Hey Marlins!

We’ve begun the season on a great note—the coaches attest to the fact that team morale is up, and everyone is working hard in the pool. As with every new season, though, some issues have presented themselves that need addressing and emending: 

• Parents/Guardians need to be present for practices; swimmers are not to be dropped off and left unattended. Under county guidelines, coaches are only responsible for swimmers when they are practicing. Swimmers who come early should not be on the pool deck (they can be at a table or under the patio), in the pool, or interfering with the coaches while coaching.
• ALL swimmers need to swim their designated practice times according to their age group. We arranged these times based on the number of swimmers per age group in an effort to keep the number of swimmers per lane manageable for the coaching staff (under 7). Although we allowed some capable swimmers to “train up” in older age-groups to keep numbers level, there have been complaints, and we can’t make this concession anymore. Keep in mind that this will result in some crowding of lanes, but this is the only way to ensure equity for all.
• When swimming during practice, swimmers need to let the fastest swimmer in the lane go first. When a slower swimmer leads, it holds up the entire lane.

While we want everyone to have fun and get better, this is a utilitarian system that is no more or less inconvenient for anyone. As a afterthought, it might work out if parents start collaborating with others (i.e. carpooling, watching swimmers afterpractices, etc.) to take some of the stress of each other and function more like a well-groomed team—one that has, in the past, won the “Best Team Sportsmanship” Award.

So, let’s bookend this email on a positive note and keep our focus on putting in our best efforts so we can improve our times and win some meets!

Go Marlins!