ELITE NEWS BULLETIN 10-22-07

MAGICAL EXPERIENCE WITH NEW ELITE FRIENDS JOSH AND KATE;

LOVE, STREAMLINE AND FUN STRESSED AT ESCPO OLYMPIAN CLINIC:

85 extremely lucky swimmers (and dozens of parents) spent 4 spellbound hours with three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Josh Davis and current swimming superstar (and 2008 Olympic hopeful) Kate Zieglar yesterday at Morristown-Beard School. The Olympian Clinic was coordinated and underwritten by the Elite Swim Club Parents Organization.

Josh, who is also a world-class motivational speaker, keep swimmers and parents mesmerized with his mixture of stories, stroke technique tips, swimming, and life lesson advice. Kate, who had just arrived back from Germany where she set world records in both the 800 SCM free and 1500 SCM free, mingled freely with swimmers big and small, asking questions and pointing out stroke technique corrections.

Pronouncing the two most important things in life were 1) knowing that you are loved by your family and friends and 2) streamlining off your walls, Josh thoroughly entertained and fired-up our Elite swimmers. Josh told of his swimming experiences (he did not start swimming until he was 13!!! & he once had a 7 year plateau before shattering his best time), asked the swimmer to unlock their “inter greatness” and advised each swimmer to be their best in everything they do every day (sounds like last year’s Elite white t-shirt!).

Kate talked about her difficulty in learning to not worry about her competition and to only concentrate on what she could control-that being her own performance. Kate also explained she was not always the fastest swimmer in the pool and that she improved by creating “small goals” such as: not being lapped in practice today and being the fastest swimmer in her lane today! Small goals lead to big gains, she advised.

If there was a highlight of the afternoon, it was when Josh and Kate raced each swimmer in a 25 free. Several Elite swimmers “won” the 25 as the Olympians gave everyone a bit of a head start! In addition, all swimmers received autographed pictures on both stars and were able to hold a real Olympic Goal Medal!!!

As he was leaving, Josh highly encouraged swimmers and parents to reach out to him with observations and comments thru his website: http://www.breakoutswimclinic.com/contact_us/. 

Special thanks to Moya Chew-Lai, president of ESCPO, who coordinated for weeks the affair. Thanks Moya!!!

TEAM 1000 FOR WAVE GOLDS THIS THURSDAY:

PARENTS NEEDED TO TIME:

Leighann Marcelliano, Head Training Group Coach of the Wavebuster Golds will be conducting a time-trial this Thursday for swimmers in the Wave Gold training group only. All swimmers will be swimming a 1000 yard free for time and it will be conducted during the normal practice time.

Leighann is looking for a minimum of 6 parents to volunteer to time. Please email or speak to Leighann directly.

BILL OFF TO DALLAS FOR USA SWIMMING MEETING:

Representing New Jersey Swimming, Head Coach Bill Deatly will participate in a USA Swimming sponsored seminar involving LSC Board of Review procedures in Dallas, Texas this coming Friday and Saturday.

As part of its effort to keep all 59 LSC’s (LSC stands for Local Swim Committee-NJ Swimming is an LSC) educated on proper procedures, USA Swimming will provide information in Dallas as to how to provide proper Due Process during a dispute within the LSC. NJ Swimming provides for disagreements within LSCs to be handled by an impartial Board of Review, comprised of an elected standing committee. In order to provide fairness and impartiality, this Committee needs to follow specific due process procedures. By attending this seminar, Bill will bring back to NJ Swimming those procedures that provide proper due process.

MEET DELAY LAST SUMMER LEADS TO ELITE’S NEW POLICY REGARDING TRAINING DURING STORMS:

The only silver lining to the 3 hour delay at LCM Junior Olympics this past summer is the new policy Elite has adopted regarding training in storms.

Given plenty of time to discuss with other NJ Swimming Coaches the situation during the JO lightning storm, it was discovered that there is actually no NJ law that prohibits swimming indoors during a thunder/lightning storm. What has happened is that Rutgers University has a school policy not to allow their facilities to be used during storms. Over the years, this Rutgers policy, which stems directly from a reduction in their premiums on an insurance policy if they stop all activities during a storm, has morphed into the incorrect assumption that it was against the law to train during storms.

For years, Elite has followed this incorrect assumption and stopped training during storms. Our new policy will be to assess the situation and if coaches feel it is safe to train during the storm, they will continue to conduct practice. If the coaches feel it is dangerous to train during the storm (if the storm is directly over the pool, there is significant & close lightning, etc), they will stop training. And if the weather conditions are forecasted to be extreme, practice will be cancelled before practice starts (we have cancelled practices in the past due to snow storms and nor’easters, and will continue to do so).

DISTANCE DERBY IS FULL!!

Distance Derby, Elite’s sanctioned New Jersey Swim Meet held November 17 & 18 is the 1^st meet of the 2007-08 calendar to be fully subscribed and closed out!

Co-ordination efforts are underway by Elite parent volunteers to organized this year’s meet. All parents of the team are expected to participate in running this meet (information will be forth coming).

Claire Gorman is this year’s volunteers meet coordinator. Claire is looking for volunteers help her organize the volunteers. Please contact her at mailto:cgorman@connellfoley.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!!! If you do not see what you need, email Bill at eliteswimclubnj@comcast.net