We cannot wait to kick off our 2022 Redfield Sun Devil Swim & Dive season TOMORROW! (Practice schedule attached)

Please have your kiddo come with goggles and towel -- and no two-pieces for girls plz. ZERO STRESS!!!!  We will be having fun and get to know everyone.  

We understand that school is #1 for all our kiddos.  So do not stress about missing a practice or two while school is in session for studying.  Our teen coaching staff will also be rotating so they can manage their school workload!  Will McCallum (rising Sr @ MV) and Preston Martin (rising Sr @ DHS) will be our AssistantCoaches this season, while Matthew Wise (rising Sr @ DHS) will be leading the Junior Assistant Volunteer coaching staff that includes:  Ro Kumar (rising Jr @ Wheeler), Lex Welin (rising Soph @ MV), Frances Pantano (rising 8th @ Pchtree) and Malou Welin (rising 8th @ MV.)

If you missed the Welcome Email I sent last week, here it is again -- with great info for our new families:

Hello Redfield Swim Team families!

I am so excited that our 2022 season will begin on MONDAY, MAY 16^TH. For all our new families – Welcome! We are a team of more than 130 swimmers ages 3-18 that focuses on creating a life-long love of swimming through learning proper technique and teamwork in a super fun environment. This season, we are blessed to have Coach Kylie Stewart back as Head Coach. I will be your primary contact this season as Team Coordinator/Fun Police Captain. Missy Pate is on a Swim Team sabbatical, so please contact Cara Welin at 469-586-9660 or [email protected] with any questions or concerns moving forward.

Important Dates:

May 16: Practice begins

May 16-26: After-school practice, (Mon-Thurs) SCHEDULE ATTACHED

May 20: Time Trials @ 6pm at pool with suit fittings, merchandise store & full concessions being sold

May 27 & 30: No practice (Memorial Day)

May 31-June 23: Summer practice begins (Mon-Thurs) & optional early evening practice begins (Mon & Thurs ONLY) SCHEDULE ATTACHED

May 31: Meet #1 @ Wynterhall

June 1-24: Preteam begins 11am-11:30am (Mon, Wed and Fri)

June 3, 10, 17 & 24: Fun Fridays begin with free donuts, Coach Candy Cups and ribbons

June 7: Meet #2 @ Redfield

June 14: Meet #3 @ Roxboro

June 21: Meet #4 @ Redfield

June 27: Meet #5 @ Kingsley

June 29: ASA Championship meet @ GTech

June 30: Swim Banquet @ Redfield (Awards, Dinner & Fun)

Info for New Families:

• -Time Trials are NOT as hardcore as it sounds. We understand some kids may attend this event with minimal practice under their belts. It’s simply an opportunity for the coaches to get an idea of what stroke/s swimmers are able to legally swim at the first meet and comfort levels -- all while getting times so we can put each child in heats with swimmers with similar times.
• -Swim Suits and Merch will be sold onsite on May 20/Time Trials. SwimAtlanta will be at the Redfield pool pavilion with everything you need to get your swimmer ready for the season. Goggles, caps, bags, suits and more will be available for purchase. We will have a much smaller amount of the Redfield Red/Black suit from 2021 due to the supply chain issues everyone is facing. Our rep will bring solid black options as well – or feel free to buy any black swim suit on Amazon, Dicks, etc. You can try on the different sizes at Time Trials to help you make decisions.
• -Is my child a Sun or a Devil?? Since we typically have a lot of swimmers between the ages of 6-8, we decided to group them by Suns (beginner) and Devils (advanced.) This also allows our coaches to give more one-on-one assistance. These groups are flexible, and we would like you to judge where they should start. Keep in mind their age, comfort level and which practice their friends will attend.
• Your swimmer should start out in Suns if:
• They are currently swimming one lap of the pool doggystyle, underwater like a fishy or struggles to swim one lap (if your kiddo cannot swim a full lap, we may discuss with you the benefits of switching to Pre-team their first season once coaches see your swimmer in action
• Doesn’t dive
• Is more anxious than excited to come to practice
• Is on the younger side

Your swimmer should start in Devils if:

• Can swim freestyle and back stroke (kinda maybe sorta😊 )
• Wants to learn more technique rather than simply getting comfortable in the water and getting across the pool
• Can dive into the pool lane (flopping is fine)
• Is on the older side
• -Pay-to-Play??? If you would prefer to get your Vitamin D while sipping lemonade vs. working one shift per family at each swim meet – Pay-to-Play is for YOU! It’s not too late to sign up. Simply text Cara Welin at 469-586-9660 for instructions. It is $200 for the entire season – we do not let families pay for a couple of meets. It’s all or nothing for logistics purposes. With the money we collect, we pay our Jr. Coaches to work the meets – as well as Redfield teens.
• -Attendance requirements: There are no requirements. I like to tell parents that it’s your buck – spend it as you wish. But keep in mind that Coach Candy Cups and awards at the Swim Banquet will not be in your kiddos’ future if the coaches don’t know who they are because they never come. Additionally, swimming is one of the few sports that ANYONE can do and SEE IMPROVEMENT if they work hard. If your kid is competitive, they will want to come to as many practices they can to improve technique, gain endurance and take off seconds at each meet. *Parents can drop off their swimmer if they are atleast 9yrs old per pool rules. All other swimmers must have an adult present during practice.

I'm so very excited to start another incredible season Redfield -- and all of you! A HUGE thank you to Dawn Proctor, Shannon Barrow and Tom Sheeran for heading up our concessions planning and sales. This is our #1 source of income for the team (coach salaries, equipment, etc.), so at Time Trials and Home Meets -- come hungry and ready to buy tons of yummies. Another GIANT thanks to Cary Phelps and Shelley Schlifkin for managing our parent volunteers again this season. This is a time-consuming job like concessions -- and we couldn't survive without you. And lastly, thank you Leslie Fisher for being our HOA pool chair and making sure everything is PERFECT and safe for the team. I can't wait to see all the smiling faces on May 16th!

Goooo Sun Devils! -Cara Welin