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:

• Raft Trip
• Champs Meals
• Champs Ads

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.

Just a few quick reminders:

CHECK IN TOMORROW AT 6:30 AM

We’ve pushed back swimmer check-in time by 15 minutes so we can all get a little extra sleep. All penguins must check in with coaches promptly at 6:30 am for tomorrow’s home meet against Silver Creek. If your child is ill, please call or text Coach Scott: 408-613-5126. Preliminary meet entries have been posted to the Silver Creek meet page of the website. However, there are sometimes last-minute changes, so be sure to check the entries posted at the pool and always check OUT with the coaches before you leave the meet in case you’re needed as a last-minute relay substitute.

HELP WANTED!

We are still in desperate need of more parent volunteers for tomorrow’s meet. We need one more snack bar helper for both first and second shifts, and at least four timers for second shift. If you can help out with any of these jobs, please contact Julie Waldron (jnewcomb65@yahoo.com) ASAP. And when you check in tomorrow morning, be sure to sign up for a job at the upcoming Montevideo meet as well. (Note that updated volunteer assignments have been posted to the Silver Creek page of the website.)

LAST HOME MEET

Tomorrow will be our last home meet of the season, which means it’s your last chance to enjoy the league-renowned LPAC breakfast burritos and tri-tip sandwiches. Remember that all snack bar proceeds benefit our team, so eat hearty!

IMPROVEMENT COUNTS!

Just a reminder that in this league, improvement points count for half of the overall team score. So every individual swim really does make a difference. In fact, quite often the team who wins in improvement points ends up winning the meet. Encourage your kids to know their entry (seed) times, and to check with timers afterwards to see if they improved.

BEACH TRIP FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS

Any swimmers who have completed their first year of high school are invited to attend the Beach and Bonfire trip tomorrow (Saturday, 6/21). The cost is $8 per person. We still need more parent drivers for this trip; swimmers are not allowed to drive themselves. Younger siblings may attend if their parents are driving. Please RSVP to Sandi Bolton (sandi.bolton@gmail.com). Plan to meet at the pool at 4:30 pm. Check the Beach Trip page of the website for a map and additional information.

See you all in the morning…GO PENGUINS!

We had another great meet on Saturday. Although LPAC scored more place points, Belwood edged us in improvement points, and the Dolphins won the meet by a final score of 120.90 to 117.48. We are still very proud of all our penguins and look forward to taking on the Silver Creek Sharks this Saturday!
We’re entering the busiest part of the season, and there are lots of events and forms to keep track of, so please read this entire email carefully so you don’t miss out on any of the fun. For your convenience, we’re attaching several forms to this email, but you can also download them from the website at any time.

MORE RECORDS FALL

Nicole Richards shaved a bit more time off her week-old 15-18 Girls’ 50Y Butterfly record, posting a new time of 29.44. And Daniela Fasan set a new 11-12 Girls’ 100Y Individual Medley, with a great swim of 1:09.57 (beating Leah Thompson’s record from 2012). Congratulations!

THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE

Today kicks off the two-week “doughnut blitz” attendance challenge. Swimmers who miss no more than one practice over the next two weeks will earn themselves a delicious doughnut. Nothing tastes sweeter than a hard-earned reward, so come on out to practice every day!

NEW COACHES TAB ON WEBSITE

We’re slowly building out a new “COACHING” tab on our website, which will be a resource area with stroke technique tips and other information direct from our awesome LPAC coaches. We’ve created a new “Stroke Technique” section. If you click on the Butterfly page, you’ll find general tips, official rules, and an explanation of the different drills we do during practice. We encourage both swimmers and parents to read this information, as it can help you better understand and reinforce what the coaches are teaching. We plan to expand this section with additional strokes over the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

We’ve also posted Coach Ryan’s “Penguin Briefs” from last year. Penguin Brief #3, which talks about how “Every Race Counts” in this league, is especially relevant given the close scores in our last two meets. We’ll let you know when new articles are posted here as well.

SATURDAY’S MEET: SILVER CREEK @ LPAC

This Saturday will be our last home meet of the season, against the Silver Creek Sharks. If you have to miss any part of the meet, please email the coaches NOW: coaches@swimlpac.org.

This year Silver Creek has a smaller team, so we’re hoping the meet won’t last quite as long. Check-in time will be 6:30 am, so everyone can get an extra 15 minutes of rest Saturday morning. Please be sure to check in on time, though. Swimmers have done a great job these last two weeks, and we want to keep up the good work!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SATURDAY

Volunteer Assignments for this Saturday’s meet have been posted to the website. We do have a number of families who will be out of town this weekend, so there are still several open jobs that we need to fill:

• 1st shift: 2 timers, 1 alternate, 1 snack bar
• 2nd shift: 1 timer, 2 alternates, Runner, 1 snack bar, 1 outdoor clean up, 1 women’s bathroom & trash

Wendy Marley is out of town, so please contact Julie Waldron (jnewcomb65@yahoo.com) if you can help fill any of these positions, or if you are currently assigned to a position and will not be at the meet Saturday. Thank you!

PICTURE DAY ON WEDNESDAY (6/18)

Picture day will be this Wednesday, June 18. Please note that there will be no practices on this day. Individual photos start at8:00 am, and the team photo will be taken at 9:00 am. All swimmers should wear either the new black-and-white LPAC team suit or a plain black suit.

Your registration fee includes one individual photo, team photo, and a photo button. You can also order additional prints and/or buddy photos for an additional charge. Please bring a checkbook on Wednesday if you plan to order additional photos. See the Picture Day page of the website for more information.

BEACH TRIP FOR HIGH SCHOOL GROUP ON SATURDAY (6/21)

The annual beach-and-bonfire trip for the high school age group will be this Saturday, June 21. If you plan to go, please RSVP to Sandi Bolton (sandi.bolton@gmail.com or 408-202-9670). The cost is $8 per person, which includes hot dogs, chips, sodas, and s’mores. You can bring the money with you that day.

We need lots of parent drivers for this event, as swimmers are not allowed to drive themselves. Plan to meet at the Los Paseos Pool at 4:30 pm. See the Beach Trip page of the website for more information, including a map to Twin Lakes State Beach and a list of things to bring.

RAFT TRIP (7/5)

The river is running! Parents and penguins are invited to join in the annual team rafting trip on Saturday, July 5. Forms and payment are due by Saturday, June 28 in the “RAFT TRIP” file folder. For more information, see the Raft Trip page of the website.

CHAMPS MEALS AND CHAMPS ADS

It’s hard to believe, but Champs is only 5 weeks away, which means it’s time to get your orders in for meals and program ads.

Champs is a long, all-day meet that usually lasts until at least 4:00 pm, so you will definitely need to plan on feeding your family. There is a full snack bar, but only a limited number of meals are prepared. Place a pre-order to be sure you don’t miss out! You can order breakfast and lunch items from the BBQ snack bar or from Panera; download and print the Champs Meal Order Forms to see all your choices. Make checks payable to “LPAC” and turn in forms and payment to the “CHAMPS MEALS” file folder no later than Saturday, June 28 (at the Montevideo meet). Proceeds benefit the Valley Cabana Swim League to help offset the cost of Champs.

A great way to show support for your swimmers (and help raise some extra funds for the team) is to place an ad in the Champs program. Please see the attached Champs Ad Form, which is also due by Saturday, June 28. You can either design your own ad, or Kris Fuss can help create one for you.

COLLECT SWIM-A-THON PLEDGES!

Don’t forget…the Swim-a-Thon is coming up next Tuesday (6/24). Be sure to collect pledges from friends and family. See theSwim-a-Thon page on the website for more information.

OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS IN SANTA CLARA

You can see Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, and other top swimming stars competing this week at the USA Swimming Arena Grand Prix meet, June 19-22 at the International Swim Center in Santa Clara. It’s an amazing chance to see Olympians in person! Find out more at usaswimming.org.

Just some quick reminders before tomorrow:

MEET CHECK-IN: 6:15 AM
Tomorrow’s meet is at home against the Belwood Dolphins. Remember, swimmers must check in with the coaches at 6:15 am. If your child is ill, please call Coach Scott at (408) 613-5126. Thank you to everyone for getting up early so we can get the meet started on time!

CHECK THE WEBSITE
Meet entries and volunteer assignments have been posted to the Belwood Meet page of the website; please check these ahead of time so you know when you’ll be swimming and working. Once we have the final meet score and results, those will also be posted.

MERCHANDISE SALE
We have some extra team merchandise as well as “vintage” LPAC items that will be available to purchase on Saturday. Be sure to get a team cap if you haven’t done so already!

DOUGHNUT BLITZ STARTS MONDAY!
The “Doughnut Blitz” attendance challenge will start on Monday (6/16), so we hope to see all of our penguins in the water Monday morning!

See you all in the morning…GO PENGUINS!

Way to go, penguins! For the first time in 11 years, LPAC has defeated the Almaden Gators. At yesterday’s meet, LPAC beat the reigning VCSL champions in both place points and improvement points, by a total score of 129.40 to 121.12. Complete meet results have been posted to the website.

NEW TEAM RECORDS

Saturday’s meet got off to a fantastic start, with our 15-18 Medley Relay team (Mackenzie Keslin, Nico Fasan, Nicole Richards, and Connor Bleeg) pulling out an exciting win — and a new team record of 1:51.66, beating the old record by more than 2 seconds. (The old record was from 2009 with Rachel Sandberg, A.J. Urias, Julia Thompson, and Adam Jasper.)
Just a few events later, Nicole Richards got back in the water and broke the 15-18 girls’ 50 yard butterfly record (another record formerly held by Coach Julia) with a great swim of :29.54.And finally, Daniela Fasan broke her own 11-12 girls’ 50 yard breaststroke record from last year with a new time of :34.54.
Congratulations, everyone!

PRACTICE TIMES CHANGE

Morning practices start tomorrow (Monday, June 9). The practice times are as follows:

• 15-18: 6:45–7:45/8:15 am*
• 12-14: 7:45–8:45/9:15 am*
• 9-11: 8:45–9:30 am
• 8 & under: 9:30–10:15 am

Swimmers who are unable to attend morning practice because of school or work commitments may attend night practices, Monday through Thursday from 8:00-9:00 pm. Swimmers must have coaches’ prior permission to attend night practices.
*Swimmers ages 12 and up have 30 minutes of dryland exercises immediately following their regular practice times on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. Please bring running shoes on those days.

THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE

Tomorrow will be “Fun Monday,” where we’ll work on a specific skill and then play some fun pool games to celebrate our hard-fought victory over the Gators. Coach Scott will also be bringing his top hat of treats for swimmers who have had perfect (or almost perfect) attendance for the last three weeks. In addition to our usual focus on stroke technique, we’ll be working all week with swimmers who need help with diving from the blocks.

WILL YOU BE HERE ON SATURDAY?

This Saturday, June 14, we will be swimming at home against the Belwood Dolphins. If your swimmer will miss any part of the meet, the coaches need to know NOW. If you have not already done so, please send email to coaches@swimlpac.org and also notify volunteer coordinator Wendy Marley: marleywl@yahoo.com. We had great attendance for our meet against Almaden and hope we will have all our penguins on hand to defeat the Dolphins!

LOOKING FOR MORE INDIVIDUAL STROKE INSTRUCTION?

Though our LPAC coaches focus on stroke technique every day at practice, there’s only so much they can do with 30-40 kids in the pool at one time. Individual or small-group swim lessons can be a great way to improve your strokes even more. See the Swim Lessons page of the team website for suggestions and contact information.

SWIM-A-THON IS COMING SOON

Our annual team swim-a-thon fundraiser will be held on Tuesday, June 24. Go to the Swim-a-Thon page of the website to download and print the Pledge Form now so you can start collecting pledges from your family, friends, and neighbors. It’s a fun way to help raise funds for the team while challenging yourself and getting a great workout. And you can win cool prizes too!

RAFT TRIP: RESERVE YOUR HOTEL ROOM NOW

The annual team raft trip will be on Saturday, July 5. For more details, check the Raft Trip page of the website. If you plan to stay over either Friday or Saturday night, you should make hotel reservations now. Completed forms and payment are due no later than June 28.

SPEAKING OF BOATS…

Not sure what to do with all your free time now that school’s out? Maybe start working on your cardboard boat for the Penguin Regatta on Saturday, July 12! Check the Cardboard Boat Races page of the website for official rules and more information.

Some quick Friday updates and reminders:

CHECK IN TOMORROW AT 6:15 AM

In case of emergency, please call or text Coach Scott: 408-613-5126. Otherwise, we’ll see you all bright and early at the pool. Be sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen…it’s going to be a hot one!

TEAM SUITS AVAILABLE TODAY AT PRACTICE

Our new team suits are here! You can pick yours up tonight (Friday) at practice or tomorrow at the meet. You can also purchase a team cap for $10.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SATURDAY

Please check the Volunteer Assignments list for your assigned shift(s) for this Saturday.

We have the follow positions still open for second shift: women’s bathroom, ribbons, and timer. Please send email to Wendy Marley (marleywl@yahoo.com) ASAP if you can help with any of these.

We are also looking for a parent who is interested in training as a runner. This a great position for someone who likes to be around the action on the pool deck, as you’re walking around delivering all the meet printouts to the volunteers and coaches.

We always need a couple of parents to help escort our youngest swimmers to their spots at the correct end of the pool for the relays. If you have a child under 8 who is in a relay and you are not already working a shift, please plan to shadow them to the clerk of the course and help with getting all the swimmers where they need to be. It only takes a few minutes, and it positions you right there for the race!

ALWAYS CHECK OUT BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Just one more reminder…always check OUT with the coaches before you leave a meet. Even if you aren’t assigned to a relay, you might be needed as an emergency substitute. And we encourage you to stay to the end so you can cheer for all the relays!

PENGUIN POWER!

Time Trials on Saturday was a great success — thanks to all our swimmers, coaches, and parents for working hard and getting our season off to such a good start!

TIME TRIALS MAKE-UPS TODAY – NO REGULAR PRACTICES

Remember that today (Monday, June 2) is Time Trials Make-Up Day. There are no regular practices. Enjoy your evening off!

Swimmers who did not attend Time Trials (or who did not swim all of their events) must attend Time Trials Make-Up Day today. Please be at the pool and check in with the coaches at 6:00 pm. We need parents to stay to help set up, serve as timers and recorders, and clean up afterwards. We hope to be done no later than 8:00 pm.

THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE

The coaches this week will be working with swimmers on specific focus areas based on what they saw at time trials. They will also be working on relays and getting the whole team “race ready” for the meet against Almaden this weekend.

WILL YOU BE AT THE MEET ON SATURDAY?

If you will not be swimming at the meet this Saturday, or will have to miss any part of the meet, you must let the coaches know TODAY. You can either send email to the coaches (coaches@swimlpac.org) or fill out the “Note to Coaches” form at the pool. You should also notify Volunteer Coordinator Wendy Marley (marleywl@yahoo.com).

In general, please plan to notify both the coaches and the volunteer coordinators at least one week ahead of time if you will be missing a meet. The coaches start assigning events and relays on Mondays, and the volunteer coordinators need to be sure all shifts are covered. So please let us know ASAP if your swimmers will be missing any meets this season.

So far, these are the only swimmers we know will be missing this Saturday (6/7):

• Siena, Sofia and Sarina Seps: Have to leave at noon

 DUAL MEET #1: ALMADEN @ LPAC (SATURDAY, 6/7)

Our first “real” meet of the season will be at home this Saturday against the Almaden Gators — traditionally the toughest team in the league. It’s time to show them our mighty PENGUIN POWER!

MEET CHECK-IN TIME: 6:15 AM (SORRY, THAT’S NOT A TYPO)

We love hosting meets in the friendly confines of our spacious and comfortable penguin home, but there is one drawback: we have to start quite early in the morning. Swimmers need to check in with the coaches starting at 6:15 am. Any swimmers who have not checked in by 6:30 am will be scratched from the meet.

Why do we have to get started so early? There are many reasons. The home team always has first warmups. LPAC’s home pool has only four usable racing lanes, so meets take longer than they do at other pools in the league. And we have to finish and clean up so that the pool can open to its members no later than 2:00 pm. This all adds up to an early start, which means a 6:15 check-in time.

Parents, please be sure your swimmers understand the importance of checking in on time. We had more than 50 swimmers check in late at Time Trials on Saturday. The problem is that any last-minute scratches or changes need to be entered into the computer, and those have to be done early so that all the lane sheets and other reports can be printed out.

It’s really a very simple equation: the meet cannot start on time if our swimmers do not check in on time. We all understand that it’s tough to get up early on a summer Saturday morning, but we’ve all got to do it.

And once you’re there, it’s actually kind of fun. There is something special about the smell of chlorine in the morning — and hanging out with friends watching the day begin!

If your child is ill on Saturday morning and cannot make it to the meet, please call Coach Scott’s cell phone: 408-613-5126.

WHAT TO WEAR

Our LPAC team swim suits should be available by Saturday; check email later this week for more info. All swimmers are encouraged to wear their team suits (or a plain black suit) and new LPAC caps during their races.

Please be aware that the league does have certain rules about what swimmers can (and can’t) wear during meets:

• Swimmers are NOT allowed to wear any other team caps (i.e., caps from year-round swim teams, high school teams, etc.).
• No rash guards or shirts are allowed.
• Girls’ suits must be above the knee and cannot have sleeves.
• Boys must wear jammers or Speedo-style briefs; no full-body suits are allowed.
• No suits with zippers, buckles, hooks, or other mechanical fasteners are allowed. Ties are OK.

If you don’t have one already, caps will be available to purchase for $10 at the announcer’s table during the meet. Team merchandise should also be available to pick up.

MORNING PRACTICES START NEXT WEEK!

We will switch to morning practice times starting next week (June 9). Practice times will be as follows:

• 15-18: 6:45–7:45/8:15* am (*dryland on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays)
• 12-14: 7:45–8:45/9:15* am (*dryland on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays)
• 9-11: 8:45–9:30 am
• 8 & under: 9:30–10:15 am

Swimmers who unable to attend morning practices because of school or work commitments may attend night practices, Monday through Thursday from 8:00-9:00 pm. Swimmers must have coaches’ prior permission to attend night practices.

*Swimmers ages 12 and up will also have 30 minutes of dryland exercises immediately after their regular practice times on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Please bring running shoes on these days.

Just a few quick updates before Time Trials tomorrow:

• Yes, there is practice tonight (Friday), though we know a lot of our penguin friends might still be enjoying the Los Paseos Carnival, graduation parties, or other fun events.
• Check-in time for Time Trials is 7:15 am. Swimmers should check in at the coaches’ table (near the shallow end of the pool), and parents need to check in at the Volunteer table outside the main entrance.
• If you want to check your events ahead of time, click on the “Meet Entries” link on the Time Trials web page: https://swimlpac.org/meets/time-trials/
• We’ve also posted a list of the buddy families to the website, so check that out if you haven’t met your buddies yet (or can’t quite remember who they are): https://swimlpac.org/team-info/buddy-families/
• Team merchandise will not be available tomorrow after all, but it should be here by next weekend. We will still have LPAC caps for sale, though.
• Team suits should be available on June 6. Swimmers can wear last year’s LPAC suit or any racing suit for Time Trials tomorrow.

See you all in the morning!

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.

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!