Happy New Year Coaches!

Lots of good 2024 information here!

So.. let’s get to it!

In collaboration with your NELMSC DEI Chair, Laura Dennison, I bring you two awesome items of interest!!

US Paralympic Swimming is offering several upcoming Virtual Orientations for Swimmers and Coaches. I attended the January 7th online event to learn more about how to support my para swimmers with their classification process and also my older swimmers with limited vision or mobility. This is a great place to start if you are interested in learning more about Paralympic swimming. 

US Para Swimming educational opportunities:

March 3 2024 Introduction & Orientation to Para swimming Virtual Workshop

May 5 2024 Introduction & Orientation to Para swimming Virtual Workshop

Para Swimming Coach Certification Program information

Code of Conduct: 

USMS offers a template for creating a Code of Conduct (CoC) for your Masters group. While some of your facilities may have a Code of Conduct for the building/membership, consider creating one for your Masters group specifically. Creating a Code of Conduct presents your swimmers with clear expectations for behavior and sportsmanship, with an outline of procedures for violations. 

The CoC is not you “policing” your swimmers; rather, it is ensuring swimmers understand that participating in club activities is a privilege, reminding everyone to conduct themselves with integrity. 

If you would like help creating your CoC, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Laura!! When you DO make your CoC, please share it with Laura and me so we can show other clubs and teams how easy this actually is!

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January 2024 Playlist is HERE!!! Feel free to use it, add to it or simply keep it in your car for sing-a-longs!

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Check off Challenge:

For some history: The 1 st Check Off Challenge was introduced in 1993 by New

England Masters Swim Club. The goal is to encourage participants to swim 18

events (and the 1-Hour Swim) in a pool during the 2024 calendar year. Whether

swimming an event for the first time or striving to achieve a personal best, this is

a fun challenge for swimmers of all ability levels. The events may be swum in

practice or in meets, in yards or meters, with toys or without, one event at a

time or all events in one workout!

How Check off Challenge works: Each person “enters” by ordering a Check Off Challenge T-shirt. To order your shirt please click here. Coaches and Workout Group Leaders: Encourage your swimmers to sign up and use the event as a team challenge. Spread out the events during practice sessions, progressively building up to the tough events. The entire team can work together, cheering each other on and inspiring all to try new events. The Check Off Challenge is open to all members and any others who are interested.



If you have any questions, please contact Tracy Grilli at tracyswims@mindspring.com

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The One-Hour Virtual Postal Swim is open to all USMS swimmers via the USMS event page. New England swimmers have often done very well at this event! Please consider jumping in!

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Nifty Pace Calculator! I found this amazing pace calculator on the NEM team page. This perceived effort/time chart has been a HUGE help to my newer swimmers learning about pacing and the clock or returning swimmers with new pace times. I keep a copy printed out on deck (laminated, naturally) to help me help them (when they are tired!).

That is all for now!

Enjoy!

Emily MItchell

NELMSC Coaches Chair