Hello CMA Families -
Welcome to our Fall 2026 season!
This is week 1 of 11
*This email contains IMPORTANT information regarding our fall season. Please read it in its entirety. Future weekly updates will not be this extensive and information dense.
Every week you will receive a weekly email update regarding the upcoming week and what to expect. Typically this email is sent out Monday mornings during the fall season. Each weekly email will include a PDF quick glance update. The quick glance pdf includes all important updates such as quick team updates, practice changes for that week, upcoming meets & deadlines, helpful links, other approaching deadlines, and practice plans for the week. Please make sure you are checking your emails on Mondays for updates and if you are not receiving emails from the team please let Denise know ASAP!
Attached to this email is:
An 'at a glance' weekly update for this week
September Practice Calendar (PDF)
Quick notes:
- Please review the practice calendar for times & locations
- Reminder Tuesday, September 8th is our first practice. We do have a location adjustment on day 1: Senior and Apex athletes will be practicing at Apollo High school on Tuesday, Sept 8th
- Virtual Team Parent Meeting on Thursday, September 10th at 7:00 pm. The meeting link can be found here: (See original email sent out for Google Meet Link)
- We are currently working on a team store with Elsmore Swim Shop. Once the team store is launched our families will have access to recommended practice equipment, team suits, and other various swimming related items.
- This is our first week of our 2026 Fall Season! Please be patient with our coaching staff as we adjust to new schedules, new athletes, and new pools. The first week can be a little chaotic for everyone so please extend grace to our staff as we will do the same in return for our athletes and families.
- New athletes to our Fall season (who have not participated on the team in a previous season since Spring 2026) will receive a new latex team cap the first week of practice.
- 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
What athletes need for practice every night:
- Swim Suit (one-piece for girls, jammers or speedo preferred for boys)
- Swim Cap
- Goggles (and a back up pair in case the first pair breaks)
- Water bottle - NO GLASS
- *Quarry Sharks & Apex Predators will need gym clothes and shoes for dryland practice. Most athletes choose to wear shorts and t-shirt over their suits.
- Equipment as suggested by coaching staff
Reminders for the new season:
- Athletes should plan to arrive to practice 10 min prior to the start of their practice. If you are earlier please expect to have to wait for a coach before being able to enter the pool area.
- Athletes will have access to locker rooms to change but they should plan to bring all their bags/items back out to the bleachers for safe keeping. We do share the locker rooms with other sports.
- Parents are welcome to observe practice but please remain in the bleachers.
- We ask that parents use the restrooms that are NOT the locker rooms:
- At Apollo the restroom is located in the hallway near door 11 (entrance door to Apollo for practice).
- At Sartell Middle School, restrooms are located outside the pool area to the right around the corner near the gym.
- At Sartell High School, restrooms are located just down the hallway from the pool.
- Any time there is a change in our practice schedule you will receive an email update.
- Email updates will include practice time changes, location address, and access door points.
- Reminder - as MN weather is often unpredictable and we do have to comply with ISD742 and ISD748 school closures & early releases. If there is a school closure/early release due to weather our practice will be canceled for the evening. Scheduled two hour early outs and delays do not affect our practice schedule.
- Severe Weather Safety Guidelines: In the event of severe weather during practice athletes will be removed from the water and head into the locker rooms to take shelter until the threat has passed. Parents are allowed to take their athletes with them if they deem that to be the safer option.
- If you download the Commit Swimming app you will have access to your athlete’s attendance, meet performance, and push notifications from the team.
Meets / Events Updates:
- Home Intrasquad Meet - Monday, September 21st @ Sartell Middle School
- Registration is Open, Registration closes September 18th at 8:00 pm
- This meet is encouraged for all Shark Developmental Levels, specifically athletes new to competing.
- This meet will be in place of practice on Monday (9/21) for all Shark Groups
- Volunteers are NEEDED! Please sign into your team account through the team website for volunteer sign ups, position details, and reach out with any questions. We can not run successful meets without the help of volunteers!
- Aquajet Invite - Saturday, September 26th @ Eden Prairie, MN
- Registration is Open, Registration closes September 13th at 11:59 pm
- AM Events are listed as ‘Open’ age category
- PM Events are listed as 12u age category
- Home Invitational - Friday, October 2nd @ Sartell High School
- Registration is Open, Registration closes September 25th at 8:00 pm
- This meet is encouraged for ALL Fall CMA athletes with the exception of Lil’Chompers.
- This meet will be in place of practice on Friday (10/2)
- We are hosting other teams who will be traveling for this meet.
- Volunteers are NEEDED! Please sign into your team account through the team website for volunteer sign ups, position details, and reach out with any questions. We can not run successful meets without the help of volunteers!
With our website being hosted through Commit Swimming, our coaches are able to take attendance and access the workouts for the day via the commit app on their phones. You may notice our coaches on their phones more often to access the workout for the day. We are closely monitoring this and have set expectations regarding mobile devices on the pool deck. If you have concerns regarding this please reach out to either Coach Annika (Annika.Bordak@swimcma.com) or Coach Mack (Mack.Sathre@swimcma.com) via email.
A look ahead:
- Please make sure to review the monthly practice calendar regularly. There are changes to the practice schedule in week 2 due to pool availability.
- Week 3 will come FAST! The start of week 3 is our intrasquad meet. Please keep an eye on meet registration deadlines.
*Typically our weekly updates are not this long, we promise 🙂
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
We are looking forward to a great Fall season!
CMA Staff