Important Dates

Here Come the Reindeer!
This weekend is the RSA Reindeer Invitational Swim Meet located in Hillsborough at the Triangle Sportsplex. Directions to the Sportsplex can be found on the RSA web page. This meet is for B/C swimmers 8 & Under, 9-10, and 11-12. This is also a meet for Senior Development 13 & Over.

Warm Up Times: Please be out on deck dressed and ready 15 minutes prior to warm up time
Saturday, Dec. 7th and Sunday, Dec. 8th
10 & Unders- Morning Session 7:45 AM (Be on deck at at 7:30) Meet starts at 8:45 AM
11 & ups- Afternoon Session approx. 12:15 PM (Be on deck at noon) Meet starts at 1:15 PM

What to Bring to the Meet:

• Black RSA Swim Suit
• 2 Towels per session (They will get wet quickly)
• Water Bottle (it will get hot so you want to drink plenty of fluids)
• Red RSA Cap
• Sweat Suit- you want some type of sweat suit to keep warm when you are walking in and out of the building
• Goggles- Do not forget these

After your race please make sure to come and see Coach Brian, Coach Meghan, or Coach Larry. It is very important that you get feedback from your performance in each of your races. These are the times that you will learn the most about your swimming, so please see your coach after your competition!

Make sure that you get a good night sleep, and eat healthy this week before the meet. DO NOT STAY UP REAL LATE! If you are swimming in the morning eat a light breakfast.

PLEASE READ IMPORTANT: For the last few meets I have been putting an individual events report in your folder. This was to help some of the new swimmers get adjusted to the meets. You can print out an events report for your child on the rsa web page. Go to swimrsa.org , and look under meets. Go to info results, and find the Reindeer meet on the list. Once you find it look under meet entries. There is a list of every child swimming in the meet and the event numbers. IN ORDER TO SAVE PAPER, I WILL NO LONGER BE PUTTING AN EVENT REPORT IN YOUR CHILD'S FOLDER SO LOOK AT THE WEB PAGE TO FIND WHAT THEY MAY BE SWIMMING.

GREAT Swims for RSA at Turkey Meet!

Time Standard Awards for Turkey Meet
Congratulations to the following swimmers for achieving either a B, BB, or A time at the Thanksgiving meet. We had a record number of time standard achievements. There were over 30 B times, 15 BB times, and 3 A time achievements.
B Time Achievements: Philip Ahlers (50 Back, 50 Free), Andrew Clarke (50 Back, 100 IM, 100 Back), Patrick D'Alessio (100 Breast), Carolyn Daussin (50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Breast), David DeJarnette (100 Breast), Sawyer Dove (50 Fly, 100 Back), Deniz Gurel (100 IM), Natalie Hill (100 Breast), Caitlin Kelly (50 Fly), Andy Lamb (50 Back, 50 Free, 100 IM), Mona Le (100 Free, 100 Breast), Thao Le (100 IM, 50 Back), Anna Li (100 Breast), Katie Olson (50 Breast, 100 IM, 100 Free, 100 Back), Karen Perry (100 Back), McKenzie Randall (100 Free, 50 Fly), Paige Randall (100 IM, 50 Back, 50 Free, 100 Breast), Matt Robertson (50 Back), Toby Rosen (50 Back, 100 Breast), Sean Rudio (50 Breast), Jacob Tart (100 Free), Katie Weber (100 Back, 100 Breast), Jackie Wyche (50 Back).
BB Time Achievements: Philip Ahlers (50 Breast), Andrew Clarke (50 Breast), Sawyer Dove (50 Back), Nicole Esplin (50 Breast, 100 Breast), Hannah Gardner (100 IM), Deniz Gurel (50 Back, 100 Back), Caitlin Kelly (50 Breast, 100 Free), Katie Olson (50 Back), Tessa Pena (50 Back), Grace Robinson (100 IM, 100 Free).
A Time Achievement: Grace Robinson (50 Back)
AAA Time achievements: Torrey Bussey (50 Breast, 100 Breast)

Personal Best Times at Turkey Meet
Not only were there a lot if Time Standard Awards, but also a large amount of personal best times. I gave away so many best time ribbons at the meet. Congratulations to the following swimmers who achieved their personal best times:
Nova Personal Best Times: Cassidy Holland (25 Back), Kiko Lamb (50 Breast, 25 Fly, 25 Breast, 25 Back), Mandy Spalding (25 Breast, 25 Back)
Wahoo Personal Best Times: Victoria Bell (50 Breast, 25 Fly, 25 Breast, 50 Fly), Cara Chabreck (25 Fly), Alex Clarke (50 Free, 50 Breast, 25 Free, 25 Back), Paula Crisp (25 Free, 25 Back), Patrick D'Alessio (25 Breast, 50 Fly, 25 Back), David DeJarnette (25 Free, 25 Back, 25 Breast), Sawyer Dove (50 Back, 25 Fly, 50 Free, 50 Fly, 25 Back), Libby Facchine (25 Fly, 50 Free), Drew Gintis (50 Breast, 25 Fly, 50 Free), Natalie Hill (50 Breast, 25 Breast), Anna Li (50 Fly), Rachel Minore (50 Breast, 25 Fly, 50 Free, 25 Breast, 25 Back), Kendall Pena (50 Breast, 25 Fly, 50 Free), Torie Belle Pena (50 Breast, 50 Free), McKenzie Randall (100 IM, 50 Free, 50 Fly), Toby Rosen (50 Free), Sean Rudio (50 Breast, 50 Free), Julianne Strickland (25 Back), Jackie Wyche (50 Back, 25 Fly).
Dolphin Personal Best Times: Philip Ahlers (50 Breast, 50 Back, 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Breast), Andrew Clarke (50 Breast, 50 Back, 100 Breast), John Clemmer (50 Breast, 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back), Carolyn Daussin (50 Breast, 50 Back, 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Breast), Steph Daussin (50 Free, 50 Back, 100 Free, 50 Fly, 100 Back), Emily Facchine (50 Breast, 100 IM), Melissa Geiss (50 Back, 100 IM), 50 Back, 100 IM, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back), Caitlin Kelly (50 Breast, 50 Back, 100 IM, 100 Free, 50 Fly, 100 Back), Andy Lamb (50 Breast, 50 Back, 100 IM, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 50 Fly), Mona Le (100 Free), Thao Le (50 Breast, 100 IM), Katie Mathis (100 Free, 100 Breast, 50 Fly, 50 Back), Lexi Mitchell (50 Back, 50 Free, 100 Free, 50 Fly), Katie Olson (50 Breast, 50 Back, 100 IM, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back), Tessa Pena (50 Breast, 50 Back, 100 IM, 50 Free), Karen Perry (50 Breast, 50 Back, 50 Free, 100 Back), Paige Randall (50 Breast, 50 Back, 100 IM, 50 Free, 100 Breast), Heather Robertson (50 Back, 100 Free, 100 Back), Matt Robertson (50 Breast, 50 Back, 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back), Jacob Tart (25 Free, 25 Back, 25 Fly), Sage Watkins (50 Free), Katie Weber (100 Free, 100 Back).

NO SATURDAY PRACTICE
There will be no Saturday practice on Dec. 7. Most swimmers will be at Reindeer meet in Hillsborough.

Technique For the Week

Many swimmers will be doing the 100 IM this coming Saturday. Here are some things to remember about IM Turns. The 100 IM is swum in the following order. One length of the pool butterfly, 1 length backstroke, 1 length breaststroke, and 1 length freestyle.

Butterfly to Backstroke: The first transition is from fly to back. Make sure that you touch the wall with two hands on your stomach. Once you touch place your feet on the wall and push off streamline underwater on your back. Kick freestyle or dolphin kick to the surface and then start swimming backstroke.

Backstroke to Breaststroke: The next part of the IM is going from back to breast. The most common mistake is turning over onto your stomach before you touch the wall. Make sure that you touch the wall on your back. Be sure to know your stroke count from the flags to the wall. This will help you get it right. After you touch on your back, place your feet on the wall and push off on your side under the water. Next, do and underwater pullout (1 pull and 1 kick underwater) and come up and swim breaststroke.

Breaststroke to Freestyle: This is the final turn of the IM. Just like butterfly to backstroke touch with two hands. After you touch place your feet on the wall, sink your head under and answer the telephone, and push off the wall streamline underwater. This turn is like you are doing a normal breast or butterfly turn. Once you push off kick free or dolphin kick to the surface, and start swimming freestyle. Go as hard as you can on this lap and finish on your side in freestyle.

Good luck to those who are doing the IM this weekend at Reindeer. These few tips should help if you are nervous.

Once again this is a week where we have a swim meet. Make sure to listen well and pay attention in practice. Great job RSA! See you at practice.

Coach Brian