Center. Entries have already been submitted to the league and will be posted to the website later this week.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

See full LPAC 2015 calendar

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