Carmichael Beaver Swim Team

Coaches

Coach Erin is excited to be joining the Carmichael Beavers. She grew up in Rocklin and swam on the Loomis Basin Dolphins (former rival of the Carmichael Beavers!) for 10 years. Erin went to Loretto High School where she swam and played water polo and then attended the University of San Diego. Erin spent her junior year of college living and studying in Toledo, Spain. She just finished her Masters degree in Education at California State University in Sacramento. Erin has spent the last four years teaching and coaching swimming at Loretto. Erin has also coached swimming at Del Oro High School. Although she doesn’t currently have any spare time – if she did, she would be hiking, cooking, wakeboarding and playing Wii. Coach Erin loves watching the kids improve and believes there is nothing more rewarding than watching a swimmer work hard and then see them achieve a personal best. She hopes to inspire all the swimmers of all ability levels that swimming is fun! She wants each swimmer to learn that hard work pays off yet it can still be fun!

Message from Coach Erin

Happy Spring!

I am so excited to be returning as the head coach to the Carmichael Beavers. During the last year I have enjoyed getting to know the swimmers and families on this team. It is hard to believe that it was only a year ago that I was getting ready for our first practice together! I am grateful to all of you for welcoming me and I am excited to make this season even better than the last.

Since we last met I have worked with the board to make some changes to our coaching staff and practice times so that your swim team experience will be even better. I am happy to announce that we have a new Assistant Coach, Rob Ahern. Coach Rob assisted in our fall program. He is a former swimmer and water polo player and Rob recently completed his teaching credential. Coach Rob hopes to teach elementary school. You will also see that we have changed the practice times affecting nearly every age group. We eliminated overlapping practice times to reduce confusion and make each practice more focused. The 6&Unders now have their own practice time so that we can give adequate attention to this developing age group. The 7-10 year olds will now practice during the same time period because their abilities are most similar. The 13-18s have a 75-minute practice to give them a workout more appropriate and challenging for their age group.

As we prepare for the 44th season for the Carmichael Beavers, I have spent a lot of time thinking about why my family dedicated nearly 20 years to one swim team. Summer swim team is unique and special. Here are just a few of my thoughts why.

Swim team is a family sport. Kids of all ages from one family practice and compete at the same place! And even though only our 4-18 year olds practice and compete, swim team creates an opportunity for parents to participate too.
Swimmers of all ability are on one team. Most sports divide student athletes by ability. Our swim team puts kids of all abilities in the same pool. What a wonderful opportunity for all of our children to support one another, learn from each other and contribute their individual gifts to the team.
Swimming is a lifelong sport. For the last year I have been swimming on a Masters swim team and I realize that swimming is a sport that people can continue doing well into “old age.” Because swimming is low impact and is adaptable for all skill levels, people of all abilities can participate in swimming. We must teach our kids to live a healthy lifestyle while they are still young.
Lifelong friendships. In 2010 I will attend the weddings of THREE of my swim team friends (actually it is four, but two of them are marrying each other!). Swim meets give kids the chance to develop good friendships, build support systems and cultivate healthy competition. Every summer kids return and continue building these relationships. And it is not just the kids—parents meet friends and start their own friendships too!
Swim team is fun! Although we work hard, summer swim should be fun. I hope that the Carmichael Beavers is fun for the whole family!
Community. Young to young adult, parents to grandparents—everyone has a place on the swim team. Swim team crosses generations, socio-economic class and school boundaries to bring together a wide array of swimmers and families.

I know that the economy has created financial strain on families and that kids are overextended in school and sports. I sincerely hope that if you have enjoyed being a part of swim team that you will be returning to our Carmichael Beaver family this year.

Sincerely,

Coach Erin