Weekly Update: New Season

Welcome to our Aquadawg blog!

I will be posting weekly updates for the Aquadawgs and their families. These updates will include a recap on the week, things for parents and swimmers to think about, reminders about upcoming meets and events, and any other information I find might be helpful to you. If you are curious feel free to browse the blog and read some of the posts from last season.

Some general information about practices...

• Practice Times
• Beginner Tue/Thurs 4:30-5:30 pm
• Intermediate Tue/Thurs 5:30-6:30 pm
• Advanced Tue/Thurs 6:30-8:00 pm
• High School Mon/Wed/Fri 5:00-6:30 pm
• Locker Rooms: Please have children (especially the beginner and intermediate swimmers) use the family locker rooms. These locker rooms offer private dressing areas and showers unlike the adult locker rooms. 
• Equipment: fins, goggles, kickboard, swim cap (girls only), mostly black swim suit for swim meets, and pull buoy (advanced only). For links to purchase equipment see post here. 
• Parents are not allowed on the pool deck during practice. This is due to our lifeguard ratio. The lifeguards are responsible for watching the people on the deck as well as the swimmers in the pool. I will allow parents on the deck 5 min at the start and end of practice to drop off and pick up their swimmers.
• Swimmers please remember to go to the bathroom BEFORE practice.
• ALL of the forms and the results for the swim meets will be posted on the Aquadawg website. Bookmark that page it is important to be able to access it. 
• Any questions about meets or enrollment email Deb: djrothstein@vosymca.org. Any questions about practices or swimmers email Coach Alisha: alisha.maxwell@vosymca.org
• Follow this blog by email! Scroll down to the very bottom of the page you see "follow by email". If you enter in your email and click "submit" your email will be notified every time I post something new on the blog. This is very useful and the best way to stay up to date on information.
• Follow the Aquadawgs on Instagram @ymcaaquadwags. Feel free to tag us in any of your Aquadawg photos.
• This season I will be letting some swimmers who stand out to me at practice take our Aquadawg mascot home. Swimmers who get this opportunity can take a picture of the Aquadawg doing something unique like..."The Aquadawg eating mac n' cheese" or "The Aquadawg doing homework" or "The Aquadawg playing the piano." After swimmers take the picture they can email it to me or can post it on Instagram and tag @ymcaaquadawgs. I will then post in on our team Instagram and the blog. I look forward to seeing all the fun pictures of our Aquadawg! Below is our first Aquadawg picture submitted by John in the high school group. Our Aquadawg is getting ready to watch Guardians of the Galaxy!

I am so excited to be starting off another swim season. All of the groups are almost full! It is a wonderful feeling to be carrying this momentum into our season.

The swimmers are off to a great start. All of my groups are full of motivated swimmers who act like they want to be there. On Tuesday, the groups worked on freestyle. The beginner group worked heavily on streamlines, blowing bubbles, rotating from side to side, and alternating side breathing every three strokes. The intermediate group worked on streamlines, rotating from side to side, alternating breathing every three strokes, and keeping their elbows high. The advanced group worked on rotating from side to side, alternating breathing every three strokes, high elbows, good body position, and learning how to incorporate good technique with speed. Next week, I look forward to working on some of the other strokes with the groups as well as dives and possibly turns with my older groups.

Thanks!

Coach Alisha