ELITE NEWS BULLETIN               12-22-08

 

AT CANDY CANE: NEXT GENERATION EMERGES:

K. SHEPARD WINS 8 & UNDER 100 FREE;

 

                  After years of being dragged to swim meet after swim meet and watching their older siblings compete, a number of Elite “2nd generation” swimmers received their opportunity to shine yesterday at the 3rd annual Candy Cane Classic held at Somerset Hills YMCA.

 

                  Designed for 8 & Under swimmers only, this meet had 5 local teams competing: Elite, Somerset Hills, Summit Y, Lakeland Y and Madison Y. The event was also a fundraiser for the Valerie Fund of Morristown.

 

                  8 year old Katy Shepard, who has unselfishly worked the Distance Derby and 9-10 Silver/Bronze Champ meets since she was in diapers, showed off her swimming endurance (maybe a family thing?) yesterday by winning the 100 yard freestyle in 1.23.94 (10 & Under Silver time is 1.22.09!). This was a 19 second drop from her previous best. Shepard also placed 6th in the 50 free (39.64).

 

                  Shepard’s 8 year old partner in working Elite meets, Megan Balbo, followed Katy to the finish line in 2nd place (1.32.73). Balbo placed 8th in the 50 free (40.42).

 

                  8 year old twins RJ and Andy Fresen picked up 3 third place finishes between them. RJ, who is also a budding tennis star (as was his mother Kathleen Horvath-a world class tennis player) and who has already competed in tennis tournaments as far away as Texas, showed off his swimming prowess by placing 3rd in two events: 100 IM (1.39.73) and 100 free (1.27.81). Not to be outdone, Andy followed with a 3rd place finish in the 50 back (46.62). Both RJ and Andy also placed 6th (RJ: 50 free: 39.07 and Andy: 100 free: 1.40.12). 

 

                  Another Elite pool rat who has spent her share of time at Elite meets as a youngster, 7 year old Summer Felsen placed 5th in the 50 back (52.88).

 

                  8 year old Colin Hart also placed 5th in the 50 back, in a 52.68 time.          

                       

Swimmers who participated (# in parathesis is number of best Elite SCY best times):  Megan Balbo (3), Richie Carchia (2), Elizabeth Denehy (1), Ryan Dorneo (2), Summer Felsen (2), Ava Fitzsimons (3), Andy Fresen (3), RJ Fresen (3), Colin Hart (3), Maddy Kretten (2), Joseph Pick (2), Katy Shepard (3), Will Stearns (4), Jack Wenzel (1).

 

SENIORS TO HEAD TO ASU THIS WEEK TO TRAIN TWICE A DAY:

            Fulfilling their annual training rite, 15 Seniors will travel across the US on Friday, December 26 to train 11 times in 6 days outdoors!!! This will be the 9th training trip for Elite Seniors.

            Returning to the training site of two, four & six years ago, Elite will train at the Arizona State University pool. Elite will train twice a day and perform drylands for a total of approximately 5 hours of training a day. The swimmers will complete approximately 11,000 yards of training (approximately 7 miles) each day for an approximate total of 76,000 yards. During a standard training week, Elite Seniors train about 32,000 yards. In addition, swimmers will train long course meters in the morning and as well as short course yards in the afternoon. The Seniors plan to conclude their training week with their annual 100 x 100 long course practice on New Year’s Day (that practice along is about 6 miles of swimming!!).

            Despite being exhausted from all this practice, the Seniors will find the energy to go out to dinner each night. Planned activities include attendance at the Insight Bowl game (held at ASU football stadium across the street from the pool-this year Minnesota vs Kansas) and the legendary Tempe Arizona First Night celebration, which includes dance contests, carnival rides and several simultaneously rock/pop/country concerts. 

The swimmers will leave return Friday, January 2 and then compete less than 12 hours later at Winterfest on Saturday, Jan 3 and Sunday, January 4. Swimmers participating in the trip are: Lindsay Anderson, Victoria D’Altrui, Tad Deatly, Priya Duvvuri, Venka Duvvuri, Cassandra Farnow, Breana Fitzpatrick, Amanda Grywalski, Michael Li, Ricky Martin, Danni Martinez, Ali Morreale, Maggie Nelson, Brittany Ross & Michael Strand. Coach Matt King, who has been training with the Seniors, will also accompany and train with the Seniors.

 

HOLIDAY CLASSIC REVISITED; KEEP ON MARVELING!!!:

 

            We marveled at our swimmers performances last weekend at Holiday Classic; a revisit to the statistics reveals that we should continue to marvel at our results:

 

1)      10 & Under Boys placed 2nd overall (to Westfield Y) with 213 points

2)      10 & Under Gilds placed 4th overall (behind only 1 NJ team-Lakeland Hills Y) with 236 points  

3)       Combined 10 & Under Girls and Boys placed 4th overall (behind only 1 NJ team-Lakeland Hills Y) with 449 points

4)      11-12 Boys placed 4th overall (behind 2 NJ teams-Red Bank Y and Y of Western Monmouth) with 273.5 points

5)      11-12 Girls placed 4th overall (behind 2 NJ teams-Lakeland Y and Cougars) with 289 points

6)      Combined 11-12 Girls and Boys placed 3rd overall (top placing NJ Team)

7)      Combined 10 & Under and 11-12 Scores, Elite places 3rd (behind only 1 team-Lakeland Hills Y & by only 3 points 1014 to 1011). No other NJ team has over 635 points combined!!!

 

Another fun and noteworthy performance: Coach Matt King participated in Holiday Classic in the 200 IM, swimming a 2.08.58. His best time while in high school for Elite was a 2.07.91!

 

BEST PART OF TAPER? HANGING OUT WITH OLYMPIAN MARK GANGLOFF!!

 

            Every swimmer knows the best part of “taper” season is resting. Well, this year, Elite swimmers will taper by resting and hanging out with 2008 Olympian Mark Gangloff!!

 

            Organized and coordinated by the Elite Swim Club Parents Organization, Elite will hold a 1 day seminar on Sunday February 22, 2009 with eight place finisher Beijing Olympian Mark Gangloff. As with past Olympian Seminars, Mark will discuss his career, give swimming tips and instruct swimmers in the water. If we are lucky, he will race one or two of his new friends.

 

            Information regarding the event is now on the Elite website under Mark Gangloff. Register today by sending your check to ESCPO Sandi Niccolai 4 Redman Farm Road Mendham, NJ  (please note the correct zip is: 07945).

 

BAC WINTER LONG COURSE (NOW CEREVE INVITATIONAL) REVISED:

 

            Based upon the recent excellent performances, Elite has revised its entries into the prestigious Berkeley Winter Long Course Meet (name changed to CeraVe Inviational) to be held January 9 thru 11, 2009. The meet host allowed only 12 & Under additional entries. Elite’s entries have expanded by 21 new entries.

 

            Since Elite rarely uses “conversion” times, entries were added if the converted times were well under the qualifying times. Where this occurred, Bill revised the converted times to times just under the qualifying time, since the swimmer has not yet achieved the converted long course time.  

 

            Swimmers should double check the entries as there are several new swimmers in addition to new events added to swimmers already attending this meet.           

 

ELITE TOP 10 ALL TIME SWIMS UPDATED:

 

The Top 10 All-Time Swims list has been updated thru Holiday Classic. Check out all the new times added to the list from this year’s spectacular swims!!!      

 

RUTGERS WOMEN’S TEAM TO HOST “COLLEGE CONFERENCE CARNIVAL” ON JAN 16-17; ENTERTAIN FOR ALL, ELITE AGE GROUP RELAYS MAY PARTICIPATE: NO WORD YET!!!

 

            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. While Elite has submitted relays in all 4 events, we have not yet been notified as to our status.

 

            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. Tickets for the event are know being offered at: http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=RF&linkID=rutgers&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=

 

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.

 

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!!!

 

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!!!