ELITE NEWS BULLETIN 5-26-08
AGE GROUPERS RELENTLESS AT LONG COURSE MEMORIAL DAY MEET;
KOLOGY WINS 3 EVENTS, DONG WINS 1;
P. DUVVURI, DONG, G. KEISER, KOLOGY & LI QUALIFY FOR ZONES,
BALBO, BUCKHAM, CHO, DONG, DORNEO, A. DUREN, P. DUVVURI, GALEA,
GORMAN, S. HARRIS, KATZ, G.KEISER, KOLOGY, LI, MARTIN, B. MILLER-RADEST, K.
MILLER-RADEST, NASH, C. PICK, SHEPARD, L. STEARNS & WYER QUALIFY FOR JO’S;
Just seven weeks into the training cycle and without training a single lap long course, the Elite Age Groupers were relentless in their pursuit of excellence this past weekend at the Memorial Day Invitational LCM Meet at Rutgers, literally dominating their age groups, winning 4 events, 5 swimmers qualifying for Eastern Zones 5 times and 29 swimmers qualifying for 59 Juniors Olympics times!!!! Memorial Day Invitational is a high level qualifying meet (regional powerhouses Long Island Aquatics, Badger Swim Club and Berkeley were in attendance) and the second long course (50 meter pool length as opposed to 25 yards) meet of the summer season. Thus, the Elite results are very impressive.
Regan Kology, who just turned 12 this past week, won the 11-12 Girls 50 Free (30.07), the 200 free (2.22.99) & the 400 free (4.54.05-one second faster than her time last week!). Regan finished 2nd in the100 free (1.06.08), just missing sweeping all the freestyle events in her age group. Kology’s 100 & 200 free times were Zone qualifiers, giving her a total of 4. Kology added her 9th JO time in the 200 IM (2.44.87).
Jeffrey Dong, only participating one day, won the 11-12 Boys 50 Breast with a 39.20 time, which is a Zone qualify time. Dong also posted a JO time in his other event: 50 back (37.88).
Michael Li, who has worked hard all year without significant drops in his times, broke thru with a Zone qualifying swim in the 100 breast (1.18.52) to place 8th. Li also added 3 JO swims to his resume (200 IM-2.35.37, 400 IM-5.35.19 & 200 back-2.38.49). Fellow training partner Greg Keiser churned to a Zone qualifying time in the 100 fly with a 1.06.89 time, also placing 8th. Keiser also added 3 JO’s to his roster (200 IM-2.37.20, 400 IM-5.38.54 & 200 fly: 2.32.33). Along with Brendan Miller-Radest (who added 2 JO cuts in the 200 free-2.18.69 & 400 IM-.5.34.22), Elite now has three 13 & 14 year boys who have qualified for Zones.
14 year old Priya Duvvuri continued to placed 2nd in the Girls 13 & 14 100 back (1.13.92), 3rd in the 100 fly (1.09.99) in a Zone time and 4th in the 200 fly (2.40.27). Priya also added a JO cut in the 200 IM (2.40.42)
10 year old Aaron Levin, who ages up prior to JO’s placed 2nd in two events: 100 back: 1.25.57 & the 50 back: 38.92 while placing 3rd in the 100 free (1.13.87) and 4th in the 50 free 33.40).10 year old Kaitlin Stearns placed in the top 7 in each of her events: placing 2nd three times (50 Free: 33.13, 50 back-38.74, 100 free: 1.12.23), 3rd twice (100 back: 1.25.09 & 200 free: 2.40.91) and 7th in the 50 fly). Stearns already had Zone times in 5 of these events.
11 year old Zachie Katz placed 2nd in the 50 breast (39.76), 3rd in the 100 breast (1.32.60) and 4th in the 50 fly (33.92). Katz’s 100 breast and 100 fly (1.22.62) swims were JO level. 12 year old Alli Dorneo placed 2nd in the 50 back (36.34) and 4th in the 100 back (1.18.78- a JO cut).
Three 10 & Unders qualified for Junior Olympics in all 6 of their events: Chris Balbo, Andrea Galea & Caroline Nash. 10 year old Balbo qualified for JO’s in the 50 free (35.57), 100 back (1.29.89), 50 fly (40.78), 50 back (42.49), 100 free (1.17.68) and the 200 free (2.44.94). 9 year old Galea never finished lower than 6th in qualifying for JO’s in the 50 free (34.43), 100 back (1.27.12), 50 fly (39.88), 50 back (40.70), 100 free (1.17.51) & the 200 free (2.49.46). 10 year old Nash hit JO paydirt 6 times and finished 3rd twice (50 free: 34.21 & 50 fly:38.92).
12 year old Ryan Buckham qualified to JO’s in 5 events (50 back:35.92, 50 breast: 41.16, 100 free: 1.06.77, 50 free: 30.64 & 100 back: 1.20.11). 9 year old Christina Pick hit JO’s standards 4 times: 50 free: 36.31, 100 free: 1.19.35, 50 fly: 41.94 & 100 fly: 1.33.22).
12 year old Katie Gorman placed 3rd in the 50 free (30.81) and 4th in both the 50 breast (40.84) and the 50 fly (33.91). Katie also added JO times in the 200 free (2.30.08) and the 100 fly (1.19.74). She now has a total of 8 JO times.
14 year old Ryan Wyer qualified for JO’s in 3 events: 50 free (28.26), 100 fly (1.07.57) and 200 free (2.15.66). 12 year old Andrea Shepard also qualified for JO’s in 3 events: 100 free (a 4th place finish with a 1.09.15 time), 200 free (2.29.70) & 50 free (31.88) .
14 year old Ali Morreale placed 3rd in the 100 breast in a Zone time of 1.24.04 (Ali ages up in July). 12 year old Lindsay Stearns placed 4th in 100 fly (1.16.17) in addition to qualifying for 2 JO swims: 200 free (2.31.01) & the 200 IM (2.48.81).
12 year old Kara Miller-Radest earned to JO cuts, both in the butterfly events (50: 35.50 & 100: 1.21.93). 16 year old Ricky Martin posted JO times in the 200 back (2.26.40) and the 200 fly (2.29.50).
9 year old Amy Duren splashed to a JO cut in the 50 fly (42.56) while 13 year old Brannon Cho also added a JO cut in the 200 back (2.36.28). 10 year old Scott Harris posted a JO swim in the 100 breast (1.49.74).
Elite now has 31 swimmers qualified for 144 LCM Junior Olympic cuts; prior to the start of the long course meter season, Elite had 19 swimmers qualified for 78 events. Full results are posted on the team website (complete with qualifying levels-a new feature!).
Swimmers who participated in the Memorial Day Invitational were (# in parenthesis is # of best LCM times): Matt Ahlmeyer (2), Chris Balbo (6), Ryan Buckham (6), Brannon Cho (3), Jeffrey Dong (2), Alli Dorneo (4), Amy Duren (1), Sam Duren (2), Avinash Duvvuri (4), Priya Duvvuri (3), Venkatesh Duvvuri (2), Juliet Felsen (3), Spencer Fisch (6), Breana Fitzpatrick, Andrea Galea (6), Katie Gorman (5), Scott Harris (1), Brent Jones (2), Zackie Katz (5), Gregory Keiser (5), Regan Kology (5), Emmie Lai (4), Isabel LaRaia (4), Aaron Levin (5), Michael Li (6), Ricky Martin (3), Brendan Miller-Radest (6), Kara Miller-Radest (2), Ali Morreale (3), Isabella Morreale (1), Caroline Nash (6), Maggie Nelson (3), Silas Newcomb (1), Gregory Niccolai (1), Christina Pick (6), Brittany Ross, Andrea Shepard (6), Kaitlin Stearns (4), Lindsay Stearns (5), Michael Strand, Rachel Tortorella (2), Maggie Woodruff (3), Ryan Wyer (6).
PHASE 1 OF “OPERATION THRIVAL”: NEW ELITE
WEBSITE PAGE FOR INTERESTED SWIMMERS; PHASE 2: SUMMER TEAM CLINICS:
In order to help swimmers and parents who are interested in Elite, the team has added a separate “Interested Swimmer” homepage to help provide information an Interested Swimmer would need in making a choice to train at Elite.
With the need to draw new and beginner level swimmers into the program (so we can develop them like we have with our current 9-12 year olds), Bill has dubbed this effort “Operation Thrival.” Combining the words thrive and survival aptly gives the effort the right label; for Elite to survive but also to continue to survive, the club needs new blood at the lowest levels of the program.
In addition to the new webpage, Bill will be providing clinics to local swim clubs this summer. Many parents have reached out to Bill regarding this, and Bill will be in touch shortly in coordinating these clinics.
LONG COURSE TRAINING STARTS TODAY FOR SENIORS, SENIOR PREPS AND
WEDNESDAY FOR WAVE GOLDS;
Elite will begin its long course training next Tuesday, May 27 with practices at the Summit Municipal Pool. For two weeks (9 total practices), Elite will train in the heated long course pool in Summit. The practice schedule is posted on the website.
Elite Seniors, Senior Preps and Wave Golds will take advantage of this early season long course training. Swimmers in the Wave Gold who can’t get to Summit are encouraged to train at Newark Academy with the Wavebuster Blacks during this period. Wave Golds are also encouraged to seek out carpools with Seniors and Senior Preps to get to practice, if possible.
By its definition, long course competition is more grueling. Long course training, in preparation for long course competition, gives the swimmer the best opportunity to perform well at long course competition.
SHUT
OUT OF SUMMER SOLSTICE, ELITE WILL HOLD INTRACLUB MEET ON SUNDAY, JUNE 29:
This week, despite emailing our entries at the designated time, Elite was shut out of Summer Solstice meet, to be held on Saturday, June 28 & Sunday, June 29 at Princeton. As a result, Elite will host an Intraclub Meet on Sunday morning, June 29 at Morristown-Beard School. “Converted” results from this meet will be used to enter swimmers in summer championship meets, including Junior Olympics.
In the past, entries to NJ Swimming meets were done as a 1st come, 1st serve basis after the meet announcement was posted. Summer Solstice handled it differently, stating it would only accept entries starting at noon on Monday, May 12. Although Elite sent their entries electronically at noon, they were not received until 12:05 pm. Entries received between 12:00 pm and 12:04 pm filled up the meet.
The Intraclub Meet will be held for those swimmers who did not qualify for Summer Sizzle, which is also being held the same weekend at Rutgers University. In addition, Wave Teal swimmers, who were not going to compete at Summer Solstice, will be included in this meet.
Details regarding the meet will be forthcoming. At the moment, it is contemplated that swimmers will be allowed to compete in 4 events at this meet. Despite Bill’s reluctance to use “converted” times (since there is no accurate scientific conversion equation), circumstances dictate that using “converted” times for entry times in this summer’s championship meets is necessary.
TIME STANDARDS POSTED; LCM JO’S, SECTIONALS, ZONES:
With New Jersey Swimming releasing their summer LCM time standards last week, Elite has now posted the LCM time standards for Sectionals, Eastern Zones, JO’s and Silvers under Time Standards.
Summer Sectionals are known as “Super Sectionals,” as it will be 1 meet within the entire Eastern Zone. Each spring, there are 2 Sectionals meets held-a “north” and a “south.” Super Sectionals will be held at Penn State University on July 17 thru July 20.
Eastern Zones, which in the summer is a time qualifying meet, will be held August 6 thru August 10 in Rockville, Maryland. Each Spring, Zones teams are picked based upon the 2 fastest times swum in each event.
Junior Olympic and Silver Times are also posted.
LONG COURSE JO’S SCHEDULED ALTERED THIS YEAR: 13 & O IN AM:
As are result of serious discussion at the New Jersey LSC House of Delegates Meeting on May 7, the event schedule for LCM Junior Olympics will be altered this year, flip flopping the 13 & O and the 12 & Under Sessions.
This year, the 13 & Olders will compete in the am session with the 12 & Unders competing in the pm.
Junior Olympics will be held Friday, July 25 thru Sunday, July 27.
EASTERN ZONE APPLICATIONS AND HOTEL INFORMATION POSTED ON NJ
SWIMMING WEBSITE:
New Jersey Swimming has posted the Swimmer Application and hotel information regarding the Summer 2008 Eastern Zones Meet on the New Jresey Swimming website under “Zones.”
Once a swimmer has qualified, they are encouraged to fill out the application and mail it to Stephanie Crofton at New Jersey Swimming. This gives Stephanie more time to process the application. If swimmers qualify for additional events, the application can be easily amended.
If you have qualified for Zones and plan to attend, please consider filling out the application and mailing as soon as possible. In addition, getting a hotel room now is always prudent.
23 MEMBERS SWIM FOR CHARITY IN TEAM’S 7th ANNUAL ELITE-A-THON,
MANY RAISE $ FOR CROHN’S IN THANKS TO LEIGHANN;
Twenty-one
Elite swimmers swam up to 2 hours last Saturday in the 7th Annual
Elite-a-thon fundraiser.
Like all past “Elite-a-thons,” this year’s event was structured so each individual participating will be raising money for the “charity of their choice.”
Those who participated were: Chris Balbo, Megan Balbo, Tad Deatly, Andy Fresen, Andrea Ferrell, Erika Fresen, Andrea Galea, Clio Galea, Alyssa Hartigan, Greg Keiser, Emmie Lai, Jesse Lowe, Sarah Lowe, Daniela Manzi, Marisa Manzi, Dan Muro, Darragh O’Gorman, Mikala Quinn, Brittany Ross, Kaitlin Stearns, Lindsay Stearns, Will Stearns, Michael Strand, Michael Tortorella, Rachel Tortorella .
In a tradition begun four years ago, Bill swim 2000 yards (40 x 50 on
2:00) to raise money for his yearly charity. This year, Bill raised money to
help research on Crohn’s Disease, the illness inflicting Coach Leighann
Marcelliano. All of Bill’s money will be pledged to Maya Epelbaum, who is also
raising money for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America by
participating in a walk-a-thon on May 18, 2008 at College of St. Elizabeth’s in
New Jersey (Elite swimmers who also wish to walk with Maya should contact her
at swimster633@yahoo.com ).
Tad Deatly, this year’s event coordinator, will compile information regarding
how much money was raised and to what charities the money helped. That
information will be in the next few memos.
ALL THREE LONG COURSE PRACTICE SCHEDULES NOW POSTED:
Starting Tuesday May 27, the practice schedule for the Wavebusters and the Seniors will change drastically (and several times) as the team transitions into the summer long course practice schedule. There are 3 separate schedules that will be in affect from May 27 thru July 31 for Waves and Seniors.
1) Elite has secured practice time at Summit Municipal Pool from Tuesday, May 27 thru Friday, June 6 (excluding weekends). Summit is a long course pool that is heated. Getting this extra practice time in at a long course pool is a significant benefit for Elite swimmers. This practice schedule is now posted.
2)
After Friday June 6, Elite no longer has pool time at
Newark Academy or Summit (Marlins season is now concluded). Elite begins long
course practice for Wavebusters and Seniors at Springfield Municipal Pool in
the am (for those private school swimmers who are out of school) and will also
hold practice at Morristown-Beard School from 7:00 pm to 9:00 (thru Thursday,
June 19). This schedule is now
posted. During this period when practices at MBS are expected to be very
crowded, no Senior or Senior Prep swimmer is invited to do doubles.
3) Starting Monday June 23, Elite will conduct practices at Springfield in the am and Morristown-Beard in the afternoon (time switches to 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm). This practice schedule will last the remainder of the summer season. This schedule is now posted. Senior and Senior Prep swimmers are invited to do doubles.
PARKING AN ISSUE AT NEWARK ACADEMY & MORRISTOWN-BEARD:
Parents are reminded that there is a distinct shortage of parking spaces at Newark Academy, especially on weekdays between 5:00 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.
With the construction work at Morristown-Beard, parking on the weekends can also be difficult. Elite parents are reminded not to park in fire lanes for the obvious reason plus the Morristown Police are now ticketing cars parked in no parking zones.
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!!! If you do not see what you need, email Bill at eliteswimclubnj@comcast.net