August Newsletter 2013
Dear Members,
August is upon us. Where has the summer gone? We have had a busy summer at WAC with our 45+ Tournament, 4th of July bash, new evening leagues and another busy camp season. In the midst of all that we continue to work on the refreshing of the clubhouse. We are thrilled with the bright new look of the lobby with fresh paint and new carpeting. In the next 2 weeks we will complete the lobby area with new artwork and additional tables and chairs for your relaxation. We’ll also be adding a new TV monitor which we will use to keep you informed about what is happening at the club.
Within the next 30 days we will complete the conversion of the backroom into a new fitness studio. The new area will allow us to begin to offer small group exercises classes such as Yoga and Pilates. Stretching and core exercise work are important components of an effective workout program and we are excited we will soon be able to offer new programming to our members that will help increase their flexibility and core body strength. We will be hiring instructors and developing a class schedule in the next 3 to 4 weeks. Feel free to e-mail me with suggestions on days and times you would like to see these classes offered.
The new fitness studio will also be utilized for one-on-one personal training. The increased floor space will enable our trainers to offer a wider variety of exercise routines in a much more private setting. All of equipment in our current fitness center will remain downstairs. We will equip the new room with additional body weight equipment such as bosu balls, balance balls, bands and other equipment used for functional training types of exercises. Members will have access to the studio for core exercise work when the room is not being used for classes or one-on-one training.
All of the engineering plans for our new clubhouse have been submitted and are currently being reviewed by the City of Westlake. We expect the review process to be completed by the end of August. Once the drawings have been reviewed and updated, we will request the necessary permits for the project. The approval process is expected to take 3 to 4 months. After that, we will have a more defined timeline and will announce exactly when we will break ground and begin construction.
I would like to thank all of you that have donated running shoes for Give Running. Thanks to your generosity we have exceeded our goal of collecting 250 pairs of shoes. Your generosity has helped hundreds of children around the world truly enjoy running.
Have a Healthy Day
John Sutcliffe
General Manager
Member of the Month
Westlake Athletic Club has selected Susan Corti as our first Member of the Month. Susan has been a member at the club for 8 years and is most likely to be seen in the pool preparing for her next triathlon. Susan began racing in 2006 when she competed in her first triathlon in Santa Barbara and finished 3rd in her age group and has not looked back since. Susan has had numerous age group wins since and has competed in 3 Age-Group National Championships. She has also qualified for 4 World Championships and been selected an USAT All-American for the past 5 years.
This past month Susan competed in Barb’s Race where she finished 1st in her age group and 4th overall. Barb’s Race consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. Barb’s Race was developed as a fundraising event with the goal of raising funds for local cancer related groups. Over $600,000 has been raised since its inception in 2001. Susan was among the top fund raisers in 2013 with donations exceeding $1700.
In September Susan will be off to London where she will be competing in the ITU World Championships. In 2009 she placed in the top 10 in worlds and in 2010 she went on to a top 20 finish. Please join me in congratulating Susan on her world class accomplishments. Good luck in London. WAC will be cheering you on!
Congratulations Calle
Calle successfully defended his USTA 30’s Indoor Championship Title in Sacramento earlier in the summer by defeating over 100 top level adult players from throughout the United States.
The USTA National 30’s Indoor Championship is a level 1 tournament on the national adult tournament schedule. Level 1 tournaments are surface championships played on clay, grass, hard courts and indoor courts. There are only four in each age division.
The indoor surface is Calle’s favorite surface because it allows him to play a serve and volley style which enables him to play a more aggressive style of tennis. As the defending champion Calle was seeded #1 in the tournament and received a bye in the first round. Calle cruised through the next couple of rounds before playing Jan Tillikainen in the finals. Calle took a tough first set 7-5 before going on to win the match with a 6-3 win in the second set.
Calle has won 4 National Gold Balls and is currently ranked Number 1 in the nation in the 30 and over division. Westlake Athletic Club is proud to have Calle representing our club at these prestigious events and wish him continued success with the rest of the season.
Westlake Tornadoes win sectionals!!
Join me in congratulating the Westlake Athletic Club’s 14 and Under Intermediate Team for winning the Southern California Sectional Championships. It was an outstanding season for the team and we are proud to have them representing the club. Keep up the great work and good luck next season.
Westlake Tornado players from left to right: Jonathan Hooshim, Ryan Hamilton Brown, Chloe Heath, Bryce Levenson, Timmy Weilage, Nicolas Zumbo; Parent coach Eric Weilage top row with Laksamee Weilage, top left
Swimming Tip
Hopefully you have spent the past 2 months mastering our first 6 tips for a Perfect Freestyle Stroke. Here are the final 3 tips. Do not forget to practice each tip for 1 week before moving onto the next. After one month you should have mastered them all.
7) Breathing Head Position. When turning your head to breathe, make sure to turn 90 degrees to the side. Many swimmers make the mistake of turning their head about 100 degrees so that both eyes are above the water’s surface. You want to try to keep your head parallel to the surface with one eye above and the other submerged. Turning your head any more is unnecessary; it requires more effort and can result in increased resistance as your body corkscrews out of control
8) Breathing Pattern. It is best to breathe on both left and right sides. This serves to even out your stroke and keep your body balanced in the water. Swimmers who only breathe on one side tend to have an uneven stroke turnover, and they miss out on what their competition is doing on the blind side.
9) Starts and Finishes. When pool swimming, most people disregard the importance of their takeoff and their finish. Even when pushing off the wall, take the time to streamline with your arms above your head and your hands clasped together. This position decreases the resistance in the water which will speed you up. Finish each lap with a strong stroke into the wall, rather than slowing down and coasting in with your head raised.
Click here to download the WAC SUMMER SWIM SCHEDULE
Fitness Stuff
8 Tips to Maximize Your Cardio Workouts
Pick an activity you enjoy. If you do not enjoy running do not spend most of your workout time on the treadmill. Try the elliptical or bike to see if you enjoy those movements more.- Be prepared. If you would like to ride the bike for 30 minutes, but you don’t have the patience to pedal your way to nowhere, make sure you have a good book or magazine to keep you distracted. Music can also be a powerful motivator and can help make the time fly by.
- Switch it up. If you get bored being on the same machine for 30 minutes at a time, you might want to hit 2 or 3 machines for 10 to 15 minutes each. You’ll also burn more calories because your body will not be able to adapt to any given activity.
- Sneak it in. If you cannot stand doing cardio but are consistent when it comes to strength training, try sneaking in a few minutes of intense cardiovascular activity between your strength sets.
- Check your form. Having the right form is not only important for injury prevention; it also allows you to burn as many calories as possible.
- Use your whole body. If you can only devote 20 minutes to your cardio workout, then make sure you do an activity that uses your whole body and burns the most calories. Upright activities such as running on the treadmill or exercising on the elliptical, burn 1/3 more calories than activities where you are seated such as a stationary bike.
- Wait an hour before eating. This enables your body to burn more calories during the period immediately following your cardio workout, when your heart rate remains higher than normal thus burning more calories.
- Check your heart rate. Keep your heart rate within your target heart rate zone. You are not reaping the maximum cardiovascular benefits if you are not. To find your target zone, subtract your age from 220 and then multiply that number by 60% and 80%. Your heart rate when you are exercising should remain between those numbers for the entire workout.
Special Promotions
1 Month Free for New Members
August is a great time to have your friends and family join the club. Prospective members that join WAC before 9/1/13 will receive 1 month free. Offer is for new members only. This offer cannot be combined with any other special promotions. New members must sign one year contract to take advantage of this special offer.
Membership Referral Credit
Members will receive a $50 credit towards their dues for each referral that joins WAC. Only one credit will be given per referral and new applicant must include the referring members name on their application. No credit will be given after the application has been submitted. We look forward to processing those credits!
Swim Lessons with Jack, Shawn or Mariah
Do you want to improve your swim stroke? Maybe you'd like to use the pool more often but could use with some pointers. WAC offers lessons for all levels and ages.
Purchase a pack of (6) 1/2 hour lessons for $215 and receive an extra one FREE. Offer expires 9/1/13
Call or stop at the Front Desk to book your appointment! 818.889.6164
Upcoming Events
USTA Junior Open Tournament
Friday-Sunday, August 23-25, 2013
Westlake Athletic Club will be hosting a USTA Junior Open Tournament from Friday, August 23 through Sunday, August 25. It will have singles draws, with 10U to 18U boys and girls divisions. WAC juniors such as Katie Tavasoli will be participating in the tournament. There will be lots a great action. Please come out and support the juniors. The court availability will be limited during the tournament. Thank you in advance for your patience.
Club Championships
September 3-29
Club Championships are coming back to WAC. Members will compete in NTRP rating levels from 3.0 to Open in both singles and doubles. Once the draws are set members will be responsible for scheduling their own matches up until the finals which will be held September 28th and 29th. Stay tuned for additional details.
USTA Open Tournament
Friday-Sunday, October 4-6, 2013
Westlake Athletic Club will be hosting a USTA Open Tournament from Friday, October 4 through Sunday, October 6. Westlake Athletic Club is excited to host the fall USTA Tournament for intermediate and advanced players. We hope to have a large contingent of members representing WAC. The court availability will be limited during the tournament. Thank you in advance for your patience.
Westlake Athletic Club
Clinic Schedule Summer 2013
Clinic |
Day & Time |
Pro |
Beginning |
Mondays |
Larry |
Serious Tennis |
Tuesdays |
Chris |
Begin./Inter. |
Wednesdays |
Reggie |
Men’s |
Wednesdays |
Calle |
Beginning |
Fridays |
Reggie |
Live Ball |
Saturdays |
Calle |
Intermediate |
Sundays |
Larry |
