Did you know that Coach Ray sings for the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and he also directs an ensemble at Salem Lutheran Church in Catonsville?  Here are some opportunities to see for yourself.

Sunday December 13th: Coach Ray will be presiding cantor at a service of Evening Prayer at Salem Lutheran Church in Catonsville. The service will be at 4:00 PM.  For more information about Salem Church, click here.  

Friday December 18th: The Baltimore Choral Arts Society will be hosting a "Messiah Sing-a-Long" at Goucher College.  For more information, call the Baltimore Choral Arts Society at (410) 523-7070 or click here.

 Saturday December 19th: The Baltimore Choral Arts Society will be hosting "Christmas for Kids" at Goucher College at 11:00 AM.  This will be a fun-filled holiday program for the young and young at heart featuring Ronnie the Reindeer and a visit from Santa!  For more information, call the Baltimore Choral Arts Society at (410)523-7070 or click here.

Thursday December 24th: Coach Ray is the artistic director of Psalm 98, a music minstry of Salem Lutheran Church.  By "artistic director," we mean that he chooses the music and the singers for every piece, but he does not necessarily direct that particular song or even sing in that particular group for that piece.  Psalm 98 will be singing three pieces during the prelude and worship service at 10:30 PM. Prelude begins at 10:15PM.  The bulk of the choral music will be provided by the Salem Choir.

Thursday December 24th and Friday December 25th:   Portions of the Baltimore Choral Arts Christmas concert at the Basilica of the Assumption will be televised on WMAR (the Baltimore ABC affiliate) at 11:35 PM on Christmas Eve and 9:00AM on Christmas Day.

     On Saturday December 5th, Harold Bernadzikowski, Steve Hicks, Frank Krach, Jerry Meyer, Mark Spence, and Coach Ray went to the Talbot County YMCA for the third Swim Series Meet.  There were almost 100 swimmers registered despite the weather.

     In the 35-39 age group, Steve Hicks broke Scott McPherson's 200 breaststroke record of 2:48.44 that was set at the January Arundel Olympic meet in 2005 with an impressive 2:33.93.

      In the 50-54 age group, Mark Spence continued his record breaking ways by first taking on another one of the most venerable records on our books, John Siebs' 50 freestyle record of 27.53 that was set at the 2001 UMBC Winter meet.  Mark dispensed with this record with a National Qualifying time of 26.38.  Next to go was Richard Mathews' 100 breaststroke record of 1:22.28 that was set at the 2006 December Swim Series Meet at Towson University.  This record was broken with another USMS National Qualifying time of 1:11.54.

      In the 60-64 division, Jerry Meyer first set a new record in the 50 backstroke with a 41.37.  He then led off our 400 Medley Relay team with a new team record in the 100 Backstroke with a 1:25.82.

     Congratulations!

     On Sunday November 15th, Steve Hicks, Jerry Meyer, and Coach Mike traveled to Washington College in Chestertown for the second Swim Series meet. 

    Huh?  What was that first name?

    As many of you know, Steve Hicks has been a great friend of ours ever since he moved to the Eastern Shore from Colorado and established the Delmarva Dogfish Masters Team.  Earlier this year, the economy hit the Eastern Shore very hard, and Steve was forced to come to our side of the Bay Bridge to find employment.  These many months, the Dogfish's loss has been our gain as he practiced with us.  At the Washington College meet, Steve officially became part of the CMYM family by representing us in competition.  And he did so in record setting fashion.  He started things off in the 35-39 age group by breaking Coach Mike's 200 backstroke record of 2:21.55 set at the November Meadowbrook meet way back in 2003 with an impressive 2:17.99.  He then broke Craig Dewing's 200 IM record of 2:19.74 that was set at the UMBC Winter meet back in 2005 with an eye-popping 2:13.83.

     In the 60-64 age group, Jerry Meyer celebrated his birthday from earlier in the week by breaking in the 200 backstroke record with a 3:04.54.

     Congratulations all!

      On Saturday October 17th, we hosted the first Swim Series Meet of the season at the Ellicott City pool.  28 of our CMYM swimmers participated.  As a sign of our team's maturity on the ladies side, it is no longer a given that when one swims an event, a team record will be set.  The race to fill in the gaps in the record board is on!

     Over on the men's side, John Aversa broke two established records in the 30-34 age group.  He first broke Craig Dewing's 200 butterfly record of 2:38.47 set at the NOVA pool in Richmond, VA in February of 2005 with a smoking 2:15.61.  He then turned around, and broke Craig Dewing's 200 breaststroke record of 2:36.29 set at Villanova University in February of 2004 with an equally impressive 2:26.47.

    In the 40-44 age group, both Coach Ray and Scott Moffet set their sights on Phillipe Homassel's 200 backstroke record of 3:06.16 set at the first swim series meet of the 2006-2007 season in our pre-reonovation pool.  Both broke the record, but Scott beat out Coach Ray by almost a full length of the pool 2:43.59 to 2:59.29 to clinch the new team record.

    In the 45-49 age group, Ed O'Malley continued his record making ways by breaking his own record in the 100 freestyle  of 1:01.57 that he set at the Catonsville YMCA in December of 2008 with a 59.64.

     In the 50-54 age group, newcomer Mark Spence definitely shook things up by breaking three long established records.   First to go was Duer Pierce's 50 Butterfly record of 30.81 set at the Arundel Olympic Center in January of 2003 with an eye-popping 29.65.  Next to go was one of the most long standing records on our team.  John Siebs set the 100 IM record of 1:12.11 way back at the UMBC Winter meet in February of 2001...the first season that we came into existence as a team.  Mark dispatched that record with a 1:09.88.  The final piece of flotsam in the Spence maelstrom was the 50 breaststroke record held by Dan Beisel.  Beisel's time of 37.36 set at the Arundel Olympic Center in January of 2004 was swept aside by Mark with an amazing 33.93.

      In the 55-59 age group, Dan Beisel broke his own 50 butterfly record of 32.40 set at the Arundel Olmpic Center this past January with a 32.00.

     In the 65-69 age group, Roy Troppman made a triumphant return to the pool after multiple heart surgeries as well as the blessing of his doctor.  Swimming two individual events, he first broke Robert Alston's 50 freestyle record of 30.00 set at the 2007 UMBC Winter meet with an astounding 29.02.  Next, he broke Alston's 100 freestyle record of 1:12.05, also set at the 2007 UMBC Winter Meet with a swim-your-age time of 1:05.09.

     In Relay action, we added four new standards to the record board.  The 25+ Women's 200 freestyle relay of Rena Jacobson, Helen Kottis, Stacey Moffet, and Kathy Jantac swam a time of 2:51.73 to complete that section of the board.  We now have a team record for every relay swum in the Short Course Yards program for 25+ Women.

    Also on the Women's side, the 45+ 200 freestyle team of Gloria Serrao, Abby Glassberg, Carole Owen, and Anneliese Thomson set a new standard in that event with a 2:33.21.

    Over on the men's side, Jerry Myer, Jeff Manchester, Dan Beisel, and Roy Troppman teamed up for our very first team record in the 55+ category with a new 200 Medley Relay time of 2:39.19.

     Finally, Richard Mathews, Lori Hartle, Mark Spence, and Alice Spriesterbach teamed up to break some new ground of their own with a 200 Medley Relay time of 2:33.21 in the 45+ Mixed category.  This is our first team record in that age category as well.

      Kudos to all!