HEEEYYY YOOOUUU GUUUYYYSSS!

Thank you for your patience and support in this sprint of a season! (Make sure you read through to the end to find One-Eyed Willy's treasure.) Pro tip: click the links! It'll make it more bearable, I promise! Do not presume you already know everything like Mr. Wizard.

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Saturday is our last home meet of the season! We host SAAB at 8AM!!

Saab? Like that Swedish sedan that looked like it needed 4 doors but only had two, with wipers on its headlights?

No! South Austin Area Barracudas! BUT ... you're on the right track with your nostalgia!

This [week's] story is set a long, long time ago in a place called, The 80's ...

Hang on, where's your helmet?!

This was the 80's, man, there were no helmets! It was a wild place. Trampolines had no nets. Your mum wrote your name on everything. BMX seats were high. Music was on cassettes, and skids were big!

That's right!! Break out the leg warmers and striped, knee-high tube socks, we're hopping in the DeLorean for a trip down memory lane with this week's meet theme!

Is that Huey Lewis and the News playing?

Our glorious starters, Richard and Stephen, have assured me of their participation. I'm only left to assume this means a combination of Jane Fonda's leotard-over-spandex complete with Magnum PI mustache. Time to celebrate Lycra! (Richard will replace all that yellow with orange, naturally).

AND ...

Parents, bring your swimsuits for an 80's-themed S.E.A.L.'s relay (following the freestyle relays)! Shout out to Alex Romich who (to my potentially inaccurate recollection) has participated in each and every parent relay this season. Let's get this man some teammates *before* 9:45 AM on Saturday! Also would LOVE to see a Circle C Moms team!!!

Also, before I get too carried away, shout out to Jackson Dugan for that incredible National Anthem last week! 

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SPEAKING OF NOSTALGIA

I'm allowing myself one Chuck-ism (Iykyk):

If you only do two things this week TODAY: 1) Hug your children! and 2) Declare your swimmers!! 

Even if you're missing out on this weekend, declare them anyway!

Event sign-ups are open and close TODAY at 6P CDT. You can declare your swimmers here:

https://ccrseals.swimtopia.com/swim_meets/706249/s...

MEET ENTRY DETAILS

• We are limiting the number of individual events to three (3)
• The event order will be: 1. IM (fly/back/breast/free) / 2. Butterfly / 3. Backstroke / 4. Freestyle Relay / <<S.E.A.L.'s RELAY>> / 5. Freestyle (point where many think, “Could that damn meet director spend less time heckling Richard and more time speeding things up?!”) / 6. Breaststroke / 7. Medley Relay (back/breast/fly/free)

Meet Timeline:

5:45A: Set-up Crew begins / early shift Gatekeepers arrive

6:15A: Age Group Parents check in

6:30A: Age Group Parents ready to check in swimmers

6:40A: Swimmers and all other volunteers arrive and check in

7:00A – 7:25A: Seals warm up

7:20A: Volunteer group meetings and system testing

7:25 – 7:50A: Barracudas warm up (Fun Fact: A large group of barracudas is called a battery!)

7:50A: First call to Ready Bench

7:55A: National Anthem (Performed this week by Faye Daughtry!)

8:00A: Meet begins

10:00A: Volunteer shift change

12:00P: Meet ends

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THE MY BUDDY JINGLE

I need you all to have this etched in your brain like that infernal (iconic?) jingle ... DO NOT PRESUME YOU KNOW ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

My Buddy, My Buddy ...

• Our friends at Circle C Aquatics are more lenient with the hard capacity limit for the pool complex when they *see a constant flow of people* coming in and out of the complex.
• We therefore strongly encourage you to come and view your swimmers’ events, but respectfully ask that you return to the Plaza Park when the event is concluded. That's the area beyond the fence with the tarps and tents and children.

... Wherever I go, he goes!

• That *necessary*, constant flow of people requires ALL to come in, watch event heats, and then exit the complex.
• I know the picnic tables and retaining walls look comfortable, and available, and super convenient. However, we're NOT ALLOWED to hang out in the pool complex *unless* you have a badge and a job.
• Ingress & Egress allowed *ONLY* through the OG Spectator Gate or the Newly Minted Spectator Gate, not the YOU SHALL NOT PASS Gate. Seriously. We had a number of spectators flowing in and out through the upper gate last week. 
• Please abide by the rules, even if they don't make sense to you! We're all in this together!!

My Buddy, My Buddy ...

• Also for safety reasons, ONLY coaches, swimmers and select volunteers are allowed on the pool deck at the start and finishing areas (side of pool is fine; we ask that you be careful not to block the path of lifeguards - stay a step back from the pool edge).
• And absolutely no photos or videos from directly behind the starting blocks.

... I'll teach him everything, IIIIII know!

• Should a lifeguard, member of Circle C Aquatics staff, or Seals volunteer (which can be hard to distinguish, I realize) ask you and your family to relocate (or do anything!), you must follow their instructions.
• PLEASE CONTACT ME AHEAD OF THE MEET FOR ACCOMMODATIONS for disabled or elderly family members. If we know ahead of time, we can make arrangements with the Aquatics staff

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THE HAND-ME-DOWN REMINDER

We continue to respectfully ask that parents do not set up their chairs in age group tents. We now also ask that parents do not set up their chairs adjacent to the tents either. Parents in tents, who are not Age Group Volunteers, make it harder for Ready Bench and others to know who to speak to, and parents adjacent to tents distract swimmers. Please consider this my permission to ditch your kids with the tent parents for the duration of the meet. As always, please check in with your tent parent when dropping off, and please check out with your tent parent should you leave AT ANY TIME with your child.

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THE TEDDY RUXPIN RECORDING

• Volunteer changes should be made before Wednesday (TODAY) at 6P. If you have any last minute changes, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Bethany Pendleton at [email protected]
• There is NO parking on Escarpment. Please park on LaCrosse, east of Escarpment. The CDC and Kiker parking lots are open to Seals families and our guests. Also, please do not park in the spots reserved for mail pickup
• Drop and pick-up in the Plaza Circle is also an option
• No chairs for spectators in the pool area and no camping out in the pool area (yes -- saying it again). We have accommodations for fans with disabilities or the elderly. PLEASE REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO ME.
• There is no playing in the sand (kids and adults), no littering, and no leaving without signing your child out. Seriously - do not put tent parents through the hassle of chasing down missing kids! Alert them that you have your child.
• The DIVE CAFE will be OPEN and serving their bodacious and tubular Meet Menu, complete with Breakfast Tacos, Donut Holes, and various other items to power your swimmers (and sustain you through the final hours of the meet)
• Kona Ice will also be there -- please study the meet schedule to strategize on the best time to visit the truck AND please let an AGP know whenever you are taking your swimmer on a walkabout
• Travelin' Tom's Coffee, the truck we need Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs to locate, will also be onsite. Will it, really? 

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

If you made it this far, do we ever have a treat for you! Our fundraising raffle last week was just a trial run for the main event this Saturday. Local Austin furniture store (and Amazing Seals partner) FOUR HANDS has provided us two pieces of art for our fundraising raffle at this week's home meet.

• Landscape 3 by Fox Studios - 40"x40" - Retail value of $1,349.00
• See Through Blue by FH Art Studio  - 48"x48" - Retail value of $1,199.00

You will be able to delegate your raffle ticket entries to the art you desire most (or split your entries as you wish)! All raffle tickets will then be combined as we draw a winner for a gift card from our amazing sponsor, Blue Gardenia Boutique!!! 

Raffle Tickets are $1 Each, and there's no limit to the number of tickets you may purchase. All proceeds will be used toward splash fees at Champs ($1,800) and capital expenditures for the Seals (new starter equipment, potential upgrades to timing equipment, and/or DJ equipment, etc.). Thank you in advance for your support! 

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THE RICK ASTLEY BIT 

I know it. You know it. I know you know it.

HAVE FUN! 

WEAR ORANGE!! (Support the Seals Team Store: https://stores.inksoft.com/circlec/shop/home)

COME READY TO PARTY!!!

MAKE AMAZING MEMORIES WITH YOUR KIDDOS!!!!

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Thanks for EVERYTHING and GO SEALS!

Joel Stubblefield, Meet Director

[email protected] | 704-451-9705

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2025 SEALS SCHEDULE

[HOME] SUNDAY, MAY 4 - TIMING MEET @ 9A (First Event)

[HOME] SATURDAY, MAY 10 - BELTERRA @ 8A (First Event)

[AWAY] SATURDAY, MAY 17 - SHADY HOLLOW @ 8A (First Event)

[HOME] SATURDAY, MAY 31 - TSD @ 8A (First Event)

[HOME] SATURDAY, JUNE 7 - SAAB @ 8A (First Event)

[AWAY] SATURDAY, JUNE 14 - WESTERN OAKS @ 8A (First Event)

[AWAY] SATURDAY, JUNE 21 - CHAMPS