Edition 14

Swim Team Newsletter2nd September 2024

TAC Swim Team Newsletter
Coming Events 2024

Welcome Back

4th September: RPN#7,entries due 3rd September

Welcome back everyone and we hope you all had an enjoyable
Summer Break. A big welcome also to all our new swimmers tothe team. We have a very large group this Session and we arelooking forward to some good competition and representation atmeets. As many swimmers are still returning from Summer Breakthere will be a little bit more shu ing around in the lower levels.

19th September: RPN#8, entries due: 18thOctober 20:00
29th September: St
Mary’s Fall Meet, entries
due: 25th September 20:00
1st October: RPN #9,entries due: 30th September
20:00
16th October: RPN #10,entries due: 15t October
20:00
20th October: Yokosuka
Red & Black Meet, entries
due TBC.
26th & 27th October: St
Mary’s Buccaneer
Invitational, entries due:
15th October 20:00

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A entries for meets through theswim team calendar. Eventsand dates are subject to change.
You wi be noti ed by email ofany changesPlease make sure you sign up for Session 3. We will be talking to
any swimmers that have advanced up a level in the team.

Parent Volunteers
Our swim team relies a great deal on parental volunteers andsupport to keep our swimmers motivated through the di erent
types of swimming events that we run. These meets can’t be run
without su cient parental support and volunteer assistance.
While we have our usual parents always volunteering at mostmeets, we really need more help from parents of swimmers in ourteam. With a team of over 150 swimmers we should easily haveenough help for timekeeping, judging, starting and for the timing
console/computer.
While we encourage the swimmers to take ownership of theirswimming, we also need parental support to run our home events.
If you haven’t helped out at one of our Race Practice Nights or
All-TAC meets, please do so, your children will appreciate yourinvolvement and support. None of the positions are complicatedand a brief explanation will be given beforehand. It’s a great way
to get involved in your child’s swimming and meet some likeminded swimming parents.

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14th September: TACST
Fall Invitational Meet,entries due: 5th September
20:00

Edition 14Swim Team Newsletter2nd September 2024

TACST Fall Invitational 2024
This is our inaugural one day meet. Please make sure you get you entries in before the 5thof September. This meet is open to all swimmers in the TAC Swim Team who have someswim meet experience. Those looking to get some racing experience before the 14th shouldsign up for the “Race Practice Night” (RPN #7) on the 4th of September (see below).
Please see all details for the Invitational Meet on the calendar.

TACST’s Competitive Swimming
Our swim team not only aims to produce competent swimmers, but encourages
swimmers to compete and enjoy the successes gained from fun, friendly & farecompetitions. There are competitions for all levels, from our friendly clubRace Practice Nights to the highly competitive Japan Amateur Swimming
Federation meets. Below is a brief introduction to the meets available.

TAC Meets
We run a number of meets through the year that are open to all of the TAC swimming
community and TAC members. TAC All-Comers, TAC Winter Sprinter, TAC Endurance
Open are a few. All meet details will be available on the TAC website and you will need tosign-up through the TAC website for these meets.

Race Practice Nights
Friendly intra club meets run on the last week of every month alternating Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday. All entries are due the day before the RPN.
Warm-ups from 5:30pm races start 5:45pm to approx 7:15pm.
Swimmers choose from a selection of events. Swimmers that can complete a full 25m of any
stroke are welcome to participate. I encourage all swimmers to participate. Swimmers mustsign-up for these races so they get the full competition experience, from registering, throughto racing. There is exibility in getting swimmers in at the last minute but we do not
encourage it.

Away Meets
TACST competes at a number of meets run by outside schools and swim teams, these meets
range in competitiveness and are both Long Course (50m pools) and Short Course (25mpools). Some events require swimmers to meet qualifying times to participate or to receive
points and medals. Those new to swim meets and competition should check with theircoach before signing up.

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Swim Team Newsletter2nd September 2024

St Mary’s Buccaneers’ Meets
These meets are open to all ages and ranges of swimmers, from beginners levels to Japan
National championship level. Swimmers should have competition experience or swam at
least one RPN before signing up for these meets. Meets run for the full day (Invitationals are
two full days). Entry fees apply, competition is against the international swimming
community and some Japanese teams

Yokosuka Swim Meets
These meets are run at the Yokosuka Naval base and require more paperwork than othermeets. Open to all levels of swimmers with meet experience and who can swim 50m of anystroke. Our team travels to and from via bus. Fun full day trip down to the military base.
Entry fees apply, competition is against the international swimming community and someJapanese teams.

Japan Amateur Swimming Federation Meets
These meets require swimmers to have recorded equal to or faster than qualifying times.
Swimmers will be competing against local Japanese teams. Eligible swimmers will be invitedby email to compete. This is a very high level of swimming competition, some of the best age
groups swimmers in Tokyo.

Overseas Meets
We try to attend one overseas meet per year. In the past we have attended meets in Bangkok,
Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei. These meets are open to all swimmers with a descent amountof competition experience and are committed to TACST. TACST will book accommodationand transport while on the trip. Families fund their own airfares and pay for theaccommodation. these are great trips to go on and a great experience for young keenswimmers. Information will be sent out well in advance.

Signing Up
All sign ups are through the Google Forms available on the TACST’s Calendar. Clickon; date of the meet - “more information” - open the attachments for more details of
the meet - choose events from the list - ll in the “entry form” - click submit. Moredetails of the meet will be sent out closer to the meet date, only to those that havesigned up. I cannot accept any late entries or entries via email.

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After You Have Signed UpRPN’sYou should receive an automatic receipt that you have signed up
A program will be sent out and posted on the calendar lunchtime on the day of the meet.
Scratches will be put down as No Shows(NS), there is not enough time to make changes tothe program.
Results will be posted the night of the meet or early the next day

Away Meets
You should receive an automatic receipt that you have signed up
Entries will be sent out for checking and available on the calendar shortly after thedeadline.
If you do not receive an email, please check the calendar.
If you are not on the list send us an email ASAP.
After entries have been nalized, information on the meet will be sent out.
Entry fees will still need to be paid for no-shows or late scratches.

Level Requirements
To get the most out of each level we expect swimmers to attend all practices, wear properswim suits (not board-shorts), caps (optional for boys) and googles to each practice.
Development swimmers bring all training equipment. Turn up on time and be ready to focus,
receive instruction and behave appropriately. Our goal is to improve each individuals
swimming skills but, have a bit of fun doing it. We encourage all swimmers to take part in
our Race Practice Night competitions (RPN)
Level 4Swimmers swim twice a week, either Monday & Wednesday or Tuesday & Thursday 4:45 to
5:30pm. We can be exible with di erent days, and if you need to do a make-up practice if
you miss one, please contact us.
Level 5 & Junior Level
Swimmers swim twice a week, either Monday & Wednesday or Tuesday & Thursday 4:45 to
5:45pm. We can be exible with di erent days, and if you need to do a make-up practice if
you miss one, please contact us.
Intermediate
Swimmers swim twice a week on any day, Monday to Thursday 5:30 to 6:45pm. We areexible with which days swimmers swim week to week, they can choose their own schedule.

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Swim Team Newsletter2nd September 2024

Competitive Development Level (Gold, Silver, Bronze)
Swimmers need to swim a minimum of 3 practices a week to be able to progress with thesquad. Swimmers choose their own schedule from Monday to Friday 5:45 to 7:15pm andFriday morning 6:00 to 7:20am
We have been reminding all the swimmers over the last few weeks that they need to attend aminimum of three practices a week to stay in good standing. This creates a strong teamfeeling, ensure swimmers attend a variety of di erent practices (broad development of skills),
a sense of commitment, builds con dence, improves focus and develops good habits and timemanagement. And obviously will produce a better swimmer. This is also a minimum andswimmers that can attend more should. Swimmers attending less than 3 practices a week
regularly will be asked to swim with the Fitness Level until they can commit to 3 a week.

Dry Land and Stretching
We have a space on the pool deck for stretching and dry-landworkouts. There are TRX Suspension Trainers and a number ofresistance bands, none of which put young bodies at risk of anyinjury.
This is for Development Silver and Gold, please check withcoaches if unsure. Dry-land exercises and stretching will run from5:30 to 5:45pm. I know it is hard for some swimmers to get therethat early but, if they could come as early as possible and join in.

Training Equipment
Development swimmers are required to have Fins and Snorkels in a mesh bag (see belowexamples), paddles and pull buoy optional. A number of swimmers still haven’t got snorkels,
please get them. We have ordered a couple of lockable cages so, swimmers can leave theirequipment bags in the storage (no single items).
Any brand will do as long it can t all their ns, snorkels and any other equipment they wishto keep at the pool.

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Swim Fins
Level Bronze and above will need to purchasesome decent swimming ns for practice. We
recommend the Hydro Tech 2 (as seen in thepicture, link below). They can be purchased
online or from stores like “Zyuen” in Ueno.
http://z-b.co.jp/shop/ameyoko/
HydroTech 2 https://www.hydrosportz.com/ ns

Swim Snorkel
In addition to the swim ns, all swimmers in Gold and Silver only must purchase a swim
training snorkel. Some of the bene ts of snorkels are balancing the stroke,
improves kick rating, better technique through habit and visibility, feel for thewater at max speed, especially with ns, and swimmers can feel the correct
position for the head. I also think that it is a new skill to develop and helps
break up the monotony of practice, new di erent activities stimulate minds andhelp focus,
We have no preference to which snorkel swimmers should buy, it probably
comes down to personal preference, but FINIS is rated quite high.
*Swimmers having trouble with the snorkel may wish to buy the nose peg to help with thebreath control*fifffifififi

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Edition 14

Swim Team Newsletter2nd September 2024

TAC Swim Team’s Competitive Swimming
Our swim team not only aims to produce competent swimmers, but encourages swimmers tocompete and enjoy the successes gained from fun, friendly & fair competitions. There arecompetitions for all levels, from our friendly club Race Practice Nights to the highly
competitive Japan Amateur Swimming Federation meets. Below is a brief introduction to themeets available. A of our RPN’s, TACST Championships and Away Meet deadlines are
20:00 (8:00pm) on the speci ed deadline date.

Swim Team Calendar
The calendar is the most accurate and current source of information about swim team meetsand events. The calendar has been updated as much as it can at this time. It also has all meet
results and scores archived from previous years. We try to put as much information onto thecalendar as we can; before and after each event, so please browse through it.

Any Questions?
Please send any queries to; tac.swimteam@tac-club.org
Meet & Event Information
Go to the swim team calendar below and click on any date;https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=tacmudsharks%40gmail.com&ctz=Asia/Tokyofill

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