JUNIOR OLYMPICS IS HERE

INFORMATION FOR MEET:

RELAY SWIMMERS:  If you are swimming only relays for the sessions you should plan on arriving about 75 minutes before the event starts.  The time line for the meet is on the Potomac valley web site.  For relays that are at the start of each session you should plan to be there for the normal warm up period.

CAPS:  The only caps to be used are the JO caps given out.  Everyone should have 2 of these.

CLOTHING:  PLEASE ONLY WEAR MAKO TEAM CLOTHING (LOOK LIKE A TEAM, LOOK LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, SWIM FAST)

11 AND OVER SESSIONS:  We will be using 2 pools so that means 2 meets.  Know what pool you are swimming in and pay attention, it is not the coaches job to get you to the blocks.  You all are the more experience swimmers and you should know what you are doing.  Finals will bring back the top 16 at night.

10 and unders:  We will only be swimming in one pool.  Finals will bring back the top 8 at night.

"DARE TO SWIM GREAT"  This weekend started way back on September 9 with our first day of practice.  All the drills to improve technique, all the turns done during the repeats, all the teat sets, all the early Saturday morning practices, the holiday training session, and yes all the sacrifices made by You, your parents and countless others have brought us to this Great Weekend where we will see a lot of fast amazing swimming.

When approaching a meet like this a lot of swimmers fail to plan. They may look at it like I want a best time or I want win the heat or event, which is great but most of the time they fall short because they don't  "PLAN TO WIN THE COMPETITION".  They leave winning to chance!  To win a heat, an event or to go a best time YOU need to win the competition first.  This process starts the morning you get up with a good and proper breakfast.  Start on an empty stomach will only set you up for failure! Arrive at the pool on time and go through your warm-up with a purpose. (know what you need to do for your warm up and warm downs and at what time you should be doing them).  Prepare mentally to swim fast.  (keep distractions at a distance, get rid of the excess baggage that weighs you down).  Keep the body warm during the meet and keep FUELING AND HYDRATING  during the meet.   Don't worry about the things you can"t control such crowded warm ups, water temperature, lane lines, blocks, or OTHER SWIMMERS.  You can't do anything about this so let's stay away from the drama that unfolds, STICK TO YOUR PLAN!

I had a swimmer ask me the other day "How do I swim the 100 fly?  In reality after talking to her I think I got her to realize that she knew how to swim it, and the only thing holding her back was her FEAR of dying at the end.  "Fear is what stops you....Courage is what keeps you going."  It's not who you are that is holding you back, it's who you think your not.    DARE TO SWIM GREAT!!!

Don't make your races bigger than they are, and know in your heart that you are in the best shape that you could be in both  physically and mentally with all the work that you have put in this year.  You  are ready to SWIM FAST and when those last few strokes and kicks hurt into the finish I'll be there with you and WE will finish.  

SWIM FAST..........HAVE FUN....... AND THE SUN WILL RISE AGAIN!

DARE TO SWIM GREAT