Our practice swim meet, the Red, White, and Blue, is this Saturday, May 16. We will be taking the team photo before the meet, at the playscape outside of the pool area. Swimmers should arrive at the playscape by 7 a.m.

The Red, White, and Blue is a chance for the swimmers and volunteers to learn the routines. This helps ensure that the dual meets will run smoothly. Use the opportunity to ask any questions you have, whether you are new or returning. Look to your section heads for help or advice.

This week, Coach Anna and Coach Andi will be joining us to round out our coaching staff. Many thanks to our junior volunteers, Greggory, Tucker, and Amy for the support they are providing while Andi and Anna coaches finish their college semesters.

You can contact me with questions at board@wbarmada.org. For more team information, check our website at www.wbarmada.org.

WOW! What a great group of swimmers we have! I hope you all had as much fun at your first week of practice as I did! It was great to see how much you learned in the first week, and you will definitely continue to learn more. As for the returning Armada- it's like you've been practicing everyday since last summer! Make sure that you continue to come to as many practices as you can, so that you can get all the instruction to prepare us for the first meet!

Speaking of the first meet, many of you have already turned in your Meet Attendance Form (MAF) and that's great! However, if you are having a hard time figuring out what to put your new swimmer in, go ahead in put them in the freestyle and backstroke events. By the end of next week they could have the strokes learned and be ready, if not, no big deal- at least they will be signed up to swim it in the meet if they are ready. Meets are a LOT of fun, and we want all of our swimmers to attend each and every one of them!

I know sometimes you can't make practice, or something comes up, and you want to catch up by going to another practice. If you are planning on attending a different practice than scheduled, be sure to let me know ahead of time. It is a coach's decision due to number of swimmers, and the skill of the swimmer. Please understand this, and know we want to help you out as much as possible!

Practices are going very smoothly, and I'm very impressed by the love and support from the Wells Branch community. Being part of the Armada team, we want to focus on being positive, attentive, and hard working. I have no doubt every single swimmer fits that description exactly. Keep up the hard work!

See you at the pool! :)

Coach Elisa

Hi Parents!
This year, I'm testing a new volunteer coordination system, which allows me to send individual emails to each volunteer about what position and half they are working for each meet.

I will send these emails out on Wednesdays and then send an email to the entire swim team with the volunteer schedule attached. This may seem to be overkill, but until I know that the new system is working, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Your feedback on the new system is appreciated.

On another note, I need people to volunteer to be the leaders for the following volunteer positions:

• Head Scorekeeping: You will talk to the scorekeepers at the beginning of each half and be sure they understand their duties. You will report scoring problems to the meet director/computer table. Scorekeeping will be much different this year with our new semi-automatic timing system. Home meets will be less intense for the scoring table.
• Head Pit Parent:The main responsibility is to recycle the pit parent bags each week and be sure they are properly equipped. For away meets, you will have to tear and separate the event cards sort them into the correct bags.
• Head Runner: Organize the runners at the beginning of each shift and let the coordinator know if you are short. Make sure the runners know what to do. This will be an easier job for home meets this year as we won't be using cards.
• Ready Bench: Organize the ready bench at the beginning of each half for home meets and be sure we have the correct number of people report to the bench for away meets. Explain to everyone what their jobs are.
• Set up: The head of this group is available at meet set-up the night before swim meets and follows the check list to be sure the volunteers have completed everything. The morning of the meet, you direct the putting up of tents etc. For away meets, you coordinate getting tents to the pool and setting them up and taking them down.

If you'd like to volunteer for head positions, or if you have any questions, please contact me at volunteers@wbarmada.org.

Thanks for your help!

Jeannie Boylan
Volunteer Coordinator

The WB Armada has a snack bar open at each home meet. We sell items such as breakfast tacos, coffee, baked goods, hot dogs, sausage wraps, water, sports drinks, soda, etc
 
Parents - Please help the team by donating baked goods to our concession stand for each home meet. It is fine to purchase items such as muffins and bagels but please avoid pre-packaged items such as store-bought rice crispy treats, Twinkies, etc. Important notes: Chocolate melts too quickly in the summer heat. Fruit, such as individual-size bags of grapes, or cups of cut-up fruit are very welcome. The snack bar donation schedule is:

The WB Armada is a part of the 12-team Northwest Swim Circuit. The circuit has four divisions composed of three teams each. The divisions are realigned each year based on the each team's scores at their divisional meets. The Armada is in a division with Block House Creek and Balcones Country Club. We will compete against both teams at our Divisional meet on July 11. It is VERY important that as many swimmers as possible compete in that meet.
Read Circuit Bylaws

Dual Meets - Each Saturday beginning May 23, we will participate in a "Dual Meet". That means we will compete against one other team. Swimmers and relay teams placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in an event earn points for our team. It is great fun to win a meet but our main focus is to have swimmers participate in the swim meets, have fun and swim a personal best.

Divisionals - Every swimmer that competes in at least two dual meets and has a legal time in an event are encouraged to compete in the Divisional Meet in July. To have a legal time, the swimmer must swim the stroke legally (following the technical rules for each stroke) and must not be disqualified by the judges.

DQ - a swimmer will be disqualified from a race if the stroke judges determine they did not swim the stroke legally. This is not a big deal. All swimmers learning the strokes, and even very experienced swimmers, sometimes earn a DQ. This tells the coaches the swimmer needs more help with the stroke.

Relay Teams- While we try to offer as many swimmers as possible an opportunity to participate on relay teams, some swimmers may be left out occasionally. There are four swimmers on each relay and we put together as many as we can. A swimmer can only swim on one medley and one free relay per meet. This is a good opportunity for our team to earn points and the coaches will put the swimmers together in the best combinations possible to benefit the team.

Invitational Meet - While the Divisional meet is the "championship" meet for the team, swimmers can earn the opportunity to participate in the Invitational Meet that will be held Sunday, July 12 at UT. Swimmers must meet the time standard in at least one event to qualify. There are no team scores or relays at Invitationals.
View Time Standards

RWB Meet - Saturday, May 16: Team Group Photo
All swimmers and coaches should wear their 2009 team t-shirt and arrive at the pool by 7 a.m. You can come and take the photo even if you are unable to swim in the meet.

Monday, May 18: Age Group and Individual Photos
These photos will be taken during your swimmers regular practice time. Swimmers should wear their team suit if they have one or a practice suit is fine. Please bring your t-shirts for the age group photos. We ask that you participate in the age group photos even if you are not planning to purchase photos. There will be an order form in your file folder this week. Payment must be made at the time photos are taken. Photographer is a team parent - Steve Cho. Please contact him with questions. Email:scgallery@sbcglobal.net. See his work at: www.scgallery.com

Meet Attendance Forms (MAF) are due each Friday
The MAF for the May 23 home meet against the Hurricanes is due by end-of-practice Friday, May 15.

Each week, we put a MAF in your file folder for each swimmer in your family. The due date is printed on each form. You should fill these forms out even if you are unable to attend the meet. If you are unsure if your swimmer is ready to participate in a swim meet, you can fill out the form and put a note on it to the coaches. They will inform you if they have enetered your swimmer in the meet.

Vacation MAFs
There are extra forms available in the small folder box located next the family folder boxes. If you have not received a form for a week you will be out-of-town, you can get a form for that week and turn it in early. If you have multiple children that will miss a meet, it is okay to put that on one form.

Here are a few important tips to make your swim meet experience successful:

	Be on time. At the beginning of the meet the coaches will make changes to relay events if there are swimmers that are absent or missing. It is important that swimmers check-in with their pit parent to avoid being scratched from any relay event.
	Bring nutritious snacks. The swim meets begin very early in the morning and last until noon or later. Please pack healthy snacks for your swimmers to eat such as, fresh fruit, bagels, crackers, water, sports drinks etc. We make an attempt to offer healthy items at the concession stand.
	Pack appropriate supplies.Towels, sunscreen, goggles, etc - See checklist below...
	Swimmers should stay in their pit areas The Pit Parents are responsible for watching the swimmers in the pit area and getting them to the ready bench when it is time for their event. If your child is going somewhere with you, please let the pit parents know.
	MARK EVERYTHING! Please write your child's name on ALL belongings. At the meet, you will be dozens of identical t-shirts, caps, goggles - plus similar towels, flip flips, sunscreen. Don't forget to mark any electronic games - they get mixed up!

	2 towels		water or sport's drinks
	blanket to sit on in pit area		nutritious snacks
	warm clothes for after warm-up in early a.m.		Quiet activities to keep them occupied in the pit area between races
	Swim cap		sunblock
	goggles		Parents: Bring a chair, wear a hat, apply sunblock!

Here are a few important things to remember...

	The kiddie pool will be closed during swim meets.
	WB Armada swimmers should stay inside the pool gates and are not allowed on the playscape during the meet.
	Swimmers are not allowed to play in the showers, take extended showers or spend unnecessary time in the bathrooms. This applies to practices also.
	Swimmers should remain in their pit areas. Parents of young children who take a swimmer from the pit area should inform the pit parent of their whereabouts.
	Swimmers and parents should be respectful of pit parents and make their job easier by marking all personal items and cleaning up all personal items and trash before leaving.
	The WB Armada and/or the pit parents are not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please be sure your swimmer has a bag to keep their belongings in and they put their belongings in the bag when they leave the pit area. Any unmarked items left at the end of the swim meet will be put in the pool's lost and found. Items left at away meets may be lost.

Swimming is a fantastic sport because each time a swimmer races, they are really racing against themselves. The goal for the swimmers should be to beat their best times each week. Everyone can't win a race but everyone can get a personal best time! Here are some fun awards our swimmers can earn this season.

	2009 Ribbon Carabineers Each swimmer will receive a WB Armada ribbon holder after they swim in their first meet.
	Participation Ribbons We give a participation ribbon to each swimmer, age 12 and under, if they participate in a meet and don't earn another ribbon.
	Time Improvement Ribbons Swimmers will receive a time improvement ribbon each time they swim a best time at a meet.
	Heat Winner Ribbons In a swim meet, we have a number of heats per event. The winner of each heat is awarded a heat winner ribbon.
	Place ribbons Swimmers placing 1-10 in each event win a ribbon
	Fast Fishy Each week we will award a "Fast Fishy" to the swimmer in each age group that shows the biggest time improvement at a swim meet. There will be awards for boys and girls in each age group.
	Kickin' Hard Each week the coaches will recognize swimmers who have been working really hard in practice but may not have earned a ribbon or other award.
	Team Awards Each swimmer will receive a team award at the end of the season award's night on July 8.
	High Point Trophies Boys and girls in each age group can earn the award for earning the most points for the WB Armada over the course of the season.
	Swim-A-Thon Awards Swimmers can earn awards for earning the most money for the team.
	Invitational Team When a swimmer qualifies for the WB Armada Invitational Team, they will be awarded a special swim cap. View Time Standards
	Team Records If a swimmer breaks a team record this season and is the owner of the record at the end of the season they will be recognized. http://www.wbarmada.org/WBA_team_records.html