JO WRAP UP

The Mako 🏊🏽swimmers have just completed another very successful Junior Olympics championship meet at UMD this past week.  Our swimmers had many great swims during the meet producing countless personnal bests.  Did we have 100%? NO, but WE all raced and performed well so hold your heads up high and be proud for going through the process.  One of the big highlights of the weekend was Blake Madsen who won the HIGH POINT award for the 10 and under age group.  I read an article recently explaining this equation “E+R+O”  which represents the basic way of how life works.  “Events happen.  You choose how to respond and an outcome is produced.  The only thing you, I, or anyone has control over in that equation—in life—is how to respond”.  It is called the R factor, and separates the good swimmer from the great ones.

 

It is easy to respond after a successful swim, but it’s how you respond to those difficult swims where you display your true character.  Two swimmers who I was extremely proud of were Jackie Dobrydney and Katherine Helms.  Jackie swam the 500 on Thursday night and had been looking forward to this event.  While standing behind the block with her heat up next, SNAP there goes her goggles.  She ran back grabbed a pair and was back in the nick of time.  Up she steps and BEEP there she went, but we had a malfunction as the goggles were not working.  Jackie had to stop on the first two walls to adjust the goggles (they were good open turns), which took about 4-6 seconds on the walls.  After that she settled in , but had to stop again for a few seconds at the 400 to adjust once more.  She did finish that race, and upon reaching me stated “THAT DIDN’T☹️ GO WELL” but with a little smile.  She knew she would live to race another day, and at that moment I knew this 12 year old girl gets it, and will be okay throughout life.

 

Katherine Helms was in the midst of an up and down weekend with some good swims here and there, but she also had some swims that were off.  How did she respond to the weekend?  In her last swim at finals (100 FREE) on Sunday night she swam a personal best of 52.02 😀winning her heat which would have placed her 3rd overall.  After warm down I stated that this weekend was humbling wasn’t it, just trying to gauge how she felt.  What came out of this 13 year old’s mouth next was astounding and made me very proud of her.  She said she was going to write everything that happened all weekend down, and she learned that at this level it is very hard to get aq best time in every race!  Katherine held herself together the entire meet and she too gets the process which is hard to teach and learn.

 

It was great to have Coach Damien out there especially on Sunday Night.  I had made the decision that I would get him to get the 4 older swimmers ready for finals and I would work with the younger ones.  All of them rose to the occasion and had some really good races, with Graham Evers 1650 standing out (Yes he used his legs).

 

Sophia Cloutier had a swim off on Sunday in the 100 back for 16th place.  She already had the 100 fly for that evening, but I had already made the decision that she would do the swim off and regardless of the outcome we would than scratch out it (the officials got a good laugh when Heather scratched her after the race).  The madness of this was two fold; 1. HEAD TO HEAD or my girls would say ME and YOU let’s go and 2. Let’s she how she responds.  Sophia lowered her time again by 2 seconds, and gained experience in doing so.

 

On Sunday our 9-10 girls pulled off something that I have never seen before in their relay.  Our first swimmer went off without a hitch, and as she neared the finish, our second swimmer stepped down from the blocks because her goggles snapped.  After the three of them stood around for what seemed like minutes discussing😕 the situation, Charlotte took charge, stepped up and went.  I don’t know to this day how the other two decided who would go next.  Bottom Line is that these 10 and under’s figured it out on their own and 🏁finished the race.

 

The bottom line Swimming like life takes a lot of hard work and all that hard work pays off; we just don’t know exactly when. The key is to maintain your focus and discipline in the things that YOU can control.  ?The greatest power you have in life is the power to choose, and with this power comes great responsibility.  Only YOU are accountable for who you are. You make the choice of who your looking at in the mirror.

 

To all the swimmers swimming this weekend at the Mako Championship meet. Stay focus in your races and don’t be afraid to step out of you comfort zone and race.

 

Coach Mike

THE FINISH

We are in the home stretch now. How are you going to finish?  We clawed our way through the middle part of the race, and now it’s time for that last turn.  “WIN, LOSE, OR DRAW”,  it’s “GO TIME”! Might go well, might go bad, but you do have to race to find out.  

 

Come off that last turn with the determination to decimate any competition that comes off that wall with you.  It’s time to engage those legs now just like we have in practice for the last two weeks. Push that last 12.5 yards into that wall with a “BIG GIRL/BOY finish.  Don’t forget bring those legs with you on that last 25!

 

OUR CUE WORDS: HAPPY LAND, BREATHE, EXPLODE, EASY SPEED, EXPLODE INTO THAT FIRST TURN, CLAW, GO TIME, SMASH THE MIDDLE, BIG LAST TURN, ENGAGE THE LEGS, DECIMATE, PUSH AND FINISH!

 

In closing I would wish you luck, but you don’t need it, and I don’t believe in it.  You all have made the sacrifices, put in the hard work and now all you have to do is look in the mirror and believe in that person who you see.  I DO!

 

See all of you at UMD!  Don’t forget to pick up your dog tags for best times this weekend.

THE RACE

You’ve made it to the blocks, found that easy speed into that first turns.  We explode into and off of that first wall and are now going to build off that good feeling and speed into the middle part of your race.  In your mind you know the race is on and it’s go time, start setting up the race, claw if you must , but you need to go now!

 

Pain is inevitable, but the way you choose to suffer is optional, so push yourself towards that great finish!  SMASH this part of your race!

 

Tomorrow topic “THE FINISH"

 

 

IT's TIME

Some of you have talked to me about feeling a little stress, and nervous about this weekend.  So lets start with waking upthe morning of the race.   Let' s start the day with a good breakfast and being on time for warmup.  Start your warm up and stay under control, we are not trying to swim to fatigue.  Get some of our stretches in as a group, as this will go a long way to settle those nerves.   As your event nears try to remove yourself from all the distractions that are around you, go that happy place in your mind.   This would be a good time to go get that second warmup done, as this will also help settle those nerves and prepare your body for the race.  Get a little fluid in you and stay warm right until your ready to get on the blocks.   As you stand behind the blocks don't forget to breathe, and visualize yourself exploding off those blocks into that easy SPEED into that first turn, and now it's on!   Enjoy the moment, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy being with your teammates.  This is a race you have done a lot of times, stay in the moment and don't make it bigger than it is.   Wednesday. Topic "WE'VE MADE OUR FIRST TURN. WHAT'S NEXT"

RACE DAY

🏊🏽On race day the number one rule is “don’t do anything different.  No new energy drink, no massage if it has not been part of your training, no new foods.  Stick to the plan!  It all boils down to your checklist that  if followed will set you up for a great meet!  Let’s go through your checklist;

 

• Pack your bags 🛍(the night before)
• 2 pairs of goggles 
• 2 or more MAKO caps
• Sweats and shirts 👕for on the deck
• 2 towels 
• Water 💧
• Snacks (pasta, cereal bars, unsalted nuts, dry cereal (without the word frosted) bananas, apples prepared vegetables such as cucumbers, and celery

Try to eat something small right after warm down.  It is important to keep your tanks at least 3/4 full.  If you let it get down near empty it takes longer to recover and this would not be good if it happens on the first day, could set up along weekend.

 

Race day presents other challenges because swimmers will have to warm up and down multiple times, the start of the session and before each event. You need to gauge your warm-up.  The intensity should be high enough to warm the body and get the blood flowing, but not so hard to allow fatigue to set in.  Conditions are rarely perfect at meets, things will happen. Some times it may seem that you are in a fish bowl with parents, teammates, coaches and most of all your competition watching you.  Don’t get lost in what is happening around you, STAY IN THE PRESENT as you step up on the blocks and STICK TO YOUR PLAN📝. 

 

In Water🏊🏼‍♀️ Warm up

What are we trying to do during the warm up session?  We are trying to wake up your body, raise your heart rate a little, warm your body and basically getting your body ready for what you are going to ask it to do which is to RACE!

• Start with Moderate 200-400 swim (10 and under 200/ 11-12 300/ 13-14 400)
• Several high intensity interval swims 4x50 free descend @50-1:00
• Some kicking 200-300 followed by 3x50 kick descend
• Some drill 50’s 8-12 50”s (drill swim)
• Some fast 25’s (stroke build fast free)
• Couple of starts followed by low intensity cool down (100-150)

The main warm up should be done about 30 minutes prior to start of meet.  Yes if your not the first event you will need a second warm up which should be shorter and done early enough to allow you about 10-15 minutes before you step onto the blocks.  This warm up should look like this;

• 2-3 50’s to get the blood flowing
• 4-6 fast 25’s free with about 30 seconds in between to get your ♥️ rate up and than get warm and go to the blocks

 

The 10 and unders probably will not need the second warm up because their turn around will be very quick, but it is important to warm down after your race and stay warm.

At the end of the day your warm down is VERY IMPORTANT.  It will help start the recovery process immediately and the longer the meet goes on the more you need, especially on that last day.  I know you don’t like it but  do not jeopardize yourself and skip it.  FOLLOW THE PLAN!

 

Next up reviewing the races and cue words.

 

MIKE

CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

It’s that time of the year when all your hard training is in the rear view mirror.  All the miles have been logged , dryland done, and sacrifices made by all.  Championship season is on the horizon, the time of the year when you can really enjoy what this sport has to offer.  Try and enjoy the shorter fast pace workouts, the races, hanging out with your teammates and the overall atmosphere of the season.

 

A look at what you should start to feel over the next two weeks.

• Increase energy as yardage goes down.
• Feeling more powerful
• Stroke feels longer
• Feel faster
• Mentally feel better

 What can you do over the next couple of weeks to help?  

• Make sure you are eating properly!
• Stay on top of your school work!  Get ahead if possible!  Finish those projects!
• Get some extra sleep if possible! (Even 10 minutes help)
• Have a plan for race day!  Write your races down! Have cue words! (Don’t wait until race day to come up with a plan)

 

During this period you may catch yourself over analyzing what you are doing.  Word to the wise “Catch Yourself” before doing this.  You may worry that your not practicing enough or hard enough, but what I can offer you is “Trust the Process”.  You’ve already put in the hard work, done everything right.  Fight through the doubt, the wild speculation over whether this thing works.  Embrace all of this as an opportunity to “let your hair down”, go wild, and swim out of your mind!

 

Later this week “RACE DAY"

 

Coach Mike

TAKING CONTROL

Talking to you all over the  last few months I have realized that a lot of you get very nervous at meets, and after a comment that was made last night I understand that the bigger the meet the higher the anxiety and stress you may feel.  The comment I heard was " after all the work I 've done all year I get nervous this time of year."  If it makes you feel any better I feel it also. A lot of this stress and anxiety comes from overthinking leading up to your event, and again the bigger the race the more you think. The result of all this overthinking is increase stress levels which results in weighing you down.  Think of it like a giant vacuum that just sucks the energy and fun out of you, at a time in the year that should produces the best memories and results.  A lot of times at meets like this I watch how you carry yourself as a clue to how I am going to talk to you.  One way I can tell that your stress levels are up is the way you are sitting and walking around the deck.  Are your shoulders slump over? Are you standing tall? Are you engaged with your teammates?  All tell signs.  What are we fgoing to do now? When you experience that stress/anxiety the first instinct is to rush.  Let's just get through it as fast as we can and this is a normal and natural reaction.  We move from a state of working the problem and trusting the process, to a state of panic over what is either going on, or what could go wrong. We have talked about this throughout the course of this season and the first step is to slow down.  Remember our motto, " Right foot, Left foot, Breathe. Swim meet can be both funand stressful.  People in the stands, crowded decks, teammates and coaches cheering on the deck, competition on the right, to the left, out in front and in the rear.  Warm up, warm downs in crowded lanes and lets not forget we need to have time to get that suit on, and than there is the wait for your event.  If you slow down and have your plan in place than all of the things mentioned above are things that are out of your control, but if you let them control you they become that fun sucker. When we are rushed our focus is directed at the results and outcome and not the process.  All kinds of things go through your mind, What if I don't swim fast?  What if I lose? What if it hurts? What if I swim fast but not as fast as I wanted?  By the way EVERY SWIMMER can always go faster until we find the one that can start and finish with all zeros on the watch.  Ponder that for a second. Slowing e erything down a bit, will help you focus, keep you in the moment so that you control what you can.  Slowing down helps your focus on preparation, technique, which will put you in the position to be successful.   Remember "Right foot, Left foot, Breathe" and trust the process and work all of you have put in.