Dolphin Swim Club Newsletter  

March, 2006                                                                                                         


 

 

Important Dates:

March 25th Developmental meet

April 22nd  Durango Pentathlon

May 31 – Jun 7 13&O Distance Camp

June 22 – 25 GJ Invite

 

 

 

March Birthdays

 

3rd  April Fitzgerald (9)

12th  Garrett Guthrie (12)

13th   Ben Hogue (18!)

15th Tim Leonhart (17)

23rd Colton Snyder (9)

 

 

 

March 2006

Welcome New Dolphin Swimmers!

Hannah Cuoco (15)

Shayna-Lynn Eirwin (9)

Autumn Fisher (12)

Cody Fisher (13)

Jared Fowler (10)

Emily Saelens (8)

Nick Stubler (11)

 

From our Head Coach – Dale Leonhart

 

Meets:           

Silver State/Senior Meet was a good experience for our swimmers!  We had many improved swims in a fast pool (DU Ritchey Center Pool is the fastest short course pool in our state.).  The host team (TOPS) ran a good meet; we were out at noon or close to it each day. Special Congrats to Cyrus Pearo for his new cut in the 200 Breast, to Nick Stubler for a fine 100 Breast, to Jessica Fischer for her 500 Free, to Sam Leonhart for his 200 Back, to Calvin Fischer for his 200 Breast, to the Chapin boys, Cade and Tanner for their Backstroke races, to Morgan Wyrick for her 200 Breast, and Noelle DePuey for her 400IM.

 

JO Champ Meet is this weekend.  Good Luck, Tyler Walton!

 

Texas Sectional Championship Meet is this weekend also.  Good luck to Will and Tim Leonhart and Ben Walton!

 

Developmental Meet

We have a developmental meet scheduled for Saturday, 25 March at Mesa State Pool for our 12 Under swimmers.  Montrose will bring swimmers, Aspen and Glenwood are invited.  Meet warm up at 7:30Am and start at 8:15AM.  We need folks to help time, officiate, and set up and clean up.  No “awards” (ribbons) will be given, however, treats will be.  Talk with Ed, Tanya, or me about participating.

 

Pentathlon:

The Durango Pentathlon will be held on Saturday, 22 April.  This is a great chance to swim in a good pool.  Some teams from New Mexico will be in attendance.  The meet will be ‘small’ with about 200 kids.  Let’s plan to attend this meet.  More information will be provided as soon as I have the meet info.

 

Spring Break: 

We will practice at our normal times during spring break week.

 

Silver Group: 

We are offering another group for the rest of this school year.  In the past, we have had a Silver Group: it is composed of 11-12 yr old swimmers who demonstrate the maturity and ability to benefit from additional practice time.  The Silver Group swimmers may train 4X each week.  They have 5 practices to pick from:  Monday through Friday @ 4:50-6PM.  Participation in this group is by invitation only.  The fee is $75/month.  If you have questions, talk with Ed, Tanya, or me.

 

Swim School:

Please bring your children at the proper times.  We offer two 30 minute sessions on Monday and Wednesday.  The 5-5:30PM session is for our newer swimmers.  The 5:30-6PM session is for the more “advanced”.  Being late for the first session compromises the time for the later session participants.  Thanks!

If you know of any children who are interested in swim school, please inform Tanya!!

 

TV Swimming:

This is championship season;  keep an eye out for NCAA conference and national swim meets to be aired on TV.  These opportunities are great for interest and technique and skill reinforcement.  Watching these collegiate athletes race is inspiring!  Ex: 500 Free in 4:12.80 by the men’s champion at the SEC meet.

 

Officials:

We still need parents to take on this very important job for our Club.  Volunteer, please!

 

 

From GJD Board President

Brett Walton

 

Dolphin Members,

            The Championship meets over the past couple of weekends wrapped up the short course season.  The Dolphins had several swimmers attend the Silver State, Colorado State JOs and the Texas Sectional meets.  Congratulations swimmers!! 

            It’s now time to look forward to long course season and hosting the 2006 Grand Junction Dolphin Invitational (6/22 – 6/25).  This is the major annual fundraiser for our team!  Over 700 swimmers from throughout Colorado, New Mexico and Utah will be attending this meet. Last year we even had a team from Delaware attend as well!  This meet offers events for swimmers of all levels.  We need additional people to learn how to plan and run a meet.  We are asking for volunteers to coordinate the various committees.  You don’t need experience to get involved!  Those who have run previous meets are ready and willing to share the knowledge!  We also need two volunteers to co-chair as Meet Directors. One of the Meet Directors needs to have some experience, the other will be in training.  The deadline for submitting this information to CSI is March 15.  If you are interested in learning more, please call Cheryl Olson (640-0707) or myself (241-2333) ASAP.  Thanks!

Brett Walton

Senior Swimmer Biography:

Will Leonhart

 

Will Leonhart, a senior at Fruita Monument High School, has been swimming for as long as he’s been walking.  He is the current team captain for the Dolphins and also teaches the youngest swimmers in the Dolphin “Learn to Swim Lesson Program.”

 

Will is a most accomplished swimmer in all four competitive strokes with his favorite listed as butterfly.  He makes it look easy!  His future plans include college, work, and collegiate swimming.  Will has not yet decided on a specific college but has plans to major in business.

 

Will is a member of a swimming family with dad, Dale, and mom, Karen, as coaches and brothers Tim and Sam on the Dolphin Swim Team.  Sister, Sali, is involved with dance at the present time.  The family dog is Bella.  Will has listed his personal hero as John Elway.  His sense of humor shines when asked what his one granted wish would be, ‘give me three more wishes.”  Some of Will’s favorites include mashed potatoes and gravy, rap music, Seinfeld, The Office, and Christmas Vacation.

 

Will’s passion and ambition is swimming.  He has listed goal setting and staying focused to objectives as what he has learned from his years of competitive swimming.  His suggestion to other swimmers on the Dolphin’s is to just have fun and not treat practice like a job.

 

Will has been a long time dedicated member and role model for the Dolphin Swim Team and will be greatly missed.  We wish him well with all his future accomplishments both in and out of the water.