Hello GPS Lightning Bolts,

This is the first of six emails you will receive today, tomorrow, and Thursday, on important team information. Please read through all of them:

1. This email, Email #1 - Outdoor practice & pool memberships
2. Email #2 - Signing up athletes for swim meets (MOST IMPORTANT Email)
3. Email #3 - Volunteers & hospitality at swim meets
4. Email #4 - GPS Invitational
5. Email #5 - Swim-a-Thon Fundraiser
6. Email #6 - Team Pictures & Captains

Email #1

Pool Memberships

Pool memberships are required to swim at Walter's Park during practice. They are available for purchase on the GPS team website.

Pool Membership Link

• We will process all info and payments through our website, and then forward it to the Phillipsburg Rec and Walter's Park Pool staff for processing. 
• Basically, we do pool memberships in bulk as a team, so do NOT sign up for the pool on the Phillipsburg Rec or town website.
• If you did already, no worries, you'll just need to remind me when I ask for it later in June so I can include that explanation in our team data we send to the town.

Outdoor Practice

• Start Date: Monday, 6/15 for competition training groups (Groups A & B). For the Developmental Group (Group D) it starts Tuesday, 6/16
• Location: Walter's Park Pool, 1 Meyner Rd, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
• LOOK at the ATTACHED doc for group assignments and times (subject to change if necessary)
• There are two different types of practices, regular and home meet days. PLEASE be aware, on the five home meet days the pool opens to the public an hour earlier, necessitating a modification to our practice times.

Regular Practice Days - Outdoors

• Group A: 8:30 - 10:00 am, Monday – Friday
• Group B: 10:15 - 11:15 am, Monday – Friday
• Group D: 11:20 - 11:50 am, Monday - Friday (Developmental Group)

HOME SWIM MEET Practice Days (2026 Dates - 6/25, 7/2, 7/7, 7/9, 7/16)

• Group A: 8:30 - 9:30 am, Monday – Friday
• Group B: 9:30 - 10:30 am, Monday – Friday
• Group D: 10:30 - 10:50 am, Monday - Friday (Developmental Group)

In the event of rain & chilly temperatures, we still practice outdoors. The coaches' judgement will preside, but don't worry, we're not crazy. If it's too cold we will do dry land (limited swimming), or have practice at PES (I'll always send a confirming email or notice on the Swimtopia app that morning). If it's warm and raining, we're still in the outdoor pool training. The kids are already wet and only the coaches suffer then. :)

We only cancel for thunder and lightning, and then only if it is on-going throughout the practice. Look at the team website, Swimtopia Mobile App Alerts, and email for updates; we often get part of the practice in.

Swim MEETS are different: ALWAYS show up for meets, we rarely cancel, and most often just wait for the storm to pass.

See you on deck,

Coach Drake