ELITE NEWS BULLETIN 1-21-08
DEVELOPMENT AT AGE GROUP LEVEL CONTINUES:
SWIMMERS COMPETE AT TWO DIFFERENT VENUES: RESULTS SPECTACULAR:
KATZ, LEVIN WIN EVENTS; BALBO, BUCKHAM,
FISCH, GALEA, LARAIA, C. PICK, L. STEARNS, WEINBROM, WYER & YU ADD JO
QUALIFYING TIMES:
As Elite heads into the homestretch of their training season, the age group swimmers once again took advantage of their competition opportunities and posted magnificent results this past weekend. Competing in two different venues in different parts of the state, Elite came up big at both meets. The Wavebusters competed at the beautiful Princeton University facility while the Marlins competed at the 8 lane Seton Hall University pool.
At the Princeton Meet, 10 year olds Zachie Katz and Aaron Levin led Elite as both won events. In his last meet as a 10 year old, Katz won 3 events (200 free-2.21.00, 100 IM-1.15.34 & 200 IM-2.38.50). Katz also placed 3rd in the 100 free (1.04.61) and 5th in the 50 back (37.47). Katz ages up this week but has already qualified for 7 JO events in his new age group-11-12.
Levin dominated the 100 yard back (1.15.30), placed 3rd in 100 fly (1.21.12), placed 4th in the 50 fly (35.73) and 5th three times: 50 breast-42.54, 200 IM-2.44.56 & 100 free-1.07.09.
Two swimmers added their first Junior Olympic times (Elite team totals are now at a team history high of 198 events by 35 swimmers). Showing off her conditioning, 10 year old Isabel LaRaia posted her very 1st JO qualifying time in the 200 Individual Medley with an impressive 3.00.86. 13 year old Ryan Wyer went gold twice this weekend, once in the 200 IM (2.19.44) and once in the 50 free (25.16).
A trio of 9 year olds added to their JO totals. Christina Pick put up 3 more JO cuts: 200 free (2.41.33), 50 fly (37.33) and 100 free (1.12.37). Swimming in the bottom of her age group, Pick now has 10 JO cuts!!! Chris Balbo, also 9, added 3 additional cuts (making his JO total 5 events) in the 200 free (2.39.36), 100 fly (1.24.31) and 200 IM (2.55.14). Newcomer Andrea Galea (who joined Elite in early Jan) continued to impress as she swam gold 5 times (for a total of 9 in two Elite meets): 100 breast-1.35.14, 200 free-2.37.96, 50 free-31.46, 100 fly-1.25.53 & 200 IM-2.51.73.
11 year old Regan Kology pushed down 4 of her 6 times in coming in 2nd (50 free-27.00), 3rd (500 free-5.38.37) & 4th (50 breast-37.09).
Sister Stearnses again gained up on their competition: 9 year old Kaitlin placed 4th in 5 different events (50 free-31.38, 100 fly-1.23.16, 100 IM-1.20.49, 50 fly-34.45 & 100 free-1.06.67) while 11 year old Lindsay added JO’s swims in the 100 back (1.12.24) & the 500 free (5.59.64). Between these two sisters, they have a total of 21 JO cuts (Lindsay-11, Kaitlin-10!!!).
Twin sisters Gabrielle and Michelle Pick finished their 10 & Under careers (they age up later this month) by accomplishing the following: Gabrielle placed 3rd in the 50 fly (34.31), 4th in the 50 breast (42.17), 5th in the 100 back (1.20.89) and 6th in the 50 free (31.80) while Michelle responded with a 5th place finish in the 50 back (37.32), a 6th place in the 50 fly (35.68) and a 7th place finish in the 50 free (31.98).
Appropriately named 14 year old Spencer Fisch stroked to his 5th JO cut in the 200 free (2.00.98) while 12 year old Richard Yu added his 4th JO cut in the 50 free-28.67.
12 year old Katie Gorman placed 4th in the 50 free (27.63) and 7th in the 50 fly (30.15). 12 year old Matt Ahlmeyer (who ages up next month) placed 6th in the 500 free (5.52.72) and 7th in the 200 IM (2.30.17).
10 year old Andre Guacelli, who also ages up later this month, touched 2nd in the 50 breast (40.02).
12 year old Sarah Weinbrom splashed to a JO cut in the 100 fly (1.13.99) to go along with her 200 fly cut. Ryan Buckham added his 8th JO swim in the 200 IM-2.34.75.
Nearer to home at Seton Hall University, swimmers in both Marlin Training Groups competed in the Hall Winter Classic 2008 meet. Swimmers and coaches at this meet were quite excited as several swimmers posted Silver times for the 1st time in their careers:
1) 10 year old Scott Harris won the 100 yard IM (1.34.51), earned a Silver time in placing 2nd in the 100 breast (1.44.26) and also placed 2nd in the 50 free (36.81)
2) 10 year old Gregory Niccolai earned his first 3 Silver times in placing 2nd in the 100 back (1.31.15), 3rd in the 100 free (1.20.07) and 3rd in the 100 breast (1.45.75). Gregory also placed 3rd in the 50 free (36.82)
3) Showing his development and versatility was 10 year old Jared Kovacs, who won the 50 free in a Silver time (34.85), placed 2nd in a Silver time in the 50 breast (46.50), came in 3rd in the 100 back (1.37.74) and placed 4th in the 50 fly (44.83)
4) 10 year old Elizabeth D’Altrui raced to her 1st career Silver time in winning the Bronze Division in the 10 & Under 100 yard breast (1.46.50). D’Altrui also placed 3rd in the 50 breast (48.99) and 4th in the 100 back (1.44.91)
5) 8 year old Abbie Bigham posted her 1st career Silver time with a first place Bronze Division finish in the 10 & Under 100 yard back (1.35.45)
6) 10 year old Joe Gleason earned a Silver time with in the 50 yard back (41.91) and placed 4th in the 100 back (1.40.85). Joe also dropped 25 seconds from his previous best in the 100 free (1.30.25)
7) 10 year old Emily Torre earned her 1st Silver time with a second place finish in the 100 breast (1.48.30)
8) 9 year old Sarah Lowe placed 4th in the 50 fly (47.25)
9) 10 year old Matt Migliozzi earned a 4th in the 50 breast (50.15)
10) 11 year old Thomas Burke placed 4th in the 50 fly (50.17)
Swimmers who participated in the Princeton Invitational meet were (# in parenthesis is number of best Elite SCY best times): Matt Ahlmeyer (4), Michael Alelov (3), Arlynn Baer (4), Chris Balbo (5), Lindsay Behar (6), Nicole Blum (4), Ryan Buckham (3), Taylor Campolattaro (5), Brannon Cho (6), Drew D’Andrea (5), Jeffrey Dong (6), Alli Dorneo (6), Amy Duren (6), Sam Duren (2), Helena Elston (5), Maya Epelbaum (6), Madeleine Faust (4), Juliet Felson (5), Emilie Ferguson (6), Andrea Ferrell (5), Spencer Fisch (5), Andrea Galea (6), Ariel Gelman (6), Hannah Gleason (3), Emily Goad, Katie Golway (1), Katie Gorman (5), Lydia Gracey (5), Andre Guacelli (2), Julia Guacelli (1), Emma Harris (6), Alyssa Hartigan (5), Matt Hong (5), Patrick Hong (6), Elana Horowitz (2), Brent Jones (4), Zachie Katz (2), Eamonn Keenan (5), Sarah Kleppe (4), Regan Kology (4), Patrick Lai (6), Clark LaRaia (6), Isabel LaRaia (6), Aaron Levin (5), Jessie Lowe (6), Marisa Manzi (6), Katie McGrath (6), Brendan Miller-Radest (6), Kara Miller-Radest (6), Isabella Morreale (4), Cesar Munoz (3), Dan Muro (5), Julia Muro (5), Caroline Nash (4), Rebecca Niccolai (6), Dara O’Gorman (5), Nick Pachiolo (4), Christina Pick (4), Gabrielle Pick (5), Michelle Pick (6), Mikala Quinn (5), Collin Reilly (6), Katie Salsano (2), Jonathan Scott (6), Andrea Shepard (4), Jonas Singer (5), Jessica Solodkin (6), Kaitlin Stearns (4), Lindsay Stearns (5), Alex Sudyn (1), Erica Takahashi (6), Lexi Tedesco (6), Rachel Tortorella (6), Spence Turkington (6), Michael Wang (6), Carolyn Watt (6), Sarah Weinbrom (4), Maggie Woodruff (5), Ryan Wyer (4) & Richard Yu (5).
Swimmers
who participated in the Winter Classic meet were: (# in parenthesis is number
of best Elite SCY best times): Megan Balbo (5), Brielle Barba (5), Abbie Bigham
(4), Ethan Blum (3), Katie Brosnan (3), Thomas Burke (5), Meggie Butler (6),
Elizabeth D’Altrui (6), Andy Fresen (5), Erika Fresen (2), RJ Fresen (6),
Katherine Friday (6), Joe Gleason (5), Alexandra Gordon (5), Dominique Gordon
(6), Scott Harris (5), William Kaiser (4), Rachel Keselman (5),Jared Kovacs (6),
Jessica Kraus (6), Brandon Li (6), Sarah Lowe (5), Matthew Migliozzi (5), Colin
Miller-Radest (5), Gregory Niccolai (5), Spencer Pearce (2), Katy Shepard (6),
Emily Torre (2), Michael Tortorella (5), Katie Tselepis (5) & Olivia
Woodruff (1)
CALDWELL DUAL
MEET RESULTS STILL NOT YET RECEIVED:
Elite has
still not received results from the last Saturday’s Caldwell dual meet.
Information regarding this meet will be posted as soon as is is received.
2ND
ANNUAL FLOAT NIGHT PLANNED:
From ESCPO -
Thanks to all who came to ESCPO's
open board meeting last Wednesday – we had a wonderful turnout!
FLOAT NIGHT - No
Laps Allowed!! Dust off your floats and
come join your teammates to have some fun in the pool! Mark your calendars for Friday Feb 1 at Morristown
Beard - 6:45 pm pizza, pool from 7 - 9
pm. Please RSVP by Tuesday, Jan 29 to
ESCPO@aol.com. This event was a huge
success last year, parent volunteers are needed and welcome to help inflat
floats, serve food and chaperone - email ESCPO@aol.com if you are available to
help or look for sign-up sheets are both Newark Academy and Morristown Beard
School.
TRAINING SEASON EXPLANATION:
A number of parents have asked questions regarding our training system. Below is the reader’s digest explanation of what is occurring, and when, at your child’s practice:
Elite runs a version of the Doc Counsilman Energy System Conditioning System. Doc Counsilman was perhaps the most successful coach of all time, in a career that last over 50 years at the University of Indiana (Mark Spitz was on of his swimmers). Since there are 3 types of energy systems within the human body (aerobic, anaerobic and explosive), they each need to be trained. Counsilman believed they each needed to be trained each day, but that the percentages of training each system need to be changed thru the training cycle. To Counseilman, the proportions are critical (having all the ingredients and a stove does not guarantee a great looking and tasting cake, the proportions of the ingredients are critical in baking too!).
In this Conditioning System, there are 6 phases. These 6 phases (and in the order of implementation) are:
1) Build-up. First 2-3 weeks of every training season is spent building up to the conditioning level a coach desires for the athlete. Start easy and gradually increase the workload. During this time, a great deal of time is spent teaching the swimmers stroke technique, drills, swimming details, etc.
2) Distance: this phase works the aerobic system. Emphasize is placed on long swims (each longer than 5 minutes) to build endurance.
3) Interval: this phase also works the aerobic system. Emphasze shifts to shorter swims but with very limited amount of rest (:5 to :15 seconds) between each swim. Again, this phase is building endurance.
4) Repetition: This phase works the explosive system. Workouts change radically from aerobic or long swims to short, all out swims (racing, racing, racing) with lots of rest in between each swim in order for the athlete to improve their quality of swim. Since there is more rest, the coaches have more time to instruct the swimmers and the swimmers are constantly reminded to do their details right during racing in practice, so the details are there in the meet race
5) Sprint: This phase works the anaerobic system. Sprinting and racing are still the focus but the amount of rest is reduced.
6) Taper: 2-3 weeks of gradual decrease of workload so that the swimmer is left strong, yet rested.
Remember that Elite practices touches on each of these phases during each practice (just the percentages change during the season). In addition, this system can work for sprinters and distance swimmers simultaneously. The coaches just need to decide when to change over to the next phase. This specialization is done at the Senior and Senior Prep level, based upon a number of factors. Thus, swimmers in the Senior/Senior Prep training groups can be in different phases on the same day (currently happening right now). This flexibility allows us to train different swimmers differently.
All the Wavebuster Training Groups plus the Senior Program run this system. The Marlins do not, but the Marlin Blacks are gradually taught those things needed to do so they are ready to run with this system at the Wavebuster Teal level.
Since the implementation of this system in Sept, 2007, Elite swimmers have been tearing it up. Coincidence? Not likely.
Thanks, Doc.
WHEN DUTY CALLS,
ELITE PEOPLE STEP UP:
ELITE, ALONG
WITH MORRIS COUNTY SWIM CLUB, WILL RUN 13 & OLDER SILVER/BRONZE CHAMPS AT
RUTGERS IN MARCH:
No one else would run it. Since the meet potentially affects 63 of our swimmers, we will do it.
For 9 months, no other team(s) bid on the 13 & Older Silver/Bronze Championships to be held in March at Rutgers. Last year this meet attracted 50 teams and there were over 7500 entries. With the prospect of no championship meet to be held this year, Elite, along with Morris County Swim Club, will jointly host the 2008 13 & Older Silver/Bronze Championships.
While a huge undertaking, the co-hosting allows for a pool of approximately 120 family volunteers whom are directly affected. Since the Rutgers facility runs a lot of the ancillary jobs in running a meet (concessions, security, parking), the undertaking is really reduced to timing, coaches hospitality and admissions.
As ESC & MCSC get organized in the coming weeks, please expect to be contacted to volunteer if you have a swimmer who would be participating in the meet.
PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDENCE, LEVEL OF TRAINING
AND STROKE TECHNIQUE:
As we hit the mid-point of our training season, swimmers and parents are reminded that swimmers EARN their promotions by accomplishing 3 criteria thru the season. Coaches will make their recommendations for promotions starting in mid January and the promotion letters will be mailed in early February. No swimmer will be considered for promotion unless they comply with the following 3 criteria (and swimmers are reminded that they control this process, not the coaches);
1) great attendance as defined as follows:
a. over 70% for Marlin Teals, Marlin Blacks, Wave Teals & Wave Blacks.
b. over 85% for Wave Golds and Senior Preps
There will be no exceptions.
2) Training within the top lanes in one’s training group. Each training group has 2 to 6 different levels of training within the training group. A swimmer must be training within the top 2 training levels to be considered.
3) Great stroke technique. While swimmers are training in the top level of their training group, they need to hold their stroke technique. Each swimmer
is aware of those things they need to work on.
Each
swimmer is encouraged to talk to their coach regarding their current status and
things they need to do during the 2nd half of the season to earn a
promotion.
SWIM MEET “LOST & FOUND” BROUGHT BACK TO NA; PLEASE CHECK
YOUR ITEMS AT HOME:
As anyone at Princeton this weekend knows, the crowded situation at meets creates a ripe situation where items are going to be left, lost or accidentally picked up by other swimmers. Swimmers and parents should know the following:
1) Items easily identified as Elite’s that are left at the meet are brought back to Newark Academy and placed in the lost & found.
2) Items with names on them are much more easily identifiable. If not already done so, write your name on all swim gear and team uniform items so they can get back to you.
3) As
a courtesy to your fellow swimmers, please check the items you bring home to
confirm they are actually yours. You may have accidentally picked up someone
else’s uniform, suit or goggles.
WHEN IN DOUBT, CHECK THE WEBSITE:
If you have questions about Elite, your first source of information is Elite’s website located at eliteswimclub.org. When in doubt, first check the website!!! If you do not see what you need, email Bill at eliteswimclubnj@comcast.net