The Girls' Middle School Swim Team
Welcome to all the new swimmers and welcome back to all the returning team members for what holds to be a new and exciting season! If you are a middle school diver, you will be trying out for the high school dive team (there is no middle school dive program). The season begins Monday, August 11th and practices will be for about two hours Monday through Friday:
Practices will run Monday through Friday, from 4:45 to 6:30pm at Wayzata West Middle School.
No Tryouts BUT there is a cap
There will be no cuts made in the middle school program but, due to pool space, there will be a team cap at 36 swimmers, so please try to register sooner rather than later. Also, good attendance is very important and missing excessive practices could result in being removed from the team. Lastly, although it is not a requirement, knowledge of the four competitive strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) is helpful.
Transportation
It is the athlete’s responsibility to get to and from practice on time during the month of August (the three weeks before school starts). Once school begins (Tuesday, September 3rd), there will be buses that will run from both Central and East middle schools to the practice site (West Middle School). It will be the athlete’s responsibility to get a ride home after practice.
Communication
Our main form of communication is email. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact head coach, Sara Ridley (sara.ridley@wayzataschools.org) or either middle school coaches, Nat Bodin (natalielbodin@gmail.com) or Katelyn Palasek (katelyn.palasek@wayzataschools.org). If you would like to discuss something more serious, our phone numbers are listed at the bottom of this page.
Registration
Online registration for high school athletics is from Wednesday, July 16th to Thursday, August 7th. All registration will be conducted online. Should you have any questions or concerns, you may contact coach Sara Ridley sara.ridley@wayzataschools.org or athletic secretary Kari Rohrich at kari.rohrich@wayzataschools.org. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 3:00pm.
Go to the Wayzata High School Website (https://www.wayzataschools.org/athletics/register)
Click on "Athletics" and then click on "Register"
Follow the steps listed on the welcome screen.
You must have a current sports qualifying physical exam on file in the Activities Office. Physical must be dated after 6/15/2023 for the 2025-2026 school year. If you complete steps b and c without a current physical on file, you will not be registered.
Click on Eligibility Form in the school store. Fill out and submit the form to the Activities Office once per school year.
Click on the appropriate sport link on the web page and make your payment online (the fee for the 2024 season will be $225.00).
You must be chemical/alcohol free.
You must be committed to the team.
You must be a grade 7–12 student in the Wayzata school district.
Parent Pre-Season Meeting
The middle school pre-season meeting will be held on Monday, August 25th via Zoom from 7:00 to 8:00pm. The coaches will send an email with the Zoom link once the season starts.
Coaching Philosophy
Our goals are to foster knowledge and love of swimming and to build life skills that benefit all students and athletes including positive growth mindset, resiliency, integrity, goal setting, teamwork and overall wellness, all while having fun. Athletes are only as strong as their mind, body and spirit collectively, and we strongly believe in incorporating experiences for the girls that focus and foster all three for their life in and out of the pool.
Equipment and Soft Costs
Other than the fee to join the team ($225.00 upon registration), each athlete will need a team suit, which she will be able to use throughout her two years on the middle school program, along with a pair of goggles and a cap. She will also have the option of buying a team t-shirt. There may be a few team outings in which an athlete may need $5.00 to $10.00 to help pay for the cost of food, gas, etc. Please note that anyone who needs financial assistance should contact coach Nat or Katelyn.
Thank you for taking interest in the Wayzata Middle School Girls’ Swim and Dive Program. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns in regard to the above information or the team. The coaching staff is looking forward to a very challenging and successful season. We are going to set some high individual and team goals for the year. The Trojan swimmers have a great bunch of returning team members and a very talented young group of girls that will improve the team even more. See you on August 11th.
Sincerely, Middle School Coaches Nat Bodin and Katelyn Palasek
Nat: 952.239.3973 natalielbodin@gmail.com
Katelyn: 763.248.3391 katelyn.palasek@wayzataschools.org