Thank you all for a great first week. The weather cooperated, and we had strong attendance at every practice. We do need to address a few behavioral issues moving forward.

For the remainder of the season, swimmers will receive one verbal warning if they are disruptive during practice. This includes disrespect toward other swimmers or coaches, misbehavior, or actions that interfere with practice. If the behavior continues after the warning, the swimmer will be asked to leave practice. Depending on the swimmer's age, they will be asked to sit with a parent or they can leave the pool deck. Please address this expectation with your swimmers before practice next week. If you have any questions, please see the swimmer code of conduct that was agreed upon at registration.

Practice Schedule May 26th - May 29th

Ages 11-18 years old- 5:00pm to 5:30pm (Tues-Thurs)

Ages 8 and under - 5:30pm to 6:00pm (Tues-Thurs)

Ages 9-10 - 6:00 to 6:30pm (Tues-Thurs)

**There will be no practice on May 25, and May 29.**

**Please only attend the practice based on your swimmers age as of May 31, 2026**

**Parents are not allowed behind the lanes during practice. We also discourage coaching from the sidelines or speaking to coaches during practice. It is distracting to the coaching staff as well as the other swimmers. If you have a question for a coach, please save it for after practice. Our coaching staff is highly trained and well-equipped to guide them throughout the session. Encourage your swimmers before or after practice so they feel supported rather than during the practice.**

Pool & Practice Guidelines -Per HOA regulations, swimmers under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times while at the pool. Parents and guardians must remain on the pool deck as required by policy. We kindly ask that you sit to the side rather than standing behind the lane where your child is swimming. Drop-offs are not permitted.

FUN May 28th Practice - On May 28th, we will hold our first FUN practice of the season. River City Sunset Slush will be on site, and each regular swim team swimmer will receive a ticket for a FREE Italian ice. This offer is for swimmers on the regular team only. Siblings and parents may purchase additional scoops.

Swag, Shirts & Caps -We will be handing out all pre‑ordered swim shop items during the first week of practice. Team t‑shirts will also be distributed beginning next week. Please have your swimmer grab their team shirt. Be sure to label your swimmer's shirt in the event that it is lost. We do not have replacement shirts. These shirts will be worn in our team picture. The swim shop will remain open all season, and any orders placed during the season can be picked up at 6800 Deer Run Drive, Suite 101, Midlothian, VA 23112.

Our cap shipment has been delayed, so only new swimmers will receive caps at the start of the season. Returning swimmers who need a cap should see a board member at practice. Replacement caps are $15, including any gold or silver caps earned during the season.

Name our Mascot! - The top 4 choices to name our redesigned mascot are in. Vote here on your favorite by May 29th. We will announce the winner during our practices on June 1st.

SwimTopia App - Download the SwimTopia app and enable notifications. You will need to log into the app to receive our notifications. We'll use it to communicate practice changes, weather updates, and meet information throughout the season.

Swim Clinics - We will be hosting 4 Saturday clinics this year each with a different focus. Signups are limited to 20 swimmers and cost $25 per clinic. Signups can be found here.

• June 6th - Starts & Turns
• June 13th - Free/Back & Starts
• June 20th - Breast/fly
• June 27th - Breasty/fly

Parking Spot Raffle - We will be auctioning off parking passes for each home meet this season.

-June 16 Home Meet vs. FoxCreek: 1 spot available

-June 30 Home Meet vs. Tarrington: 2 spots available

Raffle tickets will be sold during practices in the week leading up to each meet. Tickets must be purchased at the pool on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of the week before each home meet. Tickets are $5 for one or 5 for $20. Winners will be drawn on the Monday before each home meet.

Swim Lessons - Information about swim lessons with our assistant coaches and lifeguards is available on our website. If you would like to schedule private lessons, please contact one of the individuals listed.

Mock Meet - This season, we will host two mock meets—one for swimmers with morning practice times and another for those with evening practice times. Declare your swimmer here if they need times for the 2026 season.

Morning Mock Meet – June 2rd (Morning Slot)

• Time: 8–10 AM
• Swimmers with morning practice times who do not have recorded times are required to attend. This includes:
  • Swimmers swimming 50 yards for the first time.
  • Swimmers in their first year on the team, regardless of age.
  • Swimmers without a time listed next to their name.
• If your swimmer already has times, they get the morning off! The mock meet will replace practice for that day.

Evening Mock Meet – June 2rd (Evening Slot)

• Time: 5:30–7:30 PM
• Swimmers with evening practice times who do not have recorded times are required to attend. This includes:
  • Swimmers swimming 50 yards for the first time.
  • Swimmers in their first year on the team, regardless of age.
  • Swimmers without a time listed next to their name.
• If your swimmer already has times, they get the evening off! The mock meet will replace practice for that day.

**Year round swimmers WITHOUT times for the 2026 Sea Dragon season can email times to [email protected]**

***Declarations for the mock meet will open on May 18th at 6pm. Please declare your swimmers if you know they need times for the 2026 season. If you have questions about whether your swimmer needs to attend the mock meet, please email [email protected]. We will be needing volunteers for both the morning and evening mock meets. Families can receive 1 meet half credit (towards their 3 season total) for volunteering at the mock meet. ONE CREDIT PER FAMILY for volunteering at the mock meet. You can only work the morning or evening mock meet - not both. These jobs will open on May 26th at 6pm.**

Regular Season Meets - All regular season meets will open on May 26th at 6pm. Please see the Swim Meet 101 section under Meets & Events on our website to learn how to declare your swimmers. All jobs for our 6 regular season meets will open on June 2nd at 6pm. Time standards for the 2026 season can be found here.

Don't forget to check the website regularly for the latest updates. These emails will be posted under the Recent News Section of our website.