Saturday, August 7, 2010

End of Season Banquet

UPDATE: The end of season banquet will be held this coming Friday, September 10th at 5:30pm at the recreation center. Please plan on bringing a dish to share with others as we come together to celebrate the great summer season.

The Torpedo will hold an end of the year pot-luck banquet prior to the start of school! Please continue to check for updates as to the date, time, and place.

Most swimmers will be receiving some award, so please plan to attend!

Thanks for a Great Season!

Thank you very much to all members of the Torpedo family for making this a great season.

At the Tarheel Swim League Championship Meet, the Torpedo ended in 4th place behind champion Morganton Swim Club, McDowell Mariners, and the Granite Falls Sharks.

Despite the rain, most of our swimmers had a great meet, achieving best times in many, if not all, of their events. Special recognition goes to Gunnar H. for tying for third place in the 8 &U Girls High Point Award, Alec B. for tying for third place for the 15-18 Boys High Point Award, and finally Grant G. for tying for first place in the 15-18 Boys High Point Award.

Congratulations to everyone for a successful and fun season!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Transylvania!

Tonight we will be swimming against the Transylvania Aquabats in our final home meet of the season! Please be on time for our warm-up, and please stick around until the very end of the meet!

UPDATE: After speaking with the coach of the Aquabats and consulting various weather information services, it has been decided that the meet this evening IS CANCELED. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused swimmers and their families.
The first concern for the coaches is safety of all swimmers and their families, especially those traveling to swim. Forecasters are predicting storms along the route from Transylvania to Valdese, as well as storms here this evening. With the uncertainty surrounding the ability to complete the meet, as well as hazardous travel conditions, coaches decided it is in the best interest of the swimmers to cancel.

UPDATE: As of 1:30pm, there is little change in the forecast for Valdese. According to the Weather Channel, there is a 70% chance of thunderstorms developing around 4pm, 35% chance around 5pm, followed by little to no chance of storms until around 8pm this evening. Between 7pm and 8pm, the chance of storms increases from 10% to 60%, and the chance of storms will not fall below 50% until after 10pm. Coaches from Transylvania and Valdese are in touch discussing the safest course of action for the swimmers.


UPDATE: As of 10:45am, the National Weather Service forecast for Valdese is as follows:
Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Light northeast wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Given this forecast and the distance our guests are traveling to swim this evening, there is a possibility the meet this evening will be canceled. Please continue to check back during the day for more updates. A final decision will be made by 3pm.

Important Conference Information

The end of the season is upon us! This Saturday, we travel to Forest City to compete in the Tar Heel Swim League Championship Meet. Warm-ups for the Torpedo are at 8am. This means be ready to enter the water AT 8am! The pool opens at 7:30 for team set-up. Anyone working at the meet will need to attend the respective meeting for their position.
Stroke & Turn / Starter / Clerk of Course Meeting – 8:45am
Timer / Runner / Heat Ribbons – 8:45 am

The following is from the Forest City Stingrays, this year's conference host. Please read and respect their wishes, as our conduct reflects upon us as a team and more widely upon the Town and Community of Valdese. Let's all be gracious guests this Saturday!


--There will be NO personal tents allowed on the deck, they may be set up in the
grassy area to the right of the pool entrance and on the west side of the parking area.
If necessary, tents may also be located on the tennis courts to the left (east) of the
Recreation Center building.

--Each team will be allowed one 10 x 10 tent in an assigned space on the deck inside the
fence.

--Spectators should keep the left side of the pool area clear so that all may access
restrooms and swimmers may access the clerk of course area. Also spectators should
avoid the timer/starter areas which will be congested with essential activities. The area to
the right of the pool as you enter will be your best option.

--No one should be in the kiddie pool!

--The east side of the parking lot will be utilized by our vendors (food, refreshments and
t-shirts…yes, we are using Eagle Sportz and hope you will like our design). There will be
handicapped parking available in the northeast corner of the parking lot.

-- Sorry, but we are not blessed with ample onsite parking. Parking is allowed on the
south (i.e. golf course) side of Clay Street, in the spaces on Westview Street at the Forest
City Clubhouse, on the west (i.e. golf course) side of Golf Street, in the lots off Harris
St. (to the west) behind Forest City Chiropractic and the Magnolia House, in the lots of
Shuford Nationwide Insurance, Bell Orthodontics or in the vacant lots on the north side
of W. Main Street. You may also park at the Rutherford County School’s Cool Springs
Office Building or in the Dollar General Store spaces closest to Main Street (i.e. furthest
from the store). Do NOT park in the House of Asian Restaurant lot or in a manner than
would completely block any street or driveway or in someone’s yard. The north sides of
Clay Street and the east side of Golf Street are residential, please be considerate of those
who live there.

Friday Night Spaghetti!

All Torpedo swimmers and their families are invited to Rotary Park (overlooking the pool) Friday evening from 5:30-6:30 for a spaghetti dinner. Please sign up to bring either pasta, sauce, salad, drinks, or garlic bread. There is a sign-up sheet in the Rec on the VTST Bulletin Board.

We hope to see everyone there!

Friday, July 23, 2010

This Week in Torpedo News!

As we head in to the final week of the season, the Torpedo has a lot going on!

We have our final home meet of the season on Tuesday night when we host the Transylvania Aquabats! Be sure to sign-up to swim, and parents please sign-up to help out with the meet.

Friday night, July 30, we will have the first of what will hopefully become a Torpedo tradition. Torpedo swimmers participating in the conference/ league championship meet are invited to Rotary Park for a spaghetti dinner. Swimmers and their families sign up to contribute spaghetti, sauce, salad, or garlic bread. The sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board at the Valdese Recreation Center.

Saturday, July 31, Forest City will host this year's championship meet. Warm-ups begin at 8am, so PLEASE make arrangements to be there on time. There is limited seating on deck and outside of the pool, so you may want to get to the pool earlier to get a space. Only ONE tent per team will be allowed on deck.

We are responsible for providing workers during the meet. Coach Andersen has a sign-up for the positions. The meet will be divided into 4 sessions for workers: 1 (Events 1-22), 2 (23-42), 3 (43-62), and 4 (63-82).
We will need two timers for each session and workers for the following times:
Session 1: Clerk of Course (2 volunteers), Heat Ribbons (1 volunteer)
Session 2: Scorer and Awards Tables (1 Volunteer), Stroke and Turn Judges (2 Volunteers)
Session 3: Head Timer (1 Volunteer), Starter (1 Volunteer)
Session 4: Stroke and Turn Judges (2 Volunteers)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Thanks Forest City!

Thank you to the Forest City Stingrays for hosting a great meet this evening! The storms stayed away and allowed for some very exciting races! While we did not win the overall meet, we had quite a showing with 25 individual first place finishes, 22 individual second place finishes, and 17 individual third place finishes! Most every swimmer had at least one best time tonight!

Thanks again Forest City!

Directions to Forest City

Tonight we travel to the Forest City Stingrays! We will swim at the Clay Street Pool located at the Callison Recreation Center:217 Clay Street,Forest City, NC 28043-2934.

Directions from Valdese are as follows:

Take I-40 W.
7.5 mi

Take exit 103 for US-64 toward Morganton/Rutherfordton
0.2 mi

Turn left at US-64 W/Burkemont Ave
Continue to follow US-64 W

25.9 mi

Turn left at Hudlow Rd
5.4 mi

Slight left at W Main St
0.5 mi

Take the 1st right onto Westview St
338 ft

Take the 1st left onto Clay St
Destination will be on the right
0.2 mi

Pictures are Here!

The team pictures taken by SportPix have arrived! If you ordered pictures, please see the coaches at your next practice to pick them up. There are order forms in the picture packets should you or family members want to order additional pictures.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Thanks to McDowell for a Great Meet!

We had a great evening this past Thursday as we hosted the McDowell Mariners! Overall scores then were 509.5 for Valdese and 439.5 for McDowell. Girls final was 275.5 for McDowell and 254.5 for Valdese; Boys final was 255 for Valdese and 164 for McDowell. Everyone swam a great meet, and everyone had a good time!

Don't forget to let Coach Andersen and Coach Hodges know if you will be participating in the last three meets of the season as soon as possible. Sign up sheets have been available, but we still have only a few people signed up.

This coming Thursday we travel to the Forest City Stingrays! We will swim at the Clay Street Pool located at the Callison Recreation Center:217 Clay Street,Forest City, NC 28043-2934.

Directions from Valdese are as follows:

Take I-40 W.
7.5 mi

Take exit 103 for US-64 toward Morganton/Rutherfordton
0.2 mi

Turn left at US-64 W/Burkemont Ave
Continue to follow US-64 W

25.9 mi

Turn left at Hudlow Rd
5.4 mi

Slight left at W Main St
0.5 mi

Take the 1st right onto Westview St
338 ft

Take the 1st left onto Clay St
Destination will be on the right
0.2 mi

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Granite Falls Tonight!

Thanks to everyone who came out to swim this evening despite the potential weather problems! The Granite Falls Sharks were tremendous hosts, especially with the hurried schedule. Most of our swimmers swam best times in at least one event, and there was much fun had by all!

Coach Andersen will have ribbons for everyone tomorrow. Remember, we have team pictures on Thursday!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Meet Tonight in Morganton!

Tonight the Torpedo will be hosted by the Morganton Swim Club at the Collett Street Recreation Center in Morganton off of N. King St. This is a 50 Meter pool, and it is pretty different from our home pool. Please be on time for the 5:30 Warm-up for a chance to get used to the pool!
It will still be hot tonight as the meet starts, so bring plenty of fluids and some shade! The Coaches are looking forward to a great meet against the 2009 League Champion team!

Coach Andersen will have caps and possibly shirts for sale again this evening. The caps are $4 and the shirts are $7. Please bring either cash or personal check.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Torpedo Win over Stingrays!

Thanks to all of the swimmers and parents who came out to support the Torpedo last night in our meet against the Forest City Stingrays. Once again, the Torpedo came out on top giving the team a 2-0 overall record. The final scores were:
Torpedo Boys-261 Torpedo Girls-314 Combined Torpedo Score-575
Stingray Boys-148 Stingray Girls-266 Combined Stingray Score-414

Remember, there will be no practice Monday, July 5th, and Tuesday, July 6th. 10 and unders will swim Wednesday evening at the normal time, and 13-18 will swim Thursday morning at their normal time.

If you didn't sign up for the away meet at Morganton, please stop by the Rec and sign the entry sheet ASAP, or email Coach Andersen.

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July, and Congratulations Torpedo on a great start to the season!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

This Week in Torpedo News!

Hi everyone! We hope everyone enjoyed the week off this past week. There are a few announcements for this week and next! Most of these can also be found on the bulletin board at the pool.

  • The Torpedo will NOT be practicing Monday, July 5, and Tuesday, July 6. Regular practice schedules resume Wednesday, July 7. We have a meet in Morganton on Thursday, July 8. Warm-ups start at 5:30pm. Please sign up for the July 8th meet this week so that coaches can turn entries in to Morganton prior to Wednesday.
  • Tomorrow's meet has a 5pm warm-up time. During this time, all parents in attendance are requested to attend a timer clinic. This will be an instructional on how to be a timer at our meets. It should take no longer than 10 minutes. Please volunteer for one shift of timing. It makes the meet more enjoyable for everyone and lessens the burden.
  • Team t-shirts should be available tomorrow at the meet. They are $7 per shirt. Please make any checks out to Bret Watson, NOT the Valdese Torpedo or the Valdese Rec. Caps should be arriving next week and they will be $4. Please pay Coach Andersen for these in cash only.
  • Team pictures will be taken July 15th before the meet. Please be at the pool at 4:30pm. Should any parents want individual pictures of their swimmers, please have them there at 4pm. Please see Coach Andersen for picture package information.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Great Meet this Past Thursday!

Thanks everyone for supporting the team Thursday. We had a great, close meet with Granite Falls to come out to a combined team win of 553 to 535! There were some great races, and everyone should be proud of how they did!

For the upcoming meet with Forest City on July 1st, we need parents to come out to volunteer. One of the best ways parents can support the team and their swimmers is by helping with timing, clerking, and running.

REMINDER: NO MEET THIS THURSDAY AGAINST MCDOWELL!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Some Great Advice on Nutrition for Swimmers

It is important for swimmers to have proper nutritional habits before and during meets in order to compete at their best. Xcell has been doing great at all the meets thus far, but with proper nutrition, our swimmers will compete even better! Below you will find some helpful nutrition tips from USA Swimming and the American Swim Coaches Association (Foundations of Coaching written material, Physical Conditioning, chp. 6, pp.15-16).

During the season...
The analogy of fuel in the gas tank of a car and fuel in the body of the swimmers is one that even young swimmers can relate to. Emphasize that fueling for performance means:
Always having a full tank.
Getting the most economical fuel.
Fueling at the right times and places.

There are no magic foods and no magic food groups! Extra vitamins, minerals and supplements are not necessary in a healthy diet. The easy guidelines for your athletes are as follow: Eat colorful foods. The more naturally colorful the more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and carbohydrates are available for recovery and general health. Eat early and often. The first two hours post-workout are the most critical. Drink early and often. Hydration must be continuous.

The basic nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for aerobic athletes and, contrary to popular opinion, are not fattening. If taken in reasonable amounts, carbohydrates are used for energy, leaving little to be converted to body fat. Protein builds and repairs muscle, produces hormones, supports the immune system and replaces red blood cells. Protein is not a main source of energy except in cases of malnutrition or starvation. Most athletes do not need extra protein. They get adequate protein from a normal diet. Again contrary to popular opinion, protein does not build muscle bulk, only exercise does that. Fats are essential for hormone production, storage of vitamins and delivery of essential fatty acids. The body needs fat, but the average American diet contains more than enough. High fat foods should be traded for low fat substitutes so that fat intake is limited to 25% of total calories. The necessary vitamins and minerals are also readily available in the foods consumed in a healthy diet. Vitamins, minerals and water make the body more efficient at accessing carbohydrates, fats and proteins when they are needed during exercise and recovery. In terms of total calories, swimmers should aim for a diet of:
60% carbohydrate
15% protein
25% fat

Of course this will vary but carbohydrate intake shouldn’t drop below 50%, protein should not go above 25% and fat should not go above 30%.

At meets...
Once again, there is no magic food and that they must focus on long term nutritional choices. When it comes to swim meets, swimmers need to prepare nutritionally for the entire competition. There is no way to fuel for a particular race. It is important to maintain constant energy, blood sugar levels and hydration by snacking and replenishing throughout the competition. Shown below are some recommendations for “competition cuisine”:
One Hour or less to go
Fruit and vegetable juice such as orange, tomato or V-8
AND/OR
Fresh fruit such as apples, watermelon, peaches, grapes, or oranges
AND/OR
1 ½ cups of a sport drink

2-3 hours to go
Fresh fruit and vegetable juices
AND
Breads, bagels, English muffins with limited amounts of butter, margarine, cream cheese, or peanut butter
AND
4 cups of a sport drink

3-4 hours to go
Fresh fruit and fruit and vegetable juices
AND
Breads, bagels, baked potatoes, cereal with low-fat or skim milk, low-fat yogurt, sandwiches with a small amount of peanut butter or lean meats and cheese
AND/OR
7 ½ cups of a sport drink

Swim Meet Tomorrow!

The Torpedo will host the Granite Falls Sharks tomorrow evening at 6pm at the Jimmy C. Draughn Aquatic Center!

Warm-ups for the Torpedo are at 5pm and the events start at 6pm. The weather is looking good, but hot for tomorrow, so be sure to drink plenty of water during the day.

Parents, we still need some volunteers for tomorrow! Timers and Runners are needed, as well as some folks willing to man the bullpen area.

Coaches will have event entries for the swimmers posted on the wall outside of the door. Swimmers will receive an entry card for each event as well. Please listen to the announcer for first and second calls for events. Swimmers will need to go to the bullpen to await their event. Parents and swimmers not participating in the events need to stay out from behind the blocks to ensure smooth operation of the meet.

Please stay away from soft drinks before and during the meet. Some great snacks for the swimmers are fruits, vegetables, breads (bagels), and granola bars. Instead of reaching for the Snickers, why not go for an Ants on a Log?

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

McDowell Away Meet Canceled

The swim meet at McDowell scheduled for June 24th has been CANCELED due to unexpected pool repairs.

It will not be made up.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

End of School and Practice Time Reminder

Good morning everyone! We're all very excited as the end of school approaches. Only one more morning to wake up, pack your lunches, make sure your homework is finished, and to catch the bus or carpool to school.

The end of the school year also means VTST will be changing practice times to our summer schedule. To refresh everyone's memory, you can find a copy of the schedule below.

Also, it is almost time for our first meet. We will be hosting Granite Falls on Thursday, June 17th. Please check on deck at practices from Thursday onwards for the meet sign-up and volunteer sign-up books. We need your support and assistance running meets in order to ensure smooth operation.


Summer Schedule:
Morning Practices are M, T, Th., Fr. Evenings are M, T, W.
7:30-8:30am 11-12,13-14
8:30-9:30am 15-18
5:30-6:15pm 8&U
6:15-7:00pm 9-10

MEET SCHEDULE: All meets begin at 6pm.
Warm-ups: 5pm (home) 5:30 (away)
June 17th Granite Falls at Valdese
June 24th Valdese at McDowell
July 1st Forest City at Valdese
July 8th Valdese at Morganton
July 13th Valdese at Granite Falls
July 15th McDowell at Valdese
July 17th Sprint/Long Distance Meet at Forest City (11 and up)
July 22nd Valdese at Forest City
July 27th Transylvania at Valdese
July 31st Conference Meet at Forest City

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Inclement Weather Reminder

Good afternoon Torpedo! The coaches hope that everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

The weather is looking a bit unfriendly this afternoon. Please remember to call the pool to see if practice has been changed/ cancelled due to weather before heading over!

See you soon!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The Torpedo is in the Water!

Our first few practices have gone very well, and all Torpedo swimmers, whether new or veteran, have come with a great can-do attitude! We're off to a great start, and the swimmers are showing great improvement and determination after just two practices!

As this weekend is Memorial Day, there will be no practices held this Monday. This should give everyone a chance to spend time reflecting on this holiday and its meaning.

Also, be on the lookout for the bulletin board to go up in the Aquatic Center this week. There will be a detailed calendar for the entire season available there.

Monday, May 24, 2010

The Torpedo is HERE!

Good morning everyone! Pending weather, the first practice of the Valdese Torpedo Swim Team will be held this afternoon! Please remember to bring your registration forms and money for your registration fees!

Times for the differing Age Groups are as follows:

13-14, 15-18: 5:00-6:00

8 &U, 9-10, 11-12: 6:00-6:45

Should we not have practice due to weather, the staff at the pool should know by 4:30pm at the earliest. Please call to check on practice status before coming: (828) 879-2144

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The Bubble is Coming Off!

Good news everyone! The Bubble is coming off! This means the Valdese Torpedo kicks off the season in LESS THAN A WEEK!

Please share information with family, friends, relatives, and anyone else you know that may be interested in taking part this summer!

We will start practicing on Monday, May 24th!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Come Out to Valdese Elementary Friday!

Members of the coaching staff will be at the Valdese Elementary Spring Carnival this Friday. Coach Andersen will even be making a visit to the dunking booth. We hope to see everyone there!

Remember, the bubble comes down next week, and then the season starts! Be sure to get your registration forms from the pool and your swimsuits ready for May 24th!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

The Video is Here!



Be on the lookout for the video in your schools!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Registration Forms Available!

Registration Forms for the Valdese Torpedo will be available at the Jimmy C. Draughn Aquatic Center beginning this afternoon (May 6th)!

We're looking forward to a great season. Practices start on May 24th, which is the Monday after the bubble comes down. So if the bubble is down and the pool is open, it means the Torpedo is in the water!

Keep checking back for more information!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Calendar

PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Pre-Summer Schedule (May 24th-June 10th): 13-18 5:00-6:00, 8-12 6:00-6:45 M, T, Th., F.
Summer Schedule (Beginning June 11th):
Morning Practices are M, T, Th., Fr. Evenings are M, T, W.
7:30-8:30am 11-12,13-14
8:30-9:30am 15-18
5:30-6:15pm 8&U 6:15-7:00pm 9-10

MEET SCHEDULE: All meets begin at 6pm. Warm-ups: 5pm (home) 5:30 (away)
June 17th Granite Falls at Valdese
June 24th Valdese at McDowell
July 1st Forest City at Valdese
July 8th Valdese at Morganton
July 13th Valdese at Granite Falls
July 15th McDowell at Valdese
July 17th Sprint/Long Distance Meet at Forest City (11 and up)
July 22nd Valdese at Forest City
July 27th Transylvania at Valdese
July 31st Conference Meet at Forest City

The Torpedo is on the move!

Torpedo reps will be at the Icard Elementary School Spring Carnival tomorrow afternoon! As an extra, buy a few tickets and try to put Coach Andersen in the water! He'll be in the dunking booth from 4:30 until 5!

The Valdese Torpedo is now on Twitter!

Good morning everyone!

The Valdese Torpedo Swim Team is now on twitter! The name to follow is valdesetorpedo.

Check twitter as well as the blog for important announcements.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Welcome!

This is a test of the new VTST blog! This blog will be used in order to communicate effectively with parents and swimmers of the Valdese Torpedo Swim Team.