BCST Coach Transition

BCST Head Coach Klaas Schenk shared his retirement letter with REFLECTIONS readers earlier this year. Below is a letter from Bellevue Club Athletic Director Sally Reed explaining the transition, and what BCST swimmers and parents can expect next.

Feb 15, 2013

Hello all,

I am writing to formally confirm the details of the forthcoming BCST (Bellevue Club Swim Team) Head Coach transition.

For some time now we have all been aware that Klaas Schenk would step down from his role as Head Coach at the end of the current season on July 31, 2013.  However, I am pleased to announce that he has confirmed his interest in remaining on the coaching staff in the role of Senior Coach. As Senior Coach, Klaas will continue to coach the Senior 1 group on a full-time basis performing all the duties associated with a group coach position. He will also be available as emeritus mentor to the other coaches and their swimmers and a resource for the Head Coach.  It warms my heart to know that Klaas will still be with us on a day to day basis until further notice.

I am also pleased to announce that Andy Pym, our current Senior Group Program Coach, will be promoted to BCST Head Coach commencing August 1 for the 2013/2014 season. Andy has been involved in coaching for the last 20 years, 10 of which have been with the Bellevue Club Swim Team. He has coached all levels of athletes from novice to Olympic Trials and achieved consistently outstanding results. Andy has also personally achieved the highest level of coaching certification (Level 5) from the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA).  We are fortunate to have such an extraordinarily talented leader in our midst and I am confident the BCST will continue to blossom with Andy at the helm.

In preparation for their new roles, Klaas and Andy are already working behind the scenes preparing for the forthcoming transition and setting up next season.  Please join me in congratulating both men as they prepare for these exciting changes in their lives and their careers.

Thank you!


Sally Reed
Athletic Director
Bellevue Club I your community.your club.

direct 425.637.4619

BCST Senior Boys Soar Through State Championships

View the full post on the BCST site.

 

The BCST senior boys wrapped up their High Season with strong performances at the WIAA State Swimming Championships mid-February at KCAC.  

There were eight individual State Champions, 47 finals performances, two state records and two BCST achieved. 

It started with the 2A HS State Championships. 

-Archbishop Murphy won the state title with three BCST boys playing prominent roles. 

-Senior Alec Barnard won both the 50 Free and 100 Fly in 2A state record times and was named the “Swimmer of the Meet”.  

-Sophomore Stephen Boden won both the 200 IM and 500 Free 

-Sophomore Austin Barnard took 2^nd in the 200 Free and 500 Free.  

All three swimmers were also part state record breaking 200 and 400 Free relays. 

2A State Individual Event Swimmers

Alec Barnard – Archbishop Murphy         1^st50 Free / 1^st100 Fly

Austin Barnard - Archbishop Murphy      2^nd200 Free / 2^nd500 Free

Stephen Boden - Archbishop Murphy    1^st200 IM / 1^st500 Free

Conrad Karwal – Sammamish                     4^th100 Fly / 6^th100 Back

 

3A was a great team battle. Bellevue, Mercer Island and Lakeside were littered with BCST swimmers, and they duked it out from start to finish. 

In the end, it was Lakeside coming away with their second state title in two years with Junior Tom Hutchison and Senior Michael Shum playing significant roles. Bellevue Junior Todd McCarthy was our lone individual winner for 3A placing 1^st in the 200 Free. 

3A State Individual Event Swimmers

Ian Caldwell- Mercer Island                         8^th200 Free / 12^th100 Free

Sam Chong – Mercer Island                         12^th 200 IM / 11^th100 Back

Morgan Ciliv – Bellevue                                9^th 200 IM / 3^rd100 Breast

David Conger - Mercer Island                     200 IM / 13^th500 Free

Noah Deiparine- Mercer Island                  8^th100 Free / 7^th100 Breast

Tom Hutchison – Lakeside                           7^th200 IM / 7^th100 Back

Todd McCarthy – Bellevue                           1^st200 Free / 2^nd100 Back

Daniel Prang – Bellevue                                                10^th200 Free / 100 Free

Austin Ralph - Mercer Island                       12^th100 Fly / 13^th100 Back

Michael Shum – Lakeside                             4^th100 Fly / 6^th100 Breast

Michael Stanchi – Bellevue                          2^nd500 Free / 5^th100 Back

Matt Williams – Bellevue                              2^nd50 Free / 4^th100 Free

 

4A didn’t have as exciting of a team race as 3A, as Kamiak dominated the field. Kamiak is the home to two BCST swimmers, Seniors Johnnie Stupey and the 100 Breast State Champion Liam Sosinsky.  

The 4A “Swimmer of the Meet” went to Junior Ed Kim of Eastlake. Ed won both the 50 Free and 100 fly in BCST record times. 

3A State Individual Event Swimmers

James Campbell – Newport                        200 Free / 100 Breast

Willie Dittig – Newport                                  15^th100 Back

Aaron Elhajj – Newport                                12^th200 IM / 6^th500 Free

Gabe Florsheim – Issaquah                         10^th50 Free / 6^th100Fly

Ed Kim – Eastlake                                             1^st50 Free / 1^st100 Fly

Dave Makhervaks –Newport                      11^th200 IM / 4^th100 Back

Andrew Pana – Newport                              13^th200 IM / 8^th500 Free

Henry Pratt – Issaquah                                  9^th50 Free / 100 Breast                 

Liam Sosinsky – Kamiak                                5^th200 IM / 1^st100 Breast

Johnnie Stupey – Kamiak                             2^nd200 IM / 4^th500 Free

Tyler Yee – Newport                                      11^th100 Back

Markus Zimmerman – Eastlake                  200 Free / 500 Free

Easter Brunch in Polaris Grill

Join us for our annual Easter brunch buffet in Polaris Grill, Sunday, March 31, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

There will be seating available in both the dining room and the Olympic Ballroom, so large parties are welcome with an RSVP. There will be plenty of hearty and sweet choices to satisfy everyone, and even some chocolate, which will make one special guest very happy. Word has it, the Easter Bunny will be around for parents and kids to take photos.

The price for the buffet is $39.95/adults, $18/kids, ages 6-12 and kids 5 and younger are free.

RSVP to Emily Pierson at 425.668.3382.

PNS All-Star Selection

PNS All Stars (Age 11-12 and 13-14)

 

Congratulations are in order for six BCST swimmers (age 11-12 and 13-14) who competed in the PNS All-Star meet January 5^th and 6^th in Santa Rosa, Calif.  

The meet took the top swimmers from PNS, Oregon Swimming, Pacific Swimming (northern California) and Southern California Swimming, creating the fastest age group swimming on the west coast.

 

It's an honor to be chosen for the all-star team, with only the top eight swimmers chosen from each swim association, from the boys and girls ages 11-12 and 13-14. 

PNS took third place overall, narrowly missing 2^nd to Pacific Swimming.   

BCST is proud of our swimmers for not only representing the team, but Pacific Northwest Swimming, as well. 

 

Congratulations to the following BCST swimmers!

 

Aaron Elhajj (14)     (8^th 200 IM)

Elisa Fang (14)        (4^th 50 free, 5^th 100 fly, 6^th 200 back)

Ryan Kinnear (13)   (7^th 400 IM)

Henry Lucco (12)    (4^th 50 fly, 4^th 100 fly, 5^th 100 free, 7^th 50 free)

Ben Whitty (14)

William Zhou (12)    (4^th 100 back, 7^th 100IM)

Courtesy of the BCST website, www.teamunify.com 

Fall Basketball League Champions

By Basketball Coordinator Brian Brown

Congratulations to Team Bacon on capturing the Bellevue Club Fall basketball league championship. The team, captained by league veteran Tony Bacon, took home the crown with a hard fought 84-79 victory over Team Ross, led by captain PJ Ross.

It was a very competitive league, and all of the teams had a chance going into the playoffs. Again, a special congrats to the guys from Team Bacon.

Pictured left to right
Tony Bacon, JR Ashe, Ben Werth, Matthew Robinson, Patrick Halvorsen, Terry Kisner and Bob Brennan

Celebrate Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day incorporates all kinds of love—not just the romantic kind. So if you have a family of little ones, or a group of great friends, celebrate together. Below are five ideas to get you started.

1. Cook a Family-Style Meal: Gather everyone together for a big meal (you like this during Thanksgiving, right?) and enjoy each other’s company while eating yourself silly. You can make it a potluck, a dessert-only affair, a wine bottle trade or anything themed. Whichever you choose, make it fun.

2. Have a Movie Night In: Either with your kids or your pals, don your most comfortable sweat pants and prepare for a triple feature. You can make Valentine’s cookies beforehand, or indulge in chocolates and candy hearts. Spending the evening on the couch is much more relaxing than heading out to a crowded restaurant anyway.

3. Explore Your City: There are dozens of local tours in Seattle—from brew tours, to chocolate tours, to scenic Seattle tours. There’s no limit to your options. You could even buy tickets to a special theater production. Besides, all of that walking will help burn off the chocolate intake.

4. Get Competitive: Plan a game night at home, or go out and race go-karts. Head to a restaurant that features arcade games with your friends, or play mini golf with the kids.

5. Volunteer: Valentine’s is all about spreading the love, so why not give this back to others? Pitch in with Habitat for Humanity, donate clothing to Bellevue LifeSpring, walk dogs at an animal shelter or help out an elderly neighbor with housework. Doing kind things for others will warm your heart.

Winter workout

Don't let the chilly winter weather keep you from exercising outdoors this season. Even though it's tempting to curl up by the fire with some hot chocolate, these seasonal sports are fun and a great full-body workout, so bundle up and get ready to burn some calories!

Ice skating. This can be an indoor or outdoor sport. Hit the rink for an aerobic workout that can burn up to 20 calories per minute. Balancing on the thin blade of an ice skate also helps strengthen your core.

Cross-country skiing. This is another sport that will give you a full-body workout and help you burn calories. It's great for working your shoulders, arms, back, chest, abs and legs.

Hockey. Many people view hockey as sporting even in which a fight between players is a main attraction. However this cardio-intensive sport burns around 470 calories an hour and improves flexibility, mental strength and focus, so everyone should give it a try. It doesn't have to be an intense match, have some friendly competition between friends or family this winter.

Downhill skiing or snowboarding. Time to hit the slopes! These sports will help you release some endorphins, improve flexibility and is a great leg workout. Also, being outdoors and enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery can improve your mood and decrease anxiety levels.

Sledding. Have some fun and feel like a kid again while getting a good workout. In order to sled down a hill, you need to climb up it, which works your leg muscles and burns calories.

Shoveling snow. This winter chore is a workout in itself. The heavier the snow, the more calories you will burn.

Click here for more winter workout information.

Clover Tree Workshop

Author Kim Foster hosted an event at the Bellevue Club specifically for mothers and daughters earlier this month. During the workshop, the pairs created their own Clover Trees, where they pasted pictures to represent their wishes, dreams and goals for the future.


The women had a lot of fun working together and making their relationships that much closer and stronger. Below are a few photos from the event.

Brick By Brick Relief for Sandy Hook

Bellevue Club member Joene LaBou wanted to help rebuild Sandy Hook Elementary school after the devastating shooting in December.

In an effort to honor the 20 children and six adults who lost their lives at the Newtown, Conn. shooting, Joene decided to show the students, parents and community members strength by collecting bricks throughout the Kirkland area. Her goal is to collect thousands, with personal messages from community members, ship them to Newtown and have a monument constructed there.

It's called Brick By Brick, and people can stop by Ford of Kirkland to become a part of the project. In the main showroom, there are plenty of bricks ready to paint. Joene and her volunteers have prepped the bricks so they'll stand up against weather and time, but they still need drawings, prayers or words of hope.

As of late December, they've gathered 1,800 bricks, and a Woodinville trucking company has volunteered to take them to Newtown when they're complete. Joene plans to collect through the month of January, but if support and enthusiasm is still pouring in, she may extend the deadline.

Several businesses in the area have invited the organization to collect at their locations, so Joene said she is willing to come to those who want to help. If you want to see where they will be next, visit their Facebook page.

Donations are also accepted, which would be used for materials and the installation of the monument. These donations can be made at any KeyBank in the name of Brick By Brick-Sandy Hook Memorial Fund.

Or, you can mail donations to:
KeyBank
Kirkland Parkplace Key Center
327 Parkplace Center
Kirkland, WA 98033

"We, together, would love to build something from our hearts to theirs," Joene said. Joene has also been in contact with Newtown and Sandy Hook, and they believe the brick monument would be a "great tribute" and symbol of their rebuilding —brick by brick.


For questions, contact Joene at brickbybricksandyhook@gmail.com or 425-941-3915.

Minutes to Thin It Videos

If you haven't yet, read the January article, "Minutes to Thin It", here.

In order to make the most of your workout, you have to make sure to do the moves correctly! We enlisted the help of Bellevue Club trainer Siri Spurrier to demonstrate some of the more complicated exercises from the article. Watch the videos below and consult the REFLECTIONS article for any further explanation.

Oh, and don't forget to have a little fun!

Mountain Climbers


Keep your back straight and your arms strong as you jump in to your body one leg at a time. Keep your head down to lessen the strain on your neck.

Overhead Press


Keep your back straight and your feet about shoulder-width apart. No arching your back or hunching your shoulders. Lift and bring your arms back down slowly, always keeping your shoulder muscles engaged.

Plank Knee Twist


Keep your back flat and shoulders hip-width apart. Bring your knee to your elbow until it nearly touches, then slowly bring it back down.


Seated Russian Twists


Keep your shoulders back because hunching will create a strain on your back. With your arms out in front of you, twist from side to side in a controlled motion, using your abs to do the work.

Single-leg Dip


Keep your hands flat against the mat behind you. Lifting your leg straight up, dip back down, utilizing your triceps and core, but never letting your butt touch the mat. Your elbows should be bending behind you, not to the sides.
  
Squat Jumps


Make sure your knees never go over your toes. After leaning back in a sitting position, you'll want to explode up, landing lightly back on your feet.

Hovering Situp


This exercise is a bit more challenging, so make sure to start slow. You'd rather go at a slower pace and perform it correctly, than rush through it and hurt your neck or back. When you crunch up, make sure to keep your back straight and maintain that 90-degree angle with your legs.

Victory for BC Youth Basketball

 By Basketball Coordinator Brian Brown

Congratulations to the Bellevue Club Youth Basketball Academy 4th Grade White team for taking home the Washington Tournament Association’s Holiday Classic championship at Lakeside HS and Renton HS, held on Dec. 1st and 2nd.

The boys went 3-1 on the weekend, and avenged their only defeat to Kent Elite in the championship game by a convincing score of 45-20. This was only the second tournament the team has ever competed in.

In the picture from left to right: Oliver Thomas, John Short, Nate Barnard, Gavin Browne, Max Skinner, Van Linden, and Richard Barkley (not pictured Trace Nangle, Stephen Kerr, James Joffe)

SMART Goals

By Bellevue Club Registered Dietitian Laurelee Misseghers

 

The beginning of a new year is a good time to take stock of how things went over the previous year, and to think of how you want the coming year to be different. For many people, these changes may include things such as “Improving my diet,” or “Losing weight.” And while these are worthwhile goals, they are too generic to be of much use. 

How will you know if you have met your goals? Instead, it is important to have SMART goals:

            S         =          Specific

            M        =          Measurable

            A         =          Attainable

            R         =          Relevant

            T         =          Time-bound

For example, if I want to improve my diet, how can I make this into a SMART goal? 

S          =          Specific                       I will eat more fruit.

            M        =          Measurable                 I will eat 4 fruits/day.

            A         =          Attainable                   Yes, this is something I can easily do if I      

                                                                        purchase my fruit on Sunday.

            R         =          Relevant                      Yes – it will improve my diet.

            T         =          Time-bound                I will eat 4 fruits for 5 days of the week.

Obviously, SMART goals can be used in all areas of life, and not just healthy lifestyle changes.  By turning a generalized goal into a SMART goal, it is easy to see to identify the steps you need to take, and to see if you have met your new goal or not.  For additional help in meeting the goals you have for the new year, the dietitians at the Bellevue Club would be happy to meet with you.