DC WAVE: Black History Issue!!!

DC Wave Swim Team 2016-2017 February 2017 February Calendar Upcoming Events, Swim Meets, & Reminders Friday, February 17: Last day to sign-up for the 30th Annual St. Albans Junior Open Invitational Swim Meet. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19: 31st Annual Black History Invitational Swim Meet at Takoma Aquatic Center. •Friday Warm-ups: 6:30 AM •13 & Over (Sat & Sun): 6:00 AM •12 & Under (Sat & Sun): 12:30 PM

Monday, February 20: No Practice & last January Highlights day to sign-up for the RMSC Mini Championship Swim Meet (8&unders). Ø We had 3 very successful meets: The DC Wave Winter Invite, the PAC Pentathlon, and the IMX Saturday, February 25: 30th Annual St. Challenge! Thank you to all the parents, Albans Junior Open Invitational Swim Meet volunteers, and officials! at St. Albans School, the Lawrence Pool. (7:30 AM Warm-ups) Ø Records: 13-14 200 2:18.90 by Raylen (14), and 2:15.91 by (14). Jackson Jasmine Barry Ø At the PAC Pentathlon, we walked away with 4 trophies: Mikey Davis Jr. 2nd for 9-10 Boys, Nora Sherman 1st for 9-10 Girls, Lila Sherman 1st for 7-8 Girls, Ginny Smith 1st for 7-8 Girls Ø We had 9 swimmers compete in the IMX Challenge this year. A lot of personal bests were swum as well as a new team record, and Nora Sherman (9) took 11th place overall for 9 year old girls. 12

Swimmer of the Month Name: Zora Brown-Andrews (10) Role Models: My mom and dad Favorite Stroke: Backstroke Favorite Events: 100 IM Favorite Swimmers: Hobbies: Favorite Movie: Moana When I grow up I want to be… a Swim Coach “She is strong, humble, kind, and an If I could change one thing it would be… to make things excellent listener!” cheaper for everyone who wants a happy experience. –Coach Dexter

DCPR Black History Invitational Swim Meet This unique event was co-founded in 1987 by the local competition to one now hailed by USA DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and Swimming, the national governing body for the the United Black Fund, Inc. (UBF) in honor sport of swimming, as the "premier minority swim of Black History Month. These two organizations competition in the and in the World." have worked together every year since to produce “The Black History Invitational Swim Meet brings the first swim meet in the nation to celebrate this swimmers from diverse backgrounds together to important month that highlights the contributions of celebrate Black History Month and highlights the African Americans to US society. contributions of African-Americans to the sport of

swimming,” said Manuel Banks III, USA The invitational was founded with the goals of Swimming’s Diversity & Inclusion Membership providing urban youth nationwide with a positive Specialist. outlet for expression, exposure to strong competition, a forum to meet positive role models, During the three-day Invitational, youth athletes and the opportunity to visit the nation's capital. ranging in age from 5 – 18 will compete in standard swim events, such as the individual medley, Since the very first year, DPR and UBF are proud freestyle, butterfly, relays, and back and breast that the Black History Invitational Swim Meet has strokes; attracting over 1,100 minority competitors, fulfilled these goals and has grown from a small, ages 5–18, from swim teams all over the country and even as far as St. Lucia.

Since 1989, notable African- Americans in the field of swimming have been acknowledged at the Honoree’s Dinner, including coach Jim Ellis, Olympians and McClendon, All- American Byron Davis and 10-time American record holder, Sabir Muhammad.

Taken from DPR and USA Swimming

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Top 8 Reasons to Join the DC Wave Hospitality Committee! 1. Volunteers work with Lou and Marcus… we won’t steer you wrong. 2. Volunteers become experts at identifying Coaches and Officials badges. 3. Volunteers get to provide snacks and water to times. 4. Volunteers get to meet and feed Coaches and Officials (Psst—They are always happier to answer questions with a full belly!) 5. Volunteers work the shift your child swims. 6. Volunteers meet the DC Wave hours We are looking for a few good requirement for volunteers. volunteers. If you are interested in 7. Volunteers work the 5 Swim Meets that DC joining the Hospitality Committee, Wave host. please contact me, Lou, at 8. VOLUNTEERS GET THE BEST SEAT IN [email protected] I look THE HOUSE TO SEE YOUR CHILD forward to hearing from you! SWIM!

Maritza Correia McClendon: “I’m Proud to be the First, But I Don’t Want to be the Last” Long before Maritza Correia McClendon made history on the pool deck in Athens in 2004, a conversation in a doctor’s office when she was six years old charted her course. Diagnosed with scoliosis, she heard a recommendation from her doctor that changed her life. “When the doctor suggested I take gymnastics or swimming, my mom figured it would make the most sense for me to swim since we were living in Puerto Rico.”

After being enrolled in swim lessons that summer, Maritza asked to participate in a year-round program. She joined a local swim club and started swimming competitively. When Maritza was nine, her family moved to the United States and settled in Brandon, Florida, a city on the outskirts of Tampa. As a member of the Brandon Blue Wave Swim Team, she continued to compete competitively and earned a spot on the 1997 USA National Junior Team along with and . In 1999, she became the U.S. National Champion in the 50-meter freestyle in the 18 and under age group and was named Florida High School State Champion six times.

Maritza was heavily recruited by the nation’s top college teams and visited the University of Florida, Auburn University, UCLA and the . “I chose UGA because it was a beautiful campus, the coaches were awesome and it was an all-around great swimming program,” said McClendon. She excelled at Georgia and quickly proved to be a strong contender for the 2000 Olympic team after she won the 200 freestyle at the NCAA Championships.

“When I got to Trials, I freaked out, my nerves got the best of me and I swam the worst race possible,” shared McClendon. “Leading up to the 2000 Olympic Trials, there was so much hype about who was going

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to be the ‘first’ African-American to make the U.S. Currently McClendon is the Senior Marketing Olympic Swimming Team - Anthony [Ervin] made Manager for Nike Swim where she travels it and I had to refocus.” throughout the country attending elite level national meets and works with coaches and swimmers. With that behind her, McClendon went back to McClendon is also the ambassador for USA training for her next Olympic opportunity. During Swimming’s Swim 1922 program, a partnership that time, she became a three-time World with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority with the goal to Champion, two-time gold lower drowning rates within the African-American medalist, was the first African-American to break a community. world record in swimming and became the first African-American female to hold American records. “I want to inspire other minorities to get involved McClendon’s opportunity finally came. with swimming and love it as much as I do,” said McClendon. “We host an AT&T swim clinic, “During the 100m free at the 2004 Olympic Trials, partnering with Sigma Gamma Rho, at nationals my hand touched the wall and I knew I made the and introduce them to the competitive swim arena Olympic team and made history.” With that touch, so that they become comfortable with the water and McClendon became the first female African- inspired by the sport.” American swimmer to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. What began as a medical remedy for a six-year old girl turned into an historic event, “I’m proud to be McClendon went on to earn an Olympic silver the first, but I don’t want to be the last,” said medal in 2004 as part of the 400m free relay team, McClendon of her Olympic legacy. adding another historical accomplishment to her already impressive swimming resume. “A lot of younger swimmers and even parents look up to me – I made history and didn’t walk away After returning from Athens, Greece, McClendon from it. I want to inspire people, especially rejoined her college teammates in Athens, Georgia, minorities to learn to swim.” and became the American record holder in the 50y free and 100y free, and an 11-time NCAA This article is from USA Swimming. “Maritza Correia Champion and 27-time NCAA All American. She is McClendon: “I’m Proud to be the First, but I don’t want still the only swimmer, male or female, to win an to be the last.”” By Nailah Ellis Timberlake. SEC title in every freestyle event and was the 2003 http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.a University of Georgia Student-Athlete of the year. spx?TabId=1&itemid=13385&mid=14491 She graduated in 2005 with a degree in sociology.

Maritza Correia McClendon DOB: December 23, 1981 Birth Place: San Juan, Puerto Rico College: University of Georgia “This is exactly what I wanted to do… to get more kids into the water…. I definitely want people to see that I am more than just an Olympian, [that] I am trying to make a difference in the community. I give back as much as I can.” “I am a swimmer and the color of my skin doesn’t define me as a swimmer.”

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If you have any photos from Swim Meets or other DC Wave Events and would like them featured, please send them to Coach Mary at [email protected]

USA Swimming and Potomac Valley Swimming USA Swimming is the governing body for competitive swimming in the United States. Potomac Valley is the area in which we compete, and Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS) is the local swimming committee (LSC) that governs the sport in our local region.

DC Wave Swim Team is a registered USA Swimming Club. As such, all of our coaches, volunteer officials, and swimmers are registered with PVS and USA Swimming. www.pvswim.org ⏐ www.usaswimming.org

DC Wave Coaching Staff

Robert Green: [email protected] Rodger McCoy: [email protected] James Washington: [email protected] Mary Woodward: [email protected]

Dexter Brown: [email protected] Keely Monge: [email protected]

Benjamin Skelding: [email protected] Michylle Padilla: [email protected]