Good morning Piranhas families and happy Super Bowl Monday! It's hard to believe that we are just a few weeks away from registration for the upcoming 2024 season. Here are some important dates and reminders

New website

This season we have moved to a new website! Please update your bookmarks. Our new site is:

https://bpswim.swimtopia.com

If you are a returning member, your information should carry over from the old website. Use the following steps to complete setup of your account:

1. Navigate to the home page at https://bpswim.swimtopia.com

2. Click the link in the upper right corner that says Already a Member? Login

3. Click the Forgot Your Password link

4. Enter the email address you used on the Piranhas website last year.

5. You should receive an email with instructions to set up your new password. Once you login, you should see your swimmers listed under My Account.

Returning families are encouraged to set up their accounts now before registration opens. If you run into any difficulties or want to change your email address, please reach out to Chad Ellinger. New families will be able to set up accounts once registration opens up for new swimmers (see dates later in this email).

Coaches

We are thrilled to announce that Sabine Soong is returning this year as the Piranhas head coach for her third season! In addition, Rylie Smit will be returning as Assistant Head Coach for her second season. Welcome back Coach Sabine and Coach Rylie!

If you have a swimmer 15 years or older who is interested in coaching, please remind him or her to submit an application by Thursday, February 29.

New Board Member

We'd like to welcome Kate Amstutz as the new Vice President for the Piranhas! Kate has four young swimmers on the team and we're excited to have her join our group.

Stroke and Turn Officials

We need Stroke and Turn Officials for 2024! Based on last season we potentially only have 12 returning Stroke and Turn officials and 4 who are certified as a Starter or Head Ref. To run each meet we need 2 Stroke and Turn, 1 Starter (away meets) and 1 Head Ref. If we can get at a minimum 10 Stroke and Turn and have 4 returning officials certify as a Starter or Head Ref, officials can meet their family’s volunteer requirement by potentially working only 2 regular season meets. In addition, if you commit to Stroke and Turn training, we will prioritize your registration. Please reach out to Anne Cather or Kate Amstutz for more details.

Volunteer Needs

There are several committee chair and co-chair spots available. These positions fulfill your family’s entire volunteer requirement for the season, and there is lots of help available to help newcomers learn the roles and responsibilities. Open spots include Clerk of Course, Computer Ops, Concessions and End-of-Season party. If you are interested in chairing a committee, please reach out to Kate Amstutz for more information.

Registration Dates

Registration will be open to swimmers aged 5 - 18 for the competitive team. A minis program is available for swimmers aged 4 - 8 who are able to swim but not yet ready for the full team. We will be evaluating younger swimmers in the minis and team during the first week of practice to determine if they can safely and independently get across the pool.

Registration for returning HOA families will open on Friday, March 1. A private registration link will be sent via email only to returning families, so please make sure your account is set up and working beforehand. Returning HOA families are encouraged to sign up early as spots do fill up quickly.

On Friday, March 15, registration will open up to all HOA families. A link will appear on the Piranhas website for families to create their accounts and sign up.

Families outside the HOA (new and returning) will be able to register on Monday, April 15. If you are outside of the HOA, please reach out to [email protected] or visit Pools – Non Residents | Broadlands HOA in Virginia to learn more about obtaining a pool pass for the 2024 summer. This is required for all non-residents who want to join the swim team.

Stay tuned for additional updates as the season approaches. Swim fast!