Two week update with the Swim Team at PPS Obama Academy

Just a little update on the progress of the Obama Eagle Swim Teams after 2 weeks of the season.

Best news: Jacob Boyce is the girls coach. He is great. Excellent peace of mind for me. Backups are great.

Un-Magic Number = 33.

There were 33 kids on the team last year who, by the end of week 1, were not on the team this year. We lost 14 seniors. 

In 2012 we played in 2 different water polo tournaments in Ohio in the fall.

In 2013, we played ZERO fall water polo.

That's a HUGE part of the difference. If we are to swim, we need year-round opportunities. 

Week one schedule;

Day:            M    Tue   Wed   Thur   Fri    Sat   Sun

6 AM           yes   yes  yes    yes    yes  NO    x

3 pm           yes   yes   yes    yes    x  

6:30 pm       NO   x       0       x        x

Week two schedule;

Day:            M     Tue    Wed    Thur    Fri     Sat   Sun

6 AM           yes   yes    snow     x      *3*     NO    x

3 pm           *2*   snow   MEET   x      NO    

6:30 pm       yes    x       

After 2 weeks, 7 times we could not have swim practice due to snow and no building access for the athletes.

The practice meet at Shaler on Wednesday had us with 6 boys and 6 girls. That was bad. Only 1 girl in the meet for Obama was on the team last year. Four of the six boys are returning team members.

Shaler had 30 kids in the meet. Plus, Shaler had about 100 practices so far this school year. They have been holding practices since September. Plus, there is a Shaler summer team, Sea Dogs. Plus, the meet ended at 5:30 pm so that the Shaler age group swim team could begin its practice. 

For practice, we walked the steps of the Cathedral of Learning on Friday at 9 am and had 2 boys and 1 girl was present. 

Week 3 and typical schedule looks like this:

Day:            M     Tue    Wed    Thur    Fri     Sat      Sun

6 AM           yes   yes    yes      yes    yes    WHS    x

3 pm           yes   yes     yes      yes    x    

6:30 pm       yes    x       yes      x 

This week we should be able to practice at Westinghouse High School. Carl Goldman, the MS coach there, wants us to help with the testing and set up of the timing system there. 

We should get access to Arsenal for Saturday practices.

Meets with Allderdice, Carrick and Brashear are still not scheduled, sadly. 

Our next meet is Dec 17, Tuesday, Home, with Ringgold.

There are 23 boys (but 2 are out with concussions) and 13 girls on the team list so far. A new girl swimmer, home schooled, was at AM practice today. Merse (a senior who has not swum since middle school) may be on the team too, yet to join. 

The Middle School team will NOT have any AM practices this year. That is another huge impact for the HIGH SCHOOL TEAM, beyond water polo. Coach Pitch and Coach Borza always gave the high school dedicated swimmers by the dozen. The MS team is about a quarter of what it used to be in terms of numbers of kids and less than a quarter of what it was in the past in terms of practices and prep.  

Ms. Simmons, this update could be sent to Mr. Gavlik and Dr. Walters too. I did not send it to them.... yet. Just posted to my blog on December 7, 2013.