With the holiday season fast approaching, it is important for swimmers and their families to remember one of the more important aspects about our great sport. Swimming is an endurance-oriented sport, which means that our athletes are continually trying to build on their current level of fitness. After talking with the coaching staff, it is apparent that the Mustangs have done a better job overall of attending workouts and working hard when they have been at workouts than in years past. So all who have contributed to that accomplishment deserve a big pat on the back.

With the holidays coming up, it is important for swimmers to continue the commitment to excellence. Try to plan family gatherings around the routine of workouts that has been established over the past few months. An interruption in that routine can slow the momentum that the swimmer has gained from previous workouts, and aerobically speaking, can set them back from their current fitness level.

Whenever we change seasons from short course to long course or vise versa, many swimmers are left wondering how to convert times from one course to the other. Many experts have come up with formulas to help predict this conversion. There are also conversion charts that will give you an idea. However, none of these methods are 100% accurate, and in some cases, can be a disservice to the swimmer because there are too many variables involved. What is the reason? Think about it this way. Imagine swimming an event, say the 100-yard freestyle, in three different pools – a 20-yard pool, a 25-yard pool, and a 50-yard pool. Would the times all be the same? They should, if the conversion theory is accurate. But the fact is that these three times would probably not be the same because there are many variables involved the most notable one being turns. Someone with good turns would have a faster time in the 20-yard pool, and someone with slow turns would be more competitive in the 50-yard pool. Also, the best time from the previous season probably come from a championship level meet where there are many factors working together for optimal performance (taper, shave, pool conditions, and atmosphere). So even if a conversion is accurate, the swimmer is probably not ready, mentally or physically, to better that time anyway and is doomed for failure in the first meet. All this being said, the policy that the Dallas Mustangs team should use is, enter at your best time in that event. And if that time is from a meet 9 months ago and everyone knows that the swimmer is a lot faster, then why not let the swimmer feel good about bettering the time by a bunch? There is never anything wrong with seeing success!

The Dallas Mustangs had an incredible meet at this year’s North/South All Star qualifying meet. Swimmers from the north half of Texas gathered at Loos to compete for spots on the North All-Star team. The top three finishers in each event are automatically selected for the team, and the remainder of the team is filled with swimmers who match up well against the South results. The North team gathered in Midland on November 21 to try to whoop up on the South. Congratulations to the following Mustangs who were automatic qualifiers: Caroline Jennings, Adriene Devereux, Jennifer Blackman, Courtney Patterson, Sara Haney, Amy Danchik, Debbie Forinash, Andrew Hansen, Jeff Girard, Kenneth Wherry, and Brian Stephens.

This annual meet which was held at Loos Pool, saw the majority of our "little mustangs" continue to improve their times. Over 70% of the swims in the meet for our kids were best times. If you include those who swam an event for the first time, (although technically it also qualifies as their worst time, since it is their only time), the percentage goes up even higher. Due to their outstanding efforts, the Mustangs placed fourth out of fifteen teams, with 284 points!

The following swimmers placed at least one time in the top ten in their age group. The number following each swimmer’s name reflects their age. Those swimmers who placed first one or more times in their division have their name in italics.

Kendal Ahnell (6), John Bannon (10), Spin Beck (8), Derrick Brown (10), Jeremy Chiang (6), Jordan Hanson (8), Haley Hatfield (10), Kelsey Hendricks (9), Alexandra Jennings (10), Jacob Lerner (8), Lane Lerner (7), Nicholas Low (10), Will McNamara (6), Caroline Pickett (8), Ashley Rape (9), Avery Rape (8), Lauren Roth (9), Alexandra Weber (9), Jay Wingo (8).

The location of this BB/B/C meet was changed to Lewisville (LAC) pool due to some scheduling conflicts with a Water Polo tournament held at the Northlake pool. Despite the fact that the meet had to shut down early on Saturday, due to some prior commitments to a high school meet, the swimmers still had fun and swam fast on both days. The Mustangs finished third out of the eighteen teams competing in the meet, just a few points out of second.

This meet, as some of the other early season meets, serves as an excellent place for swimmers to try out some new events that they have never done before. Many Mustangs achieved their first "B" time standards or better. The swimmers listed below include those who participated in the meet and achieved at least one "B" time standard in their age group. The swimmer’s age follows their name. Those that placed first in an event at least once have their names in italics.

A Times:

BB Times:

Meredith Monroe (12), Kate McNamara (12), Catherine Butterworth (12), Becky Jester (11), Jessica Shaw (13), Audrey Rogers (13), Melissa Dominguez (13), Kate Gunning (13), Arielle Goldberg (13), Jennifer Penley (14), Kim Hallum (16), Brooke Louisell (15), Jessica Rowe (15), Thomas Graham (14), Matt Saunders (13), John Acuff (15), Josh Pringle (15).

B Times:

Emily Baxter (12), Camille Graham (12), Arta Amini (12), Mary Larson (12), Leah Kitchen (11), Travis McDaniel (11), Preston Yetts (11), Jeffrey Wherry (12), Christian Washington (11), Zachary Dominguez (14)

Congratulations to all who competed and gave it the best they had!

Katie McClelland is fresh off some fine performances at the World Cup meet, which was held at the University of Maryland November 17-18. The meet is part of a series of World Cup events which will be held around the world, with this particular meet bringing together swimmers from 30 different countries. Katie finished 2nd in the 50 Breast, 4th in the 100 Breast, and 5th in the 200 Breast. Katie will be joining Sara Haney, Courtney Patterson, Brian Stephens, Naoko Imoto, Rania Elwani, Bobby Patten, and Martina Moravcova as they travel to San Antonio for the US Open. (Incidentally, Martina also swam well at the World Cup, winning the 200 Free while representing her home country of Slovakia.) The US Open is one of the last big meets in the world before the Olympic games!

The Dallas Mustangs would like to welcome the following new swimmers to our team:

Kendall Bankhead, Mark Chesler, Annie Dorsey, Mohammed ElMadani, Mallory Elmore, Christie Kimm, Angela Miguel, Katrina Miguel, Mady Rhodenbaugh, Melanie Tull and Caroline Webb.

The Annual Holiday party for the swimmers will be held at Highland Park this year on Monday, December 13th from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Only the National and Gold groups will have practice that evening from 4:30 – 6 p.m. THERE WILL NOT BE ANY WORKOUTS AT LOOS. Please bring your festive mood and $3 to cover the cost of food. And if the desire so strikes anyone, donations of desserts or cookies to share would be great!

The successes of our swimmers are many both in and out of the pool. Here are some Mustangs who have performed well academically and in the fine arts, and deserve recognition! Beth Bacon, who is third grader at St. Monica’s School. She made the A/B Honor Roll for the first 9 weeks, with an average of 96! Beth swims with the Bronze group at Loos. Cort Payne attends Good Shephard Episcopal School as a sixth grader. He made the Honor Roll for the first quarter as well. Michael Carpenter had an all A Honor Roll report card for the first 9 weeks of school. He attends St. Monica's Catholic School and is in 5th grade. Michael swims the Silver Group at Loos. Congratulations Beth, Cort and Micheal!

Ann Fenton and Natalie Hendrickse, both with the Bronze Group at Highland Park Pool, performed with the Sign (Language) Choir from Stonewall Jackson Elementary School, at the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day halftime show. This is their second year to be invited. This year they performed with recording artist Clint Black. Both girls are 5th graders and have been in the Sign Choir since first grade.

Thanks to the parents who submitted this information. If other parents would like to have their swimmers accomplishments recognized, please contact Wendy Begg at teg45@home.com or 972-307-3128.

The 1999-2000 Dallas Mustangs swim directories have been placed in the swimmers folders at their home pool. Only one directory per family has been distributed. Please note that the Father and Mother’s work numbers were transposed. Apologies to anyone inconvenienced by this error.

Be on the look out for the new team banners, which are sporting the new team logo. One of the banners is already hanging at Loos. Highland Park Pool and CFB will be receiving theirs within the month.

Tom Hendricks, who has graciously agreed to be the Fundraising Chairperson, is busy organizing the team’s Swim-A-Thon. This year’s event is scheduled for the week of February 3rd. Tom will have more information and SAT packets ready for distribution at the Christmas party on December 13th.

January 22-23, 2000 - 2nd Annual Dallas Mustangs Mid-Winter BB/B/C Invitational

May 5-7, 2000 - 19th Annual Dallas Mustangs A/BB Classic

June 2-4, 2000 - Senior Circuit 1

October 21-22, 2000 - 14th Annual Dallas Mustangs Haunted Hat BB/B/C Invitational

October 21-22, 2000 - 14th Annual Dallas Mustangs Haunted Hat BB/B/C Invitational

As a quick reference, here are important dates for upcoming events:

Dec 2-4 US Open (San Antonio)

Dec 3 no Loos w/o, All w/o @ HP (N,G,S 4:30-6, B 6-7)

Dec 3-5 COR Classic (Loos)

Dec 4 No w/o

Dec 7 National Group works with Bronze Group at Loos

Dec 9 National Group works with Bronze Group at HP

Dec 11-12 BB/B/C meet (Grapevine)

Dec 13 Christmas Party at H.P. No workouts at Loos.

Dec 18-22 Los Alamos training trip

Dec 20-23 All w/o @ HP N,G 4-6, S 6-7:30, B 6-7

Morning w/o for National TBA

Dec 27-30 All w/o @ HP N,G 4-6, S 6-7:30, B 6-7

Morning w/o for National TBA

Jan 3 Back to normal schedule

Jan 15-16 A meet – Lewisville

Jan 22-23 BB/B/C meet – Loos (Hosted by DM – We Need Your Help!!)