sep '10 - jan '11 "shark attack" newsletter

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Vallejo Aquatic ClubP.O. Box 5846Vallejo, CA 94591(707) 553-swimwww.vallejoaquatics.org

September 2010 January 2011

2010 - 2011 VJO BoardBrian Rodinsky, PresidentErik Keilholtz, Vice PresidentMelanie Keilholtz, Treasurer

Kathy Lau-Nelson, SecretaryDiane Powell, MembershipDebbi Tucker, Officials

Debbie Rodinsky, Meet Director

CoachesCoach Tuffy WilliamsCoach Aaron Jon TochCoach Lesley Ruszel

Shark Attack he Official Newsletter of the Vallejo Aquatic Club

Presidential Proclamation

o All Parents andSwimmers,

I would like to welcomeyou to the 2010-2011 swim

seasons. I also would liketo take this time to thank our outgoing presidentAngelynne Yee for awonderful and prosperousyear under her guidance. Ialso would like to thank allthe Parent volunteers whohelped during the pastyear. Without them wewould not be able to havethe swim team or thequality meets that we havebecome known for. Onthat note: It is Veryimportant to have thevolunteers to do thevarious functions necessaryto run one of our meets.

We have a Core of parents, who always seemto be out helping and doingall the jobs necessary to

accomplish the tasks athand, and to them I ameternally grateful. Howeverthis Core of parents onlycomprises approximately25 to 30% of the wholeteam. Imagine how nice itwould be if everyonepitched in to help. Wewould not be burning outthe 25 to 30% of Core parents, and everyonewould be having a good

time. The group of Core parents are always doingone thing or another toensure that the swimmersare taken care of i.e.,running the computers,

working the snack bar,helping with the silentauctions, marshalling,timing at away meets, and

helping with Hospitality.These are just a few of thejobs that are necessary forour team to have/attend aswim meet. Here is hopinwe can all come togetherto help the swim team wehave come to know andlove, The VJO Sharks!!Go Sharks!!

Brian J. RodinskyPresident

Vallejo Aquatics Club

Empty Pool = Strange September Days


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Coach Tuffy

should always bring a b ottle of waterto the pool everyday . After each practicits important to eat a quick snack no longerthan 30 minutes after the conclusion of yourworkout. Chocolate milk is an excellent,quick post-workout drink. Its also importanto eat a healthy amount of food, including

snacks (with a good mix of proteins andcarbs) throughout the day. If you noticeyourself becoming overly tired as the schooyear and season progresses, make sure youare eating and drinking enough. Finally,make sure you are getting enough (andquality) sleep. You should be tired after youworkouts, and your body requires ampledowntime to recover and prepare for thenext day.

Finally, please make sure you are frequentlychecking our website(www.vallejoaquatics.org ) for news and

information about upcoming events. If youdo not have a valid e-mail address on file,please contact me([email protected] ) and I willmake sure you are added to our e-mail list.Each family can add additional e-mailaddresses so everyone can stay up-to-date.Many events have been added to theEvents page, so you can add them to yourfamily calendar. You can also follow us onFacebook ( http://on.fb.me/vjosharks ) andTwitter ( http://twitter.com/vallejoaquatics

Go SHARKS!!

Reflections from the Deck

come to practice, the more improvementyoull see. And its not just the number of days--you must also be consistent. Twogood weeks and then one bad week is likestarting at the beginning.

Here are some good guidelines to keep in

mind:Never miss a Monday or Friday. You havethe weekend in between, and three days outof the water is too long. Also, schoolwork should not be an issue on these days, as youshould have completed it over the pastweekend, or will have time to complete it onthe upcoming weekend.Never miss a day that you are capable of attending. Later, if you have a legitimatereason for missing a practice, or just want tohang out with friends, it wont be a big deal.Leave yourself options so you have somefreedom.

Hammerheads should be aiming for at least3 days a week.Makos should be aiming for over 3-4 days aweek.Age Groupers should be aiming for at least 4days a week.Seniors should be aiming for 9 days out of each 2 week period.

Id also like to remind our swimmers howimportant it is get proper nutrition and restaway from the pool. Throughout the day,you should be drinking lots of water. Yo u

Coach Aaron Jon

Hello VJO!

Id like to start this newsletter off by reminding everyone howimportant it is to be a consistentpractice attender . The humanbody has evolved to be a high-functioning piece of machinery onland; the same cannot be said forits abilities in water. Because weare not designed to spend long (orshort) periods of time in the water,we must dedicate ourselves totraining our bodies to adapt. Everyday missed requires two back in thewater to reestablish where youonce were. The more often you

NOTES FROM THE TUFFGUY

With the New Year we continue on

our Journey. This month those of yo u should be preparing to swimyour best by attending practice,practicing hard & doing what yourcoach asks.

We as a team will continue thisjourney until August 5 , 6, & 7 whenour season will end in P etalumawith the R edwood Empire AquaticLeague Championships (R.E.A.Ls).

Rememb er it is Journey. You will

have some successes and some setbacks just as in life, but theimportant thi ng is for you to notgive up and to keep trying toimprove by attending practice,practicing hard & doing what yourcoach asks.

Good Luck and Go VJO!

Tuffy


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SHARK PROFILESSeptember 2010 January 2011

Favorite Stroke: BreaststrokeFavorite Meet Events: RelaysRole Model: Brian WilsonFuture Goal: To be in the militaryHobbies: Basketball & fishingFavorite Song: Love The Way You LieFavorite Movie: Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Favorite Book: The Invention of Hugo CabretWhen Isaiah grows up, he wants to be a police officer.If Isaiah could change one thing it would be to have adrug free world.Something interesting about Isaiah that he w ould liketo share: He loves video games.

Savannah Williams-Brooks Age: 11

Favorite Strokes: Freestyle & breaststrokeFavorite Meet Events: 50 FreeRole Model: Her Auntie Marla Future Goal: To make it in Junior OlympicsHobbies: Texting, soccer, swimming & tetherballFavorite Song: Teach Me How to DougieFavorite Movie: GreaseFavorite Book: Shiloh SeriesWhen Savannah grows up, she wants to be a vet.Something interesting about Savannah that she woul dlike to share: Her old nickname was Crash because she brokeeverything she touched.

Isaiah Williams Age: 10


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idbits from USA Swimming

QUESTIONS PAR ENTS ASK - TRAI NIN G & W ORKOUT,part 1

1. Sometimes my child doesnt w ant to go to practice. He wants to play with his friends. Should I force him to go?

You should not force your child; you want his participation to be his decision. Reinforce the choices and decisions he has made to start hissport. For example, your son chose to go to practice on Tuesday and Thursdays, on other days he has the freedom to do other activities. As aparent, explain your expectation that he fulfill the commitment he made by joining the team. You don't want to force your child into a sport that hedoes not enjoy, yet you want your child to be involved in a 'lifetime sport', to learn about making and keeping a commitment and to interact withpeers So, what are you to do?

Instead of allowing your child to make a daily decision about going to practice, allow him to decide whether or not he wants to participate forthe season. Once the decision is made to participate, he is making a commitment to the team and needs to follow through on it by attendingpractice on a regular basis. A haphazard schedule is detrimental to the athletes overall development.

Interestingly, when asked to reflect on the role of their parents in their swimming, athletes from a recent USA Swimming World Championshipteam talked about being pushed to swim by their parents on a weekly basis but knowing they could quit if they stopped having fun with swimming.

2. My child has a lot of interests and activities so he only attends about half of his practices. What w ill happen to his com petit ionresults?

Children involved in other activities can benefit in the areas of coordination and balance, as well as improved social and intellectualdevelopment. Specialized training in one activity does not necessarily need to take place at this stage of development. Will your sons teammatewho makes all practices have better results? Probably he will because his teammate is working solely on developing one sport skills. It is up to youto explain to your child that making the choice to participate in other activities can have its consequences. Tell your son that he should notcompare his results to that of his teammate, but to focus on the fact that he is benefiting from and enjoying other sports.

3. It looks like m y child is having a lot of fun at practice. Shouldnt she be w orking harder?

Be happy that your child is having fun! According to a recent study conducted by USA Swimming children who experience fun whileparticipating stay in sports longer (Tuffey, Gould, & Medbery, 1998). At this stage of the game, the most important aspect of development is themastery of skills, which means learning the proper technique. Fundamentals must be established prior to true training taking place. And, if she ishaving fun in the process of learning, she is more likely to continue to the sport.

4. It looks like all they do at practice is drills . Shouldnt they b e training more?

Your child needs to develop a solid foundation in mechanics. Drills and drill sets serve the specific purpose of teaching skills andfundamentals. Drills develop motor coordination, motor skills, and balance. In fact, your childs coach may prescribe a particular drill, just for yourchild, in order to improve an aspect of her technique. In addition, she may actually be experiencing a training benefit from drills. Drills requireconcentration and aerobic energy to do them correctly.

5. My daughter s coach sometimes makes her sit out for disciplinary reasons. Isnt that a w aste of her t ime?

The coach has set up expectations of proper behavior. Hopefully, your child is aware of the consequences of testing these boundaries.Obviously the coach is reinforcing what is expected of the children at practice. We encourage you to reinforce the coach's practice expectations bydiscussing your childs behavior and the consequences of that behavior. Hopefully, this time out begins to reinforce self-discipline, accountabilityand respect for others.

6. My son complains that som e of the kids cheat in practice. What should I tell him?

Praise him first for completing the workout the coach offers. Remind him that he is there to improve himself and he cant control what histeammates do. Tell him however, that his best course of action is to continue to do things right and others may actually be influenced by his goodexample. By committing to do his best at all times, over the long haul he will reap the benefits of his hard work.

7. My daughter just moved up to the Senior Group. Now the coach wants her to train tw ice a day. Is this really necessary?

Your child has established proper technique and fundamentals by progressing through the levels of the team. It is appropriate at this stage of your daughters career development to increase the training loads. This includes adding the two mornings per week. Although morning practicescome extra early, most coaches feel that this level of commitment is necessary for your daughter to reach the next level of her career.

Training for competitive sports is demanding on young athletes. As athletes develop, they need to understand the upcoming time demands.One specific principle of training that applies is the progressive overload principle. A person must be stressed slightly more each day over time tocontinue to improve. In order to do that, the coach must plan additional time. The addition of morning workouts often becomes necessary for thecoach to develop young athletes to their maximum potential.


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I think that I can now empathize with our brand new swimmers at their very first swim meet. I knew that I had theknowledge of what needed to be done just as they know how to swim. The only question left wascan I do thiswithout getting disqualified?

When Glenda Goode came up to me and told me I was ready to try my hand at being Meet Referee, I told her I waswilling and able. Great! A chance to spread my wings and learn a new skill set. Then I went home and terror hit me. Iknew that there was a lot of preparation prior to a meet. I also knew the Meet Director was going to be out of townjust prior to the meet. I suddenly blanked on what I should do, not unlike the first time swimmer who stares at thecorner after the long whistle. Fortunately, VJO has a great crew running every aspect of a swim meet. So I took a deepbreath and proceeded to take a step at a time. I read the meet sheet again and again. Glenda kept me included in thepre-meet situations and decisions. My fantastic mentor guided me through a checklist of duties that I would need to beperforming from pre to post meeta game plan just like coaching.

The night before the meet, I went through all my preparations. Check my officials bag, read my meet sheet, review myrules, get my uniform ready, have my checklist, and then try to sleep even though I feel the panic creeping in.

Days of the meet, I fuel up with Starbucks. I get there early and start looking around the pool deck. I observe all thevarious operations. I must have walked a few miles around the deck each day. I hope I had a smile most of the time.As nervous as I was, I hope I looked calm. I was grateful that Glenda kept a mentorly eye on all operations. She isabsolutely the best teacher. Her guidance and demeanor kept me focused and thinking thoroughly before makingdecisions. The final steps were done a few days later. That was the paperwork. Evaluations, observations andrecommendations were sent in to USA swimming. Ugh, homework!

Looking back, I am grateful for the opportunity that was extended to me. I learned a lot and realize that I will alwayscontinue to learn. But, I have some very experienced people that I can ask for help. I may have been terrified but I

took the big step and I feel it was worth the effort. I am extremely grateful that VJO has the most efficient,experienced, and friendly group of people working in each position. You folks are to be applauded because you mademy job easy and made me look good. And thanks to all of you, I wasnt disqualified and will probably do this again inthe not too distant future.

VJOs Very Own Debbi Tucker Moves Up to Meet RefereeWhat was her first meet like? Please see below for a first hand account

2010 AWARDS BANQUET


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THE A TEAM:

Marin Pirates C/B/ A+ (Oct. 9-10)Augst, Mirelle: 200 I.M.Chang, Sarina: 50 BreastViray, Alexander: 100 I.M.Yee, Sabrina: 100 Breast, 200 I.M.

Napa Valley SCY C/B / A+ (Nov.)Aranas, Anthony: 200 Free, 200 BreastChang, Jeromy: 50 Back Hilton, Bobby: 100 I.M.Horder, Regina: 50 Back Martin, Jose: 100 FlyMiniano, Joby: 200 FreeQuintana, Xavier: 50 Free

VanDervoort, Colin: 200 Free, 100 FlyYee, Braeden: 50 Back, 50 BreastYee, Sabrina: 50 Fly

SRN "Swi m Like the Dickens" (Dec.10-12Capulong, Caytlin: 25 FreeDutcher, Meigan: 50 FlyHilton, Bobby: 100 Back Rosario, Elina: 100 Back Yee, Braeden: 25 Fly

Zone 3 Winter Championships (Jan.15-17)Benberg, William: 25 FreeMan, Tim: 100 Breast

Life in the Fast LaneThe following swimmers achieved new time standards at the following meets:

JOOOOOOOOO Times:Marin Pirates C/B/ A+ (Oct. 9-10)Ares Elmore: 400 IMBrandon Miguel: 100 Back Alyssa Powell: 100 Free, 50 & 100 Breast

Napa Valley SCY C/ B/ A+ (Nov.)Man, Samantha: 50 BreastMiguel, Brandon: 1,000 FreePowell, Alyssa: 200 BreastWelton, Marble: 100 Back, 200 I.M.Zia, Mitchell: 200 Breast

Pacific Swim ming 14&U JuniorOlympics (Dec. 3-5)Welton, Marble: 1,650 FreeZia, Mitchell: 100 Breast

Pacific Swimming SeniorChampionships (Dec. 10-12)Viray, Gabriel: 50 Free

SRN "Sw im Like the Dickens" (Dec.10-12 Viray, Alexander: 50 Free

Zone 3 Winter Championships (Jan.15-17)Man, Samantha: 50 Free, 100 I.M.Viray, Alexander: 100 Free, 50 Back Viray, Gabriel: 200 Back

Far Out W estern Times

Marin Pirates C/B/ A+ (Oct. 9-10)Ares Elmore: 50 Free

Napa Valley SCY C/ B/ A+ (Nov.)Butler, Andrew: 200 Free, 200 I.M.Lau, Milton: 200 BreastPowell, Dylan: 400 I.M.

Pacific Swim ming 14&U JuniorOlympics (Dec. 3-5)Miguel, Brandon: 200 FreePowell, Alyssa: 100 Back, 200 I.M.

Pacific Swimming SeniorChampionships (Dec. 10-12)Miguel, Brandon: 1,000 Free

Zone 3 Winter Championships (Jan.15-17)Miguel, Brandon: 400 I.M.

B TIMES:

Marin Pirates C/B/ A+ (Oct. 9-10)Aquino, Jalen: 100 Free, 50 Breast, 50 FlyBautista, Jacob: 50 BreastChang, Sarina: 100 Breast, 100 I.M.Dutcher, Meigan: 100 Free, 50 Back, 50 FlySabio, Rebecca: 100 I.M.Sotelo, Ashley: 50 BreastSousa, Evan: 100 FreeTomboc, Gabriel: 100 Breast, 200 BreastYee, Justin: 100 Free, 200 FreeZia, Mitchell: 100 Back

Demonic Dual Meet (Oct. 30)Chang, Jeromy: 25 FlyKeilholtz, Amlia: 50 Free

Napa Valley SCY C/ B/ A+ (Nov.)Boggan, Imani: 50 Back Chang, Sarina: 50 Free, 50 Back Dutcher, Meigan: 100 Back Fraser, Sean: 50 FlyHilton, Gabriel: 50 Back Man, Tim: 100 FreeQuintana, Valentina: 50 FreeSingley, Justeen: 100 Back Yee, Justin: 200 BreastZarco, Valentina: 25 Back

SRN "Sw im Like the Dickens" (Dec.10-12Capulong, Caytlin: 25 Breast

Chang, Sarina: 100 Back Fraser, Sean: 100 I.M.

New "Sectional" TimesNapa Valley SCY C/ B/ A+ (Nov.) Butler, Andrew: 200 Free

New Team RecordsPacific Swim ming 14&U JuniorOlympics (Dec. 3-5)11-12 Girls 400 Free Relay (4:24.74).Horder, R., Boggan, I., Yee, S., Powell, A.

Zone 3 Winter Championships (Jan.15-17)Miguel, Brandon, 200 Fly (2:12.15)

sep '10 - jan '11 "shark attack" newsletter

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