July 6th,
In an A meet, there are a maximum of 792 points awarded. In the individual races, 1st receives 6 points and the points decrease for 2nd place and so forth. With this in mind, you can see how tough it was to lose week one by a mere 3 points! Imagine if you will what it felt like to hear the announcer read the final score this past weekend at Woodley Gardens when he said “Westleigh 392, Woodley Gardens 399″. Two losses by a total of 10 points! But swim on we will!
Here are the topics for this week’s letter:
- Westleigh Records
- IMPORTANT NOTICE
- This Week’s B Meet
- Kings Dominion Reminder
- Banquet information
- Westleigh vs. Quince Orchard on Saturday
- A Relay Carnival
- B Relay Carnival Deadline
- Pre-Team Follies
1- WESTLEIGH RECORDS: The records continue to fall! Congratulations go out to the following swimmers who set team and or pool records.
Woodley Garden’s Pool Records:
Andrew Gibson 12&U IM: 1:09.41
Andrew Gibson 11-12 50 Free: 28.39
Andrew Gibson 11-12 50 Back: 32.33
Andrew Gibson 11-12 50 Fly: 31.81
Andrew Scher, Nikos Tragotsis, Bobby Martin & Kevin Scher 175 Free Graduated Relay 1:54.00
Team:
Andrew Gibson 12&U IM: 1:09.41
Andrew Gibson 11-12 50 Free: 28.39
Andrew Gibson 11-12 50 Back: 32.33
Thomas Finn, Eric Woodard, Matt Gibson & Chris Emr 200 Open Medley Relay 2:00.22
2- VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION
An Empty lane at an A meet is completely unacceptable. Participation in an A meet is cherished by most swimmers. If your swimmer can not participate, there are plenty of others who would love to be there! Because we have many new swimmers and swim families, it is important that the following protocol be followed by everyone.
After the B meet is completed late Wednesday night, the coaches take that data and compile the line up for the next A meet. The line up for that A meet will be posted on the swim team bulletin board by Thursday at 9:30am. You MUST check the bulletin board by Friday at 9:30am to see whether your swimmer(s) are scheduled to swim in the A meets. You must then initial next to the swimmers name so that the coaches know that they are swimming. Finally, you MUST notify the coaches if you are not going to join the caravan to the away meets. Any swimmer who does not follow this protocol will be at risk of having their name scratched from the A meet line up and replaced by another swimmer. Finally, if you are planning on leaving an A meet before the conclusion of the meet, you MUST notify a member of the coaching staff.
As always, I am available to speak with you should you have any questions about this very important issue.
3- WESTLEIGH vs. POOLESVILLE: This Wednesday the B Meet will be at home. The sign up sheets are posted. Please check the bulletin board for more information. Eileen will be sending out an email with specifics. As always, Volunteers are needed. Please remember that if you have a swimmer in the meet, you are required to volunteer
4-KINGS DOMINION UPDATE. As of Sunday morning, there were 3 spots left on the buses. The trip is this Tuesday July 7th. The buses will leave at 8:00am SHARP. The trip should take about two hours and the gates open at 10:30am. We will leave the park at 7:00pm SHARP and we should be in the Westleigh parking lot by 9:00pm at the latest. There will be NO PRACTICES TUESDAY.
5- BANQUET. Mark your calendars for Sunday night July 26th for the 2009 Annual Westleigh Swim Team Banquet. This night is the highlight of the swim season! It is an opportunity for every swimmer from the Pre-Teamers to the graduating seniors to come out and celebrate a great season. This year’s event will again be at the Gaithersburg Hilton across from the fair grounds. As always there will be dinner, the slide show, trophies, awards and dancing. Reservation forms for this year’s banquet will be coming out soon. Look for them in your folder and on the bulletin board. Completed forms should be placed in the Fishkin family folder. Checks should be made out to “Westleigh Swim Team”. Ellen Fishkin (Banquet Director) is still looking for a few people to join the Banquet Committee. This is a great opportunity to help out the kids in what always turns out to be the funniest night of the year! Please contact her if you can help even a little.
6- WESTLEIGH vs. QUINCE ORCHARD. This Saturday the long standing rivalry between Westleigh and neighbor Quince Orchard resumes. The Otters will be coming around the corner for what will prove to be yet another close meet. Please check the team Bulletin Board on Thursday for this week’s line-up.
7- A RELAY CARNIVAL. Westleigh will be hosting this year’s A Relay Carnival. This meet will take place this coming Sunday July 12th. That means that we will be hosting a TWO meets this weekend. That said we will need lots of volunteers. Check the bulletin board for the sign off sheets. Westleigh will have the first warm up, beginning at 8:00am. Please plan on having your swimmers at the pool no later that 7:45am.
There will be more to follow on this meet.
8- B RELAY CARNIVAL SIGN UP DEADLINE. This Thursday the 9th of July at noon is the deadline for signing up for the B Relay Carnival. There will be no exceptions to this deadline as the coaches will have lots of work putting together the relay teams. Remember ALL SWIMMERS MUST BE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL AT QUINCE ORCHARD BY 5:00PM. If your swimmer is not there by 5:00pm, their spot will be filled by another swimmer.
9- PRE-TEAM FOLLIES:
This Friday, July 10th, the Westleigh swim team will be hosting the Pre-Team Follies. The Pre-Team Follies will feature a number of events such as the 25M Freestyle, 25M Backstroke, 12.5M Freestyle, 12.5M Backstroke, and a noodle race. Interested swimmers should sign up on the sheet on the team bulletin board or e-mail Coach Allie NewsomAllie@aol.com by Wednesday July 8th at NOON.
Friday’s schedule will be as follows: Standard team practices from 8:00am to 9:00am, Barracuda Challenge from 9:00am to 10:00am and Pre Team Follies from 10:00am to 11:00am.
ALL SWIM TEAM MEMBERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO STAY AFTER THE CHALLENGE AND CHEER AT THE FOLLIES!
Pre Teamers should plan on arriving by 9:30 am. Pre-Team Follies is also open to the Lane 1 transition swimmers. This event is intended to be a fun, no pressure way to get younger swimmers involved in meets. This is a perfect opportunity to get our swimmers excited and prepared to compete in the upcoming Mini Meet!
One final note that just came over the wire…………….
Congratulations to Andrew & Matt Gibson, Nikos Tragotsis and Andrew Scher for making it to this year’s MCSL Coaches Long Course Invitational!
Thanks and………..
See you in the fast lanes!