August Newsletter 2017

 

Congratulations to Our Member of the Month!

Dana Lee
Congratulations to Dana Lee for being our new Member of the Month! Dana started at the club as an employee before she became a member. Actually, Dana is the only person to ever have been an employee of the month and now a member of the month! WOW! Dana says she worked at the Avila Bay Athletic Club from 2009 – 2012, and it was a total blessing. During her time at the club she was able to form many relationships with the members and the employees. One she made was with her current employer, Craig Smith. Dana attended Cal Poly’s School of Architecture from 2006-2011, as she knew she wanted to begin her career in the field of architecture on the Central Coast. After Dana started her new career and left ABAC, she became a member because she didn’t want to lose the relationships she had made. Dana just got married June 10th to her husband, Logan. When she and Logan are not at work, they are working around their new house or at the beach. Her favorite things about the club are the members and the employees! We are so proud to have Dana as part of our ABAC family still. Congratulations again to Dana Lee as our new member of the month!

Congratulations to Our Employee of the Month!

Shannon Merritt
Congratulations to Shannon for being our new Employee of the Month! Shannon is a personal trainer at the club, and has been here for 13 ½ years! She grew up in Fresno and has lived in a number of places including New Mexico, Guam, and New England. She then moved to San Luis with her husband and attended Cal Poly for physical education, now called kinesiology. She started working in fitness when she was 20 years old and has now worked in fitness for 30 years! She was also a gymnastics judge. Her favorite thing about the club is the friendliness. When Shannon is not at work she enjoys hikes, as long as she doesn’t come across sticks that look like snakes! We are so happy to have Shannon as a part of our ABAC family. Come check out her classes and give her a high five!

Membership

Take Advantage of the Club!
It is no surprise that by having and using a gym membership to its fullest, you will have a better chance of achieving your fitness goals and will be healthier overall.

We are fortunate at the Avila Bay Club to have so many options and varieties of programs to keep you on your toes!

Studies have shown that mixing up your workout increases the fun factor (less boring), helps with your balance, strength, and overall fitness.

Don't forget to take advantage of all the options and variety the club offers, and ask for assistance if you need!

1. Experts available. Ask for help or tips from our staff: personal trainers, nutritionist, spa staff, tennis, and swim coaches. They can also help with motivation, giving instruction, and goals.
2. Group fitness classes. Try a new class. From yoga, stretch, Power, Group Groove, aqua aerobics, cycle and more. You might be surprised-it may become a new favorite!
3. Relax and have fun. Don't forget to enjoy some relaxing time. Take advantage of the swimming pools, Jacuzzis, Infrared saunas, Happy Hours, wine and paint nights, holiday parties, and more.

Mix it up and see what new experiences you can enjoy.
Have fun and if you need, please ask for help.

 

Hike with Us!

Join us on Thursday, August 10, 4 p.m. for the "Ranch Hike."
Kate Wels will lead us on a 1.5 hour hike in the Huasna Valley Hills.

This hike is moderate with some hills. We will share some refreshments after the hike. Pre-registration is required. Please contact Amy in membership to sign up.
805-595-7600 ext: 105.

 

Fitness

"It is not always easy....you just can't give up," says ABAC member Ginny Browne.

I (Jan Berdar, Fitness Director) recently had the privilege to sit down with member Ginny Browne and her trainer Kristin Alexander to talk about Ginny’s achievements over this past year. She has lost 40lbs and plans to lose 30lbs more by the end of the year. Beyond the weight loss Ginny has changed not only physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. The relationship and trust that Kristin and Ginny have achieved is invaluable.

Q. Jan: Ginny what motivated you to want to lose weight and change?

A. Ginny: I thought I wasn't good enough. In fact five years ago I was a member and as much as I wanted to play tennis I did not because I was too intimidated. When I re-joined one year ago I started in a tennis clinic and was greatly encouraged by many including Cindy and Tennis Director Michael. Shortly thereafter I had an experience that was the motivating factor to get the weight off! I was no longer going to be pegged as someone who could not make a short ball.

Q Jan: Where did you begin?

A. Ginny: I joined the Fall 8 week, 2-Step Reset program that including meals prepared by the Oasis Grille and three trainings per week. Everything was so hard. I could barely do the exercises. The participants were so supportive and I lost 6-7lbs. I started to enjoy the workouts and needed to get the weight off so I could play tennis better. Kristin Alexander was one of the trainers and I asked her if she would keep training me.

Q. Jan: How many sessions did you train per week?

A. Ginny: I started with three half hour sessions every week. I decided to get even more serious and we now train five half hour sessions per week!

Q. Jan: Kristin what was your strategy when you began training Ginny?

A. Kristin: I went back to the basics. I taught her proper form on all moves and built up her strength and endurance before moving on to adding weight or progressing the movement.

Q. Jan: Ginny you said you had trainers prior to ABAC. What is different about Kristin?

A Ginny: Kristin is trained and knowledgeable. She knows the body and mechanics, how far to push me, and she has taught me that I can do anything. I trust her.

Q. Jan: Kristin what changes besides Ginny's remarkable 40lb loss have you witnessed?

A. Kristin: Physical milestones such as hill climbing, running, jump roping, boxing and strength gains. Emotionally and mentally she is stronger. It has affected everything in her life. She used to say, "I cannot do it". Now she trusts me and I know what she can do. We rub off on each other and are setting challenges together.

Q. Jan: Ginny can you expand on the affects that this has had on your life?

A. Ginny: I have more energy, less pain in my lower back and knees, I can get out of a chair more easily, I'm shopping for smaller sized clothes! My close relationships have improved and I have had a couple of major break throughs. Things have come up, I've talked it through and gotten rid of it. My weight was directly related to that issue and I'm no longer tied to that.
Comment Kristin: Because we have a relationship built on trust and care you can bring those things up. Ginny has been a different person from that day forward.

Q. Jan: Ginny what would you say to a friend or member who may be discouraged and need direction?

A. Ginny: It is not always easy and would like to make that known. I have hit plateaus, struggles to stay on my eating plan, and have had many days that I am tired. Kristin prepared me for these times and so I know they are only temporary. Just keep at it! Challenge yourself and don't give up! I can honestly say you will really feel better!

Thank you Ginny for being open and giving a real view of what one can expect. Thank you Kristin for being a valuable employee at the club. All of us staff truly hope to make your life better! -Jan

 

Tennis Department

Your Weekly Tennis Ticket for SUMMER June 12 –September 8

Monday
2:00-4:00 Advanced Tournament Clinic (Hugh, Cami, Korey) $30.00

4:00-5:30 Advanced Juniors Clinic (Staff) $20.00
No reservation of Ball Machine from 2-5:30 PM

Tuesday
1:30-2:00 Tiny Tots Clinic (4-6 yrs) (Staff) $15.00
2:00-3:00 Beginners Junior Clinic (Staff) $15.00
3:00-4:00 Intermediate Junior Clinic (Staff) $15.00
6:00-7:30 Intermediate Adult Clinic (Staff)* $20.00

Wednesday
2:00-4:00 Advanced Tournament Clinic (Hugh, Cami, Korey) $30.00
4:00-5:30 Advanced Juniors Clinic (Cami & Korey) $20.00
6:00-7:30 Advanced Live Ball (Staff) $20.00
No reservation of Ball Machine from 2-5:30 PM

Thursday
9:30-11:30 Adult Clinic (Leah) Varies
1:00-2:00 All level drop in Clinic (Staff) Free for members
2:00-3:00 Beginners Junior Clinic (Staff) $15.00
3:00-4:00 Intermediate Junior Clinic (Staff) $15.00

*This can be a live ball clinic if there are a minimum of 6 people here.

Friday
9:00-10:00 All level drop in (Staff) $10.00
5:30-7:00 Tennis Social – Mixed Doubles Free for members
through September 1

Saturday
9:00-10:00 Beginning Tennis Clinic (Staff) $15.00
11:00-12:00 Intermediate Tennis Clinic (Staff) $15.00
12:00-1:00 Advanced Tennis Clinic (Staff) $15.00

Harvard Heart Letter

July 2017,
Heart health and racquet sports:

"When it comes to heart health, there's a lot to love about racquet sports!"
A recent study suggests that people who play racket sports regularly may slash their odds of dying from a heart attack or stroke.

Tennis, which ranks among the world's most popular sports, provides an excellent full-body workout, plus a few less obvious benefits. Lower impact racket sports like badminton, and table tennis may be good choices for people less fit.

The beauty of the sport is you can play it throughout your life, adjusting your level of exertion by playing singles when you are young and playing doubles as you age.

Compared with inactive respondents, people who played racket sports (tennis, squash, badminton) had a 56% lower risk of dying of heart disease or a stroke. Other sports that appeared to be especially good for lowering cardiovascular mortality included swimming (41%) and aerobics (36%).

The mental benefits of tennis may also be a play. Because tennis demands strategy and planning, players need to focus intently on the court. This mindful, present-focused attention may help ease stress, which in turn may help lower heart disease risk.

 

COACH’S TENNIS TIPS:

Coming to the net as a team is how the game of doubles should be played, the immediate response during matches or clinics is almost always: "But what if they lob us?" People are often fearful of the ball being hit over their head and, as a result, they often stay back in "no woman's land". It's a poor strategy to guard against the lob by hanging back.

Here's why:
The lob is actually low risk. The next time you're waiting sipping on your freshly brewed Avila Bay Athletic Club coffee and waiting for your turn to play, watch a match. Count how many times a lob is hit as a winning shot (i.e. the lob is hit so well that the receiving team cannot touch it). What you are likely to notice is that this number is very low. In some cases, a team will lob the ball in "no woman's land". In others, they will hit the lob short giving the receiving team a chance to absolutely crush the ball and be in offensive mode to control and win the point.

You're giving up your main advantage of being offensive by holding back. The strength of being at the net is your ability to hit the ball when it's above net level and control the point. This means you can hit down on the ball which gives you more power.

Next time you're playing, get right up to the net and anticipate the lob with better movement. If you happen to lose the occasional point because of a great lob, don't worry about it. Compared to the number of points you have the chance to with by being at the net, it should be worth the sacrifice.

Aquatics News by Mitch Emerson

Happy August!
Where did July go?? It feels like I barely blinked and the month has passed! The arrival of August only means we’ve got the best weather yet ahead of us! There are still lots of hours left to enjoy the beautiful pools and our new additional lounge chairs under the shady umbrellas on the pool deck. Why would you go on vacation anywhere else when we have such a fantastic staycation spot right here?

Over the past few weeks you may have seen me walking around the deck carrying plates of drinks and food. I’ve started a trial-run of pool-side café service. (Something we have not done the past few years.) A couple of members have made suggestions that it would be nice to have lunch on the pool deck without having to go to the café. If you see me walking around the deck, don’t hesitate to ask me to grab you something tasty from Chef Brian’s kitchen! I’m still working on the many requests I’ve had to serve Margaritas on deck, but for now you can at least enjoy a tasty burger, a healthy salad, or even a Doc Bernstein’s Ice Cream treat without having to leave your chair.

Another change that you may have noticed is that there has been a change in the Tuesday and Thursday morning Masters Swim program. Coach Roger Warnes has retired from coaching at ABAC, and I will be leading those workouts. As with the Monday/Wednesday group swim, there will be no charge to swim with the group on Tuesday and Thursdays at 9:00; it is included with your membership and open to all club members. Don’t be intimidated: come on down and try it out!

August 7th is the last week of our Summer Special group lessons. I’ve been amazed at how much all of the kids have improved this year! The instructor staff has really done a wonderful job with everyone, and I’d like to thank them for all their hard work. If you missed out on our summer group lessons, don’t worry! We will still be offering private and semi-private lessons all year long.

Last month I started a few fun little features for the Aquatics section of this newsletter. I had a trivia question of “How long would it take Michael Phelps to swim across Lake Tahoe at his best 100m speed?” Lake Tahoe is 21.75 miles long and Michael Phelps record is 47.51 seconds (achieved in Beijing on Aug 11, 2008). A little math can be applied to figure out that the answer is 4 hours and 37 minutes. No one sent in the answer, so I have a spare 15 minutes in my day since I had promised a 15-minute lesson to the first person to e-mail me the correct answer. This month, I have another trivia question below which does not involve any math—just a little bit of Googling. You’ll also find a new swim tip and a challenge for the month.

Swim Tip: Keep your eyes pointed straight down when you swim freestyle. This will help keep your neck relaxed, and also will give you better body position in the water. When you lift your head or look forward, your hips sink and it increases the amount of resistance on your body.

Monthly Challenge: Swim 3 times a week for the entire month of August. Track how many laps you do each workout, and see how far you’ve gone by the end of the month. A mile is just about 70 lengths of our pool. Can you get to 10 miles for the month? Come to one of the group swim workouts on Monday through Thursday mornings if you need some inspiration and companionship!

Trivia Question: What stroke did Pablo Morales swim in the 1984 and 1992 Olympics? Remember—the first person to e-mail me the correct answer wins a free 15-minute mini swim lesson!

From our Spa Department

 

We hope you are enjoying the last few weeks of summer!

With all the planning and shopping to get your children ready to go back to school, NOW is the time to schedule a spa day for you and your friends! Make your reservation so you can enjoy the beautiful weather by the pool after your treatment while they're in class.

We have NAIL TECHNICIANS, HAIRSTYLIST, ESTHETICIAN and MASSAGE THERAPY!

Please contact Diane DiResto at [email protected] with any questions.

Special Events At The Club

No better way than to start the year off than with a PARTY! The Avila Bay Athletic Club & Spa is the perfect venue for any special occasion! Our mission at the Avila Bay Club & Spa is to ensure your happiness and satisfaction with the planning and implementation of your event. We tailor each and every event to result in a day (or evening) that is enjoyable and stress-free, and one that creates a beautiful lasting memory for yourself, your family, and your friends. You will find our staff to be personable and experienced. Attention to detail and superb service are our specialties. Our skilled and accomplished Oasis Grille team is always eager to please, offering the convenience of on-site catering and a wide variety of delicious menu/banquet choices. The Avila Bay Club & Spa is the ideal site for a memorable celebration!

Questions? Please contact Travis Hawley at 805-595-7600 ext. 113 or [email protected]

 

Movie Night In The Park

Movie Night is back! Everyone is invited: Family, Friend’s, Guests, Employees, EVERYONE. Please come out and enjoy the fun evening on August 19. We will be showing "Beauty and The Beast" and providing popcorn and hot Chocolate! Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, pillows, and teddy bears. The fun starts when the sun goes down (8-8:30). Arrive early to get the best spot and maybe order dinner from our Oasis Grille! The movie is free for members and guests. Questions? [email protected] or 805-595-7600 ext. 113

 

Kids’ Club

Can you believe it’s close to the end of Summer already?
Time sure is flying by!
It has been such a great time with all of our friends here in Kids’ Club.

It is time to introduce the Kid of the Month for August. A big congratulations to Hayden Fry! She is just an awesome kid. She is so sweet and although she hasn’t been here long, she is such a positive vibe about her that just makes you smile. If you see her around, give her a smile and a high five!!!

We will be having an End of Summer party on Sunday, August 27th from 12 to 1:30pm. It’s a way to get everyone together and enjoy the friendships that have blossomed this Summer. There is no cost and just a perk for members so please bring your family to join us for a great time. Sign up at the Kids’ Club desk, front desk, or email [email protected]. It’s definitely going to be a fun time!

We have a few reminders for parents:
-Please try to take a peek in the lost and found for belongings left behind. There are a lot of cool things forgotten and we want you to have them back.
-Keep an eye on the clipboard to make sure that you are up to date with your pre-paid cards. That really helps out a lot and guarantees that you are getting the discounted rate for your visits as well.
Take note that Kids’ Club hours will switch back to regular school year hours starting the week of August 28th.

Thank you for all that you do to make Kids’ Club so amazing. As always, please feel free to email questions, comments, or concerns to [email protected].

Are you ready for a night to yourself?
Here is your chance! It’s the last Summer Parent’s
Night Out on Saturday, August 12th from 5:30 to 8:30pm. It is the perfect time to drop off the kiddos and do whatever you want for three hours - there is no other opportunity for you to leave them while going off-site, so take advantage! They will be playing games, eating dinner, making a craft, playing some more, and then settling down at the end with a movie. Don’t have a single worry as you leave them in good care with us and enjoy the evening. It is going to be so fun - for both parents and kids! Sign up at the front desk, in Kid’s Club, or email [email protected].