“HOT Off THE BLOCKS”

Rockingham Area Youth Swim

 

2004 LC SUMMER SEASON
 
       

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all the RAYS SWIMMERS who participated in the GSSA Champ Meet.

 

 Congratulations to the following swimmers for their “First Place” finishes.

 

Alex Finn

Andrew Kalil

Nicholas Bergstrom

Dominic Ziolek

Mandy Avella

Rachel Flinn

Kristin McDougall

Meghan DeWitt

Erin Hersey

Andrew Willbrant

13-14 Women’s Relay team of Paulina Ziolek, Zoe Nikitas, Megan DeWitt, Erin Hersey

 

 

 

Dear RAYS & Parents,

As most of you have already heard; after the September registration, I will be handing the reins over to Karen Skavicus and Suzanne Avella. 

It is with a very heavy heart that I leave this awesome organization.  I will miss all of the great kids and their wonderful parents!! 

You have all been like an extended family to me.  Please know that if I can be of assistance to you in the interim,

as always, do not hesitate to call me or email me at kathymoore@towerplay.com

Enjoy the rest of your summer.  See you in September!!

Kathy Moore  :)

 

 

 

 

GSSA Summer Championships-2004 - 8/7/2004 to 8/8/2004

 

RESULTS for Division 1

 

 

 

Place

 

Team

 

Points

 

1

 

SEACOAST SWIMMING ASSOCIATION

 

SSA

 

2,319

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

BEDFORD SWIM TEAM

 

BST

 

1,851

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

KSC VALLEY GATORS

 

GTRS

 

1,443

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

ROCKINGHAM AREA YOUTH SWIMMING

 

RAYS

 

1,394

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF NASHUA

 

BGCN

 

1,370

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

 

PORTSMOUTH SWIM TEAM

 

PST

 

922

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

9,299.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Physical Growth & Maturation

During childhood kids grow on average 2.5 inches in a year and gain five pounds per year. Athletes of the same chronological age can vary by as much as five years in biological maturation! So, with two 13 year old swimmers, biologically one may be 10 years and the other 16 years - - what a huge difference. This is illustrated by the picture on the right that shows three boys all of whom really are 13 years old.

Girls generally reach peak growth around 11-13 years old, and boys generally reach peak growth around 13-15 years old. Hormonal changes in males and females cause different and often drastic changes in body composition.

Once a child reaches puberty, scientists and coaches feel more serious training can begin. This can be a particularly frustrating time for swimmers. During this transition from age group to senior swimming and from childhood to young adulthood, an athlete may experience a plateau in performance. Best times can be few and far between, while training commitments increase, requiring more time and dedication. Hopefully the coaches have prepared swimmers for this change, but many parents may begin to question whether a child's swimming career is over at this point. These factors, coupled with the other normal difficulties of puberty, can sometimes lead a swimmer to leave the sport prematurely. It is critical that parents and coaches be cooperative and very supportive during this period of adjustment, realizing that it will pass and the rewards will be even better.

USASWIMMING.ORG Website

 

 

 

 

2004 Summer Olympics

 

Watch for the opening ceremony on Friday, august 13th


The 2004 Olympic team captains have been announced:

Men: Lenny Krayzelburg and Tom Malchow.
Women: Lindsay Benko and Jenny Thompson.

Krayzelburg won three gold medals at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney in the 100m back, the 200m back and the 400m medley relay.

A three-time Olympian, Malchow is the defending Olympic champion in the 200m butterfly.

Benko won a gold medal at the 2000 Games in the 800m free relay and also swam the 200m free.

Thompson, meanwhile, will be competing in her fourth Olympics and is the most decorated American female Olympian of all time.

Go Jenny!

 


Avoiding Burnout

 Speedo Tip of the Week comes from Matt Miller, co-head coach of the Schroeder YMCA Swim Team in Brown Deer, Wis.

Miller’s Tip
How can we keep more age group swimmers involved?

“Burning out” in age group swimming has become a phenomenon that most developmental coaches are always spending time worrying about. You hear the phrase mentioned all the time from everyone involved with the sport of swimming. Parents and coaches alike seem to link “burning out” with working too hard at an early age. Whether it is coming to too many practices or spending too many hours at the pool every week, the common perception is that this will lead to an early departure from the sport of swimming.

What if you thought of “burning out” completely differently? Working hard leads to success which leads to happiness and keeps the swimmer involved in the sport of swimming for life. Spending large blocks of time at the pool also leads to the development of strong friendships that keep the athletes wanting to come to the pool. The earlier in a career that you can teach this ‘love of sport’ the better off you are as the coach or parent.

If over working does not lead to “burnout,” then what does? Heightened levels of pressure from parents, coaches and peer groups create stresses that lead to unhappiness in the sport. As stress goes up, the fun goes away, and you see an athlete who will start struggling. Keep the pressure off, work hard, and we can keep them in the sport forever!
 

 

Swim Trivia

Who is the only woman in the world to break 1:00 in 100 long-course backstroke?  She also won NCAA swimmer of the year honors three consecutive years while at the University of California-Berkley.

She will be swimming 2 individual events and 1 relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics.





                                                                                  

 

 

 

 

Compiled by Janine Bacigalupo