Electric Eels News
November 2016
Editor:
Enma Plank Contributors:
Natalie Carlantonio Gabby Scwartz
Anna Plank Mikayla Fleeger
Alyssa Rea Coach O’Toole Robin Plank
In this Issue… Page 1: Continuous Backstroke Kick Page 2: Meet Coach O’Toole Page 3: Meet the Contributors Page 4: Meet the Contributors, New Swimmer Welcome Page 5: First Splash, Bring a Friend Night Page 6: Upcoming events, Corporate Sponsorship Thank You!, Nutrition
Continuous Backstroke Kick
Contributed by Coach O’Toole
Using a continuous kick is a staple in great backstroke swimming. Why do it: Avoiding any delay or pause in backstroke kick will help swimmers understand there re-ally are NO dead spots in backstroke, with the arms OR legs. How to do it: 1 - Start with standard streamline kick on your back. Make sure the body line is parallel to the surface. 2 - Move from streamline kick to position-11 kick. This puts the arms into a more back-stroke like position. 3 - Slowly start to add the arm motion, but keeping the focus on the continuous kick. How to do it really well (the fine points): Sometimes swimmers need a little reminder, like tying a string around your finger to re-member something. Try using a band that goes around your thighs to not only remind the swimmer to keep kicking, but to also re-mind them to keep the kick narrow... And consistent.
Meet Coach O’Toole Alyssa Rea
As a new swim season starts, many may be anxious to meet our swim team’s new head coach, Coach O’Toole. However, there is noth-ing to be worried about, you can ask Coach Alaina, Coach Logan or my-self, Alyssa. We have all swam for Coach O’Toole at some point in our
swimming careers, mine being just three years ago. I swam for the Butler YMCA and had Coach O’Toole as a coach for both of the years I swam
with that team. While swimming under Coach O’Toole, I went my fastest personal times, to this day, and also had the best technique I have ever had as a swimmer. You will quickly learn that Coach O’Toole’s coaching
technique is not the same as many of our other coaches. Coach O’Toole is very picky about the technique his swimmers use while they are swim-
ming. He will take time to work on that technique at the beginning of the season. As the season progresses, he will start upping the yardage,
while making sure that we are all swimming with the good technique he taught us before. Coach O’Toole has many years of coaching experience,
so he knows what is right and what is wrong. He also knows how to write workouts that will benefit everyone. Coach O’Toole is also known for is putting his swimmers in events what he thinks they will do well in which
it isn’t necessarily what the swimmers think they will do well in. Who knows, maybe an event that you have never done may become one of
your favorite and/or best events. All in all, Coach O’Toole will push you as a swimmer, but the results will be well worth it!
MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS
My name is Emma Plank, and I have been editor of the Electric Eels newsletter for 3 years. I’m 13 years old, and in 8th grade. I have been swim-ming for the Eels for 8 years and I am in the Sen-ior group. I enjoy swimming because I love the water and I’m super competitive. I like writing be-cause it gives me something creative to do. Away from the pool I like reading, writing, and being outside. I look forward for another successful sea-son with the Eels!
My name is Mikayla Fleeger and I am in the red group. I am twelve years old, I also am in sev-enth grade at Slippery Rock Middle School. This is my third year as an Eels member. One of my favorite things about the swim team is that it is only your own times that really matter not if you win or lose. The things I do outside of swimming are the school band and the school choir. In the band I play the flute. I also sing soprano in the choir. I hope we all have a good season and lets go Eels!
My name is Anna Plank. This year I am in the Red Group. I enjoy swimming because I love the competition and because, I have made lots of great friends. I enjoy writing because I get to have creativity. When I am not swimming, I like to play outside and read. Another sport I do, other than swimming, is archery. I am looking forward to another great season for the Eels!
Emma Plank
Mikayla Fleeger
Anna Plank
Meet the Contributors
Natalie Carlantonio
Gabby Schwartz
My name is Gabby Schwartz, and I am eleven years old. This is my third year writing for the Electric Eels Newsletter. This is also my third year as a swimmer. I am new to the red group, having just moved up from the black group. I am a fifth grader at Moraine Elementary. I have two brothers named Sam and Cole, and a Brittney Spaniel named Goose. One fact about me is that my favorite color is green. My fa-vorite hobbies are listening and learning about mu-sic, writing, and swimming. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my future articles for the Eels Newsletter!
My name is Natalie Carlantonio. I am 12 years old and I am in 7th grade at Slippery Rock Middle School. I am in the senior group. This is my 6th year of swimming for the Eels. I love swimming because it brings joy to me every time I do it. I love the sport and I love doing it with my friends. I am very grateful to be able to do the newsletter for the 3rd year in a row. I love to write because I can express my thoughts and feelings through words. I am VERY excited for this swim season!! GO EELS!!!!
Welcome to the Team! Be sure to give these swimmers a warm welcome to SRST!
Chris Brunsgaard Season Grant Adaly Garcia Mollie Massella Maya Kirk Arianna Pintel Maggie Massella Griffin Alleman Blade Quast Lexi Doerflinger Elisa Cagle Grace Robinson Mary Fritz Sierra Pearce Lexi Smith Lea Hust Leah Plank Logan Smith Alexis Plyer Drake Barnhart Epifani Trufley Virginia Recchia Kevin Bowser Abigail Lasko Katie Shea Austin Callihan Justin Pearce
SRST Swimmers making a BIG Splash at First Splash! Robin Plank
SRST had seven swimmers participate in the first USA meet of the season at West Allegheny High School on October 8th and 9th. Anna and Cora Plank made their USA swimming debut and had several personal best times. They also had the ability to swim races like the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke for the first time. Cora placed in 6 out of her 7 individual events. This was quite an accomplishment for a 9 year old in a 9-10 age group! Other individual highlights: Natalie Carlantonio had several personal best times and placed in all 8 individual events, Emma Plank finished in the top 6 in 8 out of 9 individual events. Our senior group represented our team well in the 500 freestyle with Ash-ton Huff, Alyssa Rea, Kaitlin Novak, Natalie Carlantonio, and Emma Plank all competing in the 13 and over age group. Many of these girls had never swum the event (20 laps in total) and posted outstanding times and overall finishes. We are proud of all of our US swimmers. Although small in numbers, SRST was well represented at First Splash. Good job girls!
Bring a Friend Night
All the Eels can agree that bring a friend night was a blast! From pizza to pool time, there was fun for everyone! Here some picture of the fun that
took place!
Gold Sponsors: Slippery Rock Veterinary Hospital Foot and Ankle Wellness Center of
Western PA Silver Sponsors: Faull Fabricating
Gene Cooper Farms NexTier Bank PACE Trophies
Slippery Rock Hardware Cashdollar & Associates, LLC
David Gordley, D.D.S Harrisville Memorials
Trimpey Consulting Services Hooks and Toy’s Auto Repair
Bronze Sponsor:
Slippery Rock Family Medicine Paul and Rosalie Plank
Slippery Rock Pharmacy
Friends of the Eels: Lloyd and Carol Green
Room to Grow Montessori Sheetz
Muddy Creek Animal Clinic Sculpture Studio SRU Credit Union
TMS Physical Therapy Turner Insurance
Lexi Doerflinger Kyle Klingensmith
Abigail Lasko Zachary Hoehn Landen Suorsa
Corporate Sponsorship Thank You!
November Birthdays!
Would you like to contribute to the Electric
Eels newsletter? If so, con-tact Emma Plank at
[email protected] for more information!
Upcoming Events…
Nov. 12-13th– PRA Developmental Invite Nov. 12th– Away meet @
Carlynton Nov. 19th– Home meet
vs. Northgate, Wave Runners, and Blackhawk
Nutrition The way we fuel our bodies is an important factor when it comes to swimming fast! The link below pro-vides some helpful tips for getting
the nutrients your body needs!
http://www.teamusa.org/About-the-USOC/Athlete-Development/Sport-
Performance/Nutrition
