Join the Forest Hollow Gators

1. Join the Forest Hollow Gators WHO ARE THE GATORS? The Gators are boys and girls (and their parents) who are members of the Forest Hollow Swim Team. Our team focuses on improving swimming skills, learning good sportsmanship and self-discipline. We have daily practices, compete in swim meets, have family potluck dinners and pep rallies on Friday nights, make new friends and have lots of fun!! WHO CAN JOIN? The swim team is open to swimmers, ages 4 – 18. • Gators must be able to swim at least 50 meters (2 pool lengths) continuously, without assistance. Gators will work on stroke technique, starts, turns and endurance during practice and participate in swim meets. • Mini Gators must be comfortable in the water (can fully submerge head for 5 seconds), propel themselves for a short distance in the pool, be able to follow directions, work well in a group and leave parents willingly. The goal of the Mini Gator program is to provide young swimmers with the basic swimming skills necessary for the continued involvement in competitive swimming. WHEN DO GATORS SWIM? Swim season for Gators begins on Wednesday, May 27 and ends July 26. The season is extended to Aug. 1 for those who make it to individual All Stars. Beginning May 27 through June 18, swim practice is held Monday through Friday in the evening. Beginning June 19 practices are held Monday through Friday in the morning for all swimmers. Practices are also available on Tuesday and Thursday in the evening for swimmers unable to attend morning practice. Please note: Nighttime practice is shared with pool patrons so space is limited. Plus, there are more evening thunderstorms that may disrupt practice. Mini Gators will practice from June 18 through July 25, Monday through Friday in the morning. Tuesday and Thursday evenings are available for Mini Gators unable to attend the morning practice. (Also, preseason lessons will be available again – watch the web site and blogs for dates and details to get your mini ready for the season. Extra cost applies.) Swim meets are held on Saturday mornings (league meets) and Monday evening (developmental meets). All swimmers are encouraged to swim at the developmental meets. Participating in league or Saturday morning meets is limited and selections will be made based on specific criteria. Clinics for specific skill development will be held during the season. Regular attendance at practice and meets is encouraged. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? $86 for 1 swimmer, $159 for 2 swimmers, $68 for each additional swimmer. Registration fees help to pay for the coaching staff, equipment, ribbons, awards and team activities. Each swimmer registered by May 1 will receive a team t-shirt and latex swim cap. Swimmers registered after May 1 are not guaranteed a T-shirt and cap. Team swimsuits (not required) will be available at the Parent Meeting/first practice on May 27. The cost for suits is approximately $49 for girls and $30 for boys. This is the second year of our two-year suit. WHAT DO GATOR PARENTS DO? Gator parents are an important part of the swim team. It takes approximately 40 adults to run a successful swim meet. Your help is needed to set up the pool, sell concessions, time swimmers, record scores, chaperone the team area and officiate the meet. We also need parents to plan social events – Friday night activities, awards ceremony, and team outings. There are also many hours outside of meets where activities need to be done. No experience is necessary! Stay tuned for e-mails and blogs from our Volunteer Coordinators and take this opportunity to make the swim program work even better – take on a task or two – at the pool or at home. Each family should at least contribute 5 hours of volunteer time to make this a success. Forest Hollow is extremely fortunate to have many qualified officials, but we need to train more parents to ensure continuity and backup support. We need parents to be certified as stroke & turn officials, referees and starters. Training clinics are held in May/June. Please contact Tip Holcombe (256-2246) if you are interested in becoming certified in one of these positions. HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? Attend the Kickoff and Parent Meeting. Join us at Forest Hollow on May 27. Sports Fair will be at Forest Hollow from 6:00- 8 pm for new suits. A new parent meeting will be held from 6:30-7:00 pm followed by a general meeting for all parents from 7- 8 pm. Swimmers will meet their coaches and spend some time with them during the parent meeting. And continuing the fun from last year – our fabulous Gator Grill will grill some hamburgers and hotdogs and provide a light meal for all our hungry Mini Gators, Gators, and Parents. This is an opportunity to kick off the season, meet the coaching staff, learn about what’s in store for the year, ask questions and more. REGISTRATION…WHERE’S THE FORM? REGISTER ONLINE NOW…IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO!!! Go now to www.foresthollow.com and fill out your swim team registration! Register by May 1 to guarantee a team t-shirt. Some Gator merchandise can also be pre-ordered online. Catch the Spirit early!. And, don’t forget to check out the website on an ongoing basis for news and calendar updates: www.foresthollow.com Please contact Mary Johnson (703-216-4580) maryjohnson4580@verizon.netor mary.johnson@fhfa.gov with any questions prior to the meetings.

2. The 2009 Gators – We’ll Do Fine in Div 9 A Message from the 2009 Team Rep, Mary Johnson: As I begin year 3 as team rep, I can’t help but think back at how overwhelming the task appeared. But, with the help of my co-rep for 2 years, Nancy Jessen, and all the volunteers and swimmers, the spirit of Forest Hollow is truly in my blood. This is not a one person job – it is the job of everyone – the team rep is just there to coordinate and conduct the action. The true work is from all of you! Thanks to each of you for you support, comments, and participation in making the Gators one of the best in the NVSL! There is nothing like summer swim!! In 2009 we are continuing to grow, continuing to enjoy the sport, and most of all continuing to have fun! Coach Elvin is back with us providing his great smile, warm demeanor, great understanding of the sport, and excellent coaching skills. Our 2009 coaching staff is: Natalie Cocozza, Suzanne Fonzi, Ellie Holcombe, Annika Jessen, Alex Johnson, Cassady Keller, Willie Labarca, Martin Miller, and Smith Norton. I am excited about some of the changes in store for this year. First – did you notice there isn’t a team registration in this mailing? We are going online for full swim team registration – it’s secure, it’s fast, and it saves countless volunteer hours. Once you register we can communicate easily with blogs that will keep you current on all activities of the Gators. Visit www.ForestHollow.com and you can be registered within minutes. A credit card or debit card is required. Problems…call me! We’ve added Co-Volunteer Coordinators, to help facilitate filling of all the various duties that exist to make our team successful. Respond “yes” when you are contacted to take on a task. We encourage every family to contribute at least 5 hours of tasks each year to take part in the excitement of Forest Hollow.We’ll be tracking your hours in 2009…hoping not to go the route of charging for “non participation” in the future. There are lots of opportunities to help…let us help you find the right fit as all hours are not just on meet days! B-Meet Rep – this position remains vacant as Leslie Peterson is unable to continue in this position. Our kids love B meets; a B meet volunteer is needed to allow these to continue. Don’t risk these meets – call NOW! Other changes: We plan to set up “folders” for every team member where ribbons, team news, and other communications will be placed. We’ll walk through this at our organizational meeting. And, we are putting the “PEP” back into the Friday Night Pep Rallies! There will be less talking from the team rep with the advent of e-mails and the file folders…and more pep from the swim team coaches and team. 2009 – look out – the Forest Hollow Gators are ready to rock Division 9! Always something about Fees: Yes…we’ve increased the fees slightly this year. This is a result of an expanded web site, online registration, and greater flexibility for our communications. We are only offering ONLINE registration this year. The fee structure is $86 for 1 swimmer, $159 for two, and $68 for each additional swimmer. The same old story goes - even with the slight increase you are spending less than $3 an hour for quality swim time. You can’t find a greater bargain anywhere! Swim team dues have never fully supported our expenses; we continue to rely on the support of our concessions and the swim club to cover operations. Anyway you add it: Forest Hollow Swim Team = bargain + fun. Signup online soon and start feeling the spirit! Calling all Willing & Able Volunteers: We need a few hours of your time on May 23, 24, & 25! Forest Hollow has taken on the opportunity to do a little outside fundraising to offset costs this year. On Memorial Day weekend, we will again sponsor a concession stand at Oak Marr Rec facility in Oakton for a USA Swimming meet. This opportunity could raise $1,000 (or more) for our team and help keep fees down. We are looking for any willing volunteers – what a great way to get your volunteer hours pre-season – just a few hours for the weekend to assist our tremendous Gator Grill personnel. E-mail Terry.Wallace@uspto.gov and start earning hours towards your 5 hour commitment…and see swimming in full motion! Mini Gator Evaluation Unsure whether your young one is a “Mini” or a full fledged Gator? Placement in the right practice is critical for our developing swimmers. If you are unsure where their skills lie, bring them to the pool for an evaluation by Coach Elvin on Tuesday May 26 between 5:30-6:30 to find out! Note: This is the day before the parent meeting on May 27!! The Success of the Gator Grill continues… The Gator Grill serves delectable delights…and lots of cold beverages to satisfy us on hot days! But, we need your help to make it successful. For a small donation of $10, you can offset our beverage costs and contribute to another successful concessions season. Checks to Brian or Terry Wallace – and they do all the shopping! A Bargain Indeed!