Quote of the Week

The first thing is to love your sport. Never do
it to please someone else. It has to be yours.

 

Peggy Gail Fleming

Butterfly Video

Earlier this month, Giles Smith took down two big-time swimmers (Ryan Lochte & Michael Phelps) in the 100 meter butterfly.


Note:  The next Arena Pro Series event will be at the UT pool in Austin (January 15 - 17).

First Cold Morning Practice

If you missed practice this morning, you missed this:

Breaststroke Video

This is fan-shot video of Kevin Cordes breaking the American record in the 200 yard breast.

Notice:

• Tight streamline on start and off walls
• Long underwater pullouts
• Complete extension after each kick
• Compact & powerful kick
• Quick turns (hands/arms pop off wall as feet/legs pull through)

Note:  Meet announcer is Sam Kendricks.  Sam is a very popular announcer for big club and college meets.  He was a swimmer and swim coach here in Texas before going into the real estate business in New Mexico.

Snorkel Tutorial

Freestyle Video

Here's one of our country's greatest freestylers, Kara Lynn Joyce.  She swam in three (3) Olympic Games for Team USA, bringing home four (4) silver medals.

Notice:

• High elbow recovery & clean entry (fingertips-wrist-elbow)
• Outstanding rotation & great stroke finish
• Head still (at twelve o'clock) except for quick breaths
• Tight streamline
• Powerful six-beat kick (three kicks per pull, six per cycle)
• Front-quadrant swimming (slight catch-up in stroke)

Note:  Kara Lynn is strong enough to manage a wide, off the mid-line, pull.

Backstroke Video

Here's an old video of Ryan's backstroke.  His first major international success was in the 200 back.  He set his first world record in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Australia.

Notice:

• Great rotation as he recovers w/shoulder out of water and digs deep with pulling arm
• Tight streamline
• Head stays still (at twelve o'clock)
• Hands enter (pinky first) at one and eleven o'clock
• Powerful dolphin kicks

Note:  Ryan normally goes about fifteen (15) meters underwater before coming up to swim.  For video purposes, he's only doing a few dolphin kicks here.

Quote of the Week

I hated every minute of training, but I

said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live

the rest of your life as a champion."

 

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., a.k.a. Muhammad Ali

Pool Update

Went by the pool this afternoon.  Cl and pH are a little high, but safe.  Water is clear and temp is 82.  We should be all set to get in a few good practices early next week.

Looks like it'll be a little chilly Monday morning, so y'all might want to dress accordingly for dry-land training.

Hope to have a little surprise for swimmers after practice.

Van Vleck Dual

(lined up for national anthem in Victoria)

Weather permitting, here's our estimated timeline for this afternoon:

• 3:30 - 4:15 = remove tarps, set up timer chairs, put in lane ropes
• 4:30 - 5:00 = team warm-up
• 5:00 - 6:30 = competition (w/o diving event)*
• 6:30 - 7:15 = cover pool/pizza social

*Order of events is here

Today's Email - Please Read!!

Swimmers & Parents,

Today

We’ll have an abbreviated practice this afternoon at the Hilliard pool.  After practice, we’ll load all our swim gear onto the bus and I’ll transport it back to the 16^th Street pool.  Coach Wright will stay with swimmers waiting to be picked up at the Hilliard pool.

Tomorrow

We'll open the 16^th Street pool gate by 6:45 a.m. Saturday morning so swimmers can grab anything they might need for the meet.

We'll issue each swimmer traveling to the meet a backpack, parka, and meet cap before we leave tomorrow.  Swimmers who travelled to Rosenberg last week already have those items.

The bus will leave Bay City from the 16^th Street pool parking lot at 7:00 a.m.

We should arrive at the competition pool by 8:30 a.m.

Our assigned warm-up time is from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m.  We will be in lanes 3 & 4 in the competition end of the pool.

The meet will start at 10:15 a.m. and should end around 2:30 p.m.

We'll be competing in the facility that will host our district meet.  Our athletes will see the Victoria facility and we'll be better prepared in January.

Swimmers should bring:  suit, goggles, cap, parka, backpack, drinks (water, Gatorade, etc.), snacks (or money for concession stand), and two (2) towels

Swimmers should not bring:  valuable items that could be lost or stolen, a large amount of money, etc.

We will stop for a meal on the return trip.  We have budgeted money for that, so swimmers will not pay. 

All athletes are encouraged to return to Bay City with the team on the bus.  If other arrangements are to be made, they must be made by following the BCHS Athletic Department travel policy.  Consult your handbooks for more info.

We hope to return to Bay City by 4:30 p.m.

More information (pool address, scoring, officiating, etc.) can be found on the attached pdf.

Monday

The 16^th Street pool is full.  It may take a couple of days to get the chemicals “right” and the temperature up.  We’re expecting to be able to swim there Monday.  As always, be prepared to dress out for both swimming and dry-land workouts.

Our swimmers have done a great job this week in less than ideal training conditions.  Coach Wright and I appreciate the outstanding  efforts we’ve seen!

Urgent Message!

Just sent this out to swimmers & parents:

Swimmers & Parents,

First, I apologize for the late notice.  My school computer was offline yesterday and this morning.  This is the first chance I’ve had to communicate this important info.

Next, I apologize in advance for any omissions, typos, grammar errors, etc.  There just isn’t time to proof this!

The pool was drained Friday and we’ve been told to expect to be out all week.  The Hilliard Pool is available, but it isn’t heated/covered.  It’s far from an ideal situation, but we will get through this.  Here’s our plan for the week:

Monday

·         Meet at 16^th Street pool as usual, but suit out for stretching, dry-land exercises, and running (3:30 – 5:30 p.m.).

·         Athletes were told a while back to have shirts, shorts, socks, and shoes for days like this.

·         Discuss entries (due tomorrow) for the Victoria ISD Invite (Saturday).

·         Clean out lockers.

Tuesday

·         No practice!

·         Coach Wright and I will transfer our gear (including mesh bags w/your gear) to Hilliard Pool.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

·         Combination swimming/dry-land practices at the Hilliard Pool (3:30 to 5:30 p.m.).

·         Have an extra towel (or two) for each practice.

·         Parents are asked to pick up swimmers by 5:45 p.m.

·         Pool address is:  3020 LeTulle Avenue (Take Austin Street west and turn left onto Le Tulle – pool will be on left).

Thanks in advance for your patience and cooperation.  We hope to be back in the 16^th Street pool a week from today.