Hello Hammerheads!   I can't believe we're at the start of a new, super season!  Grab a cup of coffee or a bottle of water and please read through all of this important information to get our Hammerhead season off to a great start! 

Coaches:  

•Coach Susan  (Me!) is back and ready to go for another super season!  I work at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (Yes, I use sign language all day at work), I coach the swim team @ FSDB, and think my Hammerhead Job is the best ever!  You can call or text me whenever (my phone is on do not disturb from 9:30-4:30 and I'll answer as soon as I'm able).  Text is honestly best, please just let me know which swimmer you belong to. 904-945-6564 (save this to your phone so you have it later).

•Coach Sandra - is a super swim mom of 3 Hammerheads, an IronMan triathlete, supply coordinator extraordinaire, and awesome assistant coach!  

•Coach L (aka Susan Lajeuneuse but that makes 2 Coach Susans and it gets confusing) also coaches for the St. Augustine Cyclones at the Palencia site, does swim lessons, and patrols our beaches to protect turtle nests.  We are thrilled to have her back! 

• Coach Danielle - grew up a Hammerhead, swam for Nease High School, and just graduated from UF.  She'll be with us in the afternoons until school is out and she leaves for her new job.  

•Coach Greg - our 'loudest' coach will be back for some of our evening practices after work and will fit in some early practices come summer.  

•Jr. Coaches - our amazing Jr. Coaches will be on deck once they get home from school to help and we couldn't do it without them!  Jr. Coaches, remember to text me if you can NOT attend practices, just so I know. 

Practices: 

Practices start Monday, April 15 and will be Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons until school is out.  Your practice/competition age is whatever age you will be on June 1st  ie. If a swimmer is 8 now, but will turn 9 on May 25, they need to practice/compete with the 9-10 group. 

• 9-12 year old:  4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
• 8 & unders: 5:30 - 6:15 pm
• 13 & up:  6:15 - 7:30 p.m. (for the first two weeks, we have to get out 30 min before sunset, so about 7:21'ish)

Please arrive 10 min early to stretch, get your hair in a ponytail, cap on, and goggles ready.  Enter through the gate near the bike racks, NOT the front gate. 

Swimmers under 14 are allowed to bike to practice (with parent permission - please wear a helmet) but must leave when their assigned practice time is over. They can not come early nor stay late, without a parent/guardian present, due to amenity center pool rules.

• Mondays:  the pool is technically closed, please remember no siblings, or swimmers, are allowed to swim/be in the water any time other than their assigned practice.  
• Tues. & Thurs.: We officially only have 5 lanes of the pool.  The last lane is reserved for lap swimmers.  We will be respectful of other residents who want to get in laps in lane 6.  

Swim Gear: 

Swimmers should wear shoes to practice, bring a towel, have a hair tie for long hair (I always have some on my swim bag), and please remember to bring your goggles!!!  Goggles are to swimmers what shoes are to soccer players or a racquet is to tennis players!  Our Jr. Coaches will be posting a video on the site on how to get a good fit from goggles.   **During practice, please leave your swim bags, shoes, clothes, etc. at the gazebo area between the pool and the beach volleyball court, NOT up near the fireplace (unless family is sitting there).   

Weather:  

Our afternoon practices always stand a chance of thunderstorms.  The rule is:  if there is lightning in the area, we have to clear the pool for 30 minutes after the last lightning strike.   If this happens at the beginning of a practice session, we will try to wait it out and get back in for the last half of practice.  If the radar shows it will take a while to clear, I will cancel that practice only.  It usually clears up and we can get later practices in.  Keep an eye on the Hammerhead FaceBook page and your email for updated info.  If there is light rain only, we can still practice (you're ALREADY wet! LOL).  I will NOT let swimmers bike home in a storm, I will stay with them until all they can be picked up.  Save my phone number in case:  904-945-6564

Swimmer E-mail:  if you want your swimmer to receive team emails, please include their email address when you sign into the Hammerhead Swimtopia site. 

Ok, Whew!! That was a lot of information Coach Susan!   I think that will get us through the first week!   Oh..... registration is still open and we really need some more 6&under boys and 11-12 year old boys!  Hammerheads... talk to your friends at school!  Let's get some awesome relays going this year!!!   If your friends live in Murabella or K&B, they have to swim at Murabella but others can swim for the Hammerheads!  

See you on the pool deck!  Gooooooooooooo Hammerheads!

Coach Susan (and Hank the Hammerhead who will be on my hat!)

904-945-6564