IOWA CITY EELS
Contact: 351-3336 or swimice@aol.com website: www.iceels.org February 2004
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Thanks to our corporate
sponsors: A.W. Welt Ambrisco, the Coral Fruit Market, Hills Bank, Iowa State
Bank & Trust, The New Sycamore Mall, Oral B Industries, Scheels All Sports
and Universal Climate Control- their generous support helps keep our Club in
the water!
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Coming up:
2/27-29: 12
& Under State Championships at Coe College
3/1: ICE Board Meeting 6:30 PM Mercer
3/5-7: 13/14 & Senior Championships at
Coe College
3/11-14: Sectionals
at Chicago
3/15: ICE Bills Due
3/28: Swimmer Recognition Dinner at Mercer
Park
4/5: Practice resumes (tentative)
4/12: Start of Spring Stroke Clinic
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COACHES
CORNER
During the normal break cycles in training and tapering at the end of a season swimmers suddenly have some time on their hands. Cross training and swimming a bit is a good way to keep in aerobic shape while not having to go to the pool everyday for a while. Some things that can keep you sharp include:
1. Cycling This is a great way to get some aerobic exercise while not adding stress to your joints and back in the same manner that running does. This is especially good for breaststroke swimmers as it will not wear out their ever-vulnerable knees and ankles. Either a good 30 min. on an exercise bike or a 10mile trek on your ten-speed or mountain bike (eastern Iowa weather permitting) is a great way to keep yourself fit. For more of a challenge check out a Spinning class you can ask the Masters swimmers about those. It is an intense full-body workout done with a bike as the base.
2. Running / Jogging This exercise has the greatest benefit for time duration of all the exercises I will mention. The problem is that you can overdo running easily and too much can effect a swimmers flutter kick, joints, and back. For younger swimmers and pre-Moray level athletes I think track fits into your schedule here nicely (if the Jr. High track coach respects your swim schedule). Most swimmers past the Moray level avoid going out for organized Athletics (track) so as not to miss much pre-season swim yardage and technique training. As a coach I like to use running in the first half of the season to shock the legs into shape and maintain some easy aerobic work away from the pool. After the middle of the season I tend to phase this out of our dry land to focus more on quickness and general strength work.
3. Athletic Games Basketball, touch football, water polo, soccer, Frisbee football (also known as ultimate frisbee) with family and friends are a great way to keep your fitness during the break and to also stoke your competitive fires a bit. I always liked to play water polo during the swimming breaks for something different yet still in the pool (which I think helps maintain a good feel for the water). In Canada the swimmers on the National Tour Team always get together in the off-season for some floor hockey or roller hockey before their morning swims. I think it is easier to stay in shape when you have some buddies to help you out.
4. Pilates and / or Dry land training Steal some exercises from our circuit or pilates days and do them at home. Add a medicine ball and a friend and you have a full blown and creative way to work out.
5. Private Lessons Some one on one work with a certified coach is great to keep your technique together during the swim breaks while your yardage is down. Along with the pre-season this is the best time to try changing or improving your strokes.
6. Stretching and Flexibility training this should be a daily habit for every swimmer. Great athletes are not only strong but also flexible. Keeping limber while not in the water will make the pre-season that much easier as you will be able to starve off stiffness and keep your muscles pliable.
ICE Swimmers of the Month 2003 / 2004 Short Course Season. Included is the meet or reason why the Coach Don and Coach Matt picked these swimmers:
September no meets
Cubes Chonghoon Lim (CRAA Meet)
Waves Sid McMillin and Justin Choi (Training Leaders)
Morays Beth Eyanson (ISCA Meet)
Eels Keagan Recher (ISCA Meet)
Morays Grace Murray (DMSF Meet)
Eels (tie) Ashley Lawler & Lauren Talman (Girls
HS State Meet)
Cubes DJ Hacker (Training leader)
Waves Cameron Herting (BLAST and ICE / Weber Meets)
Morays (tie) Chelsea Hartman & Sarah Striegel (BLAST and ICE / Weber Meets)
Eels Peter Cilek (ICE / Weber Meet)
Cubes (tie) Brady St. John & Thomas Burrill (BETT Meet)
Waves Jiyeon Lim (CIA Meet)
Morays (tie) Devin St. John and Kanoe Russell (ALL-STARS / BLAST Meet)
Eels (tie) Stacia Johns and Ashley Matteson (USA-S Grand Prix / Training Leader)
Cubes (tie) Amber Gerard & Ryan Brennan (East Regionals)
Waves (tie) Stu McMillin and Lily Doershuk (East Regionals)
Morays (tie) Megan Hingtgen and Shelby Doehrmann (East Regionals / DASH Meet)
Eels Josh Schubert (Boys HS Districts & State)
*The Swimmer of the Month pins will be distributed at the Swimmer Recognition Dinner in March.
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ICE Board of Directors candidates: The following people have
graciously consented to assisting with the ICE Board of Directors beginning in
August of this year. Ed St. John and Lisa Murray are
willing to join as Trustees and Erin Herting has volunteered to become
Club Vice President for next year. This slate of candidates will be voted on at
the Swimmer Recognition Dinner in March.
As always, a special thank you is due to all who agree to serve the Club
by becoming Board members.
AAU
Junior Olympics: Des Moines is the site of the AAU Junior Olympics scheduled for
the first week of August. Swimming is to be included and the venue will be
Birdland Park. If you have an interest in this event you can check out the
Junior Olympics website at: (http://www.aaujrogames.org/swimming.html).
USA Swimming Scholastic All-American Team: If you think you meet the criteria listed below, please talk to Coach Spellman in order to get the proper paperwork submitted for Scholastic All-American recognition for 2003-04. If youve worked this hard both in and out of the water you owe it to yourself as well as your parents, teachers, coaches, and teammates to be recognized as a Scholastic All-American.
· At least a 3.5 GPA as a high school sophomore, junior or senior
· Compete in an individual event at one of the following meets: 2003 ConocoPhillips Summer Nationals; 2003 Summer Speedo Champions Series; 2003 U.S. Open, 2004 ConocoPhillips Spring Nationals; 2004 Spring Speedo Champions Series; 2003 National Disability Championships or 2003 Open Water National Championships.
March Meeting: The Annual Swimmer Recognition Dinner & Membership Meeting will be
held on Sunday, March 28. We have use of the Proctor & Gamble room at
Mercer Aquatic Center for this event.
Festivities will start around 5:00 PM and will last for a couple of
hours. All short course swimmers will be recognized as we review the
fall/winter season and look forward towards the spring/summer one. This meeting
is also used as an opportunity to take care of some Club business so everyone
is encouraged to attend. Vicki McBreen will be on hand with merchandise and we may be
conducting early registration for the Long Course (spring/summer) season as
well. More details are soon to follow.
Fundraising
and the Meet Work Commitment: There seems to be some confusion on the ICE
Fundraising and Volunteer commitments. As a volunteer, parent run club,
each family is asked to assist with both fundraising and operating meets. The
fundraising commitment is $50 per season/per family with one swimmer and $75
per season for families with more than one swimmer. So, for the
year-around swimmer, this is either $100 or $150 that each family is
responsible for either by participating in our numerous fundraisers or by just
writing a check for the appropriate amount. The Meet Work commitment
involves the number of sessions you are asked to work each season. Swim
meets are our biggest non-dues revenue source. We currently host three meets
each year and this effort requires many workers. Each family is asked to work
at least 2 sessions during the short course season and 5 sessions during the
long course season to fulfill this team commitment. If for some reason
you are unable to work during the meet, you should contact the meet director to
fulfill you commitment by doing work prior to or after the meet. If
unable to fulfill this requirement, a family will be asked to pay $20 for each
session not worked. If you have any questions about this policy please
contact ICE president Kelly Eyanson at 339-7579 or keleyn@inav.net.
Start of the Long Course Season: The tentative date for the start of the 2004 Long Course Season is Monday April 5th. A final announcement on this date will be made soon and will be posted via e-mail and on our website (www.iceels.org).
Spring Stroke Clinic: The ICE Spring Stroke Clinic will likely begin the week of April 12th. Final details are still pending. If you know of someone interested in trying the clinic have them check our website or call the office at 351-3336.
Note from
Communications: This is an incredibly busy time of year for the sport
of swimming. State Championship meets
and the upcoming Sectionals make for a very hectic first half of March. Though the swimmers wont be in the water
you can expect to receive updates on items of interest to both athletes and
their families.