Albert's email- Star Wars
STARS BLUE Parents,
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away (from downtown Austin)…
StarWars
It has been 8 years since Bluexit and despite the initial outcry from the Northwest Swim Circuit and the Red team, the BLUE team has persevered and even tasted some success. Sure, we now have 13 teams in the circuit and one division has 4 teams, but the circuit did not collapse as some predicted. The BLUEteam is back in Division II and has even escaped with narrow victories over our fellow divisional rivals this season! As we prepare for the championship meet on July 9, where EVERYONE is needed, we swim our annual dual meet with our neighbors and comrades, the Red team.
A lot of time has passed since our defection from the Red team and time has healed sore feelings. Some of of us were there when BLUE was created and remember the old days. Theories on why the separation occurred centered on our desire for self-determination and independence, the contentious issue of immigrants (non-resident swimmers), but the main issue was, ironically, music. Here on BLUE, we believe that there are more than 2 main types of music, Country and Western. We believe in an expanded playlist beyond the Top 40 and that there should always be a need for more cowbell! So as we prepare for our annual meet with the Red team, hug your neighbors and toast them with a little vodka, but at least make it local like Deep Eddy!
Our meet Thursday is an afternoon meet, so please note the times!
Meet Location:
BELLA MAR Pool & Pavilion
Tent Set-Up Crew arrival: 2:50 pm
Meet Set-Up Crew arrival: 3:00 pm
Tent Parent check-in time: 3:30 pm
Swimmer check-in time: 3:35 pm (please check your child in at their tent with the Tent Parent on duty)
Volunteer check-in time: 3:45pm (please check in with the Volunteer Coordinators after you’ve checked your child in at their tent)
Warm-ups: 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Ready Bench: 4:30 pm
Timer and Judges Meetings: 4:40 pm
All 1st Shift Volunteers to positions: 4:50 pm
Meet Start Time: 5:00 pm
As always, please do NOT be late for check-in! Please be on time!
Important Info:
TheSTAR WARS meet is always a fun way for our two teams to come together in competition and have a little fun, too! But please, leave the light sabers at home! Feel free to invite your friends and neighbors, too; this is a great chance for us all to show our community what an incredible organization the Stars is and how many kids benefit from our program!
**PARKING** - Parking will be tight in and around Bella Mar. I strongly suggest that you CARPOOL,WALK, RIDE YOUR BIKE, or have a friend/neighbor drop you off. The parking lot at Bella Mar will have some reserved spots for board members and a few VIPs but the rest will be 1st come 1st serve. If you MUST drive, please adhere to our parking guidelines:
DO NOT, under any circumstances, park in front of a residence anywhere in the Bella Mar neighborhood.
DO NOT park where there are cones or signs that say "NO PARKING". This meet will take place during after-work hours when people will be checking their mailboxes and trying to get home. You cannot park within the traffic circle, in front of fire hydrants, mailbox kiosks, or curbs marked in red/yellow. I’ve attached a link to our parking map which highlights the areas in which you can and cannot park.
TENT AREA – We will be the “away” team this year, but we will be sharing tent space with the Red team again this year. As you know, this area tends to get very crowded, so please be mindful of walking paths from the tents to the ready benches when setting up your chairs. If you are blocking a walkway, you will need to move to an area that does not obstruct the path. Our splash pool and baby pool will be COMPLETELY OFF LIMITS during the meet.
Once again, your swimmer MUST REMAIN IN THEIR TENT AT ALL TIMES unless you notify the Tent Parent. If your swimmer is not in the tent when their event is called and lined up, they may be scratched from their event!
THE MEET – The meet entries and heat sheets will be posted to the website soon. **You will notice that we are NOT swimming Medley Relays. We will start the meet with the FREE RELAYS for ALL age groups and proceed with individual events. This means that your swimmer may leave after he/she swims their last individual event. The heat sheets may still show the relays occurring at the end of the meet, but we will be swimming those first.
CLEAN-UP - Please remember to clean up after yourselves when you leave the pool. If you see trash lying around, please pick it up and throw it out. Our clean up team works very hard after each meet to ensure we leave the pool area just like we found it and you can help these efforts by cleaning up after yourself and your swimmer.
WHAT TO BRING –Please consider bringing the following items to make your meet experience more comfortable:
-Frogg Toggs sure can help with the heat
-Phone with Meet Bop loaded to help keep track of events
-BUG SPRAY
-You may bring your own beverages into the pool area, but NO GLASS containers. Please drink responsibly!
*** Sign-up is now open for Invitationals. Only those who sign will be going. If you do not sign-up, we are assuming that you are NOT going. Volunteer sign-up is now open for invitationals and those jobs go fast as it is the best way to be close to the action! ***
Be sure to wear your BLUE Stars gear (or at least wear BLUE!) to show your spirit!!
And lastly, please talk to your swimmer about showing good sportsmanship to our comrades on the Red team! Let’s have some fun!!
Our fearless Meet Director is Brad Stanton 512.694.4437 or [email protected]. You may contact him or me with any questions or concerns. Please also reach out if you have a sick swimmer or are otherwise unable to make it on Thursday.
See you at the pool! GO STARS!!
Albert Wong
Stars BLUE Team Coordinator
