As One CAMEL Season Winds Down a New One Revs Up

This past year, more swimmers than in the history of the club qualifed for Senior Championhips and five CAMEL swimmers qualified for Sectional Championships:  Alivia Berg, Lauren Fraley, Tina Hughes, Adelaide Taylor and Erica Vitale.   Four other CAMELS, Seth Adams, Brian Hughes, Tyler Tremblay and Alex Vitale all acheived times that may also qualify them for Sectionals in the coming year.   CAMEL is pleased to continue to offer more practice and meet opportunities than any area program.  Our current season will continue longer, closing with a 14 Session Free Stroke Clinic Week, and once again next season, will begin sooner than offered anywhere else, opening with another Free Stroke Clinic Week.  There is no fee associated with CAMEL’s Stroke Clinic Weeks.  Our last day of swimming this season will be Monday, August 4 and we will begin again Tuesday, September 2 with opportunities to participate in an endurance clinic, a stroke clinic and/or private coaching inbetween.   To accomodate today’s busy family schedules, CAMEL will continue to offer practice 7 days per week with two opportunities per day on school vacations.  CAMEL offers programming for everyone from the youth to Master,  novice to international competitor, sprinter or distance athlete; CAMEL’s practice and meet schedules offer the broadest opportunities ever!

Early-Bird Registration is ongoing.  Returning members may guarantee their place on the team and garner a $70 discount for CAMEL’s Fall/Winter Short Course Season Tuition or a $300 discount for Full Year CAMEL Tuition if their registration is completed by August 4.  New members may take advantage of the same Early-Bird Tuition Discounts until August 24.

Age Group Championship Reminders

Coach contact numbers:  860-306-7910   and/or  860-716-8521 

The team hotel is the newly renovated WesleyInn less than a mile from the pool - 988 Washington Street, Middletown 860-346-9251.   Each room is no smoking, air-conditioned, has free wireless internet, has free dish TV with HBO, two queen beds, an work area with desk, eating area with table & chairs, a newly remodeled bathroom and a microwave & refrigerator. 

Each participating CAMEL swimmer staying with the team at the WesleyInn is entitled to $45.22 credit per night towards the cost of their family’s room and a free breakfast of bagels, cream cheese, fruit, hot cocoa and juice delivered to their room with their personal wake-up call each morning.  The team is also providing each CAMEL swimmer at the WesleyInn two team caps and a psych box delivered with their breakfast the first morning of the meet and a daily snack brought to their room each afternoon before finals.  

Swimmers are reminded to arrive on deck, suited up and ready to swim, at 6:55 AM each morning (Seniors at Wesleyan, Juniors at Cheshire).   Failure to arrive by 7:05 AM will result in the swimmer being scratched from the days events.  To ensure adequate rest and safety for all, please do not arrive on deck more than 10 minutes prior to the start of a session.

Swimmers that are “over-entered” due to late additions/changes need to check to confirm they have been scratched out of extra events and that the scratch sheet is brought to the computer table by 7:10 AM each morning.  Swimmers participating in exceptional events (relays and distance events) should read the meet announcement carefully and ensure they understand all the specifics related to their event including poitive check-in deadlines.

Swimmers should wear CAMEL team suits or suits that are royal blue and/or black (white and/or grey accents are OK).  All caps worn must be CAMEL team caps.  No attire or swim paraphernalia from other than CAMEL (country club, Y, rec team, high school team, college) should be brought into Age Group Championships.

Swimmers should bring:

• A folding chair
• A healthy snack
• Plenty to drink
• Things to do (book, cards, etc)
• Spare team colored suit
• Spare team cap
• Spare pair of goggles
• Swimmers should be aware of the temperature and prepare to stay warm or cool:  for example, sweatshirts and slip on foot coverings for warmth; a hand fan and spritz bottle to stay cool.

Worker assignments are for the duration of the session.  Families may split the workload each day, but the assigned family is responsible to ensure the entire shift is covered:

• Thursday Distance Session = Hughes & Hughes
• Thursday Relay Session = Tremblay & Adams
• Friday AM = Whittico, official @ Cheshire & Vitale, timer @ Wesleyan  (Taylor = sub)
• Saturday AM = Whittico, official @ Cheshire & Taylor, timer @ Wesleyan (Berg = sub)
• Suinday AM = Whittico, official @ Cheshire & McGill, timer @ Wesleylay (Vitale = sub)
• Sunday Distance Session = Adams & Trembaly

Regional Championship Information

Friday Regionals at Wesleyan:  Swimmers competing in the 400 events on Friday evening should check in with Coach Ally, on deck, suited up to swim, by 3:50 PM.

12/U Regionals at UCONN in Storrs:  Junior swimmers should check in with Coach Jim, suited up to swim on deck by 8:50 AM both Saturday and Sunday.

13/O Regionals at Wesleyan in Middletown:  Senior swimmers should check in with Coach Ally, suited up to swim on deck by 7:20 AM on Saturday and by 7:35 AM on Sunday.

Post Season Practice and Swim Clinic

CAMEL is pleased to offer practices continuing through August 4 (at no additional charge).  Though many swimmers will have completed the competitive portion of their season, these extra two weeks will enable the athletes to work on their skills without having to focus on planning for upcoming competition or building endurance.   The coaches will be stressing stroke technique and polishing the swimmers’ starts, turns and finishes.   As during the competitive portion of the season, there will be 12 opportunities per week to practice, two per day weekdays - mornings and night  - and both Saturday and Sunday practices as well.

CAMEL is also offering both a stroke clinic and a highschool/college preseason training group August 11 - August 23.  Please contact Coach Ann for more information.

As has been the CAMEL tradition, this season started sooneer and ran longer than any area program.  The upcoming fall season continues that tradition with a start date of Wednesday, September 3.  Once again CAMEL will also be offering more practice opportunities and more meet opportunities than any area program as well!  Come try us out any evening through August 4 or attend our CAMEL night Wednesday, September 3.  Contact Coach Ann for more information.

SHORT COURSE STARTS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

Regional Championship Pool Assignments

CT Swimming has notified us that CAMEL’s 12 and younger Regional  Championship participants   have been assigned to the Regional meet hosted by BEAR at UCONN’s main campus up in Storrs.   CAMEL’s 12 and younger swimmers should be at UCONN on deck, suited up and ready to swim, by 8:50AM on Saturday and Sunday mornings.  

CAMEL’s 13 and older Regional participants have been assigned to the Regional at Wesleyan hosted by WAC.  The 13 and older swimmers should be on deck at Wesleyan, suited up and ready to swim, by 7:20AM on Saturday and Sunday mornings. 

Those older swimmers participating in the Friday evening 400 event at Wesleyan need to be on deck, suited up and ready to swim, by 3:50 PM.

CAMEL Offering Four Programs in August

CAMEL is offering four programs in August:

1. High School & College Pre-season Camp
2. Age Group Stroke Clinic, mornings
3. Age Group Stroke Clinic, afternoons
4. Private & Small Group Lessons

To register or get more information, please contact Coach Ann at 860-306-7910 or via e-mnail at coachann@camelswim.org.  

Please check the Championship entries for accuracy

It has been a successful season leading up to Championships.  Many more swimmers qualifed for Senior Championships and Sectional Championships than in the history of the club or than from any club in the area!  Other upcoming championships for CAMEL swimmers include Regional Championships and Age Group Championships.  Please use the links below to review the entries to verify that you are entered if you plan to participate and that you are not entered if you do not plan to participate.  Contact Coach Ann ASAP if there are errors or omissions.

Regional Championship

• Friday Evening, All Ages
• Saturday & Sunday, 12 & Younger Swimmers
• Saturday & Sunday, 13 & Older Swimmers

Age Group Championship

• Thursday through Sunday, All Ages

Five Seniors to Represent CAMEL at the Speedo Sectional Championships

Five swimmers from CAMEL’s National Team have qualified to represent the team at the updoming Speedo Sectional Championship in State College Pennsylvania.

• Tina Hughes:  50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 800 Free, 100 Fly, 200 Fly, 400 IM
• Lauren Fraley: 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 100 Back, 200 Back, 200IM, 400 IM
• Alivia Berg:  50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 400 Free
• Erca Vitale:  100 Back, 200 Back
• Adelaide Taylor;  100 Breast, 200 Breast

CAMEL’s Roster Grows to 79 Members

CAMEL’s 08 Longcourse Roster has grown to 79.  In recent weeks CAMEL has welcomed eleven new members including: 

1. Lauren Fraley,  National Team
2. Chelsea Phillips, Senior Team
3. Vivienne Guo, Junior Team
4. Kevin Tu, Junior Team
5. Jonathan Yuen, Junior Team
6. Alexa Charles, Junior Team
7. Tim Yuen, Junior Team
8. Jayne Darras, Pre-Team
9. Ben Adams, Masters Team
10. Susan Phillips, Masters Team
11. Cliora Rose, Masters Team