Cat Ward named Swimmer of the Meet at IMX Cup Challenge

CAMEL opened the competitive season at CDOG’s Second Annual IMX Cup with eleven swimmers achieving 85% new lifetime personal best times while building friendships, bonding as a team and having amazing fun at this challenging meet.  Catherine “Cat” Ward was named the first 07-08 CAMEL Swimmer of the Meet.  Cat assisted the new swimmers as they navigated all the multi-faceted aspects of competition.  Displaying a true desire for the swimmers to come together as a team, Cat acted as an exemplary role model throughout the weekend’s tough competition.   Congratulations Cat!  Brian Hughes took home the IMX Cup for top finisher in his age group with 2,522 points!  Brian also set a new 13/14 Boys All-time CAMEL Record with his time of 2:19.48 in the 200 Fly.   Kevin Li, Jesse Gardner, Tom Whittico, Seth Adams and Jay Lockaby all won trophies for finishing in the top 6 of their age groups.  David Chen, Albert Chen, and Kameal Kalkhoran also swam well for CAMEL.  CAMEL Results and Full USA Results are posted on the “Meets” page.  CAMEL All-time Records and 07-08 Season Records have been updated and reside on the “Goals” page.  Photos, courtesy of the Gardners and the Hughes, may be accessed by clicking on the “CAMEL Pictures” link in the right sidebar.

CAMEL’s Non-Profit Status Confirmed by IRS

The IRS has confirmed CAMEL’s status as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation effective June 23, 2006.  All contributions or payments since that time are exempt and deductible.  The confirmation letter is on file with CAMEL Treasurer, Dianna McNeish.  Many employers offer matching donations and other incentives supporting non-profit organizations such as CAMEL.  Please contact Dianna McNeish for more information.

CAMEL Masters to participate in Championship Meet

CAMEL’s Masters Coach, Allison Sega, has announced plans for CAMEL’s Masters to attend the 2007 New England LMSC Short Course Meters Championship December 14-16 at the University Fitness & Reccreation Center in Boston Massachusettes.  To enter or for more information about this or other CAMEL Masters opportunities, or to join CAMEL Masters, please contact Coach Ally. 

CAMEL Announcements for the week of Monday, October 29

• Reminder:  The pool is closed this Thursday and Friday, November 1 & 2.  Please watch the website; CAMEL may be having a stroke video / goal setting evening on Thursday elsewhere in the athletic building.   There will be no practice on Friday.
• Reminder:  The CDOG November Distance Meet is this Friday evening.  Particpating swimmers include:  Eva Nelson, Micah Saspa, Brian Hughes, and Kenzle Saspa (Asia White scratched).  Swimmers and parents should anticipate staying for the duration of the meet to assist each other with timing and counting.
• The meet host for Saturday’s WAC meet has announced that the morning and afternoon sessions have been combined into one short morning session with warm-up scheduled to begin at 7:45 and an estimated completion time of 11:45.  We have no timing assignment for this meet! Participating swimmers include Brian Hughes, Jacob Stevens, Sam Stevens and Tom Whittico.
• The team caps are in.  If you ordered a team cap with your name on it, you may pick it up before practice today, tomorrow or Wednesday.  Additional team caps are available for purchase.  Coantact Coach Ann for more information.
• A clinic for New Officials will be held November 1 in Branford.  A Referees Clinic will be held November 20, 2007 in Orange, CT.
• Results for the IMX meet will be posted at 10:30PM Tuesday.
• E-mail Coach Ann if you are entered in a meet and will be unable to attend.  If the notification is less than 24 hours in advance of the absence, please also call Coach Ann at 860-306-7910.

Announcements for 10/26 and CAMEL Testing E-mail Distribution list

CAMEL is testing the e-mail distribution list.  If you did not receive an e-mail from coachann@camelswim.org (sent at 2:00PM today), or if you would like addresses added or deleted, please contact Coach Ann ASAP.   Two more tests will be sent over the course of the next few days to ensure every family is included with as many e-mail addresses as they would like CAMEL news to be distributed to.

Additional Announcements Friday, October 26:

To get information about this weekend’s IMX meet or any future CAMEL meets, please click on the Meets tab and then click on the meet name to get access the meet announcement, click on the phrase ”Updates & Changes” next to the meet name to get updates, and on the words “CAMEL Entry” to view CAMEL’s entries.    

Daily Announcements and Thank You to Selina James and Committee

CAMEL swimmers got into the Halloween spirit early this year thanks to the amazing work of Selina James and her commitee.  From the decorations to the desserts, the evening was filled with games, prizes and good eating.   The games opened with Apolline Jonckheere having the first BINGO.  Before the evening ended, everybody won a prize and shared snacks and smiles.  CAMEL’s next social will be the holiday party in December. 

Announcements 10/25/07

• There is now a link to Swimming World in the right sidebar of this website.
• The IMX meet is this weekend.  Coach Ann & Coach Alex will both be attending.  Swimmers should remember to bring a folding chair, healthy snacks & drinks, things to do, an extra towel, sweat pants & sweat shirt to stay warm, and both their team suit, meet goggles and team cap and their spare suit, spare goggles and spare cap.  Parents are encouraged to sit as a team and should be prepared to take turns assisting with our two timing assignments for the duration of the meet.

Highlights from Membership Meeting

HIGHLIGHTS FROM PARENTS MEETING - OCT 18TH

New Board Members were elected.

President - Aaron Burstein
VP - Beth Lawton
VP - Meredeh Pourmoghadam
Treasurer - Dianna McNeish
Secretary - Tanya Kirkpatrick
Member at Large - Herb Taylor
Head Coach and CEO - Ann Hughes
Treasurer reminders:

Meets are paid through mid December.  Please check your escrow statements
and make deposits with Dianna if needed.  If you are new to the team and
aren’t familiar with the escrow accounts, please contact Dianna for
information.

President reminders:

Board minutes are posted on the website.  New Board contact info will be
updated soon.  Camel is a Parent run club and as such, the Board would like
to be as transparent as possible.  Your comments, questions, suggestions are
welcome.  A parent managed team means that it’s our club to run.  Camel is a
young team with lots of new members and that means there are many of you who
are can bring great new ideas to the group.  Don’t be shy!

Opportunities for Parent Involvement:

Frostbite Frenzy - time to start the planning and sign up for one of our
main volunteer activities of the year.  Hosting swim meets is our biggest
money maker and we need all  parents to participate in order to make it run
smoothly.  If you haven’t been involved in a meet before - not to fear!  All
of the jobs are easy and you can be quickly trained to do any role that’s
needed.

Two planning meetings will be held and parents are asked to attend one.  The
first is next Tuesday Oct 23rd 6:30 PM to 7:10 PM.  The make up meeting
previously planned for Nov 1st will be rescheduled (watch the website for
info).

There was a brief overview of the different volunteer opportunities for the
meet.  Come to the parents meeting next Tuesday to hear more and to sign up.
One comment - we are more heavily loaded with younger kids and high school
season is active.  If you have a younger child and can work a session for
senior kids, it would be appreciated.

Social Activities - Because the intent is to make this a team experience for
your kids, we would like to have some social activities throughout the
season.  A parent Social Committee will be recruited to help plan some
additional activities.  Currently planned are the Bingo night and Halloween
Party next Tuesday (Thanks to Selina James for coordinating - please sign up
at the pool to bring food, etc.); a Lap-a-Thon (also a money raising
activity); a Blue/White meet; and the End of Season Banquet.  In the past
we’ve done things like Camel afternoon at the movies and Spirit Buddies.
Any new ideas are welcome.  Help is needed.

Steph Lawton is working on coordinating availability of team sweatsuits or
towels to help promote team spirit.  More to come on this.

The Pool will be closed on Nov 1st and 2nd for CONN College activities.

Announcements

There were two team suits that were mailed from Metro to CAMEL that were not picked up at the parents meeting.  If you have not received yours, please see Dianna McNeish ASAP.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 23.  Halloween Bingo & Party for the swimmers is scheduled on the same evening as the Frostbite Frenzy Parent Meeting (all families must attend or contact a board member for an alternative date).

By October 15 all familes should have already deposited sufficient funds in their escrows to cover all tuition (including second half payments), the $55 USA membership fee, all meet entry fees through Jan 5 and any suit/cap charges.  Entry fees for the second half of the season including championships) will be due by December 15, and the early bird deadline for long course is February 15. 

CAMEL is pleased to announce that four CAMEL coaches traveled to New Jersey for three days of continuing education.   Coaches Ann, Ally, Jim and Beth are returning to practice tonight with the latest training ideas form USA”s finiest caoches, tools for team development, and the latest concepts in swimmer nutrition and dryland.

CAMEL now has a library.  Swimmers and coaches may now borrow DVD, VHS tapes, cassette tapes or books.  A $3.50 donation to CAMEL’s education fund per item per day is strongly encouraged There is a $35 replacement charge for each item lost or damaged).  FOr information, Contact COach Ann. Our growing library consists of:

DVD’s, VHS tapes and books available to all swimmers and coaches:

1. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Swimmers Shoulder Prehab and rehab DVD.
2. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Freestyle DVD.
3. Michael Phelps & Bob Bowman’s Swim Fast Freestyle DVD.
4. Don Gambril’s Gold Medal Series: Freestyle VHS.
5. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Backstroke DVD.
6. Don Gambril’s Gold Medal Series: Backstroke VHS.
7. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Breaststroke DVD.
8. Don Gambril’s Gold Medal Series: Breaststroke VHS.
9. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Butterfly DVD.
10. Michael Phelps & Bob Bowman’s Swim Fast Butterfly DVD.
11. Don Gambril’s Gold Medal Series: Butterfly VHS.
12. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Starts DVD.
13. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Turns for all strokes DVD.
14. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Posture, Line and Balance DVD.
15. Richard Quick & Milt Nelms’ Championship Winning Walls: Underwater DVD.
16. Swim Smarter, Swim Faster VHS
17. Swim Smarter, Swim Faster II Starts, Turns & Finishes VHS
18. Swimming Fastest II VHS
19. Swimming Fastest III VHS
20. ASCA Excellence in Swimming Stroke Technique VHS
21. Strength Training for Young Athletes book by Fleck
22. Training Nutrition book by Jackie Berning
23. Stretching book by Anderson

DVDs, VHS tapes and Books for senior swimmers and coaches only:

1. Bill Boomer: Video 1, Body and Segment Awareness (Seniros and coaches only)
2. Bill Boomer: Video 2, Assimilating Aquatic Body lines(Seniors and coaches only)
3. ASCA Dryland Core Training VHS
4. Swimming Even Faster book by Maglischo
5. Swimming into the 21st Centrury book by Colwin
6. The Complete Boook of Swimming by Doc Councilman
7. Diving for Gold book by O’Brien
8. Swimming out of your Mind cassette 1/2 by Alan Goldberg
9. Swimming out of your Mind cassette 3/4 by Alan Goldberg
10. Swimming out of your Mind cassette 5/6 by Alan Goldberg
11. Swimming out of your Mind cassette 7/8 by Alan Goldberg
12. Swimming out of your Mind cassette 9/10 by Alan Goldberg
13. Swimming out of your Mind cassette 11/12 by Alan Goldberg

Coaches only:

1. USA: Swimming Club Video
2. USA: The Race is in your Heart
3. USA Let’s talk Safety
4. USA Swimming and Water Polo, the Perfect Combination
5. Swim America: Stroke School Video
6. Swim America: Exciting New Ideas for Teaching Swimming Skills
7. Coaching Swimming Successfully book by Hannula
8. Aquatic Games book by Freas
9. Book of Training Games and Gimmicks by Bob Steele
10. Swimming Drills for every Stroke book by Guzman
11. The Coaching Bible book by Thornton
12. ASCA Course book: Foundations of Coaching - Level I
13. ASCA Course book: Stroke School - Level II
14. ASCA Course book: Physicology School - Level III
15. ASCA Course book: Admnistration School - Level IV
16. ASCA Course book: Leadership School - Level V
17. SCA Course book: Dryland Training
18. ASCA Course book: Age Group Developmental Sports Psychology
19. ASCA Course book: Working Successfully with Swim Parents
20. ASCA Course book: Personal Oraganization for Swim Coaches
21. ASCA Course book: Coaching 8&U Swimmers
22. ASCA Course book: Drills & Games
23. ASCA Course book: Dryland Training
24. ASCA Course book: Freestyle School
25. ASCA Course book: Advanced Freestyle School
26. ASCA World Clinic Series 1997 book
27. ASCA World Clinic Series 1998 book
28. ASCA World Clinic Series 1999 book
29. ASCA World Clinic Series 2000 book
30. ASCA World Clinic Series 2001 book
31. ASCA World Clinic Series 2002 book
32. ASCA World Clinic Series 2003 book
33. ASCA World Clinic Series 2004 book
34. ASCA World Clinic Series 2005 book
35. ASCA World Clinic Series 2006 book
36. ASCA World Clinic Series 2007 book

Upcoming Important Dates

• Wednesday, Ocotber 17, during practice:  ****TONIGHT****
• IMX Day, swimmers who are participating in the IMX meet on Octber 27 & 28 should make a special effort to attend practice this evening.  We will be running through time trials of all the IMX events in the order they will be competed at the IMX meet.  If we have a few parent volunteers, we may be able to set up the timing system.   Anyone with a stop watch is encouraged to bring it tonight.
• Thursday October 18, 6:30 - 7:30: 
• Annual Parent Meeting, Elections, Team information for new parents, followed by Q&A with board and Coach Ann 
• Tuesday, October 23, during practices:
• Halloween Bingo and Party 
• Tuesday, October 23, 6:30 - 7:10PM:
• Mandatory Frostbite Frenzy Parent Meeting (every CAMEL family needs to attend either this evening or the alternative meeting on Thursday, November 1)
• Thursday, November 1, 6:30 - 7:10PM:
• Alternative night for Parent Meeting (every CAMEL family needs to atttend this eveing if they did not attend on October 23) 

CAMEL Parents Encouraged to Certify as Starters and Stroke and Turn Officials

CAMEL parents are encouraged to certify as officials.  Parents that are already officials are encouraged to continue on to become starters.  CAMEL reimburses for all expenses related to certification and officials are relieved of timing responsibilities.  A Starters Clinic will be held October 24 in New Haven and November 14 in Darien. A clinic for New Officials will be held October 24 in New Canaan and November 1 in Branford.  Contact Coach Ann for more information.

Halloween comes to CAMEL Tuesday, October 23

CAMEL swimmers are in for some fun on Tuesday, October 23.  After playing BINGO in practice, the swimmers will be treated to a Halloween party in the spectator balcony.  Selina James is chairing the event.  There are volunteer lists posted at the pool for parents to sign-up to donate food and/or prizes.  All parents are asked to hlep at the event, donate food or donate prizes.  Please sign up at the pool to donate food.   If you would like to assist at the event, contact Selina James at either s.james@marianireck.com or at 860-235-2430.  Contact Coach Ann if you are willing to donate prizes or candy for the BINGO practice.

Important Parent Meeting Thursday, October 18

All CAMEL families are strongly encouraged to attend an important parent meeting Thursday, October 18 at the pool 6:30 - 7:30PM.  The meeting will including selecting activities for the season, elections, and meet planning.  There will also be an opportunity to have a Q&A with board members and with Coach Ann.

Officials Meeting and Starters Clinic

All of CAMEL’s officials are encouraged to attend the Annual Officials Clinic.  The clinic is scheduled for this coming Saturday, October 13, 2007.  It will be held 9:00AM to noon in SCSU’s natatorium on the second floor in room 255.  Coffee, donuts, bagels and muffins will be provided.  There will be an open forum at the end.  Please bring any questions, situations, problems, etc that you would like to discuss. Directions

CAMEL start and turn officials are encouraged to move up to being certified as starters.  There is also a Starters Clinic scheduled for October 24 in New Haven.

CAMEL Growing Daily

CAMEL welcomes Kelly Cheng to our 9/10 girls squad.  Kelly brings CAMEL’s roster to 75 with 7 more athletes in the process of trying out and registering.  Registration for CAMEL is ongoing.  Though there are only two openings left in our pre-team lesson group and three in the Masters group, with the addition of more coaches, practices and meets, CAMEL has openings for many more Age Group and High School swimmers.  Swimmers interested in joining CAMEL should contact Coach Ann. 

Meets Page Updated Through January 4, please review ASAP

The “Meets” page has been updated extensively.  CAMEL meet entries and the associated update & changes documents have been posted for the first 14 meets (through January 4).  Please review all of these carefully to ensure you have not been entered in error, that you have been entered if you wanted to be, and that, if entered, your events are appropriate.  Any entry errors will be corrected at no charge for 48 hours after being posted on the “Meets” page; after that, all entries will be billed as posted.  Occasionally, meet hosts allow us to update our entries past the 48 hour mark.  Please notify Coach Ann if you would like to add, delete or change any of your entries after that time and the request will be passed on to the meet host.