Team Santa Monica Newsletter - December 2020
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT:
I confess: I’m really looking forward to putting 2020 behind me. Each day has felt like it was at least a year long. For me, it begs the questions, how do we guide our children to find happiness as they move forward, and how does TSM fit into this pursuit? My solution is to lead by example. After all, happiness is a choice, right?
It would be easy for us to dwell on the weeks we spent without practices, or the cancellation of our first intrasquad competition. We might also dwell on the constant threat of the pool closing once again, or the financial strain that TSM has been under. Those of us in education would call this the deficit mindset. Instead, with the growth mindset we would focus on positivity, such as gratitude.
I’ve made a gratitude list for TSM-2020, and I’ll ask my swimmer to make one of his own. Maybe this will work for you, too? I am grateful for:
Our exceptional coaches. They work tirelessly to maximize pool time and manage practices with exemplary safety protocols. They demonstrate dedication to the sport and incredible patience with parents and swimmers alike. They help swimmers improve upon themselves.
TSM swimmers. Their dedication to the sport and this team is an inspiration.
The sport of Swimming – it is among the safest athletic activities during this pandemic, with the added bonus of offering several “keys” to happier living, suggested by the non-profit organization Action for Happiness (connecting to people, exercising, trying and learning, having goals, having resilience, and being a part of something bigger, positive attitude, self-acceptance, mindfulness and doing things for others).
The Fundraising Committee, led by Laura Goodman, Michelle Chang, Nancy Wu, Kathy Burrell, Laura Scott and Hsuan Chuchen. Additionally, we owe a special thanks to David Newburg for his tireless accounting efforts! With nearly 50% of our membership participating in one way or another, the Annual Giving campaign has raised nearly $35,000 since October 1st, the most we’ve ever raised in this campaign! We still have needs, but this is an exceptional start to our financial recovery.
The Musubi, noodle and cocktail fundraisers. These are fun, delicious and so successful!!
TSM parents and caretakers who support our swimmers and the team in every way.
Dryland workouts and talks with world champion swimmers during our time out of the water.
The community and friendships that have developed. We support each other through both hard and the good times.
The opportunity to serve on this Board of Directors.
I feel particularly blessed to have known Eames Chuchen. His tragic loss on January 31st was as close to unbearable as it gets for me, but I hold onto the memory of his unwavering commitment to be the best he could be at everything he did. He was always kind, and his sweetness and smile will live on. He remains an inspiration to me.
I am writing this note before Channukah and Christmas, so I wish you all the very best during this season of celebration and giving. I don’t know what the rest of December will bring, but I hope that we can all focus on gratitude with the winds of 2021 blowing our hair back as we charge ahead into a brighter future. See you soon!
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD COACH
It was great to see our swimmers get up on the blocks, safely, and race after 9 months. We are proud of every single one of our athletes, including those who were not able to race, for what they have been able to achieve during these unprecedented times.
We look forward to better events in the near future. But for now, we need to get back to work and enjoy the holidays!
Happy Holidays!
Go TSM!
Fundraising
Please join me in thanking Mami Miyake and Tsujita LA for the noodle fundraiser. It was fun, delicious and so well organized. We sold noodles to the tune of raising $1790 for the team!! Thanks to all of you ramen fans and thank you Mami and Tsujita!!
WHAT’S NEXT?
Saturday, December 19th: Designer cocktails for the holidays!!!
If you have any ideas for fun events, please let your liaison know!
We anticipate holding some form of a Swim-a-Thon, for which your swimmers will be encouraged to ask friends, neighbors and/or family to participate.
Intra-squad Meet Highlights!
Each coach has put together a few highlights from the groups they coach!
SEALS
For most of the Seals, it was their first swim meet and they did amazing! A lot of the swimmers were nervous to compete in their first meet but they pushed through! I’m extremely proud of everyone who competed and their sportsmanship was great to see.
-Coach Adriana
AG1
AG1 did an amazing job at the intrasquad meet last Sunday. Many of the swimmers in AG1 dropped time in their events and we had one swimmer, Elenor Kim, get a JAG cut in her 50 Backstroke! This was their first time racing in 9 months or so and I’m extremely proud of everyone for all of their hard work and sportsmanship.
-Coach Michelle
AG2
I am very proud of how this group swam overall and it was great to see all of the hard work we've put in at practice come to fruition. Here are some highlights...
23 best times as a group
Each swimmer achieved at least 1 best time
Paloma achieved Spring JO cuts in 200 IM, 50 Fly, 100 Fly & 50 Free
-Coach Dan
AG3
It was great seeing the kids compete after 10 months. They did great. Here are the new Championship time standards achieved at the Intrasquad:
Harrison
200 IM: JAG & Summer JOs
1000 Fr: JAG & Summer JOs
200 Bk: JAG, Summer JOs, & Spring JOs
200 Fly: JAG, Summer JOS, & Spring JOs
Sadie
50 Bk: JAG, Summer JOs, & Spring JOs
50 Br: JAG
Chris
1000 Fr: JAG
-Coach Iman
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT
Senior Development did great at this meet! It was either their first meet in years or first meet in general and I am proud of their effort and accomplishments. Both Max and Gavin achieved personal best in all the events they swam and Gavin swam 100 butterfly for the first time in his swimming career.
-Coach Adriana
SENIOR PREP
After 10 months, Senior Prep had their first swim meet and it was fun.
Samantha Eng was able to go personal best in 100 Br and 200 Fr.
Ben Telanoff went personal best in 1650 Fr and 100 Fly.
Dean Curran swam his personal best in 200 IM, 500 Fr and 100 Breast events.
Rohan Sampath swam the 200 Fly and the 500 Fr events for the first time in his swimming career and in addition to that he went a personal best in 100 Fr.
Samantha Eng and Ben Telanoff are both qualified for June Age Group Championships in a couple of events. Congratulations!!!
-Coach Walid
SENIOR PERFORMANCE
It was an exciting day of racing and I was very impressed by not only the swimming, but the attitude in which the swimmers had. During these times it's easy to forget what a privilege it is to compete in this sport and this group of kids took advantage. Here are the highlights...
14 best times as a group
Each swimmer achieved at least 1 best time
Tomas Rodriguez 200 Free Summer JO cut & 500 Free Summer JO/JAG cuts
Luca Miayke 200 Free Summer JO/JAG cut
Chloe Resnick 100 Free Summer JO/JAG cut, 100 Fly Spring JO cut & 200 Free Summer JO/JAG cut
-Coach Dan
NATIONAL PREP
It was great seeing the kids compete after 10 months. They did great. Here are the new Championship time standards achieved at the Intrasquad:
Amelia
200 Fly: Sectionals
Zach
500 Fr: Sectionals
Colin
200 Bk, 1650 Fr, 1000 Fr, 400 IM: Sectionals
-Coach Iman
NATIONAL
Great swims from the National Group resulted in many lifetime bests and new championship cuts for the swimmers.
Thea Leimone achieved a lifetime best in the 200Br and qualified for the Futures Championships.
Mattea Sokolow achieved a lifetime best in her 200Bk and qualified for the Futures Championships. Mattea also qualified for Sectionals in the 100Fr.
Lena Siering achieved a lifetime best in the 400IM and qualified for Winter Champs and just shy of Futures Championships.
Isabelle Shapiro swam a lifetime best in the 100Fr and qualified for Sectionals
Sammy Telanoff swam lifetime bests in the 50 and 100 Fr and qualified for Sectionals un both events.
-Coach Mohammad
PLEASE BE ON NOTICE:
Late pickups are not only difficult on your swimmers and disrespectful to the coaches, but it costs the team to pay coaches for this additional time. At the next BOD meeting, the Board will be considering late fees for compensating coaches for their additional time spent.
Please remember that when we are waiting outside of the Swim Center, we are representatives of TSM. As such, we need to remind ourselves to continue to wear masks AND maintain physical distancing. We appreciate your cooperation.
