Marlins,

Champs is now Open! There will be a lot of information related to Champs coming your way, but for all our new families, this is one big meet with all six teams in the league. It will be at Independence High School on Sunday July 16th from 9 - 3 PM (although you will need to arrive earlier). We have our awards night the same night at Greenmeadow, so it’s a long fun day of Marlins Madness. Champs is the favorite meet for many swimmers, but it can be a bit overwhelming if it’s your first time attending. Don’t worry, there are plenty of people to help and answer questions.

CHAMPS DEADLINE: SUNDAY JULY 9TH @ 10 AM

Champs closes on Sunday July 9TH @ 10:00 AM so please sign up now here for events and here for jobs (preferred jobs will go quickly - don’t delay!). This is a hard stop since they need to combine data from all six teams. THERE WILL BE NO LATE ENTRIES ALLOWED.

CHAMPS ELIGIBILITY: NEED 2 DUAL MEETS TO ENTER

Jr. Marlins and Marlins who swim in at least two dual meets are eligible to swim at Champs (the Practice Meet does NOT count). If you have only attended one meet so far, swimming at the Brookside meet on July 8th will be your last chance to get in your second meet to qualify for Champs. If Brookside is your second dual meet, you will not be eligible to enter Champs until that meet is finalized. If you have not entered a meet yet this season, then you will not be eligible two swim at Champs, but you are still welcome to join our last dual meet against Brookside.

Swimmers can swim any 3 individual events, even if they haven't swum that stoke in a dual meet. Each team can only enter 1 relay per age group, which will be mixed gender and selected by the coaches.

CHAMPS PROGRAM ADS/SPONSORSHIP: Due June 30

This is an opportunity for families to create an "ad" in the Champs program to celebrate their swimmer, or thank the coaches, or show team spirit, or... the possibilities are endless! You design the ad, and you can be as simple or creative as you want to be. AND/OR, you can opt to sponsor an event. You choose the event, and your sponsorship is listed on a page in the program. Families can sponsor an event, and so can businesses!

How much does it cost? Ads cost only $15, $20, or $30 for 1/4 page, 1/2 page, full page, respectively. Sponsorships cost $10 per event. Payment is Venmo payment to @Jenny-Dixon-3 (add “Champs Ad” and your name and email in notes). All proceeds go to help the league offset the cost of the Championship meet (which is considerable). And, athletes love to see their names in the program.

The ad form is attached, which you will need to complete and send to [email protected]. All forms, artwork, and checks are due Friday, June 30th.

CHAMPS VOLUNTEERING (Q? Contact Christine Hodson @ [email protected])

We will need all hands on deck for volunteering, with everyone volunteering for 1 job with 1 kid and 2 jobs with 2+ kids (if you have only Jr. Marlins you are still exempt). This is a big meet that usually runs from 9 - 2 or 3 PM, with earlier shifts for warm ups. This means the shifts for 1st half and 2nd half are going to be longer than dual meets (closer to 3 hours each half). For families with young swimmers, Set up (Saturday at 6pm) or Tear down (at the end of the meet) or the pre-meet marshall jobs are good job options.

In addition to the usual jobs (timers, clerk of course, etc.), we have several "runner" and Marshall jobs that are good if you like to be moving around :) Here is a link to the descriptions of all of the Champs jobs (this includes jobs that are not assigned to our club). Please do not sign up to be a Lane Timer if you have not been a Timer at a dual meet this season.

Marshalls: (monitor swimmers & parents on and around pool deck to ensure safety rules are being followed).

• Warm-up Pool- before meet (7:15- 9am)
• Pool Stairs- before meet (7:15- 9am)
• Upper Deck Marshall before meet (7:15-9 am)
• Bleacher Marshall- first or second half
• Bathroom monitor- check bathrooms 2x per hour to make sure swimmers are not playing in restrooms rooms and that bathrooms have supplies (first or second half)

Runners: (take papers or swimmers from point to point)

• Table: Data Runner- pick up result printouts and deliver to ribbons table, post results
• Table: DQ or Event Sheet Runner (pick up DQ slips from S&T, pick up event sheets from recorders to Data Table)
• Finishing Block Worker- lead swimmers from race to exit stairs

You will want to sign up quickly for your jobs, so don’t delay.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the meet and please reach out to Christine @ [email protected] about the meet jobs.

Thanks,

Donna