The First Two Weeks and The Next Two Weeks!

Hi Team and Families,

The first two weeks of our season are *almost* in the books!  We have one more big practice tomorrow morning (Saturday) to wrap up week 2.  I'm asking that all swimmers and divers attend tomorrow morning (we've got to keep blurring that line!).   Please make sure you are in the pool doors by 6:00 am.  Practice goes until 8:00 am.  After practice, we will head to Mary's on Richmond Street to have breakfast together.  Please bring enough money to cover the cost of your meal.  We will make sure that everyone has a ride over to Mary's.  Please have your ride pick you up at Mary's. We will be done by 9:30.  We will be taking individual pictures tomorrow to put on the team bulletin board.  We will have a team warm-up jacket for you to wear for the picture.

On Sunday, we will hold our second Study Table from 1-3 at Your Daily Grind in Menasha on Main Street.  Last week we had 9 guys show up, which was awesome.  We studied for an hour, played The Game of Things for about 20 minutes, and then studied until they closed at 3.  Ryan had me edit his paper, which was cool.  Don't forget that each of the coaches is ready and willing to help you out on Sunday afternoons.  We will not be going out to eat after this week's study table, since we have team breakfast together on Saturday.

On Monday (the 26th) at practice, we will take formal team pictures.  Swimmers should have brought home their order forms on Wednesday.  The divers will get theirs tomorrow at practice.  Please bring your completed order form and money to practice with you on Monday so that the photographers know whether or not they need to take individual pictures of you. 

Also on Monday, we will pull all of the athletes out of the water at 5 pm and have them change into workout clothes.  Then the whole team will go to a very special dryland activity together from 5:30-6:30.  All swimmers and divers need to bring shorts, a t-shirt, gym shoes, and $8 to practice on Monday after school to cover the cost of the very special dryland activity.  After our activity, anyone who wants to can walk across the street to have dinner together at Tom's.  The dryland activity is mandatory, but the dinner is optional.  There will be coaching staff at both activities.

I met with the Varsity squad last week, and they voted to change the days of morning practice, which is completely fine with me.  I will get the practice calendars updated.  Varsity morning practices will now be Tuesday and Thursday mornings, instead of Monday and Fridays.  Full-team Wednesday mornings will remain the same until Christmas break.  I apologize if this causes scheduling problems for anyone.  So, here's what the morning schedule will look like this week:

Tuesday 5:15-6:45am Varsity
Wednesday 5:15-6:45am Whole Team
Thursday 5:15-6:45am Varsity

Varsity practices will be open to the entire team.  The guys who are required to attend know who they are.  Dana Reese and Trevor should have an order form ready very soon to get the breakfast bags up and going for Tuesday morning.  You don't have to do the breakfast bag service, but you DO have to make sure you are eating enough food throughout the day.

Friday night, November 30th, our divers will compete for the first time at the diving portion of the Oshkosh West Invite.  The swimmers will compete for the first time on Saturday for the swimming portion of that same invite.  Meet info will be posted on Tuesday.

Finally, if you have not turned in your suit and t-shirt money, it is past due.  All money must be turned in before you can wear your team suit next Friday/Saturday.

Whew!  I think that is all the announcements for the next week or so!  Want to see some highlights from the first two weeks?

Last Friday, a lot of the Kimberly guys were gone at the State football game.  The guys who were at practice lobbied to change the workout from what I had planned to doing a Challenge Day.  Challenge Day is a team tradition, and it's...challenging.  It's definitely not something I ever plan to do during the first week of practice, especially with new swimmers.  Three of the new guys, Lee, Adam, and Andras, all stepped up to the Challenge Day challenge!  I am incredibly proud of all three of them for showing some real grit at the end of their first week!

Week two featured a parade of AW-K alumni who came back to swim and be with the team.  Brady Malcomson (above) even swam with us on his birthday!  I absolutely love that so many of the guys made a point to come back and meet the new guys and swim with them over their Thanksgiving breaks.  Each of the guys who came back played an important role in changing the culture of AW-K Swimming and Diving. 

And last, but not least, Keegan paid off his (mom's) bet, and let me shave his head during week 2.  Keegan did not believe I could finish the Parent Potluck meeting by 7:10.  It was lots of fun to prove him wrong!

It's hard to believe that in a little over a week, we will have our first meet under our belt and we will be looking ahead to the Terror Relays!  Things are going to start rolling soon!  Buckle up!

With lots of AW-K Pride,

Coach Vicki

Parent Pot Luck/Meet the Team!

Hi Team!!


This Thursday night, November 15th, is our big Parent Potluck/Meet the Team celebration. We will meet in the Appleton West cafeteria right after practice at 6 pm to have dinner together, go over a few details, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and meet this year's team.  I hope to have everything wrapped up by 7:30 at the very latest.

We are asking that each family brings a main dish to share (one that serves 6) and one of the following:

Freshmen:  fruit or veggies
Sophomores:  desserts
Juniors:  desserts
Seniors:  water bottles (12) or drinks (no soda) to serve 12

We will provide plates, napkins, plastic ware, and cups.  Please bring your own serving utensil, if needed, for your dish.  In the past, families have brought meatballs, pizzas, sub sandwiches, pulled pork, etc. for their main dish.  I'm pretty sure the guys will appreciate whatever you bring!

I'm looking forward to seeing everybody on Thursday night!

With lots of AW-K Pride,

Coach Vicki

Ready, Set, Go!

Hi AW-K Athletes and Families!

Holy cow!  Our season begins in two days!  I am seriously giddy just sitting here thinking about all the adventures I already know we are going to go on together in the next 13 weeks.  The coaches and captains are ready.  The theme for the season has been chosen.  The locker decorations are made.  Workouts are written.  Activities have been planned.  The parent board has met.  Team suits are sitting on my dining room table just waiting for you to try on.  We are ready.  Are you?  Is your paperwork all turned in?  Is your fee paid?  It's not too late--you can bring all of that with you on Monday, but you will not be able to get in the water on Tuesday until all of that is taken care of.

In the meantime, here's what I need you to do in the next two days:

1.  Spend some time thinking about what you want out of this season.  Some of you are club swimmers and will come in with a big bunch of specific swim-related goals, but a lot of you are not.  Each of you will contribute to the team in very specific and important ways.  Please spend some time this weekend thinking about how you can contribute to the team's success.  

2.  For some of you, this will be your last season swimming for AW-K.  What do you still have left to accomplish?  We are going to talk a lot about legacy this season.  I'd like all of you to arrive on Monday with an idea of what you want to do this season that will contribute to your AW-K legacy.

3.  Be ready to do some things you might not have been asked to do before.  Here is the truth:  I am the corniest coach in the FVA.  You will sit in Feeling Circles this season.  You will be asked to do crafts and community service projects and hold each other accountable.  You will do goofy stuff and challenging stuff.  I might even write your goal time on your face.  And yes, I'm going to push you like crazy in the pool, too, don't worry about that.  

Here are a few last-minute reminders:

The ENTIRE team (swimmers AND divers) will be together for the ENTIRE practice on Monday.  Please be sitting in the bleachers on the pool deck by 3:45.  Do not change.  No one will get in the water on Monday.  

Kimberly athletes have been cleared to leave their classes 5 minutes early each day.  Please remind your teachers at the beginning of class on Monday.  Your teachers will NOT remind you to leave early.  You just need to pack up and quietly leave class at 2:55.  Get down to the cafeteria as quickly as possible.  ALL KIMBERLY SWIMMERS AND DIVERS should meet in the cafeteria on Monday to make sure that everyone has a ride to West.  Check in with captain Trevor Reese--he will have a list and will make sure no one gets left behind.

Get ready, AW-K Swimmers and Divers, your season begins on Monday!

With all kinds of AW-K Pride,

Coach Vicki