Dolphins Prep for Fourth of July, Lap-a-thon, and Meet with Another Dolphins Team

(6/28/26) 

The Dolphins have a highly unusual schedule this week due to the Fourth of July moving our A Meet to Friday and the new Dolphins Lap-a-thon fundraiser on Wednesday – so please, Big and Little Dolphin families, double-check the schedule details in this newsletter. 

This week’s calendar at a glance: 

• Monday— Home B Meet w/Riverside Gardens (warm up 5:00 pm; no 4 pm or later practice) 
• Monday—Indicate availability for Saturday A Meet (deadline Monday at 11 pm) 
• Tuesday—Team and individual photo session (7:30 am) 
• Tuesday—New volunteer signups open 
• Wednesday—Lap-a-thon distance swim fundraiser 
• Wednesday—Teen night activity 
• Thursday—Cupcake pep rally @6pm 
• Friday—A Meet @Dowden Terrace (9 am, meet at WRA at 7:20 am) 
• Saturday—Dolphins in WRA July 4 parade (9:30 am at WWES) 

In This Message: 

1. A Meet w/Dominion Hills highlights 
2. Home B Meet with Riverside Gardens (Monday @6pm, 5:00 pm warm up) 
3. Important schedule reminders (for Big and Little Dolphins) 
4. Dolphins team and individual photo sessions (6/30 @7:30 am) 
5. Lap-a-thon distance swim & fundraiser (7/1) 
6. Teen Night, Wednesday (7/1) 
7. Cupcake Pep Rally, Thursday (7/2) @6pm 
8. Upcoming A Meet, Friday (7/3) @Dowden Terrace 
9. Dolphins in WRA July 4 parade 
10. Look ahead 

1) A Meet w/Dominion Hills highlights 

The Dolphins managed to win the meet’s backstroke and tie on the butterfly and relay sections Saturday, but it wasn’t enough as Dominion Hills won Saturday’s matchup 224-196. The full meet results and new Dolphins team ladder are available here. 

Dolphin highlights from Saturday’s meet: 

Outstanding meet contribution: Waynewood’s 11-12 girls led all Dolphin age groups taking 25 of 36 points in individual events. Vera Hill, Isla Exner, Fiona Mead, Heidi Evans, and Amelia Bertolino scored points for the Dolphins. The 11-12 girls 100m medley relay team of Exner, Hill, Mead, and Evans also won their race 1:14.75 to 1:17.82. 

Race of the meet: The 15-18 girls 200m medley relay team of Maya Dahlberg, Sasha Hill, Lucinda Keenan, and Lydia Schourek found themselves locked in a race that stayed tight throughout. The Waynewood squad jumped out to a small lead it never relinquished as successive pairs of competing swimmers appeared synchronously matched, swimming side by side with Waynewood nursing a lead that fluctuated from as much as three feet to mere inches. At the end, Waynewood held on 2:19.26 to 2:19.63 for the team’s final win of the day. 

Other winning Dolphins relay squads: 

• Boys 8 & under 100m freestyle relay (1:21.47 vs. 1:21.77) 
• Boys 11-12 100m medley relay (1:10.86 vs. 1:13.54) 
• Boys 13-14 100m medley relay (1:00.10 vs. 1:01.37) 
• Boys 15-18 200m medley relay (1:57.75 vs. 2:01.38) 

Photos from Saturday’s A Meet are now available in the team’s SmugMug. 

2) Home B Meet with Riverside Gardens (Monday 6/29 @6:00 pm, 5:00 pm warmup) 

The Dolphins swim Monday (6/29) at WRA vs. the Riverside Gardens Tsunami. 

• Arrive by 4:50 pm for a 5:00 pm warmup. The first meet event starts at 6 pm. 
• No 4:00 pm or later afternoon practices on Monday due to the meet – this also means no 5:30 pm Little Dolphins practice (but Little Dolphins are welcome to join the noon practice if able). 
• Parking courtesy: Please look for street parking (or walk) and leave the WRA parking lot for our guests – this is a reciprocity courtesy that ultimately helps Waynewood families when we’re on the road. 
• Volunteers: please remember that timers, clerks, and table workers are requested to wear a white top and navy (or dark) shorts/pants/skirt while on duty (with no team logos). 
• Swim schedule: The meet will proceed in regular order: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and IM. 
• Food forecast: We’ll have BBQ sandwiches and pizza so come hungry and order early before it sells out. 

3) Important schedule reminders (for Big and Little Dolphins) 

The July 4 holiday, team photo session, and Lap-a-thon creates an unusual schedule for this week so please remember: 

• On Monday (6/29) the Home B Meet w/Riverside Garden means no 4:00 pm or later practices (including no 5:30 pm practice for Little Dolphins – but they are welcome to join the 12:00 pm practice) 
• On Tuesday (6/30) the team photo will disrupt the 8 am 9-10 practice. Swimmers in the 9-10 age group may join the 11-12 practice at 10 am. 
• On Wednesday the Lap-a-thon event will create some disruption to the practice schedule, but we won’t know how much until registration is complete. So stay tuned – the team will announce the modified practice schedule for Wednesday (7/1) on Tuesday (6/30) when the Lap-a-thon schedule is announced. 
• On Wednesday evening there will be a teen night ~6:30 pm (this is usually on a Thursday). 
• On Thursday afternoon the team will hold the Cupcake pep rally at 6 pm (this usually occurs on Friday). 
• On Friday morning (7/3), A Meet swimmers will gather at WRA at 7:20 am to travel to Dowden Terrace. If your family has travel plans, please consider the possibility of delaying departure until after the meet. If the Friday (holiday) meet date creates any transportation challenges for swimmers, please let the Team Reps know ASAP. Your swimmer undoubtedly has friends with whom we can help facilitate a ride so please mark them as “available” if at all possible. 

Please remember for the season: 

• Special events, B Meets, and Wednesday meets like Relay Carnival generally create practice schedule disruptions. 
• When there are evening meets, there are generally no practices 4 pm or later for big or Little Dolphins. 
• Please look for practice schedule notes when you see events in the team newsletter. 

4) Dolphins team and individual photo sessions (6/30) 

• Dolphins team and individual picture day is this Tuesday: If you want individual pictures, please arrive by 7:30 am. 
• Little Dolphin swimmers and Little Dolphins Coaches will have their photo at 8:30 am – please arrive before this. 
• The big Dolphins team will line up at 8:40 am for their photo. 
• We suggest swimmers wear their team swimsuits. If you don’t have one a blue or black swimsuit will look best. 
• You’ll receive an email from the photographer after the picture about purchase options. 
• 9-10 swimmers whose practice is disrupted may join either the 11-12 practice at 10 am. 
• More details from the photographer in the attached flyer. 

5) Lap-a-thon distance swim & fundraiser (7/1) 

• Remember to register swimmers for the Lap-a-thon distance swim fundraiser here. 
• To make a donation or send a request to someone, please visit here. 

Swimmer registrations are $20. Swimmers 8 & under swim 200m, age 9-10 swim 300m, and those 11 & up swim 500m. All registrants receive a special meet swim cap and high-place finishers will be recognized. If the Dolphins achieve goals of collectively swimming 30 km and raising $10k all practice groups earn a donut party. Otherwise, the age group raising the most gets a party at their practice. Swims will be Wednesday morning, we’ll send out a schedule Tuesday. As of this morning, there are 69 total registered swimmers with 10-20 swimmers in each age group. 

The deadline to register is Tuesday, June 30 at noon. 

6) Teen night, Wednesday (7/1) 

Same routine, but on a different evening. Meet at 6:30 pm @WRA grounds. Please note it is only for registered Waynewood team members who have already turned 13 – no requests for exceptions please. If we get more details we’ll share them – but consult your teen. They tend to get the information first. 

7) Cupcake Pep Rally (7/2) @6 pm 

On Thursday, we’ll once again attempt to answer the age-old question: “Do Dolphins Eat Cupcakes?” I think you know the answer. You also probably know that you can count on cheers and the announcement of the week’s practice monsters … don't miss it! 

8) Upcoming A Meet, Friday (7/3) @Dowden Terrace 

The Dolphins’ third Northern Virginia Swimming League (NVSL) meet of the 2026 Division 7 season takes place this Friday, July 3 to prevent a conflict with Fourth of July events. Waynewood will compete in a pod vs. pod contest with the Dowden Terrace Dolphins. 

• Waynewood swimmers available for this meet may indicate status NOW – the meet closes to entries at 11:00 pm on Monday, June 29. 
• Dowden Terrace’s address: 6300 Holmes Run Pkwy, Alexandria, VA 22311 
• The Dolphins will meet in the WRA parking lot to caravan at 7:20 am. The first event is at 9:00 am. 
• Volunteer signups for this meet open Tuesday. 
  • Reminder: the Parent Handbook notes that parents of regular A Meet swimmers should contribute more than their minimum shift requirements. If you know you have a swimmer in the A Meet, please try to volunteer. 
• There will be an optional team lunch immediately after the meet – details to come. 
• Swimmers indicating availability will be notified of team selections no later than Wednesday evening via email (this is one day earlier than usual). 

9) Dolphins in July 4 parade 

Celebrate the Independence Day holiday as part of a Waynewood tradition. Dolphins swimmers are invited to march in the Waynewood Independence Day Parade. 

• Meet at Waynewood Elementary School at 9:30 am for a 10 am parade start. Wear your team T-shirt and/or accessorize yourself with plenty of Independence Day bling. 

If you need ideas, check out the team’s July 4 photos from last year in the SmugMug account. 

10) Look ahead 

In next week’s Sunday newsletter expect information about: 

• Home B Meet w/Little Hunting Park (7/6) 
• Division Relay Carnival (7/8) 
• Home A Meet vs. Dunn Loring on Saturday 7/11 

Questions? 

Don’t hesitate to contact our Team Reps, James & Melissa, at [email protected] 

Go Dolphins! 

Waynewood Dolphins Communications