Blue Tide Aquatics

Weekly Chlorine

August 12th - August 18th

OUR MISSION

To have a nationally recognized aquatics program that teaches and trains all levels of swimmers, emphasizing individual progress, team unity, and family participation.

OUR VISION

• Support and grow a developmental program from a learn-to-swim to national and international level competition
• Maintain flexible and committed swim programs that allow for various swimmer interests.
• Remain the featured swim program in the Humble/Kingwood/Atascocita area
• Increase and maintain team enrollment above 300 swimmers.
• Continue to provide a healthy and positive environment for all member athletes through the development and implementation of club governance measures, USA Swimming Safe Sport policies and reporting mechanisms, USA Swimming Safe Sport best practices, and training for athletes and parents

Upcoming Events

August 26th - Team Day

August 28th - La Madeleine's Spirit Night

Head Coach Note

Dear Blue Tide Aquatics Families,

Welcome back! We are excited to kick off the Short Course Season and reunite with our incredible swim family. This season promises to be an exciting journey filled with growth, achievements, and memorable moments both in and out of the pool.

We are thrilled to see many new faces joining our team and delighted to welcome back our familiar friends. The future of BTA looks brighter than ever, and I am extremely excited about the possibilities ahead.

This season, we are introducing a new group structure designed to provide clearer pathways for progression within our program. This revamped structure aims to elevate our standards and help us achieve the ambitious goals we have set for ourselves.

Reflecting on our achievements, we finished last season ranked 124th in the Virtual Club Ranking and impressively placed 15th in the state at the Age Group Championship meet (TAGS). These accomplishments are commendable, but we are determined to strive for even greater success.

To ease back into the routine, the first week will be focused on getting in the water and swimming a little to help everyone get back into shape. Following this, from August 19th to August 31st, we will have a two-week stroke clinic led by our new Associate Head Coach, Frank DeMaria. The purpose of our stroke clinic is twofold: to provide swimmers with the feedback they need to understand the basics and fundamentals of each stroke, and to ensure our coaching staff is on the same page with drills and progression, creating a clear flow throughout the program.

After our stroke clinic, we will split back into our groups, begin our parent meetings, and officially start our regular swim season.

Thank you for your continued dedication and support. Let's make this season one of our best yet!

Best regards,

Matt Sanspree  

BTA Swim Announcements

Short Course Meet Schedule

The short course meet schedule has been finalized, and we are excited to share it with you. Please take a moment to review the schedule and mark your calendars for the upcoming meets. However, please note that the dates for the championship meet are not finalized yet. As soon as Gulf Swimming makes these dates official, I will provide you with an update. Your attention to these dates will help ensure that our athletes are well-prepared and can participate fully in all the scheduled events. We look forward to a successful and competitive season ahead!

2024 - 2025 Short Course Meet Schedule

BTA Swim Meet Schedule Breakdown

Short Course Practice Schedule

We are excited to announce the updated Short Course Practice Schedule, which now includes all dryland sessions within the practice times. Please be aware that we’ve adjusted some groups due to collaborations with a local high school to prevent double dryland sessions on certain days. We are also proud to offer morning practices for all high schoolers who are homeschooled, with double sessions scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Additionally, we will be providing double sessions for our Performance Prep kids again this year.

Every group from Bronze 1 and above is encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled practice for a dynamic warm-up. This warm-up will include shoulder prehab exercises to help prevent future issues and strengthen their shoulders. To ensure a productive warm-up session, all swimmers must arrive in appropriate shoes. This new structure aims to enhance our training and better accommodate our swimmers’ needs. Thank you for your support and cooperation!

2024 - 2025 Short Course Practice Schedule

Swim Outlet Partnership

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with SwimOutlet! As part of this collaboration, all Blue Tide Aquatics parents will receive a complimentary premium membership with SwimOutlet. We strongly encourage you to hold off on purchasing any gear until after Team Day on August 26th. By then, our team store will be fully stocked with the necessary equipment for each group, including swimsuits, shirts, caps, and more.

Our team store will feature competitive prices on all Arena-branded gear and training equipment, with the added benefit of helping BTA earn credits to reinvest in additional gear and promotional items. This partnership ensures you’ll have access to everything you need on a fully digital platform, designed with your convenience in mind.

We’re also excited to share that our SwimOutlet representative will be joining us on Team Day to officially launch the partnership and assist with any questions you may have.

Thank you for your continued support, and stay tuned for more details on how to access and use our new team store!

🎉 Get Ready for BTA's Spirit Night at La Madeleine! 🎉

Mark your calendars and bring your appetite because BTA's Spirit Night is happening at La Madeleine on Wednesday, August 28th, 2024, from 4:00 - 8:00 pm! This is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal while supporting Blue Tide Aquatics, with 20% of your purchase going directly to our team!

Here's how you can be a part of the fun:

1. Dine-In or Take-Out: Join us in person, whether you're dining in or grabbing your meal to go.

2. Show Your Spirit: Don’t forget to show the flyer when ordering to ensure your purchase supports BTA! Click the link for the flyer!

Where to Find Us:

La Madeleine  

4570 Kingwood Dr,  

Kingwood, TX 77345

Bonus: I, Coach Matt, will be heading to La Madeleine after Hi-Performance practices if anyone wants to join and share a meal. There may or may not be a special guest—Baby Blake—with me!

Let’s make this night a huge success! Come hungry, show your BTA spirit, and let’s rally together for a great cause. We can’t wait to see you there!

Team Day August 26th

Team Day will be held on August 26th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Nathaniel Center. I advise all parents, both new and long-time BTA families, to attend this important event. We will be sharing crucial information about the program and discussing our plans moving forward. This is a great opportunity to connect with other families, meet the coaching staff, and gain valuable insights into what to expect in the upcoming season. Your presence and participation are highly encouraged to ensure a successful and unified start to our year.

Coach Colton Spark

I am thrilled to announce that Colton Spark will be joining us as our new Head Age Group Coach. Colton will be leading both the Silver 1 and Senior Groups, bringing his extensive experience and passion for swimming to our team. Below is a brief bio highlighting his background and coaching philosophy.

Bio:

Coach Colton hails from South Carolina, where he swam for Middle Tyger YMCA and became a Junior National Qualifier, playing a pivotal role in securing multiple YMCA national titles for his team. He continued his swimming career at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, a program renowned for its excellence.

After college, Colton ventured into the business world, specializing in logistics and management across the Southeast. However, his passion for swimming drew him back to the pool deck, where he transitioned into coaching. He gained valuable experience coaching both summer league teams and leading age group and senior swimmers with Team Greenville.

Coach Colton strongly advocates hard work, consistency, and maintaining a positive mindset, which he believes are essential for success in swimming. We are excited to have him bring his expertise and enthusiasm to Blue Tide Aquatics.

Please join me in welcoming Coach Colton Spark to Blue Tide Aquatics!

BTA Swim Practice Schedule

Hi-Performance

Monday - Friday 4:00 - 5:30 pm @KHS

Performance

Monday - Friday 4:00 - 5:30 pm @KHS

Senior Group

Monday - Friday 5:30 - 7:00 pm @KHS

Performance Prep

Monday - Friday 6:30 - 8:00 pm @KHS

Senior Prep

Monday - Friday 6:30 - 8:00 pm @KHS

Silver 1

Monday - Friday 6:30 - 8:00 pm @BTA

Silver 2

Monday - Friday 6:30 - 8:00 pm @BTA

Bronze 1

Monday - Friday 4:30 - 5:45 pm @BTA

Bronze 2

Monday - Friday 5:15 - 6:30 pm @BTA

Bronze 3

Monday - Friday 4:30 - 5:15 pm @BTA

Gulf and USA Swimming

Time Standards

USA Swimming time standards serve as benchmarks for assessing swimmers' progress and performance levels, particularly younger athletes, across various age groups and events. These standards are meticulously designed to offer a clear framework for swimmers to aim for, starting from the local and regional levels and advancing through to national competitions. They categorize performances into different levels, such as B, BB, A, AA, AAA, and AAAA, with each level representing a progressively higher performance standard. This system not only fosters a sense of achievement and motivation among swimmers by providing tangible goals to strive for but also aids coaches in tailoring training programs to meet each swimmer's individual needs. Furthermore, these time standards facilitate the selection process for various swim meets, ensuring that participants compete against others of comparable skill levels. This structured approach to competition helps measure progress and success, encouraging swimmers to continue improving and advancing in the sport. By comparing times against these standards, swimmers, coaches, and parents can gauge improvement, set goals, and understand where a swimmer stands about peers at the local, regional, and national levels.

Age Group Time Standards

USA Swimming Age Group Motivational Standards

Gulf Age Group Champs Time Standards

TAGS Time Standards

Senior Time Standards

Southern Senior Championship

Sectionals Standards

Futures Time Standards

18 & Under Spring Cup Time Standards

Summer Junior Time Standards

If you have Questions about Practice Times or Meets for your swimmer, please get in touch with your swimmer's Lead Coach of the Group.

If you have general questions about the swim club, concerns, or compliments, please email In Head Coach Matt Sanspree.

If you have any questions about your account, please get in touch with our Team Registrar at Team Registrar

If you have any questions about Volunteer Hours, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at Volunteer Coordinator.

The BTA Board of Directors were elected to serve you. Please feel free to ask any questions, express your concerns, or give your compliments. BTA Board Of Directors

We Need You! Fun Way to Volunteer and be on Deck!

Every swim club relies on the dedication and expertise of officials to successfully conduct swim meets, ensuring fair competition and adherence to USA Swimming rules. When clubs participate in away meets, it's equally important to bring along officials who can contribute to the smooth operation of these events. Becoming a USA Swim Official not only offers a unique vantage point to experience the excitement of swim meets but also provides a rewarding opportunity to support your swimmer and the broader swim community. Embrace the chance to make lasting friendships with fellow parents and volunteers, all while playing a pivotal role in the sport you love.

By deciding to become an Official, you're offering a valuable gift of time and talent to the swimming world, enhancing the experience for all involved. Whether you lean towards being a Stroke & Turn Judge, who closely observes swimmers' techniques and ensures compliance with USA Swimming rules from poolside, or prefer the role of an Administrative Official, managing meet information and serving as a go-to resource for questions, there's a path that suits your skills and personality. Both roles are crucial, offering different perspectives on the meet but sharing the same goal of facilitating a fair, enjoyable competition. Full training is provided for both positions, requiring no previous swimming knowledge, making this an accessible way to contribute significantly to your swim club and the sport at large. Take the step today and become an integral part of the swimming community as an Official.

There are two paths: Stroke & Turn Judge or Administrative Official. They are different classes, and they are different jobs. You should choose one path, based on personality and fit, and work your way through the process.

Stroke & Turn Judge - USA Official who stands at the edge of the pool during swim meets and observes the swims of the swimmers. Reports observations that deviate from the USA Swimming rules. Full training is offered, and no prior swimming knowledge is needed. 

Administrative Official - USA Swimming Official who serves as an information center at meets by entering information into computers, answering general questions from swimmers, coaches, other officials, parents, and spectators. Full training is offered, and no prior swimming knowledge is needed.

Become a USA Swimming Official today and follow the link below!

Become an Official Today!

For questions and assistance, please reach out to

Gulf Swimming Official’s Chair (Matt Sale) at officialschair@gulfswimming.org