September 2019

WATER RATS PARENTS’ CLUB, INC.
Minutes for the Meeting of September 19, 2019
Board Members:
Charles Shapiro (Co-President)
Whitney Ross (Co-President)
Candace Twiss (PET-WRAT Coordinator)
Lori Blessey (Meet Coordinator)
Morgan Lenoce (Athlete Rep)
Kristin Lefebvre (8U Parent Rep)
Yanli Li (Co-Treasurer)
Martha Corneck (Co-Treasurer)
Kristine Schatz (8U Parent Rep)
Gretchen Hutchinson (Senior Parent Rep)
Tina Lynch (Age Group Parent Rep)
Jackie Austin (Officials Co-Coordinator)
Mark McDermoR (Officials Co-Coordinator)
Ellen Johnston (Head Coach)
Also in attendance: Berkley Murray, Greg Ripka, Amy Leahy
A quorum was achieved, and the meeting was called to order.

Minutes:
Charles S. called the meeting to order.
Whitney R. motioned to approve the minutes. Several members seconded. All voted in favor.
RESOLVED that the minutes from the June 12, 2019 meeting, as presented to the Committee are
approved.

• Introductions
• Co-Presidents’ Report (Charles S.)
• Air Quality: Update coming soon. AcAvely working on the issue.
• Team Size: Last year the team topped out at 251 – there were concerns re: size. With
support of Y, this year team is capped at 225. As of the meeting date, there are 218
swimmers; one pending swimmer registraAon will bring team size to 219.
• Transfer Fee: Team fees were raised; Y transfer fee was eliminated. An investment
committee was formed for future investments.
• Senior 3 Schedule: Schedule was adapted so that pracAce could be earlier 2x/week.
• Survey: Goal to have survey out at end of SC season.
• All Parents MeeAng: Sunday, September 29 @ Seabury Hall, Christ & Holy Trinity Church,
Westport. Sunday meeting will allow more comprehensive meeting with coaches instead
of 2 short meeAngs ader pracAces.
• Parent’s Social: Proposed date November 23. Hosted by the Shapiro family.
• Fund Raising:
• General parameters: (i) Fundraising should make money; (ii) The amount of
money raised should be worth the effort put in; (iii) Is there another benefit to
going through the fundraising effort even if it does not make a lot of money.
Consider purpose of fundraising i.e. will it help a member of the swim team family,
pay for equipment the Y won’t supply, etc
• Board members to come up with ideas to be shared with Berkley.
• Berkley M.: Fundraising should be for a purpose that should be communicated in
broad strokes. Prefer ideas that will keep the swimmers invested. Ideas to
consider: swim-a-thon potentially the Wednesday before Thanksgiving with funds
split with a charity; concessions at WRAT hosted meets; restaurant days (like Shake
Shack last year); Holiday apparel sales; car test drives.
• WRAT Bulletin Board – To be paid for by the team but will need to meet with Y approval.
Asking board members to send ideas to Whitney R, Ellen J, Charles S and Pat R.
• Introduce Investment Committee: Greg R and Kim M to provide guidance. Objectives to be
discussed in committee meeting with Co-Treasurers and Co-Presidents. General
parameters: low risk, fairly liquid investment.

• Coaches’ Report (Ellen J.)
• Adrienne finalizing registrations.
• Meet schedule is up.
• Coaching Staff: Possibly looking to hire 8U coach to help Coach Sarah M.
• Practice Schedule: Were able to move S3 practice Ames a bit earlier. Rich C. is now
running the group.
• All parents meeting scheduled for September 29.
• Fundraising: Potential Y Nationals Fundraiser – Wreaths Across America. Will bear in mind
not doing too much to close to holidays.
• Promote as a team: tradition, excellence & family
• Dryland: Recognized a weakness in the program. Working with Shelly to get trainers to
go over curriculum. Looking to start a team wide program the week of 9/30. Schedule
was circulated to meeting attendees. Will trial dryland program, but need to have 5
regular attendees in a group to continue.

• USA Swimming Escrow Account Manager Report (Charles S.)
• 218 swimmers registered now. Expect 219 swimmers to be registered shortly. Swimmers
capped at a 225. The team is financially healthy.

• Treasurers Report (Martha C.)
• Through August: Collected $3500 from parents who hadn’t met volunteer requirement.
• Should be on budget re registrations.

• PET–WRAT Report (Candace T): Nothing to report

• Meet Manager Report (Lori B)
• Discuss hiring off duty officers for traffic direction. Traffic direction problems from past
meets discussed. Explore alternatives for upcoming meets.
• 8U meet managers have run meet before. Will need to coordinate with Simply Delicious
re offering concessions.
• 13O Y States: Jen S. has a conflict. Alison B. looking for someone to help.

• Officials Report (Mark M & Jackie A)
• Trying to get stroke and turn clinic scheduled at Y.
• 5 persons willing to start training.
• Sent out email to confirm status of exisAng officials.

• Parents Reps & Student Athlete Report (Morgan L): Nothing to report. Charles asked for
input re any tech that could make team/ swimmers lives better.

Charles Shapiro moved to adjourn the meeting and Mark McDermott seconded. All voted in favor.

Respecnully submitted,
Monika DeFelice, Secretary
Water Rats Parents’ Club