Happy Saturday everyone!

It's hard to believe we are about to enter our final full week of practice. When I started coaching our team 15 years ago, little did I know that my time with you all would be one of the longest, biggest and best gifts of my life. At the beginning of this email, I was tempted to write "Where does the time go?!?!" but the truth is that I've had the privilege of watching my first set of five year olds become seniors in high school, head off to college and even become coaches themselves. So while it truly feels like it was just yesterday that I was watching these coaches as 6&Unders, I am also incredibly grateful and aware of how much time I've been able to have with each of you.

Without too many tears, I just want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for this leadership opportunity. And as I used to say to Lynn Wyatt (who helped hire me) many a time, thank you for raising me. You all are my village - don't doubt it for a second. While I will be "retiring" at the end of the season, I won't be far. We bought a house walking distance to the pool for a reason haha! 

So as we wind down in this last week-ish together, I'll begin to pass the torch over to Olivia and Nina, who will be leading our team into its next chapter. These girls are brilliant, kind, fun and have been full of hammerhead spirit since they were 5 years old. I would know because they were my first set of five years old as a head coach haha! I couldn't be more proud of the kids they were and the women they are becoming. Just as you have raised me, I hope you continue to make them feel loved and appreciated as they step into this new role and adventure together!

Now for the less-sappy, more informational portion of this email.....

1. Away Meet against Mountaire

2. Schedule for this Week: No Practice Tuesday Morning!

3. Theme Days this Week

4. Overview of the LAST WEEK!

5. SWIM MEET ABSENCES FOR LAST MEET!

1. Away Meet against Mountaire

Arrival Time: 4:20 PM

Warm-Up Time: 5:00 PM

Meet Start Time: 5:30 PM

Special Notes & Considerations for this meet:

• Concessions will be available for purchase! Cash Only - small bills please!
• Swimmers 10&Under will be required to stay seated in the bullpen unless accompanied by an adult. Bullpen will be located on the basketball courts right outside the pool area. Swimmers will be seated together by age group. If parents want to sit in this area with the kids, you are welcome to do so!
• Pool deck space at Mountaire is VERY limited. Please plan to bring lawn chairs with you as their pool furniture will be put away to make more room for spectators.
• Unlike other meets, we are asking swimmers to stay in the bullpen unless they are swimming. We know they love to cheer on their friends but in an effort to keep the aisles and deck clear for parents watching, swimmers will need to stay on the basketball court until their event is called. All swimmers should be escorted by an adult to buy food from the concession stand and then return to the court.
• Reporting for events will be called over the loud speaker (similarly to our first home meet). However, there will be designated helpers to escort swimmers from our bullpen area to the waiting/staging area for their event. If swimmers are not in the bullpen area when their event is called, it makes it very stressful for all parties involved. Please make sure your swimmer(s) are in the bullpen up to 10 events in advance before their race(s)!! 
• Bring cards, games, books, and anything that will help keep your swimmer(s) happy and entertained while waiting for their events on the basketball court.
• Parking is limited as well - so I highly recommend getting there as close to 4:30 as possible or you might be hiking your way to the pool lol!
• MAKE SURE TO BRING BUG SPRAY.... for those of you who know Mountaire's Pool, you know what I mean by this and why I've bolded it. You will not regret packing it.
• Weird new rule: The only person allowed to catch a head for backstroke is the timer. Strange, I know. But we're rolling with it.

2. Schedule for this Week: No Practice Tuesday Morning!

Monday: Regular Practice & Junior Sharks

Tuesday: NO PRACTICE (Maintenance is being done on the pool!)
*See you all at the Mountaire Meet Tuesday night!*

Wednesday: Regular Practice & Junior Sharks

Thursday: Regular Practice & Junior Sharks

Friday: Regular Practice

3. Theme Days this Week

During our regular practice slots this week, we will be holding our annual "theme days!" Each day will be themed with a different holiday workout. It keeps things fun and fresh the last full week of practice! It is surprise every morning so you swimmers have come to practice to find out what the theme is each day! :)

4. Overview of the LAST WEEK!

Please keep in mind this a tentative schedule and we should have a final schedule on Tuesday after we finally received our date/time for the championship meet!

Monday: Last Morning Practice then Last Swim Meet at Gainesbourgh!!!!!!!!
**PLEASE NOTE: Our last swim meet of the season is on a Monday night!!!!!!

Tuesday: Team Picture Day & Game Day *Time is TBD*

Wednesday: *Hopefully End of the Season Party 5-8PM*

Thursday: *Or Maybe End of the Season Party 5-8PM*

Friday: *Maybe Possibly the Championship Meet*

*Please know that not having our last week of activities nailed down is beyond hard for me and my planning heart. We've never had this problem before and are looking forward to knowing details about the championship meet on Tuesday!

5. SWIM MEET ABSENCES FOR LAST MEET!

If you haven't already done so, please enter your swimmer(s) names if they will be absent from our last swim meet of the season - Monday, June 21st! Takes only a couple of seconds to complete! https://forms.gle/4TkyARvLNoK5eWt76

That's all for now! Wishing everyone the best & most wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Coach Laney