Written by: Kanne

Category: Uncategorized

Published: July 7, 2020

Good afternoon Sharks,

I have approval from the pool to hold our virtual meets on the next 3 Tuesdays.  Set up will start at 6pm.  Warm ups will start at 6:30pm for 10&U swimmers.  Meet will start a little before 7pm for 10&U swimmers and probably run for about 1 hour.  After that, we will clear the pool area and get ready for the 11&O swimmers with warm ups starting at 8:20pm and lasting about 1.5 hours.  

Be sure to read all instructions and sign up to volunteer! Please sign up to volunteer for both sessions if you can.

Sign up here! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040545adae2da6f49-july

We will have 2 separate sessions.  The first session for 10&U and the second for 11&O.  These meets will actually just be  special practice sessions where swimmers will get timed and each will swim 2 events. The first meet will be freestyle and backstroke.  10&U will swim 25 meters (1 length) and 11&O will swim 50 meters (2 lengths). We will have 1 timer per lane, a starter, judges, clerk of course volunteers, etc.  We still need to maintain social distancing at this swim meet.

We will need  A LOT of volunteers to make this work!  Here is a run down of some of the positions:

Check in/Temperature Scan:  Yes, we still need to do this.

Timers: To maintain distance, we will just use 1 timer per lane.  Timers will use stopwatches and write down the time on a clipboard.  Best seat in the house!
Head Timer: Will start 2 watches to substitute in case someone misses the start or their watch malfunctions.

Sweep Judge: Write down the placings for each heat. This will help offset only 1 timer per lane.

Clerk of Course: We will not use the chairs, so volunteers will need to call for names and line swimmers up behind the start staying 10′ apart.

Stroke and Turn Judges – If you were certified last year, please sign up!  We will have a quick refresher course. Sign up for both sessions if you can.

Starter, Computer Operator and Meet Director are all certified positions.  If anyone is interested in shadowing one of the positions to learn it, let me know.  But do not sign up on the sign up sheet.

Videographer – If anyone has equipment for this, please let me know. We would like to video and livestream the meet.  If no one has specialized equipment, someone with a phone and Facebook Live would work!

Concessions – we are working on having a minimal concession stand.

Now for the bad news… We need to limit the number of people on deck.  Little Sharks may have 1 parent on deck with them if they need help.  No additional siblings, please.  Bring your own chairs to sit in.  Big Sharks 1 and Big Sharks 2 may not have a parent on deck with them.  Parents will need to either volunteer to be inside the pool gates or they may set up chairs outside the pool fence to watch.  All volunteers, parents, coaches and spectators inside the pool deck must wear a mask at all times (with the exception of the starter when starting a race).  Swimmers are encouraged to wear a mask when not swimming, especially if they are near other swimmers.  Spectators outside the pool deck are encouraged to wear masks if they are within 6′ of non-household members.

Otherwise rules are the same as for practice.  Do NOT move any deck furniture.  Maintain social distancing inside (and outside) the pool deck.  Enter through the main gate and exit through the side gate.  Only one person in the rest rooms at a time.  No changing or showering.  Please arrive dressed to swim and leave in your swimsuit.  No sharing water bottles, goggles or food. Swimmers should put their things on the ground, 10′ away from others.  No touching: handshakes, fist bumps, hugs, (sorry!) or spitting (not really sorry).

Sign up to volunteer and sign up your swimmer by FRIDAY!  We need to have enough volunteers to make this run.  We will not be able to recruit volunteers the day of the meet.  There will be no practice these Tuesday nights and no practice the following Wednesday morning.  So for this week, we will ask all swimmers to sign up for only 3 practices to start.  Please sign up for the meet as your fourth practice!

Sign up here! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040545adae2da6f49-july

Let me know if you have questions.  Meet results will be combined virtually with another team and ribbons will be awarded by age group.  Heats will be by stroke and time and possibly gender and not by age group.

Go Sharks! Beth and the Sharks Board of Directors