Great EEX performances at NJ Junior Olympics

In a superb NJ JO’s this past weekend, Express Swimmers all did an incredible job and posted many personal best times. Competing against a super-fast field, where many NJ records were broken, Express posted the following top 8 individual and top 3 relay finishes:

Paige Anderson- 100 Back (4th), 200 Back (2nd)
Victoria Cassidy- 200 IM (3rd)
Daniel Gosek – 100 Back (7th)
Scott Heil – 200 Free (5th), 800 Free Relay (3rd)
Kristiana Kalibat – 200 Back (7th)
Peter Kalibat – 200 Free (8th), 200IM (7th)
Matthew Kietlinski – 100 Breast (4th), 1000 Free (5th), 200 Fly (3rd), 200 Breast (6th), 1650 Free (5th), 400 Medley Relay (3rd), 800 Free Relay (3rd)
Mike Leddy – 200 IM (6th), 200 Back (6th), 400 Medley Relay (3rd), 800 Free Relay (3rd)
Sean Mackenzie – 500 Free (3rd), 400 Medley Relay (3rd), 800 Free Relay (3rd)
Hannah Matheson – 100 Free (7th)
Jack McIntyre – 100 IM (7th), 200 Free (7th), 500 Free (5th), 100 Free (4th)
Alessandra Sacchi – 100 Back (3rd), 100 IM (6th), 200 IM (6th), 200 Back (7th)
Francesca Sacchi – 100 Fly (8th)
Paul Schafer – 100 Back (5th), 1000 Free (8th), 200 Back (4th), 400 Medley Relay (3rd)

EEX All-Time Top 10 Movers

With the lightning fast swims at JO’s, we have lots of action on the All-Time Top 10 Board, with swimmers moving up as well as onto the board for the very first time. Congratulations to all!

Paige Anderson- 100 Back (9th), 200 Back (6th)
Eva Blake – 500 Free (9th), 100 Back (10th)
Victoria Cassidy- 200 IM (4th), 100 Fly (9th)
Daniel Gosek – 100 Back (6th)
Scott Heil – 200 Free (5th), 200 IM (9th)
Peter Kalibat – 200 Free (9th), 50 Free (6th)
Matthew Kietlinski –100 Breast (2nd), 200 Free (8th), 1000 Free (8th), 200 Fly (4th), 200 Breast (5th), 1650 Free (8th)
Mike Leddy – 100 Back (8th),400 IM (9th), 200 IM (10th), 200 Back (6th)
Sean Mackenzie – 100 Fly (5th), 100 Free (3rd), 200 Fly (2nd)
Hannah Matheson – 50 Free (8th), 100 Fly (9th)
Jack McIntyre – 100 IM (4th), 200 Free (5th), 50 Free (4th), 100 Fly (8th), 500 Free (4th), 50 Fly (9th) , 100 Free (4th), 100 Back (8th)
Alessandra Sacchi – 100 Back (6th), 100 IM (9th), 50 Breast (7th)
Paul Schafer – 100 Back (4th), 200 Back (5th)

Express SwimAmerica, LLC is a progressive 10 station "learn-to-swim" program for children ages 3 and over. As each station's skills are mastered, the developing swimmer is rewarded then moved to the next station within the progression. This effective step by step method allows even the youngest swimmers to learn to swim SAFELY, while offering stronger swimmers the opportunity to develop all of the competitive strokes.

This weekend, three EEX Swimmers made the All Time Top 10, improving their ranking and in one instance, claimed the record for fastest time in EEX history.

At the Speedo Sectionals March 12 through 15th, EEX swimmers swam some incredible times in a very fast meet.

Congratulations to Victoria Cassidy and Sean Mackenzie for posting to the EEX All-Time Top 10 record board a combined nine times, including:

Victoria Cassidy

500 Free, 04:59.24 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 7th
200 Back, 02:02.93 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 4th
200 Fly, 02:07.31 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 5th
200 IM, 02:08.14 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 7th
400 IM, 04:19.30 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 2nd

Sean Mackenzie

200 Free, 01:40.27 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 2nd
200 Fly, 01:55.17 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 2nd
200 IM, 01:52.67 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 1st. An amazing record, replacing the previous top time of 1:54.07, set in '93 by Andy Potts.
400 IM, 04:01.19 - EEX All-Time Top 10 Ranking, 2nd

At the 13-19 Silver Bronze Champs on March 14th-15th, EEX swimmers did an awesome job in another fast meet.

Congratulations to Nathan Hirshbein who posted a 1st place overall in the Senior Mens 50 Free with a time of 22.82, and placed him on the All-Time Top 10 Board in 10th place.

EEX Record Board and All-Time Top 10 can be found here and are now updated after every meet.

On March 7th and 8th, Express Swimmers will be competing in the 11-12 Silver/Bronze Championships. Swimming in the South event, hosted by Swim Dragons Swim Club, the meet will be held at the Raritan Valley Community College. For more information be sure to check the links below, which will be updated as they become available.

On March 12th through 15th, Express Senior qualifiers will be swimming in the Speedo Sectionals, held at Harvard University.  Please check the following links below for meet information and updates.

On March 14th and 15th, Eastern Express will be competing in the 13-19 Silver/Bronze Championships, hosted by Elite and Morris County Swim Clubs. The meet will be held at the Sonny Werblin Aquatic Center Rutgers, NJ. For more information be sure to check the links below.

March 20th through 22nd sees Express swimmers attending the NJ Junior Olympics, at the Sonny Werblin Aquatic Center, Rutgers, NJ. Hosted by Berkley Aquatic Club. Gold qualifying times apply.

Good luck and swim fast!

On February 15th , Eastern Express will be competing in the NJ 8 and Under Mini Championships. The meet, hosted by Pirate Swim Club will be held at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ. For more information be sure to check the links below.

On February 20th through 22nd, Eastern Express will be competing in the Pirate Swim Club NJ Senior Championships 2009. Held at the Seton Hall University, Orange, NJ, results are below.

On February 28th and March 1st, Eastern Express will be competing in the 9-10 Silver/Bronze Championships South.  The meet, hosted by Elite Swim Club will be held at Newark Academy, Livingston, NJ.   Please check the following links below for meet information and updates.

Good luck to all of the swimmers competing. Have fun!

Express SwimAmerica, LLC will be running a Winter Stroke School, starting Monday February 2nd.

The stroke school is designed for upper level SwimAmerica students who would like to improve and refine stroke technique in all 4 competitive swimming strokes (i.e., freestyle, backstroke, breastroke and butterfly) during the winter months and prior to regular lessons starting in April.

The stroke school will be taught by veteran SwimAmerica coaches Jen Travagline and John Greeby (also an age group coach with Eastern Express Swim Team); and overseen by Express SwimAmerica Director and Eastern Express Head Coach Brent Matheson.

Utilizing the latest techniques in stroke refinement, students will learn to swim smarter, more efficiently, and ultimately faster.

When: Every Monday and Thursday night from 6:30 pm to 7:15 pm; from Monday February 2nd to Thursday March 19th.

Where: College of New Jersey (home of Express SwimAmerica and Eastern Express Swim Team)

Cost: $250 for all 14 classes or pay a "drop-in" rate of $20/class

How: Only a few spots remain, so sign up asap by email to bmatheson@aol.com. Include in the email the name of your son/daughter and your intention to attend all classes or "drop-in" for some classes. Bring your check to the first class. If the classes become too full (first come, first served) we will have to close the class and the "drop-in" option.

Good luck to all swimmers competing in the 2009 February Splash hosted by Eastern Express Swimming.  The meet will take place in the College of New Jersey Aquatic Center.  Follow the appropriate links below for meet information. 

The 2009 Eastern Express Family Directory has been updated.  Thank you to Meredith Lavery for putting it all together.

The weekend of January 3rd and 4th, Eastern Express will be competing in the TYR Winterfest. The Meet, hosted by Scarlet Aquatic Center will be held at the Sonny Werblin Aquatic Center at Rutgers University. For more information be sure to check the links below.

January 9th - 11th, Swimmers from Eastern Express will be competing at the 18th annual Berkley Aquatic Club Invite.  This Long Course meet will be hosted at the Sonny Werblin Aquatic Center at Rutgers University.  Please check the following link below for meet information and updates.

On the 17th and 18th of January, Eastern Express swimmers 9 and over will compete at the Princeton Tiger Aquatic Club Invitational Meet.  This meet will be held at Princeton University’s DeNunzio Pool.  Be sure to check for meet information in the following links below.

Good luck to all swimmers competing in the 2008 Holiday Classic hosted by Eastern Express Swimming.  The meet will take place in the Sonny Werblin Aquatic Center at Rutgers University.  Follow the appropriate links below for meet information.  Express families can also find work assignments for the weekend below.

Thanks to all the EEX parents who made the Holiday Classic a huge success!  You did a terrific job and made it one of the best-run Classics to date.  Special thanks to Rosellyn Cassidy for undertaking the hospitality suite duties and doing a tremendous job!  The swimming this year was extremely fast - several new meet records fell and it took very fast times to make the top 16.  EEX swimmers posted many best times and there were several new sectional cuts posted by our senior level swimmers.

The following swimmers scored points at the meet with top 16 finishes:
Paige Anderson - 100 back (14th); 200 back (5th)
Micah Bergstrom - 50 fly (13th)
Victoria Cassidy - 500 fr (5th); 400 IM (3rd)
Scott Heil - 1000 fr (13th); 500 fr (13th); 1650 fr (16th)
Kristiana Kalibat - 1000 fr (12th); 500 fr (13th); 1650 fr (6th)
Matthew Kietlinski - 1000 fr (7th); 100 breast (12th)
Mike Leddy - 1000 fr (12th); 1650 fr (8th); 200 back (15th)
Emily Logan - 400 IM (14th)
Sean Mackenzie - 1000 fr (3rd); 500 fr (3rd); 400 IM (9th); 1650 fr (3rd)
Jack McIntyre - 500 fr (7th); 100 fr (9th); 50 fr (9th)
Allessandra Sacchi - 50 back (14th); 200 back (16th); 100 back (16th)
Paul Schafer - 1650 fr (15th)

Congratulations to Victoria Cassidy and Sean Mackenzie who attended USA Swimming's Short Course Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia.  The meet was held December 3-6 on the campus of Georgia Tech University - the swimming venue for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.  Victoria posted best times in the 100 back and 400 IM and Sean had strong swims in the 500 and 1650 free.  They both had a good time hanging out with Olympian Ryan Lochte and watching some world class swimming!

December 6th, Eastern Express will be competing in the Caitlin Lehman Memorial Swim Meet held at Bergen County Community College.   For more information follow the appropriate link below and be sure to check for updates.

On November 9th, Eastern Express will be competing in the Friend's Central Aquatics Fall Mini Meet, hosted by Friends' Centeral Aquatics.   For complete directions to the school, please check "Meet Announcement" found below. For more information follow the appropriate link below and be sure to check for updates.

Eastern Express Swimmers not participating in the Fall Festival will be swimming in this years "Go For The Gold Meet" hosted by the Bergen Barracuda Swim Club. The meet will be held at Raritan Valley Community College. For complete directions to the College, please click on "Meet Announcement" below. For any other information, please click on the appropriate link in the table below.

The 2008 Fall Festival, hosted November 1-2 by Xcel swimming, will be held at Princeton University’s DeNunzio Pool. For more information, please click on the appropriate link in the table below.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL EEX SWIMMERS!!

Congratulations EEX Scholastic All Americans!
Congratulations to the following EEX swimmers who achieved USA Swimming Scholastic All American status: Victoria Cassidy, Meghan Leddy, Sean Mackenzie and Kathleen Morrison.  In order to qualify for this distinction, applicants need to meet time based standards set by USA Swimming and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher!

Congratulations to EEX National Top 10 Swimmers (2007-2008)
Julia Anderson 200 free (8th; 13 year olds)
Meghan Leddy 200 back (4th; 17 year olds); 100 (8th) and 200 back (2nd) LCM
Sean Mackenzie 1000 free (9th; 16 year olds)

The 2008 Eastern Express Family Directory has been finalized.  A special thanks to Meredith Lavery for putting it all together.

Open House for any new swimmers interested in competitive swimming is scheduled for Friday September 5th at 5:00pm at TCNJ.  Bring a suit, a smile and any questions you may have about getting involved in USA Swimming!

Email any questions to: bmatheson@aol.com

Express SwimAmerica, LLC is a progressive 10 station "learn-to-swim" program for children ages 3 and over. As each station's skills are mastered, the developing swimmer is rewarded then moved to the next station within the progression. This effective step by step method allows even the youngest swimmers to learn to swim SAFELY, while offering stronger swimmers the opportunity to develop all of the competitive strokes.