Swimming World Presents – How They Train: Somerset Hills YMCA’s Jack Alexy and Meredith Riegler

Swimming World November 2020 Cover - How They Train - Jack Alexy

Somerset Hills YMCA swimmer Jack Alexy

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How They Train:
Somerset Hills YMCA’s Jack Alexy and Meredith Riegler

By Michael J. Stott

JACK ALEXY
Collegeswimming.com ranks Cal commit Jack Alexy second in New Jersey and 19th nationally for males in the Class of 2021…and with good reason: he’s an Olympic Trials qualifier in both the 50 (22.93) and 100 meter freestyle. His 49.67 is the third fastest ever for a 16-year-old. Alexy is world-ranked in the 50 free (23rd), 100 free (18th) and the 100 back (88th). Representing Team USA at the 2019 World Junior Championships in Budapest, he earned a gold medal as a member of the men’s 400 meter freestyle relay.

As a sophomore at Delbarton High, he finished second in 100 yard free (44.64) and third in the 200 free (1:39.19) at the New Jersey High School Meet of Champions. As a junior, he won both the 50 and 100, posting anchor splits of 19.70 (prelims) in the 200 and 45.26 in the 400 free relays. He has since been a TYR Pro Swim Series qualifier and attended USA Swimming’s National Select Camp.

His Somerset Hills Y coach Lori Riegler notes that “Jack is a very humble, talented and driven competitor who has improved tremendously in the last four years. He is a goal setter and works hard to reach them every day. Jack is supportive of his teammates, and the younger athletes on the team really look up to him.”

MEREDITH RIEGLER
Now a sophomore at Lindenwood University, Meredith Riegler finished her freshman year as a GEICO Academic All-Great Lakes Valley Conference performer. At the conference meet, she finished seventh in the 400 yard IM (4:26.37) and eighth in the 100 back (57.33).

In high school, she was a member of four-time state champion Raritan Bridgewater. As a senior at the state championships, she teamed with Jackie Ruhnke, Grace Zhou and Sarah Pacelli to win the 200 yard medley relay (1:45.56) and earn NISCA All-America honors. Just months later, she placed seventh in the 200 meter IM (2:26.08) at the YMCA Long Course Nationals.

“I did not start coaching Meredith directly until she was 14,” says her mother, Lori. “But I am extremely grateful for the technical skills her earlier coaches gave her. They instilled a tremendous drive and ambition in her to work hard, challenge herself (swimming with the fastest boys) and raise the bar for her teammates.

[PHOTO CREDIT: CONNOR TRIMBLE]

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Swimming World Magazine November 2020 Issue

FEATURES

010 OPEN WATER SWIMMERS OF THE DECADE (2010-19)
by Andy Ross
Since the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Swimming World from naming Open Water Swimmers of the Year for 2020, the magazine, instead, takes a look at the top marathon athletes over the last 10 years.

015 HIGHLIGHTING ISHOF’S 1980 OLYMPIC EXHIBIT
by Bruce Wigo
As we mark the 40th anniversary of the 1980 Olympic Games, much has been written and discussed about the impact on the athletes who were denied the opportunity to compete in Moscow. Lost in most of these discussions is the significance of the boycott to the Olympic movement, which is why, in 2014, the International Swimming Hall of Fame made it the subject of one of the largest permanent exhibits in its museum.

018 OLYMPIC HISTORY WITHIN REACH
by David Rieder
Despite the global pandemic, the Olympic postponement and a coaching change, Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri put together some of the best swimming of his career last summer in the 800 and 1500 meter freestyle as well as the 10K marathon. Come Tokyo 2021, he’ll be trying to become the first swimmer ever to capture Olympic gold in both the pool and open water events.

021 STILL SWIMMING STRONG
by Dan D’Addona
Throughout Allison Schmitt’s illustrious swimming career, the three-time Olympian and eight-time Olympic medalist has experienced success and has dealt with her share of struggles. Now 30, she remains goal-oriented and continues to be one of the world’s elite athletes.

026 THE TRUE OLYMPIC SPIRIT
by John Lohn
Pierre de Coubertin developed the Olympic motto that stressed athletic prowess, but he also said, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part.” That description fit Eric the Eel Moussambani perfectly when he swam all by himself in Heat 1 of the men’s 100 meter freestyle at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and finished in slightly less than two minutes!

COACHING

012 TOUGHEST WORKOUTS (Part 1)
by Michael J. Stott
Here’s a painful—but productive—sampling from yesteryear of some coaches’ toughest workouts ever.

036 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPTIMAL MODEL FOR TECHNIQUE: PART IX—BODY BASE OF SUPPORT FOR BACKSTROKE
by Rod Havriluk
An optimal backstroke body base of support (BOS) depends on first mastering a level torso and then mastering torso rotation. An optimal BOS facilitates the arm motion to maximize propulsion.

038 SPECIAL SETS: A REALLY SPECIAL SET
by Michael J. Stott
Nov. 21, 1975: Mike Bruner’s 100 x 100 on 1:00!

042 Q&A WITH COACH LORI RIEGLER
by Michael J. Stott

043 HOW THEY TRAIN JACK ALEXY AND MEREDITH RIEGLER
by Michael J. Stott

TRAINING

035 DRYSIDE TRAINING: LET’S RACE
by J.R. Rosania
With COVID-19 being managed somewhat and new protocols being put in place, racing is slowly coming back. Here are some exercises that will help get your body ready to race.

JUNIOR SWIMMER

046 UP & COMERS: ALANA BERLIN
by Shoshanna Rutemiller

COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT

014 DID YOU KNOW: ABOUT HYDROMANIA?

029 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

045 THE OFFICIAL WORD

047 GUTTERTALK

049 PARTING SHOT

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