Weekly Update: June 30 - July 4

Welch Sharks, first a quick look back to last week.

• We hope our Sharks enjoyed last Thursday's Welch Doughnut Day breakfast.  In connection with this event, we thank the Management of Giant Food Stores of 255 Northland Ctr. for their community support towards our Centre Region Parks & Rec Welch Sharks Swim Team.  We would appreciate if our Welch Parents would also express their thanks to the store's management team for their community involvement that aided in this team activity.

Here's a summary of this upcoming week's Welch Sharks activities.

1. Practices:
   -Morning practices as scheduled MON to THU (FUN DAY morning possible - We're almost there!  C'mon Welch Parent Volunteers, you can fill Tuesday's SPRA meet volunteer sign-up by noon, Tue.)
   -NO PRACTICE Friday, July 4 - Independence Day
2. MON - Swimmer meet sign-ups for Tuesday's home meet vs. SPRA
3. TUE, July 1 HOME meet vs. SPRA
   -Welch Sharks Swimmers should arrive at Welch Pool no later than 5:00
   -Meet and Concession volunteers are still needed. Please use the links previously posted to fill  these Team needs.
4. *UPDATE* Wednesday NIGHT PRACTICE is CANCELED. *UPDATE*
5. Will we have a morning FUN DAY?  Think positively and make it happen Welch Parents!!
   *UPDATE*  YES Welch Sharks! THURSDAY IS FUN DAY (8 AM to 9:45 AM)!  Enjoy those few extra morning Zzzz's. *UPDATE*
6. Ask the question "Where's Bruce and will he be at practice?" ;^D
7. LOOKING AHEAD - Don't forget our CPSL's Night With The Spikes orders are due July 9
   A night of local baseball with our CPSL friends and families!  Cost is $7 per person and includes game ticket, hot dog and a soda.  Click the link above for more info.  Remember to get your ticket orders (name, ticket quantity) with payment (make checks payable to "Welch Swim Team") to Sean or Marisa Flynn before the July 9 order deadline.
8. LOOKING AHEAD DATES TO NOTE:
   SUN - July 13 Ice Cream Social/Open Swim/Movie shorts night
   SAT - July 19 Day of Joy fun relay day at Park Forest
   SUN - July 27 Team Awards and Banquet
   TUE - July 29 CPSL Champs (ages 11 & up) at WELCH
   THU - July 31 CPSL Champs (ages 10 & under) at Park Forest
9. As reminded on 6/28, please remember to bring your designated drink donations to the pool and we are still accepting the family monetary donation in lieu of doing team fund-raising sales.

Keep monitoring this blog for any last minute changes.  Thanks and...

GO WELCH SHARKS!

SPRA Meet (TUE, July 1) ---> Sign-Ups! Sign-Ups! Sign-Ups!

SIGN-UP (#1)  Welch Sharks, our next meet is TUESDAY, JULY 01 at HOME against SPRA.  Swimmers need to sign-up for their events on the team's black & gold sign-up board ASAP.  The sign-up board hangs on the fence near the storage room during practice hours.

IMPORTANT NOTE to Swimmers & their PARENTS:  Please indicate on your swimmer signs-up if you are unsure if you will stay for the ENTIRE meet and at what time you might depart.  This is very important.  We had several incidents of swimmers signing up for meets and either not showing up or leaving early without notifying their coaches or Team Parent Reps.  This action not only caused unnecessary difficulty for the coaches at the meet but also for your swimmer's teammates who were also scheduled to be part of their relay team.  The remaining relay teammates (and their families) who stayed, were greatly disappointed when informed just prior to their event, that they were not allowed to swim because their relay team was scratched from the meet due to the missing swimmers.  We understand that unforeseen events can occur to cause someone to miss a meet or require you to depart early.  If you are at the meet and find that you must leave early, please notify your coaches or Team Parent Reps. ASAP so if possible, we have sufficient time to make swimmer line-up adjustments or notify your respective relay teammates that their relay is scratched from the meet.

For Tuesday's HOME meet, swimmers should arrive at Welch Pool by 5 PM.

SIGN-UP (#2)  Parents, this is another large home meet and is only a few days away.  We need more than 60 parent volunteers to sign-up to help run this meet.  Like the prior meets, we need meet volunteers who will directly help with the swim activities in and around the pool.  Filling these positions prior to the meet is crucial for the meet to start on time and run smoothly without the unnecessary delays of stopping the meet until the empty positions are filled.  We would like to see more Welch Parents volunteering than that of the visiting team.  Please go to the Welch Parent Meet Volunteer Sign-Up link below to sign-up for this meet.

We also have Welch Concession volunteer positions to fill.  As previously posted, our concession stand is our main source of team revenue to fund the various fun team activities - doughnut (6/26), bagel (7/08) and pancake (7/24) breakfasts, ice cream social/movie night (7/13), awards and banquet (7/27).  We need your continued volunteer and concession food donation support.  Our last home meet's concession stand had very good sales numbers, but was only staffed by 12 Welch volunteers - some volunteered the entire meet.  Please sign-up to help with this area so that we will not be required to reduce or close its operation.

*Parent Volunteer Sign-up - Welch HOME meet vs. SPRA (TUE 7/01)

**If we can fill all volunteer meet positions by NOON, TUE (7/1) our swimmers will have a FUN DAY instead of normal practice** - open swim (no lane dividers), games and if lifeguard staffing is sufficient, the sprayground, lazy river and slides will be made available to our Sharks.

SIGN-UP (#3) Concession Food Donations.  Your Team also needs a variety of food donations to be sold during the meet at the Team's concession stand.  Please use the following link for food concession donations.

*Concession FOOD Donation Sign-up Link - July 1 (TUE)

Please remember to make your drink donation with your name and bring to the pool ASAP if you have not already donated your designated drinks for our concession sales.  You can place your items near the doorway to the storage room during practice and we will put them away.

• Last Name: A - H – 24 bottle case of water
• Last Name: I - P – 24 cans of soda (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist)
• Last Name: Q - Z – 12 count (12 oz.) bottle pack of Gatorade

Also, the family money donations to the Welch Swim Team in lieu of fundraising activities are still being accepted.  Please see the Welcome & Family Fundraising tab located at the top of this blog for information.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please see or email your Team Parent Reps. Sean & Marisa Flynn at Welch[dot]Sharks[dot]Swimteam[at]gmail[dot]com
Thank you for your support of the Welch Sharks Swim Team.

See you at the pool!
Remember, only your help can make a swim meet run quickly and smoothly.

Meet Results (Welch @ Penns Valley) are in.

Welch Sharks, meet results from Thursday's meet at Penns Valley can be viewed at the following link:  Meet Results - Welch at Penns Valley, June 26, 2014

Thank you to our Penns Valley hosts.  For those who did not attend this meet, you not only missed out on a fun meet, but also some good food from the Penns Valley Concession Stand.  The grilled chicken salad with locally grown organic lettuce, fresh blueberries and pecans was delicious.

Also, thank you to those Welch Parents who volunteered for this away meet:

Susan W. Marcie R. Anne C. Kathryn B. Tom W. (2 halves) Sean F. (2 halves)*

Hannah S. Robin B. Janet J. Mi K. Marisa F.* Mary B. Kevin W.

Chad R. Jim C. John K. R/P Marsh Shawn B. Michele F.

Rob G. Stan B. Cricket H. Nick B. Todd R. Barb S.

* = not eligible for volunteer end of season awards drawing.

Penns Valley Meet: Welch Parent Volunteers FINAL UPDATE

We're almost there Welch Parents!
With three hours remaining, only 7 Welch Parent Volunteer positions to fill.  We have approximately 80 swimmers going to this meet.  We easily should be able to provide 28 Welch Parent Volunteers.  Keep up the good work.

	1st Half	2nd Half
Rooster	0	0
Welch Timers	0	3
Welch Scorers/Avg	1	1
Welch Seeders	0	2
Welch Stroke & Turn Officials	0	0
TOTALS	1	6

Welch Sharks Team Apparel

Hey Welch Sharks!
For those wanting to obtain one, two or maybe three of our Welch Sharks Swim Team apparel items that are cash-n-carry ready, the following items and sizes are immediately available:
 

To make a purchase please contact Marcie Rockey at Rockey6[at]comcast[dot]net

Go Welch Sharks!

Penns Valley Meet: Welch Parent Volunteers UPDATE

UPDATED STATS for Welch Parents:  As previously posted, parents we still need your support by volunteering to help at meets.  We show a very slight improvement, but still "miles to go before I/we sleep."  Please go to the volunteer sign-up link below and select one of the available meet volunteer positions in either the first or second half.

As of the time of this posting, Welch Parents need to supply the following for Thursday's Penns Valley meet:

	1st Half	2nd Half
Rooster	0	0
Welch Timers	0	5
Welch Scorers/Avg	2	2
Welch Seeders	2	2
Welch Stroke & Turn Officials	0	1
TOTALS	4	10

Welch Parent MEET Volunteer Sign-up Link - Welch AT Penns Valley (THU - 6/26)

Weekly Update: June 23-27

A quick update on what's on tap for the Welch Sharks week of June 23 - June 27.

1. Morning practices as scheduled
2. TUE - Swimmer sign-ups (last chance - MUST see your coach) for Thursday's Penn's Valley meet
3. TUE - Swimmer sign-ups begin (black/gold board) for Tuesday 7/01 HOME meet vs. SPRA
4. WED - Tie Dye day after each practice session
5. WED - NO NIGHT PRACTICE due to Parks & Rec's Sports Night at Welch
6. THU - DOUGHNUT Breakfast after practice session (1 per swim team member)
7. THU - AWAY meet at Penns Valley (arrive by 5:30 PM)
8. FRI - If needed, Tie-Dye tentative rain make-up day.
9. LOOKING AHEAD - Next HOME meet TUE - July 1 vs. SPRA
10. LOOKING AHEAD - No Practice on Independence Day, July 4.
11. LOOKING AHEAD - Don't forget our CPSL's Night With The Spikes orders are due July 9.

Keep monitoring this blog for any last minute changes.  Thanks and...

GO WELCH SHARKS!

Penns Valley Meet (THUR, 6/26)

Hey Welch Sharks,

Just a reminder that we have an AWAY meet at Penns Valley (Milheim).  Swimmer sign-ups were due today, but if you missed practice today (MON) and the sign-up deadline, see your coach immediately prior to the start of Tuesday (6/24) morning's practice.

Welch Parents:  We still need your support to volunteer to help at away meets.  Please go to the volunteer sign-up link below and select a meet volunteer position.  There are a number of available positions available in both the 1st and 2nd half.

Currently Welch needs to supply:

	1st Half	2nd Half
Rooster	0	1
Welch Timers	2	6
Welch Scorers/Avg	2	2
Welch Seeders	2	2
Welch Stroke & Turn Officials	1	1
TOTALS	7	12

Welch Parent MEET Volunteer Sign-up Link - Welch AT Penns Valley (THU - 6/26)

The meet is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM and Welch Sharks Swimmers should be at the pool by 5:30 PM for check-in and warm-ups.  Please allow yourself sufficient time to arrive well before your warm-up time in order to check in and receive any additional information from your coaches.

Directions to Penn's Valley Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Pool in Millheim:

Follow 45 East from State College/Boalsburg. From Centre Hall (intersection of Routes 45 and 144) travel east on Route 45.  As you enter Millheim, go straight at the traffic light, take a slight left (after the bridge) onto Park Road.  Park Road then turns to the left, follow Park Road until it takes a left into the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Park. - Drive time approx. 30 minutes from State College.  Please drive carefully.

Penns Valley (Milheim) Pool on Google Maps

Tie Dying on WED. June 25th!!!

We will hold our annual Welch Tie Dye Day on Wednesday, June 25 after each practice session.

Please bring a white, 100% cotton t-shirt (or other clothing item(s)) that is already tied with rubber bands to Wednesday, June 25  morning practice (*UPDATED* Rain date is tentatively FRIDAY, June 28 *UPDATED*).  Please place your last name with a laundry marker/sharpie somewhere on your shirt (preferably on the shirt tag or tag made from a piece of masking tape that is folded over itself onto the rubber bands).  Dyes will be available after each practice session.

Do you need design/fold ideas?  There are many online sources available that provide many ways to rubber-band shirts to get that tie-dye look you may want.

• Classic Spiral Tie-Dye
• Tie-dyeing a Peace Sign (Whoa, far out ...that's way cool!) 
• Tie-dying Shoelaces
• How to videos are also easy to find online

We need and welcome volunteers to help after each swim session.  Parents are encouraged to assist their younger children.  If you already contributed your suggested $2 per family tie-dye donation to cover supply costs, thank you for your generosity.  If you still have not made the family fundraising/tie-dye donation, please submit that as soon as possible.  This is a fun team activity and we look forward to seeing everyone participate and show their creative team spirit.

**UPDATED** Parents, you too can participate and tie-dye so that you can display your creativity and Welch Team Spirit when you wear your Welch Tie-Dye to our meets. **UPDATED**

**UPDATED**

Welch Tie-Dye Take Home Instructions:

• Keep shirt in the plastic bag and let it cure/set up for at least 4 hours but preferably 24 hours for the brightest colors.
• Once set, it's time to unwrap!  This can be done either in a sink, tub or outside.  Please note these dyes can still stain.  Leaving ties on, rinse under cold running water (faucet, shower, or hose) to stop the dye reaction.
• Next rinse in warm water while you untie the folds and keep rinsing until the water runs fairly clear.
• Throw in machine as soon as it is rinsed, running through a full wash cycle.  You will see a lot of dye pouring out while rinsing...this is normal.  Wash and dry separately for the first few wash cycles.

**UPDATED**

Meet Results (PF @ Welch) are available

Welch Sharks, the results are in from tonight's (6/19) meet with our friends from Park Forest and unfortunately the final score was not in our favor.  However, I hope that our Welch swimmers enjoyed themselves and were able to establish their personal base times which they now can work to improve upon throughout the season.

The June 19, 2014 Park Forest at Welch Meet Results Report can be viewed through the following link:  Meet Results - Park Forest at Welch June 19, 2014

Lastly, many thanks to the Welch and Park Forest Parents who volunteered at this meet.  Without your help, these events would be impossible to run.

See you at the Pool!

1st HOME MEET vs. Park Forest (6/19)

Only 22 hours until our league opening Welch Sharks vs. Park Forest swim meet at WELCH Pool.

And you may ask yourself, "Why am I seeing this posted after seeing and reading the post from Monday morning's (6/16) post about this meet?
And you may ask yourself, "What does that mean for me?"

1) This is OUR TEAM's FIRST HOME LEAGUE MEET of the season against our friendly (but always competitive) northern rivals from the "dark forest"  This is typically a large meet consisting of 200 to 300 swimmers and of course their respective families.  With those numbers and the possibility of a summer time pop-up storm, it is very important to get this meet started on time and run smoothly through out so that we can complete all the scheduled events and wrap-up/clean up and close-up the pool before the pool's 10:00 PM curfew.

2) What that means to you, you and you (way in the back) is that your swimmers need you to sign up to volunteer for the remaining available meet volunteer and concession food/volunteer positions.  The meet volunteer positions must be filled to begin and continue to run the meet.  Any open/unfilled positions will delay the start and affect the length and completion of the meet. Don't worry if you never timed a swim meet and as you're standing at the end of the pool and water flowing underground with a stopwatch in hand... and you may ask yourself, 'Well, how did I get here?' and you may ask yourself, 'How do I work this?' Don't worry, we'll show you that it's so much easier than texting - there are only 2 buttons to use and you have the best view of the meet to see your swimmers. ;-)

So, same as it ever was, I ask that you please go more than once in a lifetime to the provided volunteer sign-up links and select a meet position and/or offer to donate concession food items and come and enjoy a good swim meet experience with your Welch Sharks.

Now that I certainly dated myself with those not so subtle references to a "Talking Heads" song, let's get serious and not waste more bandwidth.

1. Please sign-up to volunteer - for each half volunteered you earn towards the end of season team drawing:
   Swim Meet Volunteer Sign-up - Welch/Park Forest 6/19
   Concession Food Sales Donation Sign-Up - Welch/Park Forest 6/19
   
2. Please remember to bring your family drink donations to the pool tonight and Thursday.  We are still very light on the soda.
3. Lastly, let's work together and have a fun-filled summer swim league night.

Team Suit Order Pick-up Times Added

Welch Team Swim Suit order pick-up times have been added to the earlier posting.
Please see Sherrill to pick up your order at the Welch Pool Thursday (6/19) morning from 8:45 AM to 9:15 AM and then later Thursday at our home meet.

FUN ACTIVITY UPDATE: CPSL Night with the Spikes

Hey Welch Sharks Swimmer Families, let's join our friends from the other CPSL swim teams (Park Forest, Penns Valley, and SPRA) on TUE, July 22 as the State College Spikes take on Mahoning Valley (Cleveland Indians).  The State College Spikes baseball team and our league, CPSL are teaming up for a special "CPSL Night with the Spikes" game promotion at Medler Field.  This is also T-Shirt Tuesday Giveaway for the first 500 fans of all ages.  Gates open at 6:00 PM and game time is scheduled for 7:05 PM.

*Cost is $7 per person which includes game ticket, hot dog & soda.
*Ticket orders are due by July 9.*
*Please give your orders to your Welch Parent Reps, Sean or Marisa Flynn and to include:

1. Name
2. Ticket quantity
3. Payment: cash or check payable to "Welch Swim Team"

We will hand the game tickets out in advance of the game at swim practices to those that ordered once the tickets our received by the league.

Monday NIGHT Practice CANCELED

Hey Welch Sharks!

Tonight's (MONDAY NIGHT) Practice is CANCELED due to the bad weather moving through the area.

Hope to see everyone at Tuesday morning's practice.

So there IS rest for the weary. :^D

MON & WED Night practices begin today 6/16

A quick reminder to our 13 to 18 year old Sharks that the MONDAY and WEDNESDAY 8PM to 9PM evening practices begin today (6/16) with, of course, the obvious disclaimer statement ...weather permitting,

Also, as a reminder for those interested in learning to become a stroke & turn swim official the free training class is 6 PM TUE (6/17) at the SPRA pool as described in last THU's, June 12 post.

No rest for the weary. ;^D

Park Forest Meet this THURSDAY, 6/19 - Please sign-up now!

Our first league HOME meet is this Thursday (6/19) against Park Forest.

Registered Welch swimmers need to sign up for their individual events (3 max) by the end of WED (6/18) practice.  The Coaches will place swimmers into relay events.  The yellow/black Swimmer sign-up board is located on the fence around the corner from life guard office entrance and near the storage room door.  Swimmers should be at Welch Pool Thursday by 5:00 PM for check-in and warm-ups.

As mentioned, this is a WELCH HOME meet.  Therefore, we will need a large number of Welch Parent Volunteers to sign-up and help with various swim meet functions.  Parents, please use the following link to access the parent sign-up sheet to volunteer for this meet.

*Parent Volunteer Sign-up - Welch HOME meet vs. Park Forest (THU 6/19)

Your Team also needs a variety of food donations to be sold during the meet at the Team's concession stand.  Please use the following link for food concession donations.

*Concession FOOD DONATION - Welch v. Park Forest (THU 6/19)

Please remember to make your drink donation with your name and bring to the pool ASAP if you have not already donated your designated drinks for our concession sales.  You can place your items near the doorway to the storage room during practice and we will put them away.

• Last Name: A - H – 24 bottle case of water
• Last Name: I - P – 24 cans of soda (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist)
• Last Name: Q - Z – 12 count (12 oz.) bottle pack of Gatorade

Also, the family money donations to the Welch Swim Team in lieu of fundraising activities are still being accepted.  Please see the Welcome & Family Fundraising tab located at the top of this blog for information.

Remember, only your help can make a swim meet run quickly and smoothly.