We have three dual meets left (Kiln Creek on 7/11, Warwick Yacht 7/18, and George Wythe 7/21). Please take a moment to double-check your swimmers' declarations (we are missing quite a few) for these meets. All three of these meets promise to be quite close, and it's important that I know who is available to swim. Even if you don't perceive your child to be critical to the points race -- based upon who is available, your child could be critical to our overall point calculation (we lost the Poquoson meet, not because we didn't take enough 1st places ... we won 29/56 events ... but because we didn't take enough 2nd and 3rd places to back up the first-place finishes). 

Our team can win meets because we have a strong number of swimmers who work hard -- and who come prepared to battle it out. We only have 5 Coast Guard Swimmers on our team. And, while they definitely add to our success, we will win more meets because of the other 80 swimmers that make up our team who are not Blue Dolphins.

Each swimmer matters. Even in divisions that have 10+ swimmers. Your child matters to the overall success of this team. It's important that no one count themselves "out" or believes that their efforts do not matter. They absolutely do. 

I have also heard that the word about the teamwork and team ethic that is being developed on our team is spreading. Coaches are impressed by what they are seeing -- the interactions between the older swimmers and the younger swimmers. The strength developing within our younger swimmers. And the character and sportsmanship being displayed by our families and team as a whole.

We started this season strong -- and we need to finish even stronger. 

This week, we will spend some focused time on the technique for each stroke, turns, and dives and we will be gearing up for our meet next Monday against a very large team (Kiln Creek).

Have a very Happy 4th and I'll see you tomorrow around the pool!