Our
first meet is rapidly approaching! Please have your swimmers at Forest Lakes
with their goggles and caps on, ready to warm up at 4:45 pm. Remember
to write your swimmers’ event numbers on their hand in black Sharpie.
(Please remember to bring a permanent black Sharpie for this purpose.) This
will increase the odds that your swimmers get to their events on time!
The
Forest Lake meet director has sent us the following information. Pay
particular attention to the parking and traffic enforcement issues:
The pool is located in the Forest Lakes South community at
1650 Ashwood Boulevard. The pool and clubhouse is about 1 mile off of 29N
after you turn onto Ashwood Blvd. We have been informed that the speed limit
during the meets will be reduced to 25mph heading up on Ashwood Blvd.
Please observe large flashing school crossing sign that will indicate the
reduction in speed. [note: the meet director indicated that it
is very likely police will be out enforcing the speed limits.]
Our parking situation will be overcrowded. We welcome you to
park in the paved parking areas around our pool. We will be reserving the front
parking spaces along the front of the clubhouse for drop off. Your
coaches and officials will have reserved parking in the paved parking lot.
There are a number of handicapped parking spots in front of the pool area.
Street parking is permitted on Ashwood Blvd. The Forest Lakes
Community Association will have a county police officer patrol; please do not
park at the immediate entrance of any side street or near stop signs, near any
fire hydrants, near any driveways. Additionally there is no parking on Powell
Creek Drive, or in any of the nearby neighborhoods of Empress Place or
Thornridge (across from the pool).
While you are at our meet we invite you to partake of our
team concessions. We offer a variety of hot foods from local business including
Baja Bean, Oriental Express, 2 businesses owned and operated by our swim team
families. We will also have pizza from END ZONE. At our outside booth we offer
snow cones, water, sodas, G2 and a selection of candy.
The
meet director also shared that in the event of thunder they are required to
clear the entire deck. We will need to return to your car until the deck
is reopened. If we leave our personal belongings and the deck is not
reopened due to a storm, we will not be allowed back in to retrieve our
things. This is a rule imposed by the pool management company, not
by the swim team or the JSL.
If
the weather is bad, it is highly unlikely that the meet will be canceled in
advance. Even if the weather is poor, we ask that you come to the
meet. In the unusual event that a decision about cancellation or delay is
made in advance, it will be communicated via email and on the weather hotline (434) 293-7399.
Late afternoon thunderstorms are not unusual in the summer.
Typically, they pass over and allow us to finish the meet, however.
Because the decision is made very locally based on conditions at the pool
itself, we need to have our swimmers close by.
Note
that our team blog has a meet FAQ you
might want to take a look at. Also, the JSL has a Welcome Manual
that is worth looking at. If you ‘like’ the League on Facebook, you can
receive updates about League-related events throughout the season.
We
look forward to seeing everyone at the meet! GO SWORDFISH!
