December Newsletter
Swim FST • December 1, 2024

december Calendar


Warner Robins: Access Cards

As a reminder, the Tommy Stalnaker Aquatic Center is now requiring that all FST team members set up an access account with the facility. See emails sent in November for details on setting up your facility account. Swimmers will receive a small card that they must present to access the facility.


GA Senior State: December 6th-8th (Registration closed)

Athens, GA. This meet has qualifying standards.


Teal & Black combined-site practice: December 7th

Coach Ben will lead a Macon/Warner Robins combined-site practice for Teal & Black in Warner Robins, from 8:00-10:00am


Warner Robins ONLY: High school meet, December 11th

Due to the high school meet being held at the Tommy Stalnaker Aquatic Center, there will be no Bronze or Aquanaut practices in Warner Robins on Wednesday, December 11th. M/W Bronze and Aquanauts can swim a make up practice on either Tuesday (Dec 10th) or Thursday (Dec 12th).


The December Meet: December 13th-15th (Registration deadline: December 5th)

Warner Robins, GA. Open to all USA-S registered Intermediate and Advanced Homeschool, JV, Varsity, Silver, Gold, Teal, and Black swimmers, as well as 12 & Under Bronze and 8 & Under Aquanauts who have previously attended a meet.


Holiday Schedule: December 23rd-January 2nd.

Please review and print the modified practice schedules for your site:

Macon site schedule

Warner Robins site schedule


FST New Year's Home Meet: December 28th (Registration deadline: December 23rd)

Macon, GA. Open to all FST members.



USA Swimming Registration


All meets, both away and at our home pools require USA registration, except those meets labeled "Home Meet" and "Mentor Meet." Prior to attending your first non-scrimmage meet, you must register online with USA Swimming. 


  • If your swimmer has not previously attended a USA meet in 2024, you will need to complete an online USA Swimming registration prior to attending any future away meets. An email will be sent, along with step-by-step instructions, to the applicable athletes prior to their first meet. This registration will cover your athlete through 2025.
     
  • If your swimmer has already attended USA meets under a Premium membership, they are eligible to continue attending meets through the end of 2024, but will need to be registered with USA Swimming prior to their first meet of 2025. An email will be sent prior to the end of the year, along with step-by-step instructions for 2025 registrations, to all currently registered athletes.
     

A Note from the Coach:

We are in the midst of the time of year when, with holidays, exams, and class projects, we have to exercise our time management skills and purpose to be consistent in our training in order to achieve our goals.


For those swimmers who will be going out of town over the holidays, it is important to maintain your fitness and conditioning level - anything you can do to stay active will benefit the rest of your season. If you can find a pool to swim laps in, or a local USA swim team to practice with, that would be ideal.

The championship part of our season is just around the corner and, with that in mind, we need to stay focused on the goals we set at the beginning of the season.

At this point in the season, we are continuing to focus on:

  • Being consistent in practice attendance
  • Improving technique and building endurance through the effort put forth in practice
  • Gaining race experience and developing racing strategies through meet participation
  • Having a positive attitude at all times and learning to overcome adversity


Read more about the training cycles at this link.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS


Click here for a full-season
tentative schedule.


New Year's Kickoff
January 10th-12th


...see more

 

 

Committee Corner: Officials

Want to get more involved in the sport? Become a USA Swimming official. Our team needs as many officials as possible to run successful meets!

Start the process at 
this link, or email Amanda for more details and help getting started.

 

 

U.S. Masters Swimming 

Parents: Do you love swimming and wish you could train and compete with a team? Our Masters team in Warner Robins is growing, and looking to add new team members! 

Email masters@wraswim.com for more details.

By Swim FST May 2, 2025
MAY calendar OST Long Course Invite: May 3rd-4th (Registration closed) Opelika, AL. Long Course Meet, open to Varsity, Gold, Teal and Black, as well as 12&Under Silver and Bronze swimmers. FST Lifeguard Certification & Recertification: May 16th - 18th* (Registration deadline: May 11th) Macon, GA. Red Cross lifeguard certification & recertification course. Participants must be 15 or older. See details and register here . SGSL Block Party: May 23rd (Registration deadline: May 19th) Macon, GA. Short Course. Our first South Georgia Summer League meet of the season! Open to all FST swimmers, but geared toward our Aquanaut, Bronze, Silver, and JV swimmers. This meet will require USA registration (more details tba via email). Memorial Day: May 26th No practice. Enjoy your day off! FST Long Course Invite: May 30th - June 1st (Registration deadline: May 23rd) Warner Robins, GA. Long Course meet. All Intermediate & Advanced Homeschool, JV, Silver, Varsity, Gold, Teal & Black swimmers are encouraged to attend. summer schedule updates: Starting the week of Memorial Day, some training groups will switch to our Summer Training schedules. Please review the schedule for your site at the links below to see if/how your group is affected: Warner Robins summer schedule Macon summer schedule For the remainder of May: Teal, Black, Gold, and Varsity athletes from our Macon location will continue to have the option of attending Friday practices in Macon or long course practices in Warner Robins. All Saturday practices will continue to be held in Warner Robins for the duration of the long course season. As indicated on the schedules above, once we switch to the summer schedule, ALL Friday and Saturday practices will be held in Warner Robins. If you have any questions about the schedule, please email Amanda at admin@swimfst.com A Note from the Coach: Helpful Meet Tips for Swim Parents Swim meets are a great opportunity for athletes to test their skills, gain experience, and build confidence. As a parent, you can help make that experience even more positive with a few simple habits: Be a cheerleader. Celebrate their effort, not just the outcome. A “great job for getting out there and racing hard!” can go a long way toward helping swimmers feel proud of themselves—regardless of the time on the scoreboard. Model calm, healthy reactions. Some helpful things parents often say after races include: “I loved watching you swim.” “You looked strong on that last 50!” “What did you think about the race?” “I’m proud of how hard you’re working.” Let the coaches handle the coaching. After a race, we consider what went well, what can be improved, and whether it’s the right time to focus on both—or just reinforce the positives. That timing is important. When swimmers get feedback from too many directions, it can be confusing and overwhelming. Support good choices. Help swimmers stay fueled, hydrated, and rested throughout the meet weekend. Encourage them to check in with their coach and stay focused between events—but also to enjoy their teammates and the fun of competition. This month, we are wrapping up cycle 1 and entering cycle 2. Read more about the training cycles at this link . UPCOMING EVENTS Click here for a tentative long-course season schedule. Junior Jag Augusta June 6-8 ...see more Committee Corner: Officials Want to get more involved in the sport? Become a USA Swimming official. Our team needs as many officials as possible to run successful meets! Start the process at this link , or email Amanda for more details and help getting started. U.S. Masters Swimming Parents: Do you love swimming and wish you could train and compete with a team? Our Masters team in Warner Robins is growing, and looking to add new team members! Email masters@wraswim.com for more details.
By Swim FST April 1, 2025
April calendar Spring Break: March 28th - April 4th* Warner Robins & Macon. No practices for any groups. Enjoy your break - we will see you back at practice the week of April 6th! FST Lifeguard Certification & Recertification: April 11th - 13th* (Registration deadline: April 7th) Macon, GA. Red Cross lifeguard certification & recertification course. Participants must be 15 or older. See details and register here . FST will be hiring Lifeguard and Swim Lesson instructors for our summer lessons in Macon, and Red Cross certification is required. Don't miss out on this fun summer work opportunity! *Additional certification courses are also being scheduled for May 16-18. FST Long Course IMX Meet: April 26th - 27th (Registration deadline: April 21st) Warner Robins, GA. Long Course meet. All Intermediate & Advanced Homeschool, JV, Silver, Varsity, Gold, Teal & Black swimmers are encouraged to attend, to obtain your IMX for long course season. spring fitter & faster clinic: fly & breast We are excited to share that we will be welcoming back our friends at Fitter & Faster for a Fast Butterfly & Breaststroke Technique Swim Camp on April 12 & 13 at the Tommy Stalnaker Aquatic Center. As the hosts, our team has the first opportunity to register for spots. Please use the links below to sign up as soon as possible. Learning from one of their elite clinicians will be an inspiring way for swimmers to kick off April. We highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity if you’re able to. There will be two sessions available: one for swimmers ages 9-12 and another for ages 13 & over. The curriculum each day will be: April 12: Fast Butterfly Technique April 13: Fast Breaststroke Technique Ages 12 & under: CLICK HERE for details and registration Ages 13 & over: CLICK HERE for details and registration If you have any questions about the clinic email Michael Plantamura at Mplanty@fitterandfaster.com and he will help you out. A Note from the Coach: This year's Divisional Meet was a lot of fun, and we are so proud of our team, both for your effort/performance and for your Team Spirit! As we start training for long course, we will be focusing on goal-setting. Be on the lookout for your goal-setting forms, and in the meantime, watch the video from legendary Coach Bob Bowman found at the bottom of this news post. Read more about the training cycles at this link . UPCOMING EVENTS Click here for a tentative long-course season schedule. OST Long-Course Invite Opelika May 3-4 ...see more Committee Corner: Officials Want to get more involved in the sport? Become a USA Swimming official. Our team needs as many officials as possible to run successful meets! Start the process at this link , or email Amanda for more details and help getting started. U.S. Masters Swimming Parents: Do you love swimming and wish you could train and compete with a team? Our Masters team in Warner Robins is growing, and looking to add new team members! Email masters@wraswim.com for more details.
By Swim FST March 25, 2025
Award Ceremony - April 6th
By Swim FST March 1, 2025
March calendar Southeastern Meet of Champions: March 6th-9th (Registration closed) August, GA. Sectional-level competition with qualifying standards . Southern Divisional Championships: March 14th-16th (Registration closed) Columbus, GA. Our biggest meet of the year - we can't wait to see you all there! Spirit Week details are below: Monday: Blackout Day - Wear all black to show our power and intensity! Tuesday: 80x/90s - Go retro with your best throwback looks - think neon, scrunchies, windbreakers and band tees! Wednesday: Wacky Tacky Wednesday - Mismatched, loud and wild - wear your craziest combo! Thursday: Crazy Sock Swap - Bring a pair of crazy (new) socks and swap with a teammate. Spirit Days at the meet: Saturday: 80x/90s (Round 2): Bring back the retro vibes on deck! Sunday: Blackout & Crazy Socks: Wear all black AND show off the crazy socks you got in the sock swap!* *Crazy socks are a fun choice all weekend!! FST Mentor Meet: March 21st (Registration deadline: March 19th) Warner Robins, GA. All Aquanauts, Bronze, Silver, and JV swimmers are invited to participate. Gold, Varsity, Teal & Black are encouraged to attend as timers/cheerleaders. FST Lifeguard Certification & Recertification: March 28th - 30th* (Registration deadline: March 21st) Macon, GA. Red Cross lifeguard certification & recertification course. Participants must be 15 or older. See details and register here . FST will be hiring Lifeguard and Swim Lesson instructors for our summer lessons in Macon, and Red Cross certification is required. Don't miss out on this fun summer work opportunity! *Additional certification courses are also being scheduled for April 11-13 and May 16-18. Spring Break: March 28th - April 4th* Warner Robins & Macon. No practices for any groups. Enjoy your break - we will see you back at practice the week of April 6th! spring fitter & faster clinic: fly & breast We are excited to share that we will be welcoming back our friends at Fitter & Faster for a Fast Butterfly & Breaststroke Technique Swim Camp on April 12 & 13 at the Tommy Stalnaker Aquatic Center. As the hosts, our team has the first opportunity to register for spots. Please use the links below to sign up as soon as possible. Learning from one of their elite clinicians will be an inspiring way for swimmers to kick off April. We highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity if you’re able to. There will be two sessions available: one for swimmers ages 9-12 and another for ages 13 & over. The curriculum each day will be: April 12: Fast Butterfly Technique April 13: Fast Breaststroke Technique Ages 12 & under: CLICK HERE for details and registration Ages 13 & over: CLICK HERE for details and registration If you have any questions about the clinic email Michael Plantamura at Mplanty@fitterandfaster.com and he will help you out.  A Note from the Coach: This subject is very important with our upcoming Divisional Meet. Your food is your fuel and proper hydration is vital during meet weekends. Equally as important is the food you consume, and when you consume it. Don't let a season's worth of hard training be negated by what you do or don't eat at a meet. There is a wealth of great information available on the Nutrition & Wellness section of the the SwimStrong dryland site. When preparing for Divisionals, pay attention to the "Swim Meets" category. This is also a fantastic resource to use throughout the season. Take a look around and find tips for achieving peak performance through proper nutrition! At this point in the season, we are continuing to focus on: Being consistent in practice attendance Improving technique and building endurance through the effort put forth in practice Gaining race experience and developing racing strategies through meet participation Having a positive attitude at all times and learning to overcome adversity Read more about the training cycles at this link . UPCOMING EVENTS Click here for a tentative long-course season schedule. Long Course IMR/IMX Warner Robins April 26-27 OST Long-Course Invite Opelika May 3-4 ...see more Committee Corner: Officials Want to get more involved in the sport? Become a USA Swimming official. Our team needs as many officials as possible to run successful meets! Start the process at this link , or email Amanda for more details and help getting started. U.S. Masters Swimming Parents: Do you love swimming and wish you could train and compete with a team? Our Masters team in Warner Robins is growing, and looking to add new team members! Email masters@wraswim.com for more details.
By Swim FST February 1, 2025
february calendar Peach State Champs: February 15th-16th (Registration deadline: February 1st) Warner Robins, GA. 14& Under. This meet has qualifying standards . All Black, Teal, Gold, and Varsity swimmers not participating in the meet are asked to volunteer as timers via this link . Age Group State: February 21st-23rd (Registration deadline: February 8th) Savannah, GA. This meet has qualifying standards . FST Home Meet: TBA Date and location (Macon or Warner Robins) is to be announced. Southeastern Meet of Champions: March 6th-9th (Registration deadline: February 26th) August, GA. Sectional-level competition with qualifying standards . save the date: southern divisionals March 14-16 Columbus, GA Mark your calendars - it's the most important meet of the year! This is a fun, team meet, and is all about bringing your team spirit! This meet will be the culmination of our Short Course season: There will be relays, finals, and awards. In the past, Warner Robins and Macon competed for the HOG, but now that we are ONE TEAM we think we can WIN IT ALL!!! We will offer fun incentives for various participation levels, and are currently planning activities for Spirit Week the week before the meet. Keep an eye out for Divisionals emails to be sure you don't miss any important information. We can't wait to see everyone in Columbus! A Note from the Coach: We have not yet finished this Short Course season, so there is still time to achieve the goals you set at the beginning of the season. At this point in the season, we are continuing to focus on: Being consistent in practice attendance Improving technique and building endurance through the effort put forth in practice Gaining race experience and developing racing strategies through meet participation Having a positive attitude at all times and learning to overcome adversity Read more about the training cycles at this link . UPCOMING EVENTS Click here for a full-season tentative schedule. Southern Divisionals Columbus March 14-16 NCSA Spring Championships Orlando March 18-22 NCSA Age Group Championships Orlando March 26-29 ...see more Committee Corner: Officials Want to get more involved in the sport? Become a USA Swimming official. Our team needs as many officials as possible to run successful meets! Start the process at this link , or email Amanda for more details and help getting started. U.S. Masters Swimming Parents: Do you love swimming and wish you could train and compete with a team? Our Masters team in Warner Robins is growing, and looking to add new team members! Email masters@wraswim.com for more details.
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