Gator Gazette

🐊Happy Memorial Day and start of Pool Season, Gators! 🐊

We are so excited to see you all on deck over the next week! Please read below for:

• our weekly and seasonal calendar
• Registration Information for Returning and New Swimmers
• Gator Insulated Tumbler Sale
• Updates on Gator Gear and Team Suits
• Search for next season's Slideshow Committee Volunteer
• Registration Information for Swim Lessons
• Info on Applying to be a Swim Lessons Instructor
• Registration Information for Masters Swim Program
• An opportunity to join an Adult Swim League (why should the kids have all the fun?!?!?)
• Introducing " Workout Wednesdays" - a dryland fitness program for adults during morning practices

If you haven't registered your Gators and Mini Gators yet, please do so ASAP! See info below!

Congratulations to our Seniors graduating this coming week!!

Go Gators!

• The annual Parents meeting is Friday 5/31 at 7 pm.
• Time Trials is Saturday, June 8 at 8 am!!!
• The Teen Beach Trip is scheduled for 6/29-7/1
• A-Relay Carnival will be Sunday, 7/7 at Mill Creek Towne
• Divisionals will be Saturday, 7/20 at Franklin Knolls

REGISTRATION/FEES: GATORS

Registration is now open on Team Unify! Returning Swimmers are asked to please register BEFORE the first day of practice, May 27th. New Members will have until June 3 to register. Simply Click HERE, and register.

This summer, we have decided to maintain last year's rate at $150/swimmer . We recognize pool dues have increased and want to make sure swim team remains accessible to all families. This includes 8-10 weeks of swimming, a Gators cap, trophy, banquet, and all Fun Friday activities. As always, we do not want fees to prevent participation. If any family needs financial assistance, please reach out to Megan. We have funds from last year allocated to assist any families in need, and will keep such conversations in confidence.

This summer, we will accept Venmo, Zelle and Check as forms of payment. We are attempting to move away from paper checks. If at all possible, please pay by Venmo or Zelle.

Account handles are below. Please note PayPal is NO LONGER accepted.

Venmo @ FKPSwim / mobile # 240-595-0539

Zelle: FKPSwim / mobile # 240-595-0539

Check payable to Franklin Knolls Swim Team. Please mail/drop off check to: 228 Whitmoor Terrace Silver Spring, MD 20901

We are excited that our Mini-Gators will be back with our very successful 4-day per week pre-team program! Assessments will take place the week of May 30, and practices will start Monday, June 17.

Mini-Gators fees are $100/swimmer, and includes 1 special Fun Friday practice and 1 Mini Gator Meet.

Our Mini Gators program is for budding competitive swimmers who can currently swim across 1 length of the pool , and who are ready to learn to dive, swim freestyle, and begin to learn breaststroke and backstroke. Group or individual swim lessons are STRONGLY encouraged in tandem with the Minis Program, to allow young swimmers more time to improve.

If you're interested in learning more about Gators or Mini-Gators, Screenings for new swimmers will be held Tuesday, May 28 and Wednesday May 29 from 7-7:15 pm. Reps will be on site to answer any administrative questions, Coaches will be on site to evaluate swimmers. Evaluation criteria are as follows:

1. Our Mini Gators program is for budding competitive swimmers who can currently swim across 1 length of the pool , and who are ready to learn to dive, swim freestyle, and begin to learn breaststroke and backstroke.

2. GATORS swimmers will be able to swim at minimum a passable freestyle across the length of the pool, showing understanding of breathing to the side, and an emerging continuous stroke. We will also assess backstroke and breaststroke. We will also assess swimmers to see if they can demonstrate a rudimentary understanding of backstroke or breaststroke.

Welcome to the Gator Community!! We are thrilled to welcome your family into our summer "family"! We will host a new parent orientation on Wednesday, May 29 @ 7:30 pm. We will provide an overview of the summer, assist with registration, and review how to register your swimmer for meets. Please join us!

The Coaches are looking forward to seeing all of the Swimmers on deck this week. As always, each Swimmer should arrive 5 minutes prior to practice, in order to be ready to start on time. Swimmers need goggles and a suit for each practice. During these first few weeks when the water is cold, we recognize swimmers will be cold, and will give breaks as needed to warm up their bodies. Don't forget a towel and warm clothes for after practice.

We are so excited to announce that Liam Rooney and Caleb Plank will be joining us as Junior Coaches for the summer. Liam is a "Super Senior", swimming his last summer with the Gators after completing his first year swimming for Mount St. Mary's University. Caleb is a graduating Senior at Blair HS, and will be a Junior Coach this summer before heading off to Syracuse University in the fall.

As Junior Coaches, Caleb and Liam will work to help with our 12&U swimmers during practices and Mini-Gators, with a focus on technique and stroke work. They will also be on deck to assist during our Wednesday evening B Meets, to ensure all swimmers feel supported by our coaching staff.

During A Meets, their practices, and other social/team functions, you'll see them participating as a swimmer, and we hope they can really enjoy this last season as a Gator. Welcome, Liam and Caleb!

What better way to prepare for summer than to think about icy beverages or hot morning coffees in your very own Gators Insulated Tumbler? A local vendor is offering us a fundraiser. You have the opportunity to select from two different styles of engraved tumbler to elevate your beverage of choice with some team spirit!

This sale will close at midnight on Friday, June 1. Each tumbler is $25.00, with $5 going straight to our team funds. Click on this google form or click the button below for more info, to place your order, and payment methods!

GEAR

The 2024 Gator Gear Store will launch this coming weekend. Details will be announced at Friday's Parent's meeting! Stay Tuned!!

TEAM SUITS

We will be having another “exclusive” Franklin Knolls Suit Event at Capital Swim Monday June 3 from 5-7. Be there or be square!

If you just can't wait, feel free to head over to Capital Sport and Swim for Team Suits. Their knowledgeable staff will help with sizing, and have all the selections for our Team Suits on file. Now is the perfect time to prep!

Registration is Open and Underway. Thank you to all those who have registered and PAID for the Gators. If you are a returning Gator, please register and pay no later than Friday, June 1. If you are a new Gator, please register by Monday, June 3.

We are working to confirm everyone's registration and mark accounts as paid. As soon as your registration is approved, you will be able to register for Time Trials.

As you pay for registration, concessions, merch, etc. on Venmo or Zelle, please use text (not emojis) as much as possible. It helps to streamline our bookkeeping.

Any members who make purchases on behalf of the Gators can submit for reimbursement by submitting this FORM. You can also click on the green button above!

Thank you in advance for streamlining our reimbursement requests

It's nearly the end of an era. As Kim Rooney looks to wind down her time with the Gators, we are looking for someone to take over the Slideshow Committee for Summer 2025. This volunteer could shadow Kim a bit this summer to see how things are done. Responsibilities include coordinating a few photographers for the season, managing the team dropbox account for photos, and overseeing a committee of HS students (Gators) who work to put together the team slideshow for the banquet. This is always a fan favorite, and always a fun and wonderful group of teens to work with! Please reach out to Kim if you are interested in shadowing her this year and taking over in 2025! Please text Kim at 301-237-3466.

It takes a village to run a swim team. There are all sorts of volunteer positions that comprise the nearly 600 shifts needed to make summer swimming a reality, not to mention the countless hours spent by those running larger positions on the team! The Gators requires each family to volunteer. As part of your registration, you will now sign an agreement stating you agree to volunteer 4 shifts per family for the summer. We have weighted certain jobs more heavily for those filling major positions.

We will send out more detailed information on jobs and sign-ups later this month. If you have questions or don't know how you could help, please let us know and we are glad to help you find a niche.

If you have questions regarding open Volunteer positions or ways you'd like to help out, please contact our 2024 Volunteer Coordinator, Jenny Blasdell at jenblas@gmail.com

Registration is now open! Once again this year, the Gators are offering swim lessons to members and the broader community as a fundraiser for the swim team. All information - including session descriptions, timing, and the registration link can be found here: https://franklinknollspool.com/swim-lessons/

Any members who want to be Junior Instructors (rising 7th graders or older) or Senior Instructors (rising 10th graders or older with experience) are welcome to an information session on Tuesday June 4th at 7:00pm in the covered area behind the Snack Shack. Our lesson leads will be there to go over the job description, show how to access the application form, and answer questions. If your child is interested but not able to make the information session, please email fkpswimlessons@gmail.com. The deadline for applying is Friday, June 7th.

Due to high demand, are bringing back Masters!

This year, practices will be held from June 18-July 16th on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:15-7:15am. This 5-week program will provide practices for all different skill levels, whether you swam last week or last decade!

You can follow the provided practice set, bring your own, or just enjoy an open lap swim! Masters swim practices are a total of $100 for all 10 sessions throughout the five weeks. However, if you commit by June 8th, we are offering a discounted price of $90!

Registration for Masters is open now at https://franklinknollspool.com/swim-lessons/. Payments can be made out to @FKPswim on venmo/Zelle or by check. Venmo/Zelle is preferred and the last four digits for confirmation are 0539.

Hello potential Master’s swimmers!! I want to invite you to join our summer adult swim team. It’s a fun, laid back, family friendly swim league. Meets take place on Sunday mornings starting June 9th. Power through a 25 meter race, or challenge yourself to a 50, and have fun! The calendar is not finalized, but meets will likely be Sunday mornings. meet warm up is at 8:30, races 9-11!

There are 4 meets, plus divisonals. The cost for the league is 75.00, no entry fees. You can find more information abut the meets and the league HERE!

Please reach out to me by phone or email if you are interested in forming a team and send a suggestion for our team name ! If we have enough swimmers I will register us as a team. There is no deadline to register, and no commitment needed other than payment to the league. Please share with friends as well!

Contact : Kim O’Brien 315-382-2344 or Kstepienpt@gmail.com

This year, in addition to morning swim practices, we will also be including an additional “drylands” for those interested on Wednesdays starting June 19. Workout Wednesdays will include many different types of workouts such as strength training, pilates, and yoga. More details to come, please look out for flyers around the pool.

If you have any questions, please email Erin and Kelsey at fkpswimlessons@gmail.com. We are looking forward to a great season and a great summer!