QUAC is having a team IGLA 2008 Registration Party hosted by Kennie Turner and Family. There will be computers available to register as well as experienced swimmers and coaches to help you with events and times. Registration fees increase on April 1st.

Even if you’re on the fence about going to IGLA, and just want more information, please plan to attend.

When: Saturday, March 29th, 7pm
Where: The “Thruple’s”

Bring: BYOB and bring a food item to share. Swimmers should bring desserts, munchies, and such. Polo players are to bring the mixers. Plus people should bring registration numbers for U.S. Polo, U.S. swimming, or U.S. Diving in order to register.

Source: Q Salt Lake

QUAC to Hold Two Events for New Members
From April 6-13 the Queer Utah Aquatic Club will hold “Bring a Friend to QUAC Week” to encourage members to bring friends and family who are beginning swimmers to check out their team and programs. Workouts during this week will be designed to accommodate beginning swimmers.

The women of the club will also host a week of events to encourage other women to join the team. Beginning on April 19 with the theme party “Beer, Bratwurst and Broads,” the week will include women’s polo and swimming clinics. Men will be allowed to attend the theme party as long as they are accompanied by a female friend.

For more information, visit the club’s Web site at quacquac.org.

QUAC announced today that Lisa LeDuc has been selected to join the QUAC Board of Directors.

Lisa is reliably in the pool at weekly water polo practice and swims often as well. And although she is relatively new to the team and to the sport (her first competition was last summer’s Kearn’s Open Water Polo League) she is a huge fan of QUAC. As she says, “I’m amazed by the caliber of the coaches and athletes QUAC is able to attract. The members in general are positive, upbeat and healthy individuals, and I just love being a part of this team.” Lisa has shown her commitment by participating in and out of the pool. She walked with us in the pride parade, helps out at team parties, volunteered at Ski-n-Swim and recently accepted a leadership responsibility on our IGLA 2008 subcommittee. Lisa has been involved with athletics from an early age where she was a leader in the Girls Athletic Association. She’s an active member and volunteer for many local non-profit organizations including sWerve, KRCL, and the Utah Pride Center. She’s also volunteered for the Human Rights Campaign and National Center for Lesbian Rights. For almost eight years she’s been the behind-the-scenes support for her partner and community activist, Brandie Balken. Her greatest achievement? “being the proud non-biological parent of a well rounded 11 year old. I’m her taxi service, soft ball score keeper, and head cheerleader.” Lisa is an all around great person, an advocate for the entire club, and will offer a unique voice to the Board of Directors.

“All things are difficult before they are easy. Swimmers of all levels, abilities, and ages who consistently demonstrate a positive “confidence attitude” share three common traits: Belief, Desire, and Persistence

1. They believe it’s possible to improve their fitness.

2. They have a genuine desire to improve their fitness.

3. They are persistent in improving their fitness.

Ask yourself , Do you possess an ‘achievement attitude’? Do you believe in your ability to accomplish your goals? If so, what can you do this year to reinforce it? If not, what’s stopping you from applying yourself to commit? Transform those obstacles to opportunities “Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect”

Remember each workout you should be working on:

• Perfect Streamlines
• Perfect Turns
• Perfect Finishes
• Perfect Starts

The QUAC 2008 Pride Committee has been created to make sure our team is represented well at the annual event.  The committee has already begun meeting to plan for this fun event. Pride weekend will be June 6-8, 2008. Committee members include:

1. Volunteer Coordinators – Milan Jendrisek, Rich Cheney

2. Beverages Coordinators– Jason Fredrick , seeking co-chair, Jake Rosequist

3. QUAC Booth Coordinators – Rudy Gomez, Ryan Reed

4. Parade Choreographers – Ken Turner, Craig Voegeli

If you are interested in volunteering contact any Pride committee member or speak with a coach.

The next IGLA (International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics) meet will be in Washington DC from June 18 to 22, 2008.

QUAC is a member of IGLA, an international organization that promotes swimming, water polo, diving and synchronized swimming among “lesbians, gay men and friends of our community” (www.igla.org). For the last 20 years IGLA has had a successful annual meet with competition, camaraderie and fun events for everybody.

People attending IGLA meets have commented on the great atmosphere, the inspiring desire to improve times by swimmers of all abilities, the enlightening sight of many hundred friendly aquatic sport enthusiasts, and the relationships that develop with people from all over the world. Just ask any of the QUACers who attended IGLA 2007 in Paris, IGLA 2006 in Chicago, IGLA 2005 in Fort Lauderdale or IGLA 2004 in San Francisco.

IGLA 2008 in Washington DC will offer a unique opportunity for QUAC to bring a good size team because the following two meets will occur in Europe.

QUAC would like to invite all its members to come to DC in June and participate in this great event. DCAC (District of Columbia Aquatics Club), one of the largest IGLA teams, is hosting for the second time. Check the website at www.igla2008.org QUAC is planning on bringing 2 or 3 water polo teams and a large group of swimmers. Both the water polo and swimming coaches will attend to help with competition and support. QUAC will also enter in the infamous ‘Pink Flamingo’ competition, where style, rhythm, costumes and aquatic performances are put to the test.

More information will follow as it becomes available, but some things to start working on right now:

1- GET THE TIME OFF WORK – IGLA goes from Wed 6/18 to Sun 6/22. Most competition occurs from Fri to Sun (http://www.igla2008.org/calendar.php) Most people will want to travel on Wed 6/18 or Thu 6/19 and return on Mon 6/23.

2- TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS – Start shopping for tickets. If you are using frequent flyer miles this is the time to book because those seats disappear early. Three airports serve the DC area, National Reagan (DCA), Washington Dulles (IAD) and Baltimore Washington (BWI).

3- SAVE MONEY – We are hoping to have some money for team expenses and a few scholarships, but it will cost you money to attend. Plane tickets right now go from $250 to $450. The registration fee for swimming is $65 ($75 after April 1st)

4- HOTEL – QUAC has designated Hotel Helix as the host hotel (www.igla2008.org/accomodations.php). A block of rooms has been booked for QUAC. If you are interested in staying in those rooms please let Raul Peragallo know (rperagallo@yahoo.com). Hosted housing is also available and it is free.

5- VOLUNTEER in IGLA committee and donate money or frequent flyer miles for coaches – We need people to help organize this event. Donations are always appreciated. Things to do include hotel and transportation coordination, fundraising for team expenses (registration, hotel?), Pink Flamingo, etc. If you are interested and able to help please talk to Paul Reynolds or Raul Peragallo.

6- SKILLS! – Continue working on your swimming/polo/diving skills! Start thinking what events you would like to participate in. Talk to the coaches and get on a competition specific training program. The schedule of events is at www.igla2008.org/swiming.php

A QUAC IGLA 2008 registration party is being planned for the near future – stay tuned!