Every year, USA Swimming recognizes 200 clubs across three categories (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) for their Club Excellence Program. For the first time in club history last year, North Bay was recognized as a Silver Medal program, marking us as a top 100 club in the country. Our goal was to move up into the top 75 this year, but we slid back into the Bronze Medal category, which is for teams in spots 101-200.

This is of course not an inherently bad thing. There are roughly 3000 clubs in the US, so being recognized at all puts you in the top 6% of the country and should be celebrated!! However, I wanted to use this opportunity to talk about failure, something we all could embrace a little more. The coaching staff often talks with the athletes about it being okay to fail, so I think it is important we recognize when we as a club fall short of our goals. Going from Silver to Bronze doesn’t make us a worse organization, people, athletes, coaches, or parents, just means we weren’t successful according to this singular metric.

We all will inevitably fail in life – miss that JO cut, not get into the college you want, lower than desirable GPA, failed relationships, not get the big promotion, etc. I hate to be cliche, but how you respond to that shortcoming is what is important.

So, time to get back to work. Hope this news motivates a few of you as much as it motivates the coaches…

The winter practice schedule for the Youth team is now available! This schedule starts once High School Water Polo Season ends and finishes February 4th. We will keep everyone up to date on Redwood water polo playoff run for our expected start date! The schedule is attached, please let us know if there are any questions.

Hello Team NBA…today, September 6th, 2023 is the 50th anniversary of the first sub 4 minute 400 meter freestyle in the history of swimming. Ken’s brother – Devon’s Uncle – Rick DeMont swam 3:58.18 on September 6th, 1973 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

The competition was the 1st ever World Swimming Championships; an event now held every other year between Olympics. To honor this day all our Masters at this morning’s wkots swam for 3:58.18 seconds.

We left on the top since that is what we swimmers do. If you missed it consider doing your own 3:58.18 sometime soon in honor of this historic event. Swim it pretty since that was, and still is, how he swims.

Imagine, a local high school aged guy doing such a remarkable thing – crazy but true!

Don Swartz

Registration is now open for the 2023-24 Season! Below is information regarding the season including our fall practice schedule, meet schedule through April, and some new information regarding team service hours and Senior group team travel requirements.

Families interested in registering should email Max Byers at max@northbayaquatics.org

Below is the Practice Schedule for the fall – our schedule changes once we get access to Redwood high school pool when their water polo season ends.

Practice Schedule

Pre-Senior

Monday 5:00-7:45pm @ COM

Tuesday OFF

Wednesday 4:00-6:30pm @ COM

Thursday 5:00-7:00pm @ COM

Friday 6:15-7:45pm @ COM

Saturday dryland 8:30-9:30am @ COM & swimming 10:00-12:00pm @ Redwood

Sunday 10:00-11:30am @ Redwood

Dryland the first hour on Monday, the last hour on Wednesday, and 8:30-9:30am on Saturday

Senior/National

Monday 5:15-6:30pm @ COM

Tuesday 4:45-7:00pm @ COM & National Morning 5:45-7:00am @ COM

Wednesday 5:30-7:00pm @ COM

Thursday OFF

Friday 5:00-7:00pm @ COM & National Morning 5:45-7:00am @ Redwood

Saturday Dryland 8:00-9:30am @ COM & swimming 10:00-12:30pm @ Redwood

Sunday 10:00-12:30pm @ Redwood

Dryland Monday & Wednesday 5:45-7:00am, and 8:00-9:30am on Saturday, all at COM

Varsity (Practice Starts After Labor Day)

Monday 5:15-6:30p @ COM

Tuesday OFF

Wednesday 5:30-6:45pm @ COM

Thursday 5:00-6:15pm @ COM

Friday OFF

Saturday 8:15-9:30am @ COM

Sunday 11:30-12:30pm @ Redwood

The meet schedule is attached to this post

If there are any questions regarding the new season or registration, please email Max Byers at max@northbayaquatics.org

NORTH BAY AQUATICS IS INVITING YOU TO OUR OPEN HOUSE. MEET OUR COACHES, LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM, USA SWIMMING OR EVEN JUMP IN THE POOL WITH SOME OF OUR SWIMMERS ON THE BELOW DATES

JULY 10, 12, 17, & 19
8-9:30 AM
REDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER:

• EMAIL: MAX@NORTHBAYAQUATICS.ORG
• PHONE: 618 795 8424
• WEBSITE: WWW.NORTHBAYAQUATICS.ORG
• INSTAGRAM: @NORTHBAYAQUATICS