Jersey Storm Newsletter January 2012

Celso, Connor Davis, Olivia Eppolito, Sanele Lallo, Meet Updates Sarah McAniff, Jacob McConnell, Ally Milewski, Alea Oliphant, Christian Overton, Ariana Palmer, Brian Perez, Angelo Stefani, Elizabeth Stevenson, Cheyenne Wilk, and Taylor Worrell Newly Achieved AAA times Danielle Caruso Newly achieved AA times Maddie McKim Newly achieved BB times Gavin Buck, Jacob McConnell, Ally Milewski, Alea CrimsonAquatics Trials/Finals December 7-9 Oliphant, Elizabeth Stevenson, Cheyenne Wilk, Jared Coach Jack Bower (along with two chaperones) took a Worrell group of Junior and Senior swimmers to the December Newly achieved B times Crimson Aquatics Prelim/Finals meet located on the Gabby Celso, Breanna Eppolito, Ally Fifer, Alexis Katz, campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Ethan McAniff, Sarah McAniff, Christian Overton, Massachusetts. This was a team travel trip and included Catelyn Stevenson a fun ride in the team van, excellent dinners together, Best Times and other Great performances some great team bonding, and don't forget some all time Justin Albano, Evelyn Anglucci, Logan Barnes, Porter best swims by many of our team member. Barnes, Prisha Batra, Leo Bishop, Sean Burke, Natalie Event Winners Celso, Karlos Chanquin, Connor Davis, Meghana Logan Barnes, Danielle Caruso, Ariana Palmer, Kyle Dheram, Samhitha Dheram, Olivia Eppolito, Acey Worrell, Taylor Worrell Faulkner, Amira Faulkner, Avarie Faulkner, Sanele Lallo, Top 8 Finishers Melinda Lee, Ashlyn Oelrich, Ariana Palmer, Brian Porter Barnes, Connor Davis, Jacob McConnell, Jake Perez, Liam Phang, Emma Price, Dom Pugliese, Kyle McGee, Alea Oliphant, Brian Perez Quinlan, Ryan Quinlan, Saniya Srivastava, Angelo Newly Achieved AAA times Stefani, Austin Wilk, Logan Wilk, Kyle Worrell, Lindi Danielle Caruso, Ariana Palmer, Kyle Worrell, Taylor Worrell, Taylor Worrell Worrell Newly Achieved AA times Logan Barnes, Porter Barnes, Connor Davis, Jake CLUB EXCELLENCE PROGRAM McGee WHICH ARE THE BEST CLUBS IN USA SWIMMING? Newly Achieved A times The Club Excellence Program is a voluntary program Jacob McConnell, Alea Oliphant, Angelo Stefani that identifies and recognizes USA Swimming clubs for Newly Achieved BB times their commitment to performance excellence. This Ally Fifer, Brian Perez program strives to meet the following objectives:

NJ State Meet December 15-16 Promote the development of strong, well- The NJ State meet is Storm's biggest team fundraiser of the year. Thanks to all those parents and volunteers that rounded age group and senior swimming helped make this year's event a great success. That programs that produce elite 18 & under athletes; being said, this was the first meet (for the season or first Provide recognition and resources to motivate overall) for a lot of Storm swimmers and the results and assist member clubs to strive for the highest surpassed any of the coaching staff's expectations. ideals of athlete performance. Keep up the good work and lets swim fast going into the spring season. The program provides grant funding and recognizes the Event Winners club development system as integral to achieving Danielle Caruso, Ally Fifer, Jake McGee, Maddie McKim, excellence in the sport. Logan Wilk, Kyle Worrell, Jared Worrell Top 8 Finishers Logan Barnes, Porter Barnes, Gavin Buck, Gabby

Jersey Storm Swimming Newsletter January 2012

th On December 15 , 2012 USA Swimming released the States men took control of the 400 freestyle relay, they did so standing for 2013 and Jersey Storm was awarded through precise, pristine relay exchanges. The exchanges were Bronze Medal status. well-executed and practiced. They’d hit the wall a half-body length behind, but by the time the next swimmer came up after the relay BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION exchange, they were nearly equal with the field. You could tell the The program annually recognizes up to 200 outstanding swimmers on the relay were “exchange pros,” having each clubs and provides monetary grants to those who qualify practiced relay exchanges hundreds – or thousands – of times on as Gold Medal or Silver Medal clubs. Upon recognition NCAA and age group swim teams. swam for Florida. as a Gold, Sliver or Bronze Medal Club, recipients enjoy swam for Cal. swam for Northwestern. the following benefits: Jimmy Feigen swam for Texas. All swam for incredible NCAA relay squads. Watching their lightning-quick relay exchanges on Day A 4 'x 6' banner recognizing their level of One at Worlds, you could tell. achievement How many times do coaches say, “Starts and turns are The right to use the Club Excellence Program the difference in this race”? Starts and turns are on full display, logo in advertising and promotional materials more than ever, in this short course format. Anyone who wanted a The club's level of achievement is displayed on visual tutorial on how to have close-to-perfect turns just needed to the USA Swimming website in the club search watch the highlights of the men’s 200m freestyle. Ryan Lochte put section on a show. He needed to. Without those turns, he would have lost. Near the end of the race, Paul Biedermann was gaining. He THE BUZZ: STARTS AND TURNS out-split Lochte the final 50. He was closing in. The world-record holder was clawing, scratching at the water, trying to get past BY MIKE GUSTAFSON//CORRESPONDENT Lochte. Another five or ten meters, and the race was With every flip and turn in the short course pool at the 2012 Short Biedermann’s. Course World Championships, Ryan Lochtesolidified himself as But Lochte had that final turn heading into the last length. one of the greatest butterfly kickers of all-time. Off each wall that He stayed underwater longer. He kicked harder and deeper. He Lochte surged ahead of the field in the 200m freestyle, the swam under the waves and beyond, popping out of the water a commentators discussed how the American’s turns were the half-body length ahead of Biedermann. When you figure Lochte difference. It was hard to argue. Lochte dominated those turns. stays underwater and kicks longer than most swimmers, almost They were epic. He won by a few tenths of a second over Paul 25% of his 200m freestyle is turns and butterfly kicking. If you’re a Biedermann, world record-holder in the event. short course swimmer and you want to win a world championship, The win did a few things: 1.) It solidified Lochte’s the moral is: Every turn is an opportunity to not only become standing as the greatest all-around swimmer in the world right better, but to one day, perhaps, win a world championship. now. 2.) It proved that Lochte’s time-out after the Olympics wasn’t Of course, there is no short course Olympics. Turns enough to take him out of “racing shape.” 3.) It displayed how become less significant in swimming’s biggest meet. However, part much of an impact that U.S. short course training – and age group of the fun watching a short course format meet is you get to see and NCAA experience -- has when competing against the rest of those true, pure wall gurus -- the swimmers in practice who perfect the world. their turns every day, who perfect the pull-outs, precise Ryan Lochte’s turns won him the race. No question. He streamlines, and lung-busting underwater butterfly kicks. With long beat Biedermann because he had better turns. “Starts and turns” course, there is room to make up for a bad turn or slipped start. In quickly became the theme of the Short Course World short course, these details are the difference between gold and Championships. Again and again, Americans with better turns than nothing. It’s impossible to win a short course world championship the rest of the world surged ahead, taking leads, heading for without incredible starts and turns. Just like it’s impossible to win home. Swimmers not only like Ryan Lochte. Matt Grevers utilized an NCAA title without them. Or a high school state championship. epic backstroke turns to get ahead of the field in both the 100 back Or really anything, for that matter. and the 400 freestyle relay. He’d flip, stretch into that long, lean These swimmers winning short course championships 6’8’’ streamline, and kick past the other splashing, flailing aren’t just the best in the water. They’re the best on and off the swimmers. walls, too. Turns weren’t only on display in these short course World Mike Gustafson is a freelance writer with USASwimming.org and Championships. Relay exchanges were, too. When the United “Splash Magazine.” Follow him on @MikeLGustafson