ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               05-15-06

 

30 SWIMMERS RAISE MONEY FOR THEIR CHARITY:

 

In truly demonstrating their “Eliteness,” 30 swimmers unselfishly swam (frolicked?) for two hours to raise money for their favorite charities this past Saturday afternoon at Morristown-Beard School. Elite-a-thon, conceived four years ago by graduating Senior Will Peters; was coordinated from start to finish this year by Corey Deatly.

 

Like the previous four Elite-a-thons, this year’s event was structured so each indvidual participating raised money for the “charity of their choice.” Swimmers got their family and friends to “sponsor” their swims, which money is then donated to the charity of their choice. The 1st four Elite-a-thon’s raised a combinted total of approximately $30,000. Elite also raised in excess of $9,000 this past fall for Hurricane Katrina victims.

 

For the 3rd year in a row, Bill swam and he completed 40 laps. Bill’s swim will raise money for Friends In Adoption, an agency that coordinates and helps the transition period of adoptions. A great thanks to those swimmers and parents who pledged a contribution to Bill’s swim. Checks are to be made out to: Friends in Adoption and can be left in Bill’s mailbox at Newark Academy or mailed to Bill at 32 Prospect Street Summit New Jersey 07901. 

 

Elite swimmers who participated were: Chris Balbo, Megan Balbo, Jimmy Campbell, Brannon Cho, Jonny Crowther, Chris Dart, Corey Deatly, Tad Deatly, Shebly Dixon, Andrea Ferrell, Spencer Fisch, Michelle Franks, Duncan Hall, Emmie Lai, Jessie Lowe, Sarah Lowe, Michael Kellstrom, Katie McGrath, Maggie Nelson, Alana Pasquale, Dante Pasquale, Christina Pick, Gabrielle Pick, Michelle Pick, Brittany Ross, Kaitlin Stearns, Lindsay Stearns, Michael Strand, Erica Takahashi, Andrea Tyminski.  

 

LONG COURSE STARTS TODAY FOR SENIORS/SENIOR PREPS; OPPORTUNITIES FOR WAVE GOLDS TO TRAIN LONG COURSE OFFERED:

 

            In what Bill believes is a real coup, Elite Seniors and Senior Preps will begin their long course training 5 weeks early this year by training at the Summit Municipal Pool today (Monday, May 15) thru Saturday, June 17.

 

            Long Course training (swimming in a pool that is 50 meters long as opposed to 25 yards-Newark Academy or 25 meters-Morristown-Beard) is superior training for 2 reasons: 1) swimming twice as far while reducing the number of turns by half significantly builds endurance and 2) as the body tires, it fights to become more efficient-thus, stroke technique actually improves due to a necessity!!!

 

            Summit’s Pool is heated to 80 degrees so the pool is expected to be warm. Practice will be held in the rain-but not in a thunderstorm.

 

            Directions to the Summit Municipal Pool are posted on the website under Practice Schedule: Directions to Summit Municipal Pool.

 

            Elite will move to Springfield Municipal on Monday, June 19.

 

            This spring, on those days when Elite is unable to train at NA and MBS (such as Saturday, May 27 & Tuesday, May 30), the Wave Golds will be invited to train long course at the Summit Municipal Pool.     

 

            In addition, this Summer, all Wave Golds are offered the option each day to train at the venue of their choice: either long course at Springfield Municipal Pool from 6:00 am to 8:15 am or at Morristown-Beard School from 4 pm to 6 pm. The Wave Golds can choose which pool to practice at on a day-by-day basis. The Wave Golds are not offered to swim doubles (they can not swim at both practice on the same day). 

 

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS SUNDAY, MAY 21:

 

Elite will attend the Tidal Waves 2nd Annual League Championship Meet held Sunday, May 21 at the Union Boys and Girls Club in Union.

 

All Elite swimmers in the Marlin Teals, Marlin Blacks, Wave Teals, Wave Blacks and Wave Golds will be entered into this meet.

 

Information regarding this meet has been posted on the website under Meet Schedule. Please note the Starting Time of Session 2 has been moved up.

 

PARENTS ORGANIZATION MEETING: TUESDAY, MAY 16:

 

In an effort to formalize and create a vibrant Parents Organization to help organize the ancillary needs of the Elite Swim Club, there will be a meeting on Tuesday, May 16 at Newark Academy at 7:30 pm.

 

 While parents have been extremely helpful in offering their time and efforts to Elite in the past, this has been done in a haphazard manner. In order for Elite to continue to develop and become an even stronger swim club, an active and energetic Parents Organization is a must.

 

All Elite parents are strongly urged to attend.

 

NOT GETTING THE NEWSLETTER BY EMAIL? PROBLEM SHOULD BE SOLVED:

 

            During the past several weeks, several parents notified Bill that they had not received the weekly bulletin email send out each Monday. When the situation was analyzed, the common demoniator was that each email address not getting the email was a Comcast email account.

 

            Apparently Comcast put a block on mailing lists used by a server that Elite was coincidently using to distribute its mailing. Since Elite’s email list contains approximately 400 email addresses, Elite’s email was seen as spam and blocked.  

 

            The issue has been addressed by former Elite parent Paul Tukey and  the situation is believed to have been corrected (we will know today with the email!).

 

NEW JERSEY SWIMMING WEBSITE REVISED; MUCH IMPROVED:

 

            Roger Ridenour, head coach of the Bergen Barracudas, has singlehandedly revised New Jersey Swimming’s website taking it from a stale bulletin board to a vibrant and living website full of New Jersey and USA Swimming information.

 

            The site, located at njswim.org., has top 25 lists, results from swim meets, time standards, state records, policies, history of New Jersey Olympians and much, much more.

 

            Check out New Jersey Swimming’s new website for your swim information fix!!!

 

FILMING ATTACKS SWIM COACHES BIGGEST CHALLENGE:

DVDS PROVIDE VISUAL FEEDBACK TO SENIORS, SENIOR PREPS:

 

            Because the important athletic tasks are performed below the surface of the water and out of a direct sightline, swimming poses the interesting but daunting challenge to coaches: what are the swimmers actually doing under water?? Most coaches simply “suppose” what is occuring from cues seen above the water rather than actually knowing what is occuring.

 

            But since Elite is not satisfied with that answer and because a picture is worth a thousand words, this spring Elite is attacking this age-old problem by digitally filming the Senior and Senior Preps. By harvesting technology, Elite will provide a DVD (including voice over) to each Senior and Senior Prep of their swimming as viewed from under the water.

 

            This year, Elite has upgraded its technology by purchasing an Apple Macbook laptop computer. With the help of the Apple and with assistance of Sam Duren (Wave Black swimmer), Bill has been busy working on providing a product that answers the question of what each swimmer is doing.

 

 Although still a week or two away from actually producing DVD’s, the product that Bill anticipates providing is simply beautiful. Each swimmer will be able to view themselves swimming from both the side and head-on view. The voice over will provide verbal instruction on what is being done correctly and what can be improved.

 

The Apple has already contributed to Elite’s video library as Bill has filmed (the Seniors) and made a DVD of Elite’s sculling drills. This DVD will be presented to the younger swimmers thru the television at Newark Academy as to how to perform effective sculling. Bill is also at work at filming the the Seniors of all the Elite drills, which again will provide a visual tool to Elite swimmers as to how to perform these drills properly. 

 

            Lastly, Bill anticipates that clips from these films will be posted on the website for Elite swimmers to view.

 

BILL AVAILABLE FOR SUMMER SWIM CLINICS:

 

            Over the past 10 summers, Bill has provided dozens of free instructional clinics at local summer swim clubs in the area. Designed to promote both swimming as a sport and Elite to seasonal swimmers, these clinics are provided for swimmers of all ages and abilities.

 

            Usually held during a summer club’s pool during swim practice time, the clinics touch upon the body position and balance drills that are the foundation of Elite’s teaching system. The clinics generally last about 1 hour.

 

            In the recent past, Bill has held clinics at the Racquets Club, East Hanover Community Pool, Millburn Community Pool, Chatham Fish & Game Club, Stardust Swim Club, Beacon Hill & Glacier Hills.

 

            Elite parents whom are involved with their local swim clubs are welcome to contact Bill to set up a date this summer for a clinic!!! 

 

COLLEGE NITE: WEDNESDAY, MAY 24:

 

            In an effort to provide parents AND swimmers with insight into the “college hunting” process, Elite will hold a “College Nite” for parents and high school on Wednesday, May 24 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Newark Academy.

 

Margery Slonaker of Best Foot Forward will once again join Elite during the discussion. Thru Best Foot Forward, Margery has been instrumental in helping local student/athletes get into prestigious universities for more than a decade. Her clients have been accepted into some of the country’s best colleges including Princeton, Harvard, Brown, Amherst, Middlebury, Lehigh, Georgetown, Colgate and the University of Maryland. Parents are welcome to visit Best Foot Forward’s website at www.bestftforward.com.

 

This year’s program will be a round table discussion with Elite Seniors in High School and their parents asked to participate. Since getting into small liberal arts college has become increasingly difficult, the College Nite is an effort by Elite to share the collective wisdom it has regarding the college hunting process with all its high school age members.

 

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. Meet Information now posted

 

            2) Summer Solstice: held at Rutgers) on Saturday, June 17 & Sunday, June 18. Meet Information now posted

 

            3) NEW!! Seniors Only: Summer Sizzle on Friday, June 23 thru Sunday, June 25 at Rutgers.  Meet Information now posted

 

4)  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).

 

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

 

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