ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               03-16-09

 

REGARDLESS OF LOCATION, SWIMMERS PERFORM SPECTACULARLY;

AT SECTIONALS, STRAND FINALS IN 2 EVENTS, MARTIN FINALS IN 1;

BOYS 200 MEDLEY PLACES 11TH!!

13-19 SILVER BRONZE BOYS RUN JO COUNT TO 52/346!!!

FISCH  WINS 2 SILVER EVENTS; KING, MORREALE WIN BRONZE EVENTS;

FISCH (2), HALL, MILLER-RADEST (3), MURO (3), ROSER, ROSS (2), SCHERB &WEINBROM (2) ADD 18 JO QUALIFYING TIMES;

 

            Though performing over 300 miles apart, swimmers from the Elite Swim Club swam spectacularly this past weekend regardless of their location. 9 swimmers represented Elite at the 2009 Speedo Champions Series : Eastern Zone Northern Sectional Meet (Sectionals) held at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts while back home in New Jersey, Elite co-hosted the 2009 13-19 Silver/Bronze Championships & 1600 swimmers at Rutgers University.

 

Between the combined meets, Elite added 18 JO qualifying times to run the season total to a very impressive 52 individual qualifiers in 346 events (last year’s numbers were 45 individual swimmers qualified for 284 events)!!! Thru the 4 championship meets held over the last 3 weekends, Elite added 50 JO qualifying times!!!

 

Sectionals

 

            In Boston (while Harvard is located in Cambridge, the pool is actually located in Boston), Michael Strand, Ricky Martin and Priya Duvvuri competed admirably in their individual performances.  16 year old Strand, who had qualified in 8 individual sectional events, posted 6 personal best times and qualified for consolation finals in two different events: 100 yard butterfly and the 100 yard backstroke. In the backstroke, Michael won the consolation heat with a 51.87. In the butterfly, Michael dropped his time to a 52.01 in placing 15th.  Stand also competed in the 200 IM, where he dropped .6 off his best (1.57.76), the 400 IM (4.12.60-a personal best) and the 50 free (22.20).

 

            16 year old Martin qualified for the bonus consolation round (swimmers placing 17th thru 24th participate in finals but can not score points) in the 50 free and placed 19th at night by swimming a 21.84 (Ricky’s am time was 21.82).  Ricky also competed in the 100 fly (53.15) and the 100 free (48.41)-both personal bests. During time trials, Ricky dropped over 3 seconds to score a 5th total sectional qualifying time in the 200 back (1.59.39).

 

            15 year old Duvvuri, snuck under the 1 minute barrier in the 100 butterfly event in swimming a 59.88. Priya’s 100 back swim (1.00.53) was slightly over her sectional qualifying time of last month.

 

            Strand (back) and Martin (fly) teamed up with 14 year old Michael Li (breast) and 16 year old Adam Weinbrom (free) to place 11th overall in the 200 Medley Relay. The same foursome placed 28th in the 400 Medley. Strand, Martin and Weinbrom also teamed up with 15 year old Ryan Wyer to place 20th in the 200 free and 27th in the 400 free relays.

 

            Priya (back) teamed up with Breana Fitzpatrick (breast), Brittany Ross (fly) and Regan Kology (free) to place 43rd in both the 200 and 400 yard Medley Relays.          

 

            At Sectionals, swimmers can compete in non-meet related time trials. Brittany Ross and Adam Weinbrom took full advantage of the time trials in each qualifying for 2 new Junior Olympic Events. Ross smoked the 100 butterfly (1.01.00) and the 200 Individual Medley (2.15.47) JO qualifying times while Weinbrom slipped under the 50 free (22.86) and the 100 free (50.01) JO cuts.

 

            14 year old Michael Li dropped almost 2 seconds in his 100 breast time trial event to score a 1.04.60 while also dropping over a second in his 200 IM (2.12.90).

 

            Duvvuri’s time trial swims of the 50 free (25.62) and the 200 IM (2.17.88) were also personal bests. 16 year old Breana Fitzpatick clipped .07 off her 50 free time (26.24). 12 year old Regan Kology also chopped time off her 50 free time (25.76) and her 500 free (5.20.32). 15 year old Ryan Wyer was just over his 100 fly (58.09) and 50 free (23.74) bests.

 

13-19 Silver Bronze

 

            Matching the tremendous performances of their younger teammates, the Elite 13-19 Silver Bronze competitors won 4 events and added 14 Junior Olympic qualifying times in competition at Rutgers University this weekend.

 

            Remember that this competition was actually two meets in one, where Silver level and Bronze Level swimmers competed for awards in the different divisions yet same events.

 

            15 year old Spencer Fisch lead the older Elite Silver Bronze swimmers by winning the Silver division in both the 100 yard (1.04.70) and 200 yard (2.22.00) breaststroke events in Junior Olympic fashion. Fisch was a perfect 6 for 6 in best times, also dropping almost 7 seconds in the 200 IM (2.08.12) and almost 6 seconds in the 200 back (2.09.94).

 

            16 year old Brandon King, who matched Fisch with 6 personal bests, won the Bronze division in the 200 fly (2.15.15), placed 2nd in the 100 free (52.68) and 4th in the Silver division in the 100 fly (56.89)-just .5 tenths over the JO qualifying time.

 

            15 year old Ali Morreale, competing in the event for the 1st time in 3.5 years (due to shoulder concerns), dropped over 20 seconds to place 1st in the 100 butterfly (1.05.64) in the Bronze division. Morreale was also impressive in the 200 IM (2.20.83), where she clipped off nearly 3 seconds.

 

            14 year old Brendan Miller-Radest, in his tune-up for next week’s Junior Olympics, added 3 new Junior Olympic qualifying times. Brendan placed 2nd in Silver division in both the 50 (24.41) and 100 (53.55) yard freestyles and also placed 8th in the 100 back (1.04.14).

 

            14 year old Dan Muro flexed his aerobic muscles, qualifying for JO’s in the 1000 free (11.11.83), the 400 IM (4.59.46) and the 500 free (5.23.86-6th place).  Dan also placed 4th in the bronze division in the 100 free (59.47) and was also 6 for 6 in pbs.

 

            16 year old Duncan Hall, who spent several months last summer in a back brace, worked himself back into shape and earned his 1st JO qualifying time this year in placing 2nd in the 100 yard back (57.86).  Duncan also shaved 9 seconds off his 200 free (1.59.78) and was 6 for 6 also.

 

            13 year old Chris Roser and 14 year old Daniel Scherb both rose to the occasion to post their first JO qualifying times for Elite. Roser, who just aged up last month, flew to a 1.03.16 time in the 100 butterfly. Roser also placed 2nd in the Bronze division in the 200 breast (2.48.79), 6th in the 200 IM (2.30.59) and 8th in the 100 breast (1.17.65). Scherb’s 9th place finish in the Silver division in the 100 back (1.04.34) was a gold swim. Both Roser and Scherb were 6 for 6 in personal bests!

 

            16 year old Dani Martinez, fighting a shoulder issue for more than a year, came back to post a 8th place finish in the Silver division in the 200 back (2.19.67) and an 8th place finish in the 200 free (2.10.94) of the Bronze Division. 17 year old Cassandra Farnow, in her last Silver competition, placed 6th in both the 200 IM (2.17.10) and the 200 fly (2.25.79) in the Silver division and 3rd in the 200 free (2.09.18) in the bronze division.

 

16 year old Chelsea Allocco, who has worked her shoulder back into shape this winter, placed 4th in the 1650 (19.08.87) and 7th in the 200 breast, both in the Silver division.

 

            13 year old Sarah Weinbrom, in performing her 6 personal bests, touched 3rd in the 200 butterfly (2.29.17) in the Silver division. 17 year old Amanda Grywalski, finishing her Elite career, placed 7th in the 100 breast in a personal best (1.14.24).

 

            15 year old Emmie Lai pressed her way to a 4th place finish in the Silver division in the 200 butterfly (2.25.34). 17 year old Tad Deatly touched 5th in the 1650 with a personal best of 18.07.04.             

            18 year old Eric Ocheretyaner was rewarded for his hard work this season by placing 3rd in the 200 breast (2.38.58) in the Bronze division. Eric was 6 for 6! 17 year old Katie Ragan, also working her way back from numerous injuries, placed 6th in the Bronze division in the 50 free (27.77) and 7th in the Silver division in the 1000 free (12.07.98).

 

13 year old Emma Harris dropped 3 seconds to place 6th in the 100 breast in the bronze division. 16 year old Erica Takahashi placed 8th in the 1650 free (20.17.69).

 

            14 year old Matt Ahlmeyer placed 8th in the Bronze division with his 50 free time of 27.24. 14 year old Jessie Lowe was 8th in the Bronze division in the 200 back (2.37.74), the result of a 6 second drop. 13 year old Taylor Savarese stroked to an 8th place finish in the 200 breast (3.00.47) in the Bronze division.                    

 

            Other notable performances were:

 

1)      14 year old Jenni Allocco placed 11th in the 100 back-just missing a JO qualifying time by .1. Jenni was 6 for 6.

2)      14 year old Krishna Duvvuri, hovered around several JO times, missing the 100 breast time just over .1. Krishna was also 6 for 6.

3)      18 year old Jeff Beamer missed the JO cut in the 50 free (23.30) by just over .2

4)      15 year old Mark Berns was 6 for 6 in personal bests

5)      14 year old Lindsay Behar was 6 for 6, with her best performance the 200 breast-where she dropped 6 seconds.

6)      16 year old Anthony Don continued his impressive improvement, scoring 5 personal bests

7)      13 year old Clark LaRaia performed bests in all 5 of his events

8)      13 year old Isabella Morreale dropped time in 5 of her swims

9)      13 year old Darragh O’Gorman was perfect: 6 for 6

10)   13 year old Nick Pachiolo had personal bests in 5 of his 6 events

11)   14 year old Jonas Singer was 5 for 6, including a 6 second drop in the 400 IM

12)    13 year old Richard Yu chopped away at all 6 of his events, including a 3 second drop in the 200 breast

 

Swimmers who participated (# in parenthesis is number of best Elite SCY best times): Matt Ahlmeyer (6), Chelsea Allocco (3), Jenn Allocco (6), Lindsay Anderson, Arlynn Baer (1), Jeffrey Beamer (4), Lindsay Behar (6), Mark Berns (6), John Burns (3), Stephanie Chen (2), Brannon Cho (2), Tad Deatly (4), Anthony Don (5), DeYoung Don (1), Alli Dorneo (2), Sam Duren (5), Krishna Duvvuri (6), Venkatesh Duvvuri, Cassandra Farnow (4), Spencer Fisch (6), Ariel Gelman (3), Lydia Gracey, Kevin Greener (2), Amanda Grywalski (2), Julia Guacelli (2), Duncan Hall (6), Emma Harris (4), Brent Jones (3), Gregory Keiser (3), Victoria Keiser (1), Brandon King (6), Emmie Lai (4), Patrick Lai, Clark LaRaia (5), Jessie Lowe (5), Dani Martinez (4), Sarah McGrath (1), Brendan Miller-Radest (3), Ali Morreale (4), Isabella Morreale (5), Andrew Morrison (4), Dan Muro (6), Alex N’Diaye, Maggie Nelson (1), Rebecca Niccolai (2), Eric Ochteretyaner (6), Darragh O’Gorman (6), Nick Pachiolo (5), Katie Ragan (2), Chris Roser (6), Monica Samtani (3), Taylor Savarese (4), Daniel Scherb (6), Jonas Singer (5), Jessica Solodkin (2), Lindsay Stearns (4), Erica Takahashi, Lexi Tedesco, Rachael Tortorella (2), Sarah Weinbrom (6) & Richard Yu (6).

 

13-19 PARENTS FANTASTIC EFFORTS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR 1600 SWIMMERS!!!

 

            For the 2nd time in 3 weeks, the Elite parents performed at a level approaching their swimmers as they co-hosted New Jersey Swimming’s 13-19 Silver Bronze Championship Meet at Rutgers University this past weekend.. The meet, which is the last chance for swimmers 13 thru 19 to qualify for the prestigious Junior Olympic Meet, provided 1600 splash opportunities with 8000 splashes over the course of 2 days (24 hours of swimming) for 51 teams. When included with the 9-10 Silver-Bronze Championship Meet Elite hosted two weeks ago, Elite’s parents provided more than 2000 swimmers with 10,500 splash opportunities in 3 weeks!!!!        

 

            Elite could not have handled the task without the help of the Morris County Swim Club. While Elite handled admissions and timing in one pool, MCSC handled the coaches hospitality room and the timing in the other pool.

 

Elite would not have adequately been able to handle the sheer volume of the meet without the unique odd heat pool/even heat pool format structure. Elite is the only team to have used this format in New Jersey Swimming.

 

            Coordinating the meet for Elite was Debbie Scherb, whose management skills and attention to details made running the meet a fabulous success. Morris County Swim Club also co-hosted the meet with Elite, providing the hospitality suite for the coaches and officials along with taking timing assignments in one of the pools!

 

The Elite Coaches would like to thank all the parents and Elite swimmers who helped out and volunteered their time!!!  

 

BILLS’ JO CHALLENGE: SCORE 1200 POINTS!!!

 

            Elite’s 2009 SCY Junior Olympic Team is now set for this coming weekend: 52 individual swimmers (23 girls and 29 boys) and 23 relays!! Elite swimmers have qualified for 346 individual events!!! 

 

            Bill has a BIG challenge for this year’s Elite Squad: SCORE 1200 POINTS!!!

 

            This challenge will involve every Elite JO swimmer, as relay points are actually double the amount of individual event points. Most of the 52 Elite swimmers are entered in relays. Top 16 swimmers/relays score points at championship meets.

 

            Last year at SCY JO’s, Elite scored 909.5 points and placed 10th overall. This year’s squad is certainly stronger than last year’s team, and scoring 1200 points should put Elite in the top 10 teams of the LSC, possibly in the top 5. Last summer, Elite scored 1152 points & placed 7th overall (summer JO’s is slightly less competitive, as less teams/individuals compete in long course).

 

            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!!!  400 Points a day, for 3 days!!!

 

COACH MICHELLE DUCHARME NAMED ZONE COACH: WILL REPRESENT NJ SWIMMING IN ROCHESTER;

 

            First year coach Michelle DuCharme has been named to the New Jersey Swimming Eastern Zone Coaching staff!! Zones will be held April 2nd thru April 4th in Rochester, 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.

 

            Michelle’s age group responsibilities for Zones has not yet been announced.

 

PRACTICE FOR JO QUALIFIERS ONLY THIS WEEK:   

FOR AGE GROUPERS: SPRING PRACTICE BEGINS MONDAY, APRIL 6:

 

            This is the last week of practice for non-JO level swimmers. Practice for the Winter 2008-09 Session will conclude on Friday, March 13. All JO level swimmers will continue to train thru next week’s Junior Olympic meet.

 

            All Age Group swimmers (with the possible exception of Zone swimmers) will begin their Spring Season on Monday, April 6.

 

            Senior and Senior Preps will begin their Spring Sessions by having team meetings & a practice: Seniors: Tuesday, March 31 and Senior Preps:  Wedesday, April 1. First full practice will be on Thursday, April 2nd for both the Seniors and Senior Preps.

 

PHOTOGRAPHERS: GET YOUR PICTURES OF ELITE SWIMMERS TO BILL:

 

           As the season heads to it’s conclusion, all amateur photographers who have been busy taking candid shots of our Elite stars need to get your pictures to Bill on a compact disk so that Elite can coordinate the slide show at the Elite Awards Dinner.

 

            At the Awards Dinner, there is a slide show presentation. This year is no different as hundreds of slides will be reviewed for a place in the show.

 

            Please place your pictures on a CD and place them in Bill’s mailbox at Newark Academy!!!

 

TEAM BANQUET RESERVATIONS HAVE CONCLUDED:

256 HAVE RSVP’ED; LIST ON WEBSITE:

 

            Preparations are underway for the biggest party of the season: Elite’s 14th annual Winter Swim Team Banquet!!! This year’s party will be held Saturday, March 28, 200 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 7 Elite banquets have had an excess of 300 people each!!! 30 have already RSVP’ed. The RSVP list is on the website: http://www.eliteswimclub.org/Awards Dinner/RSVP%27S FOR - AWARDS BANQUET 2009.htm

 

Dinner reservations is now closed.

 

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 2009.

When planning the upcoming summer, please consider sending your Elite swimmer (Wave Black level, Wave Teal level, Marlin Black level or Marlin Teal level). Wave Golds and Seniors should remain training with Elite thru the summer months) 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 at http://www.eliteswimclub.org/Swim Camps/index.html is information regarding Summer Swim Camps. Many of these swim camps close out in late February and early March!!!

 

Thinking about summer? Think Swim Camps!!

 

REMINDER: SCHOLAR/ATHLETE AWARDS WILL BE HIGHLIGHT OF AWARDS BANQUET:

74 HAVE ALREADY APPLIED FOR AWARD; LIST ON WEBSITE;

 

          With the conclusion of the 2nd marking periods, swimmers are reminded that the ultimate award an Elite swimmer can earn at the season ending Awards Banquet (Saturday, March  28, 2009) will once again be the Elite Scholar-Athlete Awards. 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 Qualifying 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.

 

74 Elite Swimmers have already applied for the award. The list is now posted on the website:  http://www.eliteswimclub.org/Awards Dinner/List of Scholar Athlete Award Applicants 2009.htm

 

Bill is now accepting the scholastic information. If your swimmer made a JO or Silver qualifying time last summer or this winter and then aged up, an applicant must fill out the application form on the team website that will point Bill to the swim in question. All scholastic information needs to be to Bill by Tuesday, March 18. IF A SWIMMER’S 2ND MARKING PERIOD ENDS AFTER MARCH 18, PLEASE PROVIDE BILL WITH THE MOST RECENT REPORT CARD AVAILABLE.

 

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!!!