ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               09-17-07

 

SENIOR, SENIOR PREPS, WAVE GOLDS & WAVEBUSTER BLACKS ARE BACK AT IT,

NEXT UP: WAVEBUSTER TEALS, MARLIN BLACKS & MARLIN TEALS:

 

Training for the Winter 2007-08 Season has started as the four most advanced training groups began practicing over the last two weeks. The 1st practices have gone extremely well and everything points to an exceptional year at the highest levels of Elite.

 

Today, the Marlin Blacks and Marlin Teals begin their training seasons at Newark Academy. Tomorrow, the Wavebuster Teals begin their training.

 

All parents and swimmers are requested to review the 3 week practice schedule that is posted on the website. So, lets get it started!!!!

 

PARENTS TO PARTY ON FRIDAY, OCT 12:

 

The Elite Swim Club Parents Organization (ESCPO) will hold its 1st ever Elite Parent social on Friday Oct. 12 from 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm at the Chatham Fish & Game Club (41 Fairmount Ave, across from the Chatham train station). Please come join us for our inaugural parent get-together.  Come enjoy some beer, wine, appetizers and dessert, and socialize with other swim team parents in a chlorine free setting!  RSVP by Thursday, Oct 4th to

ESCPO@aol.com.

 

LOOKING TO HANG OUT WITH AN OLYMPIAN??

STRONG POSSIBILITY AT ELITE IN OCTOBER!!!

 

ESCPO is working with Mutual of Omaha Swim Clinics to bring an Olympian to Elite on Sunday, October 21st so HOLD THAT DATE!!! While NOT definite (with the 2008 Olympics and Olympic Trials looming, it has been difficult to get a firm commitment from any Olympic hopeful), the logistics are being worked out to bring a current world class swimmer to Elite on that date. Look for more details in the coming weeks.

 

ELITE TO BACK “SUNSHINE KIDS” FUNDRAISER ON OCTOBER 11: 

 

            Senior swimmers Chris Dart, Corey Deatly and Tad Deatly, who participated last year, will lead an Elite contingent in swimming sponsored laps on Saturday, October 6 at the Summit YMCA from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm to raise money for The Sunshine Kids, a national organization that provides activities for children with cancer.

 

            Sponsored by Prudential New Jersey Properties of New Providence and Summit, this fundraiser raised over $5,000 last year.

 

            Any and all Elite swimmers are invited to attend. All a swimmer needs to do is to raise money for their laps and then show up and swim.

 

Information posters regarding this event are posted at both Newark Academy and Morristown Beard. The website for The Sunshine Kids is: http://www.sunshinekids.org/.

 

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 and 3) an Elite Code of Conduct form. The Code of Conduct form will be reviewed and signed by each swimmer at their 1st practice. Parents will also need to sign the Code, which is the swimmer’s ticket into Elite.

 

It is critical that these forms be returned to Bill’s mailbox as soon as possible so that each Elite swimmer is registered (and thus insured). 

 

PARKING AN ISSUE AT NEWARK ACADEMY:

 

            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.

 

PRACTICE SUIT, ACCESSORIES SALE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1ST:

 

            Elite will hold a “Swimming Accessories Sale” Sunday, Sept 30 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, a team t-shirt and a team sweatshirt as part of their membership of Elite apart from this sale.

 

TENTATIVE MEET SCHEDULE NOW POSTED:

 

      The tentative Winter 2007-08 Meet Schedule is now posted under Meet Schedule. 

 

       Please be advised as to the following: 

 

      1) meet dates change during the season due to pool availability. Thus, Elite's meet schedule will be updated from time to time thru out the season. Already, several Oct dates will be changed due to Newark Academy and Morristown-Beard conflicts!!! 

 

      2) Elite is exploring the possibility of participating in 2 important & different "travel" meets this coming year. Although nothing is set at this time, these are the meets are currently under consideration:

 

              1) Elite is exploring participating in Sectionals outside the Eastern Zone (quite probably Indiana). Thus, the dates for this meet are fluid since Sectionals in different USA Zones are held on different weekends.  It is highly likely Elite will participate in a Sectional meet outside the Eastern Zone. 

 

              2) Elite is exploring participating in a travel meet for Age Groupers and/or Seniors. One possibility is in April AFTER NJ Swimming's Championships (this would extend the SCY season for many Elite swimmers). Elite is also exploring a travel meet in January, 2008 for Age Groupers Only. 

 

               It is extremely unlikely Elite will participate in two different travel meets for the Age Groupers this season but it is extremely likely Elite will participate in one of these two options. 

 

        Stay tuned for additional information!!!

 

NEW JERSEY SWIMMING’S SCY TIME STANDARDS NOW POSTED:

 

            The time standards for Junior Olympics and Silver Championships are now posted on both Elite’s (under time standards) and New Jersey Swimming’s website (njswim.com).

 

            Compared to last year, there have been some significant changes to the New Jersey time standards.

 

With regards to the JO qualifying times, some times have been tightened but many of the times remain the same as last years.

 

However, with regards to the Silver qualifying times, there have been some significant changes: many of the times have been relaxed/made easier.  These changes are a direct positive result of NJ Swimming changing the SCY Championship Meets from separate Silver and Bronze Meets to Age Group Silver/Bronze Championship Meets. This change reduced the “overcrowding” issue at the former meets and now allows the times to be more motivational oriented rather than meet size management tools. This has also allowed NJ Swimming to reduce the huge discrepancy in the time standards between the girls and boys.

 

Swimmers: lets get prepared to CRUSH these times!!!

 

DART, DEATLY, MORRISON, PEAY NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS:

 

            Formalizing what has long been an Elite tradition but never officially recognized, the Elite Senior Seniors (seniors in high school who train with the Elite Senior Training Group) whom this season consist of Chris Dart, Corey Deatly, Alex Morrison and Sarah Peay, have been named Captains of the Elite Swim Club, Winter 2007-08.

 

            For years, Elite Senior Seniors were expected to lead their training groups and the team thru their examples of hard work, dedication & commitment to the team. On a daily basis, Senior Seniors lead dryland practice and are expected to lead at every opportunity during pool practice. Senior Seniors are also expected to communicate to the Senior Coaches issues involving the training group. Lastly, Senior Seniors help plan the annual training trip in late December.

 

            Despite these responsibilities, Elite has never formally recognized these swimmers in the past. Starting this season, all Senior Seniors will be officially Captains of the Elite Swim Club. Congratulations Chris, Corey, Alex and Sarah!!!

 

SCHOLAR/ATHLETE AWARDS WILL BE HIGHLIGHT OF AWARDS BANQUET:

 

          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 three levels:

 

1) All-American Scholar Athlete Award: Swimmer must have a 3.5 grade average and at least 1 Sectional Qualifying time. This award is actually 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.

 

2) 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.

 

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

 

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

 

Parents will be requested to provide the scholastic information in early March, 2008.

 

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 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 6 certified is 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 will be building 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).

 

            New Officials: there will be a new officials clinic, hosted by Elite Swim Club and Morris County Swim Club, at Morristown Beard School on Thursday, October 11 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

 

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

 

TIME TRIALS TO SOLVE “HAPPY” PROBLEM:

 

            The coaches believe the swimmers at Elite have a “happy” problem and the coaches plan to fix it: to find out just how much faster the Wavebuster level swimmers are since their last SCY (25 yard) times were recorded last March. To solve this “happy” problem, Elite will be holding a time trial meet at Newark Academy on Tuesday, Sept 25 for all Wavebuster level swimmers only.

 

            Returning Elite swimmers are well aware that Elite is extremely diligent in using only established times in its entry process for NJ Sanctioned meets. Elite does not use “guestimate” times for entries unless the meet is a Bronze level (no bottom cut times) nor does Elite use “conversion times” (attempting to translate Long Course Meter times-50 meter pool times- into SCY times). By holding steadfastly to this practice, Elite swimmers who have improved since last March (quite possibly a large number because of the hard training many Elite swimmers put in this past spring and summer) might inadvertently not be entered into appropriate level meets this fall (particularly the Fall Festival Meet in early November.

 

            To fix this “happy” problem, Elite will hold a Times Trial Meet on Tuesday, September 25 from 5:15 pm to 8:30 pm for swimmers in the Wavebuster Gold, Wavebuster Black and Wavebuster Teal training groups only (swimmers most likely affected by this situation).

 

            Since the Time Trials meet will be run just like Elite’s Dual/Intraclub Meet, parents will be needed to help time and officiate. Please volunteer to help out!!    

 

SUMMER “20”: PARENTS NEED TO GET INFO TO BILL:

 

            Last summer, the Elite coaches challenged swimmers in the Wavebuster Teal, Marlin Black and Marlin Teal training groups to add Elite swim practices to their summer regiment. Five workouts for each of these training groups plus a calendar were posted on Elite’s website. Swimmers were challenged to do 20 workouts during the summer and parents were requested to keep tabs of these workouts on the calendar.

 

            Parents of the “stud” swimmers who met the challenge and completed a minimum of 20 of these workouts are requested to get the calendar to Bill (by email or place it in Bill’s mailbox) so that Elite can organize and present the earned rewards. This needs to be done by Friday, Sept 22 (end of the 1st week of practice for these training groups).

 

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