ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               09-07-09

           

ELITE STARS SUMMER SIZZLE PERFORMANCES RECOGNIZED IN SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE:

STRAND’S HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN PERFORMANCE ALSO RECOGNIZED:

 

            While it is widely acknowledged that Elite Swimming is on the rise within New Jersey, Elite’s exploits at this past summer’s Summer Sizzle Invitational is prominently noted in Swimming World, the September, 2009 edition.

 

            Under the Junior National/American Relay section of the magazine (page 37), the team’s 3rd place finish at this prestigious meet is prominently noted. By reason of breaking meet records, the following Elite swimmers are specifically mentioned: Jimmy Coyne, Jeffery Dong, Matthew Hong, Zach Katz, Ryan Sebastian, Scott Groel, Chris Dart, Michael Strand and Adam Weinbrom.

 

            Unfortunately, the magazine did not mention that the relay of Sebastian, Katz, Hong & Dong also set the NJ state record during their 200 Medley meet record breaking performance.

 

            Also mentioned in the premier swimming magazine within the USA is Michael Strand, by reason of his achievement of being a High School All-American. Michael’s 51.37 performance in the 100 back earned him this honor and he is listed the all the other All-Americans on page 48.

2ND ELITE TRYOUT TUESDAY, SEPT 8;  SPACE EXTREMELY LIMITED:

          Elite will conduct its 2nd tryout for the Winter 2009-10 Season on Tuesday, September 8th at 4:30 pm at Newark Academy.

          Due to 92% of the last summer's team returning plus acceptance of 20 swimmers from Elite's 1st tryouts in July, Elite is virtually at capacity. Because Elite limits training groups in size (to approximately 38 swimmers) to guarantee the best possible environment for Elite swimmers to develop, there are very few roster spots open for this coming season.

          Swimmers with year round training experience are encouraged to email Head Coach Bill Deatly at eliteswimclubnj@comcast.net their best yard times. From this information, Bill will be able to ascertain where an interested swimmer would slot in and if there are any roster spaces left at that level.

C. ALLOCCO, ANDERSON, V. D’ALTRUI, DEATLY, V. DUVVURI, MARTINEZ & WEINBROM NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS:

 

Continuing the team tradition of naming all Elite Senior Seniors (seniors in high school who train with the Elite Senior Training Group) team captains, Chelsea Allocco, Lindsay Anderson, Victoria D’Altrui, Tad Deatly, Venkatesh Duvvuri, Dani Martinez and Adam Weinbrom have earned the right and the distinction of being named the captains of the Elite Swim Club, Winter 2009-10.

 

            The Senior Seniors have accomplished the ultimate goal of all Elite swimmers, to earn the distinction of being in the top training group and have been committed to Elite in their high school years. All these swimmers are also outstanding students, are positive role models and will bring these attributes to the hardest working group of Elite swimmers this season.

 

On a daily basis, the captains lead dryland practice and are expected to lead at every opportunity during pool practice. The Captains are also expected to communicate to the Senior Coaches issues involving their training group and the team at large. The team will be lead thru their eagerness to train hard and their enthusiasm for swimming and Elite. Lastly, Senior Seniors/Captains help plan the annual Senior training trip in late December and team bonding activities.

 

            Congratulations Chelsea, Lindsay, Victoria, Tad, Venk, Dani & Adam!!!

 

ELITE PARENTS SOCIAL SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, OCT 9; ESCPO ELECTION TO TAKE PLACE AT SOCIAL:

 

            ESCPO (Elite Swim Club Parents Organization) is planning its 3rd parent social for Friday, October 9th. Tentative plans are for the social to be held from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm at the Chatham Fish & Game Club in Chatham.  Anyone interested in helping please email Sandi Niccolai at sandnic@aol.com.

 

            President Sandi Niccolai has also announced the nominations for the 2009-10 ESCPO Board. Please go to the Parents Org page to view the ESCPO Newsletter with information about Board elections and the Parent Social. Voting for these positions will be held at the Oct 9th social.

 

NEW COACH TO ADD ENERGY TO ALREADY IMPRESSIVE COACHING STAFF; HER LAST NAME IS FAMILIAR!

ALL BUT 1 COACH FROM SPRING/SUMMER 2009 STAFF RETURN:

 

 Looking to add energy and depth to an already impressive coaching staff, Head Coach Bill Deatly announces the addition of a new coach to the Elite Swim Club for the Winter 2009-10 Training Season: Patricia  (“Trish”) Turkot.

 

Trish, who is a fashion manager at Bloomingdale’s at the Short Hills Mall, was a significant contributor to the Rowan University Women’s Swim Team from 2004-06. Trish, like her older brother and current Senior Training Group Coach Michael Turkot, was a freestyle sprinter. During her high school career, Trish trained with Crimson Aquatic Club (out of Morristown-Beard prior to Elite) and at Parsippany Hills High School. Trish will work primarily with the Wavebuster Teals as Assistant Training Group Coach under Head Training Group Coach Michelle DuCharme direction.

 

Due to additional responsibilities she is assuming in her primary career (teaching), Coach Suzanne Monahan will not return to Elite this year.

 

Elite will return all the other coaches who participated in the Spring/Summer 2009 Training Session. They and their current responsibilities are:

 

Bill Deatly: Head Coach and Head Senior/Senior Prep Training Group Coach

Cindy Deatly Ross: Head Stroke Technician

Michael Turkot: Assistant Senior/Senior Prep Training Group Coach

Brandy Deatly: Assistant Senior/Senior Prep Training Group Coach

Ashley Johnston: Head Age Group Coach & Head Wave Gold Training Group Coach

Becky Marcelliano: Head Wave Black Training Group Coach, Head Marlin Training Group Coach

Michelle DuCharme: Head Wave Teal Training Group Coach

Meredith Constant: Head Marlin Teals Coach, Assistant Age Group Coach

Matt King: Assistant Age Group Coach

Patty Martin: Assistant Age Group Coach

 

Lastly, under the category of “Coaches that coach together, stay together,” Elite coaches Michael Turkot and Patty Martin will be married on Saturday, October 17!!

 

NJ SWIMMING HAS POSTED 2009-10 SCY TIME STANDARDS; LIST ON ELITE WEBSITE:

 

            The time standards for Junior Olympics and Silver Championships are now posted on both Elite’s (under time standards) and will shortly be posted on New Jersey Swimming’s website (njswim.com). Compared to last year, there have been minor changes to the New Jersey time standards.

 

            With regards to the JO qualifying times, more than 1/2 of the times have been tightened-the rest of the times remain the same as last year’s.

 

With regards to the Silver qualifying times, all time standards have remained the same as last year’s. This is a result of the success that the “Silver/Bronze” championship meet formats have had and the splitting of the meets into two meets at the 12 & Under level. Be advised that there will be “bottom” cuts for the 13 & Older Bronze levels swimmers as there were last year. These bottom cuts are not expected to be drastic but each swimmer 13 & Older needs to be aware that they need to swim faster than these bottom cuts to participate at Silver/Bronze this coming March.

 

All Elite swimmers should take a look at the time standards and start planning on their own personal goals for this upcoming season!!!

 

BILL TO REPRESENT NJ SWIMMING AT USA SWIM COACHES CONVENTION IN CHICAGO NEXT WEEK:

 

            As Administrative Vice-Chairman of New Jersey Swimming, Elite Head Coach Bill Deatly will represent New Jersey Swimming at the annual USA Swim Coaches Convention to be held next week in Chicago, Ill . This will be the 3rd convention Bill has attended (he has attended the last two years conventions).

 

            The convention will run Wednesday, Sept 16 thru Saturday, Sept 19. In addition to dozens of workshops ranging from stroke technique and biomechanical topics, there will be the general convention meeting and a NJ Board of Directors Meeting. Due to his NJ Swimming position, Bill will have a vote on USA Swimming issues brought before the House of Delegates.

 

            It is expected that at this convention USA Swimming will decide the fate of the highly technologically advanced swim suits that have exploded onto the swimming scene in the last 18 months. USA Swimming is expected to follow the FINA (Swimming’s World Federation) guidelines that will outlaw a majority of these suits.

           

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA/WINTER SUNSHINE, HERE I COME;

SENIOR TRAINING TRIP DEPOSITS ARE DUE:

 

            Seniors are reminded that the $500 2009-10 training trip deposit is due Tuesday, Sept 15. This year, the Elite Seniors will be traveling to University of California-San Diego from December 26 thru January 2. Sixteen Elite Seniors are expected to travel 3000 miles for the pleasure of working out 5 hours and swimming over 7 miles a day!!

 

TOP 10 LCM TIMES NOW UPDATED:

 

            Elite’s top 10 all time LCM times list has been updated on the team website. There are literally dozens of new times achieved from this summer’s competition. Check it out!!

 

AWARDS DINNER TO BE HELD SUNDAY, APRIL 11;

SCHOLAR/ATHLETE AWARDS WILL BE HIGHLIGHT;

 

          The 15th annual Elite Awards Banquet will be held Sunday, April 11 from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm at the Hanover Marriott (site of the last 5 banquets).

 

Swimmers are reminded that the ultimate award an Elite swimmer can earn at the season ending Awards Banquet will once again be the Elite Scholar-Athlete Awards. Great grades, in addition to great swim times, are required for a swimmer to earn one of these awards.

 

            These awards will be broken down into four levels:

 

1        All-American Scholar Athlete Award: Swimmer must have a 3.5 grade average and at least 1 Scholastic Scholar Qualifying time (as established by USA Swimming-generally faster than Sectional qualifying times!). This award is a USA Swimming Award and will be presented by New Jersey Swimming. Elite will also provide a certificate to those swimmers who have qualified for this award. The swimmer must be a sophomore to earn this distinction.

 

2)  The Elite Scholar-Athlete Platinum Award: Swimmer must have all A’s and no more than 1 B (or the equivalent of all A’s and 1 B) plus at least 1 individual Eastern Zone Sectional Qualifying Time

 

3) The Elite Scholar-Athlete Gold Award: A swimmer must have all A’s and no more than 1 B (or the equivalent of all A’s and 1 B) plus at least 1 individual Junior Olympic Qualifying Time

 

4) The Elite Scholar-Athlete Teal Award: Swimmer must have all A’s and B’s (of the equivalent) plus at least 1 individual Silver Qualifying Time

 

In addition to each swimmer receiving an impressive certificate from Elite acknowledging this achievement, Elite posts the names of its each of its scholar athletes on the team website-forever acknowledging its most special scholar-athletes of each season. 

 

Parents will be requested to provide the scholastic information in early March 2010.

 

REGISTRATION FORMS IN WELCOME PACKETS NEEDED BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE:

 

                With the exception of new Elite swimmers (who filled their paperwork out during tryouts), all Elite swimmers will receive a “Welcome Folder” containing paperwork which we ask prompt attention be given to.

 

Within each swimmer’s folder are: 1) an Elite Membership form  2) an Emergency Contact Form 3) Consent and Release Form and 4) an Elite Code of Conduct form. The Code of Conduct form will be reviewed and signed by each swimmer at their 1st practice.

 

In addition, there is a memo in the welcome packet regarding Parental Obligation with regards to each swimmer participating at Elite. As a consideration of having their child(ren) members of Elite, parents are committing to 1) pay their club dues promptly 2) time as needed at dual/intraclub/USA Swimming meets and 3) participate in jobs at the Elite hosted USA Swimming Meets (Distance Derby, 9-10 Silver Bronze Championships and 13-19 Silver Bronze Championships (one only needs to work at these meets if their swimmer is participating. The only exception is that the 8 & Under parents must participate at the 9-10 Silver Bronze Championships).

 

It is critical that these forms be returned to each swimmer’s Head Training Group Coach as soon as possible so that each Elite swimmer is registered (and thus insured). Swimmers should hand their paperwork  as soon as possible (2nd practice would be terrific!!).

 

PARKING AN ISSUE AT NEWARK ACADEMY (& MORRISTOWN-BEARD):

 

            There is a distinct shortage of parking spaces at Newark Academy, especially on weekdays between 5:15 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.

 

            Please remember to drive slowly thru the parking lots and do not park in the fire lanes, as the Livingston Police will ticket improperly parked cars.

 

            Morristown-Beard School parking has eased as a result of the completion of the school construction. Parents are reminded not to park anywhere designated as fire-lanes!

 

PRACTICE SUIT, ACCESSORIES SALE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH:

 

            Elite will hold a “Swimming Accessories Sale” Sunday, September 27th at Morristown-Beard from 1:00 am to 4:00 pm. The sale will have four components:

 

Component #1 will have Donna Kay of Swimming, Etc. selling all swimming related items from fins, goggles, practice suits, practice racing caps, pull buoys, flip-flops, and paddles. Credit cards can be used to purchase these items. All Elite swimmers need fins while all Wave Blacks, Wave Golds, Seniors Preps and Seniors need pull buoys. Payment will made directly to Swimming Etc and credit cards can be used.

 

Component # 2 will have Elite selling excess inventory of “Elite Apparel” such as Elite racing caps, last year’s t-shirts, last year’s towels and sweatpants.  Checks or cash can be used to purchase the Elite Apparel.

 

Component #3 will have the Parents Organization providing additional “Elite Wear” such as collared shirts, fleeces, etc.

 

            Component #4 will have the Parents Organization providing information regarding the structure and plans of the Elite Swim Club Parents Organization (ESCPO).

 

Please remember that all Elite members will receive a team suit, two team t-shirts, a team sweatshirt & team racing caps as part of their membership of Elite. These items will be distributed separate and distinct from this sale.

 

TENTATIVE MEET SCHEDULE NOW POSTED:

 

      The tentative Winter 2009-10 Meet Schedule is now posted on the team website under Meet Schedule. 

 

       Please be advised that meet dates may change during the season due to pool availability. Thus, Elite's meet schedule will be updated from time to time thru out the season. Please have your swimmer constantly review the meet schedule for meet entries, dates and session times!!!           

 

OFFICIALS & COMPUTER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO RUN MEETS:

 

          To effectively run meets, Elite needs a variety of parents to volunteer their time and efforts during these meets. This season, Elite will again be strongly encouraging those parents who have an interest to become New Jersey certified officials.

 

            To run New Jersey sanctioned meets, certified officials are a necessity. Currently within New Jersey Swimming, there is a shortage of officials certified. Elite, while having more officials than most NJ Swim Club is still understaffed and thus, under represented officiating meets. In addition, Elite likes to have officials present even when we run our dual meets/intraclub meets, as the officials provide significant feed back as to areas the coaches need to focus upon.

 

            In addition, this year Elite continue to build up its volunteers with regards to the electronic running of the meets (touch pads, timing console & processing the data coming thru both into Elite’s computer). If you are computer savvy or have an interest, please let Bill know!!

 

We are always in need of developing our Parental Talent as well!!! 

 

Anyone with interest in either volunteer position should contact Bill as soon as possible.

 

 

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!!!