Parents and swimmers, please take a moment to familiarize yourselves with this essential information about the Northwood Suns Swim Team. Due to the nature of scheduling for summer meets and activities, the information contained herein may vary slightly from the actual activities. For updates to the schedule, any information not contained in this newsletter, and other team activities, please refer to the electronic information system at the pool and watch the Northwood website and Facebook page for updates.The electronic information system is the primary method for communicating information concerning the team. Northwood welcomes your suggestions on ways to improve the program and make the participation of the swimmers and their families more enjoyable and meaningful. The purpose of the Northwood Suns Swim Team is to provide the youth of the club with a well-organized summer recreational program. With the tireless and invaluable volunteer help of parents, the Northwood Suns provides an environment where our children can Have a wonderful physical recreational outlet. Learn the meaning of sportsmanship and team cooperation. Learn good health habits and the benefits of physical fitness. Have an opportunity to train for and participate in competitive swimming program. Learn pride and self-satisfaction in accomplishments through hard personal effort. Not every competitor will be a great swimmer, but we feel that each child can enjoy the sport through the achievement of personal goals and by contributing to the total team effort. Swimmers should set personal goals and be encouraged to achieve them rather than focus on just winning. Everyone is encouraged to strive for excellence.Excellence is achieved one step at a time: mastery of a stroke, an improved time, learning a new turn, and gathering tips from coaches or other swimmers. Parents at all times must realize that our program is intended to be a fun recreational summer activity. Let’s make sure we work together to make it a successful and enjoyable season for all swimmers. Remember, nothing breeds success better than positive encouragement and reinforcement. All team members are -our- swimmers; please support all Northwood Suns Swim Team members. Purpose and Objectives 2014 Any swimmer under the age of 19 (as of May 31, 2014) who is able to make a length of the pool without stopping is encouraged to join our swim team. Age group swim teams like ours don’t just happen; they are made! They are made through the tireless efforts of the army of volunteers who make it work. The Northwood Suns Swim Team is structured like most other teams. We have two basic elements: “Coaches and Swimmers” and “Moms and Dads.” Neither group can function without the other; it’s a family affair! While the team must have swimmers, nothing moves in the water without Moms and Dads working on the deck and behind the scenes. Swim teams and meets require extensive parental support and participation. Meets alone require that each team provide 12 to 20 officials comprised of timers, judges, scorekeepers, starters, referees, ribbons, etc. Home meets require even more assistance. The home team must set up for the meet, provide refreshments, and make sure that all details of the meet are handled and that everything runs smoothly! Parental involvement is essential to a successful season. All families are expected to provide at least one adult to help at each meet their swimmer participates in. In addition to our dual meets, we will need parent volunteers for the Divisionals and All-Star meets. We will be asking you to sign up for a specific position later in the season. You are responsible to cover your position for the entire meet. If you wish to split that responsibility, you must work that out on your own. 2014 Meet Schedule TBD: ISL Officials Clinic–For any parent who would like to be an official at meets. June 24– Northwood at Chambersburg (warm-ups at 5:30 pm; meet starts at 6 pm) June 26– Northwood at Martinsburg (warm-ups at 5:30 pm; meet starts at 6 pm) July 12– Moss Springs at Northwood (warm-ups at 8:00 am; meet starts at 9 am) July 16– Mercersburg at Northwood (warm-ups at 5:30 pm; meet starts at 6 pm) July 19– Divisionals at Mercersburg (TBD) July 26– All-Stars at Chambersburg Y (TBD)
