Thank you for you interest in the Pleasanton Meadows Swim Team!

Below you’ll find important information to help you understand our team and gauge your interest in joining ‘The Sharks’. More detailed information about each element of our team will be available to every 2010 Team Member.

The Pleasanton Meadows Swim Team is led year-round by Co-Directors Mike Kelly and Kristin Werder. An Advisory Committee meets with the Directors regularly from January through August to ensure the best possible experience for all Sharks Team Members. The Directors and Advisory Committee members are all volunteers.

The PMST Sharks abide by and defer to the rules and organization of the TVSL.

The Sharks Swim Season includes:

• Daily Swim Team practices (M-F): Early June through early August
• 7 Swim Meets (5 on Saturday mornings and 2 on Wednesday evenings)
• 1 Tri-Valley Swim League Championship event
• Extra-curricular events including:
• Pre-season clinics
• Dive training
• Special Events: Kick-Off BBQ; Carb Nights; Team Sleepover; Awards Night; Recreation Days and so much more!

  All members of the Sharks swim team will wear the Sharks Team Cap during practices and meets. (Your registration fee includes one latex team cap per swimmer.)

New Swimmers: Any swimmer who was not a member of the 2009 PMST Swim Team must attend a swim evaluation. In order to ensure the safest and most successful swim experience for the team, new swimmers need to show reasonable proficiency as follows:

• 6 & under: 25yds (1 pool length) of Freestyle
• 7/8: 25yds of all four strokes
• 9/10: 50yds (2 pool lengths) of Freestyle & 25yds of Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly
• 11 & up: 50yds of all four strokes

Final decisions are made by the PMST coaches.

Registration for the 2010 Pleasanton Meadows Swim Team is open to all Pleasanton residents through a priority system, as follows:

• Returning Sharks swimmers. (Registration opens March 1, 2010)

• Siblings of returning Sharks swimmers—pending swim evaluation. (March 1)

• New swimmers who are paid members of the PMCC—pending swim evaluation. (March 8)

• New swimmers who are not members of the PMCC—pending swim evaluation. (March 15)

• Pleasanton Meadows Cabana Club members: $130 for 1^st swimmer; $110 each additional swimmer. Cabana Club dues must be up to date to pay this price.

• Non-PMCC members: $150.00 for 1^st swimmer; $120 each additional swimmer.

Volunteer Deposit Check: One check is required for each family

The Sharks are happy to announce the return of our Head Coach Jared Watanabe. This will be Jared’s 4^th year with the Sharks, and his 3^rd year as Head Coach. Jared will direct a team of Assistant Coaches who will support our vision, lead age groups and continue to train swimmers to their best potential.

The Sharks begin practicing the first day after Memorial Day every year. While school remains in session, Team Practices are after school in a modified format.

Regular Team Practices begin the first Monday after school ends. The schedule is below:

In-season, afternoon practices may include the following situations, by appointment:

• Swimmers who
• attend Academic Summer School. (Please convey this need to the Registrar or Directors as soon as possible.)

• may temporarily miss morning practices because of a camp or other activity. Sign-ups are required and space is limited: no drop-ins.

• may benefit from extra training, from time to time, as identified by their Age Group Coach or the Head Coach.

• are part of a relay team which may benefit from extra training before a meet.

• are closing in on Team/League records and are committed to achieving same.

PMST is a volunteer-based organization: we rely on our families to make the season work. With full participation from parents, our swimmers enjoy an unrivaled summer experience.

PMST identifies the work necessary to run our meets, our team and our season smoothly. Some positions are year-long, but most work involves a few hours of your time. Jobs are given point values and points are assigned per swimmer: the number of points your family needs to complete is based on how many children you register to swim. Typically, families are asked to complete about 3-4 points per swimmer and no more than 6 points per family. Sample 1point jobs: Timers, Snack Bar workers, Set-Up, Clean-Up, etc.

  Volunteer Job Sign-Ups will be online this year.

• Review Volunteer Job Descriptions and your personal family calendar.

• Sign-up for the jobs of your choice through an online link. Confirmed team members will receive advance notification of when the link will open.

• If you do not sign-up for volunteer jobs online OR contact the Volunteer Job Coordinator, you will be assigned jobs for the season.

• The jobs you choose are your responsibility to complete. Once you complete your assignments your $100 Deposit check will be shredded. If you want your check returned, please make arrangements with our Treasurer.

• If you need to change jobs, it is your responsibility to trade with another family and change the online form. Changes within 48 hours of the event cannot be processed online—you’ll need to contact the Volunteer Coordinator directly.

• If you fail to complete a job, $25 will be deducted from your $100 Volunteer Deposit and will be paid directly to the family who works in the time of need.

The Sharks offer classes to expand and mature each swimmer’s skill set and social events to complete the Swim Team experience for each family: they are encouraged but optional and may include an additional fee. Extra-curricular opportunities may include:

• Stroke and Turn Classes; Conditioning Classes, Dive Training,
• NOTE: Diving is NOT permitted at the Pleasanton Meadows Cabana Club except during supervised instruction by our trained coaches and during swim meets. Swim Team members DO NOT have permission to dive during regular Cabana Club swim times.

• Recreation Days: Recreation Days are offered during the swim season at a variety of locations. The purpose of ‘Rec Days’ is to build team unity and friendships. Depending on type of activity and location, there may be a fee involved, but many are free. Families and siblings are always welcome at Rec Days.

• Social Events: The Sharks host many wonderful social events during the swim season including, but not limited to: Kick-Off BBQ; Sleepover Night; Carb Nights; Picture Day; Awards Ceremony and More!

The Sharks love to show team pride!

• Team Swimsuits: The Sharks identify an official team suit which we wear for two summers. We strongly encourage swimmers to purchase the team suit, but it is not required. A blue or black swimsuit is acceptable.

• The Sharks work with local retailer, Passionate Athlete, to offer the team suit at a discounted price. Passionate Athlete attends a special team evening and offers suits and additional swim items at great discounts. The Sharks also receive discounts at the Passionate Athlete store in downtown Pleasanton.

• You may also purchase the team suit through other retailers of your choice.

• The Sharks 2010 team suit is Tyr’s: ‘Eternal Flame’ available in a one-piece racer for girls and either a knee-length jammer or racer style for boys.

Kristin Werder director@pleasantonsharks.com

Registrar: Karen Greene registrar@pleasantonsharks.com

Spirit Coordinators: Tracy Vaeth spirit@pleasantonsharks.com

Board Member: Connie Austin