Coach’s Comments
    This season we are developing and demonstrating our covenant of Fun, Focus and F-ort (effort - made into a word that blends with the other two - hehe).  This is an agreement to uphold certain standards at practice and at meets.  So far the kids have been hard at work defining what this means and how it will look.
    The coaches are pleased to see our kids stepping up in practice and at meets.  They are encouraging each other in practice and at meets with positive words and high fives (fun).  Listening skills include looking and listening, sometimes repeating back the instructions(focus).  Choosing daily goals, making and working toward season goals, and full execution of the set (focus).  Working hard, taking on challenges with a smile, attacking and going after the workout or skill are the F-ort part of our days.  The coaching staff is so pleased to see such good work from all the kiddos.
    The masters exhibit these skills by thanking the coaches after practice (fun and f-ort I think!).  Challenging themselves with new drills, sprints, and distance (especially those first time 3K swimmer!) fit under F-ort.  Fun is the encouragement they give each other at 6 in the morning.  When it’s dark out and we’re working hard and they still have time and energy to laugh and joke is another Fun factor!  Focus is the masters November goal.  Listening the first time to the set - not talking while the coach is talking - remembering the set to the finish - these are Focus skills. 
    Keep up the good work all!


Kids Krazyness
Albany Nov 7-8.  Warm ups for 12 and unders is at 9:30am, 13 and overs at 1pm.

Marta Hogard Nov 21 at River Road Pool.  This is a one day meet.  All kids are encouraged to sign up as there are 3 relays!  We’d like to do as many relays as possible that day.  If one person isn’t there sometimes that means we can’t have a relay.

No practice for all groups Nov 26-28 in observance of Thanksgiving.  Have a happy holiday!

Great job to our kids at the Willamalane meet and the Black vs Green meet last month.  It was great to see the new kids do so well and the seasoned swimmers taking on a leadership role.  Way to go team!

We are still selling Entertainment Books.  You can turn in money and/or get more books from Coach Gina or contact our coordinator Angela Bradley at: 541-285-0602, burnouts4@msn.com

Masters Challenge Fundraiser
    Time for our annual scholarship fundraising drive!  Each year our masters raise money to support our kiddos on scholarship.  We have 12 kids on scholarship -which is more than any other team!  Our policy is to never turn a kid away that can’t afford the dues or meet fees.  With that in mind we still have our bills to pay!  This fundraiser (as well as all our other ones) help to offset the costs.  Anything you give really  helps out!
    Dave Fryefield, Steve Johnson, and John Manotti are currently leading our efforts as fundraisers for this years challenge.  Our goal is to raise $7500.  Last year we were able to raise $5000.  One full year of scholarship is just over $1000.  You can pledge by annual dues, 1 season (6 months) or any amount you can afford.  We have a thermometer scale showing our progress on the bulletin  board.  If you know anyone that is not part of our team that may be interested please let us know.  Look to get a flier at practice!
    Thanks to Dave Fryefield, Dick Weick, Christy Bindstadt, Steve Johnson, and John Manotti for already helping out!  We’re off to a great start!


Thanks to some donations we were able to get all of our scholarship suits paid for!
John and Lisa Manotti, Kerri Evans, Kipp and Mari Hammon, Stephen Flanagan, Gail Newton, Lynda Christiansen, Steve Johnson, Kyle Hoelschoer, and Doug Lee.



Football Fundraiser Update
Only two more football booth dates: Nov 14 and Dec 3.

We DID get two dates for cleanups!  We need 25 people at 4:30pm at MAC court on Jan 3 and Feb 27.  Check your calendars now.  If you have not fulfilled your fundraising requirement this is another opportunity.  Please contact Coach Gina by email to reserve your spot (ginadhom@earthlink.net).

New Coordinator needed for our booth and cleanups next year.  Breyer has been doing a great job this year - but she’s passing on the torch.  Please contact Breyer is you are willing to do this or have more questions (breyerp@earthlink.net).

Our Halloween game did great!  People came to work in costumes - everyone looked great and worked hard.  It was a crazy busy game - we sold out of almost everything and made the most money we have all year!  Way to go volunteers!  (Maybe we should work in costumes more often - haha!).

Masters Moments
No Practice On Nov 26-28 in observance of Thanksgiving.  Have a happy holiday!

Evening practice changes times on the week of NOV 9.  New schedule will be Tue/Thur/Fri 6:30-7:30pm at Echo.

Civil War swim meet - We host this year!!!  Mark your calendars now to kick some butt on Sat, DEC 5 at our pool.  We are looking to do 9-11am, but the time is unconfirmed.

Punchcard swimmers: There’s a rumor going around that some of you think you’re not members!  Coach Gina thinks you’re a member, the board (one of the board masters is a punchcard member) thinks you’re a member - SO you better start thinking of yourself as a member.  It’s just another payment option that we offer our masters as a service to you.  Can’t wait to see you at the pool - you flexible schedule swimmers - you!

10K National record was set by more than 2 minutes by Steve Johnson this year!  His time was 2:27:57.36.  Congratulations!

Congrats to all our 3K postal swimmers!  If you are mailing it in please send Coach Gina your full name and total time ( to the 100th) so we can put you on a relay for Oregon. Send me your name if you did it so we can recognize everyone in the next newsletter!

Renew your Masters Membership!  It’s that time of year.  You can do it online now (in November 2009) and it will go through 2010.  This is a required insurance for all members. This is needed for any competition (including postals) and you get a really cool magazine and newsletter.  This last Oregon Masters Swimming (OMS) newsletter featured our very own Lynda Christiansen in an article about swimming for fitness and not competition.



Practice Schedule as of Nov 9
High School season starts on Mon, NOV 9 - bringing some changes to our schedule!
Novice     Tue/Thur/Fri 6-7:15pm
AGR 1        Tue/Thur/Fri 6-7:30pm
AGR 2        Tue/Thur/Fri 6-8pm
HS        Swims with HS team
AGR 3 & SR    Mon/Wed 3:30-5pm, Mon/Tue/Thur 6-7:30am, Tue/Thur/Fri 5-5:45pm dryland, Sat 8-10am

Masters
Mon/Tue/Wed/Thur/Fri 6-7:30am
Tue/Thur/Fri 6:30-7:30pm
Sat 8-10am

Training Plans with Coach Gina
    Interested in doing the Eugene Marathon or 1/2 Marathon?  Biking a  40K timetrial or 100 mile supported ride?
    Coach Gina is offering some training plans with built in cross training.  Perfect for the masters swimmer or triathlete.  Plan includes web workout plan for 5 months, web training log, weekly coach feedback, and monthly training with coach!  Cost is $200 with a portion of all proceeds going to EA’s scholarship fund.
    Eugene Marathon/1/2 Marathon plan starts on Nov 30.  Please contact Coach Gina if interested by Fri, NOV 27 (ginadhom@earthlink.net).  www.coachgina.net.

Education
These are some studies sited from USA Swimming on the benefits of athletic participation. 
Participation in Activities Offer Benefits

1. High school athletes have higher grades and lower dropout rates and attend college more often than non athletes.
-Women’s Sports Foundation Survey

2. Students who participate in activities average 3.32 GPA while non-participants average 2.48.  Further, participants miss an average of 4.9 days of school (including .7 for activities), while non-participants miss 10.8 days per year.
-North Dakota High School Activities Association

3. Grade-point averages of athletes improve the grade-point average of the general student population in every school in every category (in-season, out-of-season, minority).-South Bend, IN Community Schools

4. “High-activity” students (those involved in four or more activities) average 3.05 GPA, while “low-activity” students averaged 2.54 GPA.-Indiana University study

5. Athletes averaged 86 percent compared to 79 percent for the general population (based on 4.0 GPA as 100 percent). Athletes averaged four absences versus seven for the general population.  Eleven percent of the athletes had discipline referrals, compared to 25 percent of the general population.  No athletes dropped out of school, while 3.7 percent of the general population dropped out.-Randolph County (N.C.) Schools

6. University of Chicago research suggests: A)  By a two-to-one margin for males and a three-to-one margin for females, student-athletes do better in school, do not dropout and have a better chance to get through college.  B)  Student-athletes take average and above average courses.  C)  Student-athletes’ parents are more involved with their educational process.
D)  Student-athletes tend to focus more on long-term life accomplishments than short-term goals.  E)  Student-athletes are more self-assured.  F)  Ninety-two percent of participants do not use drugs.  G)  Ninety-five percent of school principals believe activities programs contribute to the development of “school spirit”  among the student body.
-Indiana University study

7. Extracurricular participation is a school’s best predictor of an adult’s success.-”Fulfilling lives-Paths to Maturity
and Success” by Douglas H. Health, based on a 40-year survey