RESL 2012

RESL Championships 2012

Another solid showing from our Marlins swimmers this year. The team came together beautifully and most swimmers reached their goals, a feat I would not have believed possible last September as we were starting a long 8 months without our home pool. To say this past season was challenging is a gross understatement, yet the coaches stepped up to the challenge and the parents supported their kids as they were attempting to follow a sometime confusing practice schedule between Drake and Ross Valley.

47 swimmers participated in this year’s Championships in El Cerrito competing in a total of 362 races. 78% best times over the weekend was a little worst then last year, but we still were the most improved team of the meet. Another 3rd place, but a lot closer to 2nd and the 4th place team wasn't even close.

We received 19 disqualifications, quite a bit more than last year. Although some were unavoidable, it really points to some need to improve our teaching schedule. Indeed there are many skill required to accomplished a good race and so few swim practices to learn them.

25 swimmers improved their time standard with a total of 16 new "B" times, 28 new “A” times, 30 “JO” times, 26 “FW” times (11 in 2011),  and 1 Sectional time.

Most amazingly, 44 team records were broken in one single meet, the most ever achieved in a single meet! Congratulations to Coco Berkenfield, Monica Sears, Ava Salmi, Isabella Salmi, Alicia Vogelaar, Annalise Schlafer, Kate Claman, Connor Tish, Jack Berkenfield, Ian Chow-Ise, Anton Zahradnik, Aidan Cumming, Jared Sears, Alex Claman, Justas Reskevicius. All 15 swimmers helped break 5 relay records and 39 individual records.  These 44 team record certainly helped break last year's performance with a total of 126 team record for the 2011 - 2012 season! Out of the 47 Marlins swimmers participating, 35 helped score points for their team. Our swimmers did a great job and Jeff, Buffy, Berrie and I are certainly proud of their achievements.

I also should mention the fact that 4 or our swimmers received the high point award in their respective age groups: Ian Chow-Ise (13-14), James Beard (11-12), Jared Sears (15 and up) and Ava Salmi in the (15 and up).

I have posted the results (swimmer / meet) on the website and the ribbons are filed in the team folders. You can stop by the pool anytime during business hours and the lifeguards will be happy to bring the folders out for you.

Special thank you to all the families for doing their part in helping run the meet, to the families who stepped up and drove their kids to the pool just so that we could enter a relay. Thank you to all the parents who participated in the Friday morning breakfasts at Drake over the summer, who again helped put together a great Doughnut Breakfast and a fantastic team BBQ, who were generous enough to give great gifts for the coaches, who take the time to give me feedback on the team, who counsel and assist me when needed. Again, thank you all for giving us the opportunity to work with your children.

Marc

Vallejo Swim Meet

Great meet last weekend at the Vallejo Pool. Our 18 Marlins performed well above average with a 64% improvement over 3 days and 84 races. The strokes are getting cleaner and Jeff and I found ourselves talking about new things to improve, although we did spend some time reminding our athletes some of the usual shortcomings as well. The kids were focused and it showed.

In the process, four records were broken. Congratulations to Monica Sears for her new team records in the 1000 free and the 200 back, to Jared Sears for improving his own record in the 1000 free and to Annalise Schlafer for her first team record ever in the 100 free.

Vallejo TV (Comcast Channel #27) was there to film all the 13 and over races. I was told the tape would play this coming Saturday and Sunday, for more info on the times, please go to www.vcat.tv.

Next we have 3 swimmers who have been selected to represent our zone (Zone 3) at the upcoming All Stars Meet on Sunday, March 4th at Indian Valley College. Coach Jeff will be going as well as our Zone 3 coach for the 8 and Under. Congratulations to Coco Berkenfield, Lani Kamler and Monica Sears. Go Fast!

Santa Clara Senior Meet (1/28-29 20012)

What a weekend! Great pool, certainly worth the 1h30 drive to swim in such great facility. Great weather, I think I may even have burned a little. Very efficient meet, the Santa Clara folks know what they are doing, they ran a tight show and everything was well oiled. Great swims!
 
Our swimmers were inspired by the level of competition and together they managed to improve 54% of their times and apart from a few exceptions most non improved races were very close to best times. We saw some really good strokes from the Marlins and it looks like they are retaining the corrections they hear about at swim practice.
 
Four team records were broken over the weekend, thanks to Ava Salmi in the 200 back, her sister Isabella in the 200 back and Jared Sears, both in the 100 and 200 back. Yes this meet was a backstroker's fiesta!
Great job, and thank you for the show!
Marc
Meet results

Your First Swim Meet

I bumped into this cute six minute video about a swimmer's experience at their first swim meet. There are some good tips and it applies to our home meet where no check-ins are required. Enjoy!

Educational Weekend

This last weekend, Gadi, Jeff and I spend Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the annual coaches clinic held in Napa every year. It happens to be the second biggest clinic in the country, not too surprising when you see how many teams are located in the bay area alone.

We sat through some good classes and listened to inspiring speaker. We picked up a few ideas from coaches about stroke work, set design and team management.

Meanwhile, we had three of our parents, Theresa Kamler, Judy Ferguson and Nina Rannel participating in a swimming official clinic in San Francisco. Lots of good information was available and I am so happy to have them step up and be Stroke and Turn Official for our team.