Dear Piranha Families -

What a fantastic week of swimming! Let’s just say, if this week’s newsletter were a swim event, it would be the 400 IM of newsletters. Settle in. There is a lot to share and celebrate!

We kicked off the week with a B Meet that felt more like a monsoon training session than a swim meet. The rain never. ever. ever stopped. But neither did our Piranhas! Lucia Viquez, Ada Morris, Julia Miller, and Audrey Miller were the ultimate hype team, cheering like it was sunny and 80 degrees. Our Piranhas Grill Team was so popular despite the weather, the other team asked them to take their show on their road (Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dive-Starts perhaps?)

Then came our A Meet - intense from start to finish. The score stayed tight, with cheers trading sides every time an update was announced.

Highlights included Parker Goldwater’s outside smoke 50 breaststroke to take first place, and Danny Lee picked up speed in the last-half of his 25 fly that just edged out Poplar Heights for second place. Our first time A Meet swimmers Ainsley Bell, Andrew Belz, Sebastian Hadley, and Leah Belz brought the speed. It was a true buzzer beater, with Miriam Popp bringing it home for the Piranhas in the last leg of the mixed age relay with a final freestyle lap for the ages. Final score: Piranhas 212, Poplar Heights 208.

AND several team records fell:

Emerson Mancari lowered her own 50 Back record for a new time of 33.25.

Addie Celentano lowered her own 25 Fly record for a new time of 16.70.

The Boys 13-14 Medley Relay (Eddie Boynton, Seth Kirk, Quade Corbett, and Tag Schuerfeld) went 1:00.37 to break a record set in 1974!

Girls 13-14 Medley Relay (Emerson Mancari, Charlotte Hill, Lucy Oliphant, and Amelia Young) went 1:01.49 to set a record set…last week!

BOTH of our mixed age relay teams set records. The boys team (James Hadley, Lucas Gleeson, Quade Corbett, and Noah Popp) went 2:00.03. The girls team (Kenzie Corbett, Addie Celentano, CC Corbett, and Miriam Popp) went 2:08.30.

We are proud of our Piranhas for their team spirit and sportsmanship.

(Thank you Jason, Rory, and Katie for these fabulous photos.)

Big Congratulations to Referee Brad Kinder

A huge P-U-M-P Pump it Up cheer for Brad Kinder, who officially earned his NVSL referee patch at Saturday’s A Meet. A patched official is a certified NVSL referee who has:

• Worked a required number of A Meets
• Been recommended by their team rep and division coordinator
• Passed a formal NVSL evaluation

It’s a big deal, and it’s been over a decade since Parklawn has had a patched official. We’re proud and grateful to have Brad representing Piranhas on deck in the blue and white!

Swimmers of the Week and Lightning Awards

A big Piranha congratulations to our Swimmers of the Week: Jaxson Kurz and Anna Kirk. Both brought focus, effort, and great energy to the pool all week long.

And shoutout to our Lightning Award winners, given to swimmers with the biggest percentage time drops:

• Gus Garrison dropped a whopping 24% in backstroke
• Quinn Dvorak shaved off an impressive 25% in backstroke

Your hard work is paying off in a big way!

Practice Notes from Our Coaches

Heatwave Alert! To help our swimmers stay safe and strong in this week’s high temps, we’re compressing practice times Monday–Wednesday for our older groups:

• 11–12s: 9:00–10:00 AM

• 13 & Overs: 10:00–11:00 AM

If Thursday’s practice needs adjusting, we’ll send an update via email and TeamSnap. In the meantime, please make sure your swimmer comes hydrated. Water bottles and shade are your best friends this week.

Wacky Wednesday. This week’s theme is Team T-shirts! Bring your favorite team t-shirt to practice and double down on our Piranha spirit. Prize goes to the swimmer with OLDEST team t-shirt!

B Meet This Monday, June 17 at North Springfield

Time to take our talents on the road. Monday night, we head to North Springfield Swim Club (5604 Earlehurst St, Springfield, VA 22151). This week’s theme: Superheroes!

This is our first away meet of the season, so let’s bring not just our best swims, but also our best guest manners. Check your inbox for a detailed meet email from our awesome B Meet Reps, Ali Goldwater and Amanda Hungerford.

NERF WARS!

We are planning an exciting Nerf War event for this Friday Night Social and we’d love to know if your swimmer(s) are attending. Please complete this short survey to help us prepare. Reach out to Lara Macdonald with questions.

Saturday’s A Meet - We’re On the Road!

Our first AWAY A Meet of the season is this Saturday at Ravensworth Farm Swim & Racquet Club (5210 Inverchapel Road, Springfield, VA 22151). The theme is Rock and Roll.

Swimmer entries and volunteer assignments will be sent out on Thursday, so keep an eye on your inbox. Let’s bring the energy, the cheers, and the team spirit as we hit the road.

Todd Potts IM Carnival – Sunday, June 29

It’s hard to believe, but the Todd Potts IM Carnival is almost here. We'll head to Forest Hollow this Sunday, June 29. Session details should be coming soon, so stay tuned. A big thank you to everyone who volunteered! The list of Parklawn volunteers has already been sent to Forest Hollow for coordination. Looking forward to a great event and some awesome IM swims.

Speedy in the Pool = Great. Speedy on the Streets = Not So Much.

We’ve had some feedback from neighbors about swim families speeding and rolling through stop signs near the pool. Please drive slowly, stop at all stop signs, and watch for kids, dogs, and bikers.

We want to be good neighbors and keep everyone safe. Thanks for doing your part!

Mark Your Calendars: Trip to Kings Dominion is July 16

Kings Dominion Day is set for Wednesday, July 16 and is open to all Parklawn swimmers and families. This is an optional team trip, organized by the wonderful Betty Young. Group ticket info is coming soon.

A few things to know:

• This is a self-transportation trip, and carpools are encouraged
• Each swimmer must have a designated adult chaperone
• There will be no practice on July 16 so everyone can enjoy a full day at the park

The kids love this day - and honestly, so do the adults. Stay tuned for more details soon.

NVSL Social Event: D.C. United Swim & Lifeguard Night

Grab your friends and head to Audi Field on Saturday, June 28 as D.C. United takes on Nashville SC at 7:30 PM. Each ticket comes with a D.C. United silicone swim cap, available for pick-up at the match. You can get tickets here: TICKET LINK.

Let's make it a great week Piranhas!