NO MEETS FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS
A potentially big blow was no swim meets for what may be a year. What has become obvious is that more important than meets is the daily exercise and camaraderie of being in the program. The meets will return, but until then we have a great place to maintain our emotional and physical well- being.
A couple years back, we had a 50 year re-union for Flower Valley, the team where I swam for 6 years and coached for 25. We thought we had quite a competitive history with 23 years in A Division, and 6 MCSL A Division Championships, (The New England Patriots looked up to us).
You know my perspective on winning / loosing: not the most important thing…
But even I was stunned at the reunion.
Virtually no one mentioned meets nor races.
Whenever I run into or get a visits / call from alumni of Good Counsel who were part of 4 consecutive Metros 1ST place team championships,
Virtually no one talks about wining meets nor races..
A couple years back I gathered with many alumni from Manchester Farm, who went from “O” to “B” Division in 6 years.
Virtually no one mentioned meets nor races.
I recently got together with a few of the JFD seniors – 2 had been multiple finalists over a string of years at PVS Champs,
Virtually no one mentioned meets nor races..
It was all about memories and team bonding from
Practices; social events; charity traditions; the challenges & character built at workouts; the words of wisdom shared; the speeches;
and the JFD experience.
Of course meets are important, but they may not be as important as I thought they were.
Therefore let us make the most out of practices for the sake of mental and physical health…and future meets of course.
HOLIDAY GIFTS
Please visit our team store to get some JFD & swimming related holiday gifts!
Most recommended by our coaching staff:
1 a mesh bag to transport equipment
2 flippers
3 kick boards
COVID-19 UPDATES AND REMINDERS
ONE DAY CLOSER TO NORMAL
While we are thanking God for President’s Trump’s Operation Warp Speed - the public and private partnership that has brought us two vaccines in record smashing time, we still need to be diligent.
MINIMUM NUMBERS IN THE POOL AREA
This is a key factor, so nobody other than swimmers, coaches, and guards allowed thru the revolving door. If you do need to speak with a coach, contact the office.
We have be able to have a coach come out side to briefly speak with you directly.
CARS WAITING AT QO PARKING LOT
-Try to avoid a LONG backup in the parking lot at drop off/pick up times which extends into the street.
-Pull forward to the end of the parking lot to the stop sign at Roundabout Drive, please do not start the line at the bottom of the steps/ramp
-When others have left the drop off/pick up line to pull forward to allow space for others to pull in
-Try not to line up too early for drop offs/pick ups
-Consider parking in the main or overflow parking lots
JFD TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS TIME DONATIONS
There are several charities that JFD has been blessed enough to support, Some for over 30 years, and some very recently.
JFD as a corporation will not be able to contribute this year, but the needs still go on for these incredible institutions that some of you have helped us support in recent years. While it is extra fun to donate just before Christmas, the needs are on-going. So we are offering our JFD families a chance to contribute.
Because so many organizations are in need and asking for your help, feel no pressure to detract from places your family has traditionally helped in years past.
If you are interested and able, here are the places where JFD has helped for many years. The work is hard, the progress is slow, but lives are being changed. Please look them up, chat with the person listed, or ask Coach Flaherty for further information,
1 The Lord’s Table Many of us for over 30 years
2 Rancho 3M Hundreds of JFD swimmers / parents have gone to serve in this Orphanage in Mexico
3 Water for Uganda Your efforts have supported 7 JFD alumni on various trips to Uganda
4 Mission of Mercy Ask Shannon English about their help for those who slip thru the insurance cracks
5 CLC School Hundreds of JFD have been impacted by this school
6 Rockville Pregnancy Center Support for struggling mothers & their babies
7 Prison ministry Paul Baker
8 Fellowship of Christian Athletes
9 Focus on the Family Radio shows, published material on dealing with children that shaped the JFD philosophy
10 CROSSROADS FREDOM CENTER Paul Baker - Fundraiser
11 Celestial Mana Paul Baker
And the latest ministry we are praying for.
12 Justice Ventures International.
This is from Yoonie Min, who has 3 children swimming on JFD:
They work in Nepal, China, but mainly India to find and rescue those in trafficked situations. Then, they collaborate with the local authorities to provide legal assistance to the survivors to return them to dignity and pursue justice on their behalf. They also work to prosecute the traffickers in the court system and train the community, informing them of what trafficking is and looks like.
They are a small organization that has done a huge service in the work of social justice. I had the privilege of joining them for a trip to India in 2018 to meet some of the amazing individuals on the front lines of this work as well as be an encouragement (and be encouraged myself) to some of the survivors of generational bondage (whole families in enslavement) as well as women rescued from the red light district. Many of the JVI team I met, speak in the youtube video here: https://youtu.be/uWIlKgZ3nAw . It is brief and informative. They are definitely heroes in my eyes.
Here is JVI's website: www.justiceventures.org as well as a forwarded email below I actually received today about an amazing opportunity to learn more and be a blessing.
Thanks for your interest!
Blessings,
Yoonie Min
yoonie.min@gmail.com
301-717-7769
REFER YOUR FRIENDS
What would really help, while we have some unused space, is that you invite your friends to visit our website and sign up for the remaining summer practices. We would love to use these openings for as long as we have them.
For the mental and physical well being of all the swimmers, we will try to get in the maximum minutes in the pool for the maximum swimmers.
INSPIRATION
None of these are directly about swimming or JFD, but they all are very interesting and inspiring.
Admiral McRaven
Wisdom of a 3rd grade dropout
Denzel Washington
Paul Harvey: Freedom to Chains
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