Ray-Nation!

What a great start to the season! It was wonderful seeing everyone at the Red & Black meet. Well done Stingrays!

This week Village Green is coming to the Ray-Pool and we are going to be ready! As we prepare for VG and SMI, it is important that the swimmers come to as many practices as they can to talk through events with Coach Jodi and prepare well.

This week:

Monday - practice

Tuesday - practice

Wednesday - practice

Thursday - practice (will finish slightly early), VG @ SWSR

Friday - Fun Friday 10:00 – 11:20: Ages 10 and Under, 11:00 – 11:55: Ages 11 and Up (see Gerand's email for ways to help)

VG @ SWSR timeline:

3:00 Set up crew arrives

3:45 Parking attendants in place

4:00 Parent/swimmer check in

4:30 SWSR warm ups

5:00 VG warm ups

5:15 worker training meeting

5:25 National Anthem and prayer

5:30 Meet Begins!

Please join us at Whit’s after the meet! They have kindly agreed to stay open for us. You may also bring your chair to set up outside their storefront for additional seating. Admiral's Pub has also agreed to let us use their outdoor patio, we just need to be good neighbors and clean up the area when we are done. This is such a fun time for our kids!

Thank you to those that have signed up to attend SMI. This is the 50th anniversary of the “largest outdoor swim meet in America”. To celebrate, SMI is offering 50th anniversary tshirts. Tshirts can be pre-ordered through June 16 here: https://www.swimandtri.com/Scripts/TeamView_SmokyMountainInvitational.aspx

Lastly, I have a few tips I want us as parents to keep in mind as we are kicking off this summer swim season:

1. We are all human. There WILL be mistakes. Officials will get it wrong. Ribbons will be missing (we will work with you to get this fixed). Let's all give each other grace and help our kids learn to understand this as well.
2. DQ's will not be overturned with video evidence.
3. If you believe an official made an error, you may talk with Coach Jodi about it. On rare occasions, she may challenge the decision with the meet referee. It is then up to the referee to make a final decision. Under no circumstances should a parent attempt to challenge a decision with an official on their own.
4. Unless you are a scoring worker, runner, official, or a concessions worker, please stay out from under the workers pavilion. The less foot traffic there, the better.
5. The home side of the pool deck and field is on the tree side. Let's be good hosts to our guests and let them have the basketball side of the pool deck and field.
6. We are all doing the best we can.

I love this team and our families. Let's make it a great week. See you soon!

Michelle Bell

Thank you to our Sponsors:

Einstein Brothers Bagels

Stir Fry Cafe

Smoaked

Bell Family Chiropractic

McKinnish Law Group

Mollenhour Gross

Whit’s Frozen Custard

Isagenix Team Brown

Burks & Ogle Attorneys at Law

Vineyard Turf