HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
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It seems strange to type 2023!
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I hope all of you enjoyed the holiday season. I sure did. Thank you to all of you who thought of the coaching staff. The board treated us to a very nice dinner hosted by Coach Jeannie and then to cocktails at the Birmingham Pub. We certainly are spoiled!
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Did you make any New Year resolutions? Here let me help you…
1. Get to practice often and on time.
2. Meet with the coaches to revise your goals after the January meets.
3. Prepare for a very exciting championship season.

The progress we have witnessed in our swimmers never fails to impress. New swimmers have become good swimmers, good swimmers have become great. We are poised to see some incredible performances.

As I have explained, putting together facilities, schedules, coaches etc. is like building a house of cards. Not only for Birmingham, but for all of the Y teams. Farmington is scheduled to host our first championship meet, Eastern Clusters, and they have had the two facilities they contracted with back out. We will still have the Cluster Meet, but it may need to be spread out over two weekends (February 4-5, and 11-12.) They are still working to secure a place to host it on the 11-12. If they have to spread it out the meet will be at Northville High School. We will send more information as it becomes available.
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Because we were shut out of some of the sessions of the USSC meet, we are adding one day of the Grosse Pointe Gators US Meet on Sunday, January 29. This is the same weekend as Indy and we have well over 100 swimmers making that trip so we will only attend one day and practices will be canceled on that Sunday. This meet format is morning pre-lims/ evening finals for 11 and ups. If you choose to attend you are expected to attend the evening finals if you qualify. Afternoon events are timed/finals.
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Flint and the Blue Water Otters are planning a one-day Y meet on Sunday February 5. The only swimmers who should attend that meet are the handful of swimmers (mostly high school girls) who need their third need to continue in the program.
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The 9/10s will have a camera session at Covington on Thursday from 6:00-7:30 for any swimmers who have not yet had this opportunity. .To register, please sign-up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0c4ca9aa2aa3f58-910#/
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Kevin

Dear Parents and Swimmers,
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The last meet of the 2022 was very successful for our swimmers. We had first places from…
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Sully Jackson (11-12 500 free, 11-12 50 back, 11-12 50 free, 11-12 100 back, 11-12 200 free)
Michael Bailey (11-12 400 IM, 11-12 50 breast)
Mary Bailey (9-10 50 breast, 9-10 100 IM)
Teddy Howe (8 and under 50 free, 8 and under 100 IM, 8 and under 50 fly)
Eric Dunn (9-10 50 back, 9-10 100 IM)
Vanessa Williams (8 and under 25 back)
Jack Palmer (8 and under 25 back, 8 and under 25 back, 8 and under 50 back)
Victor Malinski (boys’ 100 breast)
Catherine Howe (11-12 50 back, 11-12 100 IM) Lyla Collins was second.
Nico Bonel-Muras (boys’ 200 fly)
Claire Tomasek (9-10 200 IM)
Ozan Saraydar (9/10 100 back) followed by Owen Brown and Andrew Carpenter in 2nd and 3rd!
Ozan won the 50 fly followed by Eric Dunn, Owen Brown and Thomas Wheeler!
Jake Brown (8 and under 25 fly, 8 and under 100 free)
Giorgio Materazzo (boys’ 200 back)

Nicely done, swimmers

Unfortunately, our entire entry was not accepted for the upcoming USSC meet. This is a US meet and US teams have to restrict entries so that no session lasts more than four hours. With this particular meet having a popular format (swim-your-own-age) and being the first meet after the holiday break it filled as soon as it opened. Our ace entry chair had our entry delivered as soon as the club was accepting them, but it didn’t work out for us entirely. We will swim the Friday night and Sunday morning sessions only. We will look to add another US meet in January.

I know that many of you are planning to attend the Flint Y meet in January. Flint is changing the format and it has stalled the sanctioning process. This meet will have a very quick turnaround so please, when you see the invitation, do not delay!

However you celebrate the upcoming holidays, ENJOY THEM!

I am looking forward to a very exciting 2023 for our team.

Kevin

Dear Parents and Swimmers,

It was a very important weekend for BBD!
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Ethan Schwab attended the East Speedo Junior Championships in Greensboro NC. He was one of three qualifiers from BBD, the others being Samantha Clifford and Angus MacDonald, who opted not to attend. Ethan swam three events: the 200 IM, the 100 and 200 breast and set new BBD team records in all three. On Friday and Saturday nights, Ethan swam in the finals of the men’s 100 and 200 breaststroke events. Coach Peter was on deck with him and the rest of the coaches were watching as the events were streamed. Ethan finished 5th and 6th respectively, in extremely close and inspiring races.

I am so proud of Ethan, and grateful that Peter was able to accompany him to such a major meet. While we have had swimmers in the past attend we weren’t always able to send a coach. The team’s reputation certainly is enhanced when we have swimmers at these national meets. Congratulations!
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We have added a few US Meets to our schedule. The latest is the USSC meet. This is being offered to swimmers who are not going to the Indy meet. Please do not enter if you are signed up for Indianapolis.

Our holiday schedule will be available soon.

Have a great week!

Kevin

Dear Swimmers and Parents,
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In spite of all the illnesses that are coursing through the team, those swimmers who made it to this weekend’s meet did extremely well.
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We had first places from a lot of our relay teams and these individuals…

Kelly Hassett (15/18 1000 free)
Allie Schwartz (12 and under 200 IM)
Will Schwab (12-14 400 IM)
Demetra Bicos (15 and over 400 IM)
Gus MacDonald (15 and over 400 IM)
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Jake Brown (8 and under 100 free)
Beckham Leith (9/10 50 back)
Sully Jackson (11/12 50 back, 100 free, 100 back)
Jack Bassett (8 and under 25 free)
Jack Palmer (8 and under 50 breast, 25 fly, 100 IM, 25 back, 50 fly)
Mary Bailey (9/10 50 breast, 50 free)
Tyler Bassett ((9/10 50 breast)
Catie Samouelian (8 and under 25 fly, 25 back)
Michael Bailey (11/12 100 fly, 50 fly)
Catherine Howe (11/12 100 free)
Quinn O’Neill (13/14 100 free, 100 back, 100 fly)
Scott Hassett (15/18 100 free)
Malin Murphey (11/12 50 back, 100 fly)
Avery Anderson (15/18 100 back)
David Marc Beatty (15/18 100 back)
Lila Solomon (11/12 50 breast)
Jack McCuiston (11 and over 200 breast, 500 free)
Sam Clifford (15/18 100 fly)
Claire Tomasek (10 and under 200 free)
Colton Ruks (9-10 100 IM)
Eric Dunn (9/10 100 back)
Isla Ley (9/10 100 breast)
Charlie McCuiston (11 and over 200 IM, 50 free)
Avery Tack (13/14 200 free, 100 breast)
Victor Malinski (13/14 200 free)
Jordan Bouchillon (11 and over 200 back)
Taylor Robinson (13/14 50 free)
Charlie Michael (13/14 100 breast)
Kate Stempien (11/12 50 fly)
Lyla Collins (11/12 100 IM

I hope I didn’t miss anyone!
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I am particularly pleased to see our swimmers trying new events (and succeeding!!) Several eight and unders swam the 50 back for the first time and managed their flip turns expertly. Many other swimmers chose longer and tougher events. We are making a lot of progress!
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Thank you to our parents who volunteered to officiate and time at the meet. I certainly appreciate your efforts and I know the Farmington team does as well.
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This upcoming week we will be sending Coach Peter and Ethan Schwab to the Speedo Winter Junior National Meet in Greensboro. This is a very high-level meet for swimmers across the nation. Angus MacDonald and Sam Clifford also qualified for this meet, but opted not to attend.
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As you are making your holiday plans, if you are traveling please try to get swimmers into a pool. Clubs across the nation are pleased to welcome guests…we always do! Our lead coaches will be glad to give you workouts. We don’t want to impede our momentum.

Have a great week!

Kevin​

Dear Parents and Swimmers,
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I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving.

Over the break we welcomed several of our alums back to practice….

Madison Helmick (University of Illinois-Chicago)
Timmy Page (Williams)
Jimmy Violassi (Wayne State)
Marin Dalziel (John Carroll)
Patrick Branch (John Carroll)
Jerome Wiater (Colby)
Hannah Deighan (University of Maine)
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It was so good to see them and hear that they are thriving!

Each year at the holidays we give the swimmers a bag tag that lists all relevant time standards for major meets. We have begun distributing them. See your lead coach if you haven’t gotten one yet. They are not merely for decoration on swim bags. PLEASE FILL THEM OUT including the emergency phone number. We hope we never need to call, but it is an important safeguard.

For the meet this weekend, remember to be punctual and have event numbers on the hands of the younger swimmers. Remind swimmers to pick up their awards. Almost the entire team is swimming, so we have canceled practices on Saturday and Sunday and 9/10s and 11/12s are combined at Cranbrook on Friday night. A separate email will be sent with further practice changes for this week.

Our high school boys will begin their seasons at their schools this week. We will miss you. Remember, you are always welcome at our practices during your season.

Have a great week!
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Kevin