Vallejo Aquatic Club
P.O. Box 5846
Vallejo, CA 94591
(707) 553-swim
www.vallejoaquatics.org
August/September
2008
2007 - 2008 VJO Board
Dave Henderson, President
Debbie Rodinsky, Vice President
Angelynne Yee, Treasurer
Brenda Craft, Secretary
Diane Powell, Membership
Debbi Tucker, Officials
Debbie Rodinsky, Interim Meet
Director
Debbie Cameron, Newsletter
Coaches
Rob Moreside, Head Coach
Tuffy Williams, Coach (Tuffy’s
Group)
Aaron Jon Toch, Age Group
Coach
Coaches give swimmers well deserved target practice
Meeting Swimathon target benefits swimmers in more ways than one!
Shark Attack
The Official Newsletter of the Vallejo Aquatic Club
President Dave’s Parting Thoughts
Hello to all VJO snack bar. Yes, it
team members. Thanks appears to be a daunting
for your support and task, but the concept of
efforts during my term job share is one way to
of president this last to keep the team afloat,
year; it was a privilege since meets are a
and honor to serve. portion of our annual
Please support the profit to offset our
incoming board. costs. We will train, and
Congratulations to support our staff, as we
Debbie Rodinsky as have all been trained,
president for 2008-2009. and mentored by current
On a more and past team
serious note, we still members. The same
have not had anybody people cannot continue
step up to volunteer for to do the tasks that need
meet director, nor for to be shared by fellow
NEXT HOME MEET – NOVEMBER 1 & 2
What better way to warm up?
parents.
Also, parka
orders need to be placed
to receive for the winter
months, and we will be
selling black swim caps
with pink lettering to
support breast cancer.
Thank you all for
your hard work - see you
on deck.
Dave Henderson
Past-president, 07-08
P.S. We will be posting
sign up sheets for the
upcoming November
meet.
Page 2
Thoughts from the Deck
Coach Tuffy
First let me congratulate
everyone who received an award
at our annual award banquet.
For those of you who didn’t
attend and were acknowledged
for an award, your award was
placed in your file. If you don’t
know why you received the award
see me.
Coach Aaron Jon
Before last summer’s Far
Westerns, I bought a book called
“The Last Lecture” by Randy
Pausch, on a whim. I knew I’d
need something to read at the
meet and had heard about, but
not watched, the YouTube lecture
that had become an internet
We have four (4) swim meets
coming up before the end of the year.
Two of the meets are closed (Vacaville
and Napa); Reno is the only meet
currently open. PLEASE keep your eyes
open for our meet Nov. 1 & 2. Every one
should swim in our meet! Be prepared to
sign up early - this will close fast and
early.
Well we are talking swim meets in
December (12th-14th) Santa Rosa
Neptunes will host an indoor meet. This
will be your last chance to qualify for the
Zone III Champ (Jan 16th-18th) at USF
indoor pool).
There are not many meets, have
your parents sign you up as soon as the
meet is available…sign up fast.
The weather will be turning cold
as we approach winter. Please wear
phenomenon (Watch online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_Mq
icxSo).
Dr. Pausch was an accomplished
professor in the computer science
department at Carnegie Mellon. He had
recently been diagnosed with pancreatic
cancer, a particularly lethal form of cancer
with a median survival time from diagnosis
of between 3-6 months. He had decided
to give a “last lecture,” which professors in
academia traditionally do as they retire to
distill lessons they’ve learned over their
careers. His would obviously be more
meaningful as his intention was to leave
behind a capsule for his young children to
watch and appreciate as they grew old
enough to comprehend what had
happened and who their father was.
Both the lecture and book (which
is a recap of the lecture with more
background) are great—insightful, fun,
Shark Attack
shoes and socks, warm clothes and
something on your head.
During your practices do the best
you can. Work on perfecting your strokes.
Come every day if you can. You can keep
yourself warmer in the pool by not
standing around or stopping…KEEP
MOVING.
Final note I will be asking some
swimmers to come to practice early 5:00
PM to 5:30 PM to work on their strokes. It
will not be for everyone it will be for
swimmers that need to get the basic
fundamentals down of a particular stroke
that need more instruction and practice.
If you have a question about this please
ask me either at the pool after practice, e-
mail me at tuffyguy@sbcglobal.net or give
me a call @ 642-3008.
Tuffy
challenging, and moving. I’d recommend
watching and/or reading one or the other.
But, as swim coaches often do, there was
one quote that stood out in my mind
because of its direct relevance to
swimming: “The brick walls are there for
a reason. The brick walls are not there to
keep us out. The brick walls are there to
give us a chance to show how badly we
want something."
As we begin a new season, each
of us will be facing our own brick walls,
some big, some small. Fatigue, pain,
injury, doubt, and others will all be there.
How we choose to deal with them will
determine the amount of success we
attain this year. So next time you’re in
practice, in the middle of a hard set,
remember why that set is there; then,
show how badly you want it!
Coach Aaron Jon
 Shark Attack SHARK PROFILES Page 3

August/September 2008

Kelley Henderson Age: 13

Favorite Strokes: Free Style & Backstroke
Favorite Meet Events: 50, 100, 200 & 1,000 Free and 200
Back
Role Models: Christine Magnuson
Future Goals: To go to Yale & make Far Western Times
Hobbies: Swimming (of course), badminton & reading
Favorite Song: Tainted Love by Soft Cell
Favorite TV Show: Gilmore Girls
Favorite Movie: Howl’s Moving Castle
Favorite Book: City of Bones
If Kelley could change one thing, she would change the
fact that some children in third world countries, even our own
country, don’t have the educational opportunities that she
does. She thinks everyone has the right to education.
When Kelley grows up, she wants to be an
anesthesiologist.

Mary Welton Age: 12

Favorite Strokes: Free Style & Butterfly

Favorite Meet Events: 200 Free and 100 IM

Role Models: Her Parents

Future Goal: To go to college & make the Olympics

Hobbies: Swimming & soccer

Favorite Song: Beat It by Michael Jackson

Favorite Movie: Finding Nemo

Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird

If Mary could change one thing, it would be:

to have world peace .

When Mary grows up, she wants to be a marine biologist.

Page 4 SHARK PROFILES Shark Attack

August/September 2008

Cassidy McGuire Age: 7.5

Cassidy swims in the summer with the Benicia Sting Rays. She
wants to improve her swimming by swimming year round with Vallejo.
She likes coming to practice and laughs at her coach’s jokes.
Cassidy loves breaststroke and is working on her freestyle and
butterfly. Backstroke is her least favorite stroke, but she will do it when
encouraged by her coach.
She will be swimming in several fall meets. Her coach says to
hold her breath* (Free/Fly) and swim FAST.

By Coach Tuffy
*Don’t worry, Cassidy, Coach Tuffy tells EVERYONE that breathing is overrated!

Dino Putong Age: 9

This is Dino’s second year of swimming with VJO and
he thinks it’s fun. He almost enjoys swimming in the
winter. The team is looking forward to Dino helping
the 9-10 year boys relay. He is working on his dive
and butterfly. His favorite stroke is anything but
butterfly.

By Coach Tuffy

Vivien Ly Age: 10
Vivien Ly has just started swimming with VJO. She is very
anxious about swimming in a meet (or is it her grandmother
than is anxious?). She will attempt her first meet at our pool
on November 1st. She has fun swimming and enjoys Tuffy’s
humor, most of the time. She likes breaststroke and freestyle.
She is learning backstroke and butterfly. She tries hard and
works at learning all the strokes.

By Coach Tuffy
Shark Attack SHARK PROFILE Page 5

August/September 2008

Payton Onesti Age: 10

Payton swam with Tuffy last year in the fall. She
loved it so much that she and her sister came back this fall!
Loves breaststroke! However, she only tolerates the other 3
strokes.
She swam well last summer for the Sting Rays in
Benicia (Summer Recreation League).
Her only question is “Is Tuffy really older than dirt?”
She is going to not only swim the 100 Breast & Free,
she is going to attempt a 100 Back, RIGHT PAYTON??

By Coach Tuffy

Welcome (Back) to the Deck

New Swimmers Returning Swimmers

Matt Mallari Jaired Barefield Chazmin Cruz Kayla Scott

Emily Jewik David Larson Jessica Larson Kelsi Norman
Alexa Jacobson Kelsey Jacobson Camron Jacobson McKenna Gregory
Emily Casper Molly Casper Katie Krider Payton Onesti
Vivien Ly Cassidy McGuire Alyssa Lisenko Bianca Onesti
Natalie Lisenko Jennessa Pansoy Amanda Radtke Jacob Bautista
Ashley Sotelo Isabell Angel Kalin Nagle Andrew Butler
Tori Singley Jeromy Chang Ramiro Mendoza John Butler
Julian Payne Linda Payne Amalia Keilholtz
Lourdes Sandoval Paulina Sandoval Logan DeSilva
Tim Collins

Announcement:
Back, by popular demand, HOT COCOA NIGHTS
Right after Thursday practices, beginning in November
Parents, we’ll need your help to keep this running so please pitch in!
Page 6 Shark Attack

Volunteer Central
Parents, as we prepare for our next swim meet, we need volunteers for some key positions so that
we can make sure our meet runs like a well-oiled machine. In the spirit of fairness, we would like
to spread the workload out as much as possible and are asking parents to volunteer to do
something, if at all possible. A sign-up sheet will be available on deck so please, please, please
sign up to help out.

Like being on deck? We need at least 5 parents to volunteer to be marshals – will train.

Like getting a lot of exercise? We need at least 2 runners at all times to transport paperwork
between the timers and the computer room and post heat & lane assignments.

Like counting money? The snack bar could use a cashier.

Like the excitement of the race – maybe head timer would be the job for you.

Feel at home in the kitchen – maybe you can help out with hospitality or the snack bar.

And, of course, hospitality does need some help feeding the masses…the volunteers for this job
just might be the best-loved volunteers out there.

SCRIP – NO COST FUNDRAISING TO AID THE TEAM

We have a new batch of scrip cards available for VJO families (and friends). Just use these cards
when you check out at local grocery stores and a portion of your purchase gets donated to the team. If
you need a new card, or need to change your donation beneficiaries, please let us know. You can email
communications@vallejoaquatics.org and request card(s), or see Diane or Debbie Cameron on deck. If you
need help getting this set up or have questions, please see Debbie Cameron on deck or schedule a meeting
either by phone at (707)644-5654 or email at communications@vallejoaquatics.org. Some additional
information is noted below:

Raleys: go to http://raleys.com and click on “Wellness” then “Quality of Life Card” – at this point you can
register your card – don’t forget to register Vallejo Aquatic Club as one of your beneficiaries.

Luckys: S.H.A.R.E.S. card (Supporting Humanities, Arts, Recreation, Education & Sports) – no need to
register this card; simply use the one provided by the team.

Food 4 Less: Fill out the form attached to the card and drop it off at the customer service counter at the
store. This card needs to be preloaded and then it can be used like a gift card.

Safeway: Get your card directly from a local Safeway grocery store and then go to www.escrip.com to
register it. Click on “1-sign up” and don’t forget to include Vallejo Aquatics Club (Group ID # 139414752)
as one of your beneficiaries. If you need to renew, just click on “YES RENEW”.