July 10, 2009

Another Successful Week of Competition for the JCC Sharks
By Coach Suzie Retterer-Helfrich

The JCC Sharks Summer Swim Team just ended its fourth week of regular season with two meets. The first meet this week was a league contest at New Albany Links on Wednesday evening. The team traveled to New Albany for one of the larger meets to date. Six and Under team mates, Edward Schleicher and his buddy both had strong performances with first and second places in 25 free and 25 back races.

Eight and Under, Frieda Liu, had a bit of an off week placing second and third in her events of 25 free, 25 breast and 25 back.

In the 9-10 girls age group new swimmer, Annabelle Cohen joined our own Dani Lane for strong finishes in their races. Between the two girls they competed in all four races (swimmers are limited in the league to only three individual races per swimmer). Dani once again took seconds from her previous times and Annabelle had a great first time performances in her races.

Candace Weiss filled in the 11-12 Girls races with times that enable her to improve from weeks before. She had an especially good finish and time in her 50 breast stroke.

Maggie Helfrich placed first in her three races in the 15 and Over Girls Division and got to race against the 15 and over Boys as well. She enjoyed swimming against a New Albany swimmer she had trained with in previous years.

On Thursday, July 9th, the Sharks had a non-league meet against Sycamore Hills Swim Team. This rivalry has been in place for a number of years and gives JCC swimmers the chance to swim some different races, distances and relay events.

Schleicher placed a very close second in the 25 events and also did very well (second place) in his first 50 yard race, while his team mate earned three first places in 25 free, 25 back and a distance event of 50 free.

Lane and Cohen in the 9-10 Girls division had similar top finishes. Lane received 3 first place finishes and a 3rd in 25 Free, 25 back, 50 free and 25 breast respectively. Her 50 free time of 49.34 is her best 50 time to date. Cohen, in only her second meet, received a second and 2 third place finishes in 25 fly, 25 free and 50 free respectively.

Eleven-to-twelve swimmer, George Milikian, swam well for JCC receiving 4 first places in 50 free, 50 breast, 50 fly and 100 free, that age groups' distance event.

A high point of the meet was the ability to combine ages and sexes to come up with both a 100 medley relay team and a 100 free relay team to compete. The medley team of Schleicher (back), Lane (breast), Cohen (fly) and their team mate (free) compiled a time of 2:16.28 in all swimmers' first relay event. The same four swimmers with a different order, combined to swim the 100 free relay at the end of the meet with a time of 2:01.91.

We are entering our last full week of regular competition before championships at Hilltop. With two meets this coming week the first at Hunter's Ridge on Wednesday. We are excited to return to Sycamore Hills next Thursday for a tri meet with Indian Hills.

I want to thank the parents and families for their enthusiasm and support. All of the swimmers have come to practices and meets with great attitudes. It is obvious that they are all excited and encouraged by families to learn and improve while enjoying the fun in the sun.

July 2, 2009

Yes, We Are Small - But MIGHTY!
By Coach Suzie Retterer-Helfrich

Buddies Tyler Owens and Edward Schleicher have gotten first, second and third places in each of their meets competing in the two events for 6 and unders, 25 freestyle and 25 backstroke. They have improved times in the events at each of the last three meets.

Another buddy and team mate, Grant Nguyen, came to watch the last meet to get an idea about swim meets. We certainly hopes he plans to join the fun and race next week!

Danie Lane, in the 9-10 girls age group, has also shown great improvement in her first two meets. She is strong at breast stroke and freestyle and provides leadership for the practice group she is in with the older girls.

Freida Liu has had a great start to the season with first places in several of her 7-8 girls races. She too in improving times and is doing well in back, breast and free. Freida brought her non-swimming 12 year old cousin, Kaia Liu to coach Suzie for a lesson or two a few weeks ago and she is now competing for the Sharks as well swimming both 50 free and back.

George Melikian has had a good start to the season in the 11-12 boys age group, racing for first, second and third place finishes in all four strokes in the first two meets at Foxboro. He has improved both in the areas of time and strokes with each week of practice.

While candace Weiss missed this week's meet, she did well in the first two meets. Like Danie, Candace provides much leadership for the older age group and is very diligent at practices. We are looking forward to her return.

The older age group fills out the small but mighty team with Katie and Maggie Helfrich, sisters and daughters of Coach Suzie. They have turned in top finishes at each of the meets in the races they have competed. They enjoy working with and helping the younger swimmers especially our young beginning athletes!

It is still not too late to join the fun as we have another month of practices and meets. We practice after camp at 3:15 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. each weekday, when there is not a meet. For more information, please contact me at we6swim@hotmail.com.

The JCC Sharks benefit from the generosity of the Jack & Lillian Marks Bloom Endowment Fund for Youth Aquatics.