ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               1-2-06

 

SENIORS HANG TOUGH VERSES LONG COURSE, WEATHER IN CALIFORNIA:

Eighteen Elite Seniors traveled cross-country last week for the opportunity to train 12 times within a six-day span. Practicing at the outdoor Crawford Pool on the campus of the University of California at Irvine, the Seniors were more than equal to the difficult task presented by the demanding workouts and the oft-time taxing situations presented. 

Starting with the departure delay at Newark Airport on the flight to California, the Seniors routinely conquered the multiple challenges presented by the trip. Among the obstacles the Seniors overcame:

1) practicing within 90 minutes of arriving in California

2) practicing three times within 20 hours of arriving

3) practicing long course 9 times out of 12. Long course (50 meters) practices are by definition, much more demanding than short course (25 yards)

4) being the 1st Senior training group to accomplish 100 x 100 long course (on New Year’s Day)

5) training in 3 separate rain storms 

The Seniors were able to accomplish these tasks despite being slowed down out of the pool by the weather. The two biggest social nights (New Year’s Eve and New Year Day evening) activities were curtailed due to rain (no trip to Disneyland and an appreviated Pacific Ocean beach party).

             The 18 Elite swimmers who stepped up and completed the training were:

 

 

Danielle Basile
Crissy Condus

Chris Dart
Corey Deatly

Claire DiGiacomo

Mickey Ennis 

 

Julianne Furdyna
Alex Gonzalez
Katie Kilcullen
Shayla McDonnell
Austin Meszaros
Will Peters

 

Matthew Poloniak
 Brittany Ross
 Lindsay Scott
 Veronica Smith
 Lily Thompson
 Nick Trojanowski
 

The Seniors, Bill and Brandy would like to thank Frank DiGiacomo, who was the training group chaperone and whom performed numerous behind the scene tasks throughout the week. Simply put, the trip could not have been made without Frank!! Thanks again!

WINTERFEST UP NEXT:

 

            This coming weekend, Elite swimmers will participate in one of the most important meets this year: Winterfest 2006.

 

            For club swimmers, Winterfest is the 1st big meet of each new year. This year, Elite will be sending 45 swimmers whom will participate in 189 events.

 

SWIM MEETS ON THE HORIZON:

 

            Elite’s meet schedule will gather momentum again in January. Upcoming meets include:

 

            1) Saturday, January 7th and Sunday, January 8th: Winterfest at Rutgers. Only qualifying swimmers will attend. Meet information is posted.

 

            2) Friday, January 13 thru Sunday, January 15: Burgdorff Invitational at Rutgers. Only qualifying swimmers will attend. Meet information is posted

 

            3) Sunday, January 15: Intraclub Meet at Morristown-Beard School. Meet information is posted.

 

            4) Sunday, January 22: Intraclub Meet at Morristown-Beard School. Meet information is posted.

 

HIGH SCHOOL SWIM MEETS REEK HAVOC ON ELITE SCHEDULE:

 

            For the next 6 weeks, high school swim meets will reek havoc on Elite’s weekday practice schedule. Almost every day in the next two weeks is affected.

 

Please check the website schedule each day for practice changes!!

 

OLYMPIAN TARA KIRK COMING (SOON) TO ELITE:

 

            Charismatic breaststroker Tara Kirk, an Olympic Silver Medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games, will visit Elite on Saturday, January 28, 2006. Elite is now taking reservations for the clinic-and smart swimmers have already signed up. There is a special Tara Kirk webpage on Elite’s website: check out her accomplishments!!

 

            Tara will be at Morristown-Beard from 2 pm to 6 pm. Tara will 1) discuss her swimming experiences (including the 2004 Athens Olympics), 2) stretch and warm-up swimmers 3) give stroke instruction and 4) get into the water and swim with Elite swimmers!!!

 

            Tara will be the 6th Olympian who has visited visited Elite for a (4 hour) stroke clinic. Past Olympians to visit Elite are: Dr. Ron Karnaugh, Tom Wilkins, Jenny Thompson, Janet Evans and Neil Walker.

 

            Originally from Washington State, Tara is a graduate of Standford University and an 11 time NCAA Champion!! Also noteworthy is that Tara, and her sister Dana, were the 1st sisters to qualify for the same US Olympic Squad.

 

            Tara is known for her ever present smile and gracious personality. One can check out Tara’s career by going to the USA Swimming website (usaswimming.org) and reading her bio under “swimmers.”

 

THINKING SUMMER? THINK SUMMER SWIM CAMPS!:

 

            Although the hot sun and humid weather seems millions of years away, summer is only 6 months away and top notch swim camps are already taking registrations for the summer of 2006.

 

When planning the upcoming summer, please consider sending your Elite swimmer to one of the numerous swim camps.

 

Each summer, numerous Elite swimmers spend a rewarding week (or two) at a summer swim camp. The benefits of such a camp are: 1) individual attention by reknown swim coaches 2) an increased knowledge of the sport of swimming and 3) personal growth that occurs as a result of “being on one’s own.”

 

The formula that seems to work best is finding an Elite friend to spend the week with at the swim camp.

 

If you are considering sending your swimmer to a swim camp, now is the time to do the research and make decisions (many of these camps are sold out by mid-Spring). On the website, under Swim Camps, there is a list of swim camps. Many of these swim camps close out in late February and early March!!!

 

Thinking about summer? Think Swim Camps!!

 

SICK? COULD BE YOUR LACK OF “AT HOME” SWIMMING DETAILS!!!

 

Are you sick? Got the flu, strep or a bad head cold?  Your sickness is probably caused by your own lack of swimming details!!!

 

Since we are heading towards our championship season (late February/March), this is the most crucial segment of your training season. Each swimmer needs to practice their “at home” swimming details: drinking lots of fluids, eating properly and often, getting enough sleep and dressing properly for winter.

 

There are literally dozens of swimmers that ignore these vital “at home” swimming details, and most of these swimmers end up missing significant training and/or actually missing their meets because they do not live their “at home” swimming details. These swimmers literally shorten their training seasons due to their sickness!!!

 

One new swimmer phenonem that is just plain crazy is the “sandal/no sock look” in zero degree weather. Swimmers who dress like this are literally begging to get sick. One Elite swimmer actually got frostbite last year due to not dressing properly on the way home from swimming on a particularly cold night. Ever tried swimming with frostbite?

 

Be a winner: do your swimming details at home and at school, in addition to at the pool!!!

         

SUMMER LONG COURSE MEET SCHEDULE REVISED:

 

            Adjusting to the increased participation in summer “long course” competition, New Jersey Swimming has announced a restructure of the schedule of its championship meets.

 

            To meet the additional interest in summer competition (last summers meets were terribly overcrowded), NJ Swimming will hold a Bronze Level Meet this summer in addition to “moving back” the Junior Olympic competiton.

 

            Junior Olympics will be held Friday, August 4 thru Sunday, August 6, 2006 at Rutgers University.

 

12 & Under Silvers will be held Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16 at Rutgers (same weekend as in the past).

 

13 & Older Silvers will be held Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23 at Rutgers (same weekend as in the past).

 

 Bronze Championships will be held on Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30 in Bayonne (at an outside venue!).