Week 1: May 13-19

Welcome to the 2024 Oxxford Hunt Swampfoxx summer swim team season!! 

Each week you’ll receive a summary email communication for the week as a way to share important swim team updates with families. These emails will typically come on Mondays.

COACH'S CORNER:

• We have a head coach! Thank you to the many families who helped spread the word that we were recruiting. Audrey Gramlich will be joining the team as the head coach for the 2024 summer season. She has swam competitively most of her life, has lots of experience teaching swimming, and is an elementary school teacher in Apex on a traditional calendar schedule. We can’t wait for you to meet her at the kick off, and she’ll share more about herself in the next week.

• From Coach Sophia (6 and Under Coach): Hello parents! I am so excited for the swim season to start! I hope to see some new swimmers as well as some returning ones. While I know everyone is probably ready to get into the water, the weather doesn’t seem to be on our side this week. There is a chance we won’t be in the water for the first few days so I’d recommend bringing some sneakers and extra towels just in case. The first few practices will be more relaxed and give the swimmers a chance to know each other before we start learning the basics. Feel free to reach out with any questions at [email protected]!

Start of Season details:

• Swim team Kickoff event will take place Tuesday May 14th from 5-7p at the Oxxford Hunt Clubhouse. Each swimmer will meet their coaches and do some fun activities while the parents receive information about the season and meet with their volunteer committees. You can learn about the volunteer committees in advance by checking out this resource on our website. All swimmers are invited, including Swamp pups and their families. Food will be provided.

• Practices for all start Wednesday May 15 and continue weekdays (M-F) from 5-6p and 6-7p. Swimmers can come to either practice, but it would help the coaches if the swimmer sticks to one of the two practice times. Swimmers are encouraged to come to daily practices, but please keep them home if they are not feeling well.

• **Note: the pool is not yet open to residents until Saturday 5/18 so please do not bring other children to play in the pool during practice, and don’t plan to come early or stay late to hang out in the pool. It is only open for practice until the weekend.

• The pool can be cold the first few weeks, so please be sure your swimmers have extra towels and/or sweatshirts for when they finish. And coaches may choose to have swimmers do what is called “dry land practice” so have your swimmer come prepared with sneakers as well, in case they have to do some running.

• Swamp Pups don’t begin practicing until after Memorial Day, on May 29th

• Practice cancellations or delays are sent through the Swimtopia App. The app is free for basic needs (like communication). A paid subscription provides more features such as timely results of swim meets. Be sure to log in with the e-mail address used for registering for the Swampfoxxes.

• Registration for the swim team remains open through May 31st.

• Swim suits are available at Kiefer Aquatics, located in the Harris Teeter plaza at Maynard and High House Rd. Team suits are not required, but we ask swimmers to wear black or red for meets if possible. When you go to Kiefer Aquatics, you just tell them you are on the Oxxford Hunt Swampfoxxes and they will show you the team suits. Children can try it on in the store.

Blood drive:

• The Oxxford Hunt Swampfoxxes are proud to continue coordinating the Oxxford Hunt community blood drives! The next blood drive is Sunday May 19th from 1-5pm at the Oxxford Hunt Clubhouse parking lot. Residents and their friends have the opportunity to save 3 lives with each donation. Appointments are recommended, walk ins are welcome. Make an appointment today at the following Blood Connection link. As a bonus, every successful donor will receive a $25 e-gift card - which can be redeemed for use at Target, WalMart, Lowes, Chipotle, Game Stop, Amazon and more.
• This is our MAIN SOURCE of fundraising for our team! The swim team typically receives a $20 donation for each blood donor. Donate and/or invite a friend to donate too, and don’t forget those young adults in the neighborhood (16 and up).

Please let us know what questions you may have or use other parents as a resource, either in person at the practice or via our FB parents forum!

Your Oxxford Hunt Swim Team Board