2006-08-28

Wife, Mother, and World Champion

Sun Devil Masters Coach and swimmer Camilla Johannsenn-Sponseller has been on a roll lately. She was a record-setting swimmer at ASU during her college days and represented her native Sweden in the Olympics. Since college, she has continued to swim well and has maintained her position as one of the top swimmers in her age bracket.

Besides swimming, Camilla recently got married and had her first child last October. Needless to say, she has been busy with life and not trained as much as in years past. That has not affected her swimming performance though...

At the recent FINA World Masters Championships, Camilla won the Women's 30-34 100M Backstroke (1:08.29)! What is even more incredible is this came just two weeks after she got back from visiting her family in Sweden.

She admits to swimming *only* four times a week during that vacation.

By the way, she placed second in the 50M backstroke (32.60).

WOW!

2006-08-20

Escape from Alcatraz

Recently, Newsletter Editor and Long Distance maven June Hussey escaped from Alcatraz! She made a break for San Francisco with a few hundred of her fellow inmates just over a week ago. Everybody lived to swim another day and no charges were filed by the authorities, the punishing swim in the bay was a self-imposed sentence ;-)

BTW, she swam the 1.2 miles without a wetsuit! If any of you have ever been to the Bay Area, you know how cold the water is. On that particular day, the water was 60 degrees F, which is significantly colder than a normal pool (78-80 degrees F).

June is a brave soul indeed. If you want more information on this event, click here.

2006-08-15

Director Whitten

Long-time Masters swimmer Phil Whitten was recently appointed Executive Director of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America! The news was posted on the CSCAA website along with USMS Swimmer magazine on page 9. Here is the official press release:

The College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has named Dr. Phil Whitten as the new Executive Director for the Association. Whitten, who received his Ed.D from Harvard University, is best known as the Editor-in-Chief of Swimming World Magazine and the highly regarded SwimInfo.com website, the largest and most authoritative swimming web site in the world.

“Phil Whitten brings vision, dedication and an obviously strong background in communications to the organization. We believe he will take us to another level of service for our coaches and our sport,” said Rich Morris, current President of the CSCAA, speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors.

An active US Masters swimmer, Whitten has been an outspoken proponent for swimming at all levels for many years and has been at the forefront for the fight against Chinese doping from 1993-present. In his position at Swimming World, Whitten was the first to obtain and publish files from the “Stasi” (East German secret police) proving the East German policy of systematically doping their world-class swimmers.

He has also authored and edited several books and publications about swimming, including a 32-page booklet, “How to Save Your College Swim Program,” published by USA Swimming and The Complete Book of Swimming (Random House).

An inductee into the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame, Whitten has been recognized by USA Swimming and the American Swimming Coaches Association for leading the fight against performance-enhancing drugs and for saving college swim programs.

Whitten will take the reins of the CSCAA as the new director on July 1, 2006, but plans to attend the CSCAA Annual Convention in Nashville, TN (May 21-24).

Way to go Phil! The sport of swimming will be well-served with his many talents.

2006-08-14

In the news, again!

You will find Chris Jeffery in SWEAT Magazine again this month. This time though, she is not modeling swimwear...

When you turn to page 10, you will see that she recently placed 10th at the Canadian Nationals. She is also competing in two World Cup events in Edmonton and Newfoundland soon thereafter.

The former ASU swimmer is now a pro triathlete training for Canadian Olympic qualifications. She is in her native Canada but will probably be back in Arizona sometime in the future. Way to go Chris!

2006-08-03

Swim Across the Sound

Some news about some amazing swimmers and their quest to raise money for cancer awareness. An Arizona swimmer is a part of this event so keep reading...

Bridgeport, CT – On Saturday, August 5, four amputees will swim 15.5-miles from New York to Connecticut to raise money and awareness for cancer patients. Three of the swimmers are bone cancer survivors who each lost a leg in the battle against cancer. The fourth swimmer is a Paralympic swimming hopeful who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident.

Competing as the only all-amputee relay team ever to swim in the 15.5-mile charity race called Swim Across the Sound
, their goal is to inspire hope and motivation in others who may be facing difficult times.

Each swimmer has a unique story. Learn more:

David Prince; Atlanta, GA; 22 years-old – On March 14, 2002, Prince lost his right leg below-the-knee in a motorcycle accident. Previously an athletic person, Prince didn’t let his amputation stop him from competing. At the 2005 Endeavor Games, Prince medaled in 15 out of a possible 16 track, field, and swimming events. He is currently an instructor at the Atlanta SCUBA and Swim Academy. Prince’s goal is to become a Paralympic champion.

Mark E. Rowley; Mesa, AZ; 54 years-old – A bone cancer survivor, Rowley lost his leg in June 1977. From his early years as a varsity competitor on a high school team with four All-American members to his current position as dive master on the Mesa County Sheriff Divers Posse, Rowley has always been an avid swimmer. A Dive Master since 1984, Rowley is also a member of the Arizona Masters Swim Team and has completed the 10-mile rough water swim in Seal Beach, CA for over 18 years in a row.

Kyle Underwood; Canton, OH; 43 years-old – A bone cancer survivor, Underwood lost his right leg through the hip 30 years ago while battling cancer. Turning tragedy into positive experiences, Underwood became a top competitor in able-bodied and
amputee cycling, garnering medals and shattering road racing records at the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul and at the National and World Championships in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Determined to help amputees overcome the challenges he faced, Underwood became a certified prosthetist/orthotist in 1996.

Cindy Underwood; Canton, OH; 47 years-old - A bone cancer survivor, Cindy Underwood lost her left leg through the hip 32 years ago while battling cancer but she did not let that slow her down. She spent many years as a lifeguard and swim instructor. As an elementary school teacher for 24 years, she has managed to
keep up with energetic first and second graders. Cindy Underwood is a mother of two (Zachary, 17; Rylie, 12) and wed Kyle Underwood last summer.

About The Swim: Swim Across the Sound has a unique niche, helping cancer patients and their families. The Swim, which is part of St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, sponsors 34 cancer education, screening and prevention programs and assists cancer patients on a case-by-case basis. In 2004, the Swim raised a record $2.5 million and offered services to 18,000 cancer patients and their families. The Swim began in 1987 and has grown into the premier local cancer charity in Connecticut.

2006-08-01

Sun Devil Tune-up Meet

Here are some pictures from the Sun Devil LCM meet last month.

It was hot, but the water was cool and the swims were fast.












These ladies are just about ready to start a fast heet.















These men are in the midst of swimming a VERY fast 50M Breast...

Hooray to everybody who took part in the meet!

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