SWIM and ROCK WEEKEND

 “Bring the energy.  Trust your training.  Race with courage.  Rock every wall—and give yourself an effort to be proud of.”Coach Mike

This weekend we travel over to Oakmont for our first preliminaries and finals mini championship type of meet.

It gives some of us our first real chance to suit up and race some of our better events at this early stage of the season.

Here are some things (in and out of the pool) that you can do to help make the weekend flow smoothly and minimize some of your anxieties. 

ACADEMICS—- Plan the week ahead.  Stay on top of your homework and any projects that you know are on the horizon.  Stay up with any reading assignments that you have.  A little work each day goes a long way in determining those grades, not unlike swimming.

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS—-Proper rest and nutrition will go a long way in how you feel and can handle a long weekend with a lot of swimming.  Avoid making the big mistake of just focusing on this are the night before the meet starts is going to help you.  Be smart.  

HYDRATION  

Make sure you are drinking water every day, all day.  Don’t wait until you’re thirsty and it takes a long time to recover.  Staying hydrated normally will keep some of the problems you experience (such as headaches, fatigue, and cramping) from developing.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking drinking sodas is hydrating.  IT’s NOT.  For our 14& unders if you must drink Gatorade, a 50/50 mix is much better for you.  Your body does not need all those electrolytes and definitely not the sugar.

PACK LIKE A CHAMP---I like to use the "DOUBLE UP RULE" such as caps, goggles, suit, t-shirts, a sweat shirt/parka.  YOU MAY THINK YOUR WARM.  YOUR MUSCLES AREN'T.  Cold muscles drains energy and take longer to warm up over and over.  A sharpie is always good to write down heat and lanes.  Small snacks.  You can't run on an empty stomach

STRATEGY OF A PRELIM/FINAL MEET---The prelim pysch sheet does not guarantee you anything other than a heat and lane.  That's it people.  Young swimmers often assume they can "cruise" (Coach Logan adding 20 seconds

 ) through the morning session and get a spot in the evening.  You cannot swim in finals if you don't execute in the prelims.   You MUST race with controlled intensity in prelims to lock in your evening spot.

Pay attention to the scratch window after your event.  If you make it into finals YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP unless you scratch.  My groups are not scratching so don't ask.  If you scratch you MUST talk to your coach before you do.  If you fail to show up you will be removed from the rest of the meet.  PVS/USA swimming rule.

THE "FINALS NIGHT" MINDSET---It's okay to feel a spike in your adrenaline at night.  A packed crowd, loud music, and intense energy but don't forget you earned your spot in the morning session, so just go execute our plan and have fun.

WARM UPS

FRIDAY 11& OVERS 6:30-7:50 AM  MEET @8:00  FINALS  5:00-5:50 PM MEET @6:00

FRIDAY DISTANCE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING PRELIMS

9&10 500 @3:00 pm

SATURDAY 13and overs 6:30-7:50. MEET 8:00 am

11&12 11:00-11:50 am MEET @noon

9&10 2:00-2:20

FINALS 11& over 5:30-6:20. MEET @6:30

SUNDAY ALL TIMED FINALS

13&over 6:30-7:30 MEET @7:45

11&12 11:30-12:20. MEET @12:30

9&10 2:30-3:00. MEET @3:10

SET OF THE WEEK COMES FROM OUR SATURDAY GOLD GROUP AFTER WARM UPS AND STARTS AND FINISHES