ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               1-8-07

 

“FUN”TASTIC WEEKEND AT RUTGERS!!!!

DART, LI, STRAND EACH WIN MULTIPLE EVENTS:

9 DIFFERENT SWIMMERS ADD 10 JUNIOR OLYMPIC SWIMS:

 

            Executing precisely as a strong & confident team should, the Elite Swim Club performed magnificently this past weekend at Winterfest 2007. From top to bottom, from grizzled veterans to 1st time qualifiers, virtually every Elite swimmer turned in a terrific performance!! After putting in all the hard work during the last 4 months, Elite swimmers had a lot of fun racing!!!

 

            Competing against a reasonably strong field of competition (27 of the 59 New Jersey teams attended), Chris Dart (16), Michael Li (12) and Michael Strand (14) led Elite by winning 7 individual events. Nine different Elite swimmers added a total of 10 additional Junior Olympic Qualifying times, including 5 new qualifiers.

           

            In a tune-up prior to next week’s Burgdorff Invitational Meet (the winter’s only long course competition), Dart won 3 of his 6 events (100 yard back-52.19, 200 yard back-1.55.62 and 100 breast-1.00.65). In winning the 100 yard back, Chris touched out Brian Wilson, arguably the best swimmer in the state.

 

            Showing the stamina that is created by working hard in practice, Michael Strand placed in the top 3 in five of his six races. Michael won both the 13-14 Boys 200 (2.08.75) and 400 yard Individual Medleys (4.32.30) and followed up by placing 2nd in two additional events: the 200 yard back (2.02.89) and the 200 yard breast (2.27.26) and 3rd in the 100 yard back (57.71). 

             

Perennial top finisher Michael Li continued his winning ways by splashing to two 1st place finishes in the 11-12 Age Group: the 100 yard breast (1.11.68) and the 100 yard Individual Medley (1.06.60). Michael also placed 2nd in the 50 yard Breast (33.12).

 

            But winning events does not nearly tell the entire Elite story; there were literally dozens of tremendous swims this past weekend. Among the most amazing were:

 

1)      10 year old Lindsay Stearns, who has virtually every Junior Olympic cut time within her age group but ages-up in February, solved her championship season dilemna by qualifying for JO’s as an 11-12 year old (!!!) by placing 2nd in the 10 & Under 100 yard butterfly competition with a eye popping 1.13.89 time!! Lindsay missed the 1-12 50 yard fly cut by .15 by finishing 2nd in that event (32.44).

 

2)      13 year old Ali Morreale dropping 4.5 seconds from her Christmas Meet performance last month in the 13-14 200 yard breast (2.38.88) in placing  3rd 

 

3)      Venkatesh Duvvuri dropping another 3.5 seconds in the grueling 200 yard butterfly event (2.09.15) in placing 2nd in the 13-14 Age Group. Venkatesh has dropped over 10 seconds in this event since last year!! Venkatesh also placed 3rd in the 100 butterfly (57.

 

4)      Dropping more than 16 overall seconds in her 6 events (all 6 best times), 15 year old Brittany Ross swam the fastest 200 yard breaststroke time in Elite history (2.35.19) with her 12th finish. Ross also placed 5th in the 200 Fly (2.17.64).      

 

5)      Although not swimming at his best, 14 year old Ricky Martin still fought hard to place in the top 7 in all 4 events he swam: 2nd in two events (50 free-23.69) and 100 fly (57.56), 3rd in the 100 free (52.12) and 7th in the 100 back (1.00.20)

 

6)      13 year old Greg Keiser posted his 1st Junior Olympic qualifying time this season by dropping 4.5 seconds from his previous best in the 100 yard butterfly (1.03.41).

 

7)      11 year old Katie Gorman rocketed to her 1st Junior Olympic qualifying time this season in the 50 yard breast (37.07).

 

8)      10 year old Regan Kology placed in the top 8 in four of her events: 100 free (1.05.29-3rd), 50 free (29.62-4th), 50 breast (39.40-6th) & 100 breast (1.27.51-8th). However, her best performance might have been when she placed 40th in the 12 & U 200 yard breast, as she posted a 3.01.44 time (just 2 seconds slower than the 11-12 year old Junior Olympic qualifying time). Regan already has 11 Junior Olympic cut times

 

9)      10 year old Jeffrey Dong added two Junior Olympic qualifying times to his roster (now totaling 6) in the 50 yard back (38.56) and the 50 free (32.10)

 

10)   in the 1st event of the meet, Danielle Martinez qualified for JO’s in the 13-14 200 yard backstroke by stroking to a 2.22.71 time

 

11)   12 year old Brent Jones placed 6th in the 50 breast (35.53) and 7th in the 100 breast (1.19.30)

 

12)   10 year old Andrea Shepard added her 8th Junior Olympic qualifying time, this one being the 100 IM (1.21.44)

 

13)    both swimming in their 1st two pool, championship style meet, 10 year olds Michelle Pick and Kara Miller-Radest qualified for Junior Olympics in the 100 yard butterfly (1.28.59) and 50 yard butterfly (36.08) respectively

 

Swimmers who participated at Winterfest were (# in parathesis is # of best times): Lindsay Anderson (5), Danielle Basile (1), Alexa Burkard (2), John Burns (2), Crissy Condus (2), Kat Cupka (3), Victoria D’Altrui (4), Chris Dart (1), Corey Deatly, Tad Deatly (4), Carolyn DeMeo, Jeffrey Dong (3), Krishna Duvvuri (4), Priya Duvvuri (1), Venkatesh Duvvuri (5), Cassandra Farnow, Madeleine Faust (4), Juliet Felson (5), Emilie Ferguson (1), Spencer Fisch (1), Breana Fitzpatrick (2), Michelle Franks (5), Julianne Furdyna, Katie Gorman (5), Andre Guacelli (2), Payton Hakes (2), Alistair Hall (2), Duncan Hall (5), Jerel Ho (2), Brent Jones (4), Kim Jones (3), Zackie Katz (5), Gregory Keiser (3), Victoria Keiser (1), Regan Kology (4), Emmie Lai (4), Ricky LaSalvia, Aaron Levin (3), Michael Li (3), Jesse Lowe (2), Ricky Martin, Danielle Martinez (3), Katie McGrath (4), Sarah McGrath (1), Austin Meszaros, Brendan Miller-Radest (6), Kara Miller-Radest (6), Ali Morreale (2), Cesar Munoz (1), Madison Munoz (1), Dan Muro (3), Caroline Nash (2), Maggie Nelson (3), Dara O’Gorman (3), Evan O’Hara (4), Nicolas Pachiolo (1), Sarah Peay (4), Christina Pick (4), Gabrielle Pick (1), Michelle Pick (3), Brittany Ross (6), Nicki Ross, Amanda Scherb (2), Andrea Shepard (5), Kaitlin Stearns (2), Lindsay Stearns (6), Michael Strand (4), Erica Takahashi, Spence Turkington (3), Natalie Wetmore (5) & Kayla Wolonsky.

           

The fantastic results on posted on the website  under Meet Results.

 

TEAM MEMBERS CONTINUE ASTOUNDING ATTENDANCE STATS; 4 TRAINING GROUPS AVERAGING OVER 80% OR HIGHER (LOWEST AT 76%!!!): WAVE TEALS LEAD WAY WITH 87.5%!!! ATHLETES RECOGNIZED:

 

          As this weekend’s performances clearly demonstrate, practice attendance is a foundation of improvement. With the season championship meets now within sight, the Elite Swimmers continue their diligent work ethic by attending practice at an astonishing rate of close to 80% as team!!! Wavebuster Teal training group leads the outstanding Elite attendance race by averaging, as a training group, 87.5% attendance!!! The Wave Teals are closely followed by the Marlin Blacks (82.1%), the Wavebuster Blacks (80.8%), the Marlin Teals (80.7%), the Senior Preps (79.5%), the Seniors (79.4%) and the Wave Golds (76.4%).

 

At the end of the Season Awards Dinner, Elite swimmers with 85% attendance (or greater) will be presented with the Attendance Award. This award, plus attendance requirements for swimmers who want to be promoted, have positively motivated Elite Swimmers to come to practice.

 

            Incredibly, 5 swimmers still have perfect attendance records this season: Chris Balbo, Brandon Li, Sarah Lowe, Kara Miller-Radest, Dara O’Gorman

 

Swimmers currently on track to win the award (who have an 85% or higher attendance record) are (* designates perfect attendance!): :

 

            Marlin Teals:  Megan Balbo, Katie Brosnan, Keegan Brown, Elizabeth D’Altrui, Alyssa Hartigan, Michael Kellstrom,, Brandon Li*, Sarah Lowe*, Matthew Migliozzi, Colin Miller-Radest, Spencer Todd

 

            Marlin Blacks:  Chris Balbo*, Eric Binder, Alexandra Burkard, Andrea Ferrell, Emily Goad, Sarah Kleppe, Katie McGrath, Julia Muro, Nicholas Pachiolo, Natalie Wetmore

 

Wavebuster Teals: Nicole Blum, Jonny Crowther, Jeffrey Dong, Krishna Duvvuri, Madeleine Faust, Patrick Lai, Aaron Levin, Kara Miller-Radest*, Isabella Morreale, Caroline Nash, Darragh O’Gorman*, Christina Pick, Gabrielle Pick, Michelle Pick, Taylor Savarese, Kaitlin Stearns, Rachel Torrorella, Spencer Turkington, Caroline Watt & Richard Yu 

 

Wavebuster Blacks: Meg Brosnan, Katie Gorman, Brent Jones, Regan Kology, Jessie Lowe, Brendan Miller-Radest, Christopher Plunkett, Andrea Shepard, Lindsay Stearns & Michael Wang,

 

Wavebuster Golds:  Emmie Lai, Kendall Murray, Katie Ragan

 

Senior Preps:  Victoria D’Altrui, Tad Deatly, Michelle Franks, Michael Li, Ali Morreale, Maggie Nelson 

 

            Seniors:  Chris Dart, Sarah Peay, Michael Strand 

CHAMPIONSHIP MEET SCHEDULE ALTERED; SEE TENTATIVE MEET SCHEDULE:

            As a result of a NJ Swim Coaches Meeting Wednesday, Jan 4, there are significant changes to the Championship Meets held in February.

            The changes are: 3 State Meets will be held: 1) Junior States (14 & U)  2) Senior States B (15 & Over) and Senior States A (Open Ages). Elite will attend all three meets but the meets are mutually exclusive (no swimmer can attend more than 1 of the 3 meets.

           In addition, the 8 & U Mini-Championships to be held at Seton Hall University are now schedule for Saturday, March 3.

TOP 10 ALL-TIME TIMES IS UPDATED:

 

            The Top 10 All-Time Times list has been updated to include Winterfest Times. The list is posted on team website under Top 10 Times.

 

            There are many, many Elite swimmers who have cracked into Elite’s top 10 this year. Check it out!!!

 

PROMOTIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN EARLY FEBRUARY:

 

            Coaches will be working on recommendations for those swimmers who have earned a promotion into the next higher training group for the Spring 2007 Session during the next few weeks. Parents and swimmers are reminded that there are 3 criteria a swimmer must pass to be recommended for a promotion:

 

1)      Attendance. Swimmers being recommended to move into the Marlin Black, Wave Teal, Wave Black and Wave Gold training groups will need a minimum of 70% attendance to be considered.  Swimmers being recommended to move into the Senior Preps and Senior training group will need a minimum of 85% attendance to be consider.

 

2)      Stroke Technique. Coaches will be recommending those swimmers who are proficient in their stroke technique to perform at the next higher training group

 

3)      Training. Swimmers training in the A or AA training groups within their training group will be the only ones considered.

 

Swimmers will be notified of their status for the Spring 2007 Session by mail.

 

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 phenomena 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 2 years ago 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!!!

         

WEATHER AFFECTING PRACTICE? CHECK WEBSITE & EMAIL:

 

            Weather will have an affect on practice schedules and meet starting times. When in doubt, check the Elite website and your email for information regarding time changes due to weather.

 

Be advised that both Newark Academy and Morristown Beard tend to close down at the forecast of bad weather. In addition, safety is extremely important. Thus, weather is likely to interrupt practice and even if it does not, parents should make decisions based upon their comfort level regarding travel to and from practice.

 

NINE (9) HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAMS TO AFFECT PRACTICE TIMES IN DEC, JAN & FEB; PLEASE CHECK SCHEDULE DAILY!!!!:

 

            During the December, January and February, nine (9) high school swim teams will be using either Newark Academy or Morristown-Beard pools for practices and for meets. These additional teams will affect Elite’s practice schedule virtually every day.

 

            Newark Academy Varsity (Boys & Girls), Newark Academy Middle School and Millburn High School (Boys and Girls) use the Newark Academy prior to and after Elite Swim Practices. On days where these teams have a meet, the Elite schedule will be reduced.

 

            Morristown-Beard Varsity (Boys & Girls), Morristown Middle School and Villa Walsh use the Morristown-Beard School pool prior to Elite Swim Practices.  On days where these teams have a meet, the Elite schedule will be reduced.

 

            Wave Blacks are reminded that practice on Saturday’s will be held from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm at Morristown-Beard School.

             

LOST AND FOUND:

 

            There is a Lost and Found at Newark Academy which is already overflowing with t-shirts, sweatshirts, goggles, fins, etc. If you have lost something, check out the lost and found. AND put your name on everything you own so it can get back to you!!!