Happy Father's Day, everyone! 

I apologize in advance for the lengthy email, but I'm attempting to get you everything you need to know in one place as opposed to sending multiple emails this week! The main theme you'll see is: please RSVP for all our remaining events!! If you think you've already sent in your RSVP, we'd really appreciate it if you'd check just to make sure. We have so many events, I know sometimes it's hard to keep track! 

Final Week Schedule

• Sunday: Prelims entries close at 11:59pm
• Monday: Practice from 8-10am
• Tuesday: Practice from 8-10am and optional practice 3-5:15pm
• Wednesday: Practice from 8-10am
• Thursday: Practice 8-10am, Pep Rally @ BGP Playground 5-7pm
• Friday: PRELIMS
• Saturday: FINALS
• Sunday: End of Year Party @ BGP Pool 12pm

Prelims/Finals
PLEASE login and RSVP with your availability for Prelims and Finals ASAP. We are missing 34 responses for Prelims and 79 responses for finals. We really need those to be at or close to zero, so send in your yes OR no response now (we need both!)! Note: because we won't know who's swimming at Finals until Friday evening, we will use your RSVP for finals as an indicator of availability.

Prelims:

• Volunteering: PLEASE sign up to volunteer. Prelims is an all day meet with 3 shifts and we are always short on volunteers since it's a work day. If you're able to volunteer for two shifts, we'd be so grateful!!
• Location: This meet is at Briar Village, 13902 Piping Rock. Please remember to park only on the north side of the street and not block any driveways.
• When: Our team warms up at at 8am and the meet will start promptly at 9am. Please arrive early to check-in. There are NO substitutions allowed after Wednesday (except for illness), so if you no show, your individual events and relays will scratch. Illness substitutions must be made by 8:15am. Please text me if you have any issues at 713-213-0617!
• Entries: Swimmers will be entered into up to 3 individual events and 2 relays. We are allowed unlimited entries into freestyle and are limited to the top 6 times for all remaining individual events. I will send out an email with our entries on Wednesday so you know are aware of what races each swimmer has been entered.
• Circle Seeding: The top 3 heats of each event will be circle seeded. This is done to assure that the best swimmers have the best position in the pool to swim their fastest. Circle seeded heats should look like a "V" with the fastest swimmers in the middle lanes for the last 3 heats. Why you need to know this: the top swimmers need to understand that they are NOT racing the kids next to them.They need to swim as fast as then can, because the next fastest swimmer in the heat behind them.
  • For example: If there are 18 swimmers in an event - then the last heat will contain the #1 swimmer in lane 4, the second to last heat will have the #2 swimmer in lane 4 and the third to last heat will have the #3 swimmer. The #4 swimmer will then be placed in lane 3 of the last heat, #5 swimmer will be in lane 3 of the second to last heat, #6 swimmer will be in lane 3 of the third to last heat, #7 swimmer will now be in lane 5 of the last heat, and so on.

Finals:

• The swimmers who place in the top 12 of their individual events will progress to the Finals. Check the meet results (sent immediately after Prelims) to see if your swimmer made it. If your swimmer placed 13th or 14th, they are an alternate and should plan to come to the pool on Saturday. If one of the top 12 swimmers scratches, the alternate will swim.
• Relays advance as the top 6. The Finals relays must be exactly the same as the Prelim swim; so if one swimmer does not show, the entire relay scratches.
• Warm ups are at 8am, and Racing starts at 9am. There will be a coaches relay to start the meet.
• Seeding: this will be done in the traditional manner so that their competition is right next to them in the pool

Pep Rally & Spaghetti Dinner
Come play at the playground and enjoy a Palazzo's dinner (on us!!) from 5-7pm on Thursday! Please RSVP ASAP so we can give Palazzo's an accurate headcount. Steel City Pops will also be on site selling popsicles! They accept cash or credit card. Popsicles will be $4/each. We will be holding our traditional poster contest, so decorate your family poster and come ready for some fun! The coaches will be judging the posters based on these categories: Best Overall, Most Spirit, Most Stars, Most Creative, and Coach's Choice. 

End of Year Party
We also need you to RSVP for the end of year party! Please read the instructions closely so you don't overpay. The cost is $5/person, $20/family max. Come swim and enjoy lunch catered by Los Tios. The coaches will be handing out all of our end of year awards and trophies. Don't forget to bring your speeding tickets to turn in for special prizes!