It’s the dog days of summer: high heat, plenty of vacation time prior to school re-starting, nearing the end of Micki’s summer schedule… We prepare for the fall season after a hugely successful Junior Olympics with great news from the academic side of waterpolo and an important update to our fall schedule that affects Swim2Score, Masters, and HS/MS waterpolo, all our offerings actually.
AQTX Academic All-Americans
Two AquaTexans have been given Academic All-American Outstanding Honors by USA Water Polo. Kendall Strauss and Mac Morrison received the award for maintaining a 4.00 GPA or higher while participating in a National USA Water Polo event. Well done to Mac, who’s now officially an AquaTex masters athlete headed to A&M in a couple weeks, and Kendall, who will be joining us as a Swim2Score coach while she completes her senior year. Congratulations!
Fall Schedule
Already, revisions to the fall schedule. Updated now on the calendar. We again are making efforts to maximize the amount of time we have in the North (deep) pool. So, beginning August 23 is:
- Mondays, Wednesdays, (not Thursdays)
- 7-9 PM for high school and middle school (HS/MS).
- Saturdays
- high school and middle school 10 AM to noon.
- Sundays
- 9 AM – 11 AM, middle school athletes
- 10 AM – noon, high school athletes
- 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM, Swim2Score
- 11:30 – 1:00 PM, masters (including select high school athletes)
- Fridays, nuthin’
Coaching News
While we’re sad that Sam and Kendall are soon returning to Texas State and Austin College we are very pleased to have a new coach join us. Dominique Clark joins us after a successful career at Villanova University in the Philadelphia area. She is from Berkeley, CA and has coached previously at the very successful Lamorinda Water Polo Club and Orinda Park, where she was a youth swim coach. She’ll be leading our Swim2Score program this fall, where she’ll teach both swim and waterpolo. And we’re looking forward to having her work with our older girls as well. Welcome to AquaTex, Dom!
Competition
The Zilla Beach tournament is postponed, but Welcome to Texas Shootout is on the calendar for September 4, 5 in San Antonio. This is really the last competition of the summer and we plan to combine with Longhorn again to enter teams. Age qualification is based on age as of August 1, 2021 so our JOs teams can/will remain the same. It’s a very good tournament at one of Texas’ best facilities so let’s finish the season strong, middle school and high school athletes!
ODP Returns to Round Rock
Even though I’m not the head coach any more, ODP is tentatively returning to Round Rock for two clinics (one boys’, one girls’) on Sunday, September 19. But just because I’m not the head coach doesn’t mean I won’t be there! Once it’s officially on the USAWP calendar I’ll share it here. More info on ODP for those who are not familiar with it. Many AquaTex athletes have participated and succeeded with ODP. It’s a great way to learn a ton in a short period and play with and against some of the best in Texas with great coaches.
What are Masters and Swim2Score?
We’ve been getting a LOT of questions about our Masters and Swim2Score programs. Take a look at our updated FAQs for the info you may have been looking for, and share with friends. We want both programs to explode!
Some Admin (But Still Quite Important)
Junior Olympics Fees
Thanks to all our Junior Olympics participants who have paid for the tournament. If you have not yet done so, Venmo your $200 to me. Prompt payment appreciated so we can pay our awesome coaches for their time in Dallas.
USAWP Club Affiliation
Now that JOs are over for another year it’s time to go back in your athletes’ USA Water Polo profiles and affiliate him or her with AquaTex instead of Longhorn. And while you’re at it, if you haven’t already, update that ID headshot photo to something current.
Registration
It’s August so you should all have re-registered with AquaTex in order to continue practicing. I’ll be checking records so let me know if you have questions or issues with the process.
See you on the deck,
James
