ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               03-12-07

                                                                  

 

SUCCESS TRAIN KEEPS ROLLING!!!

DART PLACES 4TH, 6TH & 8TH AND 200 MEDLEY PLACES 11TH AT SECTIONALS;

MORRISON POSTS 1ST THREE SECTIONAL QUALIFYING TIMES;

P. DUVVURI, FITZPATRICK, D. HALL, A. MORREALE & B. ROSS ADD JO CUTS AT SILVER/BRONZE:

 

            The Elite Success Train keeps rolling forward! Separated by over 250 miles, the results at Sectionals and 13-19 Silver/Bronze Championships this past weekend were similar: simply spectacular!!!

 

SECTIONALS:

 

            At the 2007 Speedo Champions Series: Eastern Zone Northern Sectional Championship Meet held at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Elite finished 25th out of 115 teams by scoring 64 points!!!! For the men teams only scoring, Elite placed 16th!!

 

            Swimming machine Chris Dart continued his amazing journey by “finaling” in 6 of the 7 events he competed in!!! Chris churned to a 4th place finish in the 100 yard backstroke with a sizzling time of 51.37. Chris followed up by placing 6th in the 200 yard IM (1.55.63) and 8th in the 200 yard back (1.53.13).

 

            Chris also broke two magical barriers in “off” events: he swam under 1:00 for the 1st time in the 100 yard breast (59.42) in placing 13th and was under :22 seconds for the 50 free (21.78)!!! Chris also swam a personal best in the 400 IM with a 4.10.20 for a 14th place finish. In 13 swims, Chris had 12 best times!!

           

            Chris joined teammates Michael Strand (back), Alex Morrison (fly) and Austin Meszaros (free) in rocketing to a 11th place finish in the 200 Medley Relay. Their time of 1.39.02 was the 3rd fastest for teams from New Jersey!!

 

            Meszaros, the other Elite individual qualifier, sprinted to a personal best in both his events: a 22.34 in the 50 free and a 48.79 in the 100 free. Meszaros also swam 2 more best times in time trials, clocking in at a 1.49.27 time in the 200 free (a JO cut time!) and a 58.04 in the 100 fly.

 

            Newcomer Alex Morrison, who joined Elite in early January, took advantage of his opportunities and qualified for Sectionals in 3 individual events!!! Morrison soared to a 52.90 time in the 100 butterfly, a 22.47 time in the 50 free and a 48.50 time in the 100 free.

 

            14 year old Michael Strand turned in impressive trial swims with a 55.56 time in the 100 back (only .5 over a sectional cut) and 58.46 in the 100 fly.

 

            Full results are on the website. Official results can be viewed at 2007 Speedo Champions Series: Eastern Zone Northern Sectional.

 

            Swimmers who participated were: Chris Dart (13), Jerel Ho (2), Ricky Martin, Austin Meszaros (4), Alex Morrison (2) and Michael Strand (2).    

 

MONSTER MEET AT 13-19 SILVER/BRONZE FOR ELITE SWIMMERS:

 

            At New Jersey Swimming’s 13-19 Silver/Bronze Championships held at Rutgers University this past weekend, Elite swimmers performed like champions by pushing aside the obstacles created by the oversubscribed and poorly managed meet to swim magnificently! Four Elite swimmers used their last opportunity to qualify for 14 JO events!!!

 

            13 year old Priya Duvvuri lead the way for Elite by qualifying for Junior Olympics in all 6 of the events she competed in!! Demonstrating her versatility, Priya won 3 of her events: 200 fly (2.22.85), the 50 free (26.02) and the 200 back (2.18.81). Priya also placed 2nd in the 200 IM (2.21.63), 5th in the 200 free (2.05.11) and 7th in the 100 free (57.85).

 

            14 year old Duncan Hall dashed to 3 Junior Olympic times: 200 IM (2.19.82), 100 Free (54.95) and the 100 breast (1.13.07). Inronically, Duncan’s highest place was in the 200 free, in which he placed 3rd!

 

            16 year old Brittany Ross added two Junior Olympic events to her totals: the 100 breast (1.12.69) and the 100 Fly (1.02.07). Brittany just missed a third JO cut time in the 200 IM (2.17.30) by 1 tenth of a second!!

 

            13 year old Breana Fitzpatrick continued her amazing improvement this season by posting her first two JO times this season: 100 breast (1.15.41) and the 200 breast (2.42.43).

 

            13 year old Ali Morreale added her 3rd JO cut time this season, in dropping 4.5 seconds in the 200 IM (2.23.63). Ali also had a 16 second drop in the 500 Free (5.44.83)!!!

 

            In addition to these fine swims, there were literally dozens of best times achieved; some were really significant drops!! Most notable were those swimmers who performed best times in 6 races: Taylor Campolattaro, Priya Duvvuri, Maggie Nelson, Rebecca Niccolai & Sydney Todd!!

 

             Full results are posted on the website:

 

            Swimmers who participated were (# in parenthesis is # of best SCY times): Lindsay Anderson (4), Danielle Basile (2), John Burns (5), Taylor Campolattaro (6), Monica Carty (2), Crissy Condus (3), Kat Cupka (4), Victoria D’Altrui (3), Corey Deatly, Tad Deatly (3), Carolyn DeMeo (4), Sam Duren (3), Priya Duvvuri (6), Venkatesh Duvvuri (5), Cassandra Farnow, Spencer Fisch (4), Breana Fitzpatrick (5), Julianne Furdyna (1), Hannah Gleason (5), Alistair Hall (2), Duncan Hall (5), Brent Jones (5), Gregory Keiser (2), Victoria Keiser (2), Kirsten Kellstrom (5), Morgan Kiley (3), Brandon King (5), Emmie Lai (4), Ricky LaSalvia (5), Danielle Martinez (3), Sarah McGrath (5), Ali Morreale (5), Madison Munoz (3), Kendall Murray (3), Maggie Nelson (6), Rebecca Niccolai (6), Sarah Peay (6), Katie Ragan (3), Brittany Ross (4), Nicki Ross (2), Amanda Scherb (2), Jonathan Scott (3), Bethany Stachenfeld, Erica Takahashi (3), Lexi Tedesco (2), Sydney Todd (6), Jennifer Torre (1) & Michael Wang (4).

             

BILLS’ JO CHALLENGE: SCORE 500 POINTS!!!

 

            Elite’s 2007 SCY Junior Olympic Team is now set for this coming weekend: 32 individual swimmers (16 girls and 16 boys) and 20 relays!! Elite swimmers have qualified for 179 individual events!!! At the start of the season, Elite started with 11 swimmers having qualified for just 39 events. 

 

            Bill has a BIG challenge for this year’s Elite Squad: SCORE 500 POINTS!!!

 

            This challenge will involve every Elite JO swimmer, as relay points are actually double the amount of individual event points. Most of the 32 Elite swimmers are entered in relays along with 12 relay only swimmes. Top 16 swimmers/relays score points at championship meets.

 

            Although Bill feels this challenge is absolutely within reach of the Elite Swimmers, the team will be partially handicapped as Chris Dart, a perennial point scorer, will be swimming a very abbreviated schedule (as he is tapering for British Nationals).

 

            Very strong Elite 10 & Under Girls, 10 & Under Boys and 13-14 Boys Age Groups should lead the way for Elite this weekend.

 

             Last summer, Elite scored 593 points and placed 11th overall. While this squad is certainly stronger than last summer’s team, summer LCM JO’s tends to be a “weaker” meet as some NJ teams (mostly Y teams) do not participate.

 

            Bill will post the score totals each day on the website (assuming he is provided with them)!!! Lets get behind the Junior Olympic Swimmers and get them revved up!!! Each point, each swim counts!!!   

 

SPRING SCHEDULE; SUMMER SCHEDULE: WAVE TEALS OPTIONAL  

 

            Elite will be posting the Spring 2007 and Summer 2007 practice schedules this week on the website. An email blast will be sent to club members.

 

There will actually be 3 separate schedules, as the schedules will change as Elite transitions from indoor swimming to outdoor swimming with the more advanced training groups.

 

            Please note that Wave Blacks, Wave Golds, Senior Preps and Seniors are expected to train from April 1st thru Summer JO’s (late July). Reduction in attendance is expected as vacations and summer league swimming cuts into Elite practices. However, if a swimmer expects to improve (and to be considered for promotion at the end of the summer), attendance levels will be a significant part of the equation!!!.

 

            This summer, Elite will offer Wave Teals the opportunity to train with the team thru late July. For this summer, Wave Teal training will be optional.

 

Marlin Blacks and Marlin Teals will train from April 1st thru June 8th. 

 

ELITE COACH ASHLEY JOHNSTON NAMED TO ZONE STAFF:

 

            First year coach Ashley Johnston has been named to the New Jersey Swimming Eastern Zone Coaching staff!! Zones will be held March 29th thru March 31st in Buffalo, New York.

 

            The Spring SCY New Jersey Zone team is picked after Junior Olympics and is based mainly upon performance at JO’s. The top 2 swimmers at JO’s in each event within each age group who apply will be picked to be on the Zone Team.

 

            This spring, Elite hopes to place a number of swimmers on the New Jersey Zone team.

 

            Ashley, along with another NJ Swimming coach, will be responsible for the 10 & Unders during their travel and stay in Buffalo!!

 

ELITE TAKES NEXT STEP: DART GOING INTERNATIONAL:

 

For a myriad of reasons, Chris Dart will forego competing in the USA Spring Senior Nationals Championships (which he qualified for at Burgdorff last month) and instead will compete in Manchester, England at the British Long Course Nationals (“BLCN”) during the week of March 27. This will be the 1st instance where an Elite swimmer will represent Elite at an international competition!!

 

Dart, who was born in England and is a British Citizen, has opted to compete in the BLCM in order to 1) finish his season in a long course venue (he will be competing at Sectionals two weeks prior, which will be a short course venue  2) to get more opportunities to compete. At USA Senior Nationals, Chris would have swum no more than 4 times; at BLCM, because of the meet format (prelims, semi-finals and finals plus time trials) Chris could compete over 20 times during the week long competition and 3) since Chris is British, this will provide him with an opportunity to get on the British Swimming radar screen. If Chris reaches the level where he is a national level swimmer, he will need to declare which country (USA or Britain) he would competed for in international competition.

 

As expected, the rules are a bit different at BLCM. Although just 16 (Dec 30), Chris will compete as a 17 year old (age up date is Dec 31), so Chris is considered 17 all year long. As a 17 –18 year old entry, Chris qualified for 4 events: 100 back-at the Senior level and the 200 back, 200 IM and 400 IM as a 17-18 entry. Given that there are 3 rounds of competition and that the 17-18 year olds compete separately in finals, Chris has an opportunity to swim 12 times between these 4 events. In addition, Chris will be able to time trial an event (particularly the 100 & 200 breast). The time trials are held prior to the event competition. Swimmers who make the qualifying time in time trials are placed in the preliminary heats!! In the USA, competitors entering time trials are not afforded the opportunity to swim in the prelims, even if they make the qualifying time. 

 

 Competition will be held Monday, March 27 thru Saturday, April 1st. This means that Chris will need to fly to England prior to the awards banquet. Bill will catch-up to Chris in Manchester by flying out directly after the awards banquet on March 26. Sue and David Dart are also planning on traveling to England to root Chris on.

 

AT CHAMPIONSHIP MEETS, FASTSKINS IIS ARE OK;

REMEMBER: THE SWIMMER MAKES THE SUIT!!!

 

            Elite Swimmers are reminded that they are allowed (even encouraged) to wear technologically advanced swim suits at any of their championship meets. While not a requirement, Elite swimmers are strongly urged to purchase black suits, in keeping with the Elite uniform.

 

            These suits are supposed to repel the water that results in eliminating drag and purportedly helps a swimmer to move more efficiently thru the water. More important to the actual affect is the psychological affect this suit has on a swimmer: they feel faster!!!

 

All swimmers and parents are reminded: a swimmer makes the suit. A suit does not make a swimmer. The season’s long hard work, the getting enough rest and eating right, great stroke technique, doing your stroke details AND A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE drops a whole lot more time than any fastskin suit can!!!! 

 

LIST OF SWIMMERS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR SCHOLAR/ATHLETE AWARDS IS NOW POSTED ON WEBSITE; DEADLINE TUESDAY, MARCH 20TH:

 

          Elite has compiled a list of swimmers who have applied for the 2006-07 Elite Scholar/Athlete Awards and the list is now posted on the website under Awards Dinner.

 

Each year, Elite awards those athletes who are also scholars with the highest award an Elite Athlete can obtain: the Scholar/Athlete Awards. The awards are presented at the annual awards dinner to be held Sunday, March 25. Great grades, in addition to great swim times, are required for a swimmer to earn one of these awards.

 

            These awards will be broken down into three levels:

 

1) All-American Scholar Athlete Award: Swimmer must have a 3.5 grade average and at least 1 Sectional Qualifying time. This award is actually a USA Swimming Award and will be presented by New Jersey Swimming. Elite will also provide a certificate to those swimmers who have qualified for this award.

 

2) The Elite Scholar-Athlete Gold Award: A swimmer must have all A’s and no more than 1 B (or the equivalent of all A’s and 1 B) plus at least 1 individual Junior Olympic Qualify Time

 

3) The Elite Scholar-Athlete Teal Award: Swimmer must have all A’s and B’s (of the equivalent) plus at least 1 individual Silver Qualfying Time

 

In addition to each swimmer receiving an impressive certificate from Elite acknowledging this achievement, from this season forward Elite will post the names of its scholar athletes on its website-forever acknowledging its most special scholar-athletes. 

 

Parents of grammar school students should remember that Bill will review the grading legend (assuming A’s and B’s are not given) to ascertain if the swimmer has fulfilled the academic requirements to receive the award.

 

Bill is now accepting the scholastic information. Report cards need to be provided to Bill by March 20, 2007 for consideration.

 

 

THINKING SUMMER? THINK SUMMER SWIM CAMPS!:

 

            Although the hot sun and humid weather seems millions of years away, summer is only 6 months away and top-notch swim camps are already taking registrations for the summer of 2007. When planning the upcoming summer, please consider sending your Elite swimmer to one of the numerous swim camps.

 

Each summer, numerous Elite swimmers spend a rewarding week (or two) at a summer swim camp. The benefits of such a camp are: 1) individual attention by reknown swim coaches 2) an increased knowledge of the sport of swimming and 3) personal growth that occurs as a result of “being on one’s own.” The formula that seems to work best is finding an Elite friend to spend the week with at the swim camp.

 

If you are considering sending your swimmer to a swim camp, now is the time to do the research and make decisions (many of these camps are sold out by mid-Spring). On the website, under Swim Camps, there is a list of swim camps. Many of these swim camps close out in late February and early March!!!

 

Thinking about summer? Think Swim Camps!!

 

PARENTS ORGANIZATION SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR POSITIONS FOR 2007-08:

 

Nominations for positions on the Elite Swim Club Parents Organization Board of Directors are now being sought. Information regarding each position are located on the website under the Parents Organization button.

 

To send nominations, please email Secretary Sherri Plunkett at sbpl0516@aol.com.

 

All parents are requested to please consider running, as a swim club is only as strong as its parent’s organization!!!

                    

 TRYOUT INFORMATION NOW POSTED:

 

            Information regarding Elite’s tryouts and Spring Practice Schedule is now posted on the website. The practice schedule is identical to the Winter 2006-07 until long course begins. Long course schedules are still being worked on.