Andrew Le Vasseur - Head Coach, Denver Masters Swimming Team, CMS Club representative

Andrew began his swimming career on the Schofield Sharks Swim Club in Hawaii as an 8-under many years ago. His coaches included Pat Rainkey and Pete Selmer. Pete studied with Doc Councilman, considered to be the founder of modern swimming. Andrew attended Cherry Creek High School here in Colorado and was a three year Varsity Letterman. Although offered a swimming scholarship to Dartmouth University, Andrew instead accepted a music scholarship to play Bassoon for the University of Arizona. Throughout high school and college and for many summers afterward, Andrew has been employed a Swim Coach, WSI, Aqua Fitness Instructor, Lifeguard and Lifeguard Trainer.

As a swimmer, Andrew has over the years achieved USMS top ten ranking and placed consistently in local, regional, national and international swimming meets.  Andrew is the current Colorado State Champion in several events including the 50 free in the 50-54 age group.

Andrew's coaching experience spans 30 years of age-group and master's level swimming.  He has been with the University of Denver Masters Swimming Program since 2008.  Andrew serves as the USMS 2014 and 2015 High Intensity On-Line Coach.  He served as the lead coach for the CMS Regional Swimming Team that won the 2015 USMS SCY Championships in San Antonio, TX and won the 2012 LCM National Championship in Omaha, NB.   He has served as one of four coaches selected to lead USMS National Team attending 2014 FINA World Championships in Montreal, Canada.  He has served in 2012, 2013 and 2014 as USMS "On Deck Coach" for National Championship swimming meets. He was selected as the COMSA 2011 "Coach of the Year" and since 2009 has been a Level 3 ASCA/USMS Certified Swimming Coach.

Andrew looks forward to working with the CMS regional team as Club Representative to COMSA. If you are interested in coordinating relays and serving as lead coach for the CMS team headed to LCM Nationals in Ohio, please contact him at swimmin4fun@msn.com

Spring is finally upon us! That means outdoor pools are opening soon and our beautiful Colorado Lakes and Reservoirs are preparing for Open water swimming! It is also time once again to challenge yourselves by participating in the 2015 USMS Speedo 5K and 10K ePostal National Championships, hosted this year by the Central Oregon Masters Aquatics. The object is to swim a 5K or 10K in a 50 meter pool between May 15th and September 15th, then submit your entries and splits online and see how you compare with the rest of the country! Whether you swim either or both for competition, fitness or for some form of "fun", you will feel ever so accomplished once you are done!

COMSA is sponsoring 2 opportunities to participate as a group at the beautiful outdoor 50 meter pool at Lowry this summer on Sunday, July 5th and Sunday, July 26th from 7 am to 10 am. All you need to do is e-mail nicolevanderpoel@msn.com with the dates and distance you would like to swim.

You will need to bring a counter/verifier person with you as well. Clip boards, pencils, split sheets, extra stop watches and encouragement will be provided. Almost forgot, you will also receive a collector's item..COLORADO GOES POSTAL CAP!!  

We are super fortunate to have COMSA support us in fulfilling our long distance swimming goals by sponsoring these events every year! There is no cost to you other than the $12 entry fee once you submit your splits to the host team online. Don't forget to list CMS as your team!

We had a record number of participants in the 2015 One Hour Postal. I challenge each of you One Hour Postal Swimmers to continue the USMS Speedo ePostal National Championship Series and participate in the 5K & 10K! In addition, Masters Coaches, please announce these Postals to your swimmers and encourage them to participate as well! We have so many amazing distance swimmers that we need to show the rest of the Country how Colorado Goes Postal!  

E-mail nicolevanderpoel@msn.com to reserve your dates!

Happy Training! Nicole Vanderpoel, Long Distance Pool Chair

The 2015 U.S. Masters Swimming Summer National Championship will be held August 6-9 at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.  

This beautiful new facility boasts a 10-lane 50-meter competition course plus a 6-lane 25-yard warm-up course.

The full meet information and travel & social event information are now available. An article in the May/June issue of SWIMMER magazine also provides information on things to do and see in the area. article from Swimmer 

Order of events
Travel & Social Events 

National Qualifying Times  

Online entry is now available for this meet. Online entry is encouraged to reduce entry errors, and swimmers receive immediate confirmation of their online entry. The paper entry form is also available for those who prefer to mail in an entry and pay by check. All entries must be received by end of day Monday, July 6. Entries received on or before June 15 will receive a $10 discount off the meet surcharge.

any further questions?? 

Contact: the openwater chair
email: shelleswims@gmail.com  

Conventional wisdom tells us that faster freestyle turnover equals faster speed. If only it were that easy! This might be true for our terrestrial counterparts, runners, but water is about 800 times denser than air. That added resistance means the rules don't apply in the same way for both runners and swimmers. Additionally, turnover rate and speed don't share a linear correlation; errors in stroke mechanics introduce drag, and as speed increases, this drag coefficient increases exponentially.

Finding the right turnover is personal and based on a swimmer's height (or wingspan), skill level, tempo (rate of turnover), and stroke length. Tempo is measured in strokes per minute or seconds per stroke. For example, 60 SPM is equivalent to one second for each arm stroke. Stroke length is the distance the body moves forward on every stroke.

As many short swimmers already know, height is an advantage in swimming. Taller swimmers naturally have a longer stroke length. But shorter swimmers might be able to overcome some disparity if they access the legs effectively. This is why counting kicks per length is important to finding whether more (or fewer) kicks increase stroke length and speed or just burn up more energy than necessary.

More often than not, swimmers stroke at tempos that are too fast-beyond their current skill levels-and are forced to kick too much so they can remain stable. These swimmers might be physically able to spin their arms at 70 or 80 SPM, but they don't get the return in speed they should given their stroke rate and added kicks. In addition, that higher stroke rate typically deteriorates in mid- to long-distance swims or toward the end of a main set at practice. The swimmer attempts to swim more yards to build endurance and manage fatigue rather than improving technique and skill to get the most out of each stroke and avoid fatigue.

Basically, they're swimming harder instead of swimming smarter.

Getting accurate measurements for tempo, stroke length, and pace can be a challenge, especially in 25-yard pools, but you can help your swimmers accomplish this with some planning and a little math. Let's start with measuring tempo.

Colorado Masters apparel is now available through the Swim Team Store website.    Long and short sleeve tee shirts and hoodies are available in black or white.  Shorts and swim suits are in black only.     Colors are all shown in black, the white choice is available once item is clicked on.  All items have the Colorado Masters Swimming logo from this year as seen above. Purchase your apparel now  and have items shipped directly to you.  

http://www.thelifeguardstore.com/lgsteams/productcart/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=2980&idAffiliate=677  

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