Hello Alcoa Swim & Dive Families,

Meet week is here! The Ray Bussard Invitational meet is on December 13. Here is what you need to know:

• The Ray Bussard Meet is on December 13th at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center of the University of Tennessee campus. The address for the aquatic center is 2200 Andy Holt Avenue Knoxville, Tennessee 37996. All meet details can be found on the Ray Bussard Meet website here.
  • It is a great idea to read through the meet invitation and that document can be found here. This document is a great resource for any questions you may have.
  • The Middle School swimmers will be swimming in the morning session so plan to be there around 9:30 AM. Warmups will start at 10 and the meet will begin at 11. High School swimmers will swim in the afternoon after the conclusion of the Middle School session. (We expect to get more exact times this week, so stay tuned.)
  • Parents-We will receive our volunteer requirements shortly after entries are due. They will assign positions based on the number of swimmers we have attending. I would expect that we will have a handful of volunteer positions to fill for one or both sessions. Please be flexible and patient with us as we ask for parents to help fill these roles-it will be a quick turnaround!
  • Parking Passes should be available for $10 at the entrance to the garage across from the pool. There is also pay-per-hour parking available at the top level with the ParkMobile app. Please plan ahead to secure parking.
  • This is a large meet and we will begin preparing our younger swimmers for this environment but please speak to them on your own since knowing what to expect can make us all a bit less nervous.
  • See below for some other tips for the week leading up to the meet.
  • Nutrition Please fuel properly in preparation for the meet this weekend. A higher carbohydrate meal is appropriate for the night before the race. Some good swim meet snack ideas include things like string cheese, pretzels, apple sauce packs, and raw veggies. Hydration is imperative! Please bring water and sports drinks.
  • Rest Prioritize rest this week!
  • Race Plans Coaches discuss race plans with swimmers prior to each event so the swimmers will feel prepared.
  • Team Spirit We will be cheering on all of our swimmers! When you aren’t swimming, make sure you are supporting your teammates.
  • Swimming With Confidence We have been working hard and are ready to perform at the highest level possible. Remember what we've been training for and working towards this season. Let's swim with confidence this weekend and not be afraid to get uncomfortable!
  • Have Fun & Swim Fast!
• Please RSVP for practice using the Heja App so we can plan to get the most out of our practice. Communication App: Heja (Team Code: GE-233822) Our Winter Break Schedule has now been loaded!
• The practice schedule for this week is Monday through Thursday from 7-8 PM at Green Meadow. We will NOT practice Friday night so everyone can get a good night’s sleep.
• We also expect all swimmers/divers to participate in the KISL Championship on January 23 (Diving) and January 24 (Swimming). Please make sure to go ahead and put that on your calendar now and plan on attending!

Congratulations to Carson Coker, Mark Galbraith, Tori Goff, Emerson Hill, Lincoln Keen, and Ethan Scruggs who swam with their club teams this weekend. Lots of fast swims and new HS state cuts for Ethan, Tori, and Carson! Way to represent!

Our ACE of the last two weeks is Kaden Newman! Kaden has been on time and giving his best at practice consistently and it’s paying off in his swims. Keep it up Kaden!

Please reach out to us if you have any additional questions. Feel free to email us at [email protected].

Coach Hana and Coach Selena