ELITE NEWS BULLETIN 04-17-06

STROKE TECHNIQUE IN FULL BLOOM:

From the smallest Marlin to the largest Senior, Elite swimmers and coaches have been focusing on stroke mechanics this spring.

Using a series of progressive drills meant to reinforce the proper balance and body position when swimming, the coaches have introduced and reviewed a series of drills via television and swimmer demonstration during the first two weeks of training. These visual tools greatly improve the learning curve of swimmers of all levels, as the swimmer sees the proper execution of the drills prior to performing them.

With regards to freestyle and backstroke (the long axis strokes), these drills emphasize keeping the head down, the chest pressed into the water while rolling both the shoulders and hips in unison during each stroke cycle. These movments will keep both strokes as long (read: powerful) and graceful as possible (if done properly, your swimmer will actually look so graceful it will appear they are not working hard-similar to graceful ice skaters). A “long” swimmer is in the most hydrodynamic body position while simultaneously unlocking the real power in the stroke (arm pull fully extended and used in conjunction with the hip roll-very similar to rotating the hip during a baseball or golf swing).

With regards to breaststroke and butterfly (the short axis strokes), these drills also emphasize keeping the head down (especially when breathing) but also focus on the chest pressing into the water and the hips “popping” as a result of the chest press. These movements will allow the arms to follow the body movement rather than vice versa (most swimmers “throw” their arms in performing these strokes). When the correct body motion is performed, again the swimmer unlocks its power source while being in the most positive hydrodynamic body position.

Parents are welcome to ask their swimmers about their “hide your head,” “sweet spot,” “lengthen,” “shoulder lead body dolphin,” and “hand lead body dolphin” drills.

Coaches will continue to focus heavily on these drills thru out the spring session but will increase the aerobic conditioning (more laps in the same or less time) as the session moves towards summer.

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

ARIZONA SUN IN SENIORS’ FUTURE:

Plans have been made for the Senior Training Group to train at Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe, Az during the Winter School Break in December, 2006.

Returning to the site where the Elite Seniors trained during their 2002 & 2004 training trips, Elite will practice 13 times in 7 days at the Sun Devil Pool on the ASU campus.

In the past, the Seniors have loved Tempe, as they are in walking distance to the main drag in town and are able to hit the stores (and most importantly, Cold Stone!) after practice.

Tempe is also home to the an extremely well organized 1^st Night on New Year’s Eve and the Tostilla Bowl, one of the biggest bowl games in college football.

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.

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.