One last note
August 3, 2009 by Gordon NewmanDel Prado Stingrays Win Tri-Valley Swim League
August 1, 2009 by Gordon Newman
Final Team Standings
Del Prado 2,579.5
Club Sport Pleasanton 2,148
DBAC 2,035
Briarhill 1,808
Dublin 1,797
Ruby Hill 1,547
Pleasanton Meadows 1,337.5
FAST 826
Congratulations Stingrays!
_________________________________________________
Reminders for Champs
July 31, 2009 by Gordon NewmanTomorrow is our big day. I’m very excited for this meet. The weather looks favorable to swimming and hanging out all day with friends. Now is our time to show up pumped-up and ready to swim–the fastest! Parents, it’s our job to keep our swimmers excited and encouraged. If everyone tries their best, we’ll win in so many ways. I truly believe, no matter what the outcome of the meet is, that we are the best team in the league. I enjoy so much being a part of it. I’m going to miss seeing you all at practice and Saturday mornings may be boring for a while…
Everyone must be checked-in with their coach tomorrow morning by 6:45. The scratch meeting will be at 7:00, and the meet should begin at 8:00. If you need directions to this pool in Livermore, please contact me.
Our team’s warm-up time is 7:20-7:35. Throughout the day lanes will be available to warm-up and cool-down. These lanes will open on the hour for 15 minutes. These lanes are only for practicing. No goofing around allowed.
A great league snack bar has been planned. You can look forward to these items for sale: Starbuck’s coffee, bagels, donuts, pizza, Subway sandwiches, Dennis’ famous pulled-pork sandwiches, Jamba Juice, potato salad, cole slaw, fruit salad, water, nachos (regular and deluxe), candy, caesar salad, hotdogs (chili cheese as well), and Mr. Softee ice cream cones. Whew, I’m hungry already.
Lastly, our party is Sunday. Please bring a side, salad, or dessert to share. It looks like we’ll begin serving around 4:30-ish instead of 5:00. Once everyone has eaten, the dessert bar will be opened and then we’ll begin our awards program.
Good luck, Stingrays.
Go Del Prado!!
Joan
Quotes and Records to motivate you for Champs
July 28, 2009 by Gordon NewmanHere are our “Pool Records” and the League Records.
Individual records 2009
Relay Records 2009
2008 Tri-Valley League Records
Kids don’t get too caught up with the times on the paper. If the US. Men’s relay team believed more in the times on paper than what was in their hearts then French relay team would have won the gold at the 2008 Olympics.
Here are some inspirational swimming quotes:
The water is your friend. You don’t have to fight with water, just share the same spirit as the water, and it will help you move. ~Aleksandr Popov
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
No man drowns if he perseveres in praying to God, and can swim. ~Russian Proverb
Oxygen is overrated. ~Author Unknown
Chlorine is my perfume. ~Author Unknown
What goes around comes around, just like a flip turn. ~Author Unknown
If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do all the rest have to drown too? ~Steven Wright
If you have a lane, you have a chance. ~Author Unknown
Seven days of no swimming makes one weak. ~Author Unknown
It’s a good idea to begin at the bottom in everything except in learning to swim. ~Author Unknown
Sometimes God calms the storm. At other times, he calms the sailor. And sometimes he makes us swim. ~Author Unknown
Seventy-five percent of our planet is water – can you swim? ~Author Unknown
When the earth floods from global warming, the swimmers will rule the world. ~Author Unknown
Chlorine: the breakfast of champions! ~Author Unknown
I simply can’t understand
Why swimsuits are in such demand
They’re soggy and damp,
Bind like a clamp,
And hold about three pounds of sand!
~D.R. Benson
I can’t fly, but swimming is the next best thing…. The water is my sky. ~Author Unknown
Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement – and we will make the goal. ~Jerome Fleishman
Cheers,
Sammy Stingray
15-18’s
July 27, 2009 by Gordon NewmanPleasanton Meadows Sammy Photos ready
July 26, 2009 by Gordon Newman
Hi Swimmers and Parents,
Get Mom or Dad to check your email for a guest pass to photos of our Pleasanton Meadows meet.
Swimmers make sure you get plenty of sleep this week as we want to be ready to swim big at Champs on Saturday.
Congratulations on going undefeated in the regular swim season.
PS. We have a new page on our website Stingrays of Past and Present which has swim team photos all the way back to 1992. You can click on any photo to view a larger version of the team photo.
Cheers,
Sammy Stingray
Stingrays Undefeated in Regular Season
July 26, 2009 by Gordon Newman


Final Score:
Del Prado 647.5
Pleasanton Meadows 344.5
This means we finished our dual meet season undefeated! Congratulations to all Stingrays. You are super!!
What a wonderful day by the side of the pool to finish our dual meet season. I love this meet every year. I’m sad to see 8 swimmers graduate and to lose 5 long-time DP families…but to me, you’ll always be Stingrays. I know I speak for the entire team and coaching staff in wishing you all the best that the future holds for you.
It was great seeing former Coach Jeff Manson here today along with past Stingrays Kimi Kurotori, Evan Jackson, Andy Halseth, Taylor Peterson, Johnny Strom, Ryan Jackson–there may have been others that I just didn’t see. It’s always special to see former coaches and swimmers at our meets.
Swimmers, great job again today. Times continue to improve. Thank you to Niki Doi for again decorating our pool area so beautifully.
Coaches, thank you for again seeding us a winning meet and for helping our swimmers to keep improving.
Parents, thank you for getting all our swimmers to the pool on-time and ready to swim. Once again we didn’t have a single scratch. Thank you to all that volunteered today as well. We run a great meet. By the way, our snack bar guys and gals did a fantastic job this season and made our team lots of $$. Thank you to all that worked it and/or supported it.
All this leads us to our next and final meet of the year, Championships!! Rest up, eat well, and put everything you know into swimming your fastest for the meet next Saturday, August 1, at the Livermore Aquatic Center. All swimmers need to arrive and be checked in with their coach by 6:45 a.m. (Sorry!) The scratch meeting will be at 7:00, and we’ll hope for the meet to start at 8:00. This pool is a distance for most of us so please plan accordingly. Our team will warm-up from 7:20-7:35. This is an all-day meet. Plan to bring plenty of towels, pop-up tents are recommended, chairs, sunscreen, games/activities to keep you and your swimmer busy during the wait for races. There is to be no setting-up on the lawn area the night before the meet. If this happens, it may jeopardize our use of this facility for the future. There will be a league-wide snack bar available. There will be fresh food available along with special vendors to supplement the menu as well. Please plan to support our team and league by “eating out.” We still have volunteer positions that for this meet that need to be filled. Please contact Beth Borchers ASAP if you have not yet volunteered.
Following the championship meet on Sunday, August 2, is our year-end BBQ and awards ceremony at 5:00 p.m. Your swim team board will provide burgers, hotdogs, drinks, and the fixin’s. Please plan to bring a side, salad, or dessert to share. We’ll plan to start the awards part on the evening by 6:00. If any can help with the set-up or clean-up, please contact Cindi Sabatini.
If your swimmer is interested in swimming for the Seahawks in their Fall Swim Program, I have a flier with all the needed information. Just let me know, and I’ll pass that info along to you.
Whew, I think that’s it for now. We have a big week ahead. Your coach should know by now if your swimmer is not swimming at champs. Enjoy Swim Buddy Week. Take good care. Hope to see some of you tonight at the Adult Luau Pool Party.
ShaBooYa Del Prado!
Joan
Del Prado vs. Pleasanton Meadows
July 25, 2009 by Gordon Newman
Hi Swimmers and Parents,
Great swims today. You are all looking like you are in great shape for champs.
Final Score
Del Prado 647
Pleasanton Meadows 344
Here are today’s results —–> PM vs DP 2009
Cheers,
Sammy Stingray
Sammy Photos from Ruby Hill Meet
July 21, 2009 by Gordon Newman
Hi Swimmers and Parents,
Sorry for the delay in getting out the photos..Sammy was a busy little Stingray this weekend. Great swims this past Saturday. You are all peaking for the Championships.
Check the email for your guest pass to view photos from our meet with Ruby Hill.
See you this Saturday for our last regular swim meet.
Cheers,
Sammy Stingray
Del Prado vs. Ruby Hill
July 18, 2009 by Gordon NewmanFinal score:
Del Prado 595
Ruby Hill 393
Complete Meet Results —–> RH vs DP 2009
Whew! Another hot day by the side of the pool and another great meet. It was so nice to see former Coaches Erin Cooper (Munoz) and Mark Hudson at the pool today…and how about those cool “big kid” t-shirts?! Thank you Colleen Mayes, Emily Klein, and Zoe Fowler-Kimsey for making those for all the 15-18s and for our coaches. We do have the best team spirit. I think Chris Cousens wins for the most unique display of our new Stingray tattoo!! We sold LOTS. Thank you for supporting the team. We also “copied” DBAC with the raffle and it was a success as well. All the proceeds from those two things will help support our junior coaching program.
Thank you to all the parents who helped run another great Del Prado meet–especially in this warm weather. Once again, by the time I show up the pool is ready to go. That’s such a nice thing. Thank you also for getting your swimmers to the pool on time and ready to swim. We didn’t have a single scratch today–again. As I always say, the envy of every other team.
Thank you, swimmers, for continuing to practice hard, swim hard, and cheer for your team. You all are a great group of kids. I personally think you are the best. Special congratulations to Stephanie Doi for bettering her own record time today to a 26.58 in the girl’s 13-14 free. Way to swim fast!
Coaches, thank you for seeding us a winning meet today. You continue to give good advice and help to our swimmers and the improvement shows.
Our next meet, and final dual meet of the season (time sure flies when you’re having fun) is next Saturday, July 25, against Pleasanton Meadows at our pool. All swimmers must arrive and be checked in with their coach by 8:00 a.m. The scratch meeting will be at 8:15, and we hope to start the meet at 9:00. We will be honoring our 8 graduating seniors prior to the start of the meet. Please notify your coach by this Monday if your swimming will be unable to swim in this meet and if you know your swimmer won’t be swimming at champs, please let them know now as well. They are already starting to plan for that important meet.
That’s it for now. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Take good care.
Go Stingrays,
Joan



