New England Masters Swimming

Due to time constraints, a new job that has me commuting to Boston, and a general lack of “weltanschauung” on my part, Elaine Kornbau will be assuming duties as editor of the NEM newsletter. Plus, as previously mentioned, she has actual editing experience and a program that helps differentiate our newsletter from those “Make Money at Home” flyers I get on my windshield at the train station.

Please send articles, ideas, and pictures to her at: “ekornbau@yahoo.com“. I will maintain [thanks mostly to Tracy Grilli] the mailing database, and make sure it gets printed. That would make me the publisher, sort of.

-Tim Morse

The website is now live!

http://www.meetresults.com/nelmscscy/

Some notes for this year:

* The online entries system works great. Use it and save yourself the stamp!

* This year’s meet is on just one week-end, with the distance day on Thursday.

* Seed time challenge: First 10 swimmers in the meet who swim their exact entered seed time will receive a $10 gift card. We are trying to motivate people to submit accurate seed times. (If I have to adjust your seed time because you sandbagged, you are not eligible for the prize.)

Hello NEM Swimmers!

Our first SCY meet is coming up this weekend, the Adirondack’s AC “Hearty Breakfast” Meet on 1/27 in Franklin, MA. You can still pre-register.

The next meet is at Phillips Exeter on Sunday, Feb. 3rd. Meet entry form attached. 8 am warm up - 9 am start. Meet must be completed by noon. Deck entries close at 8:30 am It is preferred that entries be mailed to David & Tracy Grilli, 8 Rockwood Lane, Londonderry, NH 03053, to arrive by Friday, February 1st. Swimmers swimming the 1650 are responsible for their own counter and timer.

In fact pre-registration is strongly encouraged for all meets to speed things up. The Exeter meet was delayed by one hour last year due to the large number of on-deck entries..

Other meets scheduled:

Feb. 17 – Valentine’s Day Heartbreak Classic in Sudbury, MA
Feb. 24 – MIT, Cambridge, MA
Mar. 16 – Marblehead Sprint Classic, MA
Mar. 27-30 – SCY Championships at Harvard

For details on these meets go to: http://www.swimnem.org/wordpress/meets-events/

There are still 9 days left for the One-Hour Swim. Attached please find the entry form. Also, please send your Name, Age, and Total Yards to Matt Gilson (mgilson@getmetagent.com) by January 31st, so he can compile the relays. Note that you must be USMS registered for 2008 in order for your results to count.

For those who have still not renewed their registration for 2008, on-line USMS registration is now possible! Please go to http://registration.usms.org/ and follow the instructions.

Attached are also forms for the 2008 USMS Check-Off Challenge as well as for the ‘Go the Distance’ 2008, a couple of ways to spice up your 2008 training.

Laszlo Eger
President – NEMSC

It’s here…the first Minuteman Masters swim meet in almost 7 years.  The meet that defies logic…the meet that begs the question “why, dear lord, why?”….The 1st Annual Heartbreaker Classic being held this February 17th at Atkinson Pool in Sudbury.

Tired of 50’s and 100’s?  They’re over before you even get started!  Why not come to the Heartbreaker and REALLY see what you can do.  Get in some valuable 200 and 400 prep time for Harvard while you are at it.  One fee for as many races as you can handle…Think you got all 3,000 yards in you?  Prizes await those who try and be the best.

Sign up now at http://www.minutemanmasters.com/heartbreaker/regform.html

This meet is sanctioned and open only to USMS registered swimmers.  There will be a free swimmer’s buffet there and prizes for top male and female, closest to the pin (for seed times) and the Veni Natavi Vici award for any swimmer who completes all 10 events and scores more than 120 points.  We will be scoring the top 3 in each age group in each event – 1st place is worth 15 points, 2nd place is worth 10 and 3rd place is worth 5.   Anyone can win the awards…anyone with guts that is.

Shirts for the meet are available now!  See the link on the meet web page.  The meet registration closes on 2/11 so sign up now!

Due to popular demand, the USMS fitness event “Go the Distance” (GTD) is being offered again by the USMS Fitness Committee in 2008!

The objective of this event is for participants to track the distance they swim during the year. For 2008 we have added a few more distance milestones to challenge our participants. When participants achieve the specific distance milestones of 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 365.25 (average mile a day), 400, 500, 750, 1000, 1250 and 1500 miles – they will be recognized on the USMS website and awards will be available for purchase (for a minimal fee).

Information form available here.

Happy New Year NEM Swimmers!

2007 culminated with the SCM Championships at BU. There were 560 swimmers entered, the most ever, although attendance dropped sharply following the snowstorm Saturday night. Nevertheless the number of NEM records set equaled last year’s output, with another World Record by Greg Shaw in the 200 FL being the icing on the cake. For full details go to:
http://www.greatbaymasters.org/07scmchamp.php

January is the traditional One-Hour Swim month, with NEM being the perennial national champion. Let’s do what we must to keep the crown! The entry form is available for download here. Matt Gilson (mgilson@getmetagent.com) and Carol Yunker (yunkerc@yahoo.com) are coordinating it for NEM, in case you have any questions.

The SCY season will feature a heavy slate of meets. Scheduled so far:

Jan. 27 – Adirondock AC at Franklin, MA
Feb. 3 - Phillips Exeter, NH
Feb. 17 – Valentine’s Day Heartbreak Classic in Sudbury, MA
Feb. 24 – MIT, Cambridge, MA
Mar. 16 – Marblehead Sprint Classic, MA
Mar. 27-30 – SCY Championships at Harvard

For details on these meets go to: http://www.swimnem.org/wordpress/meets-events/
In addition, there are a number of meets in Maine (http://www.mainemasters.org/) and some others still in the planning stage.

The USMS LCM Top-Ten for 2007 was finalized, for full results go to: http://www.usms.org/comp/tt/toptenlist.php The number of NEM listings nearly doubled from 2006, thanks, to a large extent, to the participation in the NEM LCM Championships at Middlebury, VT. The meet is again scheduled for late June, so plan on attending it.

Laszlo Eger
President - NEMSC

Another great meet and some great competition.

Preliminary results are in for team standings.

Top Three USMS Club Teams
1 Maine Masters Swim Club-2056
2 Great Bay Masters Swiming-1400
3 Connecticut Masters-792

Top Three Large Workout Group NEM Teams
1 Cambridge Masters Swim Club-3808
2 Minuteman-2975
3 Andover YMCA-2246

Top Three Medium Workout Group NEM Teams
1 MIT-1276
2 Boston LANES-938
3 Boston Universtiy Masters-647

Top Three Small Workout Group NEM Teams
1 Boston College-1025
2 UV Rays-762
3 Middlebury Muffintops-617

Top Three Squad Workout Group NEM Teams
1 Lowell YMCA-186
2 South Shore YMCA-115
3 U Mass Aquatic Masters-77

High Point Men Top Ten
1 Gray, Zachary A-181
2 De Hart, Pieter A-166
3 Nguyen, Son-157
4 Platt, Jay-148
5 McKinney, Maury S-146
6 Prescott, Al-144
7 Dolan, John V-139
8 Robertson, Jim E-136
8 Mohl, Bruce E-136
10 Wilson, Tom-134

High Point Women Top Ten
1 Olson, Jeannine-175
2 Onton, Louise-170
3 Day, Nadine-168
3 Miller, Dori L-168
5 Harvey, Jenny E-167
6 Kupan, Cheryl A-156
7 Williams, Melinda B-155
8 Stanley, Ellen D-154
9 Scott, Sheryl L-145
10 Roy, Michele M-143

Full results can be found here

2007 New England LMSC Short Course Meters Championship
and New England Masters Workout Group Challenge;
December 14-16, 2007 at Boston University Fitness and Recreation Center
http://www.greatbaymasters.org/07scmchamp.php

New England LMSC Short Course Meters Championship Pre-Meet Announcements

1 ) Psych Sheets / Timeline Posted; safety notes
2 ) 800 Free Notes
3 ) BU Waiver
4 ) Positive Check-In (very important, please read)
5 ) Dive Over Starting
6 ) Social Update
7 ) Introducing NELMSC SCM Championship Meet Records
8 ) PLEASE CHECK YOUR ENTRIES FOR ACCURACY ON THE MEET WEB PAGE
9 ) Warm-up: suggest pacing for warm-up lanes

1) Psych Sheets and Timeline Posted; safety notes
Over 550 entrants this year, a new record. Timeline and Psych sheets posted onmeet web page.

Warm-up Safety Notes: Swimmers must enter the pool feet first in a cautious and controlled manner. During pre-competition warm-up no diving or backstroke starts will be allowed except in designated sprint lanes in the competition pool. No diving or backstroke starts are allowed at any time in the 25-yard width wise
warm-up / warm-down lanes.

PLEASE STAY OFF THE POOL DECK UNTIL IMMEDIATELY BEFORE A WARM-UP SESSION BEGINS.
OTHER PROGRAMS WILL BE USING THE POOL UNTIL JUST BEFORE MEET WARM-UP.

2) 800 Free Notes
Please note that the 800 free is swum fast to slow, alternating heats of women and men. Check-in for the 800 free closes at 4:30 p.m. on Friday 12/14. We will be depending on swimmers to do backup timing for the 800 free, please help
out with timing.

3) BU Waiver Signature
Everyone is required to sign a Boston University waiver on their way in to the
pool area.

4) Positive Check-In
Please remember: THIS IS A POSITIVE CHECK-IN MEET.

All Events Require Positive Check-In: All events will be deck seeded from entry form times. Swimmers must confirm their entries by 4:30 p.m. on December 14, and 9:30 a.m. on December 15 and 16. Swimmers who do not check in by those deadlines will be scratched from all their events for that day. If you arrive late, check-in immediately and you will be re-entered in events that have not yet been seeded and posted. Events will be seeded and posted approximately ½ to ¾ hour before the event starts. Swimmers must check-in personally.

5) Diver Over Starting
Dive Over Starting - All Events Except Backstroke: Swimmers completing a heat will finish at the wall, and stay in the water until the next heat is called to the blocks. Swimmers will stay in the water until the next heat ‘Dives Over’ the
top of them. Immediately after the next heat has started, the swimmers from the previous heat will exit the pool. If you need to use the ladder to exit the pool, notify the starter before your race.

6) Social Update
- food will be ready to eat at 6:00 p.m., immediately after the meet
- Award ceremony is canceled
- Tickets will be available at the meet on Saturday 12/15
- See meet web page for more details (menu, venue, etc.)
- Join us for a fun CONVENIENT meal

7) Introducing NELMSC SCM Championship Meet Records
Meet records are the fastest swims in an age group event swum at any of the NELMSC SCM Championship meets from meet inception (1997) to present. Meet records can be set by all meet swimmers, including members of USMS Clubs outside the NELMSC. Check meet web page to see the NELMSC SCM Championship meet records
for both Individuals and Relays.

8 ) PLEASE CHECK YOUR ENTRIES FOR ACCURACY ON THE MEET WEB PAGE
We need to clear up any errors / problems before the meet. Please check your meet entry information here:
http://www.greatbaymasters.org/07scmchamp.php

9) Warm-up: suggest pacing for warm-up lanes

Everyone gets a better warm-up if the people in a warm-up lane are in the same pace range. Here is a suggested pace for each warm-up lane during the open warm-up session in the 10-lane course before each session:

LANES PACE per 50 yard free
5 & 6 under 40 seconds
4 & 7 40 to 45 seconds
3 & 8 45 to 50 seconds
2 & 9 50 to 60 seconds
1 & 10 over 60 seconds

If you are looking for a place to burn a few calories before you stuff yourself we have the place for you. Cambridge Masters Swim Club will be holding their annual Masters workout from 9.00-10.30AM at Blodgett Pool on Thursday November 22. THE THANKSGIVING DAY WORKOUT IS OPEN TO ALL USMS OR COLLEGE SWIMMERS who are looking for a workout before eating a big meal.

WHAT DO YOU NEED:

• The “Drop in Application Form” found on our website, - http://cambridgemasters.com/drop_in.pdf The coach on deck will also have copies. (All swimmers must fill out for liability reasons)
• A valid photo ID must be presented at the time of entry to the facility (e.g., driver’s license, passport, government identification).
• Drop-in fees: $10.00 cash only (USD) – Paid to the coach on deck before the workout.
• And of course a bathing suit and goggles

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING:
DIRECTIONS: The street address for Blodgett Pool is 65 North Harvard Street, Boston MA 02163.
From the West: Take the Massachusetts Turnpike east to Exit 18 (Allston/Cambridge). After paying toll, bear left at fork towards Allston. Turn right at second set of lights onto North Harvard Street.
From the North: Take I-93 south to Storrow Drive exit. Take Storrow Drive west for approximately five miles. Exit at Harvard Square/North Harvard Street. At the top of the exit, turn left onto North Harvard Street . Approximately 1/4 mile on your left will be the entrance to the Harvard Business School parking lot, on Albert H. Gordon Road, opposite the football stadium.
From the South: Take I-95 north to I-93 north. Follow I-93 to Exit 20 (Massachusetts Turnpike). Take Mass. Pike west to Exit 20 (Allston/Cambridge). After paying toll, bear left at fork towards Allston. Turn right at second set of lights onto North Harvard Street. Proceed approximately one mile.
Via M.B.T.A. (subway/bus): The Red Line subway stops at Harvard Square. Blodgett Pool is a 10-minute walk from the square, down John F. Kennedy St. and over the Charles River. Several bus routes make stops at Harvard Square as well. The 66 and 86 routes include stops on North Harvard Street in front of Harvard Stadium and Blodgett Pool.

PARKING: Parking is available on North Harvard Street or in the Visitors Parking spaces within the athletic complex.
To access the visitor spaces, drive in GATE 6 at the closed end of the football stadium and follow the road around the stadium.
Visitor Parking is located on the left.

If you have questions or need more information please contact Scott VanKuilenburg at Scott@cambridgemasters.com

Minuteman Masters Swim Club is hosting its next clinic on November 24th at the Hanscom Pool. This clinic is an excellent opportunity to refine starts and turns prior to the December meet at BU. Once again all five Minuteman coaches will be present to offer the very best to each swimmer and video recordings of starts and turns will be done and given to swimmers. Enrollment is limited to 20 athletes. Please email rich@minutemanmasters.com to reserve your spot early as this clinic will fill up fast! Cost is $25 for non-Minuteman swimmers and $10 for Minuteman swimmers. Time: 8:30-10 AM.