Hello Hammerheads!

The season is here, and we’re looking forward to our first practice on Monday, June 3! Thank you to the folks who were able to make our kickoff meeting last night, and no worries if you couldn’t attend - here’s a summary of what we covered.

Our 2024 Hammerheads Leadership Team this year includes:

• Laia Tiderman, HHSC Board Representative
• Mary Thomas, Team Manager
• Chandra Haislet, Division winning Head Coach
• Kathryn Lane, returning Assistant Coach
• Rosalie Westrick, Assistant Coach and former Hammerhead
• Alexa Darak, new Assistant Coach and competitive swimmer at Stevenson University

Communication

• Email is our primary method of communication. Please make sure your email is accurate. The leadership team can always be reached at [email protected].
• Emergency and last minute information will be sent out via Remind. Sign up for Remind at remind.com/join.The class code is @huntinghi2.
• While we appreciate folks who exchange information on the Facebook group, we will not be monitoring that group directly. Please rely on our emails for accuracy, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Practices

Please review the practice schedule for your swimmer’s practice times and follow the swim calendar. The practice schedule is subject to change as we determine the number of swimmers.

Our coaches are excited to meet your swimmers and to support them in improving their swim technique in a fun and safe environment. Coaches may elect to move swimmers to a different age group based on their ability or maturity, and we ask that you follow their recommendations!

Swimtopia

The team is transitioning this year to a new team management site, https://huntinghills.swimtopia.com/.

• Registered families received an email invite to register with Swimtopia.
• Please check that the information for your swimmer and family is accurate.

Meets

Our meet schedule is available on our new team management site, Swimtopia. The events tab is gated, so you will need to create login credentials in order to see events and manage sign ups.

• Use the Meet Entry button next to the meet to declare your swimmer’s attendance
  • Unless you specify otherwise, we will assume your swimmer will be at every meet. We appreciate your completion of the declarations to ensure accurate relay configurations.
  • We understand emergencies happen, so if your swimmer is unable to attend last-minute, please let us know so that we can reseed heats as efficiently as possible!
• Use the Job Signup button to choose your volunteer commitments for that meet

Please declare your swimmer’s attendance by the Wednesday prior to the meet to allow our coaching staff time to complete entries.

Service Requirements

Our season would not be possible without you all, the families of the swimmers, volunteering at the meets and events throughout the season. In order to run the season as efficiently as possible, this year we are instituting minimum service requirements for our team’s families. Every volunteer job on our calendar has a point value, and families are required to complete 4 points throughout the season. Those of you with a competitive spirit - we will have a special thank you at the end of the season for the highest volunteer point earner!

FAQs

Q. What if I need to add another parent/guardian to the Swimtopia website?

• Send an email from an existing registered parent/guardian with the name and email of the additional parent/guardian, along with the names of the swimmers.
• The request must come from an existing confirmed parent/guardian. For the safety of the swimmers, we cannot take requests from unknown emails.

Q. My swimmer is unsure about meets. How should I handle declaring them for the meets?

• First, let’s wait to see how much fun they have when practices start! Some swimmers need to be coaxed through their first race, and that’s okay! Our older swimmers can act as a buddy to get them through their first race, and if they require assistance, we will just mark their swim as exhibition only.
• If your swimmer truly just wants to practice without racing, that’s fine too! Please be sure to set their declarations to not attending.

Q. I’m new to being a swimming family, what volunteer spots would make sense for me?

• Thanks for being proactive! Timing is always an easy win, and a front row seat to the events. The scoring table is also low-stress with the ability to take a break to watch your swimmer compete!

Q. I have a different question.

• Send us an email at [email protected], we are happy to help!

We are looking forward to a fun swim season with all of you!

Hammerheads Leadership Team