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Weekly Mailer

October 5, 2021

ST. HELENA WAVES MEET RECAP

Last month we attended our first meet of the fall swim season. The weather was wonderful and our swimmers did amazing. Our coaching staff was very impress with how prepared our VJO swimmers were. We didn't have one VJO swimmer miss an event... YAY!  We also had a lot of swimmer branch out and swim new events for the first time. We are very proud of all our swimmers that had the courage to swim a new event for the first time. Keep up the hard work swimmers! We are very proud of you!  We have finally received the meet. See link below or view results on Deck Pass.  Our next meet should be opening for entries any day now. Go SHARKS!

CLICK HERE FOR ST HELENA MEET RESULTS

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING VJO EVENTS:

SWIM-A-THON & POOL PARTY / POTLUCK  
This Saturday, October 9th 
2:45-7pm
Our annual Swim-A-Thon Fundraiser has been rescheduled for Saturday, October 9th.  The  Swim-A-Thon will be held from 2:45-4pm at the Cunningham Pool. Please arrive at 2:45pm to check in and get your lane assignment. The Swim-A-Thon will start promptly at 3:00pm. Swimmers will have 1 hour to swim as many lengths as possible (max 200 lengths). This is one of our biggest team fundraisers of the year. After the Swim-A-Thon we will have a Pool Party and Potluck from 4-7pm. All our swimmers, parents and siblings are invited. Bring a dish to share. Make sure to bring your pool toys. Get ready for a fun afternoon at the pool.
Volunteer Set-up:   2:00-2:45 pm
Swimmer Arrival:   2:45 pm
Swim-a-thon Swim Time:   3:00-4:00 pm
Pool Party & Potluck:   4:00-6:45 pm
Volunteer Take-down:   6:45-7:15 pm
Potluck Assignments by Last Name: 
A-D: desserts
E-G: salads and side dishes
H-S: main dishes
T-Z: appetizers and snacks
Swim-A-Thon Donation Deadline:  Friday, October 29th
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
VJO BREAST CANCER AWARENESS FUNDRAISER
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To help raise awareness, VJO is selling Pink VJO Team T-Shirts and Pink Team Caps. The proceeds will be donated to a Breast Cancer Foundation.  Last year we donated over $100 to the Pink Fund.  Let's meet or exceed that this year! The Coaches will be wearing these pink team shirts at practice and meets. We invite you to do the same. 
HOW TO GET YOUR BREAST CANCER TEAM ITEMS?
Email in Order Form - Email completed ordered form into Lourdes Bondoc. As soon as your items are ready they will be sent home with your child.
Purchase Items In Person on Pool Deck - Breast Cancer items will be sold on the pool deck on specific days this month. More dates to come. 
Saturday Oct 9th  - Sold during our Swim-A-Thon and Pool Party 
Monday Oct 11th - 4-6pm 
Online Orders Due By:   ***While Supplies Last***
QUESTIONS: Contact Loudes Bondoc at [email protected] or text (415)412-2809 
 
 
 
 
 
ORINDA AQUATICS C/B/BB+ MEET
Oct 30-31 2021
Campolindo High School, Moraga
***OPENING SOON***
The Orinda Aquatics C/B/BB+ Meet on October 30-31st at Campolindo High School will be opening any day for entries. When this meet opens all VJO swimmers need to sign up ASAP as the meet will fill VERY VERY QUICKLY. Coaches will send out an email when the meet opens online for entries. Make sure to keep an eye out for when this meet opens. Swimmers will need to sign up that day in order to get into the meet.
LOCATION: Soda Aquatic Center at Campolindo High School – 300 Moraga Road, Moraga, California.
 
 
 
 
 
***REMINDER - VJO TEAM SUITS & CAPS MANDATORY AT ALL MEETS***
This is a reminder that VJO Team Suits and Team Caps are mandatory at all meets. If your team suit does not fit or you do not have one, please get a new team suit ordered ASAP. Contact Coach Jennifer if you have any problems with your team suit for the upcoming meet.  Below I have included the link and info to order a VJO team suit. 

ALL SWIMMERS MUST BE IN A TEAM SUIT AT MEETS

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
IMPORTANT UPDATES:
 

 

HOT CHOCOLATE NIGHT RETURNS!

STARTS: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4th 2021 
 
That's right! We will be  bringing back Hot Chocolate Night. Hot Chocolate Night will officially start  Thursday, November 4 th!  Our swimmers  have been waiting a very long time  for Hot Chocolate Night to return. Every Thursday night during the winter months VJO brings Hot Chocolate Nights to the pool deck. This event will start Thursday November 4th and will continue through March.

This is a PARENT RUN / PARENT DONATED activity that we offer to our swimmers to help take the “chill” out of those chilly swim practices during the winter months.

From the beginning, we have been successfully serving almost 75 kids each Thursday night. We need your help to make these nights just a little bit more special. We would like to ask that one Thursday a month you send a little something with your swimmer to share during Hot Chocolate Nights. We ask that all food is pre-packaged this year. Please NO PEANUT products. 

We have some HCN snack suggestions below:

  • Pop-tarts, Muffins, Graham Crackers or any other sweet item (pre-packaged)
  • Bags of Chips, Pretzels, Gold Fish, Crackers, Veggie sticks or any other savory item (pre-packaged)
  • Granola Bars (peanut free), Fig Bars, or any other bar
  • Cup-O-Noodles
  • Individual Hot Chocolate Packets / Individual Hot Cider Packets
  • Gloves, wipes, forks, spoons & napkins
  • Cups, Lids & Boats (purchased at Smart & Final, 4oz or 6oz cups)

*Keep in mind; you don’t need to send enough to feed 75 children. If everyone sends one thing on one Thursday a month we will have enough for everyone to have a small after swim snack to go with their Hot Chocolate.  

SERVING HELP NEEDED: Parents we also need your help serving our swimmers.   We will also have a signup online for parents to volunteer just a half hour of their time to help serve our children. We made it easy to sign up for a time slot for when you child is at practice.
 
Our swimmers look forward to this night of the week all winter long. Help us keep this tradition going. A big thank you to Lesley Ruszel and Blanca Prado for heading this activity for our swimmers.
 
QUESTIONS: If you have any Hot Chocolate Night questions, please email Lesley Ruszel at [email protected] or Blanca Prado at [email protected]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EVENT COORDINATOR &
ASSISTANT MEET DIRECTOR NEEDED
Our team is in need of some help with two our volunteer positions. This is a great way to get involved with the team and get those Volunteer hours in. We are in need of both an Event Coordinator and Assistant Meet Director.
Event Coordinator - This is the person that sets up our team events like Dine-Out Fundraisers, Awards Banquet, Pool Party and the occasional team social activity. 
Assistant Meet Director - This person would work closely with our Meet Director and would help coordinate the meet the day of.
If you are interested in helping out with either of these positions, please contact Heidi Scharffenberg at [email protected] Thank you for your support! 
 
 
 
 
 

TURN IN YOUR MAAPP WRITTEN AGREEMENTS 

***ALL VJO Swimmers & Parents Must Sign New MAAPP Written Agreement *** 

Starting September, 1st 2021 the Vallejo Aquatic Club has adopted the NEW USA Swimming MAAPP Policies. USA Swimming has released an updated Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) as part of its commitment to safeguard athletes. All USA Swimming clubs are required to implement this Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy in full. 
-  The MAAPP Policy must be reviewed and agreed to in writing by all athletes, parents/legal guardians, coaches and other non-athlete members of Vallejo Aquatic Club. This written agreement is to be retained by the club and renewed on an annual basis per USA Swimming policy.   
-  Please print and sign the VJO Written Agreement to "MAAPP" Policy and return to your coach as soon as possible. See Coach Jennifer at the pool for extra printed copies of the "VJO Written Agreement" and  "MAAPP Policy in Full" .  
 
 
 
 
NEW TEAM GEAR - VISIT VJO TEAM STORE
We are excited to announce that we have NEW VJO TEAM GEAR available online for purchase. Visit our VJO Team Store link below to check out our NEW Team Parka, NEW Team Warm-ups and NEW 1/4 Zip Sweatshirt. You can order all VJO team gear, apparel  and equipment online or in the store. Click on the link below to go to our online Team Store at Elsmore Swim Shop.  Our team also gets a kick back of all the team gear you purchase.
 
Elsmore Swim Shop
2054 Treat Blvd Suite D,
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
(925)300-3369
 
 
 
 
 
2021 VJO FALL PRACTICE SCHEDULE: 
Practice Start Time:  This fall we have taken out the 15 min line-up time at the beginning of each practice. The practice time listed below is the time the group will be getting into the water and starting practice. The groups will no longer be lining-up outside the pool. Please meet on the pool deck at the start of your practice time. Plan to arrive 10-15 min prior to the start time listed to be able to get ready for practice. 
 
Hammerheads Groups (Coach Daniel)
Hammerheads 1    M/T/TH/F 4:00-4:45pm (no practice Wed)
Hammerheads 2    M/T/TH/F 5:00-5:45pm (no practice Wed)

Leopard Sharks Group (Coach Jennifer)
M/W/F 4:00-5:00pm
T/TH    3:30-5:00pm (dryland 3:30-4, swim 4-5:00pm)

Mako Sharks Group (Coach Maureen)
M/W/F 6:30-7:30pm
T/TH    6:00-7:30pm (dryland 6-6:30pm, swim 6:30-7:30pm)

Junior Group (Coach Maureen)
M/W/F 4:00-6:00pm (dryland 4:00-4:30, swim 4:30-6pm)
T/TH    4:00-5:30pm

Pre-Senior Group (Coach Jennifer & Brendan)
M-F 5:30-7:30pm (dryland 5:30-6, swim 6-7:30pm)
 
Senior Group (Coach Jennifer & Brendan)
T & TH 5:30-7am (starts 9/14/21)
M-F 5:30-7:30pm (dryland 5:30-6, swim 6-7:30pm)

Masters Group (Coach Brendan)
T & TH 5:30-6:30pm
W 4-5:45pm (extra workout time)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONGRATULATIONS to all of our VJO swimmers that competed in the REAL Championships Meet on Aug 6-8th 2021. Our team won 1st place overall and wasw also awarded the 2021 Spirit Award. Great Job VJO swimmers! Keep up that amazing team spirit! Go SHARKS!
 
 
 
 
 
2021 VJO FALL MEET/EVENT SCHEDULE: 
 
OCTOBER
Oct 2                  - SR & PSR Group LC Training Camp (Solano College 7:45-10am)
Oct 9                  - Swim-A-Thon & Pool Party (2:45-4pm Swim-A-Thon, 4-7pm Pool Party)
Oct 23-24       - Orinda SR Open Meet (SR Group only, Campo HS)
Oct 30-31       - Orinda C/B/BB+ Meet (All Groups, Campolindo HS Pool)
 
NOVEMBER 
Nov 6            - Pacific Swimming Leadership Camp  **JUST ADDED**
                     (JR/PSR/SR Groups, 8am-5pm, Cunningham Pool)
Nov 12-14       - Thunder Coast Aquatics C/B/A+ Meet (All Groups, IVC Novato Pool)
Nov 20-21       - VJO Senior Meet (Home Meet Volunteers Needed!)
 
DECEMBER 
Dec 3-5          - 2021 Winter Junior Olympic Championships (Qualifying, Santa Clara)
Dec 10-12       - Senior II P&F Meet (Qualifying SR Group only, Walnut Creek)
Dec 10-12       - Neptune Swimming C/B/A+ Meet (All Groups, Santa Rosa)
 
JANUARY
Jan 14-16        - Zone 3 Winter Championships (Qualifying Meet, Novato) **JUST ADDED**
 
Feb 4-6           - VJO C/B/A+ Meet (Home Meet Volunteers Needed!)
May 20-22        - VJO Long Course C/B/A+ Meet (Home Meet Volunteers Needed!)