Back to Newsletter Main page

March 1999
 
Notes From Chris

We offerred Trac Video recently. 38 VJO swimmers swam in front of a camera -- many for the first time ever. What did we glean from this experience? The camera does not lie. Whatever you do with each of your strokes can be seen on your video. Among all our swimmers who did the video there was a general trend to drop the elbow at the catch (the very beginning of the pulling motion) of every stroke. The catch sets up the propulsion your arms generate with each pull. A higher elbow at the start of each pull will lengthen the propulsive portion of the pull (in freestyle, this is from when your hand comes below your chin and pushes through to your hip.)

Also we streamline very poorly. The tighter you streamline, the greater your speed is comming off the wall and the farther you can go before you start your swimming. Streamling seems like a little thing but faster swimming is a collection of little things: long reach, high elbow catch, hip rotation, steady strong kicking, speeding up the back (or bottom) half of the pulling motion, head position; all little things that, when put together, add up to faster freestyle and backstoke.
..... Continued on 2nd column >>>>>

  Calendar:

March 25-28 -- Far Western Championships at Pleasanton
April 10-11 -- VJO Invitational Long Course
April 24-25 -- IVAN Saturday Only (lcm) May 8 -- Possible Dual Meet
May 13-15 -- High School Championships
May 23 -- Bob's Group Walk On @ IVAN
June 6 -- Vacaville at Solano College
June 12-13 -- Petaluma Invitation at Petaluma
June 25-27 -- Zone III Summer Championships at Cunningham


Notes from Chris (cont'd) .....
I reviewed each participant's video tape. Each person received feedback and suggestions on how to correct mechanical flaws. If you care about growing in this sport, becoming a more efficient swimmer, be sure to apply the lessons each day at practice. One of our Masters swimmers commented that "old habits die hard." Sure they do. But they don't have to. Consider the pool a laboratory and you are the scientist. You get to experiment with your stroke until you get the right formula for faster swimming.

Message from the President

Please accept my thanks to all who worked so diligently on our February 27-28 swim meet. It was truly one of the best we have ever put on. Everything went very smoothly.

I would like to express my appreciation to Mike Reay, our meet director, for his continued strong efforts on the club's behalf. Please take the time to thank him. Mike will soon be vacating his position. We are looking for someone to take on the role. Mike will mentor that person during the meets remaining this year.

It is important that I thank all parents who helped with the meet. Thanks to Janet Mata and Angeli Stanwick for directing the Snack Bar and Hospitatity operations to perfection. Thanks to Stephanie Thomas for running the desk so well. Thanks to all Stephanie's crew, Rebecca Kearney and Linda Ford. Thanks to Eileen Lynskey, Marianne Reay and Nannette Bennett for marshaling. Thanks to our runners, Pam Dewey, Barbara and Mike Gregory, and Carrie Brown. Thanks to our man on the Colorado, Ken Campo. Thanks to our dedicated computer crew, Cindy Thom, Mark Lederer, Roland Felix and Sue Campo. Sue deserves extra thanks for all the meet organization and data entry she does.

Thanks to our set-up crew of Noah Kalama, Otis Parker, Ray Lynskey, Bob Jensen, Roy Betinol, Raymon Carpio, Joe Santiago, Mark Kearney and Greg Allison. Thanks to our deck officials -- Greg Allison, Noah Kalama, Frank Zucca and Linda Ford. Thanks to our award folks -- Kathy Graves and Mary Joan Toch. Thanks to our head timers -- Ray Lynskey, Mark Kearney, Ken Graves, Winnie de Senna and Bob Jensen. Thanks to our announcer supreme -- Steve Bennett.

Special thanks to all our snack bar and hospitatlity crews -- Ben Dewey, JoJo Crescines, Marilyn Felix, Marian Fernandez, Jeni Frenn, Jamima Betinol, Evelyn Parker, Otis Parker, Pert Sangalang, Alesia DeOcampo, Consuelo Padilla and Ann Wroblewski.

A huge thanks to Catherine Trujillo for securing so many donations and assuring that our snack bar would turn a good profit. You're wonderful Catherine. Thanks as well to all those parents who donated food items to our snack bar.

Finally a huge thanks to our coaching staff -- Chris, Tuffy and Bob. It was particularly impressive how Chris and Tuffy showed up early each day to help pull the pool covers off.

I am sure that I missed somebody. Please know that it was not intentional.

I would also like to remind all VJO parents about the Zone III Officials Clinic on Saturday, April 17 in Novato. Please join me and the other VJO parents who will attend.

GVRD Complaints and Requests

When doing hot chocolate, it is important that we clean up after ourselves. Also, we have been informed that VJO swimmers are spitting on the floor in the boy's locker room! We have given our assurance that this practice will stop. Please help with these two matters so that we continue to have a positive relation with the GVRD staff.

     

VJO Meet Results (highlights)

New `PRT' Time

Andrew Allison [13-14] - 1000 free 10:30.68, 500 free 5:07.49

New `Q' Time

Donny Mata [9-101 - 100 breast 1:28.75

Andrew Allison [11-12] - 200 free 1:55.59

Toni DeSenna [17-18] - 100 back 1:08.89

New `AA' Time

Toni DeSenna [17-18]- 50 free 27.91

Donny Mata [9-10] 200 free 2:30.95

New'A' Times

Audrey Allison [11-12] - 50 fly 34.79,100 IM 1:19.23

Ananne Anzon [11-12] -50 back 38.77, 50 free 32.61

Marc Betinol [15-16]- 100 back 1:12.00

Hunter DeocamPo [8 & Under] - 25 fly 18.90

Brandon Dewey [13-14]-500 free 6:12.05,1000 free 12:52.19

Josiah Dewey [11-12]- 500 free 6:53.12, 200 IM 2:57.71

Katrina Dewey [15-16]- 100 back 1:17.94

Brian Domecus [11-12]- 50 breast 41.46

Jacqueline Domecus [9-10]- 100 breast 1:48.08

Tyson Frenn [1 3-14]- 200 back 2:37.96

Matt Gregory [17-1 8]-200 Free 2:11.72, 500 Free 6:04.75

Cecilia Lada [9-10]- 50 back 45.00,50 breast 48.40

Robert Reay [13-14]- lOO free 1:03:31

Rodney Rotor [11-12]- 50 breast 42.4

Michael Stanwick [11-12] -100 breast 1:29:04

POOL RECORDS

Toni DeSenna [17-18]- 2:19.52

Andrew Allison [13-14]- 1000 free 10:30.68

1st Place Finishers

Andrew Allison (8)- 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 Free, 100-200 Back, 200 IM

Mario DeSenna (2) -100-200 Fly

Toni DeSenna (2) - 100-200 Fly

Karlo Felix 115-161(1) - 100 Free

Jesse Ford 115-161(6) - 100-200 Back, 100-200 Breast, 100 Fly, 200 IM

Matt Gregory (2) -100-200 Breast

Aaron Toch 115-161(1) - 100-200 Free

TOTALS
Swimmers -66
Swims - 334
Improved Times - 168

 

Official's Clinic, Saturday, April 17, 9:00-12

Please mark your calendars and come to the Zone III Official's Clinic. It will be held at the former Hamilotn Air Base in Novato. There will be clinics in the following areas: meet director, referee, stroke and turn (new and advanced); starter, desk, clerk-of-course, Colorado setup and principals; meet manager, chief timing judge. For more information, Ken Toch at 552-5338.

It is essential that we add to our number of officials. We can't have meets without them. Being an official is interesting. It gives you a whole different perspective on swimming. Try it. You'll like it.

Morning Workouts

Coach Chris is holding morning workouts on Monday and Friday at the crack of dawn --5:45 A.M. If you are interested in this opportunity, see Chris. He will determine if it is an appropriate addition to your training. (Thank you Chris for providing this service!)

Buy Scrip!

Eileen Lensky is our scrip chairperson by the pool. This fund-raiser has the potential to earn a significant amount of money for the team. It is a lot of work for Eileen but all we have to do is write out a check or two for money we will spend anyway. Last month's profit was low.

Zone III Stomps Zone II in All Star Meet

On March 7th, Zone III crushed Zone II at the USF All Star meet. The score was 1090 to 926. Donny Mata did great job being one of the youngest on the 9-10 year old team. His 200 freestyle relay was an NRT at 1:58:22! Andrew Allison won the 200 IM and 100 breast. The 13-14 boys' relay swam the 200 free in 1:35:41, beating the NRT time by 4 seconds. Zone II was nowhere to be seen at this meet.

Logo For Newsletters

Swimmers: If you would like to have a picture you created, be the logo on the Shark Attack, just put a drawing in the file for "communications," -- the Allison folder. The drawings need to be done in black pen to scan well and be reduced.

News from the VJO Board

The following are highlights from the VJO Board meeting on Tuesday, March 9: our financial position is solid; scrip profit for February was $130 which is low; there is swim meet news in the Times Herald Sports Column; we lost 12 swimmers in February, need to recruit more by word of mouth; the VJO swim meet was kept to 4 hours and avoided a split session; the swim meet earned $4,000; the REAL meet is planned for August 7th and 8th at Petaluma; Zone III wants to strictly enforce the 4 hour rule and have limits to the number of swimmers at meets; Zone III long course championship will be held at Cunningham on June 25-27th; Easter week will be long course practice; the team bought new lane lines and reels; additional itern coach sought for summer increase in swimmers; Jeanne Favaro scholarship will have matching funds from Barney Favaro; new VJO web page at Vallejoaquatics.org, thank you Roland Felix; discussion about hospitality food during meets; clinic for officials April 17th at Hamilton Community Center 9:00 to noon.


 Back to Newsletter Main page


Copyright � 1999 Vallejo Aquatic Club. All Rights Reserved.