ELITE NEWS BULLETIN 01-23-06
As one will note from reviewing the
results (now posted on the website), there were literally dozens of great
swims. Every Elite swimmer posted at least one best time. Twenty-six times were
best by over 10 seconds!!
Swimmers who participated were:
Lindsay Anderson (2), Arlynn Baer (2), Chris Balbo (3), Sam Barback (3), Ricky
Baum (3), Eric Binder (2), Katie Brosnan (3), Meg Brosnan (3), Ryan Buckham
(2), Maggie Burd (3), John Burns (3), Taylor Campolattaro (3), Monica Carty
(3), Emma Cherry (3), Isabel Cherry (3), Brannon Cho (3), Joshua Choi (3),
Brittany Clark (2), Ethan Cohen (3), Marshall Cohen (3), Daniel Collins (2),
Victoria D’Altrui (3), Peter Davey (3), Tad Deatly (2), Will DeMartin (3),
Carolyn DeMeo (3), Daniel DeMeo (2), Parker Dixon (3), Shelby Dixon (3), Amy
Duren (3), Sam Duren (2), Avinash Duvvuri (3), Krishna Duvvuri (3), Priya
Duvvuri (2), Venkatesh Duvvuri (3), Noah Eagle (3), Helena Elston (2), Brandon
Faris (2), Madeleine Faust (2), Kristen Fedor (3), Andrea Ferrell (3), Spencer
Fisch (3), Breana Fitzpatrick (2), Audrey Gammel (2), Hannah Gleason (3), Emily
Goad (3), Katie Golway (3), Alexandra Gordan (3), Katie Gorman (2), Lydia
Gracey (3), Andre Guacelli (3), Julia Guacelli (3), Duncan Hall (2), Raleigh
Heap (3), Ben Inglese (3), Brent Jones (3), Zackie Katz (3), Gregory Keiser
(3), Victoria Keiser (3), Kristen Kellstrom (1), Mark Kellstrom (3), Caroline
Kelly (3), Lauren Kelly (3), Morgan Kiley (1), Brandon King (3), Regan Kology
(3), Emmie Lai (3), Ricky LaSalvia (3), Aaron Levin (3), Jessie Lowe (3),
Robert Maloney (3), Daniela Manzi (3), Danielle Martinez (2), Sarah McGrath
(3), Brendon Miller-Radest (3), Ali Morreale (2), Madison Munoz (2), Kendall
Murray (3), Maggie Nelson (3), Gregory Niccolai (3), Rebecca Niccolai (1), Dara
O’Gorman (3), Christina Pick (3), Gabrielle Pick (3), Michelle Pick (3), Katie
Ragan (3), Collin Reilly (3), Nicki Ross (3), Taylor Savarese (3), Amanda
Scherb (3), Claire Serruto (3), Andrea Shepard (3), Alexandra Smith Wang (2),
Bethany Stachenfeld (2), Kaitlin Stearns (3), Lindsay Stearns (3), James
Sullivan (3), Erica Takahashi (3), Lexi Tedesco (3), Amber Teetsel (3), Sydney
Todd (3), Jennifer Torre (3), Spence Turkington (3), Michael Wang (3), Caroline
Watt (3), Julia Watt (3), Sarah Weinbrom (3), Nicole Weissman (3), Natalie
Wetmore (3), Paige Willian (3), Alex Wolfson (3) & Maggie Woodruff (3).
SENIORS &
SENIOR PREPS: THIS SPRING & SUMMER:
LONGER LONG
COURSE!!!!
This spring & summer, the Seniors and Senior Preps will significantly extend their long course training session as Elite has secured the newly renovated (and heated) Summit Municipal Pool from May 15 thru June 17. This will approximately double the amount of training time swimmers will be able to train long course this spring/summer.
Training long course (swimming in a 50 meter pool vs short course, swimming in a 25 yard (NA) or 25 meter (MBS) pool) is a significant competitive advantage. Training long course builds up endurance (the identical workout in long course is more taxing than short course) while simultaneously helping stroke technique (swimmers become longer and more efficient to deal with the more taxing workouts). In addition, all summer competitions are also in the long course venues.
Seniors and Senior Preps will begin training Monday, May 15 at Summit. Each “Summit” weekday practice will be from 5 pm to 7 pm while Saturday mornings will be from 6:00 am to 8:15 am. This additional long course pool time will particularly help the “public school” swimmers who previously could not begin training long course in the morning until late June (season is over in late July/early August). The Elite Seniors and Senior Preps will move to Springfield Municipal Pool on Monday, June 19 and practice will be held at the same time as the past: 6:00 am-8:15 am Monday thru Saturday.
HOW THE END OF THE SEASON “WORKS” AT ELITE:
With the Winter 2005-06 Session rapidly approaching its conclusion, the following is an explanation of how the “End of the Season” concludes at Elite.
Each Elite swimmer will be entered into at least one “End of the Season Championship Meet.” If a swimmer qualifies for 2 (or 3) different levels of championsip meets based upon their times, that swimmer will be entered into all the championship meets they qualify for (with the exception of the Seniors, who will not be entered in Bronze). These meets, as described below, are:
1) 8 & Under Mini-Championships
2) 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships
3) 11 & Older Bronze Championship
4) 11 & Older Silver Championships &
5) the Junior Olympics.
For all swimmers ages 8 & under, the final meet of the season is the Mini-Championships held Saturday, March 4, to be held at Seton Hall University. At the conclusion of this meet, all swimmers ages 8 & Under are finished (including practice) for the season.
For all swimmers ages 9 & 10, the final meet of the season is the South 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships, held Saturday, February 25 & Sunday, February 26 to hosted by Elite and held at Newark Academy. At the conclusion of this meet, all swimmers ages 9 & 10 are finished (including practice) for the season. The only exceptions are those swimmers who have qualified for Junior Olympics held Friday, March 17 thru Sunday, March 19.
All swimmers 11 & older will participate in one or more of the following meets: the Bronze Chamionships Saturday, March 4 & Saturday, March 5 (to be held at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City), Silver Championships Saturday, March 11 & Sunday, March 12 (to be held at Rutgers University or the Junior Olympics, held Friday, March 17 thru Sunday, March 19 (to be held at Rutgers University).
Swimmers who qualify for
the next level meet due to their performances (ie. swimmer at Bronze qualifies
for Silvers by reason of their Bronze performance) will be entered by Elite at
the next level meet and will be expected to compete at the next meet. All
swimmers will keep training and performing until they have no longer qualified
for the next level meet.
SWIM SUIT POLICY DURING
CHAMPIONSHIPS:
As each member of Elite knows, wearing the Elite Team Suit during meets is essential. This policy is followed thru out the season with one the very large exception: during championships.
The technology of swim suits has progressed significantly in the last few years. Suits such as Speedo’s Fast Skin II actually repel the water away from the swimmer’s body. These suits have been proven to provide better hydro-dynamics. These suits can not be made in a “team” fabric-they are formulated for speed-not team unity.
Elite’s
team policy regarding suits during championships is the following: a
swimmer may wear a non-Elite “technology advanced” suit during championship
season (ie. Mini-Champs, 9-10 Silver/Bronze, Bronze, Silvers & JO’s). If a swimmer does not purchase such a suit,
they will be expected to wear the Elite Team Suit during championships. This
policy is only for the Championship Season and Elite Swimmers will be expected
to wear their team suits again in competition this summer (until Summer
Championship Season) and again next winter until Winter Championship
Season.
SPRING SESSION: INFO COMING IN
EARLY FEB:
Elite will hold a spring session from Monday, April 3 thru Friday, June 9. Tryouts will be held Tuesday, March 21 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm.
By early February, coaches will make their determinations regarding what swimmers will be invited to train in a higher training group starting in the Spring 2006 Session. As a result of these recommendations, letters will be send out by mid February to all current Elite swimmers notifying them of what training group they will be invited to train in this spring.
With the significant change in the training group practice schedule, there will likely be fewer swimmers moved up this spring. That is because all swimmers in the Marlin Blacks, Wave Teals, Wave Blacks and Wave Golds will be offered a significant increase in training time as a direct result of the practice schedule change.
Coaches have been evaluating their swimmers all season long. Swimmers without 70% attendence will not be considered (and 85% at the Senior Prep level). Only swimmers practicing within the fastest training group within each training group will be considered. Stroke mechanics will play a big part of the equation, as will whom the coaches feel can handle additional training based upon current training levels and of course, current swim times.
All
swimmers should be advised that those swimmers who choose not to train with
Elite this spring will be required to tryout for Elite next fall. Roster spots
will only be reserved for those swimmers who practice both during the winter
and in the spring sessions. Age group swimmers who tryout for Elite this spring
will also be required to tryout next fall.
ELITE GEARING FOR 9-10 SILVER/BRONZE CHAMPIONSHIPS; SHARON BROSNAN TO COORDINATE;
ALL 9 & 10 PARENTS EXPECTED
TO HELP;
8 & U PARENTS &
SWIMMERS HELP ALSO REQUESTED:
Elite
will be hosting (at Newark Academy) the South 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships
this season on Saturday, February 25 & Sunday, February 26. Sharon Brosnan
has volunteered to coordinate organizing the parents in this effort.
This
week, Sharon will be contacting all parents of swimmers competing in this meet.
In order to run this meet at an Elite level, all parents of 9 & 10 year
olds will be expected to volunteer their help on both day. In addition, all
parents of 8 & Unders will be requested to donate water & power
bars/priya bars.
Among
the jobs needed filled will be: timing, admission, marshalling, spectactor
concessions, coaches concession, parking, awards and hallway monitoring. Please
contact Sharon this week at sbrosnan8@comcast.net as to what job you would like to fulfill. If Sharon does not hear from
you, a job will be assigned to you.
Elite
swimmers (when not at an Elite practice) may also volunteer their time in
fulfilling jobs. This volunteer work can be used for community service hours as
Bill will complete all paperwork necessary to document your help.
SPRING
SCHEDULE SET: SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN POOL TIME FOR 4 TRAINING GROUPS:
In
keeping with Elite’s efforts to become a more competitive swim program and to
provide its members with the very best product available, Elite has
significantly revised the training schedule for the Spring 2006 Session. This
practice schedule change is also expected to continue thru next the 2006-07
Winter season.
The new training schedule is the very definition
of efficiency: it provides more practice time for 4 training groups without
reducing the practice time for the remaining 3 groups!!! A copy of the Spring
Schedule is now posted on the website under “About Elite” and “Practice
Schedule.”
With
this change, Elite is formalizing the division within the program between Age
Group swimming (Marlin Teals, Marlin Blacks, Wave Teals, Wave Blacks and Wave
Golds) and Senior Level swimming (Senior Preps and Seniors). During the week, the Age Group training groups
will train at Newark Academy (unless unavailable) while the Senior Level
training groups will train at Morristown-Beard. Both pools will be ulitized
during the weekends.
The
change allows Elite to
offer more practice time and more pool space to the Marlin Blacks, Wave Teals,
Wave Blacks and the Wave Gold training groups without
changing the weekly amount of practice time for the Marlin Teals, Senior Preps
and Seniors. In addition and possibly even more important, all Age Group training groups will
have the entire 6 lanes at each practice for their entire practice. Lastly, Elite will formally limit each Age Group training group to 36
swimmers, thus providing each swimmer with ample space in which to train in
(maximum-6 swimmers to a lane).
The new practice
schedule provides the Marlin Blacks with practice 4 times a week (a 33%
increase), the Wave Teals 4 times a week (a 33% increase), the Wave Blacks 5
times a week (a 25% increase) and the Wave Golds will practice 6 times a week
(with an increase in dryland time, a 20% increase).
Remarkably, the
changes provide a much more streamline practice schedule: the same practice
times each day of the week for each training group (with only 1 minor exception
on Sunday for the Wave Blacks).
Parents should be
advised that the cost of each of the “expanded” programs will increase since
there will be additional costs associated with the additional practice time.
However, the cost increase will be less than the percentage increase in pool
time (a bigger bang for your buck!).
Be advised that
because of the increased pool time for these training groups, there will be less swimmers
promoted this winter into higher training groups for the spring session since the training “workload” will automatically increase significantly
for those remaining within their existing training groups. Swimmers moving into
the next higher training group will be close to “doubling” their training
workload (an issue the coaches will need to anticipate and monitor very, very
closely).
More practice time, more
room within practice and an easier practice schedule to remember: that
is Elite thinking!!!!
Due
to the request of several parents, Bill will be available to address any
parental concerns regarding this practice change and how it will impact the
program and Elite Swimmers on Wednesday, February 1 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at
Newark Academy.
Preparations are underway for the biggest party of the season: Elite’s 11th annual Winter Swim Team Banquet!!! This year’s party will be held Sunday, March 26, 2006 from 12:00 am to 4:00 pm.
This year, Elite will again be at the Hanover Marriott, located at 1401 Route 10 East, Whippany, New Jersey. This facility can accommodate up to 700 people!!! The last 4 Elite banquets have had an excess of 350 people each!!!
Further
details about the banquet will be provided in the future. As for now, MARK
YOUR CALENDAR!!!
SWIM MEETS ON THE
HORIZON:
Elite’s meet schedule will gather momentum again in January. Upcoming meets include:
1) Sunday, January 29: Dual Meet vs. Tidal Wave at
Morristown-Beard School Meet information is posted.
2) Saturday, February 4: Dual Meet vs. Clifton B & G Club at Clifton. Meet information is posted.
3)
Saturday, February 4 & Sunday, February 5: Junior State Championships (14
& Under Championships) at Raritan Valley Community College. Meet information
is posted
4) New Meet: Saturday, February 11: Elite will hold an
Intraclub Meet for all Senior Preps, Wave Golds and Wave Blacks (in a yard
pool) to provide an opportunity for these swimmers to qualify for Silvers &
JO’s. Times from this meet will be used as qualifying time proof. Swimmers need
to meet with their coaches to determine what events they wish to swim (event
limit: 3).
5) Friday, February 17 to Sunday, February 19: Senior State Championships at Seton Hall University 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 THIS WEEK 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!!
Due to the fact that this event is very much UNDERSCRIBED,
Elite has opened the event up to outside swimmers.
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.”