We had our third away meet of the season Saturday, with the Pflugerville Piranhas, and it was a fun and competitive meet as always. I saw many swimmers achieve personal bests. Congratulations to Preston Troung for breaking the 13-14 boys breaststroke record. The 13-14 Boys "A" medley and free relays lowered their records from this season even more. As a team, the WBA is now 3-1 for the season.

I want to take a moment to thank everyone for being so helpful on the set-up and clean-up at these away meets. It has been so easy this year with folks pitching in. Many hands make light work! Thank you.

We are finished with our road trips now, and the rest of our meets will be at home at Willow Bend Pool. This Saturday we swim with the Balcones Country Club Sharks, and next Saturday with the Round Rock Dolphins. It's starting to hit triple digits outside - don't forget your sunscreen!

This Tuesday 6/16 from 6-9pm at our pool is the Swim-a-thon, our annual fund-raiser party with free food, music, and prizes. Come one, come all, and have a great time!

July 4 we have no meet, and then on July 11 we host Divisionals at the Willow Bend Pool, where Block House Creek and Balcones Country Club will return for our three-team post-season meet. The following day is Invitationals, where qualifying swimmers from all 12 teams in the circuit will compete at the UT Swim Center. Swimmers, you have three more chances to qualify for this prestigious and fun swim meet!

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

Regards,
Paul

Phew! That was a close one! We won that meet because of the hard work and determination of our swimmers- especially in our relays! Relays are such a big part of the meets, and you guys really toughed it out and got a couple big wins on Saturday. The whole coaching staff is extremely proud of you guys!

I know our fabulous meet director, Mindy Lewis, has touched on this, but relays are extremely important to the team score. If you sign up for a meet, please make sure that you make it to the meet, and you don't leave early without telling a coach. If you have to leave early, make sure that you mark it on your MAF, so we know not to put you in an end relay. Thank you so much for your cooperation!

Many of you might have noticed that you are swimming in an event you didn't sign up for. There is a reason for this! Some of our goals this year was to improve as swimmers, and have fun! In order to improve our strokes and swims- you need to swim them in a meet. I will try not to sign you up for an event that you do not know how to swim, but I can't promise that you won't be swimming something you don't like to swim. We've had some surprises this season and those events some didn't want to swim- they almost got invitational cuts! You might surprise yourself. Part of being an athlete is going out of your comfort zone and striving to be the best all around you can be. You can do it. I will keep you in at least 2 events you sign up for- if you have a preference, put it on the MAF in a note to the coach. :)

You guys are looking like rock stars out there- continue to keep it up! The coaches can't express how proud we are of you, your hard work, and positive attitude! I personally am so glad to be a part of such a great team of supportive parents, and amazing kids. Thank you so much for making it this way! Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions, or comments.

See you at the pool!
Coach Elisa

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 following is the recommended snack bar donation schedule but any age group is welcome to contribute.

Understanding Relays
For most swim teams - especially summer league teams - the makeup of relays is the source of the most speculation by swimmers and parents.

This weekend, our relays carried our team to a victory over Pflugerville - we won by only 31 points. We won 9 of 11 free relays and 7 of 10 Medley relays - that's 80 points. In addition, we got another 20 points by having relays place second and third. So, of our total 335 points, 100 of them came from relays.

It is the goal of the coaches to field the fastest relay teams possible - and as the season progresses that becomes easier to do as we have more accurate times for the swimmers. Any registered member of the team will be considered for relays each week. The fastest swimmers are put on the A relay. Next fastest go on the B relay.

The exception to that is when the coaching staff determines that a different combination of swimmers may result in a first and second place finish. If the swimmers have similar best times, the coaches may opt to choose a swimmer who they determine is a better starter - faster off the blocks during exchanges.

Are mistakes made? Yes, especially early in the season. There is absolutely nothing personal in the choices made for the relays. For the C, D, E, etc relays, the coaches try to include as many swimmers as possible. Having last-minute scratches will also mean that some swimmers are unable to participate if one of their team mates doesn't attend the meet.

Pluckers Fundraiser- Saturday, June 20
Join us at Pluckers in Round Rock (just off I-35 near Academy) for a great dinner and help support our team! Plucker's will give a percentage of sales to the Wells Branch Armada.

Swim-A-Thon & Silent Auction
Tues, June 16 - 6 p.m.
Join us for our fun, fantastic fund raiser. We have great silent auction items and lots of free food for all - pizza, hot wings, hot dogs, snow cones and popcorn!

You should be receiving a packet in your folder with all the information you need to start getting your sponsors signed up! This year we will have a few extra things at the event. So whether you are swimming or not, come on out and enjoy this fun family event with your fellow swim team families.

Papa Murphy's Pizza will be grilling up some pizza as well as Pluckers will be bringing out some wings for us to enjoy! What WONDERFUL sponsors we have. Be sure to thank them as this is all free to the team! Of course, we will also have hot dogs, snow cones and popcorn there. At the sign in table, all Armada Swimmers will receive a free buffet at Gatti-Land pizza for just showing up!

We will also be Raffling an IPod Touch (8gb) at the Swim-a-thon and at the Awards Banquet. The tickets will sell for $1. We will draw the name of the winner at the end of the awards banquet!

Proceeds from the Silent Auction will help us purchase our own wireless timing system and other equipment. We are borrowing the system from Round Rock High School this year but hope to be able to purchase our own!

Each week the WBA honors the swimmers in each age group that record the largest time improvement. In swimming, the goal is to try to beat yourself each week by recording a personal best.
 

Each week the WBA coaches will recognize swimmers that are working extra hard at practice. Congratulations to this week's winners - keep up the great work!
 

Congratulations to the following swimmers who raced to GOLD against Pflugerville!
 

Meet Attendance Forms (MAF) are due each Friday
The MAF for the June 27 HOME meet against the Round Rock Dolphins is due by end-of-practice Friday, June 19.

Scratch Forms
If you enter a meet and then have illness or an emergency come up, please fill out a blue Scratch Form by end-of-practice Friday. You may also send an email to mindy@wbarmada.org" and "coach@wbarmada.org" by 8 p.m. Friday. After 8 p.m. please send a text message to Paul at 659-1373 or call . Please don't call between 9:30 pm and 5:30 am but do call before 6:30 a.m.

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.

Attention WBA Swimmers!
Here is your chance to be artistic and creative! Help us design the 2010 WBA T-Shirt! See the contest rules below.

Your design will not be returned to you, and if chosen, it may be changed to fit our needs. Judges will be a team of coaches, board members and parents*. The winning design will be announced at the banquet and will be used on our 2010 T-Shirt. Your name or initials will be included in the design on everyone's t-shirt – you’ll be famous!

Contest Rules

• You must be a swimmer this year (2009) and plan to swim in 2010
• Your design should be on 8½ X 11 paper and made with 1 or 2 colors only (black counts as a color)
• You need to include the words Wells Branch Armada and 2010
• Your design is for the shirt front only
• Turn in your entry any time to the MAF box. Absolute deadline is end of practice on July 1, 2009
• Do not put your name on the design—put your name on a cover sheet and attach it to your design
• Your design should be your original creation – not a copy of someone else’s ideas (for example, no design from clip art)

*Judges must not have a child or sibling participating in the contest.

The NWSC is sponsoring a contest to see who will sign the National Anthem at the NWSC Invitational Swim Meet to be held at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, July 12 at the UT Swim Center.

• To enter, you must a current member of a NWSC team
• You do not have to be an invitational qualifer
• Must submit entry on CD by July 1 - Turn in to Mary Hale. Do not label the CD with a name - place in an envelope with your name written on the envelope.
• Must be sung a cappella
• Must use a traditional song base
• You can sing as a group
• Only one entry per CD

The Northwest Swim Circuit holds a Championship Meet at the end of the season for qualifying swimmers. Congratulations to our 31 swimmers who have already qualified in the following events. (Each swimmer will only be able to swim in 3 events.)

Great Job Preston and the 13-14 boy's relay See team records here.