ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               11-28-05

 

SENIORS, SENIOR PREPS & WAVE GOLD MEET PRACTICE FROM HELL CHALLENGES:

 

            Swimmers from the Senior, Senior Prep and Wave Gold training groups rose to and conquered the annual challenge of the “Practices from Hell” this Thanksgiving weekend.

 

            The Practices from Hell are overtraining workouts designed to stimulate both significant muscle growth and an increased focused when tired within the swimmer. Past results has shown in a considerable increase in conditioning as well as a remarkable increase in self-confidence by each swimmer as a result of these workouts.

 

            Based upon what coaches witnessed this past weekend, this year’s results are expected to even outperform the past’s positive results. Each training group handled this weekend’s challenge with remarkable ease (coaches surmise that the increase in attendance at practice this season has made the these challenges “easier” for the current crop of dedicated swimmers on Elite!!). New challenges are to be designed by coaches in the future.

 

            The Seniors challenge was to swim 100 x 100 meters (affectionately called 100 100’s) during a single practice (10,000 meters). This practice is roughly 40% more swimming than at a typical practice. Since this practice was completed at Morristown-Beard (a meters pool), it was the equivalent to swimming 6.66 miles within a three hour period. Thirteen Seniors swimmers-Danni Basile, Crissy Condus, Mickey Ennis, Julianne Furdyna, Colleen Mason, Megan Mataga, Shayla McDonnell, Austin Meszaros, Matthew Poloniak, Brittany Ross, Lindsay Scott, Veronica Smith and Lily Thompson completed the challenge. Three additional swimmers-Corey Deatly, Claire DiGiacomo and Katie Kilcullen swam modified workouts (lots and lots of kicking) due to injuries.

 

            Two Senior Swimmers, Chris Dart and Nick Trojanowski, met and conquered an even steeper challenge-swimming 100 x 125 meters-12,500 meters (8.33 miles)!!! Both swimmers completed the workout in 3.5 hours.

 

            Also rising to the 100 x 100 meters challenge were five Senior Preps. Cassandra Farnow, Alistair Hall, Jerel Ho, Kim Jones and Kayla Wolonsky all completed the workout on Sunday afternoon. Due to an injury, Devan Zambito completed a modified workout.

 

            Also rising to an overtraining workout were the Wave Golds. The following swimmers completed 75 x 50 meters (3,750 meters or 2.5 miles) within a hour and a half. Swimmers who complete this workout were: Victoria D’Altrui, Tad Deatly, Carolyn DeMeo, Shelby Dixon, Kevin Estok, Victoria Keiser, Kirsten Kellstrom, Morgan Kiley, Michael Li, Danielle Martinez, Sarah McGrath, Kendall Murray, Katie Ragan, Nicky Ross, Amanda Scherb, Alex Smith Wang.  

 

SUMMER LONG COURSE MEET SCHEDULE REVISED:

 

            Adjusting to the increased participation in summer “long course” competition, New Jersey Swimming has announced a restructure of the schedule of its championship meets.

 

            To meet the additional interest in summer competition (last summers meets were terribly overcrowded), NJ Swimming will hold a Bronze Level Meet this summer in addition to “moving back” the Junior Olympic competiton.

 

            Junior Olympics will be held Friday, August 4 thru Sunday, August 6, 2006 at Rutgers University. Silvers will be held Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23 at Rutgers (same weekend as in the past). Bronze will be held on Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30 in Bayonne (at an outside venue!).

           

SWIM MEETS ON THE HORIZON:

 

            Elite’s meet schedule remains extremely very busy thru the middle of December. Upcoming meets include:

 

            1) Sunday, December 4: Gator Gridiron Meet: for Seniors and Senior Preps (only those not attending the Christmas Meet in Pittsburgh). Meet information is posted

           

            2) Sunday, December 4: IntraClub Meet for Wave Golds, Wave Blacks, Wave Teals, Marlin Blacks and Marlin Teals. Meet information is posted

 

            3) Sunday, December 11:  The Elite 8 & Unders have been invited and will attend the  “Candy Cane” Invitational Meet, an 8 & Under Only Championship Style Meet at Somerset Hills YMCA. Meet information is now posted.

 

            4) Sunday, December 11: 9 & Olders will compete vs Caldwell at Morristown-Beard School. 9 & Olders will compete from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Meet information is now posted

 

            5) Friday, December 16 thru Sunday, December 18: Christmas Meet in Pittsburgh. Only qualifying Seniors and Senior Preps. Meet information is posted.

 

            6) Friday, December 16 thru Sunday, December 18: Holiday Classic at Rutgers. Only qualifying 12 & Unders. Meet & Event Information is now posted. 

 

            7) Saturday, January 7th and Sunday, January 8th: Winterfest at Rutgers. Only qualifying swimmers will attend. Meet information to be posted shortly

 

            8) Friday, January 14 thru Sunday, January 16: Burgdorff Invitational at Rutgers. Only qualifying swimmers will attend. Meet information is posted

 

WAVE BLACKS TO HOLD INTRACLUB DISTANCE MEET FRIDAY, DEC 9TH:

 

            On Friday, December 9th, the Wave Blacks will hold an intraclub Distance Meet at Newark Academy during its regular practice time. Each swimmer will participate in either a 500 Free or 400 IM swim.

 

            Due to the lack of opportunity for swimmers to compete in distance events, the coaches have decided to provide the opportunity during practice. The intraclub meet will be run like a regular Elite meet (with electronic timing and watches-Wave Black parents, we will need your help timing!).

 

Swimmers should discuss with Leighann which event they would like to swim. Swimmers who do not anticipate being at this intraclub meet should email Bill (just like a regular meet).

 

TOP 25 NJ TIMES POSTED ON NJ SWIMMING’S NEW WEBSITE; TOP 10 ALL TIME ELITE TIMES UPDATED:

 

            Ever wonder where you stack up in NJ Swimming Competition? Well, now you can know instantly.

 

New Jersey Swimming’s new website (address is njswim2.com that can be accessed thru the Bergen Barracudas website: bbswim.org) is now posting the top 25 times during the season in New Jersey Sanctioned meets. This website will be the new New Jersey Swimming website shortly.

 

Just go to the website, click on Enter and click on NJ Records and Top 25 times. Scroll down to the age group you want to explore.

 

By the way, there are a number of Elite Swimmers listed in the top 25 swims in NJ so far this season!!!!

 

The Top 10 All Time Swims & Age Group yard list s for Elite has also been updated. Check out Elite’s website!!!

 

HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS TO START PRACTICE; PLEASE REVIEW PRACTICE SCHEDULE: 

 

            The Newark Academy, Millburn High School (at Newark Academy) and Morristown-Beard High School Swim Teams will begin their seasons starting tomorrow (Tuesday, November 15). How does this affects Elite?

 

            1) on normal practice days, Newark Academy will practice until 5:15 pm (our start time). Elite swimmers will be required to stay out of the pool until NA has concluded their practice and has left the pool deck

 

            2) on normal practice days, Millburn will begin practice after Elite has concluded practice at NA at 8:30 pm. On these days, Elite swimmers will need to exit the pool area quickly

 

            3) on normal practice days, Morristown-Beard’s practice will not affect Elite

 

            4) on those days when one or more of these teams host meets, Elite’s practice schedule will be affected (practice may start later than 5:15 pm or conclude earlier than 8:30). When possible, these changes will be highlighted on the Elite two week scheduled posted on the website 

 

            Elite swimmers need to remember that we are guests of both Newark Academy and Morristown-Beard School, and we need to act accordingly.

 

FIFTEEN SWIMMERS HEADED TO PITTSBURGH FOR CHRISTMAS INVITATIONAL: 

 

            Elite will field a team of 15 swimmers for the 44th annual Christmas Invitational Meet to be held Friday, December 16 thru Sunday, December 18 at the University of Pittsburgh.

 

            Swimmers who have qualified are: Danielle Basile, Crissy Condus, Chris Dart, Cassandra Farnow, Julianne Furdyna, Alex Gonzalez, Katie Inglese, Kim Jones, Katie Kilcullen, Danielle Martinez, Colleen Mason, Austin Meszaros, Maggie Nelson, Brittany Ross & Veronica Smith.

 

            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 same weekend at Rutgers.

 

            New: The following swimmers need to get their Medical Release Forms in as soon as possible: Danni Basile, Katie Inglese, Kim Jones, Katie Kilcullen, Danielle Martinez & Austin Meszaros. A copy of the form is posted on the website under forms.

 

OLYMPIAN TARA KIRK COMING TO ELITE:

 

            Bubblely breaststroker Tara Kirk, an Olympic Silver Medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games, will visit Elite on Saturday, January 28, 2006. Elite is now taking reservations for the clinic.

 

            Tara will be at Morristown-Beard from 2 pm to 6 pm. Tara will 1) discuss her swimming experiences (including the 2004 Athens Olympics),  2) stretch and warm-up swimmers 3) give stroke instruction and 4) get into the water and swim with Elite swimmers!!!

 

            Tara will be the 6th Olympian who has visited visited Elite for a (4 hour) stroke clinic. Past Olympians to visit Elite are: Dr. Ron Karnaugh, Tom Wilkins, Jenny Thompson, Janet Evans and Neil Walker.

 

            Originally from Washington State, Tara is a graduate of Standford University and an 11 time NCAA Champion!! Also noteworthy is that Tara, and her sister Dana, were the 1st sisters to qualify for the same US Olympic Squad.

 

            Tara is known for her ever present smile and gracious personality. One can check out Tara’s career by going to the USA Swimming website (usaswimming.org) and reading her bio under “swimmers.”

 

            Information on how to reserve a spot at this clinic is now posted on the Elite website (under Forms, Tara Kirk Clinic).

 

PARENTS ORGANIZATION HAS BALL ROLLING:

 

            Showing as much energy as their swimmers, parents and their committees are gathering momentum with regards to the different tasks needed completed by the Parents Organization:

 

FUNDRAISER:

 

            New: The Fundraiser Committee has organized an Elite Merchandise Sale for the Holiday Season. The clothing items are listed on the website under “Forms.” There are also forms located in the Newark Academy mailbox. In order to insure that the merchandise is received before Christmas, all orders must be in by Saturday, December 3.

            New: The Fundraiser Committee has begun selling “Swim Strong” bracelets in Elite’s Teal and Black colors.     Contact Brandy Deatly (Brand32@comcast.net) if you would like to purchase one.

 

PUBLICITY:

 

            The Publicity Committee’s first effort was successful as the Independent Press published this week a picture of Christina, Gabrielle and Michelle Pick, complete in their swimming attire with Hall-o-ween themed racing caps.

 

            The 1st step to have your swimmer as part of Elite’s publicity push is for a parent to sign the Publicity Waiver that authorizes Elite to use pictures of these swimmers. The Publicity Waiver is now posted on the website under “Forms.” Please place the signed waiver in Bill’s Mailbox at Newark Academy.