Happy Friday OBST family! 

I'd like to congratulate us all on running a fairly successful inaugural meet yesterday! It was a bit nerve-wracking for me in the beginning, as running the timing system and scoreboard was new for me. Without our staff and volunteers this event would not have been possible, so thank you very much. We now recognize what went well, what issues arose, and what we need to do to improve the next time we host. If you have any remarks and/or photos from yesterday, please feel free to share! 

Just for fun - attached are the results! They are also posted on the back doors of the OBAC lobby area. 

A special shoutout again to Katherine Chandler, Garrett Chase, Amanda Vogel, Tiffany Buck, Thomas Lee, and Stephen Emmons! Without parent support and participation, meets just don't happen. I appreciate y'all stepping up and designating your time and energy. I hope in the future we will fulfill volunteer spots without utilizing staff, as lifeguards and other persona need to maintain the facility, watch the public, etc. while coaches need to coach! 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if we want to have more meets at our home pool, it takes a team effort to make a meet come to fruition. For the less-experienced parent, timing is always an excellent option! It's easy, exciting, and is an integral part of the competition. 

*** The City of Orange Beach is willing to support the volunteers who wish to become a USA Swimming certified stroke & turn judge and/or official. They are willing to pay as much as $30/hour. We will definitely need these jobs filled in order to run a USAS meet at our facility. If you would like to get going on this process, please let me know and let's get you situated before the bulk of our summer season. You'll complete an online certification and then a shadowing of an already certified official. This can be done in one weekend by shadowing GPAC's officials at the Tom Lolar Invitational on June 6th-June 8th. *** 

Speaking of the Tom Lolar Invitational (GPAC Pensacola), if you are a USAS athlete and are continuing to swim in the summer season, I will need attendance reported in SwimTopia no later than May 17th by noon. 

I'll see our swimmers in a few. Do have a wonderful weekend!