Episode XL: Jason Devine

 

Listen here

00:33 – Episode XL Highlights

04:10 – Eddie Reese Book Bundle

04:38 – Jason Devine intro

05:10 – Then & Now

06:45 – FCST 10 & under curriculum

08:06 – Breaking into coaching

09:22 – Takeaways from other coaches

10:20 – Recognizing diamonds

11:30 – Required fundamentals

12:35 – Drills?

15:25 – Beyond the kickboard & streamline

17:40 – Culture

20:10 – Parents as assistants

23:24 – Body awareness

24:05 – Focal points & progressions

25:28 – Butterfly timing

26:08 – Favorite facilities

26:44 – Meetings, updates, & the long haul

29:20 – What hasn’t changed?

31:00 – Staff cohesiveness

33:39 – Clinics?

34:35 – Attendance & typical practices

40:45 – Meet debriefing & recognition

41:56 – Parent recognition

43:45 – Which age group?

45:17 – Wrapping it up

Avery Adams on A2B

Listen to our visit with Elevate Performance Swim Academy's Avery Adams here

 

00:40 – Background of Avery Adams

02:25 – Eddie Reese book plug

02:55 – Welcome Avery Adams

03:25 – Focus on squat technique

07:30 – Athlete to coach ratio

08:50 – Elevate Performance Swim Academy

10:19 – Air Force Academy’s James Winterfield

13:00 – Building relationships

15:40 – Individual sessions, evaluations, & warm-up

18:20 – Multi-sport background

19:25 – Lakeside SeaHawks & Vern Gambetta (GAIN)

20:00 – Body line as linkage/connection

21:15 – Innovation & reaction time

23:55 – Sprinting & set design

26:15 – Sprinting & muscle tissue recruitment

29:10 – Sprinting vs. AFAP

30:05 – What drives long axis strokes?  Short axis?

31:40 – Teaching “gears”

34:50 – Gamification

37:35 – Overcoming limitations

40:15 – A few favorite drills

46:10 – Finishing races (last 15m)

49:35 – Wrapping up & contact info

Madison Yelle

 

Madison (r) learns from Garrett Weber-Gale (l)

Latest episode of Swim Talk A2B features Madison Yelle.

Listen here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0:20 – MAC Gold Group

1:45 – Heard of the Eddie Reese book?

2:30 – Welcome Madison Yelle

3:00 – Age Group to High School to D-II

8:10 – Coaching with Swim Ft. Lauderdale

9:10 – TAGS, FLAGS, & JO’s

11:00 – Outdoor swimming issues

11:45 – HOF facility & 27m platform

13:00 – Was that a cement truck?

14:27 – Florida high school swimming

15:39 – That dreaded “P” word

17:48 – More on high school swimming

19:45 – Group criteria & LCM vs. SCY

23:13 – Veterans setting examples

26:01 – ASCA World Clinic

26:55 – More on the “P” word

30:30 – How many per week?

Finally!

 

The world's second most exciting podcast has returned!  Listen here

00:57 - Shameless Eddie Reese book plug

01:24 - Welcome Bonnie Adams

02:22 - Recap of 2023 OZ Mile/Michele Weber

06:36 - Preview of 2024 OZ Mile

09:55 - Bikes, or Bikes?

11:35 - What to expect at OZ

15:01 - Prepping athletes for open water

20:34 - Making memories in our sport

22:31 - Why September?

25:10 - Pool "Open Water"

28:05 - Alcatraz

29:27 - Canandaigua

30:45 - Germany

32:11 - More on the 2023 OZ Mile/Michele Weber

37:04 - Event feedback

41:10 - Wrapping it up/Podcast rankings

Notes, Reminders, & Updates

 

 

Former Blackcat standouts Blake Holden (1995) and Keith Hill (1992) are still making waves.

 

After leaving us, each went on to stellar NCAA D-I careers:  Holden at Stanford and Hill at Northeast Louisiana.

 

These days, they team up with two-time Olympian Dave Wharton and swim for the New Albany, Ohio masters program.

Their results at week's USMS National Championships in the 44-49 age group:

Holden

100 breast - 1st - :57.43

200 breast - 1st - 2:06.99

200 individual medley - 1st - 1:59.17

50 breast - 2nd - :27.03

100 fly - 2nd - :53.60

 

Hill

 

400 individual medley - 4th - 4:32.00

200 breast - 5th - 2:14.72

50 breast - 7th - :28.87

100 breast - 7th - 1:01.97

200 individual medley - 7th - 2:06.03

Both of these "youngsters" would have been in the championship finals at this year's UIL 4A State Championships with those times.

 

Holden's 100 breast time would have won that event.

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Junior high record board updates were picked up Friday.  We hope to have those up sometime this week.

 

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The BCHS Varsity All-Sports Party will be Monday, May 17.  Each team's award winners will be recognized, so please plan to attend. 

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Another Celebration of Excellence will be hosted by the BCISD Trustees on Tuesday, May 16.  Our juniors and seniors who have been named to the Academic All-State and Academic All-America teams will be recognized.

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Our regular schedule for optional off-season practices in May will change now and then (see above).  We'll usually swim from 5:00 to 6:15 on Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday.

 

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The Bay City Aquacats kick off their summer practice schedule tomorrow.  Visit their Facebook Page for more info.

 

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Looking for options to buy suits, caps, googles, etc.?

 

Susan & Terry Matherne have a place on Selkirk Island and own Texas Swim Shop in Houston.  They take very good care of us.  Call them at 713-723-0910, visit their site here, or send them an email

 

SwimOutlet is another excellent vendor for us.  Link to their home page is here

Need a drag suit for practices that's practically indestructible?  Visit the Agon site here

 

Episode XXXVI

 

 

 

Time for another episode of SwimTalk A2B.  Another former swimmer of ours, Andy Korda, chatted it up with us.

 

Andy wasn't like most swimmers...those who wonder:  "What's wrong with those guys?  Who would ever want to be a swim coach?"

Episode XXXVI:  Andy Korda

 

 

Episode XXXV

 

 

 

In the latest episode of SwimTalk A2B, we reconnected with a former Katy age-group swimmer of ours, Lawrence "LD" Romine.

 

Lawrence dropped out of our sport at a young age, but is now showing off his swimming skills on the triathlon circuit.

Episode XXXV:  Lawrence Romine

 

 

Bonnie Adams, Round II

 

Newest episode went up yesterday:

Swim Talk A2B XXXIV - Bonnie Adams

Midmar Mile Official Site

OZ Mile Swim Official Site

JH/HS Updates, Angleton Meet Week, & A2B

 

 

JH Updates

 

Our boys fell just short Saturday vs. BCAT, 37-35.  BCAT's only gal was at 6th grader swimming exhibition, so we came out on top there, 18-0 - meaning we also won the combined scoring 53-37.

3 new BCJH Panther School Records were set Saturday.  Valentina Vazquez Lopez posted a score of 132.10 in girls' 1m diving (6).  Sam Cano set a new record in the same event on the boys' side with a score of 125.20.  Genaro Flores lopped nearly seventeen seconds off the boys' 200 freestyle record with a swim of 2:38.37!

 

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HS Updates

Please return backpacks, parkas, warm-ups, etc. & clean out lockers!!

 

Recap of our 2023 BCHS Swim/Dive Awards:

Volunteer of the Year:  Rob Vargas

We have great parent support!  So much goes on behind the scenes to support out kids and parents make it all happen for us - from running home meets to helping us out on away trips.

 

When we needed help tightening up starting blocks, mounting dry-erase boards, and putting up a new record board - Rob didn't mind the summer heat one bit!

 

"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt."  (Henry J. Kaiser)

 

Outstanding Diver:  Ian Ramos

 

Ian learned eleven dives in the dead of winter.  District champ, region runner-up, and 8th place at the state meet!

 

Outstanding Girl Swimmer:  Lucie Frick

 

Lucie was our top finisher at the state meet - swimming in the championship final in the 100 freestyle.  She anchored our relays, including our district champion 400 freestyle relay.

Outstanding Boy Swimmer:  Michael Vargas

 

Senior Michael captained our squad and was our top scorer in the region meet, taking home bronze medals in both the 50 and 100 freestyles.

 

Laurie Bell Fighting Heart:  Megan Moya

We have several outstanding candidates for this award and I know the Bell Family is proud of our kids.

 

Megan has provided leadership & guided our girls' squad well this year.  She's been outstanding academically and continues to pay it forward by helping out our younger high school and junior high athletes.  She even helped us re-string lane ropes.  No more searching for hooks!

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This Week

 

Monday

 

JH Swim/Dive 3:30-4:30 p.m.

 

Wednesday

 

JH Swim/Dive 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Angleton Meet Travel Info Handout

 

Thursday

 

Angleton Quad Meet

 

Leave:  3:45 p.m.

Warm-up:  4:30 p.m.

Start:  5:30 p.m.
 

Friday

 

No Practice

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Podcast

 

In case you're interested, Coach Abbott & I are firing up the podcast again.  You can catch our most recent episode at the link below.  We visited with Andrews HS Head Coach Mike Waldmann.

 

Swim Talk A2B - XXXIII - Mike Waldmann

 

You can hear past episodes there as well.  Upcoming shows will feature a follow-up visit with an open water director and a talk with one of our former age group swimmers from the 80's - who is now a very successful triathlete.

StrokeMax Podcast with Norbert Ágh

 

This gentleman truly is a globetrotter!

 

He was in the states recently at The World Games in Birmingham Alabama.  Ágh works with the Hungarian National Lifesaving team.  They took home two relay golds in men's competition, along with a pair of silvers for the women.

 

We've been trying to pin Norbie down to visit and he found a few minutes for us last week.

 

Here's our episode with Hungarian Olympian Norbert Ágh:

 

 

We love to throw out terms like "feel for the water" and "early vertical forearm" in our sport.

Norbie's StrokeMax anti-paddles require swimmers to use those forearms and enhance their feel for the water.

Buy two (2) pair and get a third pair free here

 

 

You asked for it...

 

...okay, so you didn't ask for it, but here it is anyway.

 

DJA has our recent Swim Talk A2B podcast episodes up on YouTube.

 

These, and all previous episodes of Swim Talk A2B are available via Spotify and YouTube.

 

We talked to writer/swimmer Mike Stott about getting publicity for your swim program:

 

 

Dana & I visited with our buddy Patrick Henry so he could share what he learned in his two interim coaching jobs at MAC and New Trier.

 

Great stuff for coaches taking the reins in an already established program.  So much to talk about, we had to break it into two parts.

 

Part I:

 

 

Part B:

 

 

Most recently, VP of Sales for American Shield Roofing and Construction's Jon Lamson took the time to chat about the Victoria Advocate's Varsity Cup.

 

American Shield is a major sponsor of the event that recognizes local high school athletes and coaches for their efforts beyond the court, field, and pool:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CSCAA Executive Director Greg Earhart

Encore!

(also available at Anchor)

A guest from 2020 joined us for an encore last weekend.

 

Listen as Sam Kendricks fills us in on

• Women's D-I NCAA's
• Men's D-I NCAA's
• the Retirement that shook the Swimming World, and
• the wonderful world of swim meet announcing:

 

 

 

 

 

Denny Pursley

We got called for a false start on the Denny Pursley Podcast Episode.  Since we're old-school guys, we went with the old rule book and got back up on the blocks for another shot at this.  If you prefer platforms other than YouTube, visit us at Anchor.

 

We got to talk to one of our sport's all-time great coaches, Dennis Pursley!

Check out his Career at a Glance. from the 2018 'Bama Swimming Media Guide:

Pretty danged impressive, right?!?!

Pay close attention starting around 24:30, as I'd been sharing how proud I was of our 2021 group with Denny, and the way we came through this season of uncertainty and ups & downs.

Bored?

 

No, I mean REALLY bored?

 

This episode is guest-less and covers:

• NISCA (high school coaches' organization) virtual meeting
• ASCA (all coaches' organization) virtual clinics
• NFHS (high school sports' governing body) rules changes
• NCAA swimming program cuts (poly-ticks & money)

 

Still interested?

 

Find it at Anchor (Episode XXI) or listen via YouTube below:

 

Podcasts on YouTube

In case you're not on Spotify, you can catch all our Swim Talk A2B podcasts on YouTube here

 

 

Update

No dry-land today or tomorrow.  8th period will pull tarps and swim/dive until 5:00.

Saturday morning swim/dive opportunity 7 to 9 a.m.

Meet director will use this YouTube Channel to stream next week's district championships.

Monday evening swim/dive opportunity 5 to 7 p.m.

Reminders

 

Current combined (HS/JH/ShAC) Christmas Training Attendance Standings:

 

1. Felix R (6)

2T. Suhana K, Glory V, Michael V, Ashton W (5)

6T. Matthew B, Megan M, Sergio R (4)

9T. Julia C, Luke C, Victoria S, Oliver S, Sophie S (3)

14. Chris P (2)

15T. Jo Daniel P, Jordan W (1)

 

Remaining schedule:

 

Dec. 28, 8-10 & 3-5

Dec. 29, 8-10 & 3-5

Dec. 30, 8-10 & 3-5

Dec. 31, 8-10 & 3-5

Jan. 2, 8-10

Jan. 4, 8-10 & 3-5

Jan. 5, 3-5

 

We'll be doing health screening/temperature checks.

 

I'm a BIG believer in 2-a-day training!  Do your best to take advantage of the remaining opportunities.

Our next high school meet is on Saturday, January 9.  We're hosting Katy's St. John XXIII.  Two private middle schools from the Houston area have expressed interest in scheduling a dual with our junior high that day.  If neither follows through, we'll host a time trial for our kids.

We're keeping January 30 open for a possible Blue/Gold BCJH Intrasquad meet.

Our most likely scenario for the Region VII-5A Championship meet would be to have our girls travel to San Antonio on Wednesday, the 3rd.  They'd compete/return on Thursday, the 4th.  The boys would travel to S.A. on the 4th, and compete/return on Friday, the 5th.

 

If you don't follow GoSwim, you miss out on some valuable hints.  We talked to the man behind the videos, Glenn Mills, in an August podcast.  Catch it here.  Below are links to GoSwim on social media:

 

Facebook

 

Instagram

 

Twitter

 

 

 

Bill Brown Podcast Episode

 

 

Once our latest episode shows up on YouTube, I'll embed it below.  In the meantime, catch it on Spotify here

 

 

 

 

 

Chuck Warner Podcast Episode

We had a great talk with Chuck Warner but there are some things that we just have to leave out.

 

What ended up on the cutting room floor was pretty funny, but rather lengthy.

 

Also, there was that story Chuck tried to get Coach Abbott to share.  It involved Coach Abbott, SMU, and a late-night incident.  Abbott wisely "passed" on that invitation to share!

So, this ended up being "Part I of I":