Hello Rockshire Sharks!

Thank you for coming out to Meet the Coaches last night despite the weather! We are gearing up for practices starting on Tuesday this week! The waitlist will now begin for anyone who wishes to be on preteam. Please see below for a fun Shark trip this summer to Hershey, practice times, our last parent meeting tonight, pictures and the revival of the HOA Picnic!

1. Parent meeting May 25 at 8pm in the pool house (if you didn't attend May 18)
2. Community picnic- June 14
3. Team trip to Hershey Park- Mark your calendars for June 21
4. WhatsApp group for Shark communications
5. Shark Practice Schedule
6. Preteam and Junior coaches: Mandatory training Meeting Tuesday, June 9
7. Picture day is June 11 at 5pm followed by preteam parent meeting
8. Become a sponsor for the Rockshire Sharks!
9. Shark Gear and Suits links
10. Officials clinics
11. Automation clinic
12. Detailed instructions and info on registration

1. Our second Mandatory Parent meeting for the Swim team (NOT preteam) will be TONIGHT, May 25 at 8pm in the pool clubhouse. You only need to come to ONE of the meetings; here we will have shirt and bag tag pick up, discuss volunteer requirements, and set the tone for an amazing summer. A reminder that your swimmer can NOT enter the water if you do not attend a parent meeting.

2. The community picnic is back! On June 14, the Community picnic will be at the poolhouse and surrounding areas. Stay tuned for times and how to get involved!

3. Looking for something fun to do during the long weekend? We will be taking a team trip to Hershey Park on June 21! At this point, the ticket price has increased but is still very low and is $42/ticket. Please sign up by completing this survey and paying the $40 for each ticket via Venmo to @RockshireSharks or by check to Elena Belyaev, our treasurer. **prices may increase after May 30. Families will be responsible for their own food, parking, and accommodations if desired. Further details will be forthcoming.

4. Sign up for our WhatsApp messaging service! The link to join the group is here: Rockshire Sharks WhatsApp we will be using this messaging for volunteer reminders as well as any last minute needs for volunteers and events. Biweekly emails will still be sent and should be checked for most thorough information.

5. Shark Practice Schedule:

May 26-June 19:

11 & Up: 4:15 - 5:00PM

9-10: 5:00 - 5:45PM

8 & Under: 5:45 - 6:30

June 22-July 18:

Mornings:

11 & Up: 8:45-10:00AM

10 & Under: 10:00 - 10:50AM

Afternoons:

11 & Up: 4:15 - 5:15 PM

9-10: 5:15 - 6:00 PM

8 & Under: 6:00 -6:45 PM

6. Preteam and Junior coaches will have a mandatory training on Tuesday, June 9 at 6:30pm-7:30pm. Pizza and drinks will be provided.

7. Regular and preteam photos will take place Thursday, June 11 at 5pm. Please arrive at 4:30pm so we can line up! The preteam parent meeting will be after their photo is over. We will be completing the regular team photo first, followed by the preteam photo.

8. 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

9. Shark Gear! Don’t delay! In preparation for summer, we will have the same suits as last year. You can buy them HERE. we also have shark gear available via squadlocker here

10. Officials Clinics: If you are thinking about getting certified as Stroke and Turn, Referee, Starter, or Automation, please find registration information HERE. Please make sure to scroll down when looking at the page to see all of the clinics available***We really need these volunteers to run meets. Please consider completing a clinic to help with volunteering this summer:)***

11. Automation Clinics: Helping out with Automation? Please see the details on clinics and helpful videos HERE.

12. Registration instructions:

To register, please visit: https://rockshiresharks.swimtopia.com/

Please read through the step-by-step instructions below, as they contain important information / updates about registration for 2026 (key points are in bold and underlined).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. If you register for the team prior and are not in the HOA, your pool fee will be $900.

Fees for 2026 Swim team and Preteam are as follows:

$230 per swimmer on the regular team or preteam

$220 for each additional sibling on regular team or preteam

**Fees are non-refundable**

In order to participate on the swim team:

Each family must have a current, paid membership to the Rockshire Pool.

Each swimmer on the regular team must be able to swim one (1) length of the pool, legally and unassisted, in 1 of the 4 swim strokes (i.e., Freestyle, Back, Breast or Butterfly). If you are uncertain about this requirement, please contact the A-Reps at [email protected] prior to registering.

Each swimmer on the pre-team must be at least four (4) years of age but not older than eight (8) years of age by June 1.

If you know of a new family that is interested in joining the team, please give them our email address so that we can walk them through the registration process ([email protected]).

IMPORTANT NOTE: Sessions of Pre-Team fill up very quickly. Also as it relates to Pre-Team, we cannot accommodate requests to switch your child between sessions. The one you sign up for is the one your child must attend.

Step by step instructions:

1 – Access the Rockshire Sharks website (here’s the link.)

2 – Click on “Registration” underneath the “Home” tab, or on the homepage. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CLICK THE CORRECT LINK- preteam has its own registration form!

3 – Read the welcome message and note the participation requirements (also listed above). You will need to enter in your email, create a password, and enter in all athlete information. On the first page, scroll all the way down to read all of the release forms and check all of the boxes. This will include: Medical Release & Liability Waiver, Membership & Ability, Swimmer Responsibility Agreement, and the Parent Responsibility Agreement.

At the very bottom, Click “Next step”. If you do not get brought to the next page, check the above for any errors you may have made in entering your information.

4 – You will be brought to the athlete groups page. Verify the information that you see is correct for your swimmers you are signing up, and click “next step”.

5 – Volunteer hours! You must sign up for a minimum of 18 volunteer hours before going to the next step. For more information on volunteer roles, please go to the website under the “meets and events” tab, there is a subsection labeled “volunteer roles”. Please make sure to RECORD all of the roles you have volunteered for throughout the summer. You will be held accountable for all of your signups. When you fulfill the requirement, scroll to the bottom and click “Next step”.

6 – If you are registering more than one swimmer, make sure to enter the promotional code “SIBLING” for each additional swimmer to receive the $10/swimmer discount. Click on “Checkout.” Payment may be made via Venmo @Rockshire-Sharks. You may also send a check. Checks should be sent via US Mail to Elena Belyaev at the following address:

2305 Sherbrooke Way

Rockville, MD 20850

If you wish to drop off your check at Elena’s house instead, please DO NOT place the checks in the mailbox. Use the cooler by the front door. Registration is not complete until Elena receives your check. It usually takes a few days for Elena to activate your account once payment is received.

Registration is not verified until your payment has been received.

Any questions? Please contact us at [email protected].

Congrats on making it to the end:) Have a wonderful week! Spread the word and help grow our Shark family!

Your A-Reps,

Kat and Patrick Hussmann