MAKO CHRISTMAS MEET

We had a great meet two weeks ago at Swim and Rock and have spent the past two weeks correcting the areas that we had trouble with. We only had a couple of disqualifications due to technical things and have gone through them all. We know this is a quick turn around for most of you with the thanksgiving holiday squeeze in the middle.  But guess what this is where we find ourselves in “the process” , so take ownership of your races this weekend and you will come out the other end a better person and swimmer.

Be aggressive in and out of the turns.  Don’t forget our fish/dolphin kicks off those walls are to carry your speed off the walls not to get more.  So when you feel like you’re slowing down it’s time to get up and race.  Do not sacrifice speed for distance.  Speed into walls means the finish also.  What’s the point in swimming fast only to slow 10 meters out.  Finish the race

The only bad swim 🏊‍♀️ is the one you don’t show up for.  

Have fun!!!

SWIM AND ROCK WRAP

This past weekend we had an outstanding effort from the senior prep, gold and blue groups.  You all showed up to not only to swim but also to race and that’s what it’s all about.  From the moment the first one of you jumped in for warmups on Friday morning until the last one got out on Sunday evening our efforts were outstanding.  

For the most part you ran through your warmups and cool downs with with focus and got it ✅.  There were a lot of you who learned how to swim a preliminary and final meet.  What do I mean?  When seeded high in the event you understood that it was not so important to swim fast in the morning, only fast enough to get a good seed coming back at night.  Some of us had to put out our best effort in the preliminaries just to get back to finals, and that’s 👌.  It’s part of this long process and you do what you have to!  The results really showed and I am guessing here but I believe MAKOS was better represented at final than any other team, and oh by the way you came to race turning in an abundance of personal bests.

Remember our talks about the process and how important it is.  We know that you are looking for instant results with every swim and that would be great, but honestly it’s not goin to happen as you age.  The sooner that we can get you to grasp that concept the easier the process becomes.  While we do care about your times, there are so many other things on our checklist that we are concerned with.  The most important item we like to check off is this; Are you getting better at the things we are working on in practice?  Items range from our walls, our fish 🐟 kicks, our stroke mechanics, our race strategy, our breathing, and yes our attitudes.  Our job is to teach ou how to swim, train and race so that you are ready for that next level.  That’s the level (H.S.) is where you really get to have fun and see some of your best swimming.  It’s all about the process. 

MY OWN TAKEAWAYS FROM THE MEET

*   I wish I could get $1.00 for every cap that I put on

*   The almost ♥️ attack I had on Saturday night during the girls 13-14 free to see 6 swimmers in the pool and Kendyl and Jackie standing on the blocks 👀 at each other. First thought was they do what they do best “socializing “

*. During the 9-10 session during the 50 fly.  A boy forgot his heat and lane, proceeded to dive in the warmup pool swim fly to where I was, get out asked his heat and lane.  After straightening it out he dove back in and swam a fast fly to the other end.  First thought this race may not go well!

*. Graham asking me to count for him in his 500 free. No problem but it will cost you$1.00 for every number.  He was 😯 shocked but I did say he might get it cheaper by asking Peter.  All he got was a 😂 laugh with that.  

*. Saturday was green!  And no Rebecca it was not Shrek!

* Helping Cally count for big brother George.

*  How is it that where ever I hide for some quite there is a group that can always find me!

THANKSGIVING MESSAGE

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the athletes for the hard work and dedication that they have put into the season up to this point.  We understand and appreciate all the sacrifices that you have made over the last three months and believe that at the end you will look back, not with regret but with a sense of accomplishment.  Thank you for the simple thing of showing up and being yourself.

Thank you to all the parents who have made sacrifices as well, from getting them to where they are suppose to be and also for raising a great group of kids.  Thank you for entrusting us with the most important thing in your lives.  Kids don’t take it for granted because it’s the hardest job that they will ever do.

HAPPY 😃 THANKSGIVING 

ARE WARM UPS IMPORTANT

How serious to you approach your warm ups at practice or meets?  Is it really that important? As with almost all issues in society everyone has an opinion. The first thing that you need to understand is that contrary to beliefs it is not just “MINDLESSLY SWIMMING “ in the 🏊‍♀️.  It should and will set the tone for the practice or meet that you are going to ask of your bodies and put you in a mindset to be successful.  It amazes me to sloppy swimming during this time at practice and that is because habits (good or bad) can be developed during this time.  It is up to you to CHOOSE whether they will be good or bad.   

We do not just put a garbage warmup on the board for you to do.  Each of our warmups have a direct impact and is designed to prepare you for what we are trying to accomplish on any given day, thus our warmups are never the same.  You may ask, But the meet warmup is always the same. Good observation you rascals!  Yes it is and it is designed to get you ready to swim fast.  It is also designed to keep your stress levels down and hopefully keep you relax.  You all do not need traffic 👮‍♀️ standing at your lanes barking directions at you.  I never felt relaxed 😎 when any of my coaches did that regardless of the sport. You all know what you need to do and so accept the responsibility and get it done, and that includes that second warmup and the warm down.

Another thing I have observed is that after your last event some of you figure the day is over and I can just leave.  BIG MISTAKE!  That warm down is very important!  The worse thing you can do for your body is to just walk out, get in a 🚘 and go 🏡.  Your bodies and muscles 💪 will tighten and become very stiff which will produce a feeling or tiredness and soreness.  The next day it will take that much longer to work out all that stiffness which is never a good thing.  You’ve been given these bodies so let’s be nice to them and take care of them.

And above all, Be aware of what you are doing during warmups and pick one ☝️ little thing to improve on and get ready for what is to follow.

SWIM AND ROCK OH 👦 

MEET WARM UP

Just a quick reminder for your meet warmups this weekend

200 smooth and relax swim

4x50 descend swim@50

200 kick on back

3x50 descend kick @1:00

100 stroke swim drills

8x50 choice @1:00 (25easy 25 fast) @1:00

2x25 fast from dive

Let’s come in focus and put in a great effort as we prepare to go in strong 💪 for the swim and rock meet.  

We have spent a lot of time in the past few weeks with our work on the walls and our underwater.  Important to remember not to sacrifice speed for distance off those walls.  

This is a great meet to try something new and step outside of your comfort zones as you prepare for the mid season championship meets.

Some people say good luck but you don’t need luck. You all have worked hard so just swim 🏊‍♀️ your race and have fun racing.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Okay you all know that I am a Cowboy fan so today is a little gloomy 😞 as I stood in line to vote this morning, and no it’s not the ☔️ or the impending doom and gloom that will be reported from the media on this voting day.  It’s something that happened early in that football 🏈 game last night, that is a reflection on all athletes.  After the Titans intercepted a pass in the end zone and immediately ran to the middle of the field where the cowboy star ⭐️ is and began celebrating,  ow I know all you Redskin fans were on the floor laughing 😂 and giving ✋ to anyone in your vicinity.  Enjoy the moment but than tank a look at what these professional athletes are teaching our younger athletes, and that is SPORTSMANSHIP.    Now don’t get me wrong I am all for a little 🎉 celebration in the end zone with your teammates,  but to go to the middle of the field and make it about you and to disrespect your fellow athletes goes to far.  Have your little celebration but come on man your a professional and it’s your job and act like you’ve been their before and keep your ego in check.  

Now on the other side of the field I was expecting an all out brawl that should still be going on in the middle of the field with the riot squad being called in to restore peace and order, but know a lone Dallas Cowboy 🤠 showed up and gave the criminal what a would call a gentle shove.  What no teammate for support!   Shoot i wanted to jump into that television take the ball and bounce the 🏈 off this lost souls head.What that told me right than and there was this game is over Dallas will lose so off to bed 🛌 I went.  There was no passion, energy excitement, sense of urgency or whatever you want to call it, but whatever game over.  Pack up and go 🏡, thanks for coming.

Today I look at it from a different angle, and I am reaching here so bare with me.   Just maybe the ENTIRE Dallas team was embarrassed 😳 by what transpired and realized that the reason that TITAN was standing on their ⭐️ was their fault, and if they didn’t like it than stop 🛑 them on the next series and prevent it from happening again.  Never happened as I realized last night and found out to no surprise when I saw the final score.

How does this relate to us in swimming?  Two things, the first being that the first step to success in any sport is some passion, effort, and positive energy and emotions when participating.  If you don’t have it, GAME OVER.  

The second is that I’ve been around for a while and I have seen a range of emotions from athletes and coaches after both victories and defeats.  Some good, some bad.  Always remember this sport is bigger than you, and that you are know more special than any other swimmer, maybe faster, maybe more victories, but  it more special.  Those other swimmers are there  also to improve, friends, practice, and just the fact they enjoy the sport.  So next time you show frustration, throw the goggles in a fit of rage remember everyone sees and judges.  React with excitement but with the realization that this is what you have trained for and expected of yourself.

I would have still thrown the 🏈 at him.  

THE SALESMAN AND EFFORT

MARLIN INVITATIONAL 

Friday Warm up 4:00-4:50. Meet starts at 5pm

For Friday events please have a timer and lane counters for your events. You also must positive check in your events. I will check you in as long as you let me know before Friday.

Saturday and Sunday Warm up 7:00-7:50. Meet starts at 8:00 am

They will be using 2 pools for Saturday and Sunday sessions. One pool will be 13 and over girls and 12 and under boys.  The other pool will be 13 and over boys and 12 and under girls.

On Sunday the 12 and under boys 200 free will move to the other pool to help with the time line.

WE ARE NOT SUITING UP FOR THIS MEET!!

Our groups finished off last week with a great EFFORT at practice on Friday and Saturday.  We spent a lot of time bringing the whole week together with a lot of IM work with great transitions and wall work.  Our underwater work is looking fantastic 👍 and now let’s see if we can carry it into our races the next two weekends. Yes it will tax you both physically and mentally but if you are prepared to step out of your comfort zones and give it a shot, you may be pleasantly 😲.  The best part is that you will learn that though it may hurt you did survive and will live to 🏊‍♀️ another day.

EFFORT

There always is a lot of talking about lack of effort, or lack of so called effort.  Effort involves more than races and the stop watch, it involves so much more and can be all encompassing.  Remember at the beginning of the year when we talked about time management and how you spend so much time away from the pool. Are we putting in the extra effort with school, nutrition, and your sleep 💤 patterns, it all affects the bottom line at practice and on race day.

All athletes want to get better and sometimes we look for shortcuts to that goal.  Do you reach for that energy drink, or it may be the wearing of that TECH SUIT.  Athletes tend to grab anything to make them better than they were yesterday.  Salesman’s pitch is always to say what you want to 👂 and not necessarily what you need to know.  Instead of looking for gimmicks look 👀 into our mirror, and ask that person if they are giving a “good effort” at practice or am I just showing up.  The world is full of people who just show up!  Which one are you?

Putting in a good effort is not only limited to 🏊‍♀️ fast. It is how you swim, it begins by knowing the focus of the warmup.  Are you working your walls and a good technique or is it just sloppy swimming?  During the sets are you focused in on th purpose of the set or just trying to survive?  There are always days when you aren’t feeling it, we all have been their even your coaches.  Those are the days you need to dig deep check your “gut”  and put in a great effort.  When you can go through a day like that and walk away from a great 👍 effort, you walk away feeling proud, and that says a lot about your character 

Let’s have a good week