Dear Neptunes,

Here we go … the new swim season starts … TOMORROW!!

PLEASE READ THESE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS!

1)  POOL PASSES:  Swimmers AND parents, please remember to bring your POOL PASSES to each afternoon practice. It is imperative that the lifeguards monitor all people at the pool.

2)  CHECK IN at the white popup tent at the BACK of the pool deck upon arrival. We need to check you in, make sure ALL payments have been received before kids can enter the water for swim team practice. (There will be 2 check-in lines…one for “registered & paid” and “registered and owe check”). Please make checks payable to NFST, Inc. Registration and volunteer fee deposit ($150) need to be 2 separate checks. We process the registration fees, and hold the volunteer deposit until the end of the season.

3)  The practices from 5-6pm for ages 9-12, and from 6-6:50pm for ages 8 and under, will be broken into smaller groups initially. We will assign group numbers at check-in. The groups will give kids more practice time, help us keep numbers balanced between lanes, aid in swimmer safety, and allow swimmers to receive more direct coach instruction.

• PLEASE NOTE: As we understand that some families prefer their children swim in the same class for convenience, we have the separate age groups established for many reasons (age as of June 1^st); most importantly, for the swimmers’ safety. For our afternoon practices we are only able to use 3 swim lanes (once we switch to morning practices, we have the whole pool). Currently we have 26 swimmers in the 8 & under age group, and 43 swimmers in the 9-12 age group. Please attend the swim practice for your age group, and if you have questions or concerns, please contact me directly. Also, we understand that many kids have spring sports & school activities, and it is hard to attend EVERY swim practice. This is not a problem, and we ask that you let your coach know when possible.

4)  WEATHER is expected to be iffy this week so PLEASE signup for the Twitter notifications. That will be our first and fastest notification to all team members. In addition, we will post messages on our Facebook page and email through Swimtopia.  We follow the HOA pool rules for weather. We swim in rain, but are DELAYED with thunder (and of course lightening). The pool clears the deck for 45 minutes after hearing any thunder. Depending on the timing, this could delay an age group’s practice or cancel it. But it is very possible that one age group’s practice may be canceled while another age group isn’t.

TWITTER NOTIFICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Text “Follow@nfstneptunes” to 404-04
• In your phone Settings/Notifications, allow Twitter to send notifications.
• You DO NOT need a Twitter account to receive alerts
• You will not receive alerts from anyone else, unless you've personally opted to do so
• Follow us on Twitter @nfstneptunes

5)  ISSUES DURING PRACTICE:  Just as a reminder, we ask that during practice, if a parent has a question or issue, that you discuss it with the Team Rep (Tyler Wyllie) or a board member at the Swim Team Information desk (Christine Price, VP). This is to ensure that the coaches can use the practice time to focus on your kids. It is our job (as Team Rep & Board Members) to be available to the parents.  Please never hesitate to approach us with questions, concerns, or comments.

6)  CHECKLIST:

• POOL PASS
• Checks for registration fees and volunteer fee deposit, if you haven’t paid.
• Swimsuit
• Goggles
• Towel
• Sunscreen
• Water bottle for hot afternoons
• Hair ties (if you have long hair, tie it up for safety) Swim cap isn’t required but is helpful.

The first week of practice may feel a little hectic, so we ask for your patience as we get everyone registered and into their groups. And as always, if you have questions, please email us or stop by the info desk at the pool.

Look forward to seeing/meeting everyone this week!!

Tyler Wyllie (Team Rep)