From the Director's Desk ...

Happy New Year!    One of our resolutions is to communicate more regularly with our members, we will begin monthly newsletters.  With regular topics and special bulletins, we will not clog your in box but hope to provide more information in a readily accessible manner.  This month’s note is longer than usual, but we have lots to share!  The newsletter will be sent to members and also posted on the new Directors Desk  tab on the front page of our website at www.gocaltech.com

Survey and Input

Watch for a members survey coming in the next month or so; please take time to complete it when it arrives.  The last survey was in the spring of 2012 and this one builds on that information.  We are open to and review community input continuously and work hard to balance that with our professional  experience and best practices as we operate our program. 

Facility Updates. 

Women’s Braun Locker room is now reopened, renovated and looking good; thanks to everyone for their patience and adaptability!  In the women’s locker room, the shower room has been renovated with new piping, privacy stalls, a new counter and mirror, replaced safe outlets, tile deep cleaned and privacy doors constructed to allow students and adult members separate spaces.  Adults will be asked to find a locker in the main room, while student athletes will relocated to the smaller room.  While not yet an approved project, we are beginning the planning for the phased replacement of lockers in both men’s and women’s locker rooms for the near future.  (We will start with Braun men’s locker room!)

Projects

The projects we are working on include: resurfacing the tennis courts, deep renovation of the south field turf, creating a climbing wall in the Brown gym and outdoor fitness trail and exercise clusters, more pool shade  and replacement of equipment.  

Group Fitness Classes.   As you may be aware, we changed our group class format last fall to a 10 week module format.  This allows us to review class offerings more frequently and potential change our offering based on feedback from instructors and participants.  (One of the most important fitness training  concepts is the concept of variety of stimuli)  The reconfiguration allowed us to move from offering 28 classes per week to offering 34. Two of the recent additions aqua aerobics and group cycle are well received.  We anticipate growing the size of the group cycle classes with the purchase of more bikes!  Please always start by seeing Heather with questions.

Summer Programming

Shortly you will see posted our summer programming flyer:  swim lessons, summer camps, softball league, group fitness modules and more.  We will send it via the next newsletter, and make it available at the front desk. We are planning ahead and have lots of good activities on tap.

Health, Wellness and Fitness educational series

Please watch for announcements about our monthly bonus health, wellness and fitness programming.  We will begin a series of educational outreach programs to which you are invited and encouraged.

Student programs.

This is the very busy season with intercollegiate competitions, 12 of our 17 sports are in season so the time slot between 4-6:30 is very busy with intercollegiate practices.  Thank you for your patience and possible schedule changes as we support the under grads in their teams.  Fencing, both basketball and both swimming teams have all achieved team victories this winter and are showing tremendous momentum. Women’s tennis won their opener last week, men’s tennis defeated 4-5 after an epic battle, track opens the 2014 campaign this weekend with the Caltech all comers meet, and baseball home opener is Sunday February 9 at 11am. Schedules available online now at www.gocaltech.com.  The students appreciate your coming and watching them play very much, even if just on your way in or out. Go Beavers and Thank you!

We recognize that there are conflicts inherent in a busy community of users when everyone has the same window for exercise, either at the lunch or later afternoon window of time. We are working to minimize those conflicts through creative scheduling, thorough communication and sharing facilities when possible.  Some of our area’s lend themselves to that more than others.  Please know the head coaches are open to being flexible however need access to their classrooms and focus for their athletes the same as any other endeavor. We are working on a few ideas in this regard and will keep you posted if possibilities arise.

Additionally our inter house, intramural programs and graduate student leagues  are up and running for the entire student body.  These competitions usually happen in the early evening, just after dinner, prior to homework.  Leagues take place in a wide range of sports, two nights a week between the undergraduate resident houses.

Inaugural Hall of Honor

We are proud to announce the inaugural Caltech Athletic Hall of Honor to recognize and celebrate intercollegiate athletic excellence.  There is such a rich history and tradition here that we have created an annual process to recognize that excellence in our student population.  The website has all the information  at http://gocaltech.com/information/HallOfHonor/CaltechHOH .  Please take a look and contribute to the nominations or reflections as we begin to capture our rich history and honor its excellence.

Staff Updates

Tia Lillie left our staff in November, Tia and her family relocated to Stanford where she is the Assistant Director of Physical Education, which most closely aligns with her career goals and interests. We wish her well.  Building staff member Ryan Southern has shifted gears and departments as of the first of the year and you may now see him on around as a member of the security team.   Please join us in welcoming Carmen Luna to our building staff in the full time slot  and Aaron Lynch in a part time slot.  Our building staff are here for your safety and the supervision of the building as well as to assist your recreation needs.  Thank you for your understanding as they work hard to keep the building in great shape as well as be responsive to each of you.  Tom Gardner starts in February as our new volleyball coach and physical education instructor, please welcome Tom.

Go Beavers!

Betsy Mitchell

Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation