the Fish: January 2011 Archives

FISH of the Month: Madelyn Donohoe

Madelyn (Maddie) has progressed quite rapidly this season and has dropped some significant amounts of time in all of her events. The Christmas Championships is where Madelyn had her breakthrough meet with 7 best times and 5 Junior Olympic Championship qualifying times (100 Free, 200 Free, 100 Backstroke, 100 I.M., 200 I.M.). She dropped over 1 minute and 8 seconds with only having 3 times before this meet. Christmas Champs provided her launching pad to the rest of her season, and she has continued to grow and improve as a swimmer since then.

Madelyn has been a perfect model of our program, and reflects our philosophy completely. The building blocks for her success this season began in the summer, when Madelyn was driving all the way from Annandale to Reston to attend FISH summer long course practices. A swimmer like Maddie who wants to learn more and get better is an ideal candidate for our summer program providing her with a jump-start into the short course season.

Continue reading FISH of the Month: Madelyn Donohoe.

Snow Dude Mini Meet - Best Times

Written by Coach Art

Wow! First of all, I would like to mention the remarkable FISH presence at this year's Snow Dude Mini Meet. The Mini FISHes came in full force rocking the blue and yellow to let the competition know whose pool is this? Mini FISH!

FISH records continued to be broken at our second official Mini meet. Johnny Bradshaw worked the 50 Backstroke record winning the event (and all of his other events) with a time of 41.81. J.T. Ewing broke two records in the 25 Freestyle (17.70) and the 25 Backstroke (22.13) and placed 1st in all three of his events. Congratulations guys!

There were many other great swims and personal

best times throughout the whole meet and I must say that I was more than impressed with the energy sources that I saw in the Mini team area. Walking around the meet I noticed that our Mini's had not only the most nutritious foods but the cleanest team area, and the most Mini's cheering on their FISH teamates. Well done Mini's, I am proud of you all. GO FISH!

2011 January Open - Best Times

written by Coach David

Congratulations to all! Check out your BEST TIMES!

What an awesome weekend! We as coaches really learned a lot about some of our swimmers at this meet including their ability to step up to pressure and competition. The January Open was one of the last opportunities for our swimmers to qualify for their end of season meets. As many as 9 swimmers qualified for new events at J.O's.

It was fun to watch our swimmers with the tough event schedules swimming back-to-back events stepping it up to give an equal effort in all the events.

The biggest victory for our team was not in the pool but the attitudes on deck. Poor attitudes were the exception and not the norm. Teammates were supporting each other and cheering each other on. I hope this trend continues !!

The two things we can improve on are punctuality and notifying the coaches when you are going to be late or not make the meet. The January Open was a positive check-in meet, meaning that all swimmers had to be checked in prior to their events each day in order to swim. The coaches did not check you in if you were not there on time and as a result some swimmers had to be deck entered. The deck entry process is tedious and should be avoided. If you are going to be late in a future, call your coach before hand so he can check you in. Please keep the communication going!

Retriever Classic, 2011 - Best Times and Some

written by Coach Ray

11-12 Girls High Point - Isabella Rongione

(and other short stories)

How quickly we forget, how quickly we forget. Just a year ago, too. Why can't we remember?

Pet the retriever, silly, pet the retriever.

Some of the younger swimmers did, but I wonder how many of the older ones remembered.

In fact, some of the younger swimmers not only pet the retriever, they also fed him!

I hope it was wholesome, nutritious food; just because you like something doesn't mean that he will. I hope nobody tried to feed him that chocolate power drink, which seemed to end up everywhere.

(Allebasi!)

Perhaps Meeegan and/or Jaysone will share the humor that the afternoon session missed out on.

Speaking of which, Jason, are you ready for Ian's lane? Really ready? The animal lane, the lane of beasts, the lane of the champion in the 200 fly. Better hit the gym some more, too.

After that 1650, I'd say Veronica's ready for that lane, too. Better watch out, guys.

Lea, whatever you seemed to have lost - did you ever find it?

Michael, AWOL because of the thought of the 500 free?

We only had one missed event - must've been one of our newer, younger swimmers.

Is Aaron inspired enough to challenge Ian in the 200 fly and 400 I.M. next year?

Matt, I'm contacting USA Swimming to set up a Times database for could-of and should-of times.

Ignat, nice try, but did you really think you could talk Coach Matt out of warming up and cooling down?

Emily, you've got to keep in touch with your new Mini-Me.

( Fortunately, Emily and Maddie both look a little prettier than the original Mini-Mes )

Continue reading Retriever Classic, 2011 - Best Times and Some.

Getting Parents on the Team

BY DR. ALAN GOLDBERG, COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

A successful sport experience depends on parents being proactively trained to play the right role on the parent-athlete-coach team. Coaches should take the time in the beginning of the season to educate parents on their very important support position. The coach should appeal to the parent's proper involvement for the team's and their child's success. In parents meetings and in written handouts the coach should present and discuss the correct parent, coach and athlete roles, the "do's and don'ts" for success.

Continue reading Getting Parents on the Team.

Gaining Access to FCPA Facilities

Dear FISH Swimmers and Parents --

Over the past weeks we have been notified by the employees at Spring Hill and Wakefield that some of our swimmers are NOT using their swipe cards (access key) when entering the facility. As a result, swimmers will no longer be allowed on deck without proper check-in.

The RECenters insist that we are using the swipe card to control access to the locker rooms and the rest of the facility. Using the access key is for our own protection and safety and in our best interest. Simply saying that you are with the FISH won't be enough. Please hold your access card up against the bar code reader and then proceed downstairs.

All swimmers received a swipe card at the beginning of the season explaining the use of it and we also mentioned that if the card is lost, a $5 replacement fee will be charged.

If you need a new card, please contact Monika Paris (Team Manager) and you will receive a replacement card for $5.

Best regards,

the FISH Management

2011 Distance Challenge - Best Times

If you swam a best time at the Distance Challenge meet, please follow this link and you will find your name and your Best Time! Congratulations!

All Best Times are compiled by Coach Ray.

FISH Officials 2010 Recap and Additional Training Opportunities

Written by Al Meilus, Officials' Chair

We made a lot of progress in 2010 with several FISH parents becoming newly certified as swim officials and several experienced officials advancing or working toward advancing to new levels of certification. It was great to see so many of you working the December meets. If you have been working toward a new certification, please keep at it - there are several opportunities coming up to attend clinics or to work sessions at meets. Also, please continue to encourage other parents to become certified officials - we can always use more help. The next training opportunities posted on the PVS web site include:

Stroke and Turn:

January 15 at South Run
January 22 at MLK
February 2 at MAC

Chief Judge:

January 8 at Burke

Starter:

January 15 at South Run
January 22 at MLK

Referee (re-certification):

January 8 at Burke

Continue reading FISH Officials 2010 Recap and Additional Training Opportunities.

January 2011 Archives

FISH of the Month: Madelyn Donohoe

Snow Dude Mini Meet - Best Times

2011 January Open - Best Times

Retriever Classic, 2011 - Best Times and Some

Getting Parents on the Team

Gaining Access to FCPA Facilities

2011 Distance Challenge - Best Times

FISH Officials 2010 Recap and Additional Training Opportunities

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