Hello CMA Families -
This is Spring Season week 7 of 8
Attached to this email is:
An 'at a glance' weekly update for this week
All Shark Groups (Pond Pups through Apex Predators) are at APOLLO High School this week for their regularly scheduled practice times!
All Senior Groups are at Sartell High School this week!
Quick notes:
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- Please review the practice calendar for practice location updates
- Normal Week of Practice, BUT Shark Groups are at Apollo, Senior Groups at Sartell High School.
- Silicone Team Caps are available for order - Please reach out to Denise via email if your athlete would like a silicone team cap.
- Summer registration is LIVE (The start of Summer season is just 2 Weeks AWAY!)
- Summer Season Registration Link: https://team.commitswimming.com/register/Wp5freYS8niRnJLq9
- If your athlete is in a Shark Group and you want to register early for the summer season, please plan to register for the group they are currently in. We will be conducting move-up testing during weeks 7 & 8 of the season. If your athlete is ready to move groups you will be notified via email. Or you can wait to register until after move-up testing, there will be room for all CMA athletes to swim during the summer season if they would like to.
- Please make sure you update (or Register if you have not done so) your athlete’s USA Team Registration. Our Team Link can be found here: https://omr.usaswimming.org/omr/welcome/C5FDCDF50CA449
Meet Updates:
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- Summer Meets have registration deadlines coming up this month. Please make sure you review those opportunities if your athlete is planning on competing this summer.
- Alex Meet deadline: Tomorrow 5/19
- Aberdeen Closes 5/22
- TUNA Information still coming
- Sioux Falls Closes 5/27
- BAC Closes 5/25
Move-Up TESTING:
Shark practice groups are testing this week and next week. A few important things to know about testing:
- Testing can feel like a really big deal for some of our athletes, they put extra pressure on themselves to perform really well when in reality testing is an opportunity for coaching staff to collect some benchmark data (other than meets) to determine where athletes are at skillwise and endurancewise. Coaching staff will remind athletes to try their best and not worry about the results, but it is IMPORTANT for parents to echo this sentiment. Parents, your athletes will have some anxiety and big feelings these next two weeks over testing. It is imperative that you are their emotional rock, reassuring them with confidence and enthusiasm that you just want them to try their best and are proud of them for putting in their best effort each time (regardless of the results).
- How an athlete does on their move-up testing is not the only determining factor for if an athlete is ready to move to the next group. Coaches also take into consideration stroke development (proper legal skills), listening skills, emotional readiness, coachability, work ethic, etc.
- Coaches keep data from these sets to track improvement from season to season and for many of our athletes this is their first time completing the sets so this season’s data will be used as a starting point for future testing days. This information also helps the coaching staff plan for the next season in terms of development and focus items.
- If your athlete is ready to move to the next level practice group you will be notified in the next two weeks via email.
A look ahead:
- May 11th - 22nd there is switch up in practice locations. Starting May 11th all Shark Groups (Pond Pups through Apex Predators) will be practicing at Apollo High School. All Senior level groups will move to Sartell High School. This switch will last for two weeks (May 11 - May 22nd).
Please reach out with any questions throughout the season - Email is the easiest way to reach out. Reminder if it is a ‘Dry-side’ Administrative question please reach out to Denise at Denise.lenarz@swimcma.com All ‘Wet-side’ Coaching/Practice/Meet participation questions should be sent to either Coach Annika at Annika.Bordak@swimcma.com or Coach Mack at Mack.Sathre@swimcma.com
Thank you
CMA Staff