Hi swim team families,

The cover is off the pool and summer just is around the corner - that means summer swim is almost here!

We are sending out this email to both provide an update on our neighborhood summer swim team, and as a request for volunteers.

Coach Tamara is not returning this year as our head coach. She loves our kiddos, but she needs to take a break from coaching this summer. I am working with an outside organization to coordinate bringing on new coaches. This organization aligns with our values that our swimmers develop and foster a love of swimming, while building neighborhood friendships, and a sense of community.

But even with having a new coach with new responsibilities, we are still a neighborhood swim team that needs to be managed by our neighbors. One of the reasons we love our swim team is that it is community-based. Everyone who is on swim team is one of our neighbors. In order to maintain that sense of community, swim team needs to be overseen by our neighbors.

The current Board has been managing swim team for over five years now and it’s time for some new blood. For a number of reasons, we are stepping back from our roles on the Board. We asked for Board volunteers last May, but no one expressed interest.

The bottom line is that we need parent volunteers to be on the Board of Directors and manage the swim team. And as a 501(c)(3) organization, we are legally required (at a minimum) to have a President, Vice President, and Treasurer.

We have some decisions to make, as a team, and we have two choices:

(1) If we want to continue to have a neighborhood summer swim team, we need new parent volunteers to step up and volunteers to be on the Board and manage the team.

(2) If we do not have at least three volunteers who wish to volunteer to be on the Board, we will have to disband the swim team.

On average, being on the Board requires approximately 30 hours of volunteer time (including the home meets) over the summer (and you get a swimmer’s registration fee waived). I will work with you side by side to help with the transition. We will do everything we can to set you up for success. At the same time, we realize that this is a significant volunteer commitment and we understand if we are unable to get the volunteers.

If you would like to volunteer for the Board, please let me know what position you would like to volunteer for by April 16.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

All the best,

WSST Board of Directors