Fox Hall Summer Swim

Hello Fins Families!

We are looking forward to a great summer swim season in 2021. The information below reflects our current plan. Even if we are thrown some curveballs, we ensure a fun and productive environment for all families involved. Registration opens at noon on Sunday, April 18th.

Important Dates:
Monday, May 24th – Daily Practice Begins
Friday, June 4th – Swim Trial Ends
Wednesday, June 9th – First Swim Meet
Wednesday, July 14th – Last Swim Meet

All practices prior to June 18th will occur in the afternoon/evenings. Starting on Monday, June 21st, morning and afternoon practices will be offered.
Meets will occur each Wednesday from June 9th – July 14th.

Swim Ability Requirement:
All swimmers new to our team must attend a short evaluation. Swimmers will be asked to complete an independent 25 meter kick on their back and 25 meters of freestyle. Age 4 swimmers are eligible to join the team upon demonstration of swim proficiency and swim trial behavioral maturity.

Meets:
We do plan to participate in the GRAL league this summer, however all 6 meets will likely be held at Fox Hall in a virtual format. Our swimmers’ results will be matched up with our competitor’s results each week to determine a winner. You can expect meets to be much quicker with this method and there is the added bonus of no travel time to other pools. Meets will take place on Wednesday evenings at 6:00.

Volunteer Info:
We will have a better handle on volunteer requirements after registration numbers come in. In the past, we have required all families to sign up for six shifts during the swim season. We expect a similar requirement this summer.

Registration:
The cost to participate on the Fins’ team for the summer is $130. Discounts exist for senior swimmers and for families with more than two swimmers participating.
For those considering swim, but not quite ready to commit, we do offer a 2-week trial. The trial runs from Monday, May 24th – Friday, June 4th. The cost is $30.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions. We are always looking for volunteers to help make this another great season!

Fins’ Parent Representatives:
Ann Pietrantoni (ann_p_stephenson@yahoo.com)
Kirsten Crank (kej36@yahoo.com)

Parents,

Please RSVP for our 2 upcoming intra-squad meets. The coaches need #s ASAP to set up the events/heats. Please RSVP by Friday, July 10.

​Details for the meets are below:

​Dates: July 15 & July 22

Time: Meet start at 5:30 (estimated length 2 hours); Warm-ups start at 4:30

Meet format: Intra-squad (Black vs. Green team) Each swimmer will swim 3 events, and every swim will earn points for the swimmer’s respective team, depending on place in heat. We will accumulate points over the 2 meets and announce the team winner after the 7/22 meet.

Only the parents and siblings of Fins swimmers are invited to the meet in order to comply with Phase 3 social distancing guidelines. If one or both parents are unavailable, an adult spectator can substitute.

Parent Portal Link: https://swimportal.active.com/?a=284336316

PARENTS

Fox Hall will not be using Rained Out this year. Please sign up for Remind. Text @foxhallfi to 81010. This is important as we begin practices next week.

FOX HALL FINS SUMMER 2020
Our Mission statement:
The Fox Hall Fins are a neighborhood summer league swim team that are parent
run and coach- led. Our goal is for all swimmers to learn to be a part of a team
and support their teammates while improving their skills. Every swimmer
participates in fun, organized, instructional practices and competes in meets
against swimmers of similar abilities.

Our Goal for the 2020 season:
The Fox Hall Fins swim team can provide physical, emotional, and social support
to our neighborhood’s kids and families after a long period of physical and social
isolation. Our coaches and our program can offer structure and support while
implementing recommended health guidelines.

The Fox Hall Fins are a member of the Greater Richmond Aquatic League
(GRAL). GRAL has not yet determined if any competitions can be held. If any
meets or competitions can be held, it will be within the guidelines of the
Governor’s office in response to COVID-19.

Practice Safety Guidelines
- 6 swimmers and 2 coaches in the pool area during practice
Parents of 8 and younger swimmers must stay in the area (but not on the pool
deck) for the entire practice. Any parent who must stay or chooses to stay will
need to bring a chair and sit outside the fenced pool area. The number of
swimmers per practice is based on the Governor’s current guidelines that
requires one swimmer per lane. Phase 2 may allow for more swimmers per
practice.
- Coaches will monitor entrance and exits from practice
• Sanitation of the pool area and bathroom facilities will occur after
each practice session by the lifeguard on duty
• Bathrooms will only be used on an emergency basis and only one
swimmer can enter at a time
• Swimmers must wear their suits to, and from practice
• Swimmers must bring their own equipment to practice:
• caps, goggles, kick boards will not be shared or borrowed
• It is extremely important to follow and comply with the modified practice plan in order to continue. Anyone with a presumed risk of exposure should wait 14 days before coming to practice. Any swimmer running a temperature must stay at home and not attend practice.

- COACHES WILL NOT BE IN THE WATER WITH SWIMMERS.
Swimmers should be able to comfortably swim a length of the pool
freestyle and backstroke. If you think your swimmer might not be strong
enough for the team this year, please request an evaluation. If your
swimmer is evaluated, a parent will also need to wear a bathing suit and
be prepared to get in the water with your child.

Phase 1 Practice schedule: Begins Monday, June 1
4 × 30 minutes practices
2 × 45 minute practices
15 minutes in between each practice for cleaning
Expected practice times:
9:00-9:30am 11:15-11:45am
9:45-10:15am 12:00-12:45pm
10:30-11:00am 1:00-1:45pm

- This schedule accommodates 36 swimmers per day. In phase one,
depending on how many swimmers are signed up for the team, we would
offer a Monday/ Wednesday/ Friday practice group and a Tuesday/
Thursday/ Saturday practice group, accommodating 72 swimmers. We
will modify as needed based on registration numbers which may mean
some swimmers practice 2 days per week instead of 3
- Practice times are based on what the Fox Hall Community pool hours are.
We expect things to be fluid as Virginia begins to open up. We will adjust
practice times and group numbers accordingly.

PRACTICE ASSIGNMENTS
The sign up process will be based on the numbers of swimmers registered.
Swimmers will be loosely grouped by age and ability by the coaches.
Please be patient as we work to provide an opportunity for everyone in
Phase 1. If you will be on vacation or need a specific time or day, please
let the coaches know when you register.
Cost
The cost of the program will fully cover coaches salaries. Due to the COVID-19
crisis, our our fundraising opportunities (sponsorships, concessions, etc.)
are limited. Our dues will go entirely to the coaching staff,
and the coach to swimmer ratio we are able to offer during this time, cannot
be beat! The dues cover the program from June 1- August 1.
14 & under swimmers- $115.00
15 & over swimmers- $50.00

Coaches
Charles Ellison- Charles has been a part of Fox Hall Swim Team for over 10
years, and a member of Godwin High School’s Varsity Swim Team for 4 years.
He has been a part of the Fins coaching staff for the past 2 years, first as a junior
coach and then as an assistant coach. Charles loves swimming and coaching
kids, and greatly looks forward to returning to the team this year. Charles will be
attending UVA in the fall.
Emma Farney- Emma comes to us from Richmond Country Club where she
served as an assistant coach for 2 years. Emma also has 5 years of experience
as a NOVA lessons instructor, teaching kids of all ages how to swim all strokes.
She is a former NOVA swimmer and captain of her high school team at Godwin.
Emma just finished her freshman year at Virginia Tech.
Laurel Reid- Laurel has over 10 years of coaching experience in the Richmond
area. This includes time spent as the Head Coach of various summer league
teams including Fox Hall, Rockville and Dolphin Club.. She was also the Head
Coach of the Dolphin Club’s year-round program. Laurel currently works full time
for NOVA as a coach and lessons instructor.
Charles and Emma will be our primary coaches for the season. Laurel Reid
will continue to be a part of the support staff. We will see Laurel from time to time
at practices, as her full time job allows. With our current “schedule” her primary
role will mostly be “behind the scenes.” Laurel will be working with our coaches
to plan practices, organize groups, and communicate with the team. Depending
on the direction that our season goes, we may see her more, later in the season.

Questions & Answers
What will the practice schedule look like in Phase 2?
We expect that we will be able to offer up to 2 swimmers per lane (starting at
opposite sides) in Phase 2. This would allow for practices to be longer, and there
would be more flexibility of practice days. We will wait for the Governor’s final
guidelines for Phase 2, and then make the adjustments.

Will our coaches wear masks during practice?
Coaches will carry a mask and will wear the mask if they cannot maintain a safe
six-foot distance from each other and swimmers.

What about the kids who are not social distancing?
We expect that all parents and swimmers follow the safety guidelines. Coaches
will remove any swimmer not able to follow the safety guidelines before, during,
or after practice.

What will we do if there are no meets?
GRAL is considering “virtual meets,” we may participate in those. That would
mean hosting a meet for just our swimmers, and then comparing results with a
different GRAL team to decide races. If there are no GRAL meets we will
explore ways to do some fun, “intra squad” meets, possibly one age group at a
time. We will work to be creative and have fun this summer, while staying within
recommended health and safety guidelines

Hello Fins Families!

Our last meet of the season is this Tuesday, July 16th. We will be traveling to Tuckahoe Village West and the meet will begin at 6:00 PM. Below is important information about the meet – please take a minute to read through everything.

Location
2100 Bradon Rd. Richmond, VA 23238

Meet Details
Check-in: 4:45 to 5:25 PM. All swimmers much be checked in by 5:25 PM or they may be scratched from the meet.

Fins warm-ups are from 5:10 to 5:35 PM.

Swimmer Check-in
• Check-in begins at 4:45 PM. Swimmer check-in will be at the entry of the pool.
• Check-in must be completed by 5:25 PM.
• If you know your swimmer will not be at the pool in time for check-in, please have another Fins family check in your swimmer. It’s important that we know who is coming to the meet. If a swimmer does not check in, he/she may be scratched from the meet.
If you have a last minute cancellation or emergency where you will be unable to make check-in, please text Stephanie at 804.240.8944.

Volunteer Check-in
• Volunteer check-in is located with swimmer check-in. All volunteers must check in by 5:40 PM.
• If you are working the 1st shift, please be at the meet, ready to work by 5:40 PM (except those noted with earlier starts).
• If you are working the 2nd shift, please check in, or have someone check in for you, by 5:40 PM.
• Timers, strokes and turns officials and the referee are required to attend a short meeting in the clubhouse at 5:45 PM.
If you are running late or have a last minute cancellation, please text Cathy at 804.402.1293.

Parking
There is parking available in the gravel parking lot and in the upper field. Additional parking is available on the neighborhood street at our pool entrance – DO NOT BLOCK DRIVEWAYS OR MAILBOXES.

Seating
Seating for the Fins is on the LEFT side as you enter the pool deck. The baby pool, baby pool pavilion and tennis courts are off limits during the swim meet (except for table workers and clerk of course). Please bring deck chairs for your use.

Concessions
The Shark Bites Café will be serving hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chips, pasta salad, baked goods, candy and drinks. CASH OR CHECK ONLY.

Swim caps will be available for sale at check-in for $15. Please bring CASH or CHECK to purchase.

Weather
Per GRAL guidelines, if lightning is sighted or thunder is heard, all participants must clear the pool deck. You may wait in your car until the meet is restarted. In the event of a delay, please take all of our belongings with you.

We will use Rained Out to send text and/or email messages in the event of bad weather. Please sign up for these notifications at https://www.rainedout.net/team_page.php?a=cb53160fc755244a347a.

Swimmer Attire
• GRAL STRONGLY recommends that swimmers wear their summer team suit. If not, they should not wear another team’s suit that bears another team name.
• GRAL STRONGLY recommends that swimmers use their team swim caps. Caps displaying names of other teams must be turned inside-out. Novelty caps are ok as long as they are tasteful.
• Only temporary tattoos that have the team name/logo are allowed.
• There is to be NO writing on the body other than on the arm of the swimmer stating the events and dive certification symbols (“X” for in water starts and “O” for side dives). Writing on the body with marker leaves marks on chairs and other pool belongings.

Pool Information
Clerk of Course: The Clerk of Course is located on the tennis courts. The entrance is near the starting end of the pool by the announcer.
Starter: The starter is on the LEFT side of the pool.
Pool Specifics:
• The pool is measured in meters and has 6 lanes.
• The start end of our pool is about 10 feet deep and the turn end of our pool is about 4 feet deep.
• SWIMMERS CAN DIVE IN THE START END, BUT SECOND AND FOURTH LEGS OF MITE RELAYS WILL START IN THE WATER.

Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Holloway (Parent Rep) at 804.240.8944or foxhallfins@gmail.com.

GO FINS!