Hello Rockshire Sharks!

Tomorrow spring begins, so that means summer (aka swim season!!!) is almost here! In this email, you will find:

1. Registration opens April 1! See below for details
2. Coaching staff this year
3. Become a sponsor for the Rockshire Sharks!
4. Behind- the scenes volunteer positions needed!
5. Shark Gear links
6. Officials clinics

1. Registration will be open Monday, April 1 on the team website! We will send detailed information on how to complete registration in an email prior to its opening. Please remember that in order to participate in the swim team, your family needs to be a registered member of the pool. All Rockshire members who pay HOA dues can register for free, as it is included with the HOA fees, and outside memberships this year will be posted on the Rockshire HOA website HERE.

***A reminder about registration: You will be required to fill out your volunteer hours prior to completing registration. All swim team member families are required to volunteer for at least 18 hours. If you cannot fulfill the hours during swim meets, please consider the volunteer positions listed below! For preteam families, volunteering is optional (but highly encouraged for our fun Friday night events!)***

As a reminder: You may register for the regular team if your child is able to swim unassisted the length of the pool in one stroke.

The preteam will only have two sessions in the evening from 5:30-6pm and 6-6:30pm. These spots are limited, so please be sure to register when it opens to assure you can get the time you need.

Preteam coach applications will be available when registration opens and will be DUE May 1.

Have a question about registration fees or finances? Contact Elena Belyaev, the Rockshire Sharks treasurer, at [email protected]

2. Coaching staff: This year we are happy to welcome back Sarah Culkin this year as our head coach, new assistant coaches Hannah Deffinbaugh and Colleen Kincaid, and Preteam head coach and assistant coach Sean Culkin. Find out more about our amazing coaches on the website HERE

3. Become a sponsor for the Rockshire Sharks! Own a business or know someone who does? Consider a sponsorship for the Rockshire Sharks! Sponsorships keep our registration fees low and our coaches salaries competitive, and we are looking for sponsors! Here is the form to fill out as a sponsor: Sponsorship Form

4. Behind the scenes volunteer positions needed! Did you know you can fulfill all 18 hours of volunteering by helping out with various behind the scenes tasks? Here are a few that we need to fulfill before the season starts:

1. Fundraising apprentice/chair- this is a year-round job that entails the following work, mostly emails and contacting individuals:
   1. January/February update terms of agreement for sponsor form
   2. Jan-April Reach out to former sponsors and actively seek out new ones; Keep a spreadsheet with data, collect funds, communicate information to treasurer, web designer and meet program designer. Collect logos and communicate/transfer with t-shirt coordinator
   3. Late April/early May- Reach out to bag tag company for design, locate swim calendar for back of tag. Order bag tags
   4. May make sure all funds are collected, logos posted on website; Collect banners from upper level sponsors
   5. Meet the coaches- through late June- assist with distribution of bag tags and t-shirts; Coordinate hanging/removal of sponsor banners at weekly home meets
   6. Weekly meets- communicate w/ announcer sponsors and their levels to be announced during the meets
   7. End of season- July- send tax forms to sponsors
2. Social chair- plan all Friday night fun nights, being present and organizing all volunteers at Friday night fun nights and at the Fourth of July Firecracker relays. Bring all additional food necessary
3. Website manager-help maintain and run the team website and update all necessary information. 

5. Shark Gear! Don’t delay! In preparation for summer, we also have shark gear available via squadlocker here. We will update soon about the suit for this year as well!

6. Officials Clinics: If you are thinking about getting certified as Stroke and Turn, Referee, Starter, or Automation, please find registration information HERE. ***We really need these volunteers to run meets. Please consider completing a clinic to help with volunteering this summer:)***

Congrats on making it to the end:) Have a wonderful week! We can’t wait for the summer!

Your A-Reps,

Kat and Patrick Hussmann