Greetings Parents,

We are excited to announce two new initiatives designed to build team spirit and strengthen the bonds across our age groups!

The Buddy Program (Creating Pods)

Our goal is to pair our younger swimmers with older mentors to help guide them through meets, offer encouragement, and build lasting friendships.

• 6U & 8U Swimmers: Can sign up to receive a "Big Buddy."
• 12U & 14U Swimmers: Will serve as "Big Buddies" (Mentors).
• 10U Swimmers: Can sign up as "Sidekicks" to be part of a pod and assist a Big Buddy.

Since we have more "littles" than older swimmers, some Big Buddies will be matched with up to three younger swimmers. If your 6U/8U swimmer has a specific request, please let us know; we will do our absolute best to accommodate everyone.

Action Required: Please reply by Friday, May 15th if your swimmer would like to participate!  Buddy (Pod) Signup

Team Spirit & Buddy Announcement Party

To kick off the program and announce pairings, we are hosting a Team Building Spirit Party!

• When: May 21st
• Where: The Keeler Room (Spirit Room)
• Time: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Activities: Buddy announcements and team crafts, including dolphin bracelets, bag tags, and signs for cheering on buddies.

Practice Schedule Update: May 21st

To ensure everyone can participate in the festivities, we will adjust our practice structure for this day. Practice will maintain its normal hours but will be split between the pool and the Keeler Room:

• First Half: Pool practice (shortened slightly).
• Second Half: Team-building exercises and crafts in the Keeler Room.

Example for 10U:

• 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Pool
• 5:30 PM – 6:15 PM: Keeler Room

Note: If you do not want to participate in crafts, you are welcome to stay in the pool for a full practice. Age groups may look a little different during this time. Please feel free to come early or stay late to finish your crafts!

We look forward to seeing the team come together!

Best regards,

Coach Beth
Go Dolphins!