Hello Parents - We are very excited for our first meet of the season this Thursday, June 3rd! 

This is another long email... but we have a lot of info and details to share and lots of new things happening this year. Please hang with us for the entire email!  As always, this is a FUN, neighborhood swim league and we are looking forward to a great evening. 

This is a Mock Meet and will be primarily used for getting swimmers and parents used to the format of the meet, and recording times so the coaches know where the swimmers stand at the start of the season. We expect some hiccups! The purpose of this meet is to work out some of those kinks. 

Things will look different this year!!

PICTURES: Team and individual pictures will take place this Thursday. Parents will not be on deck for pictures - our meet set-up volunteers will be busy getting the deck set up for the meet. And we will have Board members to help organize the kids. If you would like your child to have an individual pic taken, please have them arrive at 4:30pm. Please have ALL swimmers on deck by 5pm for the team picture dressed in their suit (no caps on yet). A link to order the pictures will be emailed out the day after the meet. Be on the lookout for that link. The swimmers will go from the team picture, straight into warmups. The meet will begin promptly at 6pm.

PARKING: The entire parking lot will be blocked off. Please park along Beckford Glen (or walk if you can!). Food Trucks will be set up in the parking lot (an email went out earlier this week with those details). Please support the food trucks - as a percentage of proceeds will go back to the team. 

CONCESSIONS: The team concession stand will face the parking lot, not the pool. Swim caps and swag will be available for purchase at the concession stand. The concession stand is cash only. If you ordered a t-shirt or tank, we are still waiting on those to come in.

CHAIRS/SET UP: Many families may choose to set up chairs, blankets and picnic areas to watch the meet. This will all be done OUTSIDE the pool deck this year. NO ONE will set up chairs inside the pool deck. There's lots of green space around the outside of the pool to use - up on the hill, around by the tennis courts, in the parking lot etc. We are asking that you do NOT set up directly against the pool fence. Leave that space open as a cheering section for parents and swimmers to walk up and watch their children swim their race and take pictures etc. 

CORRALLING KIDS: This is going to be a challenge! We know the kids will be running around outside the pool. Please encourage your kids to cheer on their teammates around the fence. It is VERY important that as parents, you are aware of what race we are on and when your child needs to line-up. Kids are going to miss races otherwise. 

We have several measures in place to help with this. Our loyal announcer (thank you Russ Fant... the voice of the Water Jets!) will have a sign inside the pool to show us what race /heat we are currently on. There is also a (NEW) Clerk of Course volunteer outside the pool gates with a large white board to show you who is lining up next. Additionally, we have a volunteer using a megaphone to announce who is lining up next. It will be very helpful for you to bring a copy of the heat sheet with you to the meet so you can be aware of who is up next. 

Heat Sheets will be emailed out morning of the meet usually. They DO sometimes change. This is one reason why it's SO important to get that meet attendance recorded. 

WHO IS ON DECK: When your child is in the staging area outside of the gate, please stay close by. ONE parent (or guest) is allowed to come on deck with each child when they enter the pool deck to head to the clerk of course to cheer them on and watch their race! Do NOT bring in any chairs or younger siblings - you are just coming in for that one race. When the race is over, the swimmer and the parent will exit the pool deck using the gate under the pavilion by the grill. We hope this will allow us all to practice social distancing while still being able to cheer on our swimmers! 

SWIMMERS: It will help the Clerk of Course tremendously if you would sharpie or mark your child's first initial and last name on their back left shoulder blade. (Example: E. Jordan). This will help get the kids lined up in order. Per Greater Charlotte Swim League, our swimmers should be in a Hunter Oaks logo'd suit (any season) and girls must wear a HO cap. It's a good idea to label your goggles, swim shirts, water bottles etc. 

WHY DO SOME KIDS HAVE DUCKS? Shrimpers and 7/8s who win their heat will receive a rubber deck and a heat winner ribbon. The duckie is NOT for them to keep. They should turn it into the concession stand for a little treat. 

ALCOHOL: Reminder that it is Greater Charlotte Swim League policy to not have alcohol at the swim meets. 

VOLUNTEERS: If you are volunteering on Thursday, please check in at the volunteer check in table - located just inside the gate no later than 5:30pm. Set-up volunteers, please arrive by 4:15pm. Please take a few moments to review all the volunteer descriptions that we were emailed out today.

Thanks to everyone for your help in making this a successful Mock Meet!

-Water Jets Board

Please visit SwimTopia for meet attendance, volunteering, schedules and more. 

GO WATER JETS!