Hello Barracudas!

We hope everyone is having a wonderful spring and enjoying the warmer temperatures. We can’t wait to see you all on deck in just a few short weeks! We have some important information to share with you as we prepare for the upcoming season.

Registration:

Online registration is open! All members must register for swim team even if currently participating in our winter swim program. To register log-in here and click then click Home ->Registration. As a reminder you have till June 12^th to register ($50 fee is added after 6/1).

If you are new to swim team this year you will need to tryout. We are currently holding indoor tryouts at Mt. Vernon Rec Center at 6:45 on 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, and 5/17. Outdoor tryouts will be held in the afternoon on 6/1 and 6/2.

With the addition of the mini-Barracuda program this year not all children will be placed directly onto swim team. During tryouts we will be evaluating swimmers to see if they can swim the full length of the pool doing any stroke without touching the bottom or requiring assistance. If your swimmer is not yet there, no problem! Our mini barracuda program is the place for them. The program will be run by Sayla Runnels and a great group of coaches, and they will get your swimmer ready for swim team. More information on our mini program can be found on our website.

If you are interested in trying out, please send an email to Lauren Iannitto and Michelle Tranquilli ([email protected] and [email protected]).

Calendar of Events

We have been busy adding dates and practice schedules to the team calendar. Please take a moment to review the 2026 schedule. To help with planning you can subscribe to the calendar which will push all events to your personal calendar.

1. Click Meets and Events
2. Click subscribe to Calendar at the top of the page
3. Select your calendar (Apple, Google, etc)
4. Click Allow

Personalized Swim Caps

Get ready to shine in the pool with your very own personalized swim cap! Since our team suit is a two-year suit, cap colors will remain silver and royal blue for one more season.

If you’d like to order, please visit our website here.

Personalized caps are $18 each, with a minimum order of two caps per name ($36 total). All orders must be placed through the website.

Pizza Party to Kick Off the 2026 Swim Season

Join us at the pool on April 26^th from 3-5pm for a fun-filled pizza party to celebrate the start of the season. Grab a slice, catch up with teammates, and meet the coaches. We can't wait to see you there! Please RSVP here no later than April 23^rd hereso we know how much pizza to order.

Sponsorship Opportunities

As we plan for the 2026 Hollin Meadows Barracudas Summer Swim Team season, we are once again seeking support from neighborhood businesses, families, and community members to help offset yearly team expenses and activities.

Thanks to last year’s generous sponsors, we were able to purchase a new record board, team tents, and additional equipment that directly benefits our swimmers.

With over 160 swimmers, more than 400 club families, and thousands of NVSL participants, sponsorship provides meaningful community exposure while supporting Barracudas traditions and operations.

⭐ New this year: Sponsors now have two ways to contribute:

• Mail a check using the sponsorship form
• Sponsor online through our new electronic processing option on the website

NVSL Officials — We Need Your Help to Run Meets

Many of our longtime officials have swimmers graduating, which means we need new parents stepping in now.

Simply put: we cannot host A Meets or B Meets without enough certified officials.

Becoming an official is one of the best ways to support the team while still having a front-row seat to watch your swimmer compete. No experience is required, and veteran officials will help you learn.

Important 2026 Update:

All NVSL clinics will be held in person this year. There are no virtual recertification options.

👉 Action Needed:

If you plan to attend a clinic or recertify, please email Lauren at [email protected] so we can track our official coverage for the season.

2026 NVSL Officials Clinic Schedule

Saturday, May 16 — 8–10 AM

• New Referee — Shouse Village
• Stroke & Turn (New/Recert) — Sleepy Hollow Bath & Racquet

Sunday, May 17 — 8–10 AM

• New Starter — Pleasant Valley

Wednesday, May 20 — 7–9 PM

• Ref/Starter Recert — Little Hunting Park
• Ref/Starter Recert — Old Keene Mill

Saturday, May 30 — NVSL University (NVSLU) | 8 AM–1 PM
Fairfax County Government Center
12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA

• New Referee — 8–10 AM
• New Starter — 8–10 AM
• Ref/Starter Recert — 8–10 AM
• Meet Maestro Training — 8–10 AM
• Chief Timer Clinic — 9–10 AM
• Stroke & Turn (New/Recert) — 10:30 AM–12:30 PM

Sunday, June 7 — 8–10 AM

• Stroke & Turn — Orange Hunt
• Stroke & Turn — High Point Pool

Sunday, June 14 — 8–10 AM

• New Referee or Starter — Rolling Valley
• Ref/Starter Recert — Crosspointe
• Ref/Starter Recert — Sully Station II

Wednesday, June 17 — 7–9 PM

• Stroke & Turn — Hayfield Farm
• Stroke & Turn — Sleepy Hollow Recreation Association

⭐ New Referee/Starter clinics are for new officials only and cannot be used for recertification.

We Need Your Help

First, a sincere thank you to everyone who has already stepped up to fill volunteer roles this season. It does not go unnoticed, and it’s what makes this team run. We truly appreciate the time, energy, and flexibility so many of you have already given.

We do still have one important role left to fill: Social Chair.

We haven’t had a dedicated Social Chair in six years (since Lauren held the role prior to becoming Team Rep), and in that time many of these responsibilities have fallen to the team reps. Simply put, that’s not something we can continue to absorb, and we need support to keep these traditions going for the kids and families.

If you’re not able to take on the full role but are willing to help with one specific event, that would still make a big difference—please reach out to Lauren or Michelle.

Social Chair: There are several social and spirit events during the swim team season. Social events allow families to get together in a fun and non-competitive setting and help to foster camaraderie between team members. We are looking for a Social Chairperson to oversee all the events below. This person would be responsible for ensuring that all social events are held and would participate in swim team committee meetings.

As the social chairperson you can form a committee to help assist with the events. The events below are the traditional events held every year. Other activities may be organized by the Social Chair or the Swim Team Committee.

• Pep Rallies
• Welcome Back Pot Luck
• Team Trip or Outing
• Organize the away A meet luncheons
• End of season awards dinner

Go Barracudas!

Lauren & Michelle