ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               11-20-06

 

12 & UNDER PARENTS CHANGE THEIR SCHEDULES, INSURING DISTANCE DERBY AS ANOTHER HUGE SUCCESS:  

 

            A pool shutdown on Saturday disrupted, but did not stop the determined and energetic Elite Parents and Swimmers from successfully hosting the 4th annual Distance Derby this past weekend.

                                                                                                                                                                                           

A faulty hose interrupted the flow of chlorine into the pool for a period of time on Saturday, which reduced the level of chlorine into the pool. The prudent but logistically difficult decision was made to reschedule the 12 & U Session to Sunday afternoon.

 

Stepping up, the Elite 12 & Under Parents (some who worked Sunday despite their children NOT swimming-due to other commitments) performed magnificently by rescheduling their weekend plans and working hard to provide a smoothly run meet. These parents demonstrated to their children the Elite value & character system and are commended for their efforts!!!

 

With the focus on the most grueling events swimming has to offer, Distance Derby challenges swimmers to compete in the toughest events back to back. Competing against the Berkeley Aquatic Club, the Meadowlands YMCA, the Morris County Swim Club &  the Sea Dragons, the Elite Swimmers performed brilliantly. 44 best times that were MORE THAN 10 SECONDS FASTER previous best times.

 

Among the exciting Elite performances were:

 

1) 10 year old Andrea Shepard earned her 1st career Junior Olympic qualifying times: finishing 2nd in the 10 & Under 100 yard free (1.10.25) and 31st in the Open 500 Free (6.58.04).

 

2) 14 year old Michael Strand winning both the Boys 13-14 200 yard IM (2.12.44) & the 200 yard butterfly (2.21.54)

 

3)  9 year olds Zackie Katz (1.13.79) and Aaron Levin (1.16.32) finishing 1st & 2nd in the 10 & Under 100 yard free. Katz also won the 100 yard breast (1.32.26) by edging out second place finisher & teammate 10 year old Jeffrey Dong (1.32.34)  

 

4)      12 year old Michael Li winning both the 11-12 year old 200 yard free (2.13.03) and the 200 yard breast (2.44.05)

 

5)      Competing in two of the most grueling events, 15 year old Brittany Ross won both the Girls 15 & Older 400 IM (4.59.55) & the 200 butterfly (2.20.42)

 

6)      10 year old Regan Kology dropped 70 seconds from last year in finishing 22nd with an spectacular 6.40.76 (JO cut) time Open in the 500 Free. Kology also won the 10 & U 100 yard butterfly with a Junior Olympic qualifying time of 1.25.31.

 

7)      sister and brother act: 13 year old Priya Duvvuri just missing a Junior Olympic qualifying time (by less than a second) in winning the Girls 13-14 200 yard butterfly (2.29.34) while 14 year old Venkatesh Duvvuri winning the Boys 13-14 200 yard breast (2.39.34) also just missing a JO cut time (2 tenths of a second

 

8)      12 year old Evan O’Hara (2.26.57) winning the 11-12 200 yard freestyle

 

9)      10 year old Taylor Savarese (1.40.65) winning the Girls 10 & U 100 Breast

 

10)   9 year old Michelle Pick finishing 2nd in the Girls 10 & Under 100 yard butterfly (behind Kology), missing a JO cut time (1.30.76) by just over a second

 

11)   14 year old Robert Maloney winning the Boys 13-14 200 yard backstroke (2.40.38)

 

12)   13 year old Carolyn DeMeo winning the Girls 13-14 200 yard IM (2.30.19)   

 

            Playing on the double meaning of the word “derby” (which can mean both a race or a hat), Elite added an extra incentive by awarding a “derby” hat to each heat winner. Swimmers and parents of every team proudly displayed their winning derbies all weekend.

           

Swimmers who participated were (# in parathesis is # of best times): Lindsay Anderson (3), Courtney Brosnan (2), Meg Brosnan (2), John Burns (3), Taylor Campolattaro (2), Monica Carty (2), Ethan Cohen (2), Crissy Condus (1), Jonny Crowther (2), Laura Culiuc (2), Kat Cupka (2), Victoria D’Altrui (3), Chris Dart (1), Corey Deatly, Tad Deatly (3), Carolyn DeMeo (4), Jeffrey Dong (2), Sam Duren (2), Krishna Duvvuri (2), Priya Duvvuri (2), Venkatesh Duvvuri (4), Madeleine Faust (2), Victoria Fetner (2), Spencer Fisch (3), Breana Fitzpatrick (4), Michelle Franks (2), Julianne Furdyna (1), Hannah Gleason (1), Katie Golway (2), Lydia Gracey (2), Rachel Greene (2), Julia Guacelli (2), Alistair Hall (1), Duncan Hall (1), Jerel Ho (4), Brent Jones (2), Kim Jones (4), Zackie Katz (2), Victoria Keiser (3), Kirsten Kellstrom, Brandon King (3), Regan Kology (3), Emmie Lai (3), Ricky LaSalvia (2), David Lemons (2), Matt Lemons (2), Aaron Levin (2), Michael Li (2), Jessie Lowe (2), Robert Maloney (4), Daniela Manzi (3), Marisa Manzi (2), Sarah McGrath (3), Austin Meszaros (2), Brendan Miller-Radest (3), Ali Morreale (2), Isabella Morreale (2), Madison Munoz (1), Dan Muro (2), Kendall Murray (3), Maggie Nelson (2), Rebecca Niccolai (2), Dara O’Gorman (2), Evan O’Hara (1), Sarah Peay (4), Christina Pick (2), Gabrielle Pick (2), Michelle Pick (1), Chris Plunkett (3), Katie Ragan (3), Abigail Rollenhagen (2), Brittany Ross (3), Nicki Ross (3), Taylor Savarese (2), Amanda Scherb (3), Jonathan Scott (2), Andrea Shepard (3), Bethany Stachenfeld (2), Kaitlin Stearns (2), Lindsay Stearns (2), Michael Strand (5), Erica Takahashi (3), Lexi Tedesco, Jennifer Torre (1), Rachel Tortorella (1), Andrea Tyminski (1), Michael Wang (2), Sarah Weinbrom (2), Kayla Wolonsky (2), Maggie Woodruff (2) & Richard Yu (2).

 

TWENTY ELITE SWIMMERS HEADED TO PITTSBURGH FOR CHRISTMAS INVITATIONAL; PARENTS: THERE IS ROOM ON THE TEAM BUS FOR YOU!: 

 

            Elite will field a team of 20 swimmers (an increase over the 15 swimmers from last year) for the 45th annual Christmas Invitational Meet to be held Friday, December 15 thru Sunday, December 17 at the University of Pittsburgh.

 

            Swimmers who have qualified are: Danielle Basile, Crissy Condus, Kat Cupka, Chris Dart, Carolyn DeMeo, Priya Duvvuri, Venkatesh Duvvuri, Breana Fitzpatrick, Michelle Franks, Julianne Furdyna, Duncan Hall, Jerel Ho, David Lemons, Ricky Martin, Danielle Martinez, Austin Meszaros, Ali Morreale, Maggie Nelson, Brittany Ross & Michael Strand.

 

            The Christmas Invitational is the oldest “holiday” championship meet in the country. Elite only takes swimmers who are 13 & Older. Elite swimmers who are 12 & Under and have qualified for the Holiday Classic will be entered in that meet, which is held this year on the the weekend before at Rutgers.

 

            For the 1st time, Elite has hired a full 50 passenger bus to transport the team to Pittsburgh. Parents who are considering traveling to Pittsburgh are welcome to travel on the bus; in addition, Elite is still holding a few extra rooms at the hotel. Parents whom would like to travel on the bus and/or stay at the same hotel as the team need to get in touch with Bill immediately.

HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING TO AFFECT PRACTICE TIMES IN DEC, JAN & FEB:

            High School Swimming at both Newark Academy and Morristown-Beard will affect Elite’s practice schedule starting November 15.

 

            Wave Blacks are reminded that practice on Saturday’s, following November 15, with be held from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm at Morristown-Beard School.

 

            High School swim meets at both Newark Academy and Morristown-Beard School will occasionally push back practice start times from 5:15 pm to 5:30 pm.  Please review 3 week practice schedule for daily details.

 

REMINDER: SCHOLAR/ATHLETE AWARDS WILL BE HIGHLIGHT OF AWARDS BANQUET:

 

          With the conclusion of the 1st marking periods, swimmers are reminded that the ultimate award an Elite swimmer can earn at the season ending Awards Banquet (Sunday, March 25, 2007) 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 QualifyTime

 

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 of grammar school students should remember that Bill will review the grading legend (assuming A’s and B’s are not given) to ascertain if the swimmer has fulfilled the academic requirements to receive the award.

 

Parents will be requested to provide the scholastic information in early March, 2007.

 

ESCPO NEWS...

           

Update from ESCPO:

 

Dive In Movie Night - Friday Dec 1 - Head Count and Parent Volunteers Needed.

 

Dust off those floats and come "Dive In''!

 

We will be featuring Shark Tales (recommended age 12 and under) at 7pm and Jaws (recommended age 13 and up) immediately following, around 8'30.  Pizza will be served starting an hour before each movie.

 

Swimmers - look for a sign up sheet at NA and MoBeard.  We need to get an accurate head count to ensure that we order the appropriate amount of food.

 

Parents - if you are interested in helping out, please email Moya at Emmiexilo@aol.com for more info.

 

LOST AND FOUND:

 

            There is a Lost and Found at Newark Academy which is already overflowing with t-shirts, sweatshirts, goggles, fins, etc. If you have lost something, check out the lost and found. AND put your name on everything you own so it can get back to you!!!