NOVA News
October 16th, 2023
Welcome back! Hope you all enjoyed some time away from the pool and are feeling refreshed and renewed. It certainly looks like Spring has sprung and that gets me thinking about the summer and the exciting things to come in the next 4 months, from our Paris themed swim-a-thon on April 20th running straight through to the Paris Olympics in August!
What does the end of spring break and Olympic swimming have in common? Long-course! It is the season and pool in which legends are born.
What’s the hype? Long course uniquely helps build endurance and highlight the strengths and weaknesses to be refined in our technique with each stroke. While the swimmer can rely on their strengths in and out of the walls and underwater in short course, long-course takes things up a notch. It highlights what a swimmer can do between the flags while they are swimming each stroke. Because of this, swimmers who train and compete throughout the long course season are better prepared for the next short course season.
We are privileged to have our very own long-course pool in which to prepare for this fun season. We are taking advantage of that pool across the entire program and have made adjustments to our practice schedule beginning this week, so all NOVA swimmers can train and learn to race in long course!
Speaking of racing, the long-course season is fast and furious, meaning meets come quickly and committing to attend early is paramount. Because of the size of our program, we send in our entries earlier for long-course meets to ensure our swimmers have a spot to compete. When you see those meet entry notifications, please pay attention to due dates and act promptly! If you miss an entry we may not be able to get you into the meet.
The coaching staff can’t wait to get started helping you realize your goals and taking your swimming experience to the next level during this exciting season!
Coach David
#OneNOVA
Every NOVA family has a fundraising obligation and NOVA's largest annual fundraiser, the Swim A Thon, is the easiest way to get your fundraising done! This year the event is Saturday April 20th. Swimmers will come to Regency and walk into “A Day in Paris” to swim laps and have fun with the coaches and their teammates. Swimmers who raise over $400 earn USA Swimming and NOVA prizes!
You can find all the details on the homepage of the Team Unify website by clicking on the Swim A Thon logo. Be sure you are signed into your team unify account to see all the documents and customize your fundraising page. 100% of funds go towards your family’s fundraising obligation.
SAT Schedule :
5:30 - 7:30 am - National, Senior Gold, Senior Silver, Senior Bronze AM & PM
7:30 - 9:30 am - Senior Dev Gold, Senior Dev Silver, Senior Dev Bronze
9:30 - 11:30 am - Age Group Gold, Age Group Silver, Age Group Bronze
11:30 - 1:30pm - Age Group Dev. Gold, Age Group Dev. Silver, Age Group Dev. Bronze
1:30 - 3:30pm - Novice Gold, Novice Silver, Novice Bronze, Stroke School Red, White and Blue
NOVA has set a lofty goal, $115,000, but together we can achieve anything!
#oneNOVA!
March 26th-30th NOVA's qualified 11-14 year olds headed to Orlando to take on the nation at NCSA Age Group Champs. Our small but mighty group had an amazing meet. They got many new cuts, new time standards and broke meet, team and state records. NOVA finished 3rd as a team and the men were runners up!
Congratulations Swimmers and Coaches!
Group coaches: Lead Cabell Anderson, assistant Zoe Moore
How many swimmers are in Novice Bronze? We currently have 34 swimmers.
What skills are NB working on this week? We are working on freestyle and backstroke technique, and introducing long course into NB. The group is focusing more closely on blowing their bubbles for proper breathing and fully extending their arms.
Cabell, what's your favorite part of work with NB? My favorite part of working with NB is seeing the progression of kids through the lessons program, and watching them achieve their goal of being on the team.
Zoe, what's your favorite part of work with NB? My favorite part about working with NB is getting the kids excited about the sport. They are new to the program so introducing them to the meets etc. is very exciting.
Cabell, what's your favorite part about working with Zoe? Zoe is a very patient and compassionate coach… and knows everything about Taylor Swift!
Zoe what's your favorite part about working with Cabell? Cabell is very easy to communicate with. We bounce ideas off each other all the time and I have been able to learn a lot from her. Also her sense of humor is the best!
Cabell, if you could visit one site in Paris what would it be and why? The cute neighborhood of Saint-Germain. It had the best chocolates and desserts in the city.
Zoe, if you could visit one site in Paris what would it be and why? I love to paint so I would like that visit the Louvre.
NOVA is excited to introduce a new addition to our coaching staff, JH Vivadelli. While JH is new to our coaching staff, NOVA is very familiar to JH! He is one of our beloved alumni and a 2009 graduate of NOVA and Maggie Walker Governor’s High School. JH competed for NOVA from age 12, and in USA swimming for 17 years, culminating with the 2012 Olympic Trials. His favorite events were the 200 fly and 400 IM. JH was recruited to swim at the Air Force Academy but ultimately ended up swimming for, and graduating from Arizona State University.
He has been in and around the pool his entire life, as a recreational swimmer, a competitor, and as a coach. JH started coaching at Willow Oaks in high school and most recently was on staff with Hanover Aquatics and ACAC working with Master’s swimmers. After college JH started a swim clinic in Guizhou Province, China teaching water confidence and basic swim instruction at the individual and group levels.
JH will be a “coach of all trades” through the Long Course Season. You may see him working with SDS, SDG, SS, AGDB, AGDG and NS on a regular basis, and subbing as needed throughout the program. You may also see him with a camera in hand. JH has worked professionally as a commercial photographer and traveled the world in pursuit of the perfect shot, and we are happy to take advantage of those skills from time to time.
Welcome home, JH!
