Good morning, Team Seals!

Thank you ALL for your support this season! Saturday will be our last league meet - at Western Oaks - to be followed by CHAMPS on Saturday, June 21st. More information on Champs will follow later this week, and you will see swimmer sign-ups for Champs starting very soon.

I believe it was Horace Greeley who once said, "Go West, young man. Where the Dolphins frolic through the clear, chlorinated waters of the oaks, and the Seals are as plentiful as the stars above."

On Saturday, our pod of Seals descends on Western Oaks, another small-ish pool for a rather large meet. Read on for your meet logistics. 

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Make sure to declare your swimmers before 6:00P CDT, Wednesday. THAT'S TODAY! You can declare your swimmers here:

https://ccrseals.swimtopia.com/swim_meets/706252/swim_meet_entries

MEET ENTRY DETAILS

ADDRESS: 5001 Woodcreek Blvd. Austin, TX 78749.

• This is a 5-lane pool, 25 yards long, and 3.5' deep on the end for flip turns. This is deeper than Shady Hollow, but not by much. We are limiting the number of individual events to three (3) to protect everyone's health and sanity.
• As always, if there is any risk in your Saturday plans, please do not sign up for relays. Adjusting relay teams is as much fun as collecting envelopes. Not stamps ... just envelopes.
• The event order will be: 1. IM (fly/back/breast/free) / 2. Butterfly / 3. Backstroke / 4. Freestyle Relay / 5. Freestyle (point where every parent rethinks the amount of caffeine they need to get through a full meet) / 6. Breaststroke / 7. Medley Relay (back/breast/fly/free)
• Meet theme: Tutus, Tiaras, and Top Hats  - Western Oaks saves this theme for their last home meet every season, and they go all out. I have been told Richard Spencer will be dressed like Lloyd Christmas attending a $500 a plate dinner.

MEET TIMELINE

6:00A: Set-up Crew begins

6:30A: Age Group Parents check in

6:45A: Age Group Parents ready to check in swimmers

7:00A: Swimmers and all other volunteers arrive and check in

7:20A – 7:50A: Circle C Seals warm up

7:30A: Head Volunteer meetings on the pool deck. 

• Timers & Runners: Meet under the canopy near the pool house and restrooms
• Stroke and Turn Judges, Scribes, DQ runners: Meet at the 11 and up Ready Bench near the computer table.
• Ready Bench: Meet at the 10 and Under Ready Bench under the large shade structure on the East end of the pool, opposite end of the pool from the restrooms
• Awards/Ribbons: Meet at the computer table

7:50A: First call to Ready Bench

7:55A: EVENT 1, HEAT 1 TO THE STARTING BLOCKS

7:57A: National Anthem

8:00A: Meet begins

~11:00A: Volunteer shift change*

*NOTE* - Western Oaks pool is not ruled with an iron fist. During the break, after event #38 (Men's 13-18 Freestyle Relay) and before event #39 (Girls 6 and under Freestyle), everyone is welcome to cool off in the pool and dance to the music (presumably at the same time). Imagine if Magic Claw hosted the swim meet ...

Magic Claw?

I am not dad. I am Magic Claw. Magic Claw has no children. His days are free and easy.

~2:00P: Meet ends (we will do everything in our power to shave off  time and end early. I suggested a game of Musical Chairs to determine which team won, but they realized we have a professional on our side, and that would be unfair.)

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VOLUNTEER REMINDER

Any volunteer changes/additions, please contact our Volunteer Coordinators, Bethany and Alison via email at ccsealsvolunteercoordinator@gmail.com.

ALSO - VOLUNTEER SIGN-UPS are OPEN FOR CHAMPS! Prepare to hear this message over and over again, but Champs is an all-hands-on-deck scenario. Even if you've hit your points requirement, or even if you're the partner/spouse/significant other of an exempt head parent, we need YOU! If you have a swimmer attending Champs, please pick up a volunteer shift.

https://ccrseals.swimtopia.com/swim_meets/726565/shift_assignment

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IMPORTANT LOGISTICAL NOTES [please read this time]

• Parking: There are 2 options for Parking (please read below and see attached map)

1. Parking is available in the West lot (and West lot only) of St. Catherine's of Siena Church located at 4800 Convict Hill Road, Austin, TX 78749. This is almost directly across the street from the Hampton Branch of the Austin Public Library. The pool is just a short 1/10 of a mile walk (with sidewalks) across the field from the back of the parking lot. Just follow the signs and head towards the playground and tennis courts! Please do not park in the East lot or you may be towed -- that is reserved for church functions. Please obey all parking rules and regulations including fire lanes and handicap parking spaces. There will be no access to the church buildings or restrooms. Unlike our pool parking where you just get slapped with a fluorescent sticker, you may be ticketed and/or towed for non-compliance with the parking rules.
2. On street parking is available within the neighborhood. Please be kind to Dolphin neighbors and do not block driveways. Beware of fire hydrants and marked crosswalks. Once again, unlike our pool parking where you get slapped with a fluorescent sticker, you may be ticketed and/or towed for non-compliance with the parking rules.

• Spectators: Spectator seating will be available under a large brown/tan pavilion on the side of the pool opposite the Western Oaks team zoo (opposite the purple tents on the attached aerial photo). Please be mindful of others in this space, and please no chairs on the pool deck itself. Best practice would be to have a seating area in the pavilion, walk to the pool deck for viewing your child's heat, then return to the pavilion. Seating here is first come, first serve. Additional seating is available around the complex under trees and in shade as you like. Canopy tents are welcome outside of the fenced area if you so desire.
• Concessions: The Dolphin Diner will be serving both breakfast (tacos and donuts) and lunch (pizza rolls and chicken sandwiches) during the meet, plus snacks, candy and cold drinks.
• Heat and HYDRATION: please send your swimmers with plenty to drink (we should all be drinking regularly whether we feel thirsty or not) and if your swimmers are in late relays, Gatorade, cooling towels and portable fans are also helpful.
• Comfort: Rain is in the forecast over the next several days, and while the clouds are a relief from the sun, the ground in the zoo will likely be wet. Please ensure your child has a chair and/or blankets/tarps/ground coverings to keep them clean and shiny for their heats.
• Relief: There will be port-a-potties outside the fence, along Woodcreek Road to supplement the pool restrooms. We ask that parents and spectators consider using these to help reduce the traffic on the pool deck itself.

(Finally, if all of the compass-requiring directions are confounding, please find me. I will arrive early to walk the pool and remain visible throughout the meet to answer any questions.)

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SEALS SPIRIT

We only have two more Saturdays to unapologetically wear Seals orange (outside of our HEB). Let's all be as unapologetically orange as possible Saturday! Yes, this can be done with Tutus, Tiaras, and Top Hats!!!

And while you may not receive your items in time for Champs, Seals gear is appropriate year round. Support the Seals Team Store: https://stores.inksoft.com/circlec/shop/home

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A SERIOUS NOTE

The season goes by in a flash! Make an extra special effort to have fun; lose your voice cheering for the Seals; and taking time out to thank someone who has made the start of your summer more fun! 

THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING!

Go Seals!!!

Joel Stubblefield, Meet Director

[email protected] | 704-451-9705

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2025 REMAINING SEALS SCHEDULE

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

[AWAY] SATURDAY, JUNE 21 - CHAMPS