(Santa Maria, CA) - The 2010-2011 Moment of Zen concluded Saturday morning with an epic Crazy Eights competition. The Moment of Zen is a High Performance Group competition over the course of holiday training that gives each athlete points for time trials, insane party games and obscure timed events. Some of the included events this year included the Free Throw competition, Black Jack and a 25 Dolphin Kick for time. The final two stages include the Gatorade Chug 100 yard Freestyle and Crazy Eights. Crazy Eights is 8 x...

  (Fort Lauderdale, FL) - Each year the American Swimming Coaches Association honors the coaches who guide a swimmer to a top-8 finish at aUSA Swimming National-level meet or a USA collegiate championship. Head Coach Mike Ashmore was awarded a 2010 Coach of Excellence award for outstanding coaching achievement in the the United States of America for his efforts in guiiding Josh Prenot to a top-8 finish at the USA Swimming National Championships.

  USA Swimming has updated the Virtual Club Championships. We are currently 19th in Southern California and 317th in the country. The more swim meet participation we have TEAM WIDE, the better our score! Way to go SMSC!

  (Columbus, OH) - Josh Prenot capped off a stellar USA Swimming National Championship meet with a 1:46.3 in the Men's 200-yard Butterfly. The time was good for 5th place overall and also gives Prenot his first 18-under National title.  In a field comprised of mostly college men and professionals, Prenot edged out Seth Stubblefield of Plano, Texas for the win. The time also shatters the 20-year old SMSC Team record. Prenot finishes the week with two 5th place finishes (400IM & 200 Fly), 5 best times, 5 SMSC Team...

  (Columbus, OH) - Josh Prenot managed to pick up 2 Finals at the Day 2 Prelims at USA Nationals. Competing first in prelims of the 400y Individual Medley, Prenot swam to a team record 3:50, qualifying 6th for tonight's final. The new time is 5 seconds faster than his previous record and best time. Twenty minutes after the IM, Prenot turned around and swam to a 48.83 in the 100 Fly. The mark drops a 20-year old SMSC record by a second. Prenot qualified 27th for the evening finals....

  (Columbus, OH) - USA Nationals began today at the Ohio State University Swim Center. In his first event of the week, Josh Prenot broke his own team record in the 200y Individual Medley, turning in a 1:49.83. His old record was 1:51.66.  Prenot also finished 31st, one spot out of the finals. In the upcoming Day 2, he has the 400 IM and 100 Fly.

(Santa Maria, CA) - The Santa Maria Swim Club rolled through their regional battle with Clovis, Bakersfield and Torrance this past weekend at the Paul Nelson Aquatic Center. The Duel in the Pool pits the 4 teams against each other in a "college-style" competition where both teams bring their best 20 boys and 20 girls. Each meet is then scored seperately against each other. In Combined team competition, Santa Maria swept all three visting teams: SMSC 412.5 - Bakersfield 185.5 SMSC 402.00 - Clovis 189.0 SMSC 359.0 - Torrance 238.0...

  (Santa Maria, CA) - Karen Hendrick is going to be a Cowgirl. Hendrick signed a National Letter of Intent last week to swim for the University of Wyoming beginning in September 2011. Hendrick has swam for the Santa Maria Swim Club from the age of 10 and competed at the Junior National and Grand Prix level. She also represents Righetti High School. Hendrick is slated to represent the Cowgirls in the IM and Backstroke events, but her versatility leaves it open for her to swim a multitude of events,...

(Santa Maria, CA) - After each weekend's swim meet results are sent to USA Swimming, the organization runs a quick simulation that literally pits each and every team in America against each other and re-ranks based on current results. After just a few meet weekends in the 2010-2011 Short Course Club rankings, SMSC is currently ranked 17th in Souther California Swimming and 203rd in the Nation. Keep up the good work!

SMSC families - I recently completed negotiating the follow-on contract with our Head Coach and General Manager, Mike Ashmore.  We signed his new 5-year contract today.  Congratulate Mike next time you see him on deck, and remember to thank him and all our coaching staff for their dedication and outstanding support.  As Coach Mike says...fast swimming to all! Bill Prenot