Riptide News 6-7-26

The Riptide News will come to you through email each week on Sunday and you can also find it as a news post on our website at SwimTopia.

Lots of news to share this week, as always don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions [email protected].

In This Edition:

1. Coach Patrick’s Corner
2. Time Trials-June 13th
3. Make Up Time Trials-June 15th
4. No Practice Monday, June 15th
5. Riptide Swimmer Conduct Reminders
6. Practice Reminders for Parents
7. Riptide Buddy Program Sign Up
8. Declare Your Swimmer for A Meets
9. Call for Volunteers
10. Social News-Pasta Potluck!

Attachments:

1. Master Calendar
2. Time Trials Info Sheet
3. Sponsorship Form
4. VR Riptide Season Schedule 2026

Coach Patrick’s Corner: We know many of you are wrapping up spring sports and have school events, so no need to email us when you are not able to attend practice. Try to come to as many practices as you can before Time Trials! If there is thunder or lightning and we need to cancel practice, we will notify everyone via email as soon as possible.

Don’t forget to get fins and bring them to all practices! Our fin bin has very limited options, so please bring your own. Please write your swimmer’s name on both fins in case they are left behind.

Time Trials,Saturday, June 13: Please arrive promptly at 7:30 for immediate warm up. Check out the Time Trials info sheet attached to this email.

Make Up Time Trials, Monday June 15: It is strongly encouraged that swimmers participate in Saturday Time Trials. It is a better experience for swimmers and gives them the feel of a real meet. However, schedule conflicts are inevitable. If you can’t make it on Saturday a Time Trials make up will be held on Monday, June 15th. Warm-ups will begin at 5pm. This is only for swimmers who cannot swim on Saturday.

No Practice Monday, June 15th: There will be no regular practice on Monday, June 15th due to Make Up Time Trials. If your swimmer swam on Saturday at Time Trials, they can take the evening off.

Riptide Swimmer Conduct Reminders: Please take a few moments to review the Riptide Code of Conduct with your swimmer prior to practices this week. As a team we value respect, teamwork, integrity and sportsmanship. Any violations of the Riptide Swimmer Code of Conduct will be handled as stated in the Code of Conduct.

Virginia Run Riptide Code of Conduct (must be signed into your Riptide account to view).

Practice Reminders for Parents: We are grateful for all of our Riptide parents! We would like to give a gentle reminder to please stay well back from the swim lanes during practice and refrain from talking to your swimmer during practice. Our coaches are doing a great job and need to have each swimmer’s full attention during practice. If a swimmer needs their parent during practice our coaches will make sure to find you. Thank you for your support!

Riptide Buddy Program:The Big Buddy/Little Buddy program is a fun Riptide tradition meant to build relationships and team spirit between the age groups. Being a good buddy is part of being a good teammate.

You can sign up your swimmer(s) for the buddy program here. Please sign up by June 12th.

Contact Anne Crowell ([email protected]) with any questions about being a buddy!

Declare Your Swimmer: Please declare your swimmer's availability for all A meets NOW!! Only declare 'no' if you will be out of town. This helps us determine who will be in town for the A meets. Even if you don't normally attend the A meets, still declare 'yes' because you never know if your swimmer will be selected to swim! Instructions on how to do this can be found here

PLEASE NOTE there is a meet on July 4 this year. PLEASE make every effort to be available to swim that day. VR has never swam against three of our A meet teams before, plus we are swimming against our neighbors at Sully Station on July 4, so let's make sure we show these teams what Riptide is all about!! Division 10 is very new for us, as our team has not been in a double digit division since the 1990s. Let's be committed to doing and bringing our best each and every week!

Please do your best to save vacations for August when swim team is over. If you are already planning to go out of town during swim season, please consider leaving after the A meet or leaving vacation a little early so that you're there for the meet. We are part of a team and we do not want to let our teammates down.

Call for Volunteers: Thank you to all the parents who have signed up for their 6 volunteer jobs, those who have completed training, and everyone who has agreed to fill important roles this summer!

We still need the following for time trials:

• 3 Clerk of Course Volunteers (Saturday time trials)
• 11 timers (Saturday time trials)
• 1 timer (Monday makeups)

Please consider helping out, even if you have already signed up for 6 jobs. We are going to need everyone to go above and beyond in order to hold a successful event.

Other Volunteer Needs:

• End of Season Party - We are in need of a volunteer to help coordinate this event. You will receive information from previous years and have help behind the scenes.
• Splashdown - We need a volunteer to coordinate with Splashdown and be present as the Riptide contact for the first hour of the event on July 1.
• 3rd A meet representative / Board position (will work with current representatives; must be willing to continue the job next year)

Questions? Contact Stefanie McCrea [email protected]

Social News: Riptide Tradition! Swimmers and their family are invited to enjoy a potluck style dinner together as a team to kick-off our swim season. This is a great opportunity to welcome new families and catch up with friends. Each family will need to sign up for a dish (2026 Riptide Pasta Potluck by Wednesday, June 17th. We are SO EXCITED to kick off the swim-team social event season!!

Few Items:

- Please bring your dish at 5:30pm, we’ll have a swimmers activity while we set-up and plan to start dinner around 6:00pm.

- Please bring a serving spoon with your dish. Please label the spoon and dish with your first initial, last name.

- While we will have water available, we encourage families to bring their own drinks.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Michelle Bange @[email protected].

Master Calendar: Please find our updated master calendar attached..

Stay Connected: Follow our team on Instagram and X @vrriptide! We also have a facebook group where last minute reminders are sent and people can ask questions.

Thank you to our Riptide Sponsors! Pin Oak Tree Services, Virginia Run Community, Virginia Run Children’s Sale, Capital Construction of America, Cheron Orthodontics, Collegiate Sealers & Paving, Ciro New York Pizza, The Dog Stop, Wholesome NOVA, Pack 2011 Cub Scouts