Excel Extra 12-27-24

Practice Schedule for the Next Three Weeks

Excel Giving Back

From the Head Coach

Practice Studs this Week

Announcements

Excel Recognition Programs

Want to become an official?

Upcoming Dates

Weekly Update Video

Coaching Staff

Practice Schedule for the Next Three Weeks

December 30 - January 5

Brentwood
Holiday Schedule
Gallatin
Holiday Schedule
Spring Hill
Holiday Schedule
Murfreesboro
Holiday Schedule

January 6 - 13

Brentwood
Normal Practice Schedule
Gallatin
Normal Practice Schedule
Spring Hill
Normal Practice Schedule
Murfreesboro
Normal Practice Schedule

January 14 - 20

Brentwood
No Practices on Friday or Saturday
Gallatin
No Practices on Friday or Saturday
Spring Hill
No Practices on Friday or Saturday
Murfreesboro
No Practices on Friday or Saturday

Excel Giving Back

This past week, Excel families once again showed their generosity by sponsoring 6 different families across 2 different sites. On Saturday, just a couple of days before Christmas, the Brentwood families donated and delivered gifts to 5 Franklin families who we connected with through Franktown Open Hearts. While each delivery was unique, our own team of Santas all reported back that the experience was amazing and that the gifts were received with grateful hearts.
In addition, we have been connected with a single mom of a 4 month old girl. She's not only a new mom but also a student online with Sumner County Schools and was in need of baby supplies. Our Gallatin families answered the call and have gathered up room full of gifts that will be delivered this week.

Thanks so much to each of you for making our local community a little brighter this Holiday Season.

From the Head Coach

This season, I have found myself having the same conversation with coaches on the staff. It always starts like this: "Can you believe that just happened??"

Whether it's a new BB time, SES cut, team record or new National Team member, we are excited but a little in shock. The last time I had this conversation was on the Saturday before Christmas. We were just finishing up practice and we asked the pool staff for a table organize the donated presents that were about to go out for delivery. Within minutes, we had to get a second, and then a third table. And that's when we gave up and started placing gifts on the floor (including a bike!).
Standing there looking at all the gifts, I was struck by how those presents were going to look through the eyes of 15 local children on Christmas morning. But then I noticed the enthusiasm of our swimmers as we got closer to delivery time. They too were having the same thoughts as I was.

This last week was also the time that we began to see the our college swimmers coming home for break... in big numbers. Usally, more than 10 per practice and they are here to train.

A few days later, thanks to the staff at the ISC, we were able to have our first Christmas Eve practice and we were in for a surprise. Over 100 swimmers showed up and we filled all 25 lanes.

Something special is occurring this season. The coaches have all noticed a sense of excitement and purpose at every training session and more and more, I find myself saying to our staff "Can you believe this just happened??"

Practice Studs this Week

Nominated by the Excel Coaches
From Coach Brennan doing repeat 100s free from a push. These were the last ones:
Chris Georgiev :55
Callum Farneth :54
Gabe Gortarez :53

Announcements

USA Swimming's Virtual Club Championship

Throughout the long course season, we will be carefully following our team's national ranking as we aim to break into the top 40 for the first time every. You can follow along. here!

Excel Recognition Programs

Over the course of the short course season, our club will be tracking a series of recognition programs to help motivate our swimmers to succeed un a multitude of events. While ultimately these programs do reward success, they are designed to be achievable by any level of swimmers, not just those with the most experience. You can always find the running totals for each at the bottom of the Excel Extras.

Heat Winner: Place in the top three swimmers in your age group for number of races won throughout the year. This award tends to favor those athletes that are attending meets, swimming a lot of events, racing hard but most importantly, improving throughout the year. Winners will receive a "Heat Winner" bag tag.
IM Hall of Fame Level 1- Attain a Southeastern Championship Qualifying time standard in every event available for your age group.
IM Hall of Fame Level 2- Attain an Age Group Sectionals Championship Qualifying time standard in every event available for your age group.
IM Hall of Fame Level 3- Attain an NCSA Junior National Championship Qualifying time standard in every event available for your age group.

Want to become an official?

All of our parent volunteers play a vital role in hosting meets. We simply could not host meets in your absence. While most jobs take little training or experience, meet officials go through an educational and training process that enables them to help officiate at all meets. In fact, our own Excel officials have outnumbered the host team officials in both our first two meets. We are very grateful to our officiating crew but are always looking for new members. Meet officials

Ensure a safe and fair competition for all our athletes
Satisfy all their volunteer requirements
Have the best seat in the pool
Have access to hospitality

If you have any interest in becoming a USA Swimming Certified official, please contact Laura DeMotte at officials@excelaquatics.org

Upcoming Dates

1-3 Registration Deadline for Mardi Gras
1-17 Mardi Gras

Weekly Update Video

Our Weekly Update for 12-27-24 has been released so check it out! You may have noticed that we are receiving intros from a wide variety of sources. Olympians, SEC Champions, officials, swim moms and vendors are just some of the folks who have made an appearance. If you are traveling and want to send us an intro from a unique location, we'll be sure to include it. Interested in seeing where they all come from so far? Check out Excel Aquatics from around the world below!

Coaching Staff

Looking for information on any of our coaches? Check out our Coaching Tab the website. If you have questions for a coach this will help guide you-

2025 Short Course Season Running Totals

NCSA Junior National Qualifiers: 20
Age Group Sectional Qualifiers: 34
SES Winter Championship Qualifiers: 106
USA Swimming Virtual Club Rankings (~3,500 Teams):

SES Teams National Rankings
Excel #35
HSA #59
TNAQ #67
Ensworth #111
NAC #156

SwimCloud.com Excel Rankings in the SES Conference (73 teams):
8 & U Girls 1st 8 & U Boys 1st
9-10 Girls 1st 9-10 Boys 1st
11-12 Girls 1st 11-12 Boys 1st
13-14 Girls 1st 13-14 Boys 1st
15-18 Girls 1st 15-18 Boys 1st

IM Hall of Fame: Achieved a cut in every event:
Level 1: SES Level 2: Age Group Sectionals Level 3: NCSA Junior Nationals
Owen Akard
Boston Boyd
Jack Calhoun

Caroline Dealy

Campbell Johnson

Zara Kocak
Brooklyn Lewis
Chris McMurtray
Silas Rowe
Charlie Turner

IM Tough Qualifiers
8 & Under 50 Fly, 50 Back, 50 Breast, 200 Free & 200 IM in the one season

Abi Brownyard

Savannah Copa-Brzozowski

Maya Foerster

Emily Georgieva

Walker Lewis
Bode Mello

9-10 100 Fly, 100 Back, 100 Breast, 200 FR, 500 Free & 200 IM in one season
Hayes Akard

Owen Akard

June Buffington

Elizabeth Conti

Parker Dyatlovitsky

Arden Ford

Katy Francisco
Lily Furlong

Harper Grant

Lincoln Kelly

Emma Nguyen

Abby Simkins

Hannah Simkins

Ryder Smith
Silas Rowe

Violet Vitale

Heat Winners

8 & Under Girls

Maya Foerster 11

Abi Brownyard 9

Katelyn Xu 8
Gwen Fuchs 8

8 & Under Boys
James Dyatlovitsky 13

Walker Lewis 12

Bode Mello 8

9 & 10 Girls
Savannah Copa Brzozowski 16

Lane Andre 13

Anna Busteed 11

9 & 10 Boys

Jack Calhoun 19
Owen Akard 16

Lincoln Kelly 9

11 & 12 Girls

Caroline Dealy 31
Brooklyn Lewis 16
Maya Li 15

11 & 12 Boys

Boston Boyd 21

Charlie Turner 21
Henry Schopfer 16

13 & 14 Girls
Mae Li 15
Izzie Payton 8

Millie Wood 7

13 & 14 Boys

Evan Xu 12
Gabe Gortarez 12
Campbell Johnson 10

15-18 Girls
Allie Joyce 17
Sarah Carrico 14
Zara Kocak 12

15-18 Boys

Zaki Ibrahim 15

Max Boylan 9

Gavin Fu 8