"WIN" what's Important Now

 

Welcome to the New Season (23-24). It was great seeing all of you this past Saturday as we had a chance to dip our toes into the water and get back to a little swimming.

We hope that your first week of school went well and that you are starting to settle into a routine so that you can throw your swimming into the mix in a couple of weeks. This is an exciting time for you all as you may be settling I not new schools, new classrooms, new teachers, and maybe even some new friends.  Most of all your starting a new year ready for all the new knowledge that you will be absorbing as you go along.  Take advantage of it and remember that you are a student-athlete (notice that although it is a compound noun, which noun comes first).  Keep up with your school work.

For those of you who missed Saturday let's take a moment and re-cap some information we went over so that we are all starting on the same page.

GOLD and PREP GROUP MOTTO THIS SEASON--"WIN". What's Important Now. We want you to stay in the moment and avoid the outside noise this year.  This means the turn coming up is what's important, the set we are working on is the only thing important right then.  You get the message. 

WIN the Day

COACH MIKE'S GOALS FOR SEASON

• Get your swimmer to enjoy a lifetime sport
• Have fun while they are training (this is possible they just have to open their minds to it)
• Help your swimmer grow in the sport and be ready for the next level, and on to H.S swimming and of course be ready for the summer of 2024.
• Prepare them to race all events and give them the confidence to do it and then sit back and enjoy watching them go out and execute.
• Fast times.  Notice where this falls on my list.  If your swimmer follows the process times will take care of themselves.
• Get as many of these swimmers to 14 and under champs and the Elite Classic in March and April.
• Some will make it. Some will not, but life will go on.

NEEDED FOR PRACTICE

• good attitude as you come onto deck. get excited to get better that day.
• be on time
• water bottle HYDRATE DURING PRACTICE.
• listen to the coaches (if your talking your not listening)
• fins, kick-boards, paddles, buoy

TIME MANAGEMENT--this is so important and more so for each of you because you are student-athletes.  Coaches always here this statement from athletes, I never have any time!  Let's break down your week

• A week has 7 24 hour days which gives you 168 hours to work with.
• Average weekly school hours is 31. You have 137 hours left.
• average sleeping hours based on 9 each night is 63. You have 74 left.
• meals 7 hours  week.  You have 67 hours left
• swimming based on 1.5 4 times a week.  You have 61.5 hours left for your self.

Everything is your choice but then so is everyone else's.

EVENTS

• FREE 50-100-200-500-1000-1650
• BACK 50-100-200
• BREAST 50-100-200
• FLY 50-100-200
• IM- 100-200-400 (this is what we are training for)

Know what is required for each group.  In order to get better and improve we will need to step outside of our comfort zones from time to time.

MEETS

Fall invite 9/30-10/1 training meets

Mako Pumpkin 10/28-10/29 training meet

Mako Gobble 11/1-11/2 training meet

Swim and Rock 11/16-11/19 (Trials and final) mini target meet

Mako Holiday 12/1-12/3 mini target meet

Winter Classic 12/7-12/10. First Target Meet

Mako Polar Plunge 1/6-1/7 training meet

Jump Start Travel Meet-1/12-1/15 target meet

Mako qualifier 2/3-2/4 

Presidents Meet 2/16-2/18 Last shot to qualify for championship meets

14 and Under Champs 3/14-3/17

Mako Spring Champs 3/15-3/17

Elite Classic St. Petersburg 4/;3-4/6

Plan early and start thinking about when you are going to swim your events.  Challenge yourself early in the season.

GOALS

As you start planning the first thing I would like you to do is think about some goals for the season ahead. Include big goals and some smaller ones.  Don't just throw out times I want to know the How.  Its like doing your math and school. They don't want to see the answer they want to know how you got there!

PRESEASON WORKOUTS

we talked about getting in a couple of times this week and next so that you get the feel of the water before that first day.  Here are a couple of workouts this week. I f there is no clock just rest 10 to 20 seconds between repeats. you all know the drill.

WORKOUT #1 

WARMUP (600) 3x100 free/ 4x50 kick/swim (no boards odds free even back) 4x25 IM drill

MAIN SET(750)

3x 1st and 3rd round free 2nd round back. 1:00 rest between rounds

4x50 free (right arm only down left arm only back) arm not using at side
1x50 free long and smooth

FINISH UP SET(400) 

8x50 @1:00/1:10 breast to free to back with a twist. On the breaststroke first 50 pullout 1 stroke get flat free to the wall flip backstroke back. Next 50 add a stroke to breaststroke.  Point here is to see how many strokes of breaststroke it takes you to get to the other end.  Once you hit that number stick with it.

WORKOUT #2 

WARMUP THE SAME (600)

Mini set

• 4 rounds (600)
• 50 free kick no boards position 11
• 50 back kick
• 50 free to back swim

Main set (750)

• 3rounds
• 25 breaststroke using stroke count from last workout
• 50 back to breast using your stroke count
• 75 back breast (using stroke count) free
• 100 free (breathing every 3 or 2-3-2)