Mustang Monthly - Internet Edition
October 2003
To the many new swimmers who have recently come on board, welcome! To those who have returned from a well deserved summer rest, welcome back! Over the next few weeks and months, a lot will be happening with our team. We have meets to host and to compete at, and fun social events to attend. All this is to say that you should keep checking our website (www.dmswim.com) and/or phone line (972-530-SWAM) frequently so that you don’t miss out on anything. The Dallas Mustangs is a very large team and effective communication is a challenge. We use email for the majority of our information distribution. However, even this has become difficult at times, due to some of the issues that have resulted from viruses running rampant. The bottom line is if you want to be informed, come in to the pool where you child practices and get to know some of the other parents and the coaches. Check out the bulletin boards at the pools; most of the time information regarding social events, meets and the most recent newsletter, is posted there.
Once again, welcome everyone and good luck to all the
swimmers in their upcoming competitions!
It’s Great to be a Mustang!
Something just feels right when you say that. Of course, I’m a little biased since I’ve been here a while. But since I have been here the longest, I’ve also been the luckiest to experience all of the greatness of this team. There are thousands of memories. Some I get to relive daily, like seeing a mother greet her swimmer with a smile and a towel at the end of practice never gets old. Others memories make me chuckle, like when I remember dads limping for a week after the team picnic because they over did it in the football game. Or how about those looks of determination that you can see right through the swimmer’s goggles and the looks of excitement when they talk about their next meet. There have also been those times when I can remember one of our coaches lending a shoulder to a swimmer after a tough break, and one swimmer helping another after missing a goal.
I have been extremely fortunate to have only two presidents since the merger
of the Mustangs Swim Club and the Dallas Aquatic Club in 1991. Wy Teter and
The Mustangs have been one of the most successful teams in the country. Our teams have placed in the top ten at the United States Nationals five times. We have placed swimmers on National teams and won gold medals at the Olympics. Our age groupers have been in the top ten at the Texas Age Group Swimming Championships every year as a team and have broken numerous national records.
All of our swimmers have gained an appreciation for an activity that they can be involved with for the rest of their lives. They have learned how to be a part of a team in an individual sport. When they have reached their goals, our swimmers have been taught the importance of setting new goals by many fantastic coaches. Coaches are another area where the Mustangs have truly been blessed. I’m sure that I speak for the other coaches when I say; it is an honor to work with the Mustang swimmers. Swimming has many life lessons that are shared by the swimmer and coach every workout. There is no doubt that those lessons will help in the future.
Another thing I’m proud of is our uniform. Red, white and blue. It just looks sharp when you see that royal blue suit with that red mustang, along with the white cap with “Dallas Mustangs” in blue and the horse in red. Those horses can run pretty darn fast on that water!
It is a privilege to be involved with this team and to have worked with many great people over the years. My challenge to everyone on the team now is to continue to contribute to the Mustangs spirit and take memories with you.
It is great to be a Mustang!
Mook Rhodenbaugh,
Head Coach
Social
News
On Thursday,
October 23rd we will be having a really fun event – “Bring a Buddy
to Swim Practice”. We did this last year and it was a lot of fun! Just have
them join you at your regular practice time and we promise that we won’t make
them do a full workout! Invite your friends to come and see what all the fun is
about!
Parents, are you ready for a little time away from the chlorine? Come and join
us at Adele and
Intrasquad Meet
Every year at this time, we have a mock swim meet. The purpose is for the swimmers to do some team bonding, show their team spirit, learn the team cheers and also to briefly familiarize new swimmers with the format of a swim meet. While the swimmers are busy with all of that, we will also have informational sessions for the parents out in the halls. Are you unsure about how to fill out a swim meet form? We’ll show you how! Don’t know who the board members are and what they do? We’ll have information about that. Are you wanting to volunteer but just don’t know how to go about doing that or don’t know what jobs are available? Believe me, we have information about that too!
Additionally, D&J Sports (our apparel supplier) will be at Loos that evening, with a selection of practice suits and swim gear including a sample of a new Dallas Mustangs sweatshirt.
The mock meet will be held at Loos on Tuesday, October 7th from
Swimmer Recognition
We already know that it takes a special person to be able to handle the rigors of swimming. The athletic achievements of swimmers are more easily and most often recognized. It’s those non-athletic, outstanding achievements that sometimes go unnoticed. That’s what this little section of the newsletter hopes to change.
This month, we have three swimmers who deserve our congratulations.
Community Service
For the past year, Miller Pyke and a friend from church have been collecting
school supplies for children all over the world. Together, they have sewn over
220 bags to hold the supplies, so that each child can have a school supply bag
of their own. In September, they took these bags to the Mennonite Central
Committee in
Miller says, “We have also raised almost $1,000 and hope to keep doing this project to help kids. I love to draw and write and I can't imagine not having paper and pencils.”
Miller works out at Loos and is the child of Danna and Charles Pyke.
Kate Gunning
and Caroline
Jennings, both National group swimmers, were recently named to the
USA Swimming 2002-2003 Scholastic All American Team. A total of 752
According to the information on the USA website, “Swimmers had to achieve at least a 3.50 GPA as a high school sophomore, junior or senior and competed in an individual event at one of the following meets: 2002 ConocoPhillips Summer Nationals, 2002 Summer Speedo Champions Series (sectionals), 2002 U.S. Open, 2003 ConocoPhillips Spring Nationals, 2003 Spring Speedo Champions Series (sectionals), 2002 National Disability Championships or 2002 Open Water National Championships.”
Kate attends
You can read more about the Scholastic team members at http://www.usa-swimming.org
All three of these swimmers deserve our congratulations for their outstanding achievements!
Way
to go Mustangs!
Swim Meet Updates
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ANY COACHES AT THE GCAT A/BB OPEN HOUSE SHORT COURSE MEET, SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 3-5TH. Swimmers wishing to participate in that meet will need to make arrangements with the host team regarding warm-ups etc.
Haunted Hat Invitational – November
1 & 2
Yup, we’re doing it again! We’re hosting the best BB/B/C Invitational meet once more! Victor Kimm is our meet director and will be posting information at the pools regarding his volunteer needs. He will also have sign-up sheets at the mock meet on October 7th, so be sure to seek him out and volunteer to help out.
This meet, along with others later in the season, is one of our main sources of income for the team. Please help us make it a success by supporting us with your volunteer help! Thanks.
Hotel Information for Kerr McGee Swim Meet
The Kerr McGee Swim meet is a ways off – not until mid-December, as a matter of fact. If you think your child may be participating in that meet (your swimmer’s coach will know), here is hotel reservation information:
Hampton Inn
11905
OK 73108
(405) 682-2080
There have been a total of 24 rooms reserved in our block under the name
“Dallas Mustangs Swim Team”. The rooms are either double/double or king
standard. Both are $67 per night plus tax and the reservation period is from
If you make a reservation, please let Larry Thompson (travel coordinator) know so that he can compile a list for the hotel. Larry may be contacted by email at travel@dmswim.com.
Swim Team Tryouts
Do you know someone who would like to swim for our team but missed the
big team tryout dates? Not a problem! We will continue to have tryouts on
Tuesdays at
Important Websites
Here is a list of three very important websites to add to your favorites
list:
Each of these websites provides different information. Our website
obviously, has its focus on matters that concern our team. There you will find
links to communicating with board members, past newsletters, photos from past
events etc. The
