Skip to main content

A LETTER TO MYSELF

Now that we have the first part of your year off to a GREAT start ( school) it’s time to get started in the pool
  All our groups will start off their journeys in the pool on Monday, and unfortunately due to prior commitments I will be absent but we will have guest coaches on hand with the workout plans to help guide you through that first day in the pool.

What I would like to ask from each of you  this weekend is to think about the upcoming season and after giving it some thought, sit down and write a letter (no computer ) to yourself.  Yes that’s right you are actually going to use pen/pencil and paper.  Date it up top and address it to Dear Ben/Mackenzie (use your name). In this letter be yourself and include how you would like this year to go.

Let me go over a few things that you may want to include in this letter.  

GOALS:  Dream big.  Have some realistic goals especially for early in the season to keep your confidence high, and write these goal on an index card and post it on your mirrors so you see them through the year.  Include a plan for how you will reach these goal.  Be specific with details.  Don’t just write “ go to practice and work hard”. Showing up in just the first step, there is so much more involved for the swimmer as well as the coach.  Be specific!

PRACTICE:  What are you going to do during practice to help you reach these goals, and make no mistake about it “ the way you practice is the way you are going to race”.  Think about the things that you do during practice that help you, but also the things that you do ( and we all do them) that sabotage your progress.   Be aware of those speed bumps and how they detour your journey.

MEETS:  Yes let’s not forget the racing part of our journey and be ready to dust off the cobwebs from those “tech” suits when you come calling.  Have an action plan or simply put an action plan for the meet.  Things you may want to include are;  breakfast, meet warmup positive word affirmations, visualization techniques, race strategies for particular events.  Lastly learn to deal with the stresses and anxieties you will face.  Do not try to run away from them as this will create more problems.  They are part of the process and understanding them will go a long way in making you a better athlete/swimmer.  Don’t forget winning races is fun but don’t get so wrapped up with others that you neglect to focus on yourself and the success you have such as a best time.

TIME AWAY FROM THE POOL:  Don’t forget to include things away from the pool that will help you. Also include things that you would like to read that make you a better all around person in society.

After you write this letter to yourself fold it neatly and put it in a envelope and address it to yourself ( do not seal it) and bring it in to me at practice. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“If it’s important to you, you will find a way.  If not, you will find an excuse.” FEEDING YOUR MUSCLES   Having trouble with those early morning workouts or competition?  Not sure what to eat or how much so that you can perform at an optimal level and get through it? Understanding the process and how to get there is not an easy one.Waking up early to jump into a cold pool for either swim practice or  a swim meet is no easy feat.  For sure one of the biggest advantage is you get to see the sun rise and you have a jump on everyone else.  One of the first things that you have to do to survive a early workout/swim meet is to fuel your vessel. By the time you wake up your body is already starving.  You need to figure out a way to fuel it that works for you.  It's not something that you can ignore because the consequences will affect your success.  I was amaze or maybe not that so many of you have nothing to eat before arriving at the pool in the morning.  This is an area of your traini
Post a Comment
Read more

Westward passage

  So I’ve made it this far riding south with the Rockies off to my right just need to find the correct route to go up and over, where is Coach Heather and her GPS not that I would listen to her.   Crossed over into Canada from North Dakota and went west in Canada.to Calgary and turned left south to Billings Montana  This will be our road west. Sun road in glacier national park.  On another note will be ending in San Diego sometime late week.  Hoping to be back by Friday practice but because of the heat we are riding less miles with more breaks.  Will definitely be there at st James Saturday morning barring any catastrophe. Make sure for you prep kids you get a good day of rest tomorrow and a good night sleep.  Get your homework done.  That first day will set the tone for the entire year.  The gold and blue groups let’s get some rest, get your homework 📚 done and set the tone for a successful season on day 1. Remember our motto “WIN”
Post a Comment
Read more

PRACTICE

  "If you don't practice you don't deserve to win." ANDRE AGASSI So you come to practice on a consistent basis hardly ever missing but yet you are always missing out on that one great swim you've been searching for.  The hard question that you need to ask yourself is this; Do I practice with with a determination to improve or do I just show up swim with little focus on what you are doing or why?  If that's the way you practice you will end up like the dog just swimming never able to capture the one big swim your searching for.  Like you after the race you will think your tired but frustrated that you came up short again. Practice is the Foundation for all of your swimming successes now and in the future and it all goes back to our theme for the season. "WIN". (What's Important Now" ).  Simply said Focus on what we are doing in practice at the moment. It's about how you approach practice and what and how you do in the water during that t
Post a Comment
Read more