June 12, 2020

Hello Walrus Families!

Great news!! We are having swim team! We have a lot of information in this email, so get ready.

Swim practice will begin on Monday, June 22. We will be sending you information this weekend to register for swim team. Please complete this as soon as possible as this information will help us plan for practice groups and times. Swim team will be $75 this year. Families are not required to pay until after the first week of full practice, so everyone can decide if they want to participate this year. Additionally, all the registration will be through our new swim team management software, Swimtopia. This new software will host our website and provide many valuable tools.

The mission of the WSST is to provide a SAFE and FUN experience for all swimmers involved. In order to ensure the safety of all swimmers, we know that fun may look a little different. This year, we are considering this summer’s Swim Team experience to be more of a “Swimming Training'' experience.

One unfortunate side effect of social distancing is that we only have available space for a limited number of swimmers; we may not have availability for every child who wants to swim. Priority is given to last year’s swimmers. This may be a moot issue however, depending on the number of swimmers who are participating this year.

Swim practice will be as follows:

• Swim team will provide daily conditioning/training practices with groups of 12 swimmers (2 swimmers per lane).
• Swim practices will be scheduled in 30 minutes sessions, between 6:30 AM - 10 AM. 15 minutes will be allotted between conditioning sessions, in order to properly disinfect and clean the pool area.
• Swimmers arrive 5 minutes before their practice time.
• Swimmers will need to come to practice ready to go - caps and goggles on. No locker rooms, showering or deck changing.
• Swimmers will come to practice with their protective mask/face covering on. There will be designated areas to put their face mask, towel, water bottle, and shoes while they swim. No other personal items and equipment will be allowed on deck.
• When swimmers arrive, they will be assigned a lane and they will be told which end of the pool to stand on.
• Locker rooms will remain locked. If swimmers need to use the bathroom, the coaches or another adult will unlock the bathroom. Please wash hands for 2 minutes after using the bathroom facilities.
• Parents are welcome to watch and socially distance outside the fence, and this will be REQUIRED for 8 and under swimmers for at least the first week. Parents/Coaches are required to wear face covering at all times.
• Once practice has concluded, depart practice immediately before the next group arrives.
• Families - we will need your help reminding your kids to SOCIALLY DISTANCE! No hugging, no pushing each other in the pool, no congregating after practice. It seems strict, but it is to ensure safety for all!

U10 Swim Assessments

This year, coaches will be coaching FROM THE DECK - not in the water - to maintain distance. Because of this, we feel it is necessary to have a swim assessment for all U10 swimmers. Coaches need to ENSURE that all swimmers can swim at least 25 yards proficiently and without assistance-with no stopping, standing, hanging on lane lines and a recognizable stroke with side breathing technique. We know this has NOT been the case in past seasons, and we are sorry this may limit participation for some swimmers. The reasoning for this is safety and the understanding that this is lap swimming, not the hybrid of swim team/swim lessons/social time that we have provided in the past. We appreciate your support and understanding since safety has to be our top priority for volunteers, swimmers, and coaches. This swim assessment will also give swimmers a feel for what a socially distanced swim conditioning practice might entail. We understand that conditioning will not be for everyone, but do want to provide the opportunity for as may swimmers as we can.

Past swimmers will be invited to participate in the swim assessment before we open it up to new interested swimmers in the neighborhood. We need to ensure that our numbers will allow us to appropriately maintain distance and allow for proper scheduling of conditioning times. After swim assessments are complete, the coaches will notify families of conditioning times and further parameters.

If you have a U10 swimmer, we ask that you come to the pool at your convenience, between 8 AM and 10 AM on Wednesday (6/17), Thursday (6/18), or Friday (6/19). Coach Stacey and Coach Nicole will be there to assess your swimmer.

We ask for patience and understanding as we implement these changes. This is a work in progress for everyone involved. We understand this is all very different from what we are used to and we know this will present new challenges to our swimmers and our neighborhood families.

We look forward to seeing you soon! And please do not forget to welcome Coach Stacey, our new swim coach.

We truly appreciate all of your continued support. Go Walruses!

Yours Truly,

WSST Board of Directors

Karrie Larson

Nicole Darrow

Natalie Dudley

Karen Grebener