Mustang Monthly- Internet Edition

January 2009

 

Dallas Mustang Financial Policies

Updated January 2009

 

1)      Mustang Bucks earned by a swimmer’s family will be accumulated in QuickBooks but the credits will not be applied until the total amount of the credits totals at least one month’s tuition.

2)      No Mustang Bucks will be awarded to a swimmer working at a Dallas Mustang swim meet.

3)      Mustang parents working as meet officials must have the meet referee sign their hours and the signed report has to be turned into the Dallas Mustang Treasurer.  An official working all of the meet’s sessions will receive a credit of $100.  If an official does not work the whole meet, the credit amount will be prorated based on the total number of sessions worked as a percentage of the total number of sessions in the offered in the meet.

4)      The Dallas Mustangs will not issue Mustang Bucks to families for referring new swimmers to the team.

5)      Each swimmer’s family is responsible for contacting the Dallas Mustang treasurer with updated credit card information (new credit card number, new expiration date, etc.).  From the date a request is made by the Dallas Mustang Treasurer for updated credit card information a swimmer’s family has 30 days to provide the needed updated information.  If the information is not given to the treasurer within 30 days the swimmer will not be allowed to swim until valid credit card information is provided. 

6)      Meet fees will be collected for all college swimmers affiliating with the Dallas Mustangs before the swimmer is entered in a meet.  Credit card information will be kept in the database for all college swimmers swimming with the Dallas Mustangs.

 

Updated Volunteer Policy

 

      Due to the increase in our numbers and in the lack of volunteerism the Board has been forced to reevaluate our volunteer policy.  In keeping with the policy of most large teams we have approved a mandatory volunteer requirement.  It is significantly less than many other teams’ requirements and please keep in mind that this is a minimum requirement; many of our families put in many more hours than this. We encourage all families to consider working more than the minimum.

 

The following policy is effective immediately:

 

      Every family is required to volunteer in at least one session per year at a Mustang hosted meet.  In addition, if your child is competing in a Mustang hosted meet you must work at least one session in that particular meet.  We host 5 meets a year, one B/C meet (October), two 'A' meets (February and May), one Senior Circuit meet (a higher level meet than the 'A' meets…June) and one summer league recreational meet (July).  Many of the 'A' swimmers will be competing in 3 of these meets which means those families must volunteer at 3 sessions.  If your child (specifically BB swimmers) does not compete in any of these 5 meets you still must volunteer at least one session in one of the meets.  All swimmers get the benefit of the coaches’ attention and all should be expected to volunteer.  If you do not sign up for a session our meet directors will assign you one.  If you do not show up your credit card will be charged $100 and you will be assigned a position at the next meet.  

 

The Board is currently in the process of updating our Mustang Bucks policy and will publish that as soon as it becomes available.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact me or any of the Board members with questions you may have.

Pool Policy

To reiterate the pool policy, you must swim at the pool you registered for.  If there is an extenuating circumstance and you want to swim at a different facility one night you must get permission from head coach, Mook Rhodenbaugh, if you want to swim at Loos (regardless of what group your child is in) and you must get permission from head age group coach, Doug Moyse, if you want to swim at Highland Park.  If your swimmer simply shows up they will not be allowed to swim.  Any swimmer who wants to swim at KC is welcome and encouraged to do so at any time without permission.

MEET RECAPS

 

Cops BB Winter Solstice Invite (Nov 7 – 9)

This BB meet was held at the Oak Point Recreation Center in Plano and we saw thirty-five of our Mustangs doing a great job of racing, getting a boatload of best times, and cheering their hearts out for their teammates.  Despite the relatively low number of participants our cheers for each other were bigger than most of the other much larger groups from other teams!  We finished 10th in the team battle out of 18 teams and the coaches were proud of our efforts to swim fast and show our support for our fellow Mustangs.

 

Those that are listed below got some hardware and scored points for the team.  Mustangs Rock!

 

Luke Blaylock (13), Karim De Vol (13), Kendall Ernst (12), Sara Granger (14), Jacob Hum (9), Sarah Jones (13), Sydney Patterson (14), Shauna Seidel (10), Virginia Tiernan (9), Catherine Ward (15), Ellie Ward (12)

 

Metro B/C Division 2 Invite (Nov 14 – 16)

Fifty-six of our Mustangs traveled up North to Allen and the Dan Rhodenbaugh Natatorium to swim in this B/C meet.  As a team we did so well that only three of our swimmers in the meet did not get at least one best time!  We finished 4th out of 8 teams in the closely contested team race only a few points out of 3rd place.  About 85% of our swims were best times so it was a successful meet to say the least!

 

Congratulations to all the swimmers who swam in the meet.  Those that are listed below scored points for the team in at least one event.

 

Laura Brayshaw (10), Lauren Breeding (12), Parker Capron (11), Abigail Cartwright (12), Jack Chen (11), Brennan Davis (7), Emory Foerster (9), Emilee Gant (10), Hannah Goodwyn (7), Christianna Haas (11), Kaylan Hardin (11), Kate Hettrick (9), Benjamin Hurst (9), Grace Jolas (10), Briana Kuhn (9), Tara Lalvani (10), Mika Malouf (11), Zoe McCollum (9), Boni McVey (11), Chloe Moino (11), Arjun Nair (11), Ellie Pfeiffer (10), Ethan Pittson (8), Hannah Reifsnyder (12), Hector Rivera (12), Caroline Savage (9), Jena Seidemann (11), Karina Sell (11), Amanda Steinborn (9), Maddie Stevenson (8), Dylan Tcheng (11), Madeline Tovar (10), Maria Tovar (9), Jake Varela (8), Lauren Walters (9), Kennedy Wiegand (7), Taylor Williams (12), Jackson Yancey (9), Megan Yancey (11)

 

COR Classic ‘A’ Invitational (Dec 5 – 7)

This year’s edition of the COR Classic showcased 95 of our “A” Swimmers in one of the more competitive meets in the North Texas area prior to the holiday break.  Thirty-Five teams were represented and despite some of our top guns being at Nationals during the same time period we finished a respectable 5th place in a tightly bunched group of teams that were only separated by about 200 points which isn’t much when you are talking team scores in the thousands. 

 

Special kudos to the 10 & Under boys relay of Alex McElya, Alex Ober, William Wessman, and Alvin Jiang  for setting a meet record in the 200 free relay (1:56.52) and coming very close to the record in the 200 medley relay while winning both events convincingly over a strong field.  Greg Hoffman also swam great in the Senior 200 fly while dipping under a record that was several years old with a sterling time of 1:51.08. Those swimmers who scored points in this ultra competitive meet are listed below.  Super swimming Mustangs!

 

Jack Beckwitt (17), Rebecca Brandt (9), Sean Bray (16), Michelle Chow (40), Annie Dills (14), Mark Faubion (16), Hannah Ferrin (17), Erin Florence (14), Tiffany Futscher (11), Audrey Gruber (12), Emma Gruber (13), Jacey Hodan (15), Greg Hoffman (17), Jon Horak (17), Alex Huff (15), Jacob Hum (9), Alvin Jiang (10), Leah Jones (17), Malin Kenny (16), Pauli Kerr (10), Ellis Ko (11), Fernando Lara (17), Jordan Malone (10), Madeleine Marcos (13), Alex McElya (10), Logan McGill (13), Alison Moffit (16), Sam Murphy (14), Lauren Murski (13), Jordan Newman (16), Courtney Nichols (12), Andrew North (16), Alex Ober (10), Whitney Pettijohn (10), Natalie Rathjen (12), Hector Rivera (12), Alex Robinson (14), Sheila Salopek (17), Graham Smitham (17), Harrison Tran (13), Annelyse Tullier (11), Liam Veazey (15), Keegan Watters (16), Scott Weeks (17), William Wessman (10) 

 

LAC BB Invite (Dec 12 – 14)

This BB level meet was held at the Keller ISD pool.  Just as a reminder, BB meets are open to all 13 and over swimmers who have no times at a USA Swimming Sanctioned meet or BB times or less in specific events.  Once you are 13 you never have to go to a B/C meet again since they are only for 12 and under’s.  As a team we need more swimmers at these meets!  Even if you are an ‘A’ swimmer and you want to get your feet wet in an event you have never swam give it a try in the great atmosphere of a BB meet where everybody is super supportive of each other (mainly on your own team!). 

 

Of the 36 swimmers who competed only two did not have at least one best time (I won’t tell who they were!).  Most impressive Mustangs!  Below is a list of those who scored:

 

Parker Benn (9), Caroline Blaylock (11), Luke Blaylock (13), Carolina Campbell (9), Anna Crowling (10), Patrick Crowling (15), Kendall Ernst (12), Kaylan Hardin (12), Caitlin Klemme (13), Alyssa McElya (15), Alyssa Moino (13), Gordon Montgomery (9), Natalie Morris (11), Connor Mullen (12), Virginia Tiernan (9), Jasper Van Cauwelaert (10), Kristen Whitaker (11), Max Zotos (12)

 

Metro B/C Division 2 Meet (Dec 19 – 21)

One last meet before the holidays saw fifty-two of our 12 and under B/C swimmers travel up to Allen to give it their best shot one more time in 2008 to get some best times.  Only one of these B/C swimmers failed to capture at least one best time and 73% of all of our Mustang swims were best times.  Pretty good for the 3rd or 4th meet of the season for most of them!

 

Great efforts yielded us great results!  “We wish you a Merry Mustang, we wish you……Sorry, couldn’t resist!  Those who scored points are listed below.  Great job to all our Mustang B/C Swimmers!

 

Emily Allton (12), Lauren Breeding (12), Parker Capron (11), Abigail Cartwright (12), Jason Cheng (10), Kristie Cheng (9), Brennan Davis (7), Sara Duke (10), Alex Gerner (11), Gordon Guest (8), Kate Hettrick (9), Grace Jolas (10), Sofia Lara (8), Sarah Lewis (11), Ellie Light (12), Charlie Marshall (12), Rebecca Miles (12), Max Moundas (7), Rachel Myers (11), Alex Ober (10), Sebastian Ober (12), Ellie Pfeiffer (10), Ethan Pittson (8), Eli Recinos (9), Hannah Reifsnyder (12), Charlotte Rolfe (11), Karina Sell (11), Maddie Stevenson (8), Ailish Tierney (7), Niamh Tierney (10< Maria Tovar (9), Max Van Cauwelaert (6), Jake Varela (8), Lauren Walters (9), James Welch (10), Kennedy Wiegand (7), Jackson Yancy (9), Megan Yancey (11)

 

NTN ‘A’ Invitational (Jan 9 – 11)

This initial meet of the new year was held at the fast but far away Southlake pool.  Sixty-seven of our swimmers zipped their way up and down the pool to another great meet for the Mustangs.  Coaches Mook, Doug, Lia, and Jeff were pleased with the surprising frequency in which Mustangs raced well and won heat after heat.  When they didn’t win the heat they pushed others to best times while achieving some great drops themselves. 

 

Those that scored are listed below.  Way to go Mustangs!

 

Allison Arnold (16), Jack Beckwitt (17), Claire Brandt (14), Rebecca Brandt (9), Ashley Brown (10), Michelle Chow (40), Annie Dills (14), Erin Florence (14), Tiffany Futscher (11), Des Godfrey (16), Audrey Gruber (12), Emma Gruber (13), Conor Guest (13), Jacey Hodan (15), Alex Huff (15), Jacob Hum (10), Alvin Jiang (10), Malin Kenny (16), Pauli Kerr (10), Caitlin Koranda (15), Logan McGill (13), Alison Moffit (16), Connor Mullen (12), Kenzie Murphy (11), Sam Murphy (14), Lauren Murski (13), Jordan Newman (16), Courtney Nichols (12), Connor Nolan (16), Alex Ober (10), Whitney Pettijohn (10), Laura Rathjen (12), Natalie Rathjen (12), Hector Rivera (12), Alex Robinson (14), Delaney Rolfe (17), Graham Smitham (17), Jeremy Steward (17), Andrew Tran (17), Harrison Tran), Caleb Veazey (18), Claire Walters (13), Jake Watters (13), Keegan Watters (16), Michelle Wessman (12)

Social News

The annual championship fire up party will be Tuesday, March 3rd, at Loos from 6:30 – 7:30. Practices for that day are at Loos for all groups from 5:30 – 6:30 EXCEPT Nationals which will be from 5:00 – 6:30.

 

ALL OTHER PRACTICES ON THIS DAY ARE CANCELLED

 

Each swimmer should bring $3 for pizza and a dessert to share.

 

Questions?  Contact Barb Beckwitt at social@dmswim.com.

 

Please mark your calendars now for our annual banquet for Sunday, May 3rd.  More details to follow!

 

SWIM-A-THON

 

Fundraising chairperson, Kristin Mullen, has set the theme for this year’s swim-a-thon…

 

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...."

 

Find your inner Nemo

 

At the Dallas Mustang Swim-a-thon

 

Thursday, April 16th

 

Please mark your calendars now…more details to follow....

 

Hotel information for Sectionals

 

Sectionals will be held at Texas A & M from March 5th – 8th.  The following is hotel information:

 

Hawthorne Suites

1010 University Drive East

College Station, TX. 77840

Phone: (979) 695-9500  Hit Option 0 to talk to reservations at the hotel in College Station. 

Group Code: DMST

Group Name: Dallas Mustangs Swim Team

 

We have added 5 more rooms since the initial email went out. Rate is $139 per night.

Rooms are blocked for three nights -- March 5th, 6th, and 7th.

Cut off date is February 19, 2009 to book rooms before they expire.

 

Questions should be directed to our travel chairperson, Jason Miller, at travel@dmswim.com.

 

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

The Dallas Mustangs will host the “A Champs" meets February 21-23 at Loos.   

We will need many volunteers to run this meet. Volunteers are needed to assist with hospitality, heat sheet sales, timing, awards processing, data processing and administration, and safety marshals.  None of these jobs are difficult or require special training.  PURSUANT TO THE NEW POLICY OUTLINED ABOVE IF YOU HAVE A SWIMMER PARTICIPATING IN THIS MEET YOU MUST VOLUNTEER A MINIMUM OF ONE SESSION.  YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED A POSITION IF YOU DO NOT SIGN UP.

Hosting swim meets are a major source of income for our team, which offsets expenses and keeps our tuition lower.  So you can see that hosting well run meets benefits our team and each of us individually also.

Sign up sheets will be posted at Loos and HP.  You can also contact one of the meet directors below to express your interest or get additional information.   We sincerely appreciate your participation and look forward to working with you all!

 

Co-Meet Directors:

Dee Koranda                              Jan Miller

(972)393-5354                            (972)772-4116     

korandafamily@gmail.com         jmillerrock@gmail.com

        

            

Spring Break

 

The Mustangs will take their annual spring break this year from March 16 – 20, resuming Monday, March 23, at regularly scheduled practice times.  

           
Loos Supply Room

 

The supply room at Loos will be open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 – 7:30pm effective immediately.  All questions regarding supplies should be directed to Alma Futscher at futscher@sbcglobal.net.

 

Scheduling Updates

 

Our primary means of communication is via email.  If you are not receiving team e-mails please contact Donna Watters at vp@dmswim.com.  You can also check our team line at 972.530.SWAM (7926) for last minute scheduling changes.

 

Tuition Policy

The Dallas Mustangs is a competitive year round age-group swimming program.  As such we strive to provide consistent quality coaching and workout facilities.  To achieve this goal we establish pool rental contracts and salary commitments with our coaching staff for a full 12-month period.  The Dallas Mustangs Swim Team is not, and was not designed to be a swim program where swimmers drop in one month and out the next.  Flexibility has always been important to us.  We try to work with each family on the team and we will continue to do so. 

 

Tuition may be paid annually or monthly.  Monthly Tuition must be paid via  credit card only.  NO checks will be accepted at any pools or through the mail.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  Annual tuition may be paid by check submitted with your registration form.

 

·        Tuition is due from September through July.

·        Leave of Absence (LOA) is available only for injury and medical reasons.

·        There will be a $10.00 per month discount for the second and subsequent swimmers in the same family.  The fourth swimmer is free.

·        If dues are paid annually, there will be a $110.00 discount for the second swimmer and a $220.00 discount for the third swimmer. If there are more than 3 swimmers; the three highest tuition rates will be billed and the 4th and subsequent swimmers are free.

·        A swimmer transferring from another team must be in good standing with their old team.

·        Tuition is due the first of every month. There will be a $5.00 per family late fee after the 10th of the month for non-zero balance accounts.

·        There are no tuition refunds, tuition paid for the month or the year commits you for that period.

·        Written communication to the DM Treasurer is required to change or stop automatic billing.

·        The swimmer(s) may be barred from swimming if there is an aged account balance is excess of 30 days.

 

Any questions regarding billing should be addressed to the team treasurer via e-mail:   treas@dmswim.com

 

 

Meet Entry Policy:

 

Meet entry fees will be paid by credit card only.  Your credit card will be charged monthly.  There will be a $1.00 surcharge per meet per swimmer added to the fee.  Meet entry fees will be charged separate from tuition charges.  All swimmers must maintain a current and up to date meet entry account.   Swimmers who do not provide valid credit card information for meet entry fees will not be allowed to enter swim meets.