State Age Groups Meet Announcement

State Age Groups Meet Announcement

April 20-22^nd

Oro Valley Municipal Pool

23 W. Calle Concordia– Tucson, AZ

(520) 297-5279

Sanction: USSSI and Arizona Association Synchronized Swimming

Rules: 2012 USSSI Rules will govern.

Eligibility: All competitors must be registered amateur members of USSSI .

Figures:

Age Group 12 and under, Intermediate, Collegiate “D”					Masters "A"
101R/L	Ballet Leg Single	1.6			101	Ballet Leg Single	1.6
360	Walkover, Front	2.1			320	Somersault, Front Pike	1.7
344	Neptunus	1.8			344	Neptunus	1.8
301	Barracuda	2.0			301	Barracuda	2.0
Age Group 13-15, Collegiate “C”					Masters "B"
420	Walkover Back		2.0		101R/L	Ballet Leg Single	1.6
355e	Porpoise Spinning 360		2.1		360	Walkover, Front	2.1
301d	Barracuda Spinning 180		2.1		301d	Barracuda Spinning 180	2.1
140	Flamingo Bent Knee		2.4		140	Flamingo Bent Knee	2.4
Junior and Age Group 16-19, Collegiate “B”
313	Kip Split Closing 180		2.5
112f	Ibis Continuous Spin (720°)		2.8
307	Flying Fish		3.0
115c	Catalina Twirl		2.8

Pre-Swimmers: There will be pre-swimmers for the figure competition. The pre-swimmer at each panel will be the last swimmer in the block of swimmers that start at each panel. For example: Panel 1 starts with 1-15. Swimmer 15 is the pre-swim.

Event Format: Please be aware of the schedule. The order of events, including the order of warm-ups, are different then a typical Arizona competition schedule.

Schedule: This schedule is tentative and subject to change depending on the number of entries,

weather and availability of judges.

Friday, April 20th

4:30-4:50 pm Lap Swim

4:50-5:10 pm All Solos Warm-up (2 warm-ups)

5:10-5:20 pm Seat Judges and Volunteers

5:20-7:00 pm All Solo Competition – beginning with Intermediates

7:00-7:10 pm 16 & Over Duet Warm-up

7:10-7:20 pm Seat Judges and Volunteers

7:20-8:00 pm 16 & Over Duet Competition

Saturday, April 21

7:00-7:30 Lap Swim

7:30-7:50 12 & Under AG/Intermediate/Masters A Figure Warm-up

7:50-8:00 Seat Judges and Volunteers

8:00-9:40 12 & Under AG/Intermediate/Masters A Figure Competition

9:40-10:00 13-15 AG/Masters B Figure Warm Up

10:00-10:10 Seat Judges and Volunteers

10:10-11:10 13-15 AG/Masters B Figure Competition

11:10-11:30 16 & Over Figure Warm-up

11:30-11:40 Seat Judges and Volunteers

11:40-12:40 16 & Over Figure Competition

12:40-1:00 Lunch Break

1:00-1:10 Intermediate/12 & U AG Trio Warm-up

1:10-1:20 Seat Judges and Volunteers

1:20-2:20 Intermediate/12 & U AG Trio Competition

2:20-2:40 13 & Over Trio Warm-up (2 warm-ups)

2:40-2:50 Seat Judges and Volunteers

2:50-3:30 13 & Over Trio Competition

3:30-3:50 Intermediate/12 & U AG Duet Warm-up (2 warm-ups)

3:50-4:00 Seat Judges and Volunteers

4:00-5:15 Intermediate/12 & U AG Duet Competition

5:15-5:25 Intermediate and Master Team Warm-up

5:25-5:35 Seat Judges and Volunteers

5:35-6:15 Intermediate and Master Team Competition

Sunday, April 22

8:00 – 8:20 am Lap swim

8:20-8:40 13-15 AG Duet Warm-up (2 warm-ups)

8:40-8:50 Seat Judges and Volunteers

8:50-10:00 13-15 AG Duet Competition

10:00-10:40 All Team Warm-ups (4 warm-ups)

10:40-10:50 Seat Judges and Volunteers

10:50-1:00 All Team Competition

1:30 Clean-up and Awards

Coaches, please note that warm-ups will begin immediately after the preceding competition is finished.

Please note that this schedule is tentative! It is subject to change based upon the number of entries, judge & volunteer availability, pool conditions, and weather.

Awards: Medals will be awarded for 1st to 3rd place, ribbons for 4th-8th.

Snackbar: A snack bar will be available throughout the competition, and there will be designated eating areas.

Please keep all coolers and food in the grassy areas.

Knoxing: There will be a designated knoxing area posted at the pool; please be respectful of the areas and keep them clean. No knoxing is permitted in the pool area or locker rooms and you will not be able to remove your knox at the pool.

There will be a $100 fine for any athlete found washing their hair out in the pool or the showers or removing bobby pins in the pool.

Sound Equipment: Arizona Association sound equipment (cassette or CD) will be used. Please be advised that if you are using a CD, please have a back-up CD or cassette, in case we have technical problems.

General Info: The pool is available only to the swimmers competing in this age group meet. No family members/friends will be permitted to use the pool. Thanks for your cooperation.

Why Wouldn't You?

I’m cheap. I freely admit it. In fact, I can seldom have a conversation without telling someone about a deal I got somewhere. It’s one of the things I love about Coach Becky because she’s even more “frugal” than I am, which is an important fact I will address in a bit.

The economy is awful. Grocery prices have gone up drastically. Movies cost nearly $10 per person. I don’t know anyone who is getting a raise or COLA this year. So given these facts, I am a tad perplexed at the low number of Fry’s and Bashas’ cards we utilize as a team. Either you all are doing fabulous and I need to know if your workplace is hiring, or there are some misconceptions about the cards. If it is the latter, I will attempt to clarify the process:

1. You buy a reloadable Fry’s or Bashas’ card from the team in any amount over $5.00

2. You use the card to buy groceries.

3. You get at least 2%, or up to 4%, of your grocery purchases back on your team account.

4. The team gets 1%.

Note, once you buy the card, you never have to talk to me about grocery cards again. You can reload it right at the customer service counter or even at the register BEFORE you buy the groceries. You win, the team wins, it all adds up. I am not sure it can get much simpler. If you shop at Safeway, you can get the cards through eScrip.com, which is explained in the attached information.

I know “fundraising” has become a ridiculous part of our lives. Everyone is fundraising, but the grocery cards can be a huge benefit to you. The more we use the cards, the higher the percentage increment we receive back. So while 2% on a $500 grocery bill will get you a $10 credit on your account, the amounts will go up in proportion to the amount of people spending and utilizing the cards. Really, $10 a month is a great savings, and every little bit adds up now-a-days.

Another thing I am is passionate about this team. Why? My daughter has hypothyroidism so exercise is vital to her well-being. She was bullied, hit and verbally abused in two schools, socially she was an outcast, but at Arizona Desert Dolphins, she discovered herself. She was accepted, encouraged and involved. My husband and I watched as her confidence blossomed and her circle of friends increased in spite of her quirks. This team, with the fabulous swimmers and coaches, brought our daughter from a place of no self-worth to a position of confidence and hope. This is why Joe and I work so hard for this team, even to the point of heading the Fundraising Committee. We see Coaches Becky and Lorette pour into these girls, take into consideration every cost and adhere to a budget (hence the frugalness). They get we aren’t all lottery winners. More importantly, they get how important it is for young women to have a place of acceptance and sense of team, and they work hard to create that environment in AZD.

Please review the attached eScript information, it is an amazing way to earn funds for your account and the team, particularly if you give gift cards at Christmas. Please e-mail me with your request and the amount you want on your Fry’s or Bashas’ card, then put a check for that amount – payable to AZD – in my folder so I can keep track of orders and forward the funds to our Treasurer, Jessie Nichols.

Written by Dana Hansen, AZD Fundraising Chairperson

Rubber Ducky Migration of 2011

Synchro Mamas..... Off and Swimming!

Our Synchro Mamas Daytime workouts began last week.

The workouts are fabulous, and are total-body workouts which include yoga, Pilates, core strength and stability, swimming and stroke technique, water aerobics, and of course.... SYNCHRO!!

Workouts are also designed to be fun and non-intimidating, so whether you love the water or dread it.... you'll love Synchro Mamas!

Come see what the splashing is all about!

Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

8:45-9:45 am at Skyline.

Cost: $25 per month.

Musings of a Synchro Mom

Musings of a Synchro Mom

by Pam Parron-Saletri

Starting synchro for the first time or simply starting up again for a new season is an adventure. Parents and daughters alike wonder what this year will bring: Who will be on their team? What music will they have? What will their suits look like? Will their figures improve???

New to synchro? Then maybe you’re just wondering what to expect. When my daughter first tried synchro, I never realized how much there was to this incredible sport. Every year brings a greater admiration of what our girls do in the water. First and foremost, this is a sport that demands that our daughters become well-rounded athletes with strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, poise, and speed. It is like aquatic gymnastics practiced individually (figures) and then those movements plus so much more become an aquatic dance put to music complete with team suits/costumes & make-up & hair that is perfectly synchronized as a group performance. Sounds beautiful, right? It is amazing! Make no mistake though, this is a competitive sport.

To be competitive, our girls need to be at every practice. They need to be prepared with the right stuff: swimsuit, goggles, noseclip, cap, and towel. They need to be prepared physically: SUNSCREEN (pre-applied), lots of drinking water (water at pool is warm, yuck!), fueled (eat HEALTHY snacks ½ hour before practice), and flexible. Yes, the girls do stretch at the pool, but the more they stretch at home, the more prepared they will be.

The first month of practice will be about a lot of physical conditioning and the correct basic body positions and moves (hybrids). This gives the girls the foundation to build a successful synchro season. It also allows the coaches the time to assess which girls will be grouped together into teams. A team is any group of 4-8 swimmers usually assembled based on age group and skill level. This team will become known by the title/theme of their music, and eventually their own team suits that match the mood of their music for competition. Swimmers need to develop individually and as a group,as they prepare for competitions.

Although there won’t be a complete (figures and routine) competition until 2012, this is what our girls work for and will explain some of the required “gear” purchased at registration. When the girls arrive at a competition, fundraiser, or charity event as a team, they wear their AZD Team Uniform (black polo shirt and green shorts), or their team sweats, (jacket and pants suit). This identifies them as Desert Dolphins. Upon entering the water at a competition to “warm-up,” the same idea applies. Team (Desert Dolphin) suits & caps help our coaches (and us!) identify our swimmers from the other 50 girls in the water warming-up. After warm-ups have finished, the girls quickly change into the suit they will need.

Figure Competition: This is an individual competition that will also factor into the team’s (8 girls) final scores. At a figure competition, the girls will move to four different groups, called panels, of judges to perform a different figure. (A specified sequence of body positions and movements judged on control and design.) Each girl is randomly assigned a number so that all Teams present will be mixed up. The girls must wear a plain black suit and a plain white cap. This black suit will be referred to as the “figure suit” and the white cap as the “figure” cap.

Finally my fellow parents or other responsible adults new to swimming, there is one thing I have to warn you about & you will either accept it or learn to accept this. (I was a slow learner.) I always bought the swim suits or the AZD clothes considering the “growth factor.” Here is the fact about swimsuits for competition & long practices where suits are used for more than recreational wear….

Ready?...

These suits must be tight…at first, perhaps, uncomfortably tight.

Being a modest mother on a budget, this did not appeal to me. So my daughter’s first year, I made purchases based on my way of thinking…

Another synchro mom is a witness to the fact that I sat at our sons’ soccer game sewing and desperately trying to salvage a month old Speedo suit that had become stretched out and deformed.

It didn’t work…

Trust the coaches and Carri, our wonderful seamstress, the suits need to be tight.

Welcome to synchro! Welcome to the Desert Dolphins! Or simply welcome back! There are a lot of us, but stretch out a hand and introduce yourself. Ask questions…you are not alone in this adventure of synchro 2011-12. Good luck, girls! (Good luck, parents!)

Fit Flippers Aquatic Bootcamp for Kids! A Fun Fitness Bootcamp, IN and OUT of the water!

Formerly known as Tough Kids, this bootcamp is designed to keep your kids in busy and active this fall.

Kids need to be between 6-12, and must already know how to swim unassisted.

Participants will gain strength, speed and endurance both in the water and out by high-intensity but fun training designed for kids!

Saturdays: 10:00-11:30 am

Session One: September 10-October 29

Session Two: November 5-December 17

Session Three: January 7-February 25

Session Four: March 3-April 21

Session Five: April 28-June 16

Cost $35 per session

Skyline Pool

845 S. Crismon Rd.

Mesa, AZ 85208

Contact us for more information:

info@azdolphins.com or 480-313-4350

Back to Basics is here!!

Tuesdays and Thursdays: 4:30-6:30 pm at Skyline!!

Be there!!

Dessert Night extends into the wee hours of the night, or should I say.... morning?

Thank you to the parents that joined us for Dessert Night last night!

Not only did we complete the 32 headpieces that needed to be worked on last night, we also rang in the morning, and with desserts to spare!!

You guys were wonderful, and we enjoyed working with you and chatting with you last night.

We truly have an awesome family here on the Desert Dolphins!

Next week... here we come!

Tough Kids and Adult Endurance swim + synchro

More details on Tough Kids Classes and our Adult Endurance Swim+ synchro class will be at www.urbanswimandfitness.com

Bone Marrow Registry Drive

Come show your support by signing up for the Bone Marrow Registry. This drive is being held on Oct. 26-27 from 8-4 pm at MCC (near the clock tower).

This event has been organized by a former Desert Dolphin Family who have a daughter that was diagnosed with Cancer of the Lymph Nodes.

See the link for the informational video.

I hope to see many of you there!

Did you know.....

Did you know the Coaches are available for private lessons?

If you're looking for a leg up on the competition, check with your coach.

Our coaches are able to schedule a private lesson with your daughter on Figures or Routines.

Private lessons are flexible with the coaching staff and offer athletes one-on-one attention. They are suitable for any athlete on our team and any level.

Sometimes athletes and parents prefer to do this individually, or in a group setting, with two or more athletes. When doing a private lesson with two or more athletes, it's still the same price, and you split the cost with your team mates.

Here's the private lesson rates:

Coach Lorette: $30 per hour

Coach Becky: $30 per hour

Coach Lisa: $30 per hour

Coach Kendra: $30 per hour

Coach Katelyn: $20 per hour

Coach Sarah: $18 per 30 minutes, or $30 per hour

Individual Flexibility Stretch Session with Coach Becky: recommended $10 donation to team per 30 minutes.

No practice today!!! Enjoy the storms and stretch your splits!

Here's some stretching videos so you can work on your flexibility tonight!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVq9nL_tLbo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaiIMUQftVI&feature=related

Have Fun!!

Tough Kids Bootcamp starts THIS Saturday!

TOUGH KIDS SWIMMING

TIME CHANGE! 
10:30-NOON (This will allow us more pool time/space)
BRIMHALL POOL
STARTING SEPTEMBER 11TH
REGISTER- INFO@AZDOLPHINS.COM

AZD Team Store and Parent Meeting

AZD Team Store Tonight!!

4:30-6 pm in the Classroom

Followed by our September Parent Meeting! You won't want to miss it!!

See you all there!

New Parent Orientation

You won't want to miss the New Parent Orientation

Thursday August 19th

Brimhall Pool

6 pm

Come ready to get answers to all your questions!

See you then!

You won't want to miss this exciting class for boys and girls!

Forward to all your friends, and bring your kids down!

Kids need to be able to swim across the dive tank.
No child will feel left out- they will do the workout according to their ability!
EX- 5 year old -Run 200 meters, 5 push-ups, swim 25 meters.
10 year old - Run 400 meters, 10 push-ups, swim 100 meters.
All classes are taught by Certified Crossfit Kids Instrutor, Sarah Williams.
To purchase your punch card email: info@azdolphins.com or call 480.313.4350. Also available at Desert Dolphin annual registration Saturday Aug 14th 8-10am
Class starts September 11th.

AZD Slideshow 2010

I hope you all enjoy the slideshow!

Synchro Sculling Videos: Check it out!