ELITE NEWS BULLETIN 02-20-06
In the first of 5 straight weekends of championship swimming, Elite swimmers were sluggish in their overall performance this past weekend at the 2006 Senior State Meet held at Seton Hall University.
Although expected, the Elite Seniors (“Seniors” defined this weekend by cut times-not by training groups) had trouble performing at their peak. Late February traditionally proves a tough time for high level swimming as swimmers are tired from rigorous training (last week’s Saturday practice being 10,000 yards), racing in high school and are (and should be) broken down. Most swimmers at the meet from other teams also experienced similar results as winners entire heats often did not perform their best times (meaning all 8 swimmers were under their seed times).
With the tapering (resting) portion of the training just ahead, the Elite Swimmers are fully expected to bounce back and crush their previous high level of swimming during next month’s championship meets.
Despite the rough going, there were a number of bright spots for Elite Swimmers:
1) Chris Dart added a 3rd Sectional cut with a blazing 2nd place finish in the 200 IM. Dart’s 1.59.48 was the 1st Elite swim ever under the magical 2 minute mark for 200 IM’ers. Dart just missed Sectional Cut times in his 3rd place finish in the 100 yard breast (1.02.30-missed by 11 hundreds of a second) and in his 2nd place finish in the 200 yard breast (2.15.65-missed by 26 hundreds of a second). Dart now has 3 sectional cuts and will participate in the meet at Harvard University in Boston in 3 weeks.
2) Lily Thompson posted her first career Junior Olympic Cut in the grueling 200 yard butterfly (2.25.00)!
3) Matt Poloniak finaled in both his breaststroke events: placing 16th in the 100 breast (1.05.53) and 17th in the 200 yard breast (2.25.96)
4) Austin Meszaros finaled both the 100 yard free (50.54) and the 50 yard free (23.06)
5) Nick Trojanowski finaled in the 200 yard breast (2.27.90), placing 18th
6) Colleen Mason continued her fine endurance swimming with a 4.6 second drop in her 500 Free (5.37.48) and an 11 second drop (from two weeks ago) in her 1000 yard free (11.29.68). Both were new JO cut times.
7) Cassandra Farnow added to her Junior Olympic swims with a 2.24.80 time in the 200 IM
8) Mickey Ennis dropped almost 23 seconds in his 1000 yard free swim with a 11.05.64 time.
Swimmers who participated were: Danielle Basile (1), Crissy Condus (1), Chris Dart (5), Corey Deatly, Christian DeFluri (2), Claire DiGiacomo, Mickey Ennis (2), Cassandra Farnow (1), Katie Ferguson (1), Julianne Furdyna, Alex Gonzalez (1), Alistair Hall (1), Jerel Ho, Katie Kilcullen (3), David Knaus, Colleen Mason (2), Shayla McDonnell, Austin Meszaros (2), Will Peters (1), Matt Poloniak (1), Brittany Ross (1), Lindsay Scott (1), Veronica Smith, Lily Thompson (3) & Nick Trojanowski (3).
ELITE SET FOR 9-10 SILVER/BRONZE CHAMPIONSHIPS;
VOLUNTEERS READY; ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS STILL REQUESTED:
Elite
will be hosting (at Newark Academy) the South 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships
this weekend (Saturday, February 25 & Sunday, February 26). Sharon Brosnan
has coordinated the parents volunteering 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 public
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!!!).
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.
Fifty people have already made reservations during the 1st few days of reservations! Information about the dinner was emailed last week and the reservation form is posted on the website under forms.
This year’s dinner will include the attendance awards ceremony, a slide show, a DJ and much, much more.
The
reservation cut off date is Wednesday, March 1. Make your reservations
NOW!!!
SPRING SESSION: TRYOUTS TUESDAY,
MARCH 21ST :
Elite will hold a spring session from Monday, April 3 thru Friday, June 9. Tryouts for all ages will be held Tuesday, March 21 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm at Newark Academy.
Swimmers currently training with Elite will be asked at their practices if they intend to train this spring.
All
swimmers whom have trained with Elite during the Winter 2006 and Spring 2006
sessions will automatically have a roster spot reserved for them (assuming they
respond positively this summer) for the Winter 2006-07 Session. Swimmers who
opt not to train during the Spring 2006 Session will need to earn their roster
spot thru a summer tryout.
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.
SWIM MEETS ON THE
HORIZON:
Elite’s meet schedule will gather momentum again in January. Upcoming meets include:
1) South 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships:
Saturday, February 25 & Sunday, February 26. Meet information is posted
2)
Mini-Champs (ALL 8 & Unders): Saturday, March 4. Meet information is posted
3) Bronze
Championships (ALL Swimmers at the Bronze Level, 11 & Older): Saturday,
March 4 & Sunday, March 5. Meet information is posted
4) Silver Championships (ALL Swimmers at the Silver Level, 11 & Older): Saturday, March 11 & Sunday March 12. Meet information to be posted this week
5) 2006 Speedo Champions Series: Eastern Zone Northern Sectional Championships (Sectionals): Thursday, March 9 thru Sunday, March 12. Meet information to be posted this week
6) Junior Olympics (All Swimmers at the JO Level 9 & Older): Friday, March 17 thru Sunday, March 19. Meet information to be posted this week