Marlins Families,

First your 2015-2016 Board would like to start by thanking each and everyone of you for allowing your children to participate in swim this year. We are looking forward to an exciting season.  The Board has been working diligently since late September planning the season, locating coaches and working hard to ensure a safe, efficient season of swimming for all the swimmers and their families.Unfortunately, thus far our registered number of families is down from last year and as stated at the Parent Meeting volunteer points will be higher than in previous years as a result. The total points necessary for this season will be 20. The board has registration still open till May 6, 2016, so we ask you to encourage your friends to sign up and join you at the pool.

Challenging as this is for each and everyone of the families, it was a difficult decision by the board to have to make the changes necessary to the volunteer structure.  Despite that we have a bi-week on May 14, that date has been designated as our "make-up" time trials or Time Trials 2 and as a result we will be utilizing volunteers at both time trials for volunteer points. Know that your board does not make these decisions lightly.  We do encourage all swimmers to take advantage of having the two time trials this year and come out both on May 7 and May 14 and strive for their best seed time to start the season off.

You will notice with the volunteer sign up that the desk parent positions for practice have been removed, this was done to ensure that we have adequate volunteers to conduct the meets.  Without enough volunteers for the meets we will not be able to run a meet.  We are sorry for this, but it is what needs to be done this season to ensure that each of your children can participate.  The only age group that will have a parent position (Gate Parent) is the 6 and under groups to act as a buffer to ensure that the young new swimmers do not wander out of the gated pool area with out a parent.  The board had lengthy discussion on this topic and feel the older swimmers understand the system and therefor the desk parent is not a necessity as attendance records were not utilized for any significant purpose.  The new position is labeled "6/under Gate Parent" and is still worth the 2 points for the week.

Opportunities for volunteering in other capacities exist as well.  The team is in need of a few more officials to serve during the meets.  We also will have a few board positions opening up at the end of the season. If interested in either position please email the board at [email protected].

Understand that the board does not take it's role lightly and hope for your understanding during the season as we deal with a slight down turn in registered families.  As most of you know it takes a lot of teamwork and commitment by all families to make the season successful and we cannot do it without your help and support.

To recap:  Time Trials on May 7 and May 14 will both be run as "regular" meets with volunteers utilized at both, for points.

                 Volunteer Point Total is 20 points.                                                                                                                                           Desk Parent position has been removed for all ages groups except 6 and Under.                                                                 Registration is Open till May 6, encourage your friends and neighbors to sign up.                                                                        Again thank you all for your patience and understanding during this season.   Volunteer sign up will begin at 7:00 p.m on Sunday, April 18 please make a couple plans in case your desired positions fill up.  Thank you all for making the Marlins a great team to be a part of.                                                                                                                                                                                                   Sincerely,                                                                                                                                                                                               Todd Zettlemoyer