ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               12-08-08

 

ANOTHER MILESTONE ON THE ROAD TO SWIMMING EXCELLENCE:

ELITE AGE GROUPERS DEFEAT BAC;

 

            It was unthinkable two years ago. Elite going head to head with the prestigious Berkeley Aquatic Club and being competitive. Yet, two years later, the Elite Age Groupers did just that and more, defeating Berkeley 779 to 636 yesterday at Morristown-Beard in a dual meet structured for the best of both clubs to compete at the Age Group level.

 

            Do not misinterpret this. BAC’s Senior Program is still significantly stronger that Elite’s. Overall, they are still a much stronger club (when one includes that portion of their team) than Elite, which they will prove at Spring JO’s. But the results do indicate the progress Elite has made in the last 4 years. And we should be very proud of that progress!

 

            The meet format had single age events (9 years olds competing, 10 year olds competing, etc) for the younger swimmers and 62 separate events. Thus, to win the meet strong swimmers were needed at all levels. Elite’s effort was just that, as 23 separate Elite swimmers won a total of 36 events. Since the meet was held in a meter pool, no Junior Olympic times were achieved.

 

            Elite was lead by 12 year old Ryan Sebastian, who won all 4 events he competed in. 10 year old Chris Balbo, 10 year old Andrea Galea, 11 year old Zach Katz & 11 year old Gabrielle Pick each won 3 events.

 

            9 year old Abbie Bigham, 8 year old Katherine Friday, 12 year old Regan Kology each won 2 events a piece.

 

            15 year old Michael Alelov, 13 year old Jenni Allocco, 17 year old Jeff Beamer, 16 year old John Burns, 12 year old Jeffrey Dong, 12 year old Alli Dorneo, 12 year old Jess Gorham, 11 year old Matthew Hong, 9 year old Andrew Huang, 8 year old Katie Iovel, 11 year old Michelle Pick, 10 year old Kaitlin Stearns, 12 year old Lindsay Stearns and 9 year old Michael Tortorella all added a winning performance.

 

            But in a meet like this, 2nd place, 3rd place and 4th places were crucial to, as the scoring was 7 points for 1st place, 5 points for 2nd, 4 points for 3rd, 3 points for 4th, 2 points for 5th and 1 point for 6th. Thus, the Elite performance was a total team effort!!!

 

            The entire team should be excited and proud of what occurred yesterday!

 

Swimmers who participated (# in parathesis is number of best Elite SCM best times):  Matt Ahlmeyer (2), Michael Alelov (1), Jenni Allocco (3), Chris Balbo (4), Megan Balbo (4), Jeffrey Beamer (2), Abbie Bigham (4), John Burns (2), Richard Carchia (1), Brannon Cho (3), Matthew Critchley (3), Jeffrey Dong (3), Ali Dorneo (3), Ryan Dorneo (1), Amy Duren (1), Juliet Felsen (2), Andrea Ferrell (1), Ava Fitzsimons (2), Andy Fresen (1), RJ Fresen (3), Katherine Friday (1), Andrea Galea (3), Patrick Gilfillan (3), Emily Gorham (2), Jess Gorham (2), Andre Guacelli (1), Scott Harris (1), Colin Hart (2), Alyssa Hartigan (1), Matthew Hong (3), Patrick Hong (3), Andrew Huang (2), Jack Hughes (2), Katie Iovel (3), Zach Katz (3), Rachel Keselman (2), Regan Kology (3), Jessica Kraus (2), Jared Kovacs (3), Aaron Levin (3), Brandon Li (2), Katie McGrath (2), Karl Melchior (3), Kara Miller-Radest (2), Isabella Morreale (2), Charlotte Morrissey (1), Julia Muro (2), Daniel Muro (2), Caroline Nash (4), Dara O’Gorman (4), Christina Pick (2), Gabrielle Pick (3), Michelle Pick (4), Natalie Pruitt (4), Chris Roser (3), Sonia Samtani (2), Taylor Savarese (1), Daniel Scherb (1),  Ryan Sebastian (4), Kaitlin Stearns (2), Lindsay Stearns (4), Will Stearns, Michael Tortorella (1), Rachael Tortorella (2), Caroline Watt (2), Sarah Weimbrom (1), Jack Wenzel (1), Harry Woods (2) & Richard Yu (1)..

 

STRAND, KATZ CURRENTLY RANKED NATIONALLY;

 

            Two Elite swimmers, 15 year old Michael Strand and 11 year old Zach Katz, are currently listed within the national rankings for their events in early season meet results.

 

Compiled thru USA Swimming’s national database (called “SWIMS”), the results include Hall-o-ween Meet and NYC Open meet results. These results do not include Fall Festival or Distance Derby times achieved. Several other Elite swimmers may be within range of top 10 times nationally based upon their fall performances. Swimmers 10 years old and younger are not ranked nationally.

 

By reason of his phenomenal early season 100 yard backstroke race at the NYC Open in which he posted a 52.51 time, Strand is currently ranked 8th nationally for all 15 year old boys in that event. Based upon his 50 yard breaststroke time of 34.35 at the Hall-o-ween Classic Meet, Katz is ranked 17th in that event for 11 year old boys.

 

Please note that these rankings will continue to be compiled until August, 2009, so these are not final results in any respect. Both swimmers will need to improve upon their times to remain with the top 20 standings. Swimmers who post times within the top 10 of their age for the season receive Top 10 recognition certificates from USA Swimming.

 

Last summer, Elite swimmers Chris Dart and Regan Kology placed within the top 10 of their age groups for long course distance events. Just missing a top 10 ranking, Strand placed 11th in the 100 meter back as a 15 year old.

 

ATTENDANCE THRU NOV TILL STRONG; 3 OF 7 TRAINING GROUPS AVERAGING OVER 80%; ALL GROUPS OVER 75%, WAVE TEALS LEAD WAY WITH 87%!!! 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 (and half way thru the season November, the Elite Swimmers have continued to show their diligent work ethic by attending practice at an astonishing rate of close to 80% as a team!!! As of yesterday, the Wavebuster Teal training group leads the outstanding Elite attendance race by averaging, as a training group, 87.27% attendance!!! The Wave Teals are followed by the Seniors (85.10%), the Senior Preps (80.83%), the Wave Blacks (79.76%), the Marlin Blacks (78.05%), the Marlin Teals (76.60%) & Wave Golds (74.00%).

 

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.

 

            75 swimmers (41.16% of the team!!!) are currently on track to win the attendance award (who have an 85% or higher attendance record-* designates perfect attendance!):

 

            Marlin Teals:  Ethan Blum, Richard Carchia, Ryan Dorneo*, Andy Fresen, Alex Jacobs, Sara Jacobs, Sandeepan Mukherjee & Will Stearns 

 

            Marlin Blacks: Megan Balbo*, Erika Fresen*, Clio Galea, Rachel Hong, Katie Iovel, Jessica Kraus, Brandon Li*, Katie Tselepis

 

Wavebuster Teals: Brielle Barba, Abbie Bigham, Katie Brosnan, Emily Buckman*, Meggie Butler*, Morgan Conley, Jimmy Coyne, Elizabeth D’Altrui, Deyoung Don, Katie Fell*, Andrea Ferrell*, Katherine Friday, Emily Goad, Emily Gorham, Patrick Hong*, Andrew Huang, Rachel Keselman, Sarah Lowe, Charlotte Morrissey*, Mikala Quinn, Camile Relota, Abir Thakur & Michael Tortorella 

 

Wavebuster Blacks: Chris Balbo*, Lindsay Behar, Drew D’Andrea, Andrea Galea, Jess Gorham, Emma Harris, Alyssa Hartigan, Isabel LaRaia, Isabella Morreale, Caroline Nash, Taylor Savarese, Rachael Tortorella & Caroline Watt

 

Wavebuster Golds:  Matt Ahlmeyer, Anthony Don, Alli Dorneo, Matt Hong, Regan Kology, Katie McGrath, Kara Miller-Radest, Eric Ocheretyanger, Ryan Sebastian*, Kaitlin Stearns, Lindsay Stearns, Sarah Weinbrom

 

Senior Preps: Emmie Lai, Sarah McGrath, Brendan Miller-Radest, Lexi Tedesco & Ryan Wyer  

 

            Seniors:  Lindsay Anderson, Victoria D’Altrui, Tad Deatly, Michael Li, Ali Morreale* & Michael Strand*

 

RUTGERS WOMEN’S TEAM TO HOST “COLLEGE CONFERENCE CARNIVAL” ON JAN 16-17; ENTERTAIN FOR ALL, ELITE AGE GROUP RELAYS MAY PARTICIPATE:

 

            Trying to build on the swimming phenomena generated from the 2008 Bejing Olympics, Rutgers University Women’s Team will host a “College Conference Carnival at Rutgers University on Friday, January 16 & Saturday, January 17, 2009. Committed to competing are Rutgers, University of Florida, University of North Carolina and University of Richmond. All of these teams either won or placed 2nd in their respective conferences.

 

            As part of the festivities, Rutgers will coordinate 4 events that will hopefully impact directly on Elite Swimming: in the middle of the meet, Rutgers will schedule relay races for the top 8 teams in New Jersey (including southern NJ which is part of the Mid-Atlantic LSC) in both the 9-10 and 11-12 Age Groups. Based upon Elite’s recent past performances, relay teams from Elite should be invited to participate!!

 

            As currently scheduled, the 11-12 Boys and Girls Relays will participate at approximately 7 pm Friday night and the 9-10’s will participate at approximately 7:45 pm on Saturday night.

 

            Elite will be entering teams and assuming our teams are accepted to participate, will notify those swimmers who have been selected to compete. Deadline for entries is Wednesday, Dec 17 (3 days after Holiday Classic) so we should hear shortly thereafter if our teams have made it.

 

            Rutgers will also be planning other entertain activities at the meet such as Synchro Diving & Big Man Cannonball Contests, Masters World Record 3-Meter Diving Contest and Clown Diving.

 

PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY AT 9-10S, 13 & OLDER CHAMPIONSHIPS:

 

            Parents are reminded that although we ran a spectacular Distance Derby meet two weeks ago at Newark Academy, Elite will be running two more meets this season: 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships and 13 & Older Silver/Bronze Championships (co-hosted with Morris County Swim Club).

 

            With regards to the 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships, all parents of swimmers 10 & younger (yes, including 8 & Under parents!) will be expected to work that weekend.

 

            With regards to the 13 & Older Silver/Bronze Championships, all parents of swimmers 13 & Older (with exceptions being parents of swimmers attending Sectionals in Boston, Massachusetts) l be expected to work that weekend.

 

FOLLOW UP ON COLLEGE RECRUITING:

 

            As a follow up to the college recruiting seminar Bill provided Elite swimmers and parents on Friday, November 28, here are some additional helpful websites swimmers may want to check out in their search for the right college:: www.collegeboard.com, www.princetonreview.com, www.berecruited.com & www.ncaaclearinghouse.com.

 

ON TUESDAY DEC 16, GET THE ADVICE THE NJ JETS GET:

 

          On Tuesday, December 16, Dr. Jim Reardon, the psychologist for the New York Jets, will provide two presentations to Elite swimmers (and parents) regarding the 3 C’s needed to perform at one’s athletic peak. The three C’s are Confidence, Concentration and Composure. The first presentation will be from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Newark Academy and the 2nd presentation will be from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Morristown Beard. All swimmers and parents of swimmers are invited to attend (Session #1 is for ALL Wavebusters and Marlin swimmers and parents, Session #2 is for Senior & Senior Prep swimmers and parents).

 

            Dr. Jim Reardon, who has also served as the sports psychologist for USA Track & Field, is a parent of 4 swimmers. Although living in Worthington Ohio year round, Dr. Reardon spends most of his fall working with the NJ Jets. Now that the Jet’s home base is in Florham Park, Dr. Jim is local for 4 months a year. Being a swimming parent, Dr. Reardon realized he needed a swim team for his children to train with when his family comes to visit (like this past week). Ian (14) & Colin (11) have trained with the Wavebuster Golds while Emily and Erin have trained with the Marlin Teals during their NJ visits. 

 

            Dr. Reardon’s presentation will include how to include confidence, concentration and composure skills into an athlete’s personality to insure the best possible performance.

 

            There will be no “water” practices that night at either pool. All Elite swimmers and parents are invited to attend the appropriate session.

 

8 & UNDERS WILL COMPETE AT CANDY CANE-SUNDAY, DEC 21:

 

            Elite has been offered an opportunity to have our 8 & Unders compete at the Candy Cane Invitational to be held at Somerset Hills YMCA on Sunday, Dec 21. All Elite 8 & Unders should plan to attend. Meet entries and meet information will be posted this week.

 

HOLIDAY CLASSIC AND WINTERFEST ENTRIES UPDATED;

 

            Elite has revised its entries to both Holiday Classic (Dec) and Winterfest (Jan) meets based upon our swimmers performances at Distance Derby. Each swimmer should check the meet entries for each of these meets.

           

WITH DECEMBER COMES WEATHER,

CHECK WEBSITE/EMAIL FOR PRACTICE CANCELLATIONS:

 

Weather will have an affect on practice schedules and meet starting times. When in doubt, check the Elite website and your email for information regarding time changes due to weather.

 

Be advised that both Newark Academy and Morristown Beard tend to close down at the forecast of bad weather. In addition, safety is extremely important. Thus, weather is likely to interrupt practice and even if it does not, parents should make decisions based upon their comfort level regarding travel to and from practice.

 

SICK? COULD BE YOUR LACK OF “AT HOME” SWIMMING DETAILS!!!

 

Are you sick? Got the flu, strep or a bad head cold?  Your sickness is probably caused by your own lack of swimming details!!!

 

Since we are heading towards our heaviest training (December & January), swimmers are “broken down” or tired based upon the heavy swimming workload. To stay healthy, each swimmer needs to practice their “at home” swimming details: drinking lots of fluids, eating properly and often, getting enough sleep and dressing properly for winter.

 

There are literally dozens of swimmers that ignore these vital “at home” swimming details, and most of these swimmers end up missing significant training and/or actually missing their meets because they do not live their “at home” swimming details. These swimmers literally shorten their training seasons due to their sickness!!!

 

One new swimmer phenomena that is just plain crazy is the “sandal/no sock look” in zero degree weather. Swimmers who dress like this are literally begging to get sick. One Elite swimmer actually got frostbite 3 years ago due to not dressing properly on the way home from swimming on a particularly cold night. Ever tried swimming with frostbite? Be a winner: do your swimming details at home and at school, in addition to at the pool!!!

 

TENTATIVE HOLIDAY PRACTICE SCHEDULE NOW POSTED:

 

            The tentative Holiday Practice is now posted on the website. These schedules are always subject to change, but it is very likely this will be the schedule from Dec 22 thru Jan 4.

 

….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 at the two pools Elite uses. Incredibly, a total of 7 high school and middle school teams use either Newark Academy or Morristown-Beard School during this time in addition to Elite. What these means to us is that Elite’s practices will be disrupted as meets will encroach into Elite’s practice times.

 

            On days when there are no meets, Elite’s practices will be held at the identical 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. And meets get canceled and rescheduled. So, please continue to check the practice schedule for practice time changes on a daily basis!!

 

PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS:

ATTENDENCE, LEVEL OF TRAINING AND STROKE TECHNIQUE:

CORRECTION: 80% NEEDED FOR WAVE GOLDS TO BE PROMOTED:

 

            As we hit the mid-point of our training season, swimmers and parents are reminded that swimmers EARN their promotions by accomplishing 3 criteria thru the season. Coaches will make their recommendations for promotions to Bill starting in mid January and the promotion letters will be mailed in early February. No swimmer will be considered for promotion unless they comply with the following 3 criteria (and swimmers are reminded that they control this process, not the coaches);

 

1)      great attendance as defined as follows:

a.       over 70% for Marlin Teals, Marlin Blacks, Wave Teals & Wave Blacks.

b.      over 80% for Wave Golds (changed from last year due to removal of practice make-ups)

c.       over 85% for Senior Preps

     

2)      Training within the top lanes in one’s training group. Each training group has 2 to 6 different levels of training within the training group. A swimmer must be training within the top 2 training levels to be considered.

 

3)  Great stroke technique. While swimmers are training in the top level of their training group, they need to hold their stroke technique. Each swimmer

                   is aware of those things they need to work on.

 

            Each swimmer is encouraged to talk to their coach regarding their current status and things they need to do during the 2nd half of the season to earn a promotion.

 

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!!!