ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               10-05-09         

 

STRAND OFFICIALLY NAMED TO USA SWIMMING’S SCHOLASTIC ALL-AMERICAN TEAM:

 

            16 year old Michael Strand was officially named to USA Swimming’s Scholastic All-American Team last week for 2008-2009. Michael achieved this prestigious honor by scoring a 3.5 Grade Point Average or better plus achieving at least a Junior National Bonus Time Standard Time (51.14 in the 100 back for SCY, 59.36 in the 100 back for LCM). Michael was recognized at the Elite’s Annual Awards Banquet last March for this achievement. 

 

            1500 swimmers were named to this list, with 39 of those swimmers being from the New Jersey LSC. The countywide total is an increase of over 50% from the previous year! The Scholastic All-America program is open to all 10th-12th grade USA Swimming members who earn a 3.5 GPA or better and achieve a Junior National Bonus Time Standard or swim in a selected disability championship meet or the Open Water National Championships. 

 

            For more information please visit the USA Swimming Link: http://www.usaswimming.org/usasweb/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=1267&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&ItemId=2632&mid=4153

 

 

DART, KATZ, KOLOGY & STRAND RECOGNIZED FOR TOP 20 PERFORMANCES IN 2008-09:

 

            Four Elite swimmers, Chris Dart, Zach Katz, Regan Kology and Michael Strand were formally recognized by USA Swimming for their top 20 performances from September 1, 2008 thru August 1, 2009. Swimmers on this list produced times that were within the top 20 times achieved nationwide!!!

 

            Chris Dart, who represented Elite this past summer, posted 3 top 20 times for a 18 year old in LCM competition: 5th best time in the 100 back (56.97), 17th best time for the 100 free (51.90) and 17th best time in the 200 back (2.06.01).

 

            Zach Katz, for all 11 year olds, had the 4th fastest time in the 50 yard breast with a 32.25 time and had the 8th fastest time in the 50 meter –LC  breast with a 37.40.

 

            Michael Strand, for all 15 year olds, had the 11th fastest 100 yard backstroke time (51.14).

 

            Regan Kology, for all 12 year olds, had the 18th fastest time in the 1500 meter-LC time (18.04.06).

 

 

ATTENDANCE STATS ARE VERY STRONG THRU SEPT; 4 OF 7 TRAINING GROUPS AVERAGING OVER 80% OR HIGHER WAVE TEALS LEAD WAY WITH 84.85%!!! ATHLETES RECOGNIZED:

 

          Practice attendance is the foundation of improvement. Starting the season with good attendance (and thus, great work habits and a great aerobic base) is the way to faster swimming. Thru Sept, the Elite Swimmers showed their diligent work ethic by attending practice at an astonishing rate of close to 80% as team!!! The Wavebuster Teal training group leads the outstanding Elite attendance race by averaging, as a training group, 84.85% attendance!!! The Wave Teals are followed by the Seniors (82.86%), the Marlin Teals (81.42%), the Senior Preps (80.07%), the Wave Golds (79.49%).Wave Blacks (78.38%) and the Marlin Blacks (75.95).

 

At the end of the Season Awards Dinner, Elite swimmers with 85% attendance (or greater) will be presented with the Attendance Award. This award, plus attendance requirements for swimmers who want to be promoted, have positively motivated Elite Swimmers to come to practice for the past 5 years.

 

            90 swimmers, nearly half the team, are currently on track to win the attendance award (who have an 85% or higher attendance record) are (* designates perfect attendance!):

 

            Marlin Teals:  Schulyer Bunn*, Peter Carchia*, Gabrielle Hayek, Alex Jacobs*, Sara Jacobs*, Alyssa Levy*, Reid McBoyle, Dante Soriano, Jack Wenzel* & Doris Xia* 

 

            Marlin Blacks:  Claire Chiperfield*, Carolyn Delaney, Erica Iizuka, Monica Iizuka, Sandeepan, Mukherjee, Joe Pick, Natalie Pruitt, Will Stearns*, Sachi Tanwar*

 

Wavebuster Teals: Megan Balbo*, Katie Brosnan, Meggie Butler*, Jimmy Coyne, Avinash Duvvuri, Erica Fresen, Clio Galea, Emily Goad, Emily Gorham, Andrew Huang, Alicia Iizuka, Karen Iizuka, Katie Iovel, Brandon Li*, Michael Maccia*, Cody Matheson, Evan Ng, Katie Shepard, Gian Soriano*, Claire Xu*, Grace Xu*  

 

Wavebuster Blacks: Abbie Bigham*, Emily Buckman*, Morgan Conley*, Elizabeth D’Altrui, Drew D’Andrea, Corey Duren, Andrea Ferrell, Julia Guacelli, Emma Harris, Sarah Lowe*, Ryan Miller, Charlotte Morrissey, Camile Relota, Abir Thakur & Michael Tortorella

 

Wavebuster Golds:  Chris Balbo*, Lindsay Behar, Caitlin Brown, Andrea Galea*, Ariel Gelman, Lindsey Giostra, Jess Gorham*, Alyssa Hartigan*, Isabel LaRaia, Greg Maccia, Katie McGrath*, Dara O’Gorman, Kaitlin Stearns, Caroline Watt*

 

Senior Preps:  Matthew Ahlmeyer, Alli Dorneo*, Regan Kology, Emmie Lai, Kara Miller-Radest, Ryan Sebastian*, Andrea Shepard, Lindsay Stearns*, Erica Takahashi*, Lexi Tedesco & Ryan Wyer*  

 

            Seniors:  Chelsea Allocco*, Tad Deatly, Alex Mango, Brendan Miller-Radest, Ali Morreale, Michael Strand*  

 

 

CHELSEA ALLOCCO, PRIYA DUVVURI ELECTED TEAM REPRESENTATIVES TO NJ SWIMMING:

 

            In an election that was held last week, Chelsea Allocco and Privya Duvvuri were elected to represent the Elite athletes within NJ Swimming.

 

            17 year old Chelsea Allocco (a Senior in high school) was elected Senior Representative while 16 year old Priya Duvvuri (a junior in high school) was elected Junior Representative. Communication concerning events and issues within NJ Swimming from the athlete’s standpoint will be sent to Chelsea and Priya by the NJ Swimming Athlete representative Stephanie Koziol.

 

 

ELITE PARENTS SOCIAL (THIS) 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.

 

 

TENTATIVE LIST OF LEGAL SUITS POSTED ON TEAM WEBSITE:

 

            USA Swimming’s tentative list of legal suits is now posted on the Elite website, as well as USA Swimming’s website. FINA, the world swimming federation, has not yet posted its list of legal suits. At such time as FINA posts its list, USA Swimming will officially adopt this list as it’s final legal suit list. USA Swimming (and Elite) will update its list upon receipt of FINA’s list (not expected until December, 2009).

 

            Swimmers and parents can check out the list at: http://www.eliteswimclub.org/Suits/Reference List for Allowable Swimsuits 2009.htm

 

 

OFFICIALS CLINIC ON THURSDAY, OCT 8 AT MBS:

 

            New Jersey Swimming and Morris County Swim Club are hosting a beginner’s class for those interested in becoming a Stroke & Turn Judge. Elite and NJ Swimming desparately needs more officials in order to conduct USA/NJ Swimming Sanctioned Swim Meets. The clinic will last from 7 pm to 9 pm.

 

            All those Elite parents who are interested (Bill is literally begging anyone with an interest to attend!!) should contact both Bill Deatly (eliteswimclubnj@comcast.net) and Moya Chew-Lai (MOYA.CHEW-LAI@PRUDENTIAL.COM) by email.

 

            Besides having the “best seat in the house,” officials contribute to the sport by their significant contribution. Meets can not be run without parental involvement-especially officials. At Elite, parents are only asked to officiate when their swimmers are competing (thus, you are trading your seat in the stands for a place on the deck).

 

            Please seriously consider being an official. Your swimmer will appreciate it!!

 

 

CLOTHING ITEMS CAN BE PURCHASED THRU ESCPO:

 

            The Elite Swim Club Parents Organization is offering “Elite-wear” to anyone interested in buying clothing with the Elite logo or name on it. This items are great birthday and holiday gifts.

 

            The link to the items available is: http://www.eliteswimclub.org/Parents Org/ELITE 2009 Clothing.pdf

 

REGISTRATION FORMS ARE NEEDED FROM THESE SWIMMERS:

 

                Registration forms were provided to each swimmer in their welcome packets handed out the first day of practice. At this time, the following swimmers still have not handed in their registration forms:

 

Marlin Teals: Annie Botte, Grace Botte

 

Marlin Blacks: Ethan Blum, Richard Carchia, Elizabeth Denehy, Andy Fresen, Katie Tselepis

 

Wave Teals: Tabatha Georget, Rachel Hong, Andrew Huang, Jennifer Huo

 

Wave Blacks: Nicole Blum, Lindsay Ellerthrope, Lydia Gracey, Isabella Morreale, Gloria Xu

 

            Wave Golds: Michael Alelov, Daniel Chu, Daniel Scherb & Jonas Singer

 

MEET ENTRIES TO FALL FESTIVAL OF X-CELLENCE”, HALL-O-WEEN & DISTANCE DERBY POSTED: EVENTS DOVE-TAILED TO UPDATE WIDEST VARIETY OF TIMES:

 

            Elite has already entered swimmers into 6 different meets (no swimmer is competing in all 6 meets). To insure the team gets as much data on our swimmers as soon as possible, for these meets where possible the meet entries will be dovetailed (swimmers will swim the widest variety of strokes and distances as possible between the three meets).

 

Please note that with respect to Halloween, all Wave Golds, Wave Blacks, Wave Teals & Marlin Blacks will be entered.

 

Please note with respect to Fall Festival, there are qualifying times (and if a swimmer makes 1 time with the session, they are allowed to swim 3 events). All Seniors, Senior Preps, Wave Golds, Wave Blacks, Wave Teals and Marlin Blacks WHO QUALIFY will be entered into this meet. The only exception will be those swimmers who also qualify for NYC OPEN, held the same weekend. Bill will determine which meet (or both-different days) these swimmers will attend. NYC OPEN is an extremely high level meet where only the top Senior level swimmers will attend (qualifying times are approximately 15 & Older Junior Olympic times-long course).

 

Please note with respect to Distance Derby, all Seniors, Senior Preps, Wave Golds, Wave Blacks & Wave Teals will be entered into this meet.

           

 

POOLS BREAK DOWN; CHECK EMAIL AND WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION:

 

The unfortunate fact of swimming pools is that they occasionally breakdown. And usually when it is most inconvenient (like the beginning of the season). While it has not happened this September so far, Newark Academy and Morristown-Beard have been down early in the season in prior seasons. In addition, winter storms (or even the threat of winter storms) will shut down the facilities.

 

Thru the email chain, a blast will be sent to all swimmers if practice is unexpected cancelled. In addition, a note will be placed prominently on the website front page announcing the cancellation of the practice. This note serves as a reminder that swimmers (not parents) should regularly check the team website and emails in case there is a last minute pool disruption.

 

            If there is a pool disruption & practice is cancelled, all Elite members are requested to reach out to their friends (phone, text, email) to let them know of the situation. Cover your friend’s back!

 

 

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!

 

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!!!