Newsletter 3, 5/10/2008

Otters

Lets Gather for a "Sweet Start"

of the 2008 swim season!

Remaining Registration Sessions:

The next Otters Swim Team registration session is at the Quince Orchard Swim and Tennis (QOST) Club's upstairs clubhouse on Sunday, May 18th from 3:00-6:00pm.  It is required that families register with QOST Club before registering with the Otters Swim Team. As a parent volunteer swim team, it can't be successful without everyone helping.  So complete the registration, we require families to pay, sign up, and commit (in person) to 4 duties during the season. Therefore, please review the swim season calendar on the web site to coordinate your availability for meets and events – 4 jobs minimal.

If you cannot make the previous 2 sessions, families are strongly encouraged to register in-person by the final registration session on:                     

 - Tuesday, May 27, 2007   4:45 PM - 6:45 PM         

Underwater Wear representatives will be on hand to sell the new team swim suits during the May 18^th and 27th registrations.

Note:  A swimmer MUST complete all registration processes with the QOST Club and the Qtters Swim Team before being able to participate in any swim practices. Therefore, if you miss the scheduled registrations, applicants must locate the Board member volunteering to process registrations at practices.   DO NOT give registrations to Coaches as they are busy conducting practices.

Gaithersburg Indoor Swim Center: Status Up-date (5-8-08) to MCSL:

Below is a letter to MSCL from the City Of Gaithersburg Aquatics director regarding the proposed swim center on the former National Geographic property located at Edison Park Drive & Rt. 28.   Basically in a nutshell, funding is still in the 2009 budget but the city council needs to hear from members of the swim community if this is going happen.  Please see details in the letter below.

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Hello again,

Recently at your requests I sent you a description of the facility and programs, as well as a project status report regarding the Gaithersburg Aquatic/Recreation Center. I hope you shared this with your boards, pool members, and neighbors so that they too might be better informed.
 
I have received questions as to what can be done to show support for this project. Permit me to up-date you further:

* The City of Gaithersburg Mayor and Council will hold their last public hearing on the FY09 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) this coming Tuesday evening at City Hall. This meeting will focus only on the proposed facility and other construction projects for the coming year. The meeting starts at 7:30 PM, and the time for public testimony regarding these projects is at the front of the agenda.

* Written testimony can be sent to the Gaithersburg Mayor & Council at any time at the following address:

City of Gaithersburg
31 S. Summit Ave.
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877
E-mail: cityhall@...

 * The good news as of this writing is that the funding for the pool-fitness facility for FY09 is still in the budget. However, staff have been directed to stop the project at the point of applying for permits, and before proceeding to final construction drawings and the bid process.

 * The City Council has suggested that they might seek additional financial contributions from the County Council before proceeding any further, since the location in on the City border with the County, and perhaps half of the users will be non-City residents.

 * Support for this project from the affected swim communities has been weak lately. (We determined from you this was due to a lack of awareness of the status). This has given credence to some who feel the need and desire is no longer strong, and they need to respond to the overtures from those who want a Senior Center and other projects to proceed first.

 As a result, there has been talk of canceling this project. One Council member recently said that if the community wants to save the project, they need to show support to the elected officials asap.

With the summer pools and teams beginning the new season, now will be the time to organize this support in terms of petitions, letters, testimony, and button holing elected officials. Involving the local papers to voice this opinion, and developing sustained support until the shovel goes into the ground will be necessary. An interested point person from each community is best.

In conclusion, the time is now for the swim community to support this wonderful opportunity for a modern indoor aquatic, fitness, and recreation facility that will meet their needs and reduce driving to other areas of the county for these services. If indeed there is apathy out there about this project, perhaps indeed it should be shelved indefinitely.   I hope to be available at the next two MCSL meetings (including tonight) should you wish to talk further. Have a great summer.

- Bill Bullough, Aquatics Director, City of Gaithersburg, Dept. of Parks, Recreation, & Culture                512 South Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20877 (301) 258-6445 x202, www.gaithersburgmd.gov
bbullough@...

Practice Times: (revise for 2008)

New Team Suits

It's that time again.  Every two years another team swim suit is selected. This year we have selected the:  Dolfin Equalizer in Green (of course). 

These suits will be made available for sizing and purchase at Otters Swim Team Registration through Underwater Wear, Inc.  Otherwise, suits can be purchase directly from Underwater Wear, Inc. located at 615 S. Fredrick Ave. (lower level B &C -on backside of building) Gaithersburg, MD 20877 – call for info (301) 527-8326.  They will accept cash, check or charge cards.  The suit costs are as follows:

- Girls suit                     $35      (#7502L-GRN)

- Boys Jammer             $26      (#8500L-GRN) 

- Boys Racer                $24      (GRN)

Drag suits will also be available for purchase.  Pictures of the suits are available on our Snapfish. photo site.     

Meet Officials Training 

Past team officials, please check your certification status at: www.mcsl.org. MCSL has free instructional clinics scheduled in May and June. These clinics focus on certification for officials and are open to all interested persons, free of charge. For a complete list of training dates and times, check our calendar on our website. Contact Mark Rogers at mr1856@... or Amy Cooley at amybcooley@... for additional information.

New Secure Team Photos Site at Snapfish!

There is now a group photo site for the team at Snapfish.  You can view and post your own photos to this group album. You can also comment on the photos. The site requires a free account and group password to access.

Get our newsletter via email !

Sign up today! - To receive this newsletter via e-mail, you will need to send an e-mail to: quinceorchardotters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. The purpose of this group is for newsletter distribution only and not for group members to post messages. This will be the only way to receive newsletters by e-mail but you will still be able to access the newsletters on our website. If you have any questions about subscribing to the newsgroup, please feel free to e-mail me at dsperbeck1@... or dsperbec@....

Coaching Staff / Board Contact information

Please contact one of the Board Members and/or Coaching Staff below if you have any questions during the summer swim season.

Go QO!!!      SWIM FAST!!!