A great thanks to all that attended Sunday’s suit sizing and parent meeting. It was really great to see all the kids and I’m so excited about the upcoming swim season. I want to especially thank my partner in crime, Mary Finnegan. Together, she and I hope to do as good a job as John Jewett, who been an amazing team manager these last few years and those who preceded him like Cindy Deminsky and Leslie Mottern. Without the hard work from those people and many more, the Hammerhead Swim Team just wouldn’t be where it is today. Lastly I’d like to thank Ashley Kuehne for being the concession manager and Allison Pellettieri for being sponsorship chair.
If you could not attend the meeting, I have a sizing kit at my house (3941 Longview Dr, corner of Longview & Ellwyn, tan house with red fence). Either my wife, Shelly, or I should be around at all times but give me a call or text message at 404-285-6463 to verify were home. Swing buy and try on a suit to see which size fits best for your swimmer(s).
For those that did not buy a suit at the meeting, we’ll have an online Hammerhead Swim Shop that you can order a suit as well as team t-shirts and other swim gear. Payments go to HHSTC PayPal account. We hope to have that running later this week.
Hammerhead Coaching Staff
- Head Coach: Kristen Clayton
- Assistant Coaches: Jordan Wilson & Patrick Lindstrom
- Lead Junior Coach: Casey George
We’ll also have an army of Junior Hammerhead coaches and that list is being worked out. If you know of a middle school or high school swimmer that would be interested in becoming a Junior coach, please have them contact Mary as soon as possible.
Parent Resources
There are two very important resources that every parent will need this coming season.
The new Swim Team Portal is a password protected site for swim families. Once all swimmer registrations are completed user accounts will be created for family members.
Swim Team Portal: http://huntleyhills.swim-team.us/
- Swimmer Roster
- Hammerhead Directory
- Volunteer Sign-up
- Photo Directory
The second resource everyone will need is the Huntley Hills Swim and Tennis Club website. In addition to information about joining the club, which all swimmers living in Huntley Hills or within a mile of the pool are required to do, you also find information specifically about the Hammerhead Swim Team. This is where you’ll go to register a swimmer for the League and the Hammerhead, must do both to compete in meets. You’ll also find a link to the team Google Calendar and our new Hammerhead Swim Shop (in development) for ordering additional swim team t-shirts for family members, swim gear, and swim caps. In the past we gave a swim cap to each swimmer, but we’re no longer doing that. Not every swimmer wanted one, some wanted nicer silicone caps, and some wanted caps with their names on it. To make everyone happy, we’re giving everyone a choice on the Hammerhead Swim Shop.
Huntley Hills Swim & Tennis Club website: http://www.hhstc.com
- Hammerhead Swimmer Online Registration
- ASA League Registration
- Hammerhead Swim Shop:
- Hammerhead Swim Team Google Calendar
Groups
The Junior Hammerhead program was a great success and we’re continuing it again this year. New for this year is breaking the Senior team into training groups based on skill, ability, and endurance. We’re getting away from age defined groups. Here is a breakdown of each:
Senior Hammerheads (Blue, Red, White)
Blue Team: This group consists of the most advanced swimmers on the team requiring a challenging training schedule and stroke refinements. Swimmers in this group must be able to swim all four strokes legally. While the strokes do not need to be perfect, there should be no fear of disqualification for any stroke. Swimmers must know how to dive and do a freestyle flip turn. Again, the turn does not need to be perfect, but it should not lead to disqualification.
Additionally, since this practice will involve many more laps and intervals than other groups, swimmers must meet some standards in terms of speed and endurance as determined by the head coach. For example, completing a 500 freestyle, with interval milestones, in 15 minutes or less
Red Team: This group consists of a swimmers who are working on mastering all four stroke fundamentals. Swimmers must be able to swim one length of the pool, freestyle, with proper rotary breathing. Swimmer must also be able to swim one length of the pool backstroke without flipping onto stomach. Knowing breaststroke or butterfly is not required though they will begin learning and working towards mastering these strokes. Swimmers must demonstrate some level of endurance. For example completing a 300 freestyle within 15 minutes.
White Team: This group consist of beginning swimmers who are learning to swim basics strokes, freestyle and backstroke, with a basic introduction to other strokes. Swimmers in the white group must be able to swim one length of the pool in under one minute. They should also possess some basic water safety skills such as floating on their back for five seconds and tread water in the deep end for one minute. These requirements are mandatory for the safety of the child. Anyone who does not meet these three requirements shall work with the Junior team.
Junior Hammerheads
The Junior Hammerhead swimmers are those who have just begun swimming but do not quite yet possess the ability to compete in the meets or the skills to safely swim in the deep end without excessive supervision. The goal for each Junior swimmer is to develop these skills in order to advance to the Senior team at some point throughout the season.
Training
Pre-Season: April 28 to May 23
Dry Land
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Wet Work
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White
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4:00 - 4:45 pm
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Juniors
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4:30 - 5:00 pm
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Red
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4:45 - 5:00 pm
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5:00 - 6:00 pm
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Blue
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5:30 - 6:00 pm
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6:00 - 7:00 pm
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Some may wonder why White practices before Juniors. It is because many of the Junior coaches need time to get home from school and to the pool.
In Season: May 27 - June 24
Morning
Dry Land
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Wet Work
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Junior
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8:00 - 8:30 am
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White
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8:15 - 9:00 am
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Red
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8:45 - 9:00 am
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9:00 - 10:00 am
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Blue
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9:30 - 10:00 am
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10:00 - 11:00 am
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Monday & Wednesday Evening
Dry Land
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Wet Work
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All Senior
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7:00 - 8:00 pm
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Stroke Clinics
Advanced stroke clinics will be offered to Red and Blue swimmers seeking more advanced coaching. Participation will be limited to the first 20 swimmers to sign-up or by Head Coach Assignment. Because of the nature of the instruction, any swimmers, found to be disruptive or not acting with utmost respect will be removed from the clinic.
Thursday, May 1, 6:00 pm – Butterfly
Sunday, May 4, 4:00 pm – Racing Starts
Thursday, May 8, 6:00 pm – Freestyle
Thursday, May 15, 6:00 pm – Breaststroke
Sunday, May 18, 4:00pm – Flip Turns
Thursday, May 22, 6:00pm – Backstroke
Senior Dual Meets
We are still waiting on the league to finalize the schedule. We’ve been told it will be next week. We do know we’ll have 3 home meets this year.
- May 27:
- June 3:
- June 10:
- June 17:
- June 24:
Junior Hammerhead Mini-Meets, Wednesday at 6:00 pm
Starting this year, we’re going to have Junior Mini meets. There will be relay’s and individual 25 Free and Back events. We’ll time the kids to see how there doing and make ribbons for everyone participating. If swimmers do well in these meets, the coaches may put them in the upcoming Senior meet.
Meet Volunteers: Signup on Swim Team Portal
We cannot have swim meets without an army of parent volunteers. Each swim meet is divided into two sessions. Session 1 is events 1-43 and session 2 is events 44-86. With 5 total meets that means there are 10 total sessions we needs volunteers. We are asking that each family work at least two sessions. That’s not a lot and I know many of you will volunteer a whole lot more than that.
ASA Fall Swim League
ASA is thinking about a 5 meet fall swim league starting Saturday, August 6. It will be more laid back that summer league and teams will be able to combine with other neighborhoods if they choose. We need to get an idea if you would like to participate in this so we can give the league some idea of who’s interested in participating.
Adult Swim League
ASA offers a swim league for adults. It pretty laid back and more about hard core fun than hard core competition. If you are interested in this let us know and if there is enough interest we can pull together a Huntley Hills team, though that is not required. Meets are invitational where everyone swims at the same time at one of the clubs around metro Atlanta.
Important 2014 Season Dates
Here are some important dates all parents and swimmers should know. Each of the dates you see here, and any changes or updates will be maintained on the Huntley Hills Hammerheads team Google Calendar. You can view and bookmark the team calendar by going to the Swim Team section of the Huntley Hills Swim and Tennis Club website or following this link:
March 15
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Registration begins online through Active.com. Check HHSTC website for details
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March 30
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Parent Meeting & Suit Sizing, HHSTC Clubhouse
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April 15
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Deadline for Swimsuit Orders
Deadline for ASA registration without late fee
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April 27
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Swimmer Assessment for Senior Hammerheads
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April 28
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Pre-Season Training begins after school
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May 26
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Memorial Day - No Practices
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May 27
5:30 pm
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Hammerhead Meet #1
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June 3
5:30 pm
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Hammerhead Meet #2
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June 10
5:30 pm
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Hammerhead Meet #3
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June 14
9:00 am
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Kids for Kids Charity Swim Meet
Marist School
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June 17
5:30 pm
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Hammerhead Meet #4
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June 24
5:30 pm
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Hammerhead Meet #5
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June 26
9:00 am
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ASA Divisional Meet
Georgia Tech Aquatic Center
750 Ferst Dr, Atlanta, GA 30318
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June 29
10 & U - 1:00 pm
11 & O - 5:00 pm
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ASA Championship Meet for Divisional Qualifiers
Georgia Tech Aquatic Center
750 Ferst Dr, Atlanta, GA 30318
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July 1
6:30 pm
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Swim Team Banquet
HHSTC Pool & Clubhouse
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July 25 - 26
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GRPA State Swimming Championships
Cumming Aquatic Center, Cumming, Georgia
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