July 2026 Newsletter
SAVE THE DATE
July 6 & 20- New Parent Orientation @ 6:35 pm (all new families encouraged to attend)
July 10 - 12U State Championships
July 18 - DD Block Party
July 23 - 13Over State Championships
July 28 - USA Swimming Futures
August 1-2 - Molalla Meet
August 8-9 - Newport Meet
Aug XX to Sept XX - break between Long Course Season and Short Course Season
Nov 20 - Annual Silent Auction Event (Travel Meet Fundraiser)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Hello from the Coaches
Volunteer Info
Swimmer of the Month
July Birthday’s
Thank you to our official team sponsor Arena
Shop online at SwimOutlet to support the team! Select "David Douglas Aquatics Club" as your team and every purchase gives back to DDAC with a 10% kickback! https://www.swimoutlet.com/collections/ddac
RESOURCES:
Volunteer Hours / Event Sign Up / OSI Time Standards / USA Swimming / DDAC Facebook
Translated versions: RUSSIAN SPANISH VIETNAMESE
FROM THE COACHES
COACH JIM
Hey DDAC families,
The long course season seems so quick. We just got out of school and then its championship season. I have been really impressed with athletes that have stayed committed over the spring and summer season. The practices are going really well and we are seeing really competitive times at the swim meets.
My advice as we head into the summer championship season is to be excited for your opportunities, enjoy the competition and no matter what the results are, be excited to move onto the next opportunity and season.
Have a great end of the season and enjoy the your summer.
Coach Jim
COACH BOBBY
Being a Great Teammate - In Practice and Competition
Swimming is often called an individual sport, but every swimmer knows that a strong team is built on the way teammates support one another every day. Whether you’re training at practice or racing at a meet, being a great teammate helps everyone perform at their best.
At practice, a good teammate brings a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. Arriving on time, listening to coaches, and giving your best effort sets an example for others. Encourage your lane mates during challenging sets, celebrate their improvements, and offer a kind word when practice gets tough. Small actions like sharing equipment, helping reset the lane, or cheering someone through a difficult set, can make a big difference.
Competition is another opportunity to show what being a teammate means. While everyone wants to swim their fastest, remember that your teammates are working toward the same goal. Cheer for every swimmer, not just your closest friends or training partners. Celebrate personal bests, congratulate others on great races, and support teammates after disappointing swims. A race doesn’t always go as planned, but knowing your team is behind you makes it easier to bounce back.
Respect is also an important part of teamwork. Treat officials, coaches, competitors, and volunteers with courtesy. Good sportsmanship reflects positively on both you and your team. Win with humility, lose with grace, and always remember that how you compete is just an important as the result.
The strongest teams aren’t made up only of the fastest swimmers, they’re made up of athletes who encourage one another, work hard together, and create an environment where everyone can improve. Every practice, every race, and every cheer from the stands is an opportunity to strengthen your team.
In the coming weeks ahead, challenge yourself to do one extra thing for a teammate: offer encouragement before a race, congratulate someone after a great swim, or help a younger swimmer feel welcome. Those moments build the kind of team culture that makes everyone proud to wear the DD on our red caps.
COACH BRAYDEN
Championship Season Is Here!
We made it! We are officially entering championship season!
Congratulations to all of our first-time state qualifiers, as well as everyone preparing to compete at the state championships. Qualifying for a championship meet is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the dedication, consistency, and hard work you have put in throughout the season. Every early morning practice, every difficult set, and every extra lap has helped get you to this point. You have earned the opportunity to race against the best—now it’s time to enjoy it.
Hydration Matters
As we get closer to championship meets, don’t forget that one of the easiest ways to improve your performance happens outside of the pool: staying hydrated.
Even on cooler days, your body still needs plenty of water. Hydration isn’t something you can fix the morning of a meet—it takes several days of consistent water intake for your body to perform at its best. Many championship facilities, including the pool at the Tualatin Hills Recreation Center, can become very warm and humid during long meet sessions. Arriving well-hydrated will help you maintain your energy, recover between races, and perform at your highest level.
Speed Starts at the Wall
As we transition into Long Course Championship season, every detail matters. The fastest swimmers aren’t just quick in the middle of the pool—they maximize every start, every turn, every push-off, and every breakout.
Continue focusing on:
Powerful push-offs
Explosive turns
Tight streamlines
Fast, controlled breakouts
Remember Coach Bobby’s Four Points of a Great Breakout:
Streamline
Hold a 2-second torpedo
Take 3 strong dolphin kicks
Break out while holding your breath for your first 3 strokes
These small details add up over a 50-meter pool and can make the difference between a good swim and a great one.
Finish What You Started
Everything you’ve accomplished this season has been building toward this moment. You have developed stronger technique, greater endurance, and more confidence every week you’ve been in the water.
Now it’s time to trust your training.
Race with confidence. Support your teammates. Embrace the challenge. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the opportunity you’ve worked so hard to earn.
You’ve spent the entire season building your light—now it’s time to see just how brightly you can shine.
Let’s finish this season stronger than ever.
Go DDAC!
VOLUNTEER INFO
Volunteer Opportunities
Log Your Volunteer Hours
This is your reminder that volunteer hours do not get credited to your account unless you enter them by completing this form. Any unfulfilled hours will be billed to your account on August 1st. If you need a reminder about volunteer commitments please visit the website here.
Star Parents
As the coaches finalize and roll out the new squad levels, we are looking for 1 parent per squad (Bronze, Bronze+, Silver, Silver+, and so on) to help celebrate our athletes' hard work! We need help tracking swimmer achievements on the squad posters located in the back hallway near the locker rooms. The task is to check results after each swim meet, place star stickers next to names for qualifying times (State, Regionals, etc.) and keep the visual board updated to motivate swimmers to reach the next level.
If you can help represent your child's squad, please reach out to brayden.franzke@ddacswim.org
Silent Auction Helpers - Save the Date - November 20th!
After last year's success, we are gearing up for another Silent Auction event this fall and we need your help to make it a success! We are looking for energetic volunteers to solicit donations before the event. Jennifer Robinson, our silent auction mastermind, is already mapping out an outreach list, so you will have plenty of direction. If outreach isn't your jam, we have plenty of other critical tasks where your skills can shine. Every bit of support makes a difference for our team. Please email Jennifer.robinsonddac@gmail.com today to get involved!
Front Desk Point Person
We are seeking a knowledgeable volunteer to step into a leadership role as our Front Desk Point Person. Key responsibilities include: managing volunteer sign-ups and schedules, communicating monthly updates to volunteers and conducting one training session per month for new volunteers. This is a great ongoing way to fulfill your own service hours every season. If you are familiar with our front desk operations and interested in this role, please email andrea.guillet@ddacswim.org
Front Desk
If you are interested in volunteering at the front desk in July or August, there are still a few spots available. Please sign up here.
SWIMMER’S OF THE MONTH - JUNE
Bronze - Julian Arancibia
Bronze+ - Maya Vue
Silver - June Stephenson
Silver+ - Zander Haney
Gold - Leo Lohrmann-Riggs
Gold+ - Ivy Nguyen
Senior - Cooper Rasmussen
Senior+ - Eva Aschoff
BIRTHDAY’S
07/17/2016 Ayla McGurk Bronze
07/11/2015 Christina Nguyen Silver I
07/22/2014 Lukas Nowoisky Splash Ball
07/22/2010 Abigail Simpson Water Polo
07/07/2018 Jace Tran Bronze
07/16/2015 Maya Vue Bronze II
07/10/2009 Ariya Abdullah Senior
7/06/1970 James Bowe Coach
07/25/2015 Indiana Cook Pre-Comp
07/26/1979 Bobby DeRoest Coach
07/01/2014 Tuesday Franklin Gold
07/22/2017 Emma Guthrie Splash Ball
07/20/2016 Katherine Hedinger Pre-Comp
BOARD MEMBERS
Jennifer Robinson – Member Representative
jennifer.robinson@ddacswim.org
Halle Cisco – Marketing & Communications
halle.cisco@ddacswim.org
Jamie King – Coach
jamie.king@ddacswim.org
Coaches:
bobby.deroest@ddacswim.org
brayden.franzke@ddacswim.org
James Bowe – President
jim.bowe@ddacswim.org
Crystal Mandery – Vice President
crystal.mandery@ddacswim.org
Jennifer Lindeman – Secretary
jennifer.lindeman@ddacswim.org
Heather Franklin – Treasurer
heather.franklin@ddacswim.org
Andrea Guillet – Volunteer Coordinator
andrea.guillet@ddacswim.org