NOVA SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING CLUB NEWSLETTER

March 2006

 

 

 

News from the Nova Executive

 

One competition down and three more to go for this season.

Congratulations to all athletes for their magnificent performance at North Trials, and bravo and thank you to our wonderful Coaches.

 

WAY TO GO!!! Alberta Winter Games Athletes.

Courtney, Marie-Helene, Julie, Leah, Jade , Brittany and Katarina

You did a fantastic job with your routines, and represented Zone 6 and Nova Synchro with great sportsmanship.

Many thanks to Amanda, Heather, and Laura, for not only coaching these swimmers,

but also taking on the role as chaperone for 4 days. We are very appreciative of your time and support that you have given.

 

The Provincial competition, Wildrose Classic, is scheduled for April 21, 22, 23/2006.

This notice is a reminder that we need many volunteers to work this meet.  If you have not signed up for a job please contact Daphne Willan at 439-1874 or jdwillan@shaw.ca

We would be more then happy to have any family or friends help us out as well.

 

Donations of goods and services such as food, beverages and raffle prizes for this meet are greatly needed as well.

      Some of the items we most need for donations are as follows:

1)     Water coolers or bottled water.  If you know of a supplier who might loan us a couple of water coolers (dispenses cold water) – OR if you have a water cooler that we could borrow for the weekend, please contact Leslie Olsen at leslio@telusplanet.net or 436 – 6155.

2)     Banana bread, muffins, bagels, desert squares – we will take donations of fresh or frozen baked goods. Be sure to let us know in advance if you are going to donate baking items, so we won’t buy them with meet profits

3)     Safeway/Sobey/Superstore coupons from Entertainment books or student union paks – or if you have a personal contact with a grocery manager, don’t be shy to ask for a food donation (sliced luncheon meat, fruits, vegetables are always welcome). Sometimes they will give us 10 – 20% discount on a purchase.

4)     Raffle prizes such as; Coffee/Tea baskets, Aroma Therapy items, or even some lovely homemade items make great donations. We hope to be able to offer a least 6 different raffle prizes

 

We are very fortunate to be able to offer a raffle prize on the back of the Wildrose Classic program.  Sherry Connors was able to obtain a $250.00 travel voucher from Travel cuts, which some lucky person will win. Thanks Sherry and lets see if anyone else can bring in some other donations.

 

Please contact the following people if you have anything to donate;

Food and Beverages – Leslie Olsen at 436 – 6155 or leslio@telusplanet.net

Raffle prizes – Sharon Thurston at 469 – 7529 or thurst@shaw.ca

Cash/cheque – Sherry Connors at 435 – 8761 or scon2516@telus.net

 

One Last Note:

Synchro Alberta is still looking for a few people to help out at their casino.

The casino takes place May 19 & 20/06 at the Palace Casino in West Edmonton Mall.

If you are able to volunteer for this casino, please contact Jennifer Luzia at 415 – 1789

or synchro@synchroalberta.com

 

Thank you

Sharon Thurston

Nova Synchro Club – President.

 

 

 

OLDS INVITATIONAL MEET

Olds Aquatic Centre
5303 ­ 46th Avenue

Saturday March 18,2006
 
Parents please note that NOVA intends to send the entire club to Olds
Alberta on March 18 via chartered motorcoach. If your swimmer CANNOT
participate that day, please contact your coach right away. Regular swim
practice will not run at the pool that day.
 
DATE: Saturday, March 18, Olds Alberta Invitational Meet
 
Solo, Duet and Team Routine competitions only  (no figures)
 
Meet Tentative schedule: 9 am for solos, 10:30 am for duets, 1:30 pm for
teams
 
·     Meet is held at the Olds Aquatic Center, 5303- 46th Ave, Olds Alberta
·     Send enough food for your swimmer for the day. There are NO food
concessions at the pool.  Please send $5-$10 for a dinner stop at fast food
restaurants on the way home.


·     Swimmers should arrive at the southwest corner of Southgate mall
parking lot (near the Bay) at 6:15 am. The chartered motorcoach will be
loaded and leave promptly at 6:30 AM.  The Meet is expected to end around 6:30
pm, so the bus should arrive back at Southgate around 9:30 pm. The pick up
time will be confirmed to your home phone number.

Swimmers must bring their routine suits and hair supplies for gelling hair.
Hair will be done at the pool (except for the solo).

 

OLDS INVITATIONAL MEET SCHEDULE:

09:00 - 09:15

Warm-up All Solos

09:15 - 09:30

Tier 1 Solos (3)

09:30 - 10:05

Tier 2 Solos (7)

10:05 -10:30

Tier 3 Solos (5)

10:30 - 10:35

Tier 4 Solos (1)

10:35 - 10:45

Tier 5 Solos (2)

10:45 - 11:00

JUDGES BREAK & Warm-up Tier 1 &  2 Duets

11:00 - 11:30

Tier 1 Duets (6)

11:30 - 12:30

Tier 2 Duets (12)

12:30 - 13:00

JUDGES Break

12:45 - 13:00

Warm-up Tier 3, 4 & 5 Duets

13:00 - 13:10

Tier 5 Duets (2)

13:10 - 13:50

Tier 4 Duets (8)

13:50 - 14:25

Tier 3 Duets (7)

14:25 - 14:40

JUDGES BREAK & Warm-up Combo Teams

14:40 - 14:55

Combo Teams (3)

14:55 - 15:10

JUDGES BREAK & Warm-up Pre-swimmers & Tier 1 Teams

15:10 - 15:40

Pre-swimmers (2)

 

Tier 1 Teams (4)

15:40 - 16:10

JUDGES BREAK

15:40 - 15:55

Warm-up Tier 2 Teams #1-4 incl.

15:55 - 16:10

Warm-up Tier 2 Teams #5-9 incl.

16:10 - 16:55

Tier 2 Teams (9)

16:55 - 17:10

JUDGES BREAK & Warm-up Tier 3 & 5 Teams

17:10 - 17:25

Tier 3 Teams (3)

17:25 - 17:35

Tier 5 Teams (2)

17:35 - 17:50

JUDGES BREAK & Warm-up Tier 4 Teams

17:50 - 18:10

Tier 4 Teams (4)

** A bus schedule will be going home soon** Approx departure time in 6:30am 

 The pool is located at 5303 - 46 Avenue.

 

 

WILDROSE CLASSIC MEET

April 21-23, NAIT pool, Edmonton

 

This year, Nova is hosting the provincial synchronized swim meet in Edmonton. We expect 220 swimmers and 50 coaches to attend the meet. Your participation and contribution is absolutely required to pull this off successfully (and show the other clubs how it is done). We are asking each Nova Parent to help us fundraise for the meet (donation of food and door and raffle prizes) to decrease our meet expenses (see details elsewhere in newsletter) and free up funds for travel. By volunteering you will learn new skills, meet the parents of other swimmers, form friendships for the future, and it’s all for your kids. (Okay it’s not the Olympics, but we will give you a free lunch). Don’t be shy, we have a lot of fun and it shows support to your swimmer to be involved and THERE. You won’t forget 2006!

 

Here’s our TENTATIVE MEET SCHEDULE:

Friday April 21

     5:00 pm – 7:30 pm Tier 1-5 Solos

     7:30 pm – 8:45 pm Tier 1 Duets

Saturday

     7:00 am – 7:55 am Tier 5 Figures

     7:55 am – 9:30 am Tier 3 & 4 Figures

     9:30 am – 10:50 am Tier 2 Figures

     10:50 am – 12:05 pm Tier 1 Figures

     12:45 pm – 4:05 pm Tier 2-5 Duets

     4:05 pm – 4:35 pm Tier 4/5 Combos

     6:30 – 9:30 pm Banquet Chateau Louis

Sunday

     8:00 am – 12:00 pm Tier 1-5 Teams

 

The banquet cost is covered by the club for your swimmer and will serve a marvelous athlete friendly buffet dinner at the excellent Chateau Louis on Kingsway across from the Ramada.  Parents don’t normally attend since the grand ballroom can only hold 300.  We will be soliciting door prizes for this event and we plan to offer Karaoke and dancing hits. The swimmers always have fun and remember it for years to come.

 

For volunteer shifts contact Daphne Willan, jdwillan@shaw.ca,  439-1874 or

For all other questions, please contact co-meet managers Sherry Connors scon2516@telus.net, 435-8761 or Susan Lemoine, slem@shaw.ca, 432-4061

 

 

 

 

Ideas for Sponsorship Donations

 

Do you have a favourite dentist, orthodontist, business that you have used for a number of years? Nova Parents, please try asking your favorite business people for sponsorship for our athletic meet, you will be amazed at how easy it is. In the past we have been successful in getting many different items (see list below) to support our meet. We can use almost anything as consumables for the meet, as well as door or raffle prizes. You are most likely to get a donation if you have a personal contact with that business and use it frequently.

 

Items that we’ve solicited in the past:

 

Cash donations from professional services and businesses: dentists, orthodontists, optometrists, lawyers, printing services, private companies that parents work for

 

Food Donations: For Athletes and judges: water coolers for deck use, bottled water, juice, cold deli meat, bakery goods (submarine and cheese buns, tortes and squares, muffins and bagels), granola bars, cheese snacks, fruit and vegetables, coupons for all of the above, discounts for all of the above

 

Business donations: printing and photocopy services, hair care products, West Jet tickets, hotel rooms for judges, discount at Swimwear stores, spa services (manicures and massages), synchro photo of choice from meet.

 

This year, Nova is commissioning a unique travel coffee mug, with an image of a synchronized swimmer on the mug. The top fundraising families will each get a mug as a token of our appreciation.

 

 

We have a form letter that you can give to your target sponsor, in case they want more details (of if they just want to think about it).

 

If you are successful, we’d appreciate knowing in advance so that we won’t buy the item required.

 

For food or hospitality donations, contact Leslie Olsen, leslieo@telusplanet.net or 436-6155

Raffle prizes, other donations contact Sharon Thurston, thurst@shaw.ca, 469-7529

 

 

 

 

Looking for a Karaoke DJ

 

Hi Nova parents,

As many of you know, we plan to host an athlete banquet during Wildrose Classic at the Chateau Louis 6:30 -9:30 pm, Saturday April 22. We plan to provide karaoke equipment for entertainment but we are in desperate need of a backup volunteer to run the equipment and emcee the evening. Do you have any family members that would fit this bill? Witty parents or extroverted older siblings who secretly long to be a DJ should contact me. If we have to hire a professional, it’s a $400 hit to the meet budget so please help us out.

 

We actually have a volunteer, but he might be called out of town on business so we need a backup. If you know anyone, please, please give me a call!

 

Susan Lemoine,

Wildrose Meet Manager

432-4061

 

 

 

Coaches Corner

 

Is it really March already…

 

I am happy to report that the Tier 3 team has completed all changes to the routine and they are now busy fine tuning counts and movements for Wildrose Classic in April. Thank you everyone for your hard work and patience while going over changes and new counts – the routine looks great!

Next Saturday (March 18th) the Tier 3’s as well as all other Nova teams and extra routines will be competing in Olds, Alberta at an Invitational Meet. This meet will be a great opportunity for the team to swim through all the changes in a competition setting before Wildrose.

Just a reminder that the Tier 3 team will get March 25th and March 28th off ONLY for spring break – practice will resume again on March 30th.

 

Keep landrilling!

                                                Caitlin McElhone

 

 

 

Hello everyone,

I am pleased to say that this team preformed excellent at the Northern
Trials by placing first overall.  They had a great swim and were
EXTREMELY excited and surprised to find out the results. Also, all the
girls individually placed in the top half of figures, which is a great
accomplishment. Marie-Helene and Cortney's duet placed 4th overall and
became eligible to compete and represent NOVA and Zone 6 at the recent
Alberta Winter Games. Overall, despite a very busy competition
schedule, the girls channeled all their energy into their performances
and it paid off. Congratulations!! At the recent Alberta Winter Games
in Hinton, Marie-Helene and Cortney had a great swim in both routine
and figures. This meet was very challenging since they were competing
mostly against higher tier athletes and had to learn 4 new figures that
tested and pushed their skills. The thing that impressed me the most
was their attitudes and overall excitement just to be at the Games, it
was definitely an experience they hopefully will never forget.
 From now until Wildrose the team still has a lot of cleaning up to do
especially with the new changes we just finished. We will get a chance
to test out our routine at the fast approaching Olds invitational meet
and get the girls back into competition mode. I am looking forward to
see how the girls perform in both routine and figures since I continue
to see improvement individually and as a group. Once again, keep up the
good work girls and keep giving me the great energy I have been seeing
at practice lately. Thanks!
Laura Mumme
Tier 2 Coach

 

 

Nova's precomp team is down to a solo!  Hayley Finlin is improving rapidly
and is showing excellent skills in figures and routine.  Practising once a
week, Hayley never forgets a thing!  (Often, she is the one to remind me of
the counts!)  Unfortunately, Hayley was unable to test on the arranged date
for her Star One level, but when she does test in April, I am certain that
she will do very well.  As well as preparing for Star One testing, Hayley is
beginning to learn Star Two skills - she manages to pick up techniques very
quickly, despite the short sessions we have together.  I enjoy coaching
Hayley, she works very hard and makes practice a lot of fun!

Danielle Fuechtmann's solo has been 'renovated' quite thoroughly since North
Trials.  She has taken to the changes very well, practicing and remembering
all of the new counts and figures every time.  The final touches have been
made to the routine, so now it's just practice, practice, practice!

Diane

 

 

 

It is now middle of March and the competitions are going to start rolling
in.  We had a good swim through at Northerns and hopefully only improvements
will happen from here on.  The girls on the Tier 4 AP team work amazingly
well together and are very supportive of each other which helps everyone
along the way.

The girls have been putting up with a lot of changes to the routine and have
been working hard.  With the upcoming meet in Olds, the girls have many
run-throughs to swim with the idea of perfection in their minds.  Olds will
be our warmup to Wildrose Classic at the end of April.

Nova brought in a psychologist to speak with the girls in February.  It was
very helpful and seemed to give the girls a different perspective of how
what they think affects their performance in the water.  All the tips that
Merna spoke of not only could be used for synchro, but for life in general.

Girls, great work so far.  I know practices are getting challenging, but we
need to work hard and swim our best.  Remember, think of what you WANT. 
Always think in the positive.  If you start feeling excited, try and sit and
go to your quiet place.  These will be great skills to use starting at Olds.
  Good job girls and keep up the awesome energy!!!

SMILE :)
Amanda

 

 

 

Tier 1/2 Team

 

This group of young athletes is learning that each practice is an important piece of building a great competitive season and laying a foundation for future synchro routines.  They are beginning to understand the importance of listening to coaching instructions and when it is acceptable to have a little creative time.  Keep focused girls, put in your very best effort and be proud of the small improvements that happen at each practice.

Our music theme this year is about sport events.  We have completed the team choreography and look forward to performing and getting feedback from the judges at Olds. 

We next will continue to concentrate on increasing our flexibility in our splits, ankles, feet and knees and improving our routine endurance.  Extra practice on splits at home would be of great benefit, particularly over the Spring break.

The girls enjoyed their fall coaching sessions with Mike.  He has helped improve the swimmers’ swimming techniques in their front crawl, back stroke, breast stroke and butterfly.  We now need to concentrate on maintaining these improvements! 

It would be greatly appreciated if you could let me know when you know your daughter will be missing a practice.  This will help me to plan effectively.  Please contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Work (8:30-6:00) @ 477-8742 (ext #209) or Home @ 471-1625.

 

Keep up the good work Alison, Heather, Kimberley, Monique, Olivia and Sheila!

 

Keep synching,

Gail McKnight

 

 

 

 

Winter Games was a fantastic experience.  The girls seemed to enjoy
all the exciting moments including opening ceremonies and all the
activities provided for the athletes.  The girls were able to meet
 many athletes in different sports and explore the idea of being
Olympic athletes. We were extremely impressed how the girls
 represented not only Zone 6 but Nova as well.  They showed great team
spirit, unity, and sportsmanship. We even had another coach approach
 us to say how organized and professional we looked on deck. That is a
great compliment to receive, great job girls! Here are the reports on
 how the team and duets preformed.

The team swam amazingly.  They had incredible spirit and
determination and it definitely showed in their final performance as
 a team.  The routine looked clean and tight and coaches from other
 clubs provided lots of positive feedback following the excellent swim
through.  The girls should be extremely proud of themselves for
 putting together a wonderful performance.  I would like to say
 congratulations to Jade Connors, Leah Harvey, Katarina Nikel,
 Brittany Thurston and Julie Tye.  GREAT WORK GIRLS!!!
Amanda


Marie-Helene and Cortney were up against some real tough competition
this meet not only in routine but also in figures. They had to learn 4
new figures that were one or two tiers above their current level, which
was quite challenging. I was extremely impressed with their determination

 to improve on these figures and swim them cleanly. They swam a great routine and improved on the areas we had been focusing on since Northerns. Our main focus was to have fun with the duet and take advantage of this once in a lifetime experience. Great work girls!
Laura


The coaches have told you what we thought of the games, so now it's the
girls' turn, so here are some quotes we captured over the weekend.

Favorite memories:
"Crazy dancing at opening ceremonies"; "Cheers we did before
competiting"; "The Gauntlet!!".

What we took away from this experience:
"Importance of being organized and showing good team image on deck";
"It's not about winning, it's about having fun and enjoying the
experience"; "Realizing we have strong team unity"; "Being there for
each other".

Thanks for the memories girls!!!

The Coaches (Amanda, Heather and Laura)