PLEASE READ ENTIRE EMAIL regarding SATURDAY’S HOME A MEET versus Edsall Park!!

Meet entries are attached. Please signup for remaining volunteer slots (there are more positions open than normal, as Edsall Park is a very small team and needs our help.)

FYI:  At this meet, we will have a longtime NVSL board member observing our Referee for the duration of the meet, and also observing our pool in general to ensure we are running our swim meets to the standards of NVSL.

Also, Edsall Park has a very small team this season, which is even smaller due to the holiday weekend. They will be bringing as few as 15 swimmers. We will have 67 swimmers!  This is a swim meet where we need to practice our SPORTSMANSHIP as swimmers and parents/volunteers.

OFFICIALS & TIMERS: We ask that our Officials & Timers work hard to remain neutral in their positions. Please refrain from cheering loudly for your kids. But spectators – cheer loudly for swimmers on BOTH teams please!!!  (Also, please remember to wear plain white tops and navy blue bottoms.)

PARKING: We will be reserving more parking spots in our lot than normal, for Edsall Park’s entire team. Please be mindful of which spots are reserved, and consider parking in a neighborhood nearby for this meet.

PEP RALLY: On Friday, we have our Pep Rally from 6-7pm.  At that time we plan to have some fun, but also find ways to support Edsall Park (making posters and using sidewalk chalk with welcoming & encouraging words).

PLEASE read this message from Coach Jamie, and share with your kids, regarding the importance of SPORTSMANSHIP at all meets, and particularly THIS swim meet.

Dear Neptunes,

Sportsmanship and the way we represent ourselves, our team, and the Newington Forest community are always important. This is especially true in the case of such a large team with swimmers from ages 6-18 all competing together. In our meets, it is important to carry ourselves the right way, whether we win or lose. This means always being positive while cheering for races, staying in the pool until every swimmer finishes, shaking hands after races, and being positive and supportive of all swimmers, on our team as well as the other team(s).

This Saturday, July 6th, we are facing Edsall Park, a struggling team. They have less than 30 total swimmers, so they have a very hard time competing. They are trying to reestablish their team and are working on growing and improving, but they are deep in a rebuilding effort. The swimmers they do have are just like our swimmers. They are kids and are learning, growing, and improving every time they swim. They are athletes and are here to compete, as well as have fun. As a full team, they do not match up with us, purely from the numbers of swimmers, and they know that very well. It is difficult and frustrating to be part of a losing team, but they continue to swim each week because it is fun and they want to be competitive just like we all do.

Things have been very good for us recently, but it was not long ago that we were in a similar situation to where they are. We have won more meets in the previous two years than we did in the 10 years before that. Just 3 years ago, we had one 9-10 boy, could not fill a relay in 3 of our 10 age groups, and lost every meet because we did not have enough swimmers to even have at least one in every race. We are in the position that we are because those swimmers stuck with us, kept improving, told their friends how much they liked being a Neptune, and our team and name grew.

Every meet, but especially this upcoming Saturday A Meet, which is also our first home A Meet of the season, it is important for us to be welcoming, positive, encouraging, and supportive of ALL swimmers from EVERY team. Absolutely no coach will be looking for placement, scores, or wins. This is a week for us to focus on improving ourselves, swimming our best, and being supportive of an up-and-coming team by sharing our love for swimming.

We believe in the Neptunes' spirit!!

Wishing you a Happy 4th and wonderful rest from swim today!  Look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the pool!!

NFST Coaches & Board