Long Beach Grunions Swim Team

Happy New Year once again, fellow grunions! Now that the holiday season has been properly celebrated, and all the turkey and fruitcake are finally gone (and hopefully not stored away in your hips and thighs), we can get down to swimming once again.

The new year brings about new beginnings and new resolutions. For many of us, those new resolutions are fitness-related, and include taking better care of ourselves, our bodies and our health. If your new year resolutions include exercising and getting back in shape, what better way to start fulfilling them than by getting back in the pool?

I know that the cold weather makes it harder to get out of bed early in the morning, or to leave your warm house later in the evening. But once spring and summer roll around, your body will thank you for not giving up on your new (or renewed) fitness regimen.

Instead of making HUGE, unattainable resolutions, my advice is to take one lap at a time. Start small and be consistent. Talk to one of our (very friendly) coaches about setting up feasible goals, and the best way to attain those.

Here are some interesting new year swimming resolutions/suggestions I found online at swimming.about.com. Follow this link for a detailed explanation of each of those 10 tips. Hope to see you all in the pool very soon!

• Do swim frequently
• Do swim with good technique
• Do drills as part of every swimming workout
• Do challenging workouts
• Do easy workouts
• Do streamlines
• Do leave the wall the same way every time
• Do wear a swimsuit made for competitive swimming
• Do ask someone to watch you swim
• Do use flippers occasionally

My Fellow Grunions,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish all of you a happy and safe new year and to reflect on a fantastic 2008!

2008 was a great year for the Grunion Swim Team! It started out with a bang with our annual Las Vegas bus trip/swim meet and ended with our fabulous Holiday Party/Gift Exchange at Anita Cole's beautiful home in Rancho Palos Verdes. And in between we swam, partied and danced all the way!

Highlights include:

- Hosting TWO Naples Island swims this year....and actually swimming one of them!
- Hosting the nationally recognized SPMA SCM Champioship Meet and at the same time winning the 4th place team trophy behind Irvine Novaquatics, San Diego Swim Masters and Mission Viejo Nadadores.
- Winning the Medium Team division at IGLA 2008 in Washington D.C. We now have won this trophy 3 out of the last 6 years and we are the first back-to-back winners of this division. Can we win it in again in Copenhagen?
- And finally winning the coveted Pink Flamingo trophy!

Individual Grunions accomplished some amazing feats this past year as well! Whether it was swimming in their first swim meet, completing their Ultimate Check Off Challenge, running in the Long Beach marathon, all they way to completing an Iron Man Triathlon, Grunions were all over the place accomplishing individual acheivements with their fellow Grunions cheering the entire time and showing the world what Grunion Love is all about!

2009 promises to be just as fantastic. So if you've been swimming and participating with the team at practice, swim meets or other social events, keep it up! If you've been absent, we want to welcome you back with open arms and look forward to seeing you, we've missed you!

Please don't forget to bring your 2009 USMS registration card with you to practice in the month of January. Our coaches and board members will need to verify all swimmers have registered with USMS prior to letting you in the pool. It's fast and easy on the www.spma.net site, you'll be able to print your registration card immediately!
 
Here's to a great 2008 and an even better 2009!
 
It's great to be a Grunion in 2009!
 
With lots of Grunion Love,
Daisy

I hope everyone has recovered from the SPMA Championship Meet. By Tuesday night after the event, I had over 160 emails from the participants with GLOWING reviews.   

Here is a sample of what the swimming community is saying about the Grunions:


"I was very impressed by the warm hospitality of the Grunion Team during this meet. From entering, to check-in, to scratching it was an incredibly well run meet. Thank you for hosting a fantastic event. I hope I get to attend next year."

"Ken, thank you so much for the opportunity to swim with such a fine group of people.  Again...this was a wonderful meet!  Exceptionally well run.  Everyone was extremely helpful, kind, considerate, etc. etc.  We came in from AZ. and plan on doing it again next year.  My sincere thanks, to all who worked so hard to make all of the meet work.  I realize that the behind the scenes work is really a huge job!  Thanks again for everything."

"Thanks again for a spectacular meet.  I look forward to coming every year because you guys know what you're doing and you do it right. The announcer was one of the best I've heard. Despite the large numbers, you were organized and the meet ran smoothly.   Keep up the good work Grunions--we'll see you next year!"

"Thanks again, for another well run meet. Even with the increased number of swimmers, you folks did a stellar job of keeping the meet moving. I think your Grunion Meet is one of the best in the nation. Thanks to all of you that made it a success."

I know it was a long three days but through it all it was very obvious that each one of you showed the 600 swimmers what the Grunions are all about.  So sit back, take a moment and think about what you accomplished...absolutely amazing!

What can I say at this point but a HUGE THANK YOU AND YOU ALL ROCK!!!!!!!!!

A large group of very merry Grunions met last Saturday at Anita Cole's home to celebrate the season with our annual Holiday Party.

Besides eating (some great food), drinking and being merry, the Grunions had one more successful gift exchange extravaganza. Presents went from the proper and well behaved (chocolate, candles), to the naughty (books and DVDs) to the outrageous (somebody do something about that Grunion seat!).

The most popular gifts tended to have an alcoholic content of 70% or higher, with some high proof vodkas and jacks changing hands several times.

Of course it was all done in great fun. As if we needed any more proof that Grunions will take any opportunity to get together, socialize and share the joy.

A big special thank you for Anita and Stuart Cole for opening up their beautiful home for us.