ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               06-25-07

 

MEET RECORD HIGHLIGHTS SPORATIC PERFORMANCE AT SUMMER SIZZLE:

 

            A new Boys Open 400 LCM Medley Relay record established by Michael Strand, Chris Dart, Alex Morrison and Ricky Martin was the highlight of a inconsistent performance by the Elite Swim Club at the 17th Annual Summer Sizzle Invitational Swim Meet held this past weekend at Rutgers University.

 

            Set during Saturday night’s finals, the new record is now 4.14.77. Strand led off with the back leg followed by Dart in the breast. Morrison churned the butterfly leg and Ricky Martin, ahead by a comfortable margin, finished off the race with the freestyle. Possibly the most impressive stat regarding this record is that none of the boys are older than 16 and Strand is still 14!

 

            Along with the record, Strand and Dart each captured individual titles; Strand won the 13-14 Boys 100 back in a 1.03.88 time (just missing a summer sectional cut time by 9 hundreds). Strand also placed 2nd in the 2 back (2.22.61) and 3rd in both IM competitions (400: 5.10.77 &  200: 2.25.76). Strand ended up with 123 points for his 3 days of work.

 

Dart streaked to a top finish in the 50 free in a personal best of 25.32. Disappointingly, Dart was off in his signature event: the 100 lcm backstroke as he posted a 1.00.81 time-far off his best- for a 2nd place finish. Chris also finished 2nd in the 200 back (2.13.85) and 3rd in both the 200 IM (2.15.87) and the 100 butterfly (59.32-1st time under 1 minute). Despite starting his training cycle 3 weeks later than his teammates (Chris’s winter training cycle was longer since he competed in the British Long Course Nationals in late March), Chris had expected better results.

 

 A couple of 10 year boys, Zackie Katz and Aaron Levin, also posted impressive results. Levin stroked to a 3rd place finish in the 400 LCM free event in the first time he ever competed at that distance (6.02.56). Levin also placed 4th in the 100 free (1.16.76). Unfortunately, Levin’s performance was cut short as he headed off to swim camp.

 

Katz placed 4th in the in 50 free (34.00) and added two 5th place finishes in the 100 free (1.16.84-just behind Levin) and in the 200 free (2.49.01).

 

16 year old Alex Morrison placed 5th in the 100 back (1.05.16), 6th in the 50 free (56.70) & 7th in the 100 fly (1.00.72-summer sectional cut).

 

Lindsay Stearns churned to a 5th place finish in the 200 butterfly (2.58.35), rather impressive for an 11 year old. Juliet Felsen placed 6th in the Girls 10

& U 100 Free (1.18.01). Breana Fitzpatrick won the Girls 13-14 consolation finals (9th place) with her first sub 30 second 50 free swim (29.95).

 

 Interestingly, despite these and other fabulous performances, many swimmers came away from the meet as if they did not perform as well as they

could/should. This is a great sign, as it shows the Elite swimmers are maturing and not settling for performances they believe are less than optimum. As the training cycle transitions into the sprinting mode, the Elite swimmers are looking for tremendous championship performances!

 

Swimmers who participated (# in parathesis is number of best LCM best times): Courtney Brosnan (5), John Burns (3), Chris Dart (2), Krishna Duvvuri (5), Priya Duvvuri (4), Venkatesh Duvvuri (1),Cassandra Farnow (2), Juliet Felsen (3), Spencer Fisch (1), Breana Fitzpatrick (6), Katie Gorman (5), Duncan Hall (4), Zackie Katz (7), Greg Keiser (2), Regan Kology (3), Emmie Lai (1), Aaron Levin (2), Danielle Martinez (1), Ricky Martin (6), Ali Morreale (3), Alex Morrison (12), Dan Muro (1), Maggie Nelson (2), Evan O’Hara (3), Michelle Pick (1), Brittany Ross (3), Nicki Ross (1), Kaitlin Stearns (2), Lindsay Stearns (2) & Michael Strand (11).

 

ROWING JACKET NO LONGER JUST A COACH THING; ORDER ONE YOURSELF!!

 

            That very impressive Elite rowing jacket you’ve seen worn by your coaches (it was a gift by ESCPO to the coaches at the awards banquet) can now be yours!!

 

Attached to this memo and posted on the website under “forms” is an order form for this jacket. There will be two separate orderings: 1) if you send back your payment and the form with your registration (or mail separate to Bill at 32 Prospect Street, Summit, NJ 07901) prior to July 14, you will receive your jacket as part of your 2007-08 team uniform or 2) payment can be made at the suit sale in September, 2007 and the order will be filled by late November.

 

Catch the spirit: order your Elite rowing jacket today!!!

 

SUMMER 20 PRACTICE CHALLENGE TO BE POSTED:

 

            Like last summer, Elite will shortly post the Summer 20 Challenge Workouts for those Marlin swimmers who want to keep in Elite shape during the summer season.

 

            The challenge is for a swimmer to complete a minimum of 20 workouts during the summer. These workouts are body position and stroke technique based. We ask the swimmer to complete these workouts in addition to their summer recreational team’s workout.

 

            Parents are asked to verify the workouts. Swimmers who present evidence of completion of 20 Summer Elite workouts will get an impressive award certificate in September and the award will be presented at practice in front of their friends.       

 

NJ SWIMMING LCM CAPACITY WOES CONTINUE;

12 & U SILVER/BRONZE MEET REDUCED IN SIZE & SCOPE:

ELITE TO RUN DUAL/TRI MEET TO PROVIDE “LOST” EVENTS:

 

          Problems continue within New Jersey Swimming this summer to adequately provide opportunities for all swimmers to race in Long Course Meter Meets. The most recent problem concerns the 12 & U Silver/Bronze Championship Meet.

 

          Previously scheduled to be held Saturday, July 14 & Sunday, July 15 at Rutgers University, the New Jersey Swimming’s 12 & U Silver/Bronze Meet is now scheduled as a 1 day meet at the JFK Recreation Center in Newark, New Jersey. Pursuant to a Wednesday June 13 memo, the meet will be held on Sunday, July 15 and will offer the following:

 

1)      50 meter events in each stroke for all 12 & U swimmers who do not have a gold time

2)      100 meter events for each stroke for all 12 & U swimmers who have silver times

 

This format was designed to provide the most swimmers the most opportunities to compete in the meet.

 

In an effort to provide 12& U Elite swimmers an opportunity to compete in the events not offered at this meet, Elite will host a dual or tri-meet at Morristown Beard School on Saturday, July 14. Presently, Hunterdon County YMCA has accepted Elite’s offer to participate.

 

The event schedule at this meet will provide those events not offered on Sunday at NJ Swimming’s Silver/Bronze Championships. If a swimmer’s time,  as converted by the Hy-tek data manager software the Elite uses, converts to a JO time, Elite will use this time to enter the swimmer in Junior Olympics.

 

The capacity problem New Jersey Swimming faces this summer is directly related to 3 facts: 1) Rutgers University cut back on the availability of the their pool 2) the increase of the quantity of quality within NJ Swimming (more swimmers swim fast in NJ than ever before) and 3) the nature of LCM swimming means that roughly 50% of the swimmers can compete in the meet as opposed to when competition is held in two 25 yard pools simultaneously.           

ELITE-A-THON UPDATE: $5,467; STILL WAITING FOR RESULTS!!!

           

Last month, 24 Elite swimmers participated in the 6th Annual Elite-a-thon fundraiser.  To date, only 11 swimmers have reported their charity work to Corey Deatly, event coordinator. To date, the Elite-a-thon has raised $5,242 for charity. Below is the most recent accounting of the event:

 

Swimmers who participated were: Abbie Bigham, Courtney Brosnan, Katie Brosnan, Brannon Cho, Bill Deatly-The Craig School-$571-Corey Deatly- Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation-$240, Tad Deatly-Habitat for Humanity-$231, Alli Doreno-Make a Wish Foundation-$85, Juliet Felsen, Andrea Ferrell-St Huberts Animal Hospital-$220, Emmie Lai, Jessie Lowe-Zoological Society of New Jersey -$200, Greg Keiser, Danielle Martinez Habitat for Humanity-$25, Katie McGrath-Save Darfur-$650, Caroline Nash, Evan O’Hara, Christina Pick, Gabrielle Pick, Michelle Pick, Brittany Ross-Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation-$435, Nicki Ross-Save Darfur-$650, Kaitlin Stearns-Bridges-$625, Lindsay Stearns-Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation-$550 & Rachel Tortorella-Goryeb Children’s Center at Morristown Memorial Hospital-$1,150!

 

If you have not reported your fundraising efforts yet, please send Corey an email at corey32@comcast.net as soon as possible!!!

 

STUDY PRACTICE SCHEDULE CLOSELY AS WE TRANSITION INTO SUMMER SCHEDULE:

 

            As  we transition from our Spring practice schedule to our Summer practice schedule, the practice times and venues change radically during the next two weeks (various pools are not available).  Please pay close attention to the practice schedule on a daily basis and please make no assumptions. Check the schedule!!!

 

SUMMER SEASON/PROMOTION SCHEDULE EXPLAINED:

 

            With the Summer Session now in sight, below is an explanation of how training at Elite will work. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact Bill.

 

            For Marlin Teals, Marlin Blacks and Wavebuster Teals, the Spring 2007 Season has been extended to Friday, June 15. There will be no practice the preceding weekend (Saturday, June 9 & Sunday, June 10 for these training groups. Wave Teals will have the option to train with Elite this summer (more on that later in this article).

 

            For the Wavebuster Blacks, Wavebuster Golds, Senior Preps and Seniors, practice will continue thru late July/early August.

 

            Marlin Teals: the Spring 2007 Season has been extended to Friday, June 15. There will be no practice the preceding weekend (Saturday, June 9 & Sunday, June 10). There is no summer training for Marlin Teals (they should participate for their local swim clubs and shine!!!). Letters regarding which training group a swimmer will be placed in for Fall 2008 will be send in mid-June (including promotions-there may be a few into Marlin Blacks). Swimmers will need to send in their $200 deposit to reserve their roster spot by Saturday, July 14.  

 

            Marlin Blacks: the Spring 2007 Season has been extended to Friday, June 15. There will be no practice the preceding weekend (Saturday, June 9 & Sunday, June 10). There is no summer training for Marlin Blacks (they should participate for their local swim clubs and shine!!!). Letters regarding which training group a swimmer will be placed in for Fall 2008 will be send in mid-June (including promotions-there may be a few into Wavebuster Teals). If a swimmer is promoted into Wavebuster Teals by reason of the June roster letter, that swimmer is invited to train as a Wavebuster Teal this summer (see Wave Teal explanation). If a newly promoted swimmer chooses to train with Elite this summer, they will be entered into whatever meet we can enter the swimmer in at such a late date. Swimmers will need to send in their $200 deposit to reserve their roster spot by Saturday, July 14.  

 

Wavebuster Teals: the Spring 2007 Season has been extended to Friday, June 15. There will be no practice the preceding weekend (Saturday, June 9 & Sunday, June 10). The Wavebuster Teals have the option to train with Elite this summer at Morristown-Beard School & Springfield (see summer schedule). Wave Teals who anticipate training with Elite should email Leighann to inform her they plan to train with Elite this summer. Swimmers who indicate they will train with Elite this summer will be placed in any meet they can be placed in. Swimmers who want to train but have conflicts (vacation, car pools, etc) are strongly encouraged to come to practice whenever they can. Letters regarding Fall 2008 will be send in mid-June. Swimmers whom at that time have earned a promotion into Wavebuster Blacks will receive a letter of promotion at that time. Those swimmers will instantly become Wavebuster Blacks and will be expected to train with the Wavebuster Blacks from that point forward this summer. In addition, some Wavebuster Teals could earn a promotion into the Wavebuster Blacks thru their practice and performance this summer and be notified of that promotion in mid-late July. These swimmers would become Wavebuster Blacks starting with the Fall 2008 session. Regardless of placement, all swimmers will need to send in their $200 deposit to reserve their roster spot by Saturday, July 14.  

 

Wavebuster Blacks; Wavebuster Golds, Senior Preps & Seniors:  Swimmers in these training groups are expected to train with Elite this summer. Swimmers in these training groups will be placed in meets thoughout  the summer.  Letters regarding the Fall 2008 session will be send in mid-June. However, no swimmer in these training groups will be promoted for the Fall 2008 Session until mid-late July. Regardless of placement, swimmers will need to send in their $200 deposit to reserve their roster spot by Saturday, July 14.   

 

WINTER 2007-08 PRACTICE SCHEDULE TO CHANGE; MORE TIME SLOTTED FOR MARLINS & WAVE GOLDS; SCHEDULE POSTED UNDER PRACTICE SCHEDULE:

 

            In its never ending pursuit of using the allotted pool time as efficiently as possible, Elite will have a new practice schedule starting September 2008. The practice schedule is now posted on the team website under Practice Schedule. The schedule changes allows Elite to offer significantly more pool time to 3 of the 5 Age Group Training Groups training at Newark Academy. 

 

            The Marlin Blacks and the Marlin Teals will now practice at the same time on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. In keeping with its policy of never having more than 36 swimmers in a training group, the total number of swimmers between the two groups will never exceed 36. By using the pool for both training groups simultaneously, both groups will be offered 4 practices a week for a total of 3.75 hours. In addition, the Marlins will start 15 minutes early from Sept thru November 15 (5:00 pm) so they can get a full hour of practice when the pool is available.

 

            The Wavebuster Gold training group will also gain practice time. Currently, the Wave Golds have 10 hours of practice a week. Under the current schedule, when a swimmer earns a promotion from the Wave Golds to the Senior Preps, the amount of practice time jumps to 17 hours a week. The change in the practice schedule will better prepare the Wave Golds for this expanded practice time as a Senior Prep.