Welcome to September
Dearest FFH:
Welcome! It really is a joy to write to such a huge group; had you told me 7 years ago when I had this “if you build it they will come” hunch that we would be where we are today, I wouldn’t have imagined it. I also wouldn’t have believed the Pandemic (ok, I am ID, I would have believed a pandemic, but not the ensuing insanity.) But that we have come through this with such strong numbers deserves a toast.
So thank you:
To our volunteer leadership @ Fox Chapel Killer Whales (FCKW). Thanks to Shannon Smith for being the volunteer treasurer and advocating for us, helping me to navigate our finances, managing all things related to billing, the reset of passwords and cash handoffs for those who couldn’t figure out how to “work the interweb”. Thanks to Kathy Dantey who is the registrar. again… passwords, managing enrollment numbers, figuring out drop boxes for a smooth registration.
To our Danielle Micelli, our FFH treasurer, who has kept great books, moved money all over, worked with Shannon and single handedly managed drop ins this last crazy year.
To our coaches @ FFH and @ FCKW: Cindy and Dan, Matt & Lindsay. A wonderful time with the Johns - John Moore and John Landreth. To our summer team -- Gwen, Margaret and Dan. And to those who we have found this season: Beth Mock, Matt Meade, and possibly many more. We are growing a successful team that has many different talented swimmers who have also coached and they are starting to step forward to help. We cannot offer 9 weekly practices without their help.
To the volunteers who have become my swim sisters-- Cory Siri, Lindsay Wood and Sarah Scott Frank. Noted a more streamlined sign in? Forms with links that are there? Fewer repeat emails? That is Sarah. She asked if we needed help. We did. We are now running a very large team-- this doesn’t happen without them.
To our pools: FCRC, FCHS, SSA and please thank CSC and FCGC -- I suspect that they would be happy to help us in the future. Please take time to thank the FCRC if you have time.
And to our swimmers: you didn’t swim sick. You masked per policies. You scanned temperatures. You got vaccinated. You stayed home with an exposure. Please know that this strain is going to be around and is more contagious. This vaccine was never developed so that no one would get a cold. So there will be vaccinated people who will be positive for COVID, and it might initially manifest as a runny nose or excessive allergy symptoms. You have heard me tell you that we have some immunosuppressed swimmers so please stay away if you are sick, and if you have questions-- email me.
What you need to know as a new or old FFH (or a new older FFH or an old but newer FFH)
1. Bring your own equipment. Paddles, kickboard, pullbuoy. I would suggest a snorkel as well for drills. Much easier to drill when you don’t have to turn your head to breathe.
2. Treat EVERY POOL with respect and follow its rules. For both SSA and FCHS we must mask in and out. Put masks in your car or your swim bag now. This will get us kicked out.
3. We have new coaches and old coaches who are taking attendance and entering lane #. Get to know them, introduce yourself. Share your goals/hopes/aspirations. (Maybe not all at once)
4. Treat your lanemates well. The best thing about the FFH are the people. Egos, vendettas, and drama don’t mix with water. Keep them OUT of the pool. Even better, lose them entirely.
5. Old swimmers: Be Kind
Your job is to welcome new swimmers and help them
There is no way that they know you “like to lead in backstroke”
There is no way that they know you “always swim in lane 2” or “never lead”. We have to use our words, communicate.
We also might have to change lanes.
Be willing to try new lanes and practice times
Please help introduce coaches to new swimmers
Yes we are bigger. It is ok, it is why we have 9 practices weekly
Consider helping/coaching/planning
6. New swimmers: Be Kind
It is ok to be out of swimming shape; you might have been in the 72 Olympic with Spitz but haven’t been back since. You are going to tire out. Throw on fins when you tire. Ask a coach for adjustments.
There is nothing wrong with swimming last in the lane. Nothing is more irritating than a swimmer who used to be fast but isn’t there now and wants to be first but then dies and messes up the lane order. No one cares how long it takes you to be a star. But they don’t want to have to wait 20 seconds after you start because you refuse to let anyone lead because you used to be fast.
The 5 second rule is REAL. Wait 5 seconds after each person leaves the wall.
If you have to stop (that is ok) please get out of the swimmers way. Pull yourself to the side in the corner of the lane where no one is turning.
Ask questions.
7. No one owns any of the lanes. The pool is a new world every single practice. Explore it.
Finally-- we are going to cap our membership at 100 people and are about 5 people away from this limit. We can re-evaluate and open again, but we need to make sure that we have space for our current swimmers. We will not offer drop-ins for in-town swimmers at this time. We are going to keep working on this, but need to see what September looks like.
Please look at our website.
Get to know our coaches and read their bios.
We will be listing who is to coach each practice on the schedule as things stabilize.
Know that tomorrow AM (Friday) Lindsay Wood will coach, PM will be Katie Stutz stepping up to coach (thank you Katie!). Saturday AM will be Dan Taylor and Sunday will start with Matt Mauclair for the first practice (7:30 - 9:00) and Matt Meade will coach the second practice (9:00-10:30). After the first practice we will offer Yoga on the deck (please have masks in case we need to use them, BYOYM. Bring your own yoga mat).
Save the dates for a social (the party planning committee is working) and our Attempted Annual though it hasn’t happened in 2 years Holiday Brunch 12/5/2021 after second practice.
Cheers to all of us!
Libby, Cory, Lindsay and Sarah
