ELITE NEWS BULLETIN 02-06-06
Following a newly revised meet format, the Elite “Juniors” experienced championship swimming this past weekend at the New Jersey Junior Championships held at Raritan Valley Community College. For this meet, Juniors was defined as 14 years old & Under.
Collen Mason, an Elite Senior, was the star for Elite as she finaled 5 of her 6 events she participated. Competing in the most grueling events swimming has to offer, Colleen accomplished the following:
1) placing 3rd in the 400 IM in the 2nd fastest time in Elite history (for all age groups): 4.52.87. This represented a 11.75 second drop!!! Being a championship meet, Colleen posted a 4.56.41 in the morning session to qualify for finals.
2) placing 2nd in the 200 IM with a 2.21.15 time
3) placing 5th in the 1000 free with a 23 second drop (11.41.13)
4) placing 8th in the 200 fly with a 2.22.45 time
5) placing 8th in the 100 fly with a 1.04.13 time
Joining Mason in finals were:
Cassandra Farnow. Cassandra placed 4th in the 200 back, dropping almost 3 seconds for a 2.19.26 time. Farnow also finaled in the 400 IM with a 5.05.33 time and in the 100 back with a 1.06.90
Venkatesh Duvvuri: Venkatesh placed 4th with a 1.01.52 time in the 100 fly and 7th in the 200 fly with a 2.21.74 (Venkatesh’s consolation final time was the 4th fastest time of the day)
Brittany Ross: Brittany placed 9th in the 400 IM with a 5.04.53 and 10th in the 100 fly with a 1.04.96
Michael Li: 11 year old Michael placed 9th in the 200 breast with a 2.40.42 time and followed up with 12th place in the 200 fly with a 2.44.78!!!
Tad Deatly: Tad placed 6th with a 12.04.03 time in the 1000 free
Duncan Hall: Duncan placed 9th in the 200 back with a 4.73 second drop of 2.21.54
Danielle Martinez: Danielle placed 10th with a 1.06.94 time in the 100 back
One of the most fun facets of the meet was that all relays were held during finals. This enabled swimmers who had not qualified for finals in an individual event to experience finals in relays. It also allowed swimmers to cheer their teammates on during their final swims.
A signal of Elite’s growing strength as a time: the girls “B” medley relay beat the girls “A” medley relay by 3 tenths of a second as the teams placed 4th and 5th!!!
Swimmers who particapted were: Victoria D’Altrui, Tad Deatly (2), Carolyn DeMeo (1), Shelby Dixon, Priya Duvvuri (3), Venkatesh Duvvuri (5), Kevin Estok, Cassandra Farnow (6), Breana Fitzpatrick, Duncan Hall (4), Katie Inglese (2), Kim Jones (2), Gregory Keiser, Victoria Keiser, Michael Li (6), Robert Maloney (1), Danielle Martinez (1), Colleen Mason (10), Maggie Nelson (2), Katie Ragan (1), Brittany Ross & Nicki Ross.
Due to time constraints, Elite swimmers only participated in two events. Since Clifton is a yard pool, the Elite swimmers took advantage of their opportunity is a post best times in their yard category and the results were fabulous: 111 best times in 123 swims (90.2%)!!!
While there was an abundance of great swimming, the Elite swimmer of the day was Ricky LaSalvia, as he dropped a total of 34 seconds in his two events and his 100 back time of 1.19.70 earned Ricky his 1st silver cut time ever!
Swimmers who participated were: Arlynn Baer (2), Chris Balbo (2), Sam
Barback (2), Ricky Baum (2), Eric Binder (2), Katie Brosnan, Meg Brosnan (1),
Ryan Buckham (2), Taylor Campolattaro (2), Emma Cherry (2), Isabel Cherry (2),
Daniel DeMeo (2), Parker Dixon (2), TJ Dougherty (2), Avinash Duvvuri (2),
Krishna Duvvuri (2), Noah Eagle (2), Helena Elston (2), Brandon Faris (2),
Madeleine Faust (2), Andrea Ferrell (2), Hannah Gleason (2), Emily Goad (2),
Katie Golway (2), Lydia Gracey (2), Andre Guacelli (2), Julia Guacelli (2),
Raleigh Heap (2), Ben Inglese (2), Chris Inglese, Zackie Katz (2), Carolyn
Kelly (2), Lauren Kelly (2), Patrick Lai (2), Ricky LaSalvia (2), Aaron Levin
(2), Jessie Lowe (1), Isabella Morreale (2), Cesar Munoz (2), Julia Muro (1),
Gregory Niccolai (1), Christina Pick (2), Gabrielle Pick (2), Michelle Pick
(2), Collin Reilly (2), Katie Rouse (1), Taylor Savarese (2), Claire Serruto
(2), Kaitlin Stearns (2), Lindsay Stearns (1), Amber Teetsel (2), Spencer
Turkington (2), Caroline Watt (2), Julia Watt (2), Sarah Weinbrom (2), Nicole
Weissman (2), Natalie Wetmore (2), Paige Willian (1), Alex Wolfson (2) &
Maggie Woodruff (2).
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:
ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
(SWIMMERS OK):
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.
Sharon
has contacted all parents of swimmers competing in this meet and the response
has been exemplary. However, due to the meet being held during a school
holiday week, some parents and swimmers wil be away. Thus, additional
volunteers are needed. Parents of swimmers not in this age group are requested
to consider helping out (and emailing Sharon sbrosnan8@comcast.net as to how they can help. In addition,
swimmers can help (and can receive community service credit for their help.
Swimmers are also requested to contact Sharon (and schedule their help AROUND
practice time!!!).
Parents
are also encouraged to “advertise”
in the meet program. Encouraging words from you to your swimmer are a great
inspiration for your champion on their big day. The advertising contract is
posted on the website under forms. This form needs to be presented to Bill by
Friday, February 17th.
SPRING SESSION: INFO COMING THIS WEEK:
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.
This week, coaches will complete their determinations regarding what swimmers will be invited to train in a higher training group starting in the Spring 2006 Session. This information will be mailed by the end of this week.
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.
Parents
will questions regarding their child’s placement this spring are encourage to
contact Bill directly.
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).
Swimmers who do not buy a Fast Skin Suit or have misplaced/lost their Elite team suit are expected to contact Bill (who still has a small inventory of team suits) immediately (there is still time enough to order team suits!). If a swimmer is not in a team suit at Championships, THEY MAY BE PULLED FROM THE MEET. Elite is a team and teams compete at all meets (but especially championships) in a uniform!!!
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.
SPRING
SCHEDULE SET: SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN POOL TIME FOR 4 TRAINING GROUPS:
On Wednesday, February 1st,
parents were afforded an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns
regarding the new spring/fall practice schedule. One specific issue that was
raised is: could the additional Wave Black practice is scheduled on Saturday,
which is currently scheduled from 2:30 pm to 4 pm (in the “middle” of the day),
be moved to an earlier time slot for all or part of the season.
As a courtesy for those not present, please respond to Bill by email
within 1 week if you are a parent of a current Wave Black swimmers and you have
an opinion regarding the time slot presently provided.
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).
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) “Last
Chance” 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). Meet Events and
Entry form are posted on the website under Meet Schedule. Swimmers need to get
their entries to their coaches asap and before Monday, February 6.
2) Friday,
February 17 to Sunday, February 19: Senior State Championships at Seton Hall
University Meet information is posted
3) South 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships:
Saturday, February 25 & Sunday, February 26
4) Mini-Champs (ALL 8 & Unders): Saturday, March 4
5) Bronze Championships (ALL Swimmers at the Bronze Level, 11 & Older): Saturday, March 4 & Sunday, March 5