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