ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               11-12-07

 

WILD WEEKEND OF RACING YIELDS 1 SECTIONAL CUT & 3 MORE JO CUTS;

STRAND POSTS 1st 14 & UNDER SUB 2 MINUTE 2 BACK;

C. PICK, KATZ & STRAND ADD TO JO SWIMS:

 

          Hurtling thru the racing portion of the early season (while our training still calls for aerobic building rather than race focus), Elite swimmers posted 4 more qualifying times in three meets in two days (and two states) this past weekend.

 

            In a unique competition in New York City, Michael Strand posted the 1st sub 2 minute 200 yard backstroke for a 14 & under (yes, that includes Elite phenom Chris Dart) by posting a 1.59.98 at the NYC Open Invitational. This swim also qualifies Michael for a second Sectional qualifying time (assuming Elite chooses to attend the Indianapolis Sectional Meet-yes, all sectional qualifying times across the national are NOT equal). In this open event, Michael, as a 14 year old, placed 4th overall. Strand also added a Junior Olympic qualifying time (Michael ages up in December) in the 200 butterfly with a 206.98 swim.

 

            The NYC Open meet format is particularly interesting: it is a championship style meet with prelims in the am and finals at night (late afternoon). In the prelim am session, races are conducted in a long course venue; swimmers than compete for a place in finals where they race SCY. Making it even more unique, there are 4 final heats (heat 1-swimmers 13 thru 20, heat 2-swimmers 7 thru 12, heat 3-swimmers 3 thru 6 and the ultra final-swimmers 1 & 2 race!). This format forces the swimmers to really race to get to finals and then again in finals.  

 

            Also joining Michael at the meet was 15 year old Ricky Martin, who competed in 4 events and earned finals in each of his events (although, due to a knee injury, Ricky only competed in 2 finals). In both of his final events, Ricky placed 14th overall. 14 year old Breana Fitzpatrick also competed for Elite.

 

            Meanwhile back in NJ, many of the Elite Age Groupers competed twice this weekend: at a dual meet at Jersey Gators-Cranford and a dual meet at MBS verses Morris County Swim Club.

 

            At the Jersey Gator Meet, 9 year old Christina Pick and 10 year old (to be 11 year old at JO’s) Zachie Katz each added a Junior Olympic qualifying time. Pick cruised to a 1.20.98 time in the 100 yard Individual Medley for her 3rd JO cut while Katz added a 50 yard fly time of 32.48 for his 3rd qualifying time.

 

            Overall, best times were down against the Jersey Gators as many Elite swimmers were competing in the identical events as last week. However, the times at the Morristown-Beard, which is a 25 meter pool, demonstrate how much our swimmers have developed since last winter as their times are compared to the their last SCM races.

 

            Swimmers who participated in the JG Dual meet were (# in parathesis is number of best Elite SCY best times): Matt Ahlmeyer (1), Chris Balbo (3), Lindsay Behar (1), Ryan Buckham (1), Taylor Campolattaro (1), Alli Dorneo (1), Amy Duren, Sam Duren, Avinash Duvvuri (1), Krishna Duvvuri, Maya Epelbaum (1), Juliet Felson, Andrea Ferrell (1), Spencer Fisch, Emily Goad, Katie Golway (2), Katie Gorman (1), Lydia Gracey (2), Alyssa Hartigan (1), Matt Hong (1), Patrick Hong, Zachie Katz, Eamonn Keenan (1), Regan Kology, Patrick Lai (1), Isabel LaRaia (2), Aaron Levin,, Jessie Lowe, Daniela Manzi (3), Brendan Miller-Radest (1), Kara Miller-Radest (1), Madison Munoz (1), Dan Muro (1), Julia Muro (1), Caroline Nash, Dara O’Gorman (2),  Christina Pick (1), Gabrielle Pick, Michelle Pick (1), Taylor Savarese, Andrea Shepard, Kaitlin Stearns (1), Lindsay Stearns (1), Sydney Todd,  Rachel Tortorella (1), Michael Wang (1), Sarah Weinbrom (1), Natalie Wetmore, Ryan Wyer (2) & Richard Yu (1).

         

Swimmers who participated in the MCSC meet were (# in parathesis is number of best Elite SCM best times): Matt Ahlmeyer (3), Michael Alelov (3),  Arlynn Baer (3), Chris Balbo (3), Megan Balbo (3), Lindsay Behar (3), Ethan Blum (3), Nicole Blum (3), Katie Brosnan (3), Ryan Buckham (3), Alexa Burkard (2), Thomas Burke (3), Eloise Burn (3), Meggie Butler (3), Taylor Campolattaro (1), Mac Charvala (3), Brannon Cho (3), Elizabeth D’Altrui (3),  Drew D’Andrea (3), Alli Dorneo (2), Sam Duren (2), Avinash Duvvuri (3), Krishna Duvvuri (1), Helena Elston (3), Maya Epelbaum (3), Juliet Felson (3), Andrea Ferrell (3), Spencer Fisch (3), Andy Fresen (3), Erika Fresen (3), RJ Fresen (3), Katherine Friday (3), Ariel Gelman (3), Emily Goad (3), Katie Golway (3), Alexandra Gordon (3), Dominique Gordon (2), Katie Gorman (3), Rachel Greene (3), Julia Guacelli (3), Emma Harris (3), Scott Harris (3), Alyssa Hartigan (3), Matt Hong (3), Patrick Hong (3), Elana Horowitz (3),  William Kaiser (2), Zachie Katz (3), Eamonn Keenan (3), Rachel Keselman (3),  Regan Kology (3), Jared Kovacs (3), Jessica Kraus (3), Patrick Lai (1), Clark LaRaia (1), Isabel LaRaia (3), Aaron Levin (3), Brandon Li (3), Jessie Lowe (3), Sarah Lowe (3), Daniela Manzi (3), Marisa Manzi (3), Katie McGrath (2), Matthew Migliozzi (3), Brendan Miller-Radest (3), Colin Miller-Radest (3), Kara Miller-Radest (3), Isabella Morreale (3), Julia Muro (3), Silas Newcomb (3), Gregory Niccolai (3), Rebecca Niccolai, Dara O’Gorman (3), Nick Pachiolo (3), Spencer Pearce (3), Christina Pick (3), Gabrielle Pick (3), Michelle Pick (3), Mikala Quinn (3), Katie Salsano (3), Taylor Savarese (3), Jonathan Scott (3), Andrea Shepard (3), Katy Shepard (3), Jonas Singer (3), Jessica Solodkin (3), Kaitlin Stearns (3), Lindsay Stearns (3), Erica Takahashi (3), Lexi Tedesco (1), Sydney Todd (1), Michael Tortorella (3), Rachel Tortorella (3), Spence Turkington (2), Michael Wang (3), Caroline Watt (3), Ryan Wyer (3) James Yoon (2) & Richard Yu (3).

 

PRACTICE SCHEDULE CHANGES (SLIGHTLY) NOVEMBER 15 FOR MARLINS & WAVE BLACKS….

 

Swimmers and Parents are reminded that the practice schedule will change come Monday, November 19. The changes will affect the Marlin Teals, the Marlin Blacks and the Wavebuster Black training groups.

           

Starting Thursday, November 15, Newark Academy’s high school and middle schools will begin training for their winter competitions. To accommodate NA, the immediate effect will be that the Marlin Teals and Marlin Blacks will “lose” 15 minutes of training (actually, we added 15 minutes of training in September and October and just revert back to the original practice schedule) and begin training at 5:15 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.

 

In addition, on those Saturdays when they are not competing the Wave Blacks practice will now be held from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm and at Morristown-Beard.

 

….JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE NOT TO LOOK AT OUR PRACTICE SCHEDULE: HIGH SCHOOL MEETS TO DISRUPT PRACTICES:

 

            In December, January and thru the middle of February, high school & middle school swim teams conduct practice and meets. Incredibly, a total of 7  high school and middle school teams use either Newark Academy or Morristown-Beard School during this time. What these means to us is that Elite’s practices will be disrupted as these meets will encroach into Elite’s practice times.

 

            On days when there are no meets, Elite’s practices will be held at the same time. However, on those days when a high school or middle school is using one of our pools for a meet, our practices might be shortened at the front end or on the back end.

 

            Thus, please check the practice schedule for practice time changes on a daily basis!!

 

ON DECK: DISTANCE DERBY IS THIS WEEKEND!!

 

            Distance Derby, Elite’s sanctioned New Jersey Swim Meet held November 17 & 18 is the 1st 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.

 

SWIM MEET “LOST & FOUND” BROUGHT BACK TO NA; PLEASE CHECK YOUR ITEMS AT HOME:

 

            As anyone at Princeton this weekend knows, the crowded situation at meets creates a ripe situation where items are going to be left, lost or accidentally picked up by other swimmers. Swimmers and parents should know the following:

 

1)      Items easily identified as Elite’s that are left at the meet are brought back to Newark Academy and placed in the lost & found.

 

2)      Items with names on them are much more easily identifiable. If not already done so, write your name on all swim gear and team uniform items so they can get back to you.

 

3)      As a courtesy to your fellow swimmers, please check the items you bring home to confirm they are actually yours. You may have accidentally picked up someone else’s uniform, suit or goggles. 

 

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