Hi all!

This is shaping up to be a very solid team this year. A few things as the season approaches:

1. We will have a parents meeting via Zoom at 6PM on Thursday 4/29. We will discuss important details about the upcoming season, the coaches will give an introduction, and we will answer any questions. I will send out a link next week.
2. Practices will start on Monday, 5/17. We will likely break the 6 & u in to (2) 30 minute practices (5:30 and 6), 7&8’s will be 6:30-7:15, and 9 and up will be from 7:15 to 8. There will be some morning practices starting at 10AM but we will announce those days once City of Brookhaven confirms the pool hours. Currently the breakdown by age group stands as follows:

1. 6 and under- 34 swimmers (24 girls and 10 boys)
2. 7 & 8- 47 swimmers ( 21 girls and 26 boys)
3. 9 &10- 24 swimmers (16 girls and 8 boys)
4. 11+- 12 swimmers (7 girls and 5 boys)

1. As you can see above, we could use a few more 11+ swimmers! If you know of anyone, please forward the information to them. ASA extended the late fee to start applying to registrations after May 1^st.
2. We have a lot of families who will be traveling this summer or involved in other activities that affect their children being able to make it to practice. That is ok! Our goal is always to have fun and improve. While it will be fun to compete against neighboring swim clubs, we will not be instituting any mandatory practices to swim in the meets. Coaches will enter events and relays based on times and from watching the swimmers in practice. Also, it is OK if your child is not the best swimmer or not proficient in strokes other than freestyle. As long as they can swim 1 length of the pool unassisted, our amazing coaches will help them improve in all areas.
3. At the beginning of May, I will look to have a swim suit try-on for anyone struggling with sizing on the team suit. I have a packet of all the sizes. If you want to try to coordinate with my wife or I on coming to our house to try them on, that is fine too. I live in Drew Valley on Nesbitt. Feel free to let me know. It is best for boys to wear the jammers for practice and meets. However, the team suit is not required in practice. Swim caps and team suit is required for meets. The site to order the team suit can be linked from briarwoodbarracudas.swimtopia.com. Click on shop (swim gear) and then Link: Swim Outlet Team Site. Any suit on there is fine. We do get a 5% credit on other swim team supplies with your purchase.
4. Just to stress, meets will be on Tuesday evenings this year except the last one will be on a Monday (June 21) evening instead of practice. We will likely have 3 away meets and 2 home meets starting May 25. I believe the away meets will probably be in the Dunwoody/Sandy Springs area. The ASA State Meet at Ga Tech, which is supposed to be a really cool experience for the kids, will be the last week in June and I will send details as they come out. I think it will be spread out over a couple of days. For anyone interested in representing Brookhaven in the Georgia Parks and Recs Association swim meet on June 19^th at Briarwood Park (YAY! We get to host in our new pool). Anyone in Brookhaven or that swims for a Brookhaven team will be allowed to participate in this meet. There is a GRPA State Meet in early July. I have heard it will be at the Cumming Aquatic Center but I am not 100% on the details. The only way to qualify for the State Meet is by being top 6 (I think) at district.
5. Lastly, we are looking for 1 more parent board volunteer. There are currently 5 of us who work together behind the scenes to make swim team run smoothly. If you are interested, please let me know and I can share what something like this entails.

I think that about covers most of the questions I have been asked. Thanks for signing your kids up for Briarwood Barracudas! It is going to be a great summer. If you have any questions, please send them to [email protected] as to not clutter my work email.

Thanks!

Michael Sussman