Hi Blasters!

Tomorrow is the day—the official start of the summer swim season! We are so excited to kick things off and can’t wait to see everyone back on deck for what will be a fun and fantastic season. As we get started, we wanted to share a few important reminders to help the season run smoothly.

Weekly Communications: Each Monday, the Team Administrator will send a weekly email with details on upcoming events and meet declaration deadlines. Later in the week, you’ll receive another email with specifics for that weekend’s meet. On Wednesdays, our Team Secretary will send out the Splash newsletter, which will also be posted on the website by Thursday. If you find you’re not receiving any of these emails, please let a Board member know on deck so we can make sure you’re all set.

Practice Schedule & Key Dates: We’ll begin with after-school practices for Blasters through June 11, and MicroBlasters will join us starting June 15 in the morning and June 16 in the evening. For the next few weeks, practices will rotate between Rob Roy and Iona Sound, so be sure to check the schedule closely. Once morning practices begin, everything will shift to Iona Sound, except for Tuesday evenings at Rob Roy. Also, as a reminder from the HOA, all swimmers age 12 and under must have an adult present for the entire practice.

Please note that we will not have practice on the following Fridays:

• May 29
• June 12
• June 19

If you need to miss a practice, no worries at all, summer schedules are busy! You only need to let us know if your swimmer will be out for an entire week.

Weather Updates: As always, summer weather can be unpredictable. If we need to delay or cancel practice, we’ll communicate through SwimTopia alerts, as well as our Facebook and Instagram pages. If you haven’t already, we strongly recommend downloading the SwimTopia app and following us on social media so you don’t miss any updates.

During Practice: We kindly ask that parents avoid interrupting the coaches, as they’ll be focused on running practices. Also, we strongly recommend parents not sit behind the starting area, which can be a distraction for the swimmers, especially our younger ones. If you need help or have any questions during practice, please see one of the Board Members on deck.

Pool Pass Requirement (IMPORTANT): All swimmers MUST have a pool pass. Residents, there is a new pool pass system, and you must obtain the new passes prior to practices. Non-Braemar residents will need to obtain their passes through the HOA office. These passes allow participation in team events, but they do not allow general pool use outside of Blasters activities unless attending as a guest of a Braemar resident.

Meet Declarations & Events: You can now declare for all meets and team events in SwimTopia (both on the website and app). This includes MicroBlaster events as well. As you’re declaring for meets, you can also sign up for your volunteer shifts at the same time, making it easy to take care of everything in one place. Be sure to check the calendar regularly, as additional events will be added throughout the season.

Merchandise & Team Gear: We’re excited to begin distributing team merchandise during practices the week of June 1. MicroBlasters will receive their t-shirts during their practices the week of June 15. Most team suits have arrived and will be handed out as well. A few items are on backorder, and we’ll reach out directly to those affected. Personalized caps will also be included in pickup. Our merch team is working hard to organize everything so you can pick up all items at once—thank you for your patience! One quick reminder: we recommend saving team suits for meets rather than wearing them to daily practices.

Parent Meeting: If you weren’t able to attend the parent meeting last week, a recording is available and is especially helpful for new families. We’ll also hold an in-person meeting for MicroBlaster families during the first day of practice, with more details coming soon.

Volunteer Requirement: Finally, a reminder that volunteering is a required part of being on the team. Our season simply wouldn’t run without your support. If you haven’t yet heard from your volunteer committee lead, please reach out to [email protected] as soon as possible.

We are truly excited for the season ahead and so grateful to have such an amazing group of swimmers and families. Let’s make it a fun, supportive, and memorable summer for everyone!

See you on deck! Go Blasters!