Dolphin Swim Club Newsletter  

April, 2006                                                                                                 


 

 

Important Dates:

April 11th  Durango entries due

April 13th  Developmental entries due

April 15th Developmental Meet

April 23rd  Durango Pentathlon

Distance Camp May 31 – June 6

June 22 – 25 GJ Invite

 

April Birthdays

 

 

April 3rd Christa Funk (16)

April 4th  Ellen Atkinson (11)

April 5th  Ryan Kelley (15)

April 9th   Max-Olivier Houtris (11)

April 23rd  Nick Stubler (12)

April 26th  Max Robbins (11)

 

 

April 2006

From our Head Coach – Dale Leonhart

 

Durango Pentathlon Meet: Entries are due Tuesday, 11 April to your coach.  This is a fun meet and each swimmer is allowed to swim all 5 races (or any lesser number).  But, to be eligible for the Pentathlon Award, a swimmer must swim all five events.  We have a team motel with rooms reserved.  Check our website for details.

 

Distance Camp: This year, we will travel to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. for distance camp.  This camp is for swimmers aged 13 & Up who aspire to be the best they can be; it is not for the more ‘casual’ competitive swimmer who does not have a true commitment to the sport. 

 

We will leave on Wednesday, 31 May and return on Tuesday, 6 June.  Camp will cost $300/swimmer.  This covers travel to and from, food and lodging, pool rental, and a T-shirt.  Extras such as snacks, entertainment (movie, etc) are additional. 

Coaches will be Dale, Ed (part of the time), Silas, and hopefully one other person. 

We need chaperones.  Their major responsibility is meal arrangement and preparation, plus some supervising. 

See Dale for an application.  Fill it out, give it to Dale along with your letter of application by deadline posted.

 

14Under JO Championship Meet: Congrats to Tyler Walton for his good swims at 14Un JO Champs!  His best race was the 500 Free: he dropped almost 60 seconds!

 

Developmental Meet: We are getting ready for our developmental meet at Mesa State Pool on Saturday, 15 April from 8 – 11:30AM.  This meet is for our 12Under swimmers who are newer to the sport.  It is a chance for them to swim in a meet and gain valuable experience in a fun focused atmosphere. 

Each swimmer may swim up to 3 individual events plus relays.   Cost is $3 which covers pool rent, participation awards, etc.  We need parent volunteers;  people who will tabulate results, time, help get kids to starting area, clean up, shadow officials, etc.  Please volunteer by talking with Ed or Tanya and letting them know how you will help with this meet.  Ed @ 620-1438, Tanya @ 210-0182.  Carrie @ 241-2333.  Thanks.

 

Summer Meets:  Major meet dates are set.  The developmental meet schedule will be finalized at the West Slope meeting in mid-April; we will post these dates, sites, etc. on our Club website when we have them.                     

Major meet dates are:

     GJ Invite @ Lincoln Park pool on 22-25 June.

     Montrose Last Chance in Montrose on 14-16 July.

     West Slope Champs in Rangely on 21-23 July.

     Division I Long Course Champs in Ft. Collins on              27-30 July.

     Far Westerns (for 13Up with qual times) in          California on 26-30 July.

 

 

Summer Training Schedules

By Group:

Platinum:  M – F @ Lincoln Park 5:45–8:15am

                 Tu & Th & some F @ Mesa 4-6pm

                 Wts @ GJHS  M Tu Th 6:20-715pm

 

Gold:         M – F @ Lincoln Park 5:45-8:15am

                 Tu & Th @ Mesa 4-6pm

                 *Wts (opt) Tu & Th @ GJHS 6:20-715pm

 

Silver:       M W F @ Lincoln Park 6:15-8:15am

                 Tu & Th @ Mesa 9-10:30am

                 Tu & Th @ Mesa 4-6pm

 

Bronzes:  M T & T F @ Mesa 10:30-11:30am

                 W @ Lincoln Park 7-8:15am

* Talk to Dale about Tu & Th @ Fruita                                  6:30-7:30pm

 

Swim School: M – Th @ Mesa 11:30-Noon

* Maybe M & W @ Mesa 4-4:30pm or 5:30-6pm

 

From GJD Board President

Brett Walton

            Coach search update:  We are still in the process of conducting a cooperative search with Mesa State College for a shared coach.  Currently Mesa has received 12 applications, 3 of which have contacted me about the open Dolphin coaching position.  Interviews will be conducted within the next few weeks. 

 

            52nd GJ Dolphin Invitational:  We are still in need of a co-meet director for this meet scheduled for June 22-25.  This person will shadow an experienced meet director to learn the process.  The meet directors are not responsible for performing all of the many duties involved in preparing for the meet, but rather they organize a team of volunteers and delegate duties.  This is a great opportunity to get involved, meet new people and have fun!  Also, keep in mind that the core-group of volunteers who have run meets for the last few years have children who are growing up and won’t be Dolphin swimmers forever!  We need some parents of younger swimmers to step up and learn these processes.  Please contact me if you are interested.  (241-2333; biogreen@bresnan.net).

 

Senior Swimmer of the Month

Ben Hogue, a senior at Fruita High School, has been a long time member of the Dolphins with beginning his competitive career at the age of six.  His first swim lessons, taught by Mom and Dad, began at the age of 6 months.  Ben’s favorite stroke is breast stroke.

 

Ben’s future plans involve college in the fall with hopes to attend California Lutheran University and major in communications.  In addition to his academic studies, he hopes to swim on a collegiate team as well as swim at the local California beaches.  Short term for the summer, he plans to lifeguard and teach swim lessons at the Fruita Pool.

 

Ben has learned from swimming that it takes teamwork and dedication to be an accomplished and valuable member of the Dolphins.  His one suggestion for the younger swimmers, “never forget to swim for fun!”

 

Some of Ben’s favorites include John F. Kennedy as his personal hero, Ocean’s 11 and The Breakfast Club as his favorite movies, music is pretty much anything, peach cobbler as a favorite food, and with respect to TV shows it is Laguna Beach and Grey’s Anatomy.  His parents are Dirk and Kathy with Jake as older brother.  Jake is a current swimmer for UMASS.  Ben’s pet dog is Millie.

 

Ben is a well rounded individual and enjoys hanging out with friends, going to movies and reading.  In addition to swim commitments, he was past co-captain of the Dolphins, current treasurer for CYC, president of his church youth group, student body president, treasurer of the Spanish Club, and president of the Interact Club.  Ben has provided much to the Dolphins for many years as a leader and as an inspiration to the other swimmers and will be missed as he begins his next chapter in life.  We wish you well!