Hi All,

Thank you so much to everyone who attended our meet this past Tuesday- all of the swimmers and volunteers made it a successful night- we won!  Final score 258 for us and 200 for Meredith Townes. 

This week's update:

• Swim Team Dues
• Munchin Marlins 6/23
• Meet Tuesday 6/24 away at Springdale
• Volunteers needed for 6/24 meet
• Practice Schedule
• Ribbons
• Sponsors
• Team Picture
• Meet Recap
• North Raleigh Championship meet
• July 2nd meet
• Action items due

Swim Team Dues:

Thank you to all who have paid for 2024. If you have not paid please either leave a check in my folder in the pool kitchen (in the box where you collect your ribbons) or contact me to set up an alternative payment like venmo.

Munchin Marlins Monday 6/23:

Our next Munchin Marlins this coming Monday will be taco/nacho night.  Cost TBD but payment will be venmo @Bethany-White-119. Thank you to Bethany for leading this week. Signups (RSVP's and items to bring) are live.  

Thank you to Lauren Ward for leading our pizza night this past week- it was very successful. Thank you also to Brandi Norman (7/1) and Denise LaPlace Brin (7/15) for volunteering to lead meals. We are still looking for a lead for 7/8.

Meet Tuesday 6/24 away at Springdale:

Please declare your swimmers ASAP so that we can finalize the lineup on Sunday night. Specific details about meet logistics will be sent out on Monday. You will need to arrive so that your swimmers are ready to stretch on the pool deck by 5:15. 

Volunteers needed for 6/24 Meet

Many volunteer positions are still open. I would encourage those who volunteer for the same jobs each week to try something new. I realize that those with toddlers are not able (or expected) to volunteer for some of the more time consuming positions, but it will benefit the team as a whole to have volunteers skilled in more than one position. I really do appreciate that, due to our team size, you all volunteer for so many meets each season. It has been a pleasure to coordinate- I remember past seasons where I had to beg people to fill spots and your willingness to volunteer has made my life incredibly easier. Thank you!

Open positions are:

• Clerk of Course
• Timers- need 4 and a Backup/Relief (pool is 8 lanes)
• Order of Finish Judge

Practice Schedule:

I had considered combining Thursday practices but 3 people showed up to the 4-5 PM session yesterday and I had one request to not combine, so I am leaving schedule as is.

Please note that we will not be holding practice on the following days: Friday June 28, Thursday July 4 and Friday July 5.

Ribbons from last week:

Ribbons are in your family folders in the kitchen

Sponsors:

Thank you very much to all of our 2024 Sponsors: Rick Hall Eyewear, Dominion Realty Partners, Hartsfield and Nash Insurance, Statewide Construction, Surge Electric, Club Pilates and Bella Italia. Their donations greatly help our team financially and we appreciate them. Thank you to Kristin Ivory for leading the effort and obtaining donations along with Connie Garkalns, Lauren Ward and the Curtis family.  Special thanks to Connie for creating, ordering and paying for our Sponsor Banner this year- if you have not noticed it hangs above our concession stand at home meets and she brings it to hang at away meets. She also made smaller signs to advertise our generous sponsors and has updated the Marlins Bulletin Board with our team picture again this year. 

If you know of any businesses who may be interested in sponsoring our team next year please let me know. 

Team Picture:

I should schedule this at the beginning of the season when most people are in town still and I will start doing that next year. For this year I am trying to determine the best date- I am thinking maybe at the last Munchin Marlins. Any feedback you all have please let me know.

Meet Recap: Final Score Meredith Townes 200 Manchester 258

40 Marlins headed out to Meredith Townes to swim against a similar size team of 48 swimmers. We had a fantastic meet! We had so many successful swims, both individually and in relays. The Marlins coaches and I were very proud of our team. For new members who may not be aware, we pride ourselves on our Sportsmanship. 

I realize that for the majority of our swimmers swimming is not their chosen sport. It is something that they do in the summer, mostly as a social activity. However, I am proud that the values our team exemplifies are noticed, are applauded by other teams and are an example of how teams should act. Summer swim offers an excellent opportunity to enhance values- cheering on teammates, performing outside of one’s comfort zone by swimming up to help the team (or even just swimming!), striving for individual success in a team environment, showing respect for all athletes by staying in the water until all swimmers have finished and never letting a teammate swim alone, encouraging others of all abilities, showing up and being part of a team… all of these values translate into successful qualities they carry into their chosen sports. I have heard from both of our opponents this year that our team is a pleasure to swim against- not due to scores but because watching how we treat others is a reminder of what summer swim is all about.

Double Winners: none, but Sully Lloyd and Jackie Brin both earned their first wins :) They demonstrated that sometimes swimming correct technique is more important than time. 

Triple Winners: Mason Curtis, Caroline Jones, Dillon Wilson, Eva Ward, Gavin Ivory, Camden Sant'Agata, and Andrew Cook! I think this is a record for most triples at one meet!

Records- none, only because their pool is 25 meters and our records are in yards.

Relay Swim Ups: Thank you to the following swimmers who swam up in a relay: Sully Lloyd (moved to 9-10 Girls Medley and Free, swimming 25 meters instead of 15 yards!), Caroline Jones and Jackie Brin (moved to 9-10 Girls Medley and Free), Caleb Caggiano (moved to 9-10 Medley and winning Free) and Gavin Ivory (moved to 15-18 Boys Medley and Free winning relays.)

Thank you again to all those who swam and volunteered.

North Raleigh Championship Meet 

The Marlins of Raleigh host this smaller scale Championship Meet (6-8 teams) at Ravenscroft each year. I have entered us for the last 10 years and we have either won or come in 2nd every year. Sadly, Ravenscroft is unable to host this year as they are scheduled for renovations for most of July. MOR was trying to find an alternative location but I have not heard anything further from them. The meet is not listed on their website so I am assuming they will not hold it this year but they have said they are committed to it next year. I apologize to those swimmers who enjoyed attending this meet every year.

There is an alternative meet- the TSA Championship Meet will be held at TAC (Triangle Aquatic Center) on 7/21 from 8 AM to 5 PM. This meet includes all 88 teams in our League and it is huge. We preferred the smaller Championship meet but if you are interested in attending this meet on your own please let me know and I can get you signed up.

July 2nd Meet:

Please declare your swimmers ASAP. We are hosting Hasentree, a large team and I need to make sure that we have enough families participating so that all volunteer spots are filled. 

Summary of actions needed:

• By Sunday night: Declare your swimmers for 6/24 meet, RSVP for Munchin Marlins, donate food items for Munchin Marlins if able/willing
• By Tuesday AM: Volunteer for any outstanding 6/24 meet jobs
• ASAP declare your swimmers for meet on 7/2

As always if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. And again, thank you all for everything you do for our team!

GO MARLINS!
Jackie Miller

Manchester TSA Rep

919-345-9359

[email protected]