News from COMSA

As we move into short course meet season, occasionaly swim meets may be proposed, and then sanctioned between newsletter dates. In order to communicate the event details and deadlines in a timely manner "Upcoming Meet Info" emails will be sent out (in addition to them being posted on the COMSA website). These will come from COMSA as the newsletter does. If you do not compete, and would not like these emails you may unsubscribe from the "upcoming meet info" emails. You'll still receive the newsletter. And as always may unsubscribe to the newsletter as well as stated at the bottom of the page. Hopefully this does not bombard you with emails but inform you of events that are impending. For your scheduling purposes, a "Save the date" area will include events and dates that we know are in the process of becoming finalized and sanctioned, but do not have meet registration links yet. Continue to check the COMSA website comsa.org for updates regarding these meets.

Thanks Kathleen for wishing to highlight your team Pikes Peak Athletics Masters!

Heide Crino

heidecrino@gmail.com

Featured Team: Pikes Peak Athletics

My name is Kathleen. I swim for the new and rapidly growing masters team in Colorado Springs. The team name is Pikes Peak Athletics. The coaches are Anna and George Heidinger.

Anna, formerly Anna Trinidad, has grown up in Colorado Springs swimming. She attended Cheyenne Mountain High School where she was an 8-time individual high school state champion and 4-time Colorado State High School swimmer of the year. After graduating high school, Anna attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison to attain her Bachelor's of Science in Secondary Education-Family and Consumer Science. While at Wisconsin, she was a multiple, individual division I NCAA qualifier, 2-time swim team captain, and an All-American. Throughout Anna's swimming career she qualified for Olympic Trials in 2000, 2004, and 2008. After her undergraduate degree, Anna attended the University of Denver to receive her Master's in Higher Education-Sports Administration. She was the assistant men's and women's swimming coach at the University of Denver and has many years of experience in club coaching. Anna also is a certified personal trainer, with certifications as a professional exercise specialist and corrective exercise specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is extremely passionate about athlete, student and holistic development and thrives on assisting people of all ability levels in achieving their goals.

George Heidinger: A lifelong coach, began his career coaching 8-and-unders for a summer league at age 15. He has since served as an assistant coach for all levels of swimming teams, and head-coached for two different club teams as well as high school and summer league teams. George coached stroke technique camps in seven different seasons at Carnegie Mellon University, assisted in and organized numerous other swimming and training camps and also became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist accredited by the National Strength and Conditioning Association in 2006. He has been selected as a coach for the Allegheny Mountain Zones All-Star team three times and has developed numerous athletes that went on to excel in college swimming programs of all levels. In addition to strength and conditioning, the outdoors and the energy that kids evoke, George's passion is encouraging athletes to pursue personal excellence regardless of their potential, while respecting the "whole person".

The team has the distinct pleasure of swimming in the famous Olympic Training Center pool in the center of Colorado Springs. As we walk to the pool down the long interior hallway, we are inspired by the larger than life size murals and posters of current and former Olympic swimmers.

I hope that you will consider highlighting the team and its coaches in an upcoming article. pikespeakathletics.com

Kathleen MacLaren

*Thank you Kathleen for bringing your team to our attention to highlight. Coaches Bios from the Pikes Peak Athletics website. Heide Crino

2013 MARRIOTT SUMMER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
August 7-11, 2013

2013 Marriott Summer National Championship
Mission Viejo, Calif.
August 7-11, 2013

U.S. Masters Swimming is pleased to return to Mission Viejo for its 2013 Summer National Championships. Mission Viejo last hosted a USMS national championship in 2005. Swimmers had a great time and turned in great swimming times at the 2005 championships in Mission Viejo.
meet info
Qual times

Chatfield Gravel Pond

Saturday 7:30 am to 10:00 am
Monday and Wednesday 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm
May 1 - September 30

Swimming at the Gravel Pond at Chatfield State Park, begins on the far westside of the pond, on the north end.

Water temps
July - low to mid 70s
August - mid 70s to high 60s
September - high 60s to high 50s

Approximate length 900 meters from westside, north end to eastside south end cove.
Approximate length to gravel bar 250 meters from the westside, north end.

more info

waiver

We will again be asking that everyone who swims at the pond volunteer a half session (1.25 hours) to help with the monitoring of the swimmers. Be watching for the emails from SignUp Genius asking for your help with this task.

In addition, COMSA is in need of an Open Water Chair (or co-chairs) who will, among other things, coordinate the scheduling of the monitors. We had over 900 members participate last season at Chatfield, and each year this number increases. However, to keep this a successful activity, volunteer help is needed. If you are willing to coordinate monitors for one month of the five that we are open, maybe four others would also be interested. If you are willing to help with this, contact the COMSA chairperson, Brian Hoyt, (bkhoyt@gmail.com) , or Marcia Anziano, the registrar (Marcia.anziano@gmail.com) for more information and let them know that you are willing to help out. Please help COMSA make this another great summer at the pond.

Open Water

Open Water Swimming
Grant Ranch, Littleton
info

Local and National Swimming Links

http://usopenwaterswimming.org/

Breadbasket Zone
http://www.iowamasters.org/
http://www.minnesotamasters.com/
http://www.movymasters.org/
http://www.nebraskamastersswimming.com/
http://www.ozarklmsc.org/

Go The Distance 2013

"Go the Distance in 2013

Nike GTD is a self-directed program intended to encourage Masters swimmers to regularly exercise and track their progress. There's no time limit for the distance milestones, except that they must be achieved in the calendar year. Speed doesn't count-just the effort to attain whatever goal you set for yourself.

Nike GTD is on the honor system-you track the distance you swim. Daily, weekly, or monthly, enter that information into your online Fitness Log (FLOG). When you achieve certain milestones, you'll be recognized on the U.S. Masters Swimming website and receive special prizes from Nike Swim, our title sponsor for the event." USMS website

more info and registration

What's Happening at U.S.M.S.

As members of COMSA, you are also members of U. S. Masters Swimming. Check that website for information on Fitness Events, Coaching tips, Competitions nation wide, and many other areas of interest to swimmers everywhere .... U. S. Masters Swimming