CEO/Head Coach Message
What a weekend.
550 swimmers, beautiful water, and the kind of energy that reminds you why we do this. The Lake Berryessa Open Water Swim was a success by every measure — and that doesn't happen without this community showing up in a big way.
To everyone who swam: thank you. To everyone who volunteered: thank you. And a very special thank you to Kevin Waterson, who served as the Race Director this year and put in an enormous amount of work to make it all happen. Events like this don't run themselves, and Kevin's leadership made all the difference.
Now — eyes forward. USMS Summer Nationals is coming up August 5–9 right down the street in Sacramento. This is a rare opportunity to race at a national championship meet without getting on a plane. We'd love to see a big DAM crew there. More details below.
Summer Schedule
Beginning next week (the week of June 15), we move to our summer schedule. Here's what's changing:
Monday / Wednesday / Friday
Civic
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6:00 AM
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7:00 AM
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10:00 AM
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11:00 AM
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12:00 PM
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1:00 PM
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6:15 PM
Arroyo
Tuesday / Thursday
Civic
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6:00 AM
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7:00 AM
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10:00 AM
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11:00 AM
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12:00 PM
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1:00 PM
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6:15 PM
Schaal
Saturday
Civic (workouts)
Civic (lap swim)
Sunday
Civic (lap swim)
Reminder: If you are able to get to Schaal early (before the 5:50 AM or 6:15 PM workouts), we could use your help getting the pool set up. The more people we have, the faster it goes.
Another reminder: We could also use your help cleaning up after the 6:50 AM workout and 6:15 PM workout. Thanks for all the support!
USMS Summer National Championships
The 2026 USMS Summer National Championship is coming to Sacramento — August 5–9. That's basically our backyard. This is a rare chance to swim a national-level meet without a hotel stay, and we want to bring a big DAM crew.
Date: August 5–9, 2026
Location: Sacramento, CA
Start thinking about your events and let's make some noise at Nationals.
Click HERE to register and for more information.
Pacific Masters LCM Champs
This year's LCM Championships are split across two separate weekends due to a scheduling change at Soda Aquatic Center. Here's how it breaks down:
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Sunday, July 12 — Distance events only: 400 IM, 1500 Free, and 800 Free Relay
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Saturday–Sunday, July 18–19 — All remaining events
Lane Etiquette – How to Be a Good Lane-Mate
One of the things that makes DAM special is how welcoming this community is, and that starts before the first set.
When you get in the water, say hi. If you don't know the people in your lane, introduce yourself. It takes five seconds and it goes a long way.
If you've got a new face in your lane, take a minute to help them get oriented. This is important for all new swimmers, even those who are new to DAM but not new to swimming, because no two teams do things the same way. I've swum and coached all over the country and I can tell you: the terminology is different, the drills have different names, and the way lanes flow varies from team to team. Someone who's been swimming Masters for years might still need a quick rundown on how we do things here. That's not a knock on them — it's just how it works.
A quick "here's how we do our intervals" or "you rest on this side of the lane" can be the difference between someone feeling at home and someone feeling lost. Let's make sure nobody feels lost.
That's how we keep DAM the kind of team people never want to leave.
Byron Philleo Celebration of Life
The DAM community is invited to celebrate the life of DAM swimmer Byron Philleo.
Date: Tuesday, June 23
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: First Baptist Church of Davis, 38141 Russell Blvd., Davis
Please join us in honoring Byron and supporting his family.
Julie Veress Celebration of Life
The DAM community is invited to celebrate the life of Julie Veress.
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026
Time: Midday
Location: Ruhstaller, Dixon
The Veress family has long been a part of the Davis swimming community, and Julie will be dearly missed. We hope to see a strong DAM presence there to honor her memory and support the family.
Slip Fin Order
Did you try out the new Slip Fins last week and want a pair of your own?
You can pre-order them through Swim America Davis by emailing Rose Cholewinski at rose@swimamericadavis.com. The first shipment is expected around June 8, and Rose will set yours aside when it arrives.
The fins retail for $65, but DAM members receive a discount through Swim America Davis, bringing the total to just $54. Reach out to Rose with any questions.
Competitions
2026 Distance Non-Free Virtual Challenge
Date: May 1 – June 30, 2026
Location: Any SCY pool
Click HERE for more information
2026 Del Valle Open Water Festival
Date: June 20–21, 2026
Location: Livermore, CA
Click HERE to register and for more information
2026 Silver State Meet
Date: June 28, 2026
Location: Reno, NV
Click HERE to register and for more information
2026 Pacific Masters LCM Championship Meet
Date: July 17–19, 2026
Location: Moraga, CA
2026 USMS LCM Championship Meet
Date: August 5–9, 2026
Location: Sacramento, CA
2026 Donner Lake Open Water Swim
Date: August 8, 2026
Location: Donner Lake
2026 Santa Cruz Open Water Weekend
Date: August 15–16, 2026
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2026 Santa Rosa Masters Pentathlon
Date: August 22, 2026
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Workout Rotation
Week of 6/8/26
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Monday – Kick/Pull
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Tuesday – IM
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Wednesday – Sprint
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Thursday – Distance
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Friday – Kick/Pull
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Saturday – Coach Choice
Week of 6/15/26
DAM Board Meeting
Our next board meeting will be held on June 10, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Brady Building.
