Plan Your 2011 Swims Now

Here’s a preliminary list of 2011 meets and open water events to add to your calendars. It will be updated on the “home” and  “meets” pages as the information becomes available for download.

June 4-5, Newburgh Sea Creatures long course meters meet.

June 10-11, Crawfordsville long course meters meet. (Part of a youth meet.)

June 12, Open Water stroke clinic, Morse Reservoir.

June 18, USMS 25K National championship and 5K relay, Morse Reservoir.

July 2, long course meters meet, IUPUI Natatorium.

July 30, open water swim, Morse Reservoir.

Aug. 27, open water swim, Morse reservoir.

Oct. 8, University of Indianapolis short course meters meet.

Oct. 29-30, GRIN Fall Classic short course meters meet, IUPUI Natatorium.

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Longtime GRIN swimmer Doug Strong passes away

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, April 22. A longtime Hoosier swimming supporter and friend of legendary coach Doc Counsilman, Doug Strong passed away on April 20.

Strong was the recipient of the Marge Counsilman Service Award in 2007. A former swimmer at Northwestern and a 1949 graduate of the University of Texas, Strong was an accomplished Masters swimmer. He holds a number of state masters records, especially in the 75-79 and 80-84 year old age groups. He was ranked top 10 nationally in dozens of events, going back as far as 1971. Last summer (2010) he placed in the top 10 nationally in four long-course events in the 85-89 age category.

Strong was a retired piano technician at the School of Music. He graduated from Texas in 1949 with a Bachelor of Music in orchestral instruments. For many years he played French horn in the Bloomington Symphony.

 

Strong and his wife Margaret established the Doug Strong Swimming Scholarship, as well as a scholarship with the IU Jacobs School of Music.

A memorial service for Strong will take place in Bloomington at a later date.

Open water is upon us

The Great Lakes Zone has begun an initiative to promote open water events in surrounding Local Masters Swimming Programs.

The zone includes Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and parts of West Virginia.

Click on the link below to see upcoming open water events:

http://www.greatlakeszone.com/GLOWS2011.pdf

Fun day in Kendallville

It was a fun day in Kendallville, IN., when 52 of the best swimmers around gathered for the 25^th Anniversary of the Spring Fever Meet March 12.

Swimmers from Kendallville, (ColeY), Wolcottville, (ColeY), Auburn, Ligonier, Columbia City (FCA Endurance), Middlebury, Huntington,, Ft. Wayne, Huntertown, Fort Wayne (CAMP), Muncie, Indianapolis (ISF), Pendleton, Fishers and Noblesville (NASTI), and Lafayette, Chesterton (Duneland), Valporaiso, Michigan City, Ogden Dunes, Culver, Elkhart, and Edwardsburg, Monroe (Michigan Masters), Benton Harbor in Michigan.

There were some “Donald Kroeger” wannabees (probably without realizing it) who swam numerous events:

Deb Stoner, 10 events; and Frank Herkenroder, 12 to Donald Kroeger’s 13 events.  Three swam 8 events; Laura Hammes from Ft. Wayne, Bill Huston from Lafayette; and Greg Clarke (25 year team member) from ColeY.    Peggy Davids from Duneland swam 7 events.

 Jeff Ostermann (Mens 30-34) broke his own state record in the 200 Backstroke with a 2:00.72 early and came close in the 200 Fly later. Congratulations Jeff!   We all enjoy watching your strokes and cheering you on!

 Even though we had a late start to the meet, the Surprise Relay at the end fielded 6 lanes for a “sock” wearing 200 Yd. relay.

 Many were starving after the meet, so the sloppy joes and all the fixin’s tasted extra good.  The video of the meet ran during the dinner for all to see.  The video will be available on the local newspaper web site kpcnews.com  Its 4.5 minutes.  Hopefully a link will be sent to swimmers and officers and we’re working on putting the whole video on a Cole Y Masters U-tube account.

 Congratulations to all who got good times.  There were lots of close races.  Our youngest swimmer turned 18 on March 9, Bonnie Reed from Cole Y.   Our youngest male swimmer was Kevin Hershberger, 18, from Columbia City’s FCA Endurance.  Our eldest female was Windy Brinson, 58 from Elkhart and the eldest male, Donald Kroeger, 67, from Michigan Masters.  We had quite a few swimming their first meet ever and some swimming their first Masters meet.  Don’t ever quit!

Cindy Miller

GRIN launches Facebook site

GRIN Swimming has launched a Facebook site to keep people up-to -date on the latest news.

Simply click here and ask to join the group.

Looking for a job?

Camp Skylemar is in search of a well-qualified and experienced Waterfront Director. Our job opening runs from June 13 until August 13.

Skylemar, located in southern Maine, offers top-notch instruction and enjoyment in aquatics and land sports, for 170 boys, ages 7-17. The setting is spectacular, with 200 acres of fields and forest, and best of all, Trickey Pond.

Trickey Pond, known one of the State’s cleanest and most transparent bodies of water, is the ideal setting for our popular and well-managed swimming and boating program. Swim instruction and free-play, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, waterskiing, wakeboarding and fishing are favorite activities on our virtually private, three mile long lake.

We are in search of a Waterfront Director who:

– Has extensive experience directing an aquatics program

– Shares our belief that nothing is more important than safety

– Is comfortable teaching all levels, from the fearful to the competitive

– Is WSI and Lifeguard certified

– Can train, motivate and supervise a staff of ten collegiate lifeguards

– Enjoys kids, and will inspire them to love the water

Known for our outstanding staff and attention to the individual child, Skylemar is a fantastic place to work. We provide full scholarship for the children or grandchildren of our staff members, salary of $4000-6000, housing, meals and travel expenses.

Interested applicants should see go to www.skylemar.com and apply online, or contact me personally at (410) 329-5995 or Arleen@skylemar.com.

Thank you very much!

Sincerely yours,
Arleen Shepherd