Northampton Area Swimming

www.naswim.org

May 13, 2008

"With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity."
       - Keshavan Nair

Swim Meets

It is finally time for swim meets . . . several swimmers are signed up for the Long Course Meet at Hanscom Air Force Base this weekend and the NAS Pentathlon is just over two weeks away now.  All families have a work assignment for our home meets (work assignments for the NAS Meet at Smith have been emailed) and there is a food table sign-up sheet posted in the pool area at JFK.  Anyone who does not sign up to bring something to the food table will be assigned something to bring to the meet, so if you have something in mind, please put it on the sheet on the bulletin board by Monday 5/19 (at that time, the sheet will come down and assignments will be made and emailed to families).  Families are expected to spend about $10.00 per swimmer on the team for the food table.  The NAS meets and their income help keep registration fees low for swimmers and families, as well as provide the swimmers with awards at the end-of-season banquet.

 

Hanscom Meet New Warm-up and Start Times

The times have changed . . . NAS has the last warm-up time at all sessions and that is 6:55 am for the mornings and 11:55 for the afternoon with meet start times of 7:20 and 12:15.  The warm-up times are the times we will be in the water, so you must arrive before those times; also, scratches will need to be made approximately 10 minutes before our warm-up starts each session, so if you will not be there by 6:45 am or 11:45 am for the afternoon, please call me and let me know you are on the way (413-575-8559).

 

Reminders for Meets

• For meets (especially away meets), please let me know if a swimmer will be late or is not coming.  I am expected to scratch swimmers if they are not present at least one half hour before the meet is to start, so communication is imperative.  My cell phone # is 413-575-4825; leave a message if I do not answer and I will get it if I am looking for you.   
• A team cap must be worn at meets if a swim cap is worn (a swim cap is needed if hair is long; to the shoulders or can cover the eyes while swimming).  NAS caps for sale almost always at practice:  $4 for latex; $10 for silicone – see me to purchase.
• A team suit or black suit should be worn at meets.  Team suits can be purchased through our web site or black suits bought anywhere.
• All families will get a work assignment at each home meet (and a food assignment for the food table) and will be fined if it is not completed.  Assignments will be emailed &/or posted at the pool.  Please let me know of any conflicts before the meet(s).
• All families are expected to be part of set-up &/or clean-up at our home meets – please do your share.
• At away meets, families attending are expected to share any timing assignments our team has been given.
• Donna has reserved rooms for meets at Harvard, MIT, Beverly, and Dover, NH.  Info for Beverly (YNS meet) is available now.  Instructions for reserving rooms for MIT meets and Harvard meets at the Sheraton Newton should be available soon (I think we have a rate of $109, plus $12/day parking).

 

Practice Schedules and Reminders

Check the team calendar on the website for holidays, meets, and more schedule info; the website calendar is updated as needed.  Reminder:  there is no practice Fri. 5/23 and Mon. 5/26.  Our Spring Pentathlon is Friday 5/30 at Smith College, so there is no practice at JFK.  If Novice swimmers would like to join us on a Tuesday or Thursday on weeks when there are only two practices offered, please come.                               

 

Swimmers should be dropped off no more than 20 minutes before practice and picked up within 15 minutes of the end of practice.  There is no supervision until coaches arrive and no place for swimmers to be before then.  Swimmers are responsible to shower and exit quickly after practice, as coaches will not leave until swimmers are picked up and the building gets locked up after our practice each night.

 

Hike Rescheduled

Let’s try again . . . we will try to do another hike on Sunday, June 8^th.  For those wanting to carpool, we will plan to meet at JFK at 9 am and car pool to Mount Holyoke/Skinner Mt. (we should arrive by 9:40 or so), where we will hike up the mountain, eat lunch (everyone should pack their own), and hike down.  We will stop for ice-cream after, too.  This hike should be a bit shorter than Mt. Monadnock and is closer, so I am estimating we will be back in Northampton by 3 pm.  I believe there are some steep, rocky climbs, so please wear good shoes, bring water, lunch, and a jacket, etc.  Parents will need to accompany younger swimmers and any swimmers who may have difficulty with the climb.  Please let me know if you plan to come, whether you will meet at JFK or will meet at the parking area of Rte 47 (need directions?), etc.  – swimmers and families are welcome and parents may be needed to drive.

 

Competitive Swimming Terminology/Jargon, etc.

The dive at the beginning of the race is called the start.  Forward starts are performed for Free, Breast, and Butterfly strokes, and an in-the-water backstroke start is performed for back.  When Hot Starts are being used in a meet (will very likely be used in our meets), the swimmer finishing a race on the front stays in the water and close to the wall until the next heat of swimmers starts off the blocks over them (Hot Starts are not used for Backstroke races).

 

There are finishes for each of the 4 competitive strokes.   In freestyle, the finish is one-handed with head down and arm outstretched.  In backstroke, the finish must be on the back.  In breaststroke and butterfly, finishes (and turns) are with two hands simultaneously; both strokes require symmetry at all times during swimming/stroking, as well.

 

Streamline is a term which all swimmers should know and practice every day in the pool.  In all strokes, during turns and starts, swimmers must be in a streamlined position to move quickly and efficiently through the water.  That position is with arms stretched overhead with one hand covering the other, fingers outstretched toward the opposite end of the pool and body in as long of a line as possible.  Swimmers move faster through the water in this position off a start or turn than they can swim if done properly.  Older swimmers should be able to hold this position past the flags in all strokes before initiating a pull.

 

Thoughts and Prayers for Samantha Dolan

Please send your positive thoughts and energy to the Dolan family while Samantha is in the hospital (Baystate), recovering from a car accident in which her back and arm were broken, along with other injuries.

 

Get well soon Samantha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!