ELITE NEWS BULLETIN 04-10-06

ELITE WELCOMES 23 NEW SWIMMERS:

Twenty-three swimmers have been accepted into Elite by reason of the March 21^st tryouts. Added all together with the returning Elite swimmers (whom developed fabulously this past winter), the current team is by far the strongest, head to toe, that Elite Swim Club ever assembled. As one can imagine, the coaches are extremely excited about working with these and Elite’s existing talented youngsters.

Coaches and existing Elite swimmers welcome these new teammates:

Marlin Teals: Megan Balbo, Brielle Barba, Elizabeth D’Altrui, Sarah Kleppe, Sarah Lowe, Katie Mcgrath, Alana Pasquale & Emily Torre

Marlin Blacks: Alexandra Burkard, Jonny Crowther, Corey Duren, Kara Miller-Radest, Killian O’Gorman, Nicholas Pachiolo & Dante Pasquale

Wavebuster Teals: Jeffrey Dong, Daniel Muro

Wavebuster Blacks: none

Wavebuster Golds: Zander Fife, David Lemons

Senior Preps: Kat Cupka, Michelle Franks & Michael Strand.

Seniors: None

ELITE TO PROMOTE USA SWIMMING’S MOTIVATIONAL CUT TIMES:

Those familiar with New Jersey Swimming’s qualifying times for Silvers and Junior Olympics are well aware of how challenging the current qualifying times are (and they are expected to get even harder next year!!!). While these are the qualifying times everyone in Elite is focused on (and this will remain so), Elite will also begin having the Bronze level swimmers focused on USA Swimming’s “Motivational” Qualifying Times.

These Motivational times are established by USA Swimming to help each swimmer think in terms of smaller steps of improvement. The times are 6 levels of achievement-rather than 2, so swimmers can aim for times just within their reach as interim goal times. These times are now posted on Elite’s website under Time Standards.

While Elite swimmers will still need to focus on Silver and JO qualifying times, we do want the swimmers to understand that any improvement is significant improvement. Hopefully, these Motivational Time Standards will help swimmers feel proud of their incremental improvements along the way!!

SWIMMING WORLD EMPHASIZES BALANCING SWIMMING WITH ACADEMICS!!

In its April, 2006 issue, Swimming World, swimming’s most popular magazine, has a feature article about the need for “Elite” swimmers to balance swimming with their academics.

In the article, several superb students who are also superb swimmers told of the need of swimmers to: 1) be determined and focused to accomplish both 2) get enough sleep and 3) to time management (such as using one’s cell phone as an alarm clock to limit texting or IMing time!).

With Elite’s new Scholar-Athlete awards, it seems Elite is right in stride with the “elite” swimmers in the country!!! Check out the article (page 16)!!!

SLIDE SHOW FOR SALE:

Several parents have requested copies of pictures from the Award Dinner Slide Show. To help defray the cost of putting together and presenting the slide show, Bill will be selling copies of the entire slide show for $10. It is Bill’s understanding that individual pictures within the slide show can be removed from the disc and printed on any home printer.

Just email Bill a request for a disc of the slide show and he will provide a copy of the disc. Bill will “bill” the family for the cost of the disc.

PARKING AN ISSUE AT NEWARK ACADEMY:

There is a distinct shortage of parking spaces at Newark Academy, especially on weekdays between 5:15 pm and 6:30 pm. Parents are welcome to “drop off” or “pick-up” their swimmers by the field house entrance during this time period if the driver remains in the car. If a parent is coming into the building, they are requested to park in the “upper” lot and walk thru the school to reach the pool.

Please remember to drive slowly thru the parking lots and do not park in the fire lanes, as the Livingston Police will ticket improperly parked cars.

2 NEW FACES ON COACHING STAFF: COACH PETE LOFTUS LEAVES ELITE:

Two new coaches have joined the Elite Coaching Staff: Matt King and Ashley Johnston.

Matt, who was a charter member of the Elite Swim Club in 1995, returns this spring to his former club team as an assistant coach. Matt will work with the Marlin Teals, Wave Teals, Wave Blacks and Wave Golds.

Matt joined Elite as a 13 year old and blossomed into one of the best swimmers Elite has ever produced (please check out the Top 10 All Time Times List-under the distance & IM events!!). Since graduating Rowan University in 2004 (where he was captain of the Men’s Swim Team), Matt has worked in the area, most recently as a math teacher at Randolph High School.

Ashley, who is a senior at Seton Hall University, is new to Elite. Ashley will work with the Marlin Teals, Marlin Blacks & Wave Teals

Ashley finished her spectacular swimming collegiate career in late February by winning both the 200 IM and 400 IM at the ECAC Swimming Championships held at the University of Pittsburgh. Ashley set new SHU college records in the 400 IM (4.25.86), 200 IM (2.06.19) and in the 200 butterfly (2.05.52)!!!! Ashley will be finishing her academic requirements by student teaching next fall in the area.

After an 11year coaching stint with Elite, Pete Loftus is leaving the Elite coaching staff, effective immediately. Pete expects to stay involved in coaching, preferably at the collegiate level. Pete was part of the original coaching staff at Elite and helped formulate many of the procedures and policies of Elite. He is currently the head coach at Fairleigh Dickinson University Swim Team. Pete will be sorely missed by the coaching staff and by the swimmers of Elite.

ATTENDENCE GUIDELINES FORMALIZED:

As all Elite swimmers and parents know, Elite places a high priority on getting swimmers to practice. To our credit, swimmers take this priority seriously. Being the serious swimmers they are, when they are unable to make their normal practice, Elite swimmers like an opportunity to attend a “make-up” practice.

In order to provide an opportunity for these swimmers to practice while simultaneously placing the correct weight of the “make-up” practice within the attendance scale, Elite has “formalized” its attendance and make-up practice policy. This policy is now posted on the website under

TOP 10 TIMES UPDATED;

One of the most fun elements of swimming is the “measurability” of performance. To help keep swimmers motivated, Elite posts all sorts of “top 10” times on its website.

All the Top 10 Times lists have been updated thru earlier this week. Check it out!!!

SUMMER LONG COURSE MEET SCHEDULE REVISED:

For those planning ahead, Elite swimmers in the Wave Blacks, Wave Golds, Senior Preps and Seniors are expected to participate in the following long course meets:

1) Heat Madness: held at Rutgers on Saturday, June 3

2) Either “Long Course Cup” (held at Princeton University) or “Summer Solstice” (held at Rutgers) on Saturday, June 17 & Sunday, June 18. Decision as to which meet Elite will attend will depend on qualifying times and events offered

3) Either 12 & Under Silvers will be held Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16 at Rutgers (same weekend as in the past) or 13 & Older Silvers will be held Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23 at Rutgers (same weekend as in the past).

4) Bronze Championships will be held on Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30 in Bayonne (at an outside venue!).

5) Junior Olympics will be held Friday, August 4 thru Sunday, August 6, 2006 at Rutgers University.

PLEASE CHECK PRACTICE SCHEDULE REGULARLY:

Elite posts a two week practice schedule on its website (eliteswimclub.org/

practice schedule). This practice schedule is updated on a constant basis. It is strongly suggested that the Elite swimmer in your family check the practice schedule on a regular basis.

Please check the schedule this coming weekend. Due to the Easter weekend, the practice schedule is significantly modified!!!

Please check the practice schedule regularly!!!!