RIGHT VAN WRONG VAN. THE TRUE STORY

 

 Okay I am here to set the story straight about the van at least the way the story plays out in my head.  

Upon walking back to the hotel in the sweltering heat🥵 running low on water from the 10 and under session on Saturday I am informed by a source who will remain anonymous that I had picked up the wrong van in the morning that belonged to another team who had to Uber over to the meet. Sorry that happened to them but I found it somewhat fascinating 🤨 and amusing at the same time.

Here is why I felt like that I honestly had been driving the same van since Thursday when I picked it up for the final session at 4:00 pm and headed out with the kiddos.  I know it was the same van from that point because I never returned it back to the hotel valet, so I had the same key from then on until coach Heather took my key from my bag on Saturday afternoon to return the van.

For those of you who are doubting as to am I senile or not let’s look at the time line here; 

Thursday

 5:30 am—  Coach Mike picks up a key from hotel valet after showing him a ticket.

3:00 pm—Coach mike returns to the hotel with 10 and under’s. Gives key to valet.  Gets van returns to pool at 4:30pm.

7:45 pm returns to hotel and drops off swimmers and park van on street because it’s free until 8:00 am

Friday 

5:30 am using same key he has had in his room picks up van from exact spot he left it the previous night.  Returns swimmers to pool for 6:30 warmup

3:00 pm leaves pool with swimmers in the same van after we all got out ice cream. Holds onto 🔑 

4:15 pm takes swimmers back to pool for finals in same van.

7:45 pm return swimmers to side of hotel for team dinner and parks van on street next to that spot. Keeps keys

Saturday 

6:30 am picks up swimmers using same van from the previous night using same key.

6:40 am drops swimmers in front of pool parks van puts key in bag and never sees it again

Questions to ask yourself 

When was the last time coach mike handed the key to valet?  Thursday at 3:00 pm

When was the last time did the valet hand the key to Coach Mike?  Thursday at 4:30 pm

If  Coach Mike had the same key from Thursday on could he have switched vans after that?

How could he have been driving the wrong van on Saturday only?

I submit to all that Coach Mike was probably in the wrong van but this mix up started on Thursday at 4:30 because of the hotel valet, thus if you are charging him with possession of the wrong van on Saturday only he has to be found innocent of that charge because Coach Mike had the van since Thursday afternoon.

That is the story that exists in my world inside my head and I stick to it regardless of what that woman says.  Bottom line is I got the swimmers to the pool on time.

As for the plaintiff who made the accusation what were you and your swimmers using Thursday afternoon and all day Friday.  Seems awfully odd.

The moral of the story is that if given the opportunity you should always upgrade which is what I did when I went from the 12 passenger to the 15 passenger van.  I thought we were getting more swimmers in the van but the swimmers welcomed the extra space and no one said anything. 

NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY.

THE WIZARD OF OZ

 

So what does swimming and the Wizard of Oz have in common you might be wondering other than we the coaches are surrounded by all these little swimmers.

Dorthy first meets the Scarecrow in her travels and unlike the scarecrow, you all are not very scary at all.  Unlike the scarecrow who is seeking a brain all of you were born with one.  Swimmers all crave the smell of chlorine and the feel of sliding through the water with ease.  As a sportscaster once said " thrill of victory and the agony of defeat", whatever the results you always come back for more.  Why? It's called endorphins, the hormone that makes you feel happy and is nature's high and is the reason why swimming is so addictive.  These endorphins are especially released during your races.  Be smart let your brain take you to that mountain top.

As Dorthy and the Scarecrow travel down the yellow brick road they come upon this old rusty Tin Man who only wants one thing, a ♥️.   Again how lucky each of you are to have been born with a healthy heart.  Obviously the heart controls the blood flow to your muscles throughout practices and races.  Swimming is a aerobic sport and each time you swim your heart gets stronger by helping it grow and become larger which makes in more efficient in pumping the blood throughout your body.  This comes in handy during those long races.  The better condition you can get your heart in the better you are able to finish those races.  To be a good swimmer you need to have a big ♥️

The last person that Dorthy meets on the road is my favorite in the story, yes the Cowardly Lion who when we first meet him is afraid of his own shadow probably the way a lot of you felt when you first saw me on the pool deck.  The lion like all of you has to find his courage.  When did you start building your courage in swimming?  It was probably that first time you entered the "baby pool" and then graduated and jumped into the "BIG POOL'  with Mom and Dad, and then on to that first swim instructor, your first venture into the deep end of the pool.  Then came this first races across the pool with your friends and then that first day of "swim team".  The first meet, the first race, the first relay.  All of these things help develop your skills and build confidence and courage in the swimmer you are today. It takes a lot of courage to get up on those blocks and look down that lane especially when things don't go your way.  But you always come back and step up again, and why. Because your brain is addicted, you have a big heart and you are courageous.

 That courage that you have been building all your life will allow you to take risks in your races.  It will allow you to be fearless in your races.

For this of you swimming this week in St. Petersburg, Be Smart, swim with a Big Heart, and Be Courageous.

FLORIDA BOUND WORKOUTS

 For those of you who need workouts between now and Tuesday here are a couple that should work.  Set your intervals where you are getting 15-20 seconds rest.  Please if at all possible do not stay out of the water for two straight days.  You lose that feel quickly which makes those first few races harder than they need to be.  

WARMUP ( our usual) (800)

200 long smooth free fast feet to turns. Breathing every 3-5 by 25

4x50 free to back @45/50/55/1:00. Hold UWD AFAP OFF TURNS

200 IM KICK/swim

4x50 free/IMO strong effort @1:00

SET #1 (1500)

10x50 @1:00 odds are choice (can be IMO). STRONG EFFORT FAST TURNS. evens are free recovery (deep arm no breath turns)

5x100 done as 25 kick 50 strong free 25 kick

10x50 fins done as UW DOLPHINS (gold fast to 12.5. Prep fast to 15 meters) double arm backstroke back

Finish with are 25 set. 8 rounds (800)

3x25 ALL OUT @25/30. 1x25 double arm back with breast stroke kick

SET #2 (1650)

2x75 (25 no breath free. 25 backstroke breathe. 25 no breath free)

2x75 (25 stroke build 25 easy free. 25 stroke fast

2x75 ( 25 backstroke. 25 no breath free.  25 backstroke 

2x75 ( 50 stroke build to fast. 25 easy free) 

2x75 fast kick

1x75 stroke build by 25’s

FINISH WITH THE USUAL 25 set from above

Remember all turns should be done properly and fast even if swims are easy

All easy swims should be done with great technique always.

SPRING

 

Now that we have turned the calendars to spring, what exactly does spring bring.  Spring is all about new beginnings and transformations.  Although we have had a somewhat mild winter it's time to shake those winter doldrums off and reawaken ourselves to the changing environment.

Yes, we can also apply this new beginning to our swimming.  It could be a renewed spark as most of you inch closer to your summer season back at your neighborhood watering hole.  For some of us heading to St. Petersburg in the coming days it will offer a chance to take your racing outdoors.  The winter is over and what I see over the horizon for all of you are new opportunities and new possibilities.   Just like the flowers and the leaves need help to bloom you need some self help to seek those new opportunities and possibilities .  

You need to take OWNERSHIP of your races as soon as you step behind those blocks.  Be fearless, Be brave.  I DARE YOU.

MY TAKE

 We finished 14 and under Champs Sunday night with some awesome swims from our kids.  Saturday our Mako swimmers continued to swim very focus as many of our kids posted personal bests.  Returning Saturday evening for finals were  Shannon Stegmaier (200 fly), Sadie Buckley (13-14 200 IM,100 back), Lyla Devlin (13-14 200 IM and 200 breast), Tyler Harris (100 IM and 50 back), Anna Rizzardi (100 IM), Anna Roth (100 breast), Laura Roth (100 Breast), Claire Anderson (100 IM and 200 free), Jaxon Chan (100 breast), Anna Helms (50 free), Andrew Zimmerman (100 breast), and Maddie Carroll (200 free).

The Mako Swimmers showed up Saturday night very focused and ready to race.  They were incredible during their warmups and showed up to the blocks with one clear objective, which was to RACE.

On Sunday we all arrived on time even after losing an hour from the switch to Daylight Savings.  The Mako swimmers had an outstanding Prelims session when many best times.  We do have to give a shout out to Shannon Stegmaier who had a swim off for the 200 fly and after trailing for the first 150 she came roaring back in that last 50 to win and posting a new best time.

I also want to thank our 9&10 boys for their understanding and great sportsmanship to our guest relay swimmer.  You see we had three boys for our relay so we went to the coach who had 1 swimmer who warmed up with us and we explained the situation and asked if he would like to join us for a relay and without hesitation the answer was yes.  I will tell you that after he swam his 50 free (dropping 1.5 seconds) he stopped to thank us for letting him get that warmup swim in the relay.  That's what this is all about.

Returning to finals Sunday evening were; Tyler Harris (50 back and 50 free), Laura Roth and Anna Roth (200 breast), Claire Anderson (200 breast and 50 free), Anna Rizzardi (50 free), Maddie Carroll (50 free), Andrew Zimmerman (200 breast), Shannon Stegmaier(100 fly), Sadie Buckley (200 back and 100 free), Anna Helms (100 free), and Lyla Devlin ( 200 back)

CONGRATULATIONS to Sadie Buckley named outstanding Female 13 year old swimmer 2021-2022 season on Saturday evening.

GREAT JOB TO ALL OUR MAKO SWIMMERS for a successful weekend of racing!

SWIMMING SAFE

 

Our swimmers had a good day Thursday at 14 and under champs.  We had a lot of swimmers posting personal best and had a good group at finals.  Winning their events Thursday night were Tyler Harris in the 100 free and the 50 fly.  Sadie Buckley winning the 400 IM and the 200 free.

After dropping time in the 400 IM in the morning Lyla Devlin showed up in the evening with her “A” game dropping another 4 seconds this after swimming a personal best in the 100 breaststroke.  

Anna and Laura Roth also had 2 races in the evening (50 breaststroke 200IM).  Laura posted a best time in the evening and her sister Anna who posted a best time in the morning swam a great race again posting the same time.  In the 200 IM the girls swam great races posting best times with Anna out touching Laura at the wall.  Claire Anderson also posted a best time in that 200 IM after having a great race in the 100 free in the evening.o

Anna Rizzardi was the iron woman of the evening swimming 3 events at finals.  Anna had the 100 free 50 fly and the 200 IM where she not only posted her best times but also winning every heat she was in.  She must have had a really good lunch between sessions.

Maddie Carroll was our other swimmer at finals and as I told her before she went up, “Maddie your swim is the most important” because your race is first and it sets the tone for the whole team.  Just as she did in the morning she swam the 200 back and posted a personal best just as she had done in the morning. Maddie sometimes you need that pressure put on you and then it’s up to you to rise up to the challenge.  Later in the evening Maddie posted another personal best time in the 100 free.

Now Thursday is behind us and it’s time to move on to the next events on your list.  

Something that I notice from some swimmers is that you tend to swim safe, yes I swam safe, I dropped time but I failed to take a risk during the race for fear of failure. Swimming safe does produce some good times often but swimming safe keeps you from reaching your true potential at times.  Swimming safe is basically the same as swimming scared where you are worried more about the unknown over the chance of having that lifetime swim at that moment.  Your body can handle so much more than you think it can.  The only limits it has are the limitations that you yourself place on it mentally.  What might happen if you go out just a bit faster, take one last breath, extend your underwater a little bit, work the middle of the race a little harder, or go harder off that lat turn to the finish.  WHAT IF’s. They are all around you. This them out of your races.  Talking to some of you I realize that you are aware of it also.  

KING/QUEEN FOR A DAY

 

The next two weekends will see most everybody swimming in their championship meet for the short course season,  Are you ready?  Is there anything you can do now that will help?  Glad you ask.

The most important thing you can do now is to show up with the right attitude and maintain it throughout the meet,  that will go a long way no matter what the results are.

Get your swim bag ready with your gear (pack extra caps, goggles, suit) ahead of time not the morning of.  Pack some snacks to fuel your body, you are about to ask a lot of it and above all as Eric would say water,water,water.

Know your list of events for the day and focus on the one event that is in front of you.  Does no good to worry about an event later on.  Control what you can control and what is in front of you at the present not in the future.  Manage your expectations and visualize in. advance of how you want to perform in the race.  Envision yourself swimming successfully especially in the face of adversity.  As Taylor Swift would say "YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN" .  What ever the results are do not celebrate too much nor berate yourself too much.   Sometimes your ahead, sometimes your behind but in the end the race is yours.

Take care of your body, after all you are asking a lot of it so you need to treat it well.  Keep it fueled, hydrated and warm.  Execute your warmup and warm downs the way you know it should be done, no shortcuts here.  Do not sabotage yourself by doing things that make you go slow.  Be a smart athlete.

Remember where you can find time in your race.  Explode off those blocks and be aggressive on those breakouts.  Turns be aggressive going into those turns.  Those of you who have open turns remember "KNEE SPEED" = "TURN SPEED".  From the time you touch the wall to the time your feet leave the wall it should only take you 1.0-1.2 seconds.  Flip turns, do not pull and delay that flip because it will kill your speed.  Do not pick your head up going into the turn as this too will kill momentum.   Finish your races hard, pick up that kick and be aggressive.  Too many races are lost because swimmers relax at the flags thinking the race is over, it's not over until you get the hand on the pad.

Above all keep a positive attitude throughout the meet and have a good time.  You Swim to Win the Race!  Be the KING or QUEEN for the day.