Coach's Corner

Maryland Top Five Times Released
Maryland Swimming tracks the top five swimmer times in each event and age group category. It's done all year long so look on the bulletin board to see how well we are doing. CBAC has an amazing 40 Top Five times. The boys currently hold 25 while the girls have achieved 15. The following swimmers attained Top Fives in the LSC: Melissa Boughton, Olivia Ray, Rachel Gilman, Jessica Simmons, Anna Frowein, Brittany Culpepper, Davi Clark, Lisa Gabrelcik, Natalia Fugate, Cole Kimble, C.J. Culpepper, Will Richards, and Eric Skrabacz. Thirteen swimmers on the list is simply OUTSTANDING! I believe with some hard work more CBAC swimmers will be added soon. Click here to see top times.

CBAC Swimmers "Rack 'em in" at RAC Meet
The CBAC Team scored 508.5 points at the RAC Fall Classic Nov. 9-11th. Our 12 & under group lead the way with 349 points. Davi Clark, Brittany Culpepper, Lisa Gabrelcik, Taelor Errington, Igor Loray, and Will Richards all contributed to the total points earned. Not to be outdone, the senior group, lead by Eric "Scrub" Skrabacz scored in several events. Beth & Emily Dobson, Natalia Fugate, John Kitner, and Steven Kram were all top 16 finalists. The relay team of Beth & Emily Dobson, Natalia Fugate, and Karlynn Schuster swam to a 3rd place finish with a time of 1:47.53. Girls-the team record is only 1:46.26! Top 5 point earners: Will Richards (157), Lisa Gabrelcik (68), Eric Skrabacz (60), Davi Clark (53). Brittany, Davi, Lisa, and Will all achieved top 3 place finishes in their events. This meet serves as a good, early season test to see where we are. Things are looking mighty good. Let's keep up the hard work gang!

First-timers Fare Well at GBSA Meet
What do Lindlay Marquis, Erica and Emily Morris have in common? They all swam their first 500 freestyle events at the GBSA meet held Nov. 24-25. When asked how they felt after their first 500, the only reply I got was huffing and puffing! During the "Mini Meet" on Friday, Cole Kimble and Melissa Boughton both lead the way with top 3 places in their events. C.J. Culpepper, Kathryn Lydon, and Justin Koper had top 10 finishes. Anna and Krista Frowein, along with Victoria Burrows all swam personal bests.

During the first session of the "B" meet on Saturday, Laura Cameron took 10th place in the 200 Free, while teammates Laura Hewitt, Tyler Lydon, and Ned Arick all swam to top 15 finishes in their events. Danielle McLoughlin, and Caitlin Branaman swam to personal best times. In the afternoon sessions, John Kitner and Andy Serb led the CBAC attack to capture top 5 finishes. Elizabeth Lydon took 4th in the 100 Back. Josh Allen, who rules this meet had top 10 finishes in his events. Jackie Kitner, Aimee Shiplet, and Danny Marquis swam personal best times. Coach Robbie and Coach Chuck were very pleased with the meet results and look forward to the next meet for these guys because they know the entire group will do great things!

News to Note:

Pre-Team Starts December 13th
Pre-team practice sessions are held from 6:00-6:45pm. Three 8-week sessions are planned. Please check the CBAC website for more information.

High School Clinic Planned
A high school swimming clinic is scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 13th at 8:00pm. If you know anyone who is interested in high school swimming, the first practice is also scheduled Dec. 13th. Practice times will be Tues. and Thurs., from 8:00-9:00pm. All interested St. Mary's county high school students are encouraged to try out. More information will be posted soon on the bulletin board and our website. Flyers will also be posted at area high schools.

Holiday Practices
If you were away during the Thanksgiving break and wondered about the extra practice times (and what you missed), here is a rundown:

Okay, items 1-7 happened, but I just want to see if you were paying attention. Hey, you never know…

 

Late December Swim Camp Schedule

Wed. 12/26
Levels 4-6	9-11am & 4:30-6:30pm
Level 3	6-7:30pm
Thurs. 12/27 PIZZA DAY
Levels 4-6	9am-5:30pm
Level 3	9am-5:30pm
Levels 1-2	6-6:45pm
Fri. 12/28 - LUNCH DAY
Levels 4-6	9am-5:30pm
Level 3	9am-5:30pm
Sat. 12/29
Levels 5 & 6 ONLY	10am-12pm
Sun. 12/30
Levels 4-6 ONLY	1-3:30pm

 

Swim Meet Sign-ups
Please remember to sign-up at the pool or send Coach Chuck an email indicating your interest to participate before the registration deadline for meets.

Spring Training 2002
A Spring Training trip is in the works for Levels 4, 5 & 6. It should coincide with the semester breaks at school. More details to come soon.

Summer 2002 National Junior Olympic Swim Meet
Next year's National Junior Olympic Swim Meet will be held in Knoxville, TN. Look for more information to be posted soon. All you need is a "BB" time to qualify! Knoxville, here we come!

Distance Swimming Incentive Program
Coach Chuck is the Maryland Swimming LSC Chairman on Long Distance Swimming. He has decided to award medals to swimmers who complete their first 500, 1000, or 1650 events. Kickoff for the incentive program will be the GBSA meet. It is Chuck's hope that swimmers will be inspired and gain the confidence needed to complete long distance events.

Wear our Colors Proudly
CBAC swimmers are encouraged to wear team apparel at all swim meets. All competitors must wear their team suits & caps. A team t-shirt is the only other required apparel. Team sweats are encouraged because swimmers need to keep warm in between swims.

Rules at the Pool
PLEASE remind your children that access to the SMCM pool should be through the locker rooms only. It is also strongly suggested that swimmers do NOT leave their clothing and other belongings in the locker rooms during practice. Swim bags, backpacks, etc., should be brought to the pool deck instead. THANK YOU!

Do you have a question for Coach Chuck?
Below are some frequently asked questions Coach Chuck has received over the years. Answers are there, too:

Q: Do I have to attend the whole meet or can I just go for one day?
A: Yes, you may participate in only one day of a meet.

Q: Do I have to go to all the scheduled meets?
A: No, it isn't required. However, participating in meets suggested by your coach is strongly encouraged. Your coach knows your swimming goals, strengths, and what areas need improvement.

Q: Do I have to register with USA Swimming each year?
A: Yes. Your registration fees directly assist the team with much needed insurance protection. Everyone on deck is a member of USA Swimming. Everyone on deck during practices and meets must be covered by insurance.

Q: Why do my kids need to be at the pool at the beginning of warm-up for a meet?
A: Not all meet warm-ups are the same. Sometimes we are assigned a specific time. If swimmers arrive late they are not properly warmed up and ready for competition. Failure to warm-up properly leads to injuries. Also, teammates are concerned when a swimmer does not show on time. It breaks the team unity.

Q: Does participating in other sports help or hinder my swimmer's ability to excel?
A: Swimming helps with many other sports, but it's not often reciprocated. Dropping swimming to participate in other sports often takes away from the overall body conditioning that swimming provides. Other sports tend to concentrate on specific physical movements, but not overall body conditioning. Also, starting to swim "late" in the season often affects a swimmer's ability to reach their goals. Our program in the upper levels is designed to start and then build to specific goals. It takes patience, hard work, and commitment, but the rewards are great.

If you have specific questions for Coach Chuck please feel free to email (swimcoachcbac@aol.com) or call him (240) 725-0034.

Christmas Social
Please mark your calendars for the Annual CBAC Christmas Party to take place on Dec. 21, 2001 at St. Mary's College Pool and Gym. There will be a gift exchange, Christmas treats, and lots of fun! Details will follow ... check out the Team Bulletin Board next week!

U.S.S. Fees
Don't forget to renew your swimmer's U.S. Swimming registration for 2002. Please place the completed form and a check for $45 (made payable to CBAC) in Patti Lindblad's folder as soon as possible to assure your child's eligibility to participate in the New Year. CBAC's Liability Insurance carrier (U.S.A. Swimming) requires that every person on deck during swim practice or swim meets be registered - so please get that registration in! Exra forms can be found in the membership folder.

New Board Members
Trevor Richards was elected Team President at the General Membership Meeting on Nov. 14, 2001. Jeff Errington has volunteered to fill the vacant position of Vice President. Mardy Millen is the new Meet Director, to be assisted by Jenny Culpepper and Tracey Summers. Thanks to all our Volunteers!

New Escrow Policy
An amendment to the Escrow Policy was approved at the General Membership Meeting on Nov. 14th. A swimmer's participation in swim meets may be restricted if the balance of their escrow account reaches $100 in arrears. We ask all families to make every effort to pay these meet entry fees in a timely manner so that our Escrow Account will remain funded. The most effective way to maintain the account is to make a deposit whenever the balance falls below $20.

Debbie Mummaugh has volunteered to maintain the Escrow Accounts. She will put an update in your folder when the balance is $20 or less. Please make checks payable to CBAC and drop them into the "Meet Entries" or Debbie's folder. Thanks!

In The News.....
Did you see the article in the Friday, November 16th edition of The Enterprise Newspaper about the CBAC Fall Festival Meet? Way to go swimmers and keep up the good work! If you have any PHOTOS of the kids or Coaches at practice or swim meets, please give (or loan) them to Coach Chuck who will post them on the Team Bulletin Board!

On the Web....
Don't forget to check out the CBAC Website at cbacswimming.org for all the latest news and information. Did you guess who the mystery swimmer was? Ask Coach Chuck!

Upcoming Board Meeting
The next CBAC Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 12th at 6:15 p.m. at SMC. We will be discussing the formation of a Concessions Committee to help organize and run the Concessions for the next two Home Meets (January and March, 2002), as well as other current topics. Please feel free to attend.

 

Calendar:

Dec. 8-9, 2001 - "B" Buster Meet, NAAC, slower than "BB" time standards, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18 Age Groups. Sign-ups closed.

Dec. 15-16, 2001 - Mini Meet, GTAC, no time standards, 6 & U, 7, and 8 Age Groups. Sign-ups closed.

Jan. 12-13, 2002 - "A" & Over Meet, RAC, modified "BB-A" time standards for 9-10 Age Group, "A" time standards for 11-12, 13-14 Age Groups, "AA" time standards for Open Age Group. (See Coach Chuck for Sign-ups.)

Jan. 25-27, 2002 - HOME MEET -Odd Age Group Meet, CBAC, No time standards, 9&U, 10-11, 12-13, 14 & Over Age Groups. Sign-up Sheet posted on Team Bulletin Board.

Feb. 2-3, 2002 - Senior Meet, ASC, time standards for 50's and 100's=faster than 11-12 All Star Qualifying Times; 200's= 13-14 "A" times. Open Age Group. Sign-up Sheet to be posted on Team Bulletin Board.

 

Happy Holidays to all!