ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               07-06-09

 

ELITE PERFORMANCE SIMPLY “SIZZLING”:

SEBASTIAN, KATZ, M. HONG & DONG BREAK STATE 12 & U MEDLEY RELAY RECORD:

4 MEET RECORDS BROKEN BY ELITE SWIMMERS/RELAYS:

COYNE, CRITCHLEY, DART (3), IIZUKA, MANGO (3), SEBASTIAN (2), L. STEARNS & 4 RELAYS WIN EVENTS!!

GROEL POSTS 2 SECTIONAL CUTS;

COYNE, A. DUREN, HALL, M. HONG, KATZ (2), KOLOGY (2), MANGO (4), K. MILLER-RADEST, SEBASTIAN & L. STEARNS ADD ZONE CUTS

AHLMEYER (2), C. BALBO (5), BIGHAM, CHU (2), DONG, A. DUREN (2), K. DUVVURI (2). J. FELSEN (6), GALEA (2), E. GORHAM, GROEL (2), A. GUACELLI (2), M. HONG, KATZ, KEISER, I. LARAIA (2), S. LOWE, MANGO (6), MELCHIOR (2), K. MILLER-RADEST, SEBASTIAN (2), K. STEARNS, STRAND, M. TORTORELLA (1) & A. WEINBROM ADD 50 JO CUTS

POINT TOTAL 800 POINTS MORE THAN LAST YEAR (1,877.5):

 

            Ranking with last spring’s team wide performance at Junior Olympics as the best performances in team history, the Elite Swim Club was simply magnificent at the 2009 Summer Sizzle Invitational Swim Meet at Rutgers University this past weekend. Combining the Elite point (1665) total with the Unattached Elite point (212.5) total put Elite at an astounding 1,877.5 points to place 3rd (behind Scarlet and Team Suffolk-Long Island) out of 29 teams!!! Elite bested its 2008 performance at the same meet by 800 points.

 

            The performance of the meet was 12 year olds Ryan Sebastian, Zach Katz, Matthew Hong & Jeff Dong breaking the 16 year old Boys 11-12 4 x 50 Medley Relay record held by a Ridgewood quartet. Sebastian (back), Katz (breast), Hong (fly) and Dong (free) shattered the record by more than 1 second on Saturday and then came within 1 second of breaking the 4 x 50 Free Relay on Sunday (held by the same Ridgewood quartet)! Both swims were Sizzle meet records.

 

            The foursome of Scott Groel (back), Chris Dart (breast), Michael Strand (fly) and Adam Weinbrom (free) broke the Sizzle Meet Record for the Open 4 x 100 Medley Relay on Saturday night. This quartet bested a 2 year old meet record held by swimmers named Strand, Dart, Alex Morrison and Ricky Martin by over 6 seconds!! The same boys also won the 4 x 100 Free Relay, when Dart ran down a Scarlet swimmer on the anchor lap.

 

            10 year old Jimmy Coyne stroked under the 10 & Under Meet record for the 200 meter breaststroke. Coyne’s time was 2 seconds under the former record. Coyne also posted his 2nd Zone qualifying time in the 100 breast (1.35.95).

 

Chris Dart, who has returned from Clemson University to train and compete for Elite this summer won 3 events (100 free-54.56, 100 back-58.05 and the 200 IM-2.12.11).

 

14 year old Alex Mango, finishing up his 14 & Under career (he ages up this week) also won 3 events (50 free-26.37, 100 free-57.71 & the 200 free-2.04.42). Alex, who competed unattached, also placed 3rd in the 400 free (4.23.44), 3rd in the 100 back (1.08.14), 4th in the 200 back (2.26.29) & 4th in the 100 fly (1.04.71). Four of Mango’s swims were Zones cuts for 15 & Older and 6 were JO cuts.

 

12 year old Ryan Sebastian, in addition to leading off the record breaking medley relay, won two events on the final day, the 200 back (2.29.14) and the 400 IM (4.19.34). Sebastian also ages up this week but still managed to qualify for Zones in the 200 back as a 13-14 year old!! Ryan also placed 2nd in three events: the 200 IM (2.32.36), the 50 back (32.54) and the 200 fly (2.36.03) and 3rd twice: 100 back (1.11.13) and the 100 fly (1.09.74). Ryan’s 200 back and 200 fly times were JO cuts in the 13-14 age group-giving him 6 so far.

 

In one of the most exciting races of the meet, 13 year old Lindsay Stearns, who placed 6th in the am session, chased down 2 swimmers on the 2nd 50 to win the 100 fly event in a 1.10.38. Moments earlier in the consolation round, Kara Miller-Radest, who was seated 16th from her morning swim, placed 2nd in the heat (10th overall) with a 5 second drop (!!!) from her am swim (1.10.99). Both swimmers made Zone cuts with these performances. Stearns also added a 2nd place finish in the 200 fly (2.38.39) with a 2 second drop in finals.

 

10 year old Matt Critchley, who ages up just 2 days prior to JO’s, won the 50 free event in a sterling 32.86 time. Matt also placed 2nd in the 100 free (1.17.03) & 3rd in the 50 fly (37.82).

 

10 year old Alicia Iizuka also nabbed a 1st place, winning the 50 breast in a 43.95 time. Iizuka also placed 3rd in the 100 breast (1.35.70).

 

17 year old Scott Groel, who joined Elite from West Morris Y this spring and will be joining Dart at Clemson, posted 2 sectional qualifying times: 1) 200 IM (2.16.13) and 2) the 100 back (1.02.53). In both events Scott placed 9th, winning the consolation heat. Scott also placed 8th in the 200 back (2.19.33).

 

Groel has been training head to head with 16 year old Michael Strand, which apparently is helping both swimmers. Strand had yet another outstanding meet, placing 3rd in the 100 back with a 1.00.35 (with Dart, Elite went 1-3 in the event) and Michael broke the magical minute mark in the 100 fly (59.64) in placing 5th. Strand placed 4th in the 200 back (2.16.54), 6th in the 100 free (56.24) and 7th in the 50 free (25.58). Strand also added two new JO swims (he now has 12) with his 50 and 100 free performances.

 

Showing no signs of being intimidated by her new age group (she aged up in mid-May), 13 year old Regan Kology continued her fabulous summer season by 1) dropping 13 seconds in her 800 free (9.42.23) 2) adding two more Zone qualifying times-she now has 7 in her new age group (800 free and 400 IM-where she had a 11 second drop-5.33.04 and a 5th place finish) 3) placing 2nd in the 400 free with a 6 second drop to a 4.41.09  4) placing 3rd in the 200 free with a 2 second drop 2.15.62  and 5) finishing 5th in both the 50 (28.90) and 100 (1.03.63) free.

 

Zach Katz added a pair of Zone qualifying times (pushing his total to 8) with his 4th place 200 breast (3.07.35) finish and his 7th place 200 IM (2.43.02) finish. Katz also placed 2nd in the 50 breast (36.01), 4th in the 400 IM (5.57.91) and 5th in the 100 fly (1.13.64). Katz picked up a 400 IM JO cut, giving him 11 for the summer.

 

Relay mate 12 year old Matthew Hong added a 2nd Zone qualifying time to his resume, this one in the 50 free (28.89) to place 10th. Matt was also near 3 other Zone qualifying times this weekend. Matt’s 400 IM time was a new JO qualifying time (he now has 10).

 

16 year old Duncan Hall posted a Zone qualifying time with his 26.88 performance in the 50 free. 10 year old Amy Duren added her 2nd Zone qualifying time by “flying” to a 2nd place finish in the 50 fly (37.25). In Amy’s other zone event, the 100 fly, she placed 3rd with a 1.25.28. Amy also added JO times in the 50 free-36.09 and the 100 free-1.20.03.

 

As a team, Elite now has 46 swimmers qualified in 173 events (we are ahead of last year’s swimmer total of 38 but still about 70 qualifying times short of last year’s total).

 

12 year old Juliet Felsen, who missed the Memorial Day meet, used Summer Sizzle to qualify for JO’s in 6 events: 50 breast (42.38), 100 breast (1.31.84), 200 breast (3.19.62), 50 free (32.03) and 200 free (2.32.36).

 

11 year old Chris Balbo, fighting off the flu earlier in the week, posted 5 JO events in his new age group: 50 fly (36.32), 200 fly (2.55.84), 200 free (2.32.72), 200 back (2.54.37) & 200 IM (2.54.81), giving him a total of 9.

 

12 year old Andre Guacelli went gold in his first two events this summer: the 50 (42.41) and 200 breast (3.23.10). 14 year old Krishna Duvvuri also went gold in two events for the 1st time this summer (100 breast-1.23.71 and 200 breast-3.02.38).

 

14 year old Matt Ahlmeyer added two of the most grueling events (400 IM-5.38.03 and 200 fly-2.36.77) to his JO list.  

 

12 year old Isabel LaRaia nabbed 2 JO qualifying times (100 breast-1.39.91) and 200 IM (2.54.23). The 200 IM time represented a 32 second improvement from last summer! 12 year old Daniel Chu, new to the team this spring and only competing one day still managed to add his 5th and 6th JO qualifying time to his resume: 400 IM-6.12.61 and 100 fly-1.22.55.

 

12 year old Karl Melchior rocked in the 50 back (37.72) and the 200 back (2.56.36) for his first two JO cuts this summer. 11 year old Andrea Galea added her 5th and 6th JO qualifying time in her new age group (she aged up last week); adding the 100 breast (1.32.83) and the 200 back (2.52.01).

 

15 year old Greg Keiser garnered his first JO cut this summer, in the tough 200 butterfly (2.28.95). 10 year old Michael Tortorella found JO swim #4 in his 50 free performance (35.30).

 

10 year old Emily Gorham went gold in the 50 fly (42.05) while 16 year old Adam Weinbrom collected his 3rd JO qualifying time, this one in the 200 back (2.25.13).

 

12 year old Jeffrey Dong, who ages up prior to JO’s added his 2nd JO cut in his new age group with his 2nd place finish in the 200 breast (2.58.83). Jeffrey also placed 4th twice: 1) 100 breast (1.21.37) and 2) 50 breast (37.50).

 

10 year old Sarah Lowe added her 2nd JO qualifying time in two meets, this one in the 50 free (35.62). 11 year old Kaitlin Stearns collected her 8th JO qualifying time in her new age group in the 200 back (2.54.09). 10 year old Abbie Bigham was gold in her 3rd event this summer, this one in the 100 free (1.19.86).

 

            This meet represented the final appearance of 16 year old Ricky Martin in an Elite cap; Ricky will be moving to NYC this week and will begin competing for Asphalt Green. Ricky swam unattached this weekend so he could begin competing asap for AGUA. Ricky placed 8th in the 100 free (56.55), 10th in both the 100 fly (1.01.27) and the 50 free (25.85) and 15th in the 200 back (2.24.30). We all wish Ricky the best and can’t wait to catch-up with him at future big-time meets!!!

 

Swimmers who participated (# in parenthesis is number of best Elite LCM best times): Matt Ahlmeyer(5), Chelsea Allocco (2), Jenni Allocco (6),Chris Balbo (7), Abbie Bigham (5), John Burns, Daniel Chu (2), Jimmy Coyne (3), Matthew Critchley (9), Chris Dart, Tad Deatly (1), Jeffrey Dong (7), Alli Dorneo (6), Amy Duren (5), Sam Duren, Avi Duvvuri (1), Krishna Duvvuri (5),  Priya Duvvuri (2), Venkatesh Duvvuri (4), Juliet Felsen (6), Andrea Galea (7), Emily Gorham (2), Jess Gorham (8), Kevin Greener (1), Scott Groel (12), Andre Guacelli (3), Duncan Hall (4), Matthew Hong (5), Andrew Huang (4), Alicia Iizuka (1), Karen Iizuka (1), Zach Katz (3), Gregory Keiser (2), Regan Kology (9), Isabel LaRaia (3), Michael Li (4), Jessie Lowe (1), Sarah Lowe (2), Gregory Macchia (1), Michael Macchia (1), Alex Mango (14), Ricky Martin, Danielle Martinez (1), Karl Melchior (4), Brendan Miller-Radest (6), Kara Miller-Radest (5), Ali Morreale, Isabella Morreale, Alex N’Diaye (1), Maggie Nelson (5), Gabrielle Pick (1), Michelle Pick, Brittany Ross (1), Ryan Sebastian (5), Andrea Shepard (4), Kaitlin Stearns (3), Lindsay Stearns (5), Michael Strand (9), Michael Tortorella (4), Adam Weinbrom (4), Sarah Weinbrom (1) & Richard Yu (3).

 

EASTERN ZONE INFORMATION NOW POSTED ON NJ SWIMMING WEBSITE:

 

New Jersey Swimming has now posted the athlete application for those swimmers who have qualified and plan to attend the Eastern Zone LCM Age Group All-Star Meet to be held at Penn State University from August 12 thru August 15, 2009. Currently, Elite has 17 swimmers who have qualified for 68 events (last summer we qualified 19 swimmers in 67 events).

 

Swimmers who are interested in competing at Zones and who have already qualified are requested to complete the application and mail it in as soon as possible. NJ Swimming will allow for amendments if swimmers qualify for additional events during Junior Olympics. The link is: http://www.njswim.org/njswimmingzones.html

 

Gail Kology has already made arrangements at the Residence Inn at Marriott for zones and has locked in a great rate for Elite families.  Per her email to Bill this week: “They seem to be the hotel of choice because they have the refrigerator/cook top and with the early rise for the older kids, well, we all remember the issue last summer with finding breakfast.  None of the hotels offered by NJ Swimming offers any kind of kitchenette.  Anyway, I found the rate on orbitz.com cheaper than what the hotel was offering.  However, the hotel and I worked out $129 which was the average of the two prices that I found on orbitz (one price for weekday and then it was cheaper for weekend stay so the hotel averaged the two prices and took off another 5 dollars a day).  If you would like to stay at the Marriott, my contact there is Shawn and he can be reached at 814-235-6960.  Please remind him that he spoke with Gail Kology on Tuesday, June 30 and again, $129 was our final price and he is willing to give that to any of our swimmers for zones. You may be able to get a cheaper price at one of the other hotels (again, no kitchenette, though). I am not obligated to a minimum number of rooms or nights as this rate is good no matter. The address for the Marriott is 1555 University Drive, State College, Pa and they are located about a mile from the University.” 

 

SWIMMING ON THE TELLY;

“USA NATIONALS/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM TRIALS” TO BE BROADCAST THIS WEEK;

 

            Garry Katz has noted that USA Swimming’s World Championship Team Trials to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana will be broadcasted this week. This meet is considered one of the most competitive meets worldwide this year. The broadcast schedule is as follows:

·         Tuesday, July 7       

6:00 to 7:30 p.m.      

Universal Sports (Live)

 

·         Wednesday, July 8

6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Universal Sports (Live)

 

·         Saturday, July 11

1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

NBC (Taped)

 

·         Sunday, July 12

2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

NBC (Taped)

 

Also, all Prelims and Finals sessions will be webcast live on Swimnetwork.com. Swimnetwork will also be hosting a “pre-game show” each evening as an in-venue and webcast lead-up to the finals.

 
NEW SUIT POLICY IN EFFECT: 1) CHAMPIONSHIP SUITS FOR CHAMPIONSHIP STYLE MEETS,  2) ELITE WILL ONLY USE WINTER 2010 APPROVED SUITS:

 

            During the last 8 years and particularly in the last year, the sport of swimming has seen a tremendous amount of focus and money spent on “highly technological” suits. World Class Swimmers have broken a record number of world records since the introduction of such suits as the Speedo LZR and the Blue Seventy suits in the spring of 2008.

 

            The entire world swimming community is grappling with this unprecedented situation (do the suits give an unfair advantage to the best athletes, the lesser athletes, to the rich?) and in the last two weeks alone, FINA (the world swimming federation) has made two rulings: 1) approving a list of approximately 210 suits indefinitely and 2) approving an additional list of approximately 190 suits until December 2009.  USA Swimming has followed the FINA rulings, although reluctantly on the 2nd list.

 

            Given the current circumstances, Elite will, from this moment forward, adopt the following two rules regarding technologically advanced suits:

 

1)      Elite swimmers can race in a technologically advanced suit (or simply: a championship style suit) at any championship style meet Elite attends. This means the meet must be structured as a prelims/finals format for at least the 13 & Olders. All swimmers, no matter what age, will be able to wear a technologically advanced suit at the championship style meet.

 

The list of meets is as follows:  Winter Season/ short course season:  NYC Open, Holiday Classic, CeraVe, Jr. States, Sr. States, Silver/Bronze and JO competitions

                                              Summer Season/ long course season: Memorial Day, Summer Sizzle, Silver/Bronze and JO competitions

                             

Obviously, Eastern Zones, Sectionals, Junior Nationals, Senior Nationals, Grand Prix and International competition meets will also apply.

 

2)      Elite swimmers will only compete in suits that USA Swimming has approved as of January 1, 2010. This means the suits on the amended FINA list are NOT Elite approved suits.

 

It is likely FINA approved the “amended list” suits to help the manufacturers reduce their inventory to an unsuspecting audience and these suits are likely not to be approved post 2009.

 

            Elite will revisit its policy as facts and circumstances change.

 

WINTER INFORMATION MAILLED LAST WEEK

WINTER 2009-10 ROSTER DEPOSITS DUE SATURDAY, JULY 11;

84 HAVE COMMITTED TO ELITE; LIST ON WEBSITE UNDER TRYOUTS:

 

            Information regarding the Winter 2009-10 Season was mailed to each swimmer last week.

 

            Within each swimmer’s packet was a note inviting them to train within a specific training group and that the practice schedule next winter will be identical to this past Spring (and last Winter).

 

            In order for an Elite swimmer to reserve their roster spot for next winter, a $300 deposit (per swimmer) must be mailed to Bill Deatly 32 Prospect Street Summit NJ 07901 prior to Saturday, July 11. The deposit allows Elite to understand the training group sizes prior to Tryouts (to be held Tuesday, July 21 at MBS). Receipt of the deposit will trigger the purchase of the team uniform (suit, t-shirts, sweatshirts, racing caps) in late July for each registered individual. This procedure also allows Elite to understand how many openings there are per training group prior to the July 21st tryouts.

 

A list of those 84 swimmers who have already committed to Elite for next winter is posted on the team website under Tryouts link: http://www.eliteswimclub.org/Tryouts 2/Registered Swimmers 2009-10.htm.

 

Those swimmers who fail to have their deposit in by July 11 but are still interested in training with Elite will need to tryout for Elite at one of the two tryouts (Tuesday, July 21 at MBS or

Tuesday, September 8 at NA). Depending on the numbers within each training group, there is no guarantee that roster spaces will be available for returning swimmers at those dates.

 

WINTER PRACTICE SCHEDULE SAME NEXT YEAR AS LAST YEAR:

The Winter 2009-10 practice schedule will be identical as last year’s schedule. Elite will continue to extend the Wavebuster Black Friday night practice to 7:30 pm. In addition, the Wavebuster Golds will utilize Newark Academy on Saturday mornings early in the season prior to joining the Seniors & Senior Preps at MBS later in the season to race.

AWARDS DINNER TO BE HELD SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2010:

            The 15th annual Elite Awards Dinner will be held on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at the Hanover Marriott Hotel on Route 10 in Hanover (site of the last 6 dinners). The dinner will be from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

FOR THOSE WHO NEED A NEW CHALLENGE: LOCAL TRIATHLONS SCHEDULED THIS SUMMER:

            Marty’s Reliable Cycle in Morris Township is sponsoring 3 separate Triathlons this summer geared for athletes under 16.

            The dates and locations are as follows: 1) July 18 in Morris Township (date of 12 & U Silver Bronze Champs!) 2) August 15th in Bernardsville and 3) September 5 in Chester.

            The link is: http://martysreliable.com/page.cfm?PageID=594. For more information, contact Jessica McGinn at Jessica@martysreliable.com.  

TRYOUTS TUESDAY, JULY 21; VOLUNTEER TIMERS WELCOME:

 

            Tryouts for Elite’s Winter 2009-10 Season will be held Tuesday, July 21at Morristown-Beard from 4 pm to 6 pm. There will be no pm practices held that day.

 

            Make-up Tryouts will be held Tuesday, September 8 at Newark Academy from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm.

 

            Elite swimmers and/or Parents are welcome to volunteer their time to help the coaches out at both tryouts!

 

“SOFT SELLING” ELITE IS LIFEBLOOD OF CLUB;

 

            Summer Swim Teams are the lifeblood of year round swim clubs like Elite. Swimmers who enjoy the training and competition of their summer clubs form the vast majority of new swimmers into “winter” or “club” swimming.

 

            The terrific swimming performed by Elite swimmers this summer in their dual meet and championship competition will be the main selling point of the club. Elite swimmers will be among the best (if not the best) swimmers in the their races. They should be, they have worked hard and have earned that right!!

 

            Parents of Elite swimmers are requested to “soft-sell” Elite; meaning they should await an approach by an interested swimmers/parents, but then earnestly provide information to such people upon their approach. Elite parents and swimmers are highly encouraged to point perspective swimmers to the team website and to instruct interested parties to email Bill regarding questions about the club.

 

            Tapping this pipeline will help keep the Elite Swim Club vibrant. In addition, a swim club at capacity (Elite is about 90% of capacity) will help keep the cost down to each Elite family/member. Lastly, each new season sees some existing swimmers leaving the sport or moving out of the area. These roster spots provide openings for new swimmers.

 

            Tryouts for Elite will be held Tuesday, July 21st at 4:00 pm at Morristown-Beard School.

 

            Any questions regarding how one should act during a specific inquiry should be directed to Bill. Thanks in advance for your salesmanship!!!       

 

NOMINATIONS WANTED FOR ESCPO:

 

            Nominations for positions are wanted and needed for the Elite Swim Club Parents Organization. Parents who are interested or who have nominees should email Sandi Niccolai at sandnic@aol.com.

 

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!!!