NOVA News
October 16th, 2023
The definition of homecoming is “the return of a group of people usually on a special occasion to a place formerly frequented or regarded as home.” At NOVA, we have lots of “homecomings”. Each season we welcome back returning team members. During summers and holiday breaks, college swimmers come “home” to train with NOVA. Our Alumni gather at the holidays, for showers and weddings, and even in Paris at the Olympics to celebrate their teammates.
This year, to coincide with the Elevate campaign kickoff, NOVA will be hosting a Homecoming Week lineup of events geared to both new and returning families. Wednesday October 2nd we will host two Volunteering 101 sessions to define volunteer jobs and answer questions. Thursday we will use the same format to explain NOVA’s Fundraising requirement. The NOVA Kick Off meet begins Saturday, so for all of you first time meet families, come to the Friday session - “It’s My First NOVA Swim Meet - HELP!” Coaches will be on hand to walk you through a NOVA meet - what to bring, where to sit, etc, and answer all your questions. All information sessions will be held in the lobby at Regency. The highlight of the week will take place on Saturday at 4pm in Regency Mall. Townley Haas and Charlie Swanson will be here (with their medals) to talk to swimmers and their families, take pictures and sign one personal item. We can't wait to hear from NOVA’s two Olympians and celebrate their successes as a team!
Check out the Homecoming Flyer for dates, times and locations!
Every year ASCA (American Swim Coaches Association) announces their top 50 coaches. The results were compiled using the USA Swimming PowerPoints of the top-ranked 11-14 year-old swimmers for the 2023 Long Course season and 2023-24 Short Course season. Each athlete was limited to a maximum of 4 swims contributing to their coach’s total.
This year NOVA has the honor of 2 of it's coaches receiving not just a Top 50 recognition but a Top 10 coach recognition. Mike Julian and Luke Nelson were in Orlando last week to receive their awards. NOVA was the only program in USA swimming with 2 coaches honored. Along with the award they both participated in a round table discussion with coaches from all over the world.
In past years NOVA coaches MC Banks and Geoff Brown have been honored as ASCA Coach of the year.
Senior TEAM Retreat- 9/27-28 Graves Mountian
ISCA Open Water Meet (5K only)- 9/28 Smith Mt Lake
NOVA Homecoming Week- 10/2-7 Information HERE
NOVA 12 and under Short Course Kick off- 10/5-6 Entry Deadline 9/23 Commit Here
TAC vs NOVA Duel Meet (13 and over) 10/11-13 Entry Deadline 9/28 Commit Here
NOVA's 2024-2025 Short Course meet schedule is posted to the NOVA website HERE!
When a swimmers races in a pool, they change directions with a flip turn or an open turn. In open water swimming, the swimmers have to execute a turn around a buoy while maintaining speed. Depending on the course the angle of this turn could be 170 degrees or as acute as 25 degrees. Being able to get around the buoy while not slowing down and not losing ground to the rest of the field is a tactical decision a swimmer has to make during the race.
Swimming in close quarters is taxing, and it can also be rewarding. Swimmers cut through the water making a “V” with their wake. Getting on the hip of a swimmer ahead of you means you are letting them do the hard work plowing through the water while you cruise alongside them, saving a bit of energy. It’s not all smooth sailing though, swimmers will often bump, kick, and jostle each other to stay close on their racing line.
Speaking of staying on your racing line, sighting is probably the most important open water skill of them all! Accomplished open water swimmers know how to lift their head enough to see where their next buoy is, but not so much that it interrupts their stroke. This helps the swimmer stay on the shortest possible path to their next checkpoint or destination.
If swimming in a pool is like a track meet, then open water swimming is like a cross country meet. They share similarities at their core, but contain a few different disciplines that set them apart and create new experiences for the athletes and spectators!
See you at the lake- Sean
NOVA VOLUNTEER OBLIGATION
All families are required to complete volunteer hours as follows:
First year families have an obligation of 12 hours
Novice-only families have an obligation of 16 hours
All other families have an obligation of 24 hours
Families have the season (Sept. to July) to complete their hours. Swim meet volunteer jobs are posted on our website, including the timeframe required and hours to be credited. An email is sent out in advance with the date and time the jobs will open. Sign-ups are generally done online. Parents must sign up for and complete each session in its entirety. Sessions may run shorter or longer than expected. If a session runs longer, the volunteer hours earned may be adjusted as needed.
Other volunteer opportunities will be available during the season with the number of hours to be credited designated at that time. Volunteer opportunities will be posted on the website or made known via e-mail. Team travel meets also afford volunteer opportunities for parents, as chaperones. The trip manager will communicate the number of volunteer hours to be given in advance of the trip. The number of hours given will vary based on the length of the trip and other factors. Chaperone hours for travel meets are posted on the NOVA website under the “Parents” tab. No volunteer hours are allowed to be carried over to the following year.
Even after your family meets your minimum volunteer obligation, please be aware that NOVA may still need your help. In particular, we are usually required to provide timers for a certain number of lanes at away meets. It is expected that every family with swimmers entered in those away meets works one timing shift at the meet, even if their family's minimum volunteer obligation has been met.
NOVA need every family to fulfill their volunteer obligation. We cannot run a meet without volunteers.
In August 2025, at the end of the season, families will be billed $50 an hour for all unmet hours.
