It's hard to believe our season begins in less than two weeks AND we have the largest team Southdown has seen in a while! We are HERE. FOR. IT! 

If you are reading this, you are a registered member of the Southdown Swim Team, and you are about to have a lot of information enter your brain. Get a pencil, get a calendar, get comfy. 

TUESDAY, MAY 23rd - Family Meeting and Team Suit Event 

6pm to 8pm Metro Swim Shop will be at the pool with our new team suits available for try on and purchase. There is no obligation to purchase a team suit. If your swimmer's size is unavailable or sold out, you have the option to purchase online. To place an order, each new user will need to register and create a password. Instructions and link at the bottom of this email.* 

6:30pm (NOT 5:30, as previously planned) 

Coach Nastya and the Swim Team Reps (best band name ever) will begin a quick overview of the 2023 Southdown Swim Team Season. Whether you are a returning team member or a first timer, this meeting is important. We have lots of new information to share. Swimmer code of conduct and expectations, family expectations, and general informative topics will be discussed. We will also have separate "information stations" available for more details on 1. SwimTopia (how to download and user tips and tricks), 2. Volunteer jobs (what they are and how to do them), 3. Swim meet prep (what to expect, what to bring, etc.), 4. Snack Shack (volunteer positions and donations), and 5. Big Shark/Little Shark program (guidelines and recommendations). You should not leave this meeting with any lingering questions! But if you do, the team rep will be available for chatting during the first couple weeks of practice. 

TUESDAY, MAY 30th - Afternoon practice begins

• Group 1 (8y and under): 7:00 – 7:40pm
• Group 2 (9y-12y): 7:40 – 8:20pm
• Group 3 (13y and up): 8:20 – 9:00pm

We understand that AACPS has changed the last day of school, but we will keep our practice hours the same until June 19th. 

SWIMMER ELIGIBILITY - PLEASE NOTE! If you chose to pay your registration fee by check, and you haven't yet sent your payment to Southdown Country Club (please add "Swim Team" to note) PO Box 123 Edgewater, MD 21037, your swimmer will NOT be allowed to practice with the team. This is an AAU insurance requirement, it's not personal. Please, please send your payment in so we don't have any issues! 

SATURDAY, JUNE 17th 

First meet Away at Admiral Heights - more info to come!    

NEW FOR 2023 SEASON 

Along with the one-of-a-kind 2023 Sharks t-shirt (designed by our own Coach Nastya and included with your swimmer registration), we have a new merchandise website! This merch link is only open for a LIMITED time because we want to roll up to our first meet looking "Shark Chic." The link is live now but will close on Friday, May 26, to ensure prompt delivery. https://www.feganssportsapparel.com/sdsd/ 

WE NEED TRAINED OFFICIALS 

Please consider attending one of the GASL (Greater Annapolis Swim League) Stroke & Turn and Starter Official training sessions. The league needs all the trained officials that they can get, and it's a great way to become more familiar with the sport of swimming. USA Swimming has tweaked a few rules this year, so the in-person training is recommended for new and returning officials. The registration link will be sent to anyone who is interested, so please let us know as soon as possible. There are two options: May 31 at Bay Ridge from 7p-9p and June 14 at Harting Farm 7p-9p. 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST 

If you've made it this far, you should be pleased to know that you have reached the conclusion of this email. It will most certainly not be the last email you receive this season, but all of this information and more can be found on our team website https://southdown.swimtopia.com/ Go ahead and just bookmark it now so you can refer back any time you have questions, need updates, or your team rep is unavailable for questions aka hiding in a corner. But seriously, we really are super excited for the upcoming season. We have a bunch of new families and volunteers, PLUS a rock solid base of seasoned swimmers and veteran parents - so this summer is going to be FUN! And that's what summer is all about: having fun in the pool, rosy cheeks, big smiles, and taco in a bag. 

Sincerely, 

Your 2023 coaches and reps 

(Coach Nastya Jacobson and Coach Elizabeth Gould) 

(Team Reps: Erin Claxton, Tess Seege, Pam Bergendahl, Sarah Harrigan)