Wells Branch Armada

Welcome to this week’s Armada Newsletter!

With Memorial Day weekend around the corner, our season is shifting into full gear. From schedule changes and swim meet prep to exciting volunteer opportunities, there’s a lot happening both in and out of the pool. Whether you're a returning family or brand new to the team, this edition has everything you need to stay informed, get involved, and help your swimmer succeed. Let’s dive in!

by Genevieve Bales, President

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, we encourage all families to take a moment to honor the sacrifices made by our military heroes. If possible, consider attending a local ceremony or event in their memory. 

🚨 Practice Schedule - Upcoming Changes

NO PRACTICE Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial Day.

Morning practices begin Tuesday, May 27.

💦 Upcoming Event: Swim-A-Thon Fundraiser – June 3rd

As we celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our swimmers so far this season, let’s also look ahead to one of the most fun and meaningful events of the year — the 2025 Armada Swim-A-Thon!

🗓 Date: Tuesday, June 3rd 🕕 Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM 📍 Location: Willow Bend Pool

The Swim-A-Thon is a high-energy fundraiser where swimmers of all ages rack up as many laps as they can while raising money to support our team. It’s a great way to show team spirit, challenge yourself, and contribute to the success of the Armada!

🌟 Why Participate?

Funds raised go directly toward team equipment, pool time, and swimmer enrichment

Prizes and recognition for top lap swimmers and fundraisers

Fun music, team cheers, and a celebration of all your hard work

More details—including lap count sheets and donation links—will be shared soon. Mark your calendars, start rounding up sponsors, and get ready to swim your hearts out for the team! 🏊♂️💙💛

by Maddie Wright, Head Coach

Way to go, Armada! Congratulations to all the swimmers and families who participated in our first Meet. I know it was a fast-paced learning experience, and I'm proud of the turnout and energy each of you brought! Overall, we had a 51% time improvement. Everyone, continue your hard work at practices. 

After reviewing races and techniques, we’ll focus on the following skills this week in practice:

1. Relay Exchanges
2. Breaststroke & Butterfly Technique
3. Breakouts 
4. Flip Turns & Open Turns 
5. "Disaster Starts" (What to do when you dive in and your googles fall off/fill with water)

💡 Meet Event Tip

Try something new! By season’s end, I'd love to see each swimmer attempt every event at least once. Even if you’re still mastering a stroke, don’t let that stop you—meet experience helps build skill!

⏰ Relay Information: 

For those that new and still learning: Every week, each age group (aside from 6U) has two relay opportunities. 

The morning relay is a medley, there is one swimmer for each stroke. The order is as follows: 1) Backstroke, 2) Breaststroke, 3) Butterfly, 4) Freestyle. 

The afternoon relays are our freestyle relays. Each swimmer completes either a 25-yard or 50-yard freestyle, depending on their age group. 

The relays are assigned and put together each weekend. The goal is to allow every swimmer to participate in one. Relays are a big part of being on the team, and often every swimmer is needed to make it work. Please keep in mind that when scratches happen, there is not always an easy replacement. It can result in a complete scratch for everyone else on the relay team. 

Relays are a way for our swimmers to unite, celebrate team spirit, and elevate each other's performance. The camaraderie and excitement surrounding them boost motivation, turning each one into a shared triumph. 

This week’s spirit theme: 🚀 Outer Space! Let’s show off our galactic Armada pride!

by Juli Thatcher, Volunteer Coordinator

Thank you to everyone who pitched in at our first meet! Your help made it a success.

We still have open slots for this Saturday’s meet—please sign up ASAP so we can ensure a smooth and timely event.  

🗓️ Mark Your Calendars

Volunteer signups for our third meet go live on Tuesday at 12:00 PM (Noon). Set a reminder and grab your favorite job early!

If something urgent comes up (illness, emergency), please notify me immediately so we can adjust accordingly.

A quick but important reminder for all Armada families:

🔔 If your swimmer is registered to attend a meet, at least one parent or guardian is expected to sign up for a volunteer role.

Swim meets only run smoothly when we have full support from our families. From timers to pit parents, every position plays a vital role in making the day a success—for your swimmer and the entire team.

We understand that things come up! If you’re unable to volunteer for a particular meet, please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator Juli Thatcher as soon as possible to discuss options.

Thank you for being an essential part of what makes the Armada experience so strong, supportive, and successful! 💙💛

by DJ Loberg, Meet Director

Our second official meet is this Saturday!

📍 Key Details:

• Location: Willow Bend Pool
• Arrival Time: 6:00 AM – Be on time and check in right away
• WBA Warm-ups: 6:20–6:40 AM
• Rattan Creek Warm-ups: 6:40–7:00 AM
• Meet Start: 7:30 AM
• Events: Swimmers may compete in up to 3 individual events

📝 If your swimmer cannot attend or needs to scratch, please email us ASAP!

🧃 Snackbar Donations

Swimmers in the 9/10 age groups are asked to donate cut fruit to help stock the free snackbar. These are a huge hit and go quickly!

🏗️ Meet Set-Up Times

• Friday, May 23 at 7:00 PM
• Saturday, May 24 at 5:30 AM
  More info available on the team website.

🚘 Parking Reminder

To accommodate our guests, parking next to the pool is reserved for the visiting team.

Armada families, please park:

• Along Sauls and Crissom
• Near Wells Branch Elementary
• On Long Vista Dr.

🚫 Do NOT park on Bratton or in local business lots—violators may be towed.
✅ Overflow parking is available at the Rec Center on Shoreline Dr. (longer walk; drop-offs encouraged).

by Summer Smith, Armada FC Coordinator

Support the team AND earn credit toward your WBA sponsorship!

How it Works:

• Volunteer at Austin FC home games
• Earn $50+ per shift toward your sponsorship fee
• Credit can be earned by you, a family member, or a friend (age 18+)

Volunteer Perks:

• Free WBA volunteer shirt and hat
• Free lunch at check-in
• Free parking and shuttle to Q2 Stadium
• Enjoy the electric game-day atmosphere!

📢 Get signed up and start volunteering at the next game!

Austin FC 2025 Home Schedule:

📋 Important:

• Must be 18+ years old
• Training certificates must be uploaded 10 days before game day
• Learn more or sign up here: https://wellsbranch.swimtopia.com/Austin-FC-Volunteer

Congratulations to all swimmers who earned top finishes at our first meet on May 17, 2025!

Way to go, Armada relay teams! These swimmers helped lead their teams to first-place finishes in their respective Medley or Freestyle Relays:

Each week, we recognize the swimmers who made the biggest splash by improving their times the most in each age group and category. These Fast Fishies worked hard and it showed in the pool—great job!

Top Time Drops – Pflugerville Piranhas Meet

For any questions that you may have about the Fast Fishy Award, check out this Fast Fishy Award FAQs document that addresses some of those questions.

We’re thrilled to celebrate some incredible swims that have etched their way into the Armada record books! Breaking a club record is no small feat—it takes dedication, grit, and serious speed. Please join us in congratulating the following swimmers who broke an Armada Swim Team record at our most recent meet:

🏆 Helgesen, Emilia - Girls 11-12 50yd Back - 37.31 Old: 38.61

🏆 Loberg, Olivia - Girls 11-12 50yd Back - 37.60 Old: 38.61

🏆 Ricci, Audrey - Girls 11-12 50yd Back - 38.20 Old: 38.61

We’re excited to announce the addition of two brand-new events to the Armada lineup for the 2025 season:

• 50 Butterfly (Boys & Girls)
• 50 Breaststroke (Boys & Girls)

These events give our swimmers even more opportunities to shine, grow their skills, and make a splash in new ways!

And guess what? The first-ever Armada records for these events have already been set! Let’s give a big round of applause to the swimmers who made history:

🏆 Helgesen, Emilia - Girls 11-12 50yd Breaststroke - 40.67

🏆 McGuire, Lucas - Boys 11-12 50yd Breaststroke - 43.49

🏆 Ricci, Audrey - Girls 11-12 50yd Butterfly - 36.16

🏆 McGuire, Lucas - Boys 11-12 50yd Butterfly - 42.23

These swimmers crushed it at our last meet, improving their personal bests in three separate events—an impressive display of hard work, focus, and determination!

🎉 Please join us in congratulating this meet’s Triple Drop Swimmers:

We are proud to announce the swimmers who have achieved the time standards required to qualify for the 2025 Northwest Swim Circuit (NWSC) Invitational! This prestigious end-of-season meet brings together the fastest swimmers across the league, and qualifying is a huge accomplishment.

These athletes have pushed themselves all season and earned their spot through determination, discipline, and speed. Please join us in congratulating our Armada qualifiers: