This week's meet

It's time to prepare for our last meet on this coming Saturday!  We will be at Mt. Hood CC in the indoor pool (not the bubble).  I will provide more information about the meet and the championship meets later this week.

This meet entry needs to be submitted by 8pm on Tuesday.

Meet Entry Form

Happy New Year!!

Practices for Christmas Break

I hope everyone has an enjoyable Christmas Break!  My family and I will be around for the first week, but then we will be leaving to go up to Northern Idaho to see family.

If you are in town, I encourage the swimmers to continue to swim.  But if you are away, and still swim, you get extra credit points...(think Swedish Fish).  I would love you to send me a picture of your swimmer in the water in far away places if you adventure among this world.   Email a picture to me at swimteam@whcs.org and I will give your swimmer some extra credit points.

Our practice schedule will be adjusted for the next two weeks.  There is no need to RSVP, just show up!  See below:

12/17 - Sunday - 6:00-7:00pm @ Beaverton Swim Center
12/19 - Tuesday - 11:00am-noon @ Valley Catholic
12/21 - Thursday - 11:00am-noon @ Valley Catholic
12/26 - Tuesday  - 11:00am-noon @ Valley Catholic
12/28 - Thursday - 11:00am-noon @ Valley Catholic
01/02/18 - Tuesday - Resume regular practice schedule, including Friday Dryland!

If you cannot make it to practices, or prefer to swim at a different pool, here are two workouts that you may use to keep your training up.  Click here for the workouts

Practices for this week

Tonight 6-7pm at Beaverton Swim Center

Tues-Thurs 5-6(or 6:30) at Valley Catholic - It’s open again!!

NO DRYLAND FRIDAY (no school)

Sunday 12/17, 6-7pm at Beaverton Swim Center

Meet entries for Dec. 9

Tomorrow will be our third and last meet at the Reynolds Pool.  Warm ups will begin at 3:30pm, so you should plan to show up by 3:15.  As you all know, we are hosting this meet, so I would like all volunteers in place around 3:20.  Please check in with Jennifer Vore if you are unsure about where you are volunteering.

I will provide heat sheets for all timers and bullpen workers, so if you want to save paper...feel free!

Meet Program for Dec. 9
(BTW, it has been pointed out that the "t" gets doubled and other weird spellings on previous heat sheets...I know and I can't fix it. 😞)

NO DRYLAND...reminder for today!

I sent this announcement out earlier this week, but due to the 5/6th grade concert tonight, the auditorium in unavailable for our practice today.

Please plan to pick up your child at carpool.  Otherwise you will need to make other arrangements or they can go to After School Care until you arrive.

Meet Entries Due ASAP

The following families have submitted a response.  If your family name is not included, please respond by 10AM on Wednesday, otherwise your swimmer may not swim!

Updated at 8:30pm on Wed. 12/5

Kondo
Russell
Lacey
Montang
Dooley
Runhke
Vore
McMahon
Klinger
Atienza
Balderson
Larsen
Bates
Rudzek
Chuang
Brownlee
Killian

Entries for Dec. 9

Practices CANCELLED, Meet Entries, Meet Results

There is a lot of info in this post, please read carefully!

First of all, I heard on Friday that the Valley Catholic Pool will be closed for another week.  This is an  unavoidable cancellation.  Due to this cancellation, I have created this week's workout so your swimmer can do it at an area pool.  They should be able to swim at any Park and Recreation pool for a fee.  Just look for any lap swim where all ages are accepted.  Most area pools charge $4-6 per person.

Workout for this week

The next practice will be on Sunday (12/10) from 6:00-7:00 at the Beaverton Swim Center.  There will be no dryland practice until January.  It is cancelled this week due to the 5/6th grade Christmas Performance this Friday.  There will be no dryland next week due to no school on Dec 15.

This week's meet is on Saturday (12/9) from 3:30 - 6:30 at the Reynolds Pool.  Please submit your swimmer's entries by 8pm this Tuesday.  We host this meet and all volunteer positions must be filled, so please contact Jennifer Vore to volunteer for the meet.

Entries for Dec. 9

Below you will find the meet results for this week's meet.  There were many great PR's!  I am super proud of the PR's, even without any practices this week.

Meet Results for Dec. 2

Meet entries

I am very sorry that I forgot to post the entries for this week's meet.  I had several people text and email me today wondering where they were.

Again, so sorry!!!

Dec. 3 Meet Entries

Meet today!

Don’t forget about the meet today!  

We are back at the Reynolds Pool, which is located at the middle school. Warmups begins at 4:00, so have your swimmer on deck and ready to swim about 3:45-3:50. 

If your swimmer can’t come, please let me know ASAP. The best way this close to the meet is to text me: 503-267-2346

See you all at the pool soon!

Practices this week

As of right now, the repairs to the Valley Catholic pool are not complete.  I hope everything is ready for next week, but I will pass that along as soon as I know.  Below you will find an update for the remainder of this week

Thursday (11/30) - NO PRACTICE at Valley Catholic
Friday (12/1) - Dryland Practice 3:15-4:15 at WHCS (have the swimmers go directly to the auditorium)
Saturday (12/2) - MEET 4:00-7:00 at Reynold MS Pool
Sunday (12/3) - Practice 6:00-7:00 at Beaverton Swim Center

Meet on Dec. 2

It's time for the entries for the meet this Saturday, Dec. 2 from 4:00-7:00pm at the Reynolds Pool.  Please let me know if they are coming by Tuesday (tomorrow) at 8pm.  I will send out more meet information later this week, including the meet program.

Entries for Dec.2

Since we are out of the pool for a week or so, here is a workout your swimmer(s) can do once or twice.  If they can do it twice, great!  If only once, that is just fine.  If they can't get to the pool at all...we can deal with that. :)

If you have any questions, please email me here and I will answer them as quickly as I can!

catch-up = freestyle when one hand will remain out straight until the stroking hand touches it, then the other hand will stroke while the original stroking hand stays out straight.
RI = rest interval, they should rest this long

Polliwog Workout Warm Up: 100 Swim 100 Kick 50 Swim (non-free) Drill / Workout 3x25 free catch-up (w/o kickboard if possible) 1x25 swim fast (focus on long!)           (repeat above twice) 4x25 back-4 kick per side, then switch arms - lots of body roll!.  Focus on nose up, shoulder touching chin, & keeping arm out straight, then switch Know how many strokes until wall Help them count Use helps to prevent collisions of head with wall 4x25 back fast RI:20 (if possible) 2-4x25 dives (or backstroke starts) FAST

Cub & Cadet Workout Warm Up: 150 Swim 150 Kick 150 Swim (non-free) Drill / Workout 3x50 free catch-up RI:20 (w/o kickboard if possible) 2x25 swim fast RI:20 (focus on long!)           (repeat above twice) 4x25 back-4 kick per side, then switch arms - lots of body roll!.  Focus on nose up, shoulder touching chin, & keeping arm out straight, then switch Know how many strokes until wall 4x50 back fast RI:20 Workout #2 5x100 swim RI:30 5x50 kick RI:20 5x25 sprint RI:20 (if possible) 4x25 dives (or backstroke starts) FAST

PRACTICE IS CANCELLED!

Until further notice, all practices at Valley Catholic are cancelled!  Hopefully only about a week and a half?!?

I just received word that the pool temp has dropped to 81 degrees.  This is too cold to hold a normal, effective practice.

I will send out this weeks and next week's workouts via the blog, if your swimmer can find a pool.

Watch the blog! Possible cancellations!!

I was just informed by Valley Catholic that their pool heater is not working properly.  This results in colder than normal pool temperatures.  Currently the pool is at a "normal" temperature, but it is expected to drop until it is fixed, which will be next week.

As of right now, practice is a go for today, but it could change with a temperature reading at lunchtime.  Please watch the blog and your email inboxes for any changes.

Practice next week will likely be cancelled.  If they are, I will send out workouts, if they can gain access to a pool.

Upcoming practices

Due to the holiday coming up, I wanted to remind everyone about the upcoming practices over next couple weeks.

11/17 (Fri) Dryland 3:15-4:15 - Have your swimmer walk to the Auditorium immediately after school
11/19 (Sun) Swim  6:00-7:00 - @ Beaverton Swim Center
11/21 (Tues) Swim 5:00-6:00/6:30 - @ Valley Catholic
11/22 (Wed) Swim 5:00-6:00/6:30 - @ Valley Catholic
11/26 (Sun) Swim  6:00-7:00 - @ Beaverton Swim Center
11/28 (Tues) Swim 5:00-6:00/6:30 - @ Valley Catholic
11/29 (Wed) Swim 5:00-6:00/6:30 - @ Valley Catholic
11/30 (Thur) Swim 5:00-6:00/6:30 - @ Valley Catholic
12/01 (Fri) Dryland 3:15-4:15 - Have your swimmer walk to the Auditorium immediately after school

Practices this week / Extra practices / Meet results

Just a reminder about practices this week.  They will be the normal Tues, Wed, Thurs (5-6/6:30) and Sunday.  FYI, we will have Sunday night practices (6-7) every Sunday from now until Christmas Break, including Thanksgiving Break weeks! The practice schedule for next week will be released later this week.

Many of you have been wondering if your swimmer can come to another weekday practice.  YES!  But there is a safety issue to address.  Due to the limited space at Valley Catholic, having more than 8 swimmers in any lane is unsafe, so the practices will be capped at 24 swimmers.

Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
Isabella Kelso	Eden Vixie	Rowan Dooley
Kinley Deewall	Rachel Motschenbacer	Jocelynne Starr
Elyse Deewall	Lucy McMahon	Haiyden Campbell
Nevi Larsen	Elly Jo McMahon	Reid Klingner
Zoe Guevara	EllaJean Jones	Samantha Smythe
Milo Larsen	Ella Atienza	Madeleine Vore
Emily Shafer	Maxwell Montang	Mason Vore
Julia Shafer	Madelyn Montang	Ian Fruehauf
Ella Lacey	Ainsley Killian	Ella Fruehauf
Molly Klingner		Jocelynne Starr
Claire Brownlee		Grace Powers
Grace Brownlee		Amalie Bates
Owen Rudzek		Parker Bates
Zoe Rudzek		Josiah Nunez
		Anne Russell
		Dylan Franklin
		Gabriella Franklin
		Izzi Kondo

Currently,  we have 8 openings on Tuesday, 13 openings on Wednesday, and 4 openings on Thursday.  Please email me at swimteam@whcs.org to indicate if you want your swimmer coming to an additional day.  Also, let me know of any changes, if that happens in the future.  I have added this spreadsheet to the blog on the top bar next to our swim meet schedule for your future use.

Lastly, the meet results are posted from this weekend's meet.  They can also be found here...

Meet on 11/12

It's time for our next meet!  This time it is at the Reynolds Pool, which is actually located at their middle school/administration (not the high school).  The address of the building is 1204 NE 201st Ave., Fairview, OR.  The pool is located on the far side of the building, near the track.  It is easier to access the pool off of Halsey St, just past 201st.

The Reynolds pool is a more typical pool set-up that most of us are accustom to.  When you child isn't swimming, I would prefer them to remain the team area with the other swimmers.  If you want your child to spend time with you, please meet them away from the team area.  The seating section at Reynolds is smaller, so plan to sit with other WHCS parents.  This way the swimmers can find you in the stands easier!

The meet program can be found here.  Warm-ups begin at 1:00 and volunteers should be in their place by 12:50 and all swimmers should be on the deck by 12:45.  The meet will end before 4:00pm.

Finally, if your swimmer has become ill and will not be at the meet, please email me ASAP or text me at 503-267-2346.

Missing entries!

I need entries from the following swimmers by noon on Wednesday, otherwise they will not make the cut off for entries for this weekend...

Balderson
Franklin
Fruhauf
Guevara
Jones
Leslie
Powers
Rudzek
Shafer

Entries for 11/12 meet

Entries for 11/12 and results for 11/4

Please enter your swimmer below for this week's meet at the Reynolds (MS) Pool on Sunday from 1:00-4:00.  Again we are co-hosting this meet, so please email Jennifer Vore at jennifer_vore@hotmail.com if you wish to volunteer.

Entries for 11/12 meet

The results are listed on the right side of the blog, and will stay there for the remainder of the year.  I will add the new results each week.  Finally,  will also send them out once I receive them.  I typically have the final results about 36-72 hours after the meet, so when I send them out will vary.  At the end of the season, I will give each swimmer a report of all of their times, so you don't need to record them.  But some swimmers like to track them, so they can strive for personal bests each meet.  The long and the short of it is...use them as much or as little as you wish.

Results for 11/4 meet

Meet info / Meet on Saturday!

This is a longer post, please plan it to take a few minutes, and feel free to refer back to it during the season.

Each week, I will post the "meet program" on the blog in the "Important Links" area on or by Friday.  You can also click here to print your own copy.  A day or two after the meet, I will replace it with "meet results".  

On Saturday, the meet will be at the Aquatic Center at Mt. Hood Community College.  The campus is quite large, so here are specific directions from their website below.  But, you can also use Google Maps and enter "Mt. Hood Community College Aquatics Center" and Google will take you right to the pool building.

From I-84 take exit 17 and follow the Frontage Road to 257th street and turn right. Follow 257th south, pass Stark Street, to 17th Street and turn left. Take the first left after the soccer Field and then left again into the Aquatic Center parking lot.

If you swam with us previously, you know there is an indoor and outdoor pool under the bubble.  Our meet this week will be in the outdoor pool under the bubble.  Plan to be on deck ready to go by 1:45pm, but do not arrive at the pool before 1:30.  The meet will end by 5:00pm, but your swimmer can leave after they are done swimming.  BUT, they need to check with us FIRST before they change, if they think they are done.  Sometimes, we adjust relays and need your swimmer to stick around until the final relay.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, if you need to contact a coach during the season for any reason, call or text (better option) Coach Kevin at 503-267-2346.  Especially if a swimmer will not show up for the meet.  We make all of the relays, and it is easier to substitute someone if they tell us in advance if they are not coming (even if it's an hour before).

Two very important pieces of information for this week's meet.  First, I will not be at the meet this week, due to the HS Water Polo team I coach...they made it to the State Playoffs in Corvallis.  For this week, contact Coach Candace if you have any last minute issues.  Her number is 503-819-7660.

Next, since this meet is in the bubble, the bathrooms are far away from where we are sitting.  They are in the main building.  If your swimmer is a polliwog, a parent must accompany your child to the restroom.  It is too far and will take too long for the coaches to walk them to the restroom.  If they need to go during the meet, we will send them to find you.  If your swimmer is a cub or cadet, it is up to you if a parent should accompany your child to the restroom.  Please make a plan prior to the meet with your child.

If this is your first meet, please continue reading below...

Here is a good website that lists general swim meet basics from the USA Swimming website.  Feel free to read it (in addition to my notes below) for a good overview of swim meets in general.

Arriving and warm-up:
Swimmers should come to the team area on the deck in their swimsuits. On Saturday, we can get into the water to begin warm ups at 2:00.  We ask that everyone arrive on deck around 1:45 to get set up.  It might be a good idea to have your swimmer in their suit before you leave, if they may need help getting dressed into it.  Once the warm-ups begin, everyone must complete the warm-ups. This is the time for swimmers to get ready for their races, get their muscles warmed up, and get used to the pool they are swimming in.  Just before or after the warm-ups, we will have a quick team meeting and team cheer.

During the meet:

Swimmer will need to stay in the area where our team is sitting and wait there until his/her first event is called. This is our team area, and parents sit in a different section.  Due to the length of the meet, swimmers should plan to occupy themselves by cheering, reading a book (that could possibly get wet), chatting with friends, or sitting with their parents.  No electronics should be on the pool deck, due to the proximity of the water.  They will need to make sure they are paying attention to what event is swimming. The announcer will announce events and heats.  Let your swimmer know that they should go to the bullpen (staging area) once they get their meet entry card from a coach, and they need to keep it dry and walk to the bullpen. There will be volunteers to help them get to the right lane in the correct heat of the event.  If the swimmer is not in the lane behind the starting block for their heat and event, the starter will not wait for them, so it is important that they follow the meet.

Snacks:
Since the meets are around three hours long, the swimmers might get hungry.  The best snacking foods would be any light, and nutritious snack that won't make a mess on the pool deck.  Goldfish, Ritz crackers, and Cheerios are poor choices due to how they make a mess once wet on the pool deck.  Fruit, peanut-free trail mix, wheat thins, jerky, etc... are all great choices.  Water is the best drink choice, and all swimmers should have a water bottle.

Communication:
If you need to contact a coach for any reason, call or text Coach Kevin (503-267-2346).  Especially if a swimmer will not show up for the meet.  We make all of the relays, and it is easier to substitute someone if they tell us in advance if they are not coming (even if its an hour before).

Entries missing!!!

ONLY the following entries 25 have been recorded.  If you swimmer's name is missing, please enter by noon on Wednesday.  If no entry is received by then, they might not be allowed to swim.

Bates, Amalie  (5)

Bates, Parker  (2)

Brownlee, Claire  (2)

Brownlee, Grace  (5)

Campbell, Haiyden  (6)

Dooley, Rowan  (5)

Guevara, Zoe  (2)

Jones, EllaJean  (3)

Kelso, Isabella  (2)

Klingner, Molly  (2)

Klingner, Reid  (5)

Lacey, Ella  (2)

Larsen, Nevaeh  (2)

Leslie, Sydney  (6)

McMahon, Elly  (3)

Montang (not attending) McMahon, Lucy  (8)

Motschenbacher, Rachel  (4)

Nunez, Josiah  (3)

Rudzek, Owen  (1)

Rudzek, Zoe  (2)

Russell, Antoinette  (6)

Smythe, Samantha  (4)

Starr, Jocelynne  (1)

Vore, Madeleine  (5)

Vore, Mason  (2)

Only 25 swimmers are registered for the meet!

Click here for meet attendance and selecting events.

Tuesday No Practice / Entries due tonight

Just a quick reminder. There will be no practice today. If you normally practice on Tuesdays, you are welcome to come to practice on Wednesday or Thursday without any prior notification this week.

Please remember to submit your swimmer's meet entries today by 8 p.m.. I will be submitting the entries by noon on Wednesday.

Click here for meet attendance and selecting events.

Nov. 4 Meet entries / volunteers

I am excited for our first developmental meet at the Mt. Hood CC Aquatic Center (I will send the exact address later this week) from 2:00 to 5:00pm this Saturday!  I need you to let me know if your swimmer will be participating OR NOT (please click the link below).  Once you have indicated if your swimmer is coming or not, you can select their events for their meet, if there is something they want to swim.  If you would rather the coaching staff choose, please click the box to let me know they will be there and leave the event entry sections blank.  ALL ENTRIES MUST BE COMPLETED BY 8PM TUESDAY NIGHT!  If there is NO response, I assume your swimmer will not be participating!  My entries are due to CYO by noon on Wednesday, and it is nearly impossible to enter them in the meet after noon on Wednesday.

Click here for meet attendance and selecting events.

Each swimmer can swim up to three individual events and one relay or two individual events and two relays.  The coaching staff will assign all relays. 

Here is a listing of all events.

The meet needs volunteers!  Please email Jennifer Vore at jennifer_vore@hotmail.com to volunteer.

Dryland / Suit Exchange / Practices next week

There are three tidbits of info I wanted to make sure I shared:

Dryland Practice
The first practice occurs on Friday of this week.  Practice will begin at 3:15 and remind the athletes that they will be excused from carpool.  They should not come in, until called from line during carpool.  They should wear clothes that allow movement and wear athletic shoes to the dryland practice.  Please plan to pick up your child in the auditorium or outside the double doors near the gym at 4:15.

Suit Exchange
If you have an old swimsuit which you would like to donate to the Swim Team, we will accept them and have an exchange during this Sunday night's practice.  Hannah Brownlee will be emailing you details later this week.  Be watching your emails for the details.

Practices next week
On Tuesday, Oct., 31, we will be cancelling practice.  Anyone who normally comes to the Tuesday practices can come to the Wednesday or Thursday practice without notifying me.  All other practices will occur without any modifications

Practices begin TODAY!

Please check the chart.  These are your responses to who is practicing on which day.  If you have not signed up yet, please do so ASAP by following the link below.  If your day is incorrectly shown, please update by following the link below.

Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
Isabella Kelso	Eden Vixie	Rowan Dooley
Kinley deewall	Rachel Motschenbacer	Jocelynne Starr
Elyse deewall	Lucy McMahon	Haiyden Campbell
Haiyden Campbell	Elly Jo McMahon	Reid Klingner
Nevi Larsen	EllaJean jones	Samantha Smythe
Zoe Guevara	Ella Atienza	Madeleine Vore
Milo Larsen	Maxwell Montang	Mason Vore
Emily Shafer	Madelyn Montang	Ian Fruehauf
Julia Shafer		Ella Fruehauf
Ella lacey		Jocelynne Starr
Molly Klingner		Grace powers
		Amalie Bates
		Parker Bates

Practice Days form - USE THIS LINK TO SIGN UP OR EDIT!

Practices begin on Tuesday / HELP!

First of all...all practices begin on Tuesday.  There is NO Sunday night practice tonight.  Sunday practices will begin next week.

If you have not taken the time to indicate which day your swimmer will practice (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday), please take the time right now.  I will be producing a list soon. 

Practice Days form

Also, I am in dire need of a volunteer coordinator!  This volunteer will send out emails and record who will be volunteering for the meets where our assistance is necessary.  Please email me ASAP if you can assist the team with this important position!

See you all at the pool this week!

Coach Kevin

Choose your practice day!

Please follow the link below to indicate your swimmer's name (one entry per swimmer), and which weekday you are planning to come for the season.  These practices occur at the Valley Catholic Pool which is just to the east of the Elementary School, behind the tennis courts. (see the previous blog post for exact location)

Everyone is encouraged to come on Sunday evening practices at the Beaverton Swim Center (12850 SW 3rd St., Beaverton) from 6:00-7:00pm.

I suggest that all swimmers swim on one weekday and on Sunday evenings.  
If this does not work for your family, please contact Coach Kevin for options.

Practice Day Sign-up

Swim Assessment TODAY / Valley Catholic Pool location

The swim assessment is still scheduled for today at 5:00pm at the Valley Catholic pool.  The pool is located to the east of the elementary school on their campus.  Please refer to the map and text below.

Since it can be hard to find where the pool is on the Valley Catholic campus, I have included this photo from Google Maps.  The pool is the red arrow.  You will want to park somewhere close to the tennis courts and walk to the pool.  If you are using a GPS, I typically just enter "Valley Catholic High School", and mine gets me there just fine.

Valley Catholic Pool location

Parent Meeting & other important items

This season will kick off with a Parent Meeting on Wed. Oct. 11 from 7-8PM in the WHCS Auditorium.  Please plan to come to hear all of the newest information for this year.  There will be several changes, so I hope one parent from each interested family can attend.  If you need to bring children, that is completely acceptable, but they should plan to sit with you.

Next, this season's practices will start on Tues. Oct. 24 starting at 5PM at the Valley Catholic pool in Beaverton.  Our practices this year will be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays (choose one) from 5-6 for Polliwogs (K-3rd) and 5-6:30 for Cubs and Cadets (4th-8th).

If you are a new swimmer to WHCS, we will be having a skills check at the Valley Catholic pool on either 10/16 or 10/23 (I am waiting on confirmation from VC).  It will begin around 5:00, and should take less than 30 minutes.  We need to make sure that all swimmers can comfortably swim 25 yards.  They do not need to know the four competitive strokes, rather just be safe in one of them.

Here is our updated swim meet schedule for this year

Lastly, I am still in great need of more coaches.  If you can keep children safe in the water and you can be a positive role model, you are fit to coach for our team.  We will provide on the job training.  I ask that you commit to one day a week, Sunday practices (once they begin around Thanksgiving) and meets.  If you would like to volunteer to coach or ask more questions, please email Coach Kevin at swimteam@whcs.org.

If you are ready to register, click here.  When signing up there will be a question that asks if you are an exception.  If you attend WHCS click NO, then proceed to register (top right corner).  If you do not attend WHCS click YES, then follow the prompts.

Update to 2017-18 season

As we get closer to the beginning of the season, things are becoming more clear.  So this update is full of the latest information.  Please read it fully, because there are some important changes and additional information.

First, as I stated before.  This will be my last season as the Head Coach.  As of today, no one has reached out to signal to me that they would be interested in heading up the program next year.  I would love someone to step up who is good at organizing, because that is the biggest part of heading up the program.  I will teach you all you need to know about swimming, I promise! :)   Please do not hesitate to contact me if you are interested and want to know more.

Next, our practice times are changing.  Due to pool availability at Valley Catholic, we are going to practice from 5:00 to 6:00pm for polliwogs (K-3) and 5:00-6:30pm for cubs and cadets (4-6 and 7-8).  We will practice on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  You will be allowed to sign up for one of those days once we get closer to the beginning of the season.  Our Sunday evening practices will begin in mid-November.

The season will begin on either October 17 or October 24.  This is mostly due to a lack of coaching volunteers...which brings me to my last point.  WE NEED YOUR HELP!  If you can cheer, encourage, and help keep kids safe in water, you are qualified to be a coach!  On the job training is provided.  It does not require much extra time, since you will be a coach while your athlete is swimming and at meets already.  Please consider helping us with this need.  We are also in a need of Stroke & Turn judges.  To be qualified for this, some experience in competitive swimming is needed.  I will conduct a class, then you have the proper training to volunteer at meets as a Stroke & Turn Judge.

If you have any questions or want to contact me, please email me here.  If you reply to this email or blog message, it actually gets lost in cyberspace. :(

2017-2018 Swim Team info...

I hope you all are enjoying the last waning days of summer.  But as school ramps up, so does Swim Team planning.  Below, you will find the information that you need to know as we start another year.

But first, an important announcement.  I am sad to say that this will be my last year as the Head Coach.  Due to changes in my life, next year, I will need to step back.  I do not want this program to disappear, so I am hoping someone will step up and work with me this year so they will be able to head it up next year.  The Head Coach needs to be a good communicator, work easily with children, and can spend about 5-10 hours outside practice and meet times for paperwork and meet entries.  Did you notice, I didn't mention swim experience?  Obviously, if you have some experience...great!  If not, as you help coach this year, I will provide all the on the job training you will need.  Please contact me or Doug Loiler if you have any questions about this or are interested.

Here is the plan this year, which is much like last year's plan.

Practices will begin on 10/16.  We will practice primarily at the Valley Catholic Pool, located at Murray Rd./ Farmington Rd. in Beaverton.  We will offer at least three practices M-Th after school (exact days TBD).  Polliwogs (grades K-3) will practice for one hour from 4-5 (Tuesdays will most likely be 4:30-5:30).  Cubs (grades 4-6) and Cadets (grades 7-8) will practice for 90 minutes from 4-5:30 (Tuesdays will most likely be 4:30-5:30).  I will let families decide the exact day of their practice once the available days have been determined.  We will also have a practice at the Beaverton Swim Center on Sunday evenings from 6-7pm, although these will start a couple weeks into the season.  

Friday dry land practices are strongly encouraged for everyone and will be at WHCS from 3:15-4:30 every Friday we have school.  

I will urge all swimmers to attend a minimum of two swimming practices a week plus the dryland practice.  If you are on another WHCS sports team or on another swim team, your practice schedule will be reduced.  

Our meet schedule will be decided by mid-September, but they will mostly be on Saturday afternoons, typically on the east-side of Portland at a variety of pools. All swimmers must attend at least three out of five or six meets this year.  If this is not possible, please contact Coach Kevin for clarification.  Everyone will continue swimming through to the championship meets (everyone swims in at least one championship meet) in mid/late-January.  

For safety, I will conduct a swimming evaluation for ALL NEW swimmers.  This is to assure that all swimmers are able to swim (non-stop) 25 yards safely.  It doesn't have to be a racing stroke (although preferred), then we will teach the rest!  The evaluation will be on the week of Oct. 9 (exact date TBD), and you may wait to register until after that date, if you are concerned about your child's safety.

I am in need of help this year!  Particularly, I need SWIM COACHES & Stroke and Turn Judges.  Stroke and Turn Judges work at swim meets and we are required to have two working judges for most meets; currently we have a few.  Some prior swimming knowledge is needed, and training is provided.  If we could have four parents volunteer to be Judges, this would really spread the load out!  MORE COACHES are needed to give the swimmers the best possible experience.  Have you ever considered coaching?  No swimming experience is necessary. You will receive some great training from the experienced, returning coaches.  Qualifications for this role is that you are a parent who can help encourage the kids and keep them moving and safe in the water.  If you are interested or have questions, contact Coach Kevin!

Please don't hesitate to email any questions! (Do not reply to this email...it won't work)

~Coach Kevin

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2017-2018 WHCS Swim Team registration is open

The season will consist of up to three practices a week, 5 developmental meets, and a championship meet.  The season will begin in early October and end in late January.

Information will be sent out by Coach Kevin regarding practice times and the meet schedule (once released by CYO) via the team’s blog.  You can sign up to receive email updates (in the upper right corner of the blog) or just check it for the latest information anytime you choose on the blog.  The blog address is: whcsswim.blogspot.com

Requirements for registration swimming is each individual athlete has to be able to swim the length of the pool (25 yards) without stopping.  There will be a swimming assessment (TBA) prior to the first day of swimming practice.  The cost of West Hills Swim Team is $160 and can be paid online during your registration.

If you have any questions please email our Head Coach: Kevin Killian at swimteam@whcs.org  or Doug Loiler at doug.loiler@whcs.org and we will make sure your questions are answered.

Link to register for swimming is below.  Last day to register will be October 13th.

When signing up there will be a question that asks if you are an exception.  If you attend WHCS click NO, then proceed to register (top right corner) 

http://cyowesthillschristian.bonzidev.com/swim_info

(If you are receiving this email due to your participation from previous seasons and don't want to receive emails anymore, you can click to unsubscribe at the bottom of this email.)

End of Season Awards...Finally

Sorry for the long overdue notification about the End of the Season Awards Dessert.  It will be on Tuesday, March 7 from 6:30-7:30ish in the Auditorium at WHCS.  Each student will receive the ribbons they earned and a listing of all of their results from all the meets during this season.

Please plan to join us on March, 7 at 6:30!

Just a quick reminders for the Polliwog meet tomorrow...

Volunteers show up around 12:20.

Swimmer show up by 12:40 on the deck, but no showers.

Entry fee: Adults are $2, children are $1, and meet programs are $3. (cash only)

We will be short on coaches tomorrow, and we are swimming in the "bubble" tomorrow.  If your polliwog swimmer needs to go to the bathroom during the meet, they will need to find you to walk them over.  Please show them where you will be sitting at some point, so they can find you if they need to walk over to that building.

Lastly, if your swimmer is unable to make it tomorrow, please text me as soon as possible so I can re-arrange relays.  Kevin's mobile is 503-267-2346.

All-Star Meet and Polliwog Meet details

I will try to be quick with this information.

Two meets will be happening this weekend.  First, the All-Star Meet will occur on Saturday from 1:00-5:00 at MHCC.  Second, the re-scheduled Polliwog Championship Meet will occur on Sunday from 1:00-5:00 at MHCC.  Since meets are occuring on the same time of the day, the below information will be the same for the two meets.  If you have a swimmer competing either day, please read carefully below.

If you are volunteering for either meet, show up at MHCC on Saturday or Sunday by 12:15pm to report to your position.  You will need to check in at the volunteer desk before you enter the pool area (otherwise you will be charged).  If you are not volunteering, please remember that there is an entry fee of $2 per adult and $1 per child.  (Of course the swimmers are free.)  Also, meet programs will be sold for $3 each.  

There is still one more chance to get into the meet for free.  I am in need of a team photographer for yearbook and use at WHCS.  You will be allowed (mostly) all-access to the meet, but you must be able to put all the photos into a Dropbox account within a few days.  You will also need your own camera.  If this interests you, please email me ASAP!  I will provide all the necessary details when you email me.

All swimmers need to be at the pool, on the deck and ready to swim (no showers) by 12:40.  All of the swimmers will sit together, just look for the big WHCS banner.  Parents will sit close to the race course.  As always, swimmers should bring:

• 2 towels
• warm clothes that can get wet
• a water bottle
• a healthy snack (if needed)
• NO ELECTRONICS

Lastly, if your swimmer will not be able to make it to the meet tomorrow, please text me as early as possible, because it takes some time to re-arrange relays for the Polliwogs.  My cell number is 503-267-2346.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at the meet!

Coach Kevin

Cub and Cadet Meet tomorrow!

I hope all the swimmers have a good rest tonight and are ready to swim fast tomorrow!

First of all, I would like to thank to following volunteers for stepping up tomorrow:

Devyn and Kevin Larson
Amy McMahon
Marlene and Rob Groscup
Dan Bates
Jennifer Klinger
Lindsay Ruhnke
Jon Dooleuy
Karissa Aleskus
Clay Slocum

Please show up at MHCC tomorrow (Sunday) by 12:15pm to report to your position.  You will need to check in at the volunteer desk before you enter the pool area (otherwise you will be charged).  If you are not volunteering, please remember that there is an entry fee of $2 per adult and $1 per child.  (Of course the swimmers are free.)  Also, meet programs will be sold for $2 each.  

There is still one more chance to get into the meet for free.  I am in need of a team photographer for yearbook and use at WHCS.  You will be allowed (mostly) all-access to the meet, but you must be able to put all the photos into a Dropbox account within a few days.  You will also need your own camera.  If this interests you, please email me ASAP!  I will provide all the necessary details when you email me.

All swimmers need to be at the pool, on the deck and ready to swim (no showers) by 12:40.  All of the swimmers will sit together, just look for the big WHCS banner.  Parents will sit close to the race course.  As always, swimmers should bring:

• 2 towels
• warm clothes that can get wet
• a water bottle
• a healthy snack (if needed)
• NO ELECTRONICS

Lastly, if your swimmer will not be able to make it to the meet tomorrow, please text me as early as possible, because it takes some time to re-arrange relays.  My cell number is 503-267-2346.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Coach Kevin