Vestavia Swim Association: VSA News

The first VSA swim meet is this Tuesday, June 4th, against Hoover Blue Thunder.   Please arrive at the home pool (Wald Park) at 4:45pm.  Warm-ups are from 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm.  Our VSA Guppies will swim around 5:40ish, and the meet will start at 6:00 pm.  Please note the following announcements from Coach Alex:

 - All swimmers need to wear caps at the meet. We'll have extras if someone forgets or hasn't gotten one yet;

- Swimmers should not leave the meet until they have spoken with the coaches about relays.

Tuesday, June 4 - VSA vs. HBT--Hoover Blue Thunder (home)

Tuesday, June 11 - bye

Saturday, June 15 - VSA Invitational  (home)

Tuesday, June 18 - VSA vs. HPR--Homewood Park & Rec (@ home pool but hosted by HPR)

Tuesday, June 25 - VSA vs. LJCC--Levite Jewish Community Center (away)

Tuesday, July 9 - VSA vs. MBC--Mountain Brook Country Club (home)

Tuesday, July 16 - VSA vs BCC--Birmingham Country Club (away)

Tuesday, July 23 - Family Fun and Awards Night 

Saturday / Sunday, July 27 & 28 - Senior County Championship (away - Crossplex)

Attached please find information regarding photo packages that are available for your swimmers' pictures.  You may complete the form at home and bring it with you ready to go on Friday AM.

Birmingham Swim League is offering tune-up clinics to help summer swimmers brush up on skills and get back in touch with the great sport of swimmimg.  See handout for more information including dates and registration instructions.

2013 swim practice times will be as follows:

AFTERNOON PRACTICES (May 20-23)

Turtles & Dolphins (10 and under) 3:45 - 4:45

Dolphins & Sharks (11 and up) 4:45 - 5:45

Guppies (Tuesday and Thursday only) 3:45 - 4:45

MORNING PRACTICES (begin May 28 and continue throughout summer)

All groups practice Monday through Friday

Guppies 7:55 - 8:30

Turtles 8:30 - 9:30

Dolphins 7:45 - 8:45

Sharks 9:00 - 10:15

Congratulations to all VSA swimmers on a great effort against Mountain Brook Club during our 1st meet.  VSA won the meet with a final score of 316 (VSA) - 127 (MBC).  Full meet results posted below.  Our next meet will be Tuesday, June 12th at home against Hoover Blue Thunder.

Our 2012 swim meet schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, June 5 - VSA vs. MBC (away)

Tuesday, June 12 - VSA vs. HBT (home)

Tuesday, June 19 - bye

Tuesday, June 26 - VSA vs. BCC (away)

Tuesday, July 10 - VSA vs. HPR (home)

Saturday, July 14 - VSA Invitational (home)

Tuesday, July 24 - VSA vs. GRY (away)

Tuesday, July 31 - Family Fun and Awards Night 

Saturday / Sunday, August 4 & 5 - Senior County Championship (away - Crossplex)

Congratulations VSA swimmers on a great meet against BCC.  The final meet score was VSA 244 - BCC 231.  Meet results are posted below.  Our next dual meet will be Tuesday, June 28th at our home pool against Hoover Summer Thunder.  Swimmers are to arrive at 4:45 pm for warm-ups at 5 pm.  The meet is scheduled to begin at 6 pm, with our Guppies swimming just prior to the start of the meet.  

 If you have volunteered to help with this meet, you should be receiving an e-mail within the next few days.  If you do not receive an e-mail, but would like to volunteer, we would welcome your help.  A volunteer meeting will be called on the pool deck during swimmer warm-ups to give instructions and finalize assignments.

 A few more  upcoming dates for you to remember:

NO swim practice July 4th

NO swim meet July 5th, but there will be practice as usual, July 5 - 8

Last dual meet July 12th is an away meet against Greystone YMCA

Divisionals are scheduled for Saturday, July 23rd at the Hoover Recreation Center.

Family Fun and Awards Night at the Wald Park Pool will be Tuesday evening, July 26th. 

We have combined the AM and PM sessions of the VSA Invitational.  All swimmers will compete together.  Please arrive at 6:45 am, to be ready for warm-ups at 7 am.  The meet is scheduled to begin at 8 am.  There will be a volunteer meeting held during warm-ups to finalize assignments and answer any questions.  In order to run an efficient meet, we will need at least one parent volunteer for every participating VSA swimmer.  With everyone's assistance, the entire meet should be completed by 2 PM.  

A full concession stand will be available during the meet with homemade chicken salad, muffins, and more.  It promises to be a very hot day at the pool, so please be sure you and your swimmers stay well hydrated!  Meet psych sheets are posted below.  We will see you at the pool.  GO VSA!!!!

The 2011 VSA Invitational will take place Saturday, June 18th at the Wald Park Pool.  You MUST complete a registration form for your child to be entered in this meet.

 Please click below for more information and the registration form.

Morning practices are officially underway.  Our first swim meet of the 2011 season will take place Tuesday, June 7th at our home pool.  We will be swimming against Homewood.  All competitive swimmers (Turtles, Dolphins and Sharks) will be entered to swim unless the coaches are notified otherwise.  Please leave a note in the coaches' box if your child will be unable to attend.  Guppies are invited to swim a 25 yard lap across the pool before this meet begins.  There will be cheering and ribbons for all!!

 Thank you to all of those who signed up to work at this meet.  You should be receiving an e-mail reminder soon.  There will be a meeting during warm-ups that afternoon for volunteers to receive instructions and have questions answered.

 And finally, be watching for more information regarding our VSA Invitational which will take place Saturday, June 18th!!

Welcome to all 2011 VSA team members, both new and returning!  Our season will officially begin Monday, May 23rd with the start of afternoon practices.  Turtles and Dolphins (10 and under) will practice Monday through Thursday from 3:45 - 4:45 PM.  Sharks and Dolphins (11 and up) will practice Monday through Thursday from 4:45 - 5:45 PM.  Guppies will practice Tuesday and Thursday from 3:45 - 4:45 PM.

 Please make plans to drop in for Spirit Day on Friday, May 27th between 8 and 9:30.  Team swimsuits will be available for sale, pictures will be taken and t-shirts will be handed out to those swimmers who registered prior to May 15th.  (All others will receive their t-shirts before our first meet on June 7th.)  The parent information meeting will take place at 8:45 AM.  You will have the opportunity to meet our 2011 coaches and VSA Board, as well as have questions answered.  Swimmers will not have practice that morning.

 Our morning practice schedule will begin Tuesday, May 31st.  ( No practice on Memorial Day.) 

Due to the fact the some Vestavia schools will now be in session on Friday, May 27th, Spirit Day has been rescheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, May 26th. from 3:30 to 5:30PM.  A representative from Homewood Sporting Goods will be at the pool for anyone wishing to purchase this year's team swimsuit that afternoon.  Team pictures will also be taken, and swimmers who completed their registration prior to May 15th will receive their team t-shirt. (Swimmers registering after that date will receive their shirts before our 1st swim meet.)  A parent information meeting will be held.  Time to be announced ASAP.

Birmingham Swim League is offering summer league tune-up sessions for any swimmer returning to a summer swim team this year.  The program is designed to help swimmers get back in touch with the sport before the summer season begins.  For less experienced swimmers or those younger than the age of 6, Birmingham Swim League offers lessons through the Swim America program.  More information can be found at www.birminghamswimleague.org, or by clicking HERE.

Planning is currently underway for VSA's 2011 season.  Registration will open May 1st, 2011 and will be available through a link on this website.  Returning swimmers should register for the practice group in which they ended summer 2010.  Evaluations for new swim team members will be held Saturday, May 21st at the Wald Park Pool from 1 - 3 PM.  To qualify for the team, children must be at least 5 years old, and be able to swim a 25 -yard lap of the pool unassisted.  After evaluating the swimmer's ability, the coaches will place him / her in the appropriate practice group.

 After school practices will take place Monday, May 23rd - Thursday, May 26th.  Spirit Day will be held the morning of Friday, May 27th.  Our morning practice schedule will begin Tuesday, May 31st. 

Congratulations to all VSA swimmers on a great effort at the end of season championship meet.  Thank you for all of your hard work and for representing our team well.  It's been a great summer, and we look forward to seeing all of you at the pool in 2011.  Go VSA!!!!

Congratulations swimmers on a great effort against HBT last Tuesday evening.  Our final meet score was HBT 265 - VSA 210.  Meet results posted below.

 Our last dual meet will be at home Tuesday, July 6th against Birmingham Country Club.  Warm-up and meet time to be posted ASAP.  Meet volunteers will be contact via e-mail this weekend.  Thank you in advance for your help in running this meet.

 Don't forget that entries for Divisionals are due to the Coaches' box today.  You must sign up if your swimmer plans to participate.  The entry form is attached to last week's newsletter (in the Handouts section), and the fee is $10 per swimmer.

 Please contact vestaviaswim@bellsouth.net with any questions.  Have a great 4th of July weekend!! 

Online registration begins May 1st and will continue through May 31st.  Registration fees remain unchanged from last summer, and they include coaching, dual meet entry fees, team t-shirt and an end of the season award.  The cost is $165 for the 1st swimmer, $145 for a 2nd swimmer in the family, and $125 each for any more than 3 swimmers in a family.  Click here to register!! 

See 2010 Parent Information Booklet for practice and meet schedules. 

Birmingham Swim League will be hosting 2 separate weeks of 'early bird' practices for summer swimmers who are anxious to get back in the water.  These will take place at Wald Park pool and are open to returning summer league swimmers ages 7 to 12.  (Currently registered USA Swimming athletes are not eligible to attend.)  Please see the handout below or contact Suzanne Wrighton at sparkywsy@yahoo.com for more information.

VSA coaches will be available at the Wald Park Pool Saturday 5/22/10 from 1 to 3 PM to conduct new swimmer evaluations.  Children must be at least 5 years old and be able to swim the 25-yard length of the pool unassisted.  Swimmers will be placed in the appropriate practice group based on their ability.  New VSA members will begin afternoon practices the following week.  For those unable to attend on the scheduled evaluation date, please e-mail vestaviaswim@bellsouth.net to arrange an alternative time.