The 2001 PVS Long Course Zone Team followed in the footsteps of the Spring Short Course Zone Team and, for the first time ever, captured all three first place honors at the meet.

Comprising of 189 total competitors this was the largest PVS Long Course team, at least that I can remember, and sixty swimmers more than any other LSC.

A number of new Zone records were set by PVS swimmers and relays:

• Leslie Swinley, 400 free (4:26.51) and 1500 free (17:30.79)
• Jenny Basel, 100 breast (1:15.00)
• 13&14 200 Medley Relay - Yeng Lan Beller, Jenny Basel, Meghan Newell, Colleen Law (2:03.74)
• 13&14 400 Medley Relay - Yeng Lan Beller, Jenny Basel, Caroline Bellis, Leslie Swinley (4:33.23)
• Erica Suguiyama, 100 fly (1:04.88)

• 9&10 Boys 200 Medley Relay - Sean Stewart, Jonathan Christensen, Brady Fox, Henry Tollefson (2:19.75)
• Ryan Hurley, 100 breast (1:07.04) and 200 breast (2:22.38)
• Mike Ott, 200 IM (2:11.49)
• 15-18 200 Free Relay - Mike Ott, Jon Kreitler, Chris Meleski, Mike Anstrom (1:38.16)
• 15-18 400 Free Relay - same as above (3:38.89)
• 15-18 200 Medley Relay - Alan Fishman, Ryan Hurley, Mike Anstrom, Mike Ott (1:49.07)

All aspects of this year's Zone team went smoothly. Not enough can be said about the preparation and organization of Linda and Thirl Crudup who had everything ready to go for both swimmers and coaches. There was some concern going into the swim meet regarding the inexperience and youthfulness of the zone team coaching staff. With a new head coach, new assistant coach, and three new zone coaches, this promised to be a learning experience. The coaching staff jelled together wonderfully and did an outstanding job of being early for meet sessions to greet the swimmers, juggling relays and insuring swimmers were alerted to any changes, and providing feedback to all swimmers under their responsibility.

The coaching staff has two primary suggestions for future Long Course Teams:

1. We need to plan a team activity for Saturday night for PVS swimmers and their families. This year many of the kids participated in laser tag on Saturday night, but it was set up informally, no information was put out on paper, and some of the Zone Team members were not even aware of this activity. If nothing else, perhaps reserving tables for a dinner afterward. It might be difficult to set up before going to the meet, but certainly that first Wednesday and Thursday, something could be arranged and handed out to the kids.
2. Swimmers should be given more than one t-shirt. Swimmers can not be expect to wear one t-shirt for every session of the four day meet. I realize some swimmers only swim one day, so my suggestion is that we provide shirts on a graduating scale: one if your swim only one day. Two if you swim two to three days. Three if you swim all four days. The two drawbacks to this plan are: 1) Rising cost to provide additional shirts 2) All swimmers are paying the same amount to attend the Zone meet. Those who only receive one shirt might feel cheated when someone else gets two or three.

1. This year the Zone Team had five open positions for swimmers, (Senior Girls 100 and 200 fly, 100 and 200 breast (2). That is to say, we are automatically given two spots in each event regardless if the times are conforming to the cutoff. We were able to fill three of the four with existing zone team members. The fifth spot - 200 fly, went unfilled. My suggestions is to change the current language regarding situations of this matter and allow non-zone qualifiers to compete for any open spots available on team. It is possible that we would have been able to fill this position with a swimmer who was just off the cut time. I have been told that under our current guidelines only swimmers who are already qualified and going to the meet are allowed to be considered. I want to thank Cathy Kenworthy and Lauren Edmundson for stepping up and swimming the 200 breastroke and Cathy Kenworth for swimming the 100 breastroke.

I want to thank everyone whom I spoke with this past spring and summer leading up to the Zones that provided me with suggestions and advice. I specifically would like to mention Bob Walker, Linda Crudup,and Greg York whose guidance and insights helped me to confidently lead the PVS Zone Team this past summer.