News and Announcements
2009 NOVA MASTERS EVENTS SCHEDULE
Below is a list of the upcoming Masters team swim meets, open water swims and triathlons. For key team events and travel trips we habe RSVP link found on the Nova Masters home page.
https://www.clubassistant.com/club/cl.cfm?c=67
Also see The Southern Pacific Masters Association website for complete listings, entry information and results.
http://www.spma.net/spma_calendar.php
2009 Short Course Yards Season:
* Las Vegas Short Course Yards Meet Saturday, January 24, 2009
* UCI Short Course Yeards Meet Sunday, February 8, 2009
* FAST Short Course Yards Meet in Fullerton Sunday, February 22, 2009
* SPMA Short Course Yards Regional Championships in Mission Viejo Friday - Sunday, April 24 - 26, 2009
* USMS Short Course Yards National Championships in Clovis, CA Thursday - Sunday, May 7 - 10, 2009
2009 Long Course Meters Season:
* Mission Viejo LC Meet - June 7
* Las Vegas LC Meet - June 21
* SPMS LC Regionals in Thousand Oaks - Friday-Sunday July 24-26
* USMS LC Nationals. Indianapolis, IN - Aug 6-10.
2009 Open Water & Triathlon Season:
* Desert Triathlon - Sun March 8
* Newport Beach Triathlon - Sunday April 19
* Playa Del Run Aquathlon - Sunday June 7
* Coronado Rough Water - Saturday July 4
* Alcatraz Challenge (Swim or Swim/Run Event) - July 12
* Balboa to Newport Pier to Pier Swim - July 11
* Pacific Coast Triathlon - Sunday July 26
* Don Burns 1 Mile Open Water, Corona Del Mar - Aug
2009 Short Course Meters Season
* Mission Viejo SCM Meet - October 7th
* SPMA SCM Championships - December 4th, 5th, 6th
We are very excited to announce the addition of a “super-star” athlete and coach to the staff. Julie Swail (now Ertel) was the captain of the 2000 USA Women’s Olympic Water Polo team who took home the Silver medal in Sydney. After retiring from competing in water polo Julie moved on to coaching Women’s Water Polo at UC Irvine as well as competing as a world class triathlete. She quickly moved through the ranks and in 2008 she qualified for the Olympics for the second time but in a different sport, this time to compete in triathlon. She placed 19th at the Olympics in Bejing.
Julie has an extensive background as a coach and athlete. She is highly motivated and her enthusiasm is sure to rub off on you if you attend any of her practices. She helps athletes attain “personal excellence” in fun loving, non-confrontational manner.
She’s a coach that can “walk the talk”. She sets an outstanding example for athletes with her work ethic and attention to details including rest, nutrition, strength and flexibility training, and more.
Nova Wins 5th Consecutive SPMA Championship Title!
LONG BEACH, CA - The Nova Masters Swim Team won its 5th consecutive title at the Southern Pacific Masters Association (SPMA) Short Course Meters Championship held at Belmont Plaza Pool December 5-7, 2008. Nova won by its largest margin ever, 322 points, largely due to the outstanding relay performances from the 100+ team members participating.
Full Results from the meet can be found at:
http://www.spma.net/html.phpbdy=meetresults/2008/2008_lbg_scm_regional_results.htm
Photos from the meet can be found at:
http://multisportsoc.smugmug.com/gallery/6749707_7jUSa
Team Scores - Top 10 of 62 participating teams
1 Irvine Novaquatics NOVA-33 2363
2 San Diego Swim Masters SDSM-SI 2041
3 Mission Viejo Nadadores MVN-33 1904
4 Long Beach Grunions LBG-33 842
5 Rose Bowl Masters ROSE-33 603
6 West Hollywood Aquatics WH2O-33 588
7 Las Vegas Masters LVM-33 572
8 South Bay SwimTeam SOBA-33 467
9 Southern California Aquatic SCAQ-33 447
10 Alberta Wild Rose AWR-ZZ 445.5
Individual Age Group High Point Awards
45-49 Women - Simpson, Susanne 63
50-54 Women - Osborn, Ahelee Sue 61
60-64 Men - Greenberg, Henry 43
75-79 Women - Caldwell, Dionne 54
90 New Nova Masters Team Records Set - 65 Individual / 25 Relay!
http://www.eteamz.com/novamasters/handouts/index.cfm?cat=82191
(full team record lists at link above)
| 18-24 | Jen Schumacher | 1500 Free | 19:47.42 |
| 25-29 | Dustin Asher | 100 Breast | 01:16.06 |
| 200 Breast | 02:50.32 | ||
| Enrique Flores | 400 Free | 04:57.40 | |
| 800 Free | 10:48.69 | ||
| 1500 Free | 20:17.70 | ||
| Douglas Fairchild | 50 Back | 00:29.19 | |
| David Giraldo | 200 Fly | 02:58.08 | |
| Austin Schaaf | 50 Back | 00:30.91 | |
| 100 Back | 01:03.46 | ||
| 35-39 | Jim Dietrich | 50 Breast | 00:33.24 |
| 100 Breast | 01:13.12 | ||
| 40-44 | Emily Odgers | 50 Free | 00:28.79 |
| 200 Free | 02:20.25 | ||
| 50 Fly | 00:33.32 | ||
| Paula Fell | 200 Back | 04:05.66 | |
| Mike McNeill | 100 Free | 00:57.37 | |
| 45-49 | Katsuya Takahashi | 200 IM | 02:21.69 |
| Susanne Simpson | 200 Free | 02:15.96 | |
| 800 Free | 09:40.69 | ||
| 1500 Free | 18:40.49 | ||
| 200 Fly | 02:38.56 | ||
| 50-54 | Don Cholodenko | 100 Back | 01:10.26 |
| 200 Back | 02:32.22 | ||
| 200 IM | 02:29.93 | ||
| 400 IM | 05:21.61 | ||
| Gerard von Hoffmann | 200 Free | 02:10.39 | |
| 100 Breast | 01:11.88 | ||
| Ahelee Sue Osborn | 50 Free | 00:30.93 | |
| 400 Free | 04:54.56 | ||
| 800 Free | 10:23.43 | ||
| 200 Back | 02:39.54 | ||
| 55-59 | Eric Schmitt | 400 Free | 05:36.08 |
| Rich Pfeiffer | 1500 Free | 23:19.62 | |
| Allen Todd | 50 Back | 00:39.97 | |
| 100 Back | 01:31.51 | ||
| Eric Schmitt | 200 Breast | 03:21.27 | |
| 400 Free | 05:36.08 | ||
| Kim Thornton | 200 Free | 02:54.36 | |
| 400 Free | 05:52.57 | ||
| 800 Free | 12:07.85 | ||
| 1500 Free | 24:17.74 | ||
| 100 Breast | 01:36.43 | ||
| 50 Fly | 00:39.39 | ||
| 100 Fly | 01:37.24 | ||
| 200 IM | 03:13.58 | ||
| 400 IM | 06:46.71 | ||
| 60-64 | Hank Greenberg | 100 Breast | 01:39.72 |
| 100 Fly | 01:18.75 | ||
| 200 Fly | 03:25.58 | ||
| 400 IM | 06:47.15 | ||
| Stewart Mims | 200 IM | 03:39.58 | |
| 65-69 | Ellen Shockro | 50 Free | 00:47.23 |
| 100 Free | 01:42.48 | ||
| 200 Free | 03:36.83 | ||
| 50 Back | 01:04.47 | ||
| 100 Back | 02:16.97 | ||
| 50 Breast | 01:07.41 | ||
| 100 Breast | 02:21.11 | ||
| 75-79 | Dionne Caldwell | 00:45.46 | 50 Free |
| 01:46.29 | 100 Free | ||
| 07:52.85 | 400 Free | ||
| 80-84 | Gene Paul | 50 Free | 01:07.24 |
| 100 Free | 02:22.50 | ||
| 200 Free | 05:00.98 |
| Nova Masters |
| Team Record Relay Members |
| Douglas Fairchild |
| Austin Schaaf |
| Michael Spiegel |
| Worth Glenn |
| Sam Li |
| Jen Schumacher |
| Liv Lyons |
| Shirley Peng |
| Dustin Asher |
| Carlos Soto |
| Enrique Flores |
| Scott Bolcoa |
| Max Beissman |
| Rachel Spencer |
| Diana Nguyn |
| Tanya MacLean |
| Kate Meloney |
| Heather Stolte |
| Julia Juliusson |
| Lana Kraus |
| Emily Odgers |
| Kathy Barnett |
| Ahelee Sue Osborn |
| Katsuya Takahashi |
| Diego Pombo |
| Allen Todd |
| Eric Schmitt |
| Ginny Ferguson |
| Lynn Kubasek |
| Debbie Daniel |
| Colleen Yanco |
| Lainie Johnson |
| Susanne Simpson |
| Kim Thornton |
| Don Cholondenko |
| John Dauser |
| Hank Greenberg |
| Richard Bush |
| Ed Jacobs |
| Tom Angell |
| Gayn Winters |
| John Elton |
| Franco Finizio |
| Ellen Shockro |
| Ellena Peterson |
| Dionne Caldwell |
Nova Masters Championship Team
1 Aaron Marinari
2 Abel Tong
3 Adam Schwarz
4 Ahelee Osborn
5 Alex Cheung
6 Allen Todd
7 Austin Schaaf
8 Bill Sieck
9 Bob Johnson
10 Brad Arshat
11 Brandy Bounds
12 Brian Amende
13 Carlos Soto
14 Carolyn Wong
15 Christopher Glew
16 Cindy DeMarco
17 Colleen Yanco
18 Darren Inouye
19 Dave Galli
20 David Giraldo
21 David Hayward
22 Debbie Daniel
23 Diana Nguyen
24 Dickie Fernández
25 Diego Pombo
26 Dionne Caldwell
27 Don Cholodenko
28 Douglas Fairchild
29 Dustin Asher
30 Ed Jacobs
31 Ellen Shockro
32 Ellena Peterson
33 Emily Odgers
34 Enrique Flores
35 Eric Schmitt
36 Franco Finizio
37 Gayn Winters
38 Gene Paul
39 Gerald Wolfe
40 Gerard Von Hoffmann
41 Ginny Ferguson
42 Greg Bonano
43 Hank Greenberg
44 Heather Martinez
45 Heather Stolte
46 Ira Cholodenko
47 Jennifer Schumacher
48 Jenny Perrey
49 Jim Dietrich
50 Jim Riddle
51 John Barrett
52 John Dauser
53 John Elton
54 John Kirker
55 Joy Jocson
56 JR Rovinsky
57 Julia Juliusson
58 Kate Meloney
59 Kathy Barnett
60 Katsuya Takahashi
61 Kay Cianci
62 Keith Rejino
63 Kevin Jacobs
64 Kim Thornton
65 Kogan Bao
66 Lainie Johnson
First-Time Meet Swimmer's FAQ by Brad Arshat
What is a Meet Form?
The meet form contains all the information you need to enter a meet,
including but not limited to the time and location, events you can
swim, entry fees, and deadlines. It may also tell you how the meet
will be run, how you will be timed, how awards will be presented, and
provide information about the hosting facility. Meet forms can usually
be found on the Nova Masters web site, the SPMA web site, or the web
site of the hosting team.
Note that a current USMS card is a universal requirement for
participating in Masters competition. You will be required to include
a copy of your USMS card with the entry form, or show your card when
you check in at the meet. Obtaining a USMS card only takes a few
moments online at the www.spma.net website.
What is a deck entry?
Deck entry is the process of signing up for a meet and selecting the
events you want to swim on the pool deck (hence the name "deck entry")
on the actual day of the meet. Depending on the meet, deck entry may
be allowed for all events, some events, or forbidden altogether as is
the case for all championship competitions. It is also common for the
meet hosts to ask you to pay a surcharge to deck enter events, due to
the extra administration involved. Deck entries often close an hour or
more before the meet or a particular event is scheduled to begin.
What do I need to know about choosing my events?
It's a good idea to discuss this with your coach prior to entering the
meet, but as a general rule, enter those events you are good at or
enjoy swimming. Pay attention to the order of events shown on the meet
form, and be careful about entering too many events too close
together. Giving a race 100% effort is physically taxing, and it's
best to allow at least some recovery time in order to perform to the
best of your ability in each event. Note that you will usually be
restricted to swimming a maximum number of events per day, and for the
duration of the meet - this information will be shown on the meet
form.
What is Seeding?
Seeding refers to a swimmer's competitive position in relation to
other swimmers in a particular swimming event based upon his or her
submitted entry time. When you prepare your meet entry form, you will
be asked to provide a time for each event that you swim. This time is
best obtained during one of the regular team practices, but failing
that, you can simply enter a good estimate. As you begin competing
more, you can seed yourself using times swum in events at previous
meets.
What are Psych Sheets?
At some point before the start of a meet, the event organizers will
distribute psych sheets, either in hard copy form or on the Internet.
The psych sheets will have all swimmers categorized by gender and age
group for each event, and seeded in accordance with the times they
provided. The "psych" part derives from swimmers who work themselves
into a tizzy, or lapse into happy complacency based upon their
seeding. Neither is a good idea...
How do I check in at a meet?
Event organizers will have a check-in table set up at the meet. You
check in by identifying yourself, and by presenting your USMS card if
you didn't send a copy in with your entry form. At larger meets, you
may also pick up your event T-shirt and goodie-bag. Don't just toss
the goodie-bag into your car without looking in it first, as it will
often contain the meet program, which provides vital information.
Note that for certain long-distance swimming events (1500 meter, 800
meter, 400 meter), you may be asked to check in separately for each
event. Event check-in can close an hour or more before the event
begins. Again, this information is provided on the meet form.
What are Heat Sheets?
Events at a meet are swum in heats, usually of 8 swimmers at a time.
Swimmers are grouped into heats based upon their seeded times, and
heats for each event progress from slowest to fastest. At larger
meets, men and women swim in separate heats. At smaller meets, they
may simply be grouped together based upon their seeded times. Note
that you will be scored based upon the time you swim in relation to
other swimmers in your gender and age group, so winning or losing a
heat may have no bearing on how you ultimately place in your events.
Heat sheets tell you in which heat and lane you will be swimming for
each event that you entered. In meets where no deck entries are
allowed, heat sheets are often provided to you in the meet program.
They are almost always posted on a bulletin board at the meet site as
well. It is important to check the POSTED heat sheets from time to
time, as it is not uncommon for them to change as a meet progresses,
especially if deck entries are permitted.
Is there any way to find out at what time I'll be swimming my events?
Meet organizers usually publish a meet timeline or schedule showing
the projected time at which each event will proceed. This is only an
estimate, and a meet can run behind or ahead of schedule, sometimes
significantly so. You can get a good feeling for the pace of the meet
by listening to announcements over the P.A. system as events are
called.
Gaaack! My name appears in all these relay slots. What's that all
about?
At many of the meets, your coaches will organize relay teams. While
participation is not mandatory, relays are often the funnest events in
a meet, and you are strongly encouraged to swim them. You will never
feel more a part of your team than when you swim in a relay, and the
spirit, camaraderie and excitement make them a memorable experience.
Relay assignments are posted on the team bulletin board - they will
let you know in which heat, lane and sequence you will be swimming. As
do the heat sheets, relay assignments may change over the course of a
meet, so make it a point to check them from time to time.
Take special note, the stroke sequence in medley relays is DIFFERENT
from that of individual medley events - the stroke order is
Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle.
How do I warm up and stay warmed up in preparation for my events?
As you already know from your practices, warming up gets you loosened
up and prepared to swim at a high level of performance. Prior to
swimming your first event, take the time to swim a good warm-up.
Typically, you will be practicing standard meet warm-up routines in
the weeks just prior to a meet. Now is the time to use what you
learned.
Warm-up is also an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the pool
in which you will be swimming your races. If you have spent most of
your time practicing in one pool and swimming sets measured in yards,
swimming in a different pool, particularly one dimensioned in meters
can seem a little strange at first.
Observe any differences in lane markings, and structural features such
as ledges around the edge of the pool. These can be a distraction and
cause you to blow a turn if they catch you by surprise. Watch for
differences in the position of the backstroke flags - they will be
slightly further from the edge of a pool that is laid out in meters.
The competition pool will ordinarily be available for warm-up only
prior to the start of a meet. A separate warm-up pool is usually
available for continuous use throughout the meet. If it's been more
than an hour or two since you warmed up or swam an event, it's a good
idea to spend a little time warming up again in preparation for your
next race.
Do I need one of those special swimsuits or special goggles?
Your regular swimsuit is fine for swimming in meets, but be sure it
fits properly. Having it wind up around your ankles after a dive is an
unneeded distraction, both for you and the meet spectators. Your
regular goggles are also fine, provided they fit well. Nothing can
ruin a race more certainly than having your goggles come off or fill
with water during a start. If you need new goggles, get them and try
them out at practice prior to the meet. The day of a meet,
particularly your first one, is not the time to be fooling around with
new equipment.
Can I pull that 800 freestyle? And can I use fins for that 50 fly?
Nice try, but no, you can't. USMS regulations prohibit the use of any
device that assists with buoyancy or propulsion. You are also
forbidden from wearing or utilizing any device that can assist with
pacing during competition, and that includes many wrist watches.
How are the events timed?
Events are usually timed using electronic timing systems that utilize
touch pads at the end of each lane. The results are automatically
recorded on a computer, and shown on a large display board. The
starting official initiates the timing system at the beginning of each
race. Your splits are recorded and displayed at each turn, and the
timer is stopped when you touch the pad for the final time at the end
of the race. Additionally, two timers with stopwatches attend to each
lane, in the event that something goes wrong with the electronic
timing system.
The timing system touchpads are fairly large, but it's not impossible
to miss them due to a bad turn or finish, which is one reason it's a
good idea to spend at least a little bit of time warming up in the
competition pool before the meet begins. The touchpads are visible -
practice a few turns and stops so you get a sense for how they're
located. Avoid grabbing the top of the gutter at the finish. Instead
reach for a finish just under the water's surface.
How does the starting process work?
You should be waiting behind the timers in your assigned lane, ready
to swim, when the heat before yours is swimming. AFTER the race before
yours finishes, check in with the timers to make sure they have your
name on their time slips to verify that you're in the correct heat and
lane, and move into position next to the starting block. DO NOT MOUNT
THE STARTING BLOCK AT THIS TIME!
When your heat is ready to proceed, the starter will give a series of
short blasts on his whistle. You have just a few seconds remaining to
adjust your swim cap or goggles if you need to, before the starter
gives one long blast on his whistle, at which point you are expected
to promptly mount the starting block. The starter will issue the
command: "Swimmers, take your marks", at which point you assume your
starting position on the block. The starting gun will sound shortly
thereafter.
Backstroke events are started in the water, and the sequence is
slightly different. After the initial series of short blasts, the
starter will give one long blast, which is your signal to promptly
enter the water. A second long whistle is your signal to assume the
starting position in the water, before the command "Swimmers, take
your marks" is issued, and the starting gun sounds.
Who are those serious-looking people walking back and forth along the
side of the pool?
Those are the referees. They're watching your starts, turns, finishes
and stroke technique to make sure you swim a legal race. In the
unlikely event that you do something to get yourself disqualified, one
of these serious-looking people will be waiting for you at the finish
of the event, and will tell you what you did to get disqualified. No
official time will be recorded for your race.
I'm absolutely wiped out. Can I use that ladder over there to exit the
pool?
Yes, you can, but under no circumstances do you cross into other lanes
while an event is still in progress, or you may be disqualified.
Also, take special note of exit procedures during relay events. If you
can, exit the pool promptly after you finish swimming. If not, stay to
one side of the lane, well clear of the touchpad, until all the
swimmers on your relay team have finished. The touchpad is reset 15-20
seconds after each swimmer finishes, in order to record the time of
the following swimmer. If you make contact with the touchpad while
exiting the pool after the touchpad resets itself, it stops the timer
again, recording an invalid time for that swimmer, and fouling up the
timing for the rest of your relay.
Do I need to warm down?
Warming down is a good idea, particularly following intense, longer-
distance events, in order to work accumulated lactic acid out of your
muscles, and keep you from stiffening up or getting cramps. An easy
200 yard swim, freestyle or mixed stroke, makes a good warm-down.
How do I find out how I did in my event?
A short time after all the heats for an event have been swum, the meet
organizers will post the results on a bulletin board. The results are
categorized by gender and age group, and swimmers are ranked by the
time that they swam in the event.
I can't believe it - I actually placed in an event! Where do I pick up
my ribbon?
The meet form usually explains how medals and ribbons will be awarded.
Each meet will have an awards table set up where you can go claim your
winnings.
What if I want to change my events?
Check with the event organizers. It may or may not be possible,
depending on the meet rules and timeline. In championship events, you
may not make changes after the entry deadline.
What if I want to scratch an event?
Begin by checking with your coaches, so they have the opportunity to
talk you out of it. If you still decide to scratch, you simply don't
show up at the starting blocks for your heat in that event. You are
not penalized, nor does that preclude you from swimming later events
in the meet.
Should I be eating and drinking during the meet?
Swimming races is highly demanding and burns a lot of energy. It is
very important to stay properly hydrated and nourished during a meet,
particularly if you are there for the entire day. It's easy to forget
about this in the excitement of the event, especially if you are
spending your time between races socializing with your teammates or
watching other swimmers compete.
If you suddenly find yourself feeling unusually tired, low on energy,
and irritable, there's a good chance you've gone to long without
eating and drinking something, or you aren't eating enough to keep up
with your body's demands. Having the hamburger platter 15 minutes
before swimming a 200 IM is obviously not a good idea, but any time
you have an hour or two between events, eating small, easily
digestible snacks such as yogurt, fruit, crackers or a peanut butter
sandwich will help to keep your energy level up. You should be
drinking water or sports drinks at fairly frequent intervals
throughout the day. Food and drink is usually, though not always
available for sale at the meet location. Bring the snacks and drinks
that you like to the event with you!
Seasons
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