News & This Week's Schedule

 

2019 Blue/Gold Alumni (l to r):  Bobby Button, Keith Hill, Neal Holden, Kory Ashcraft, Blake Holden, Andrew Medina

 

Alumni News

 

Blackcat Hall of Famer Keith Hill ('92) is the 2021 United States Masters Swimming 45-49 200 meter Butterfly National Champion!  Hill held off the top seed to win the title yesterday by just .27!

Going into today's final session, Keith has earned medals each time he's hit the water.  He and his teammates from New Albany, Ohio won the 200 medley relay and are in 4th place in team standings.

 

We're hoping Keith and many of our alumni can join us for this year's Blue/Gold/Alumni meet on Saturday, October 23rd (9:00 warm-up, 10:00 start) as we kick off the 2021-22 season.

 

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Facebook (unofficial)

 

Junior High

 

We had a short athlete/parent meeting last week for our junior high program.  Full practices officially begin on Monday, October 18th.  We'll run some shorter practices this week, so pay close attention to the schedule below!  Also, make sure athletes are "green" in RankOne, meaning all paperwork (physical, medical history, etc.) is up to date!

 

Note:  Junior high athletes who are in a sport - remember that you are committed to that sport!  Keep going to your practices and giving all you've got to your coaches and teammates!  Swimming will be here after football, volleyball, cross country, etc.  Take care of business and finish what you started!

 

If you know 7th & 8th graders who would like to swim/dive for the Panthers this year, but missed out on the meeting, please share our sportsYou code (below) with them so they'll be able to get in touch with us ASAP:

3HJZ-USQS

 

Grades

 

I'll be getting together with any athlete who didn't pass all classes in the first six week grading period.

 

Since the Blue/Gold/Alumni meet is an exhibition (scrimmage/practice), eligibility is not an issue for that date.  However, anyone with a failing grade on their report card will not regain eligibility unless they're passing all classes at the next progress report date.

If we're striving for A's & B's in ALL classes, we should NEVER be worried about JUST passing, should we?

 

Want to be an Academic All-American someday?  Start getting high A's NOW!  Seniors can earn Academic A-A honors based on their first seven (7) semesters of high school work, so get busy on your school work so you can earn that special plaque.  We've had three (3) in just the last four years!

Pumpkins

Please remember to ask Mrs. Button about the potentially pleasant pumpkin painting project.

This Week

 

Although students have the day off Monday, many are in town!

 

Friday, high school athletes agreed on a morning workout that should produce the best practice turnout.  If weather puts a damper on that plan, I'll be at the pool in the afternoon with Mrs. Button for diving practice, so that will serve as a make-up for the swim practice if schedules permit.

 

Junior high athletes should feel free to join us for either time.

Monday

HS Swim:  7-8:30 a.m. (JH option)

HS Dive: 3:30-5 p.m. (HS Swim make-up, JH option)

Tuesday

HS Swim/Dive:  8th & after school until 4:30

Wednesday

HS Swim/Dive:  8th & after school until 4:30

JH Swim/Dive option:  after school until 4:30

Thursday

HS:  8th to Gym

HS Swim/Dive option:  after school until 4:30

Friday

HS:  8th to B228

HS Swim/Dive option:  after school until 4:30

JH Swim/Dive option:  after school until 4:30

 

Believe Me Now?

 

Great stuff from our buddy Eddie Reese:

 

 

 

 

...but wait! There's more!

This post just about wraps it up for the 2019-20 high school swim program.

I asked Coaches Werner and Kalisek about the banquet video (originally scheduled for the 23rd), but didn't get a date on when it would be posted.

I will let y'all know when I know, so keep an eye on sportsYou!

I'll shift over to the Marauder Aquatics blog for a while.

I won't post there nearly as much as you've seen here in the past couple of months, though.

Please remind your folks that we can always use more officials!  They can get started at the NFHS.

Friday's post was supposed to be the last of the USAS videos I'd post.

However, the preview of a Kathleen Baker video reminded me of how quickly things can change in our sport.

Since this video was posted a year ago, plenty has changed in Team USA women's backstroke!

Teenage sensation Regan Smith broke both the 100 LCM (:57.57) & 200 LCM (2:03.35) backstroke world records last summer.

Today's suggestion:


Here's how Baker has been coping with the shutdown:

“I go on a lot of hikes. I run a lot of sprints. My boyfriend is a marine and he has a nice gym in his garage I can lift weights at,” she said.

More here

Okay, just one more...

...USAS video.

From last year, Caeleb Dressell vs. Michael Andrew:


Notes:

You'll recall that Gregg Troy has retired from the college program, but is still coaching a few elite club athletes in Florida.

Maxime Rooney left Florida and is now with Eddie Reese at Texas.

Anthony Nesty (Suriname) won gold in the 1988 Seoul Games in the 100 butterfly.  He beat Team USA's Matt Biondi by a hundredth of a second.

This Week

Any divers have balance issues?  Maybe a slackline will help:



New tarps are in and the large pace clock is in place.

Monday

Swim/Dive to 5:00 p.m.
Anthem Practice

Tuesday

Swim/Dive to 5:00 p.m.
Abbott Special

Wednesday

Swim/Dive to 5:00 p.m.
Travel info for Alief Meet

Thursday

Swim/Dive to 5:00 p.m.
Apple Bobbin'

Friday

Issue Backpacks & Warm-ups for Alief meet
Swim/Dive to 5:00 p.m.

Saturday

Alief Freshman/Sophomore Invite


Backstrokers, it's all about TEMPO!

Great Race Videos

2017 World Champs race video links:

Page 1

Page 2

From the Archives

Bobby demonstrated a few stroke drills for videos back in '11.  I posted on YouTube, but only told a handful of people.

Playlist, organized by strokes, is here

The Fifth Stroke

Use a great dolphin kick to become a better butterflyer, backstroker, and freestyler.  It'll also help you improve on breaststroke pullouts.  The Race Club has posted several great videos on the "Fifth Stroke":

Part I

Part II

Part III

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.