IOWA CITY EELS

Contact: 351-3336 or swimice@aol.com website: www.iceels.org June 2003

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Thanks to our corporate sponsors: Scheels All Sports, the Coral Fruit Market, Hawkeye State Bank, and Iowa State Bank & Trust- their generous support helps keep our Club in the water!

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Coming up:

6/16: Sign-up deadline for Mason City meet

6/16: ICE bills due

6/20-22: DMSF Birdland swim meet

6/27: Sign-up deadline for Clinton meet

6/28-29: Mason City Invitational

6/28-29: Vinton Invitational

7/3: Sign-up deadline for BLAST meet

7/4: 4th of July parade in Coralville

7/7: Board Meeting at Mercer Park- 6:30 PM

7/12-13: Clinton swim meet

7/11-13: Quincy swim meet

7/15: ICE bills due

7/19-20: BLAST swim meet

COACHES CORNER

How to Recognize a Fast Pool

During the course of a season we attend a lot of meets at many different types of pools. Most of the summer meets will be held in pools measured by 50 Long Course meters (the international and Olympic distance). In the winter months those of us in the United States compete at meets held in 25-yard pools. On occasion we get to attend a short course meters meet (25m) like the Q- meet coming up in Vinton. This is a popular format for meets in Mexico, Europe, and Canada but we do not see many meets of this type in the states at the regional and state level. While the length of the pool is important to know before you race at a meet the actual physical layout of the pool will also give you an idea of what times to expect at the meet. There are a few aspects that will help you identify how fast a pool may be and what limitations that venue may have as well.

Gutters: If any of you witnessed the Sydney Olympics you saw some of the fastest gutters in the world. The drainage system at the 2000 Olympics was over a foot wide and ran the whole length of the pool. The long plastic grates made it possible that only limited backwash made its way back into the competition water. This allowed for less crosscurrent and cleaner water for the athletes to race in (especially after the first 50). There were many World and Olympic records set at this meet alone due to the less turbulent water that the pool offered. Pools with deep gutters (like many older pools in the US) get choppy after the first 50 or first 25 which puts second half and negative split distance swimmers at an immediate disadvantage. There are some ways to neutralize this effect but you cannot totally make it go away without setting up a system like the one used in Sydney.

Lane Ropes: The bigger the lane ropes, the less crosscurrent during racing. While these ropes are bulky and hard to store away after use larger flared ropes can make conditions much faster. The closer the flares and the wider they are the more that the waves created by the hands, feet, head, and hips will be caught and dissipated. Around the mid-90’s lane ropes started to grow so now almost every big international meet has the 8-inch diameter ropes. Most of the big FINA sanctioned meets require the use of “wave eater” ropes to ensure a high level of racing. At some yard measured meets like NCAA’s, Sectionals, and HS State the meet organizers achieve the same effect as wave eaters by layering two to three ropes together between each lane. This is legal for these types of meets but FINA does not allow this to occur at the international level meets. Having big lane ropes is very important for sprint events at the highest levels due to the huge kick turbulence created by large and strong athletes.

Pool Depth: A good rule of thumb here is that the deeper the pool, the faster the water. Deep water dissipates crosscurrents, absorbs bodies better (and shields them from crosscurrent), but can make it difficult to judge turns and location. I think the best pools are 10 to 8.5 feet in depth because this allows adequate space for water dissipation yet allows the athlete to be close enough to the black line for good sight references. Some pools are too deep and this can make it difficult for swimmers to know where they are coming off a start or turn (like in breaststroke or butterfly when you are under for extended periods of time).

North / South layout (outdoors): This was a factor that many athletes complained about when racing at the 1984 Los Angles Olympiad. Rick Carey, a world record holder and eventual 100 and 200-meter backstroke gold medallist, sighted the pool’s layout as the main reason that no world marks fell in the backstroke events. Some genius who never swam backstroke decided that an East / West layout would fit best on the USC campus and would be better for holding the event for spectators and TV viewing. This was OK with everyone except the athletes (most notably the IM’ers and backstrokers). The evening finals were held at a time when the pool was ablaze by the West Coast sunset. This made it very difficult for people swimming backstroke to judge their turns and even keep their eyes open on the way back home in races. Because of this you now see most big meet pools set with a North / South layout, limited natural lighting and / or abundant shading (like the indoor / outdoor set up of the 1996 Olympic pool), or having the event held totally inside (2000 and 1988 Olympiads). This also aided in the development of mirrored goggles too (hahaha).

Other areas to note: Amplified horn systems located at each block – make the start horn reach each lane at the same time to ensure a quick start.

Lighted starting blocks with systems that flash at the start – many of the world’s top sprinters use the start light to judge the start (since light is faster than sound). These blocks make is easier for everyone to “see” the start signal.

Wide and longer blocks – accommodate all types of athletes and starts. Make it so athletes do not have to change their natural starts from venue to venue.

Adjustable filtration systems – allows meet host and pool operators to create water that is lighter and faster and also limit or eliminate any circulation currents that may exist. Systems like TarnPure and others make the pool water conditions more adjustable than standard systems.

Pool temp – water 78 to 81F degrees is ideal for racing. Colder and the muscles lock up – warmer and the muscles relax too much.

Speed bumps – little sections at the bottom of the pool between depths that catch and block underwater waves from rolling all the way down the pool at a consistent rate. Used in the 84 and 96 Olympic pools.

Check out the conditions before you race at your next meet. For in-season meets these factors are simply things you need to adjust for – at big meets (like Zones or Nationals) most of these conditions should be addressed before the meet is even sanctioned and awarded. Those of you who make the ISI Zone Team this summer will get to see one of the most advanced and up to date pools in the world at Indianapolis. This is the pool that was used for the 1987 Pan-Am Games, the 1984, 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Team trials as well as 6 NCAA meets and countless National level events. I swam at the 2000 SCY Masters Nationals there and had some very good swims there (for an old guy). I think the pool was a big reason why I was able to beat some of my HS times and approach some of my college swims.

Remember that one of the big rewards for training hard, going to practice, and listening to your coach is that the faster you get, the better the pools you will get to race in at the end of each season!

See ya at the pool

Donald P. Spellman

Swimmers of the Month:

Frost - David Tao and Hannah Hong
Cubes - Vivian Zhu
Morays - Devin St. John
Eels - Ashley Matteson

Special get well soon note: The ICE family, especially the Eels, Morays and the coaching staff, wish Josh Schubert a speedy recovery from his recent arboreal run in.

Senior Trip: Information on the Titan Firecracker Classic in Qunicy, Illinois will be out to the swimmers attending the meet by the end of June. There remains room on the bus so any 11 and 12 year olds wishing to ride with the team should contact Coach Spellman to reserve a seat.

Coaching staff notes: SwimFit, Frost, and Cube Swimmers and Parents - please make every effort to be at practice 10 minutes before the pool start times to ensure we can get stretching and sit-ups done and the pool set up on time.  We only have limited access to our pools and we want to make sure we get all of our workouts in since we are now past the midpoint of the season.

Morays, Eels, and Masters - please make sure to show up right at the listed start times for set-up and dryland / stretching.  This has only been a limited problem lately but since we are switching to more early morning workouts the staff just wanted to give everyone a reminder before we head outdoors

July 4^th practice schedule: We will have a modified practice schedule for the 4^th of July. Exact times and locales will be posted as soon as they become known. Check the bulletin boards, e-mails, and websites for further information.

Swimmers of the Month Awards: The first batch of swimmer of the month awards will soon be distributed. Beginning with the 2003 Long Course season the selected swimmers will be receiving a soon-to-be highly coveted “Swimmer of the Month” pin.

Billing update: Just a reminder that ICE bills should to be paid promptly on the 15^th of the month. Swimmers with balances past due for two months are not to be practicing or competing in meets. If you have a question on your bill, please contact Michelle Larson (michelle-larson@mchsi.com) or Jan Lawler (blawler251@aol.com).

New office hours: Head Coach Spellman and Head Age Group Coach Hamer have new office hours.

Don:  Tuesday by appointment 4:30-6:00
Thursday 4:30-5:30

Matt:  Tuesday 3:30-4:30
Thursday by appointment 3-4:30

Name that training group: Beginning in September ICE training groups will be increased from four to five in number. We will maintain the previous names: Frost Cubes, Morays, and Eels but the new group- to be located between Cubes and Morays- needs a name. That is where our swimmers come in. The athlete that comes up with the best name will receive an ICE t-shirt and the never-ending admiration of fellow teammates, coaches, and parents. If you’ve got a great name for this training group place your suggestion in the file folder so marked at either Mercer or Coralville pools. Ballots will be accepted till mid-July with the new name making its debut at the ICE picnic July 29^th.

Tie-dye party: Thanks to everyone who made the tie-dye party on June 14^th such a great event. A special thank-you to Sara Hartman whose planning and effort made this project succeed. The t-shirts should give our swimmers a very distinct look at both the July 4^th parade and everywhere else the next few months or so.

Online entries: The ICE online meet entry system is up and working. If you are having trouble getting the blue entry cards in to the coaches on time try using the online system instead. You will find the online meet entry link at our website (www.iceels.org) from either the Meets page or the Online Planner page.

Summer swim practice schedule: This is the summer swim practice schedule. Weather is always a potential problem in the summer so this schedule is subject to change.

Eels: M-F at City Park*: 5:45 to 8:15AM
 M,W,F at U of Iowa Fieldhouse Pool: 3:30 to 5:30PM
   Sat. at Mercer Park: 7:50 to 10:30AM

Morays:      M-F at City Park*: 5:45 to 8:15AM
Sat. at Mercer Park: 7:50 to 10:30AM

*IF RAINED OUT PRIOR TO START OF PRACTICE WE WILL HOLD WORKOUTS AT MERCER PARK FROM 6:30 TO 8AM.  THERE WILL BE A BLUE SIGN POSTED ON THE CITY PARK DOORS IF PRACTICE IS MOVED.

Cubes :       M-F at Coralville Outdoor Pool: 9:20 to 10:30AM
M-F at Mercer Park: 4:30 to 5:30PM
Sat. at Mercer Park: 8:00 to 9:30AM

Frost: M-F at Coralville Outdoor Pool: 9:20 to 10:15AM
M-F at Mercer Park: 4:30 to 5:15PM
Sat. at Mercer Park: 9:30 to 10:20AM

SwimFit Group: M-TH at Mercer Park: 3:30 to 4:30PM

Masters:   M,W,F at City Park**: 5:45 to 7:15AM
                  Sat. at Mercer Park: 7:50 to 9:30AM

**IF RAINED OUT AT CITY PARK WE WILL TRY TO MAKE UP THE WORKOUT THE NEXT MORNING.

Fourth of July Parade: For the third year running the Iowa City Eels will be participating in the Coralville 4^th of July parade. Andrew and Belinda Striegel will again be providing a truck and trailer to serve as a float so the swimmers, at least, will not have to walk. We’ve had a good turnout for this activity the last couple of years and encourage everyone to join in on the fun this time around. Everyone needs to be at the Geico/ Macgregor Furniture Mart parking lot by 9:30 AM. The parade is scheduled to begin at 10:00. Our parade entry number will be given to us the last week of June and will be posted at that time.

ANW meet cancellation? The ANW swim meet originally scheduled for July 6^th in Grinnell will in all likelihood be cancelled.

Iowa Swimming Summer State Championships: This is our biggest meet of the year. It is also our greatest fundraiser of the year- often bringing in about $10,000.00 to the club. Last year we had over 425 swimmers and this year promises to be even larger with the addition of several 8 and under championship events. With nine sessions spread out over three days (August 1^st-3^rd) everyone in the club will have to lend a hand in order to make this event a success. We will need lane timers, concessions and hospitality workers, deck staff and officials. The meet work sign-up sheet will be making an appearance before you know it but preliminary discussions suggest we will need extra help in these specific areas:

staffing coordinator: This person is responsible for making sure the varied meet work slots are filled. This position requires a lot of phone calls but much of the job can be accomplished before the meet starts. If you are not able to help during the meet or would rather work from home this job might be for you.

clerk of course/proofs: This is an on deck position. Responsibilities include overseeing positive check-in and scratches, and checking proof of time for those swimmers not matching the “Q” time in any given event.

awards: Responsible for affixing labels to ribbons and medal bags. Primarily a task that needs to be filled on Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening.

timing system operators: Every session will need a console operator and a computer operator. Optimally, someone to work with the computer operator to check lane timer sheets and the computerized results would be most helpful. You will need to be trained to operate either system and anyone with an interest in computers is encouraged to pick up one of these skills. Timing system operators are always in demand be it USA Swimming or junior and senior high school meets.

As always we will need help with set-up and takedown. The former on Thursday evening and the latter immediately following the completion of the meet on Sunday night. Also, people to help with concessions and hospitality (both as workers behind the counter and in food preparation), lane timers (two per session), head timers (one per session), program sales, runners, and the list goes on. There are a lot of jobs to be done and there is a place for everyone to contribute. Make your preferences known in advance and if you will not be around the weekend of the meet contact our meet directors so they can help you find a way to contribute your talents and energies. Questions? Contact our Meet Directors: Jan Lawler at (BLawler251@aol.com) or Bruce MacKay at (bpmackay@avalon.net).

Program Ads Fundraiser: This summer we will be including the program ads and event sponsorships for the Summer State Championships as one of the ICE fundraisers.  Families will receive credit toward their total fundraising requirement and for the first time, every family can qualify to receive free Coral Ridge Mall gift certificates based on the total ads/sponsorships submitted.  Watch for details!

ICE Board of Directors: Beginning in August there will be an opening on the ICE Board of Directors. This will be a one-year commitment to complete the term of one of our current trustees. The ICE Board is responsible for setting policies and goals for the swim club and if you have an interest in the future of the team do consider volunteering for this position. Questions can be directed to Kelly at 339-7579 or keleyn@inav.net.

Volunteer positions: The ICE Board of Directors is always looking for members to help out with the myriad of tasks that need to be completed to keep our club running as smoothly as possible. Currently we are looking for persons to help in these areas:

Volunteer coordinator: oversee the club’s efforts to cover the jobs that need to be done. Will likely oversee the ICE Meet Work Requirement system as well.

Public relations: individuals to handle the club’s publicity- posting meet results and swimmer achievements with the local newspapers, etc.

Final note from communications: Between now and the early part of August things with the swim club will be very busy. As usual, every effort is made to keep our swimmers up to date with the latest ICE news. Check your swimmer’s folders, the bulletin boards, e-mails, website, and newsletters for changes and announcements. If you do not have a folder or it is not in your preferred location contact me and I’ll make arrangements to address the problem. If you desire to receive e-mail but are currently not doing so please contact me at keleyn@inav.net so I can place you into the club contact database. I am still having some difficulties with my e-mail server but things seem to be a bit better than a month or so ago. Always feel free to contact the coaches with swimming questions (Don at swimice@aol.com and Matt at Tyfish25@aol.com or by phone at 351-3336) or if your questions lie more with the club and it’s operations you can reach me at 339-7579 or at keleyn@inav.net.