Jersey Shore YMCA Swim Team Wreath Fundraiser a Success



Several Jersey Shore swimmers and their parents spent Sunday morning prepping wreaths to be distibuted throughout the community.  This is one of their major fundraisers to allow the winter YMCA swim team to function.

Wreaths unloaded into the YMCA



Several parents working on the bows

Several parents and swimmers placing cones onto wreath

Finished wreaths are laid outside the Jersey Shore YMCA for pick-up

The 'Wreath Crew'

All Hands On Deck

As of last count we are down in sales by over 200 wreaths, with just under 350 units sold.  While this is not ideal (as this is what pays the coaches’ salaries and how we keep our registration prices so low compared to the other local YMCA swim teams) it will cover a good portion of the team expenses.  We need a bit more help to see this fundraiser through to completion.  Please volunteer as much as your schedule allows as it is parent participation that makes this team as great as it is!!!

 

Sunday Morning, November 20 – the wreaths are delivered to the YMCA by 10 am and we will need volunteers to help unload the truck.  Please send an email to smoore@pct.edu if you can be at the YMCA at 9:45am to help prepare the room and help unload the truck.  As always the more volunteers we have the quicker we will get done!  We need a MINIMUM of 5 to 7 volunteers to carry this off.

 

Sunday Late Morning, November 20 – volunteers needed by 10:15am at the JS YMCA so we can prepare/organize the wreaths for pick-up (we have to put on around 600 pinecones!). This is the bulk of our workload and we need a minimum of about 20 parents/swimmers to get the wreaths processed for pick-up.  Again, please send an email to smoore@pct.edu if you can help add pinecones to the wreaths and sort/prepare the orders. We also need to “pull” about 350 bows…so keeping with the “theme” the more volunteers we have, the quicker we can get everything organized!!!  With just under 400 units, we will need all the help we can get, so bring your helpful swimmer(s) along with you!  (Even the littlest swimmers are excellent helpers at the wreath sale!

 

Sunday Afternoon, November 20 – volunteers needed by 11:30am at the JS YMCA for distribution and pick-up. If you aren’t available to help in the morning, please consider helping organize the distribution, pick-up and clean-up (boy there are a lot of pine needles after we get done!)  We need a minimum of 10 to 15 parents/swimmers to get the wreaths processed for pick-up.  Again, please send an email to smoore@pct.edu if you can help with this time. 

Veteran Parents…Please note ADJUSTED Pick-up hours are from 11:30am – 1:30pm.  ALL orders MUST be picked up by 1:30pm.

Day 3 - Jersey Shore Swimmers Finish Strong In Nittany Lion Aquatic Club Invitational

Results can be viewed here.

Warm-ups for the start of the Sunday aftenoon
session (click on photo to enlarge).

Stands begin to fill up the the Sunday aftenoon session of the Nittany Lion Aquatic Club Invitational at PSU's McCoy Natatorium (click on photo to enlarge).

Haven Area Aquatic Club coach, Joel Blesh, working with the Jersey Shore and Lock Haven
swimmers during warm-ups.



Jesey Shore teammates Emma, Kendra, and Sam cheer on Gabbie in lane 3 of the 50 yard
backstroke (click on photo to enlarge).



Gabbie encourges teammates Emma (lane 3) and Kendra (lane 4) during
the 100 yard breaststroke (click on photo to enlarge).

Day 2 - Jersey Shore Swimmers at the Nittany Lion Club Invitational

Jersey Shore and Lock Haven swimmers competed on Day 2 (Sat.) at the Nittany Lion Club Invitational at PSU's McCoy Natatorium.

Start of the girls 200 yard individual medley

Learning the Rules

Jersey Shore YMCA head coach, Dave Keegan, attended the Principles of YMCA Competitive Swimming and Diving training session at the Scranton YMCA yesterday.

Ironwomen

Jersey Shore swimmers opened up the competitive swim season on Friday night as they competed in the Nittany Lion Aquatic Club Invitational at Penn State's McCoy Natatorium.

Emma and Kendra all smiles before they tackle the grueling 400 individual medley

Jersey Shore's Number One Swim Fan

We'll Miss You Richard

Dick and Donna Bieda with two of thier grandkids, Emma and Jacob, at the
2011 YMCA States in Penn State's McCoy Natatorium.  Dick passed away today
from complications of a stroke.

Job Opening

No, this is not a position that is intimately tied to the Jersey Shore swimming community but it is one that has an important role in the future of the swim program.  The River Valley Regional YMCA in Jersey Shore is looking for a Branch Director and it would be nice to see someone in this position that is interested amd pays attention to the Jersey Shore YMCA winter swim team.  This is a team that has over 80 swimmers every winter and has been largely ignored by the Jersey Shore YMCA.  In addition, the JS school district has a swimming pool that is not fully utilized (beyond the use by the HS teams, phys ed classes, JS Communtiy Swim, and YMCA Winter Swim Team).  It would be great to see an individual with some initiative and new ideas to take the swimming program to a new level.

They are looking for a key person that will provide daily management, team leadership & mission
advancement to the Jersey Shore Branch YMCA. Salaried with benefits. For formal job description or to submit resume, email: ceo@rvrymca.org

On The Board!

Former Jersey Shore swimmer, Jenna Brooks, has made a name for herself with Lock Haven University's swim team by holding several records.  She holds the individual record in the 100 yard butterfly and is on several record holding relays; 200 and 400 freestyle and 200 and 400 medley relays.

Winter Swim Begins Tonight

Message from YMCA Winter Swim Team President, Andy Kitchen.

On a positive note, we have set it up for anyone who would be interested Tuesday and Thursday you can take your swimmer down to the Williamsport YMCA’s pool. We are going to be having a practice there both nights since our pool isn’t ready yet. Practice will be from 7:30 until 8:45. Please respond to myself or coach Dave if you plan on attending one or both of the nights. We have to give them a rough count of how many will be there. This will be for all age groups. This was just a way for us to get the kids in the water. Dave’s email is dekeegan1085@yahoo.com.

What a Bunch a Crap!

Did you happen to catch Harold Raker's sports column in the February 24, 2011 edition of the Daily Item?  In it, he states that "Wrestlers are the toughest of all high school athletes".  His arguement for the toughest athlete is that wrestlers have to make weight and need to watch caloric intake.  Since when does watching what you eat and making weight make a sport the 'toughest'?

No surprise in that 1) the Daily Item needs to sell newspapers (say something controversial) and 2) a male dominated sport is 'chosen' as the toughest.  What a great disservice to all the other male and FEMALE athletes that spend countless hours lifting weights, running the track, kicking the ball on the pitch, competing on travel teams, partcipating in core training, taking endless foul shots in the gym, and etc..........

The Jersey Shore Swim Blog will make no attempt to say that high school swimmers are the toughest athletes.  There are high school sports that have kids participating just for the organzied recreational opportunity and some give the minimum effort.  But every single sport also contains kids that pour their heart and soul into their effort to be the best that they can be.  The toughest athletes are those that practice hard and give it their all, whether it is on the wrestling mat or in the racing pool, not on how much you eat or don't eat.

League Expansion

It is pretty fascinating stuff as the college football landscape changes with conferences expanding and contracting. The Jersey Shore Swim Blog thought it would be interesting if we look at the four main summer swimming leagues in central Pennsylvania. There may come a time when some leagues have to combine as pools close and teams collapse. In the past three years, the Bald Eagle Swim League alone has lost South Williamsport, Montoursville, and Troy.

The map below shows the four leagues with color coded pins.  Click on the map to enlarge.

Summer Swim Team Leagues

Susquehanna Valley Swimming and Diving League (red pins)
Milton
Lewisburg
Central Columbia
Mifflinburg
Danville
Mt. Carmel
Selinsgrove
Shamokin
Sunbury/Northumberland

Bald Eagle Swim League (yellow pins)
Jersey Shore
Lock Haven
Williamsport
Wellsboro
Loyalsock
TriTown (Muncy, Montgomery, and Hughesville)

Central Pennsylvania Swim League (green pins)
Lewistown
Park Forest (State College)
Penns Valley (Milheim)
Welch (State College)
Science Park (State College)

Mountain Swim League (orange pins)
Dubois
Clearfield
Bellefonte
Huntingdon
Hollidaysburg
Tyrone
Menoher (Johnstown)
Sunnehanna CC (Johnstown)
Garver, Morrison’s Cove (Martinsburg)
St. Mary’s (Memorial SwimTeam)

Jersey Shore Winter Swim Team Sign-Ups Begin

New swim team coach Dave Keegan (far left) is ready to assist new swimmers with choosing this year's swim suits.  New winter swim team president, Andy Kitchen (middle), listens to swim team parent.

Swim team parents start filling out paperwork for the winter season.

Swim Clinic Teaches the Finer Points

Central Pennsylvania may not be the hotbed of aquatics activity like the Pittsburgh or Philly area but there are some top-notch opportunites to learn the finer points of swimming.  This past weekend, Duquesne swimming head coach Dave Sheets, returned to his boyhood stomping grounds to impart some of his knowledge to area swimmers.

What was really good for the kids is how he broke down each stroke.  You can only 'muscle' an event so far and then it is technique that seperates swimmers at the end.  Below is an outline of how the group worked on the freestyle stroke.

 

USA Swim Program Information Meeting - Part II

The first USA Swim meeting took place on a night that Keystone was playing in the Little League World Series.  Many folks we unable to attend the meeting as they went to the game.  As a result, there will be another family meeting on Monday, September 12th at 6:30pm in Zimmerli Room #7 on the campus of Lock Haven Universtiy

This will be a good opportunity to turn in and/or pick up all the required paperwork.  Paperwork can also be downloaded from the "Pages" on the upper left of this blog.

Swim practices will start on Wednesday, September 14th.

This meeting will pretty much be the exact same as our previous meeting, so if you attend that one please don't feel obligated to attend this one.

Jersey Shore YMCA Masters Looking for Swimmers

Yes, old guys (and girls) can swim.  The Jersey Shore YMCA Masters Swim Team is looking for swimmers this fall to compete in the Allegheny Mountain Y Masters Swim Association (AMYMSA).

Here's the link for the AMYMSA web site. On the left side is a link to the 2011-2012 season, which contains the schedule.

You may swim up to 4 events at each meet, and the cost for each meet is $7.00.  If interested call Steve Muthler at smuthler@comcast.net

Sign-Up Info for USA Swim Club in Lock Haven

There was an informational meeting held several days ago concerning the Haven Area Aquatic Club.  Below are several handouts.  Click to enlarge.  Other Haven Area Aquatic forms can be found at  "Pages" on the  left column of this blog.

Lock Haven Loggerheads Recognize Summer Swimmers

Many Jersey Shore and Lock Haven swimmers practice together, go to camps together, compete together, and compete against each other.   As a result of this close relationship between the two communities, swim team parent Rachelle Sheets will be a contributing blogger to this site.  Her postings will keep readers informed on events and happenings in Lock Haven area swimming.

The Lock Haven Loggerheads held their end of season “ice-cream” social at the Mill Hall Park on Tuesday night. There was a great turn out and a vast selection of toppings for the “make your own Sundae Bar”.

Awards were given out by Coach Joel and Coach Carol. All the swimmers received a “Loggerhead” certificate with their top times for the season. Special awards were given to the:

Top Swims of the Season

• Mikayla Sampson – 8 & under girls - 50 free, 2nd overall
• Mikayla Sampson, Haley Shadle, Evie Jane Rembold and Madison Bair – 8 & under girls – 100 Medley Relay – 2nd overall &100 Free Relay – 5th overall.

Top Summer Records Set Awards

• Nolan Dale – 14 & under boys - 50 free
• Ethan Dale – 12 & under boys - 50 breast
• McCartney Register – 12 & under girls – 50 fly

10 & under boys from left to right are Thomas Cygan,
Jonas Tomalonis, Logan Willams & Jordy Sheets. 
Click on photo to enlarge
Photo by Rebekah Cygan



Last but not least the 10 & under boys were given recognition for being undefeated in the League. They are: Igor Bittner, Thomas Cygan, Tobias Girton, James Riccardo, David Orndorf, Thomas Haftl, Jordy Sheets, Jonas Tomalonis & Logan Williams

A big Thank You to the Loggerhead Parents Association for organizing the event and purchasing the Loggerhead T-shirts for all the swimmers as their end of season gift!!

Swim Season Around the Corner

Jersey Shore Winter Swim Team sign-ups are scheduled for September 20 & 21 at the Jersey Shore YMCA from 6:00 - 7:30 PM. Check out this video to see the fun the kids have during the race season.

Click to enlarge

2011 Bald Eagle Swim League Undeafeated Age Groups - Girls 8-and-Under

The girls from the Jersey Shore Summer Swim Team won the Bald Eagle Swim League All-Stars and Championships on the back of 4 undefeated age groups.

The Jersey Shore 8-and-under girls  went undefeated in the Bald Eagle Swim League. Front row (left to right) Alexis Canellos, Meaghan Keegan, Allison Moore, Josie Gansell.  Back row, assistant coach Dave Keegan, Sarah Misquitta, Lily Dincher, Isabelle Griswold, Courtney Lehman, head coach Lee Thompson and assistant coach Mitch Thompson.  Not pictured Paige Hubbell, Abby Wall, Adalynn Wall, and Justice Wampler.