Dear
Palisades Porpoise Parents ~

Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL) is planning for the 2021 season and we are updating you on current restrictions. The good news is the league is planning on holding a swim team season this summer with practices and meets. Here is what to expect:

Practices: MCSL has garnered approval from
Montgomery County health officials to hold practices that permit up to six
swimmers to a lane during practices. Palisades has six lanes in the main pool,
meaning we can have up to 36 swimmers at a practice session.

At the start of practice, swimmers will enter Palisades, having had their temperature
taken at home to confirm they don't have a fever. Swimmers must wear a mask
entering and exiting the pool grounds and at all times while not in the pool.
In addition, swimmers may not change nor shower in the locker rooms. No parents
or other spectators are allowed in the practice area (main pool and deck) during
swim practice. Coaches will wear masks at all times and will not enter the pool,
unless there is an emergency.

While in the water, swimmers will be staggered at different points in the lane to
achieve social distancing. Please note per our pool website that swim team
practices begin Memorial Day weekend (May 29-31), 9
to 10 am. Starting Tuesday, June 1, Palisades
will begin afternoon practices. Swimmers 11 years and older practice 4 to 5 pm
and swimmers 10 years and younger practice 5:15 to 6 pm. Starting June 21,
morning practices will be held 8:30 to 9:30 am. All morning and afternoon practices
will end July 16. We will likely establish a sign up system for practices
if more than 36 swimmers plan to attend a practice on a given morning or
afternoon.

Meets: MCSL plans to hold meets this season, starting June 19, running five Saturdays, ending July 17. The league is still determining which of these three options will occur, in order of MCSL's preference:

1. Dual meets at one pool.

2. Dual meets at one pool split by
gender.

3. Virtual meets, with teams
competing in their respective home pools and times compared afterward.

Parents and other spectators will not be allowed to enter the pool to watch the meets and must drop off their swimmers before the meet and pick them up afterward. Volunteers will be needed to run the meets but the number of timers will be reduced to two per lane with some timers acting as take-off judges. There will be no concessions available during meets. Finally, we are exploring livestreaming the meets. If you have
expertise in this area, please contact Anita Seline.

Other Important Info:

Survey: We are conducting a survey of swim team families about the upcoming season. Please click the survey link.

Swim Team Sign Up: Check our swim team site in May to register for swim team. There you will find a waiver, provided by MCSL, that must be signed before a swimmer can participate with the team. The waiver is a summary and assumption of risks associated with Covid-19 and participation in the league.

Swimsuits: SportsFair, our swim team vendor, will be at the first practice Saturday, May 29, 9 - 11 am to sell Palisades swimsuits. We also will hold a swimsuit swap that day, so bring the swimsuits your kids have outgrown to add to the collection.

Time Trials:
Time Trials, in which swimmers are timed to determine who will compete in the
first A meet June 19, are tentatively scheduled for the morning of Saturday,
June 5.

B Meets: We are working to schedule B meets with our neighboring pools on likely Wednesday nights to enable as many kids to compete as possible. These meets may be divided into two evenings each week to assure social distancing measures. There
will be no concessions available during B meets. Parents and other spectators are
not allowed to watch these meets.

Divisionals: The league is still determining if there will be a divisionals championship meet to conclude the season, which would typically be held July 24.

Relay Carnival: There
will be no Relay Carnival this year (all Division E teams competing in a meet
of relay teams). In addition, the All-Star Relay meet also is canceled.

Pre-Team: Like last year, we have canceled pre-team for the 2021 season. The required close contact between young swimmers and volunteer coaches to teach the young porpoises is not possible in these pandemic times. Private lessons are allowed
but are independent and separate from swim team.

Coaching staff:
After 11 seasons, Coach Gerri has decided not to return this year to Palisades.
Please join our team in a parking lot thank you event Monday, May 31 after
practice, when we acknowledge Coach Gerri for her long Palisades career. We are
very grateful for her years of leadership to the team and will miss her. We
look forward to when her new baby Easton is old enough to join the pre team in
a few years!

We are excited to announce that Jen
Conklin will be Palisades's Head Coach this year and will be joined by
assistant coaches Claire Sorkin, Jack Spector, and Michael Paulos. Please
welcome our staff and treat them with respect.

Questions and more information?

Please contact our team reps: Debbie Bunker, Kim Penn or board rep: Anita Seline

SURVEY LINK