News and Announcements

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**BBD SUMMER PROGRAM 2023*

Posted by Birmingham Blue Dolphins at May 16, 2023 7:23PM PDT

Dear Swimmers and Parents,

Registration for our Summer Program will open to returning swimmers in good standing this week on Friday, May 19th at noon when registration links will be shared. The program will be similar to our offering in past summers, with both morning and evening practices for swimmers ages 13 & Up and evening practices for swimmers ages 9-12. If there is room, we will open the program to new swimmers at a later date.

One change this summer is that we will be sharing Long Course pool time with FFYS at the Botsford Pool in Livonia beginning the week of June 12th. Due to capacity restraints at this facility, Long Course practices will be limited to a smaller group with a minimum commitment requirement. Further information on registration for this add-on to the Summer Program will be provided by the coaches in the near future.

While practice time in a Long Course pool will be limited, all summer program participants may sign-up for long course meets for which they qualify. The meet schedule is provided below. Please note that the first meet already has a deadline coming up tomorrow. Please check your inbox and the Parent Portal for entry information.

Summer Practice Groups

Swimmers 13&Up (as of Fall 2023)
May 30th – June 11th, @ CK Monday – Friday, 6:00-8:00pm, @ YMCA Sunday 10:00am – 12:00pm
June 12th – July 21st
• Short Course
– AM Session – @ CK Monday, Wednesday, Friday 6:45-8:45 am
– AM Session – @ BOH Tuesday, Thursday, Time 6:15-8:15
• Long Course Add On @ Botsford with FFYS 6-8a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday*

Program Cost – $565 Short Course Base Cost + Long Course “Add On” for participating swimmers
*Long Course practices will be limited to a smaller group with a minimum commitment requirement.

Swimmers 9-12 (as of Fall 2023)
May 30th – June 11th, @ CK Monday – Friday, 6:00-7:30pm
June 12th – July 21st, @ CK Monday -Thursday 5:30-7:30 pm

Program Cost – $440

IMPORTANT/PLEASE READ:

REGISTRATION WILL BE HELD THROUGH THE YMCA ACTIVE SYSTEM, AND A YMCA MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED. QUESTIONS ABOUT REGISTRATION AND/OR YOUR YMCA ACCOUNT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE YMCA AT 248-644-9036. PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL US AT BBD QUESTIONS, AS THE PARENT VOLUNTEERS WHO MONITOR THIS ACCOUNT DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE YMCA REGISTRATION SYSTEM.

QUESTIONS ABOUT PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS AND WHETHER THE PROGRAM IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR SWIMMER SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO A COACH. THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE ‘ABOUT BBD” SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE.

Meet Schedule
• June 16-18th OLY (OU) invite – all swimmers welcome, refer to cuts in the packet
• June 30 – July 2 – CW INVITE (UofM) Prelim/Final meet (13 & up only with time cuts)
• July 7-9th – Grizzly Invite (OU) – all are welcome, refer to cuts in the packet
• July 13th – 16th Eastern Sectionals (Ohio State U) – cut times and bonus swims
• July 25-29 – USA Summer Jr Nationals (Irvine, CA) – cut times

Thank you!

BBD Coaches and Parent Board

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Practice is on tonight + Drylands

Posted by Birmingham Blue Dolphins at Apr 24, 2023 11:04AM PDT

Good afternoon,

We are writing to confirm that Spring Tune-Up practice is on for all age groups tonight. Some previous versions of the Spring Tune-Up schedule incorrectly stated that practice would be canceled tonight. In addition, we will begin drylands for 13 and Up swimmers from 5:00 to 5:45 this evening. Moving forward, there will be drylands every Monday and Wednesday in May for this age group (except Memorial Day).

Thank you!

Good evening,

This email is for those families participating in Spring Tune-Up. This program was originally scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 18th, but we now have access to both pools beginning tomorrow so we will begin practices on Monday, April 17th.

We will not have practice on Wednesday this week due to the banquet.

Thank you!

Dear Swimmers and Parents,

In spite of the fact that I added a completely new set of practices our spring tune-up is full with a healthy waiting list. We will work through the list and try to squeeze in as many of our swimmers as we can …..

Our National Team was nothing short of stellar. The five-day meet is a new challenge for many of our swimmers and we could see exhaustion setting in, but they rallied at every opportunity. Our boys finished tenth and the team finished sixteenth. We are really proud of their performance! Ethan Schwab was a double national champ in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, he was fourth in the 200 IM. Gus MacDonald was third in the 200 breast, fourth in the 400 IM, sixth in the 500 and sixteenth in the 100 breast. Ian Duncan was fourteenth in the 200 back. AJ Farner was sixteenth in the 1000 free and 1650 free. Evan Tack was 15th in the 200 IM.

Our men’s 400 Medley finished tenth (Ian Duncan, Ethan Schwab, Mayer Krieger, Jack Higgins), our 200 Medley was tenth (Evan Tack, Ethan Schwab, Mayer Krieger, Jack Higgins). The 800 free relay finished eleventh (Angus MacDonald, Ethan Schwab, Evan Tack and Ian Duncan), setting a new team record.

On our girls’ side, Samantha Clifford finished fourteenth in the 200 free and Kelley Hassett was eleventh in the 500 and the girls’ 800 free relay finished fifteenth (Kelley Hassett, Demetra Bicos, Avery Anderson, Samantha Clifford).

Mayer Krieger, Patrick MacKillop, Ian Duncan, Evan Tack, Sam Clifford and Kelley Hassett also qualified for and swam in the “C Finals” (Places 17-24) in various events.

For the first time the Y had a special finals heat reserved for fifteen and under swimmers. Unfortunately it is unscored. Avery Anderson, AJ Farner, Jack Higgins, Skyler Jansen and Charlie McCuiston qualified for and swam in those races.

It is a huge meet. Over 200 YMCA teams were in attendance, fewer than half of the teams scored a single point. The RAYS finished forty-fourth and Farmington was fiftieth. We had twenty-four swimmers qualified and twenty attended the meet. AJ Farner was named our BBD “rookie of the meet.”

Our kids were inspired by a visit from Olympian Cullen Jones, who brought his gold medal to provide a little inspiration.

It was a magical week. Thank you to our national team leader, Bill Clifford, for leading our parents.
See you at the banquet!

Kevin

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Spring Tune-Up Info

Posted by Birmingham Blue Dolphins at Apr 12, 2023 6:20AM PDT

REGISTRATION FOR RETURNING SWIMMERS IN GOOD STANDING WILL BEGIN AT NOON TODAY, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12TH WHEN AN EMAIL WITH THE REGISTRATION LINKS WILL BE SENT OUT.

PLEASE CHECK THAT YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR YMCA ACCOUNT, AND THAT YOUR ACCOUNT IS ACTIVE PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OPENING IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE. ALL QUESTIONS ABOUT REGISTRATION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE YMCA AT 248-644-9036. PLEASE DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL TO BBDQUESTIONS@GMAIL.COM AS OUR PARENT BOARD MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE YMCA REGISTRATION SYSTEM.

Swimmers will be eligible to sign-up for the age-group based on their actual age on May 31, 2023.

The schedule:
9/10s – Monday thru Thursday, 5:00 to 6:30 @ YMCA – (4/18 to 5/25)
11-12s Monday thru Friday, 4:30 to 6:00 @ Cranbrook – (4/18 to 5/26)
13/14 and 15/17 – Monday thru Friday, 6:00 to 8:00 @ Cranbrook – (4/18 to 5/26)