LC Champ/Sectional review

Last week we had our two "big" summer championship meets. We had 6 kids at Senior Sectionals in Gresham, OR and about 40 at LC Champs.

We had a marginal meet at Sectionals. There were some best times, but not in our biggest events. It was very warm at the meet...deep into the 100's, but I think that was only part of it. I think that we could have done some more yardage to prepare and build up confidence. I also think that we need to be more mentally tough.

Long course champs was a good meet from the perspective that we had some solid swims and I really got to know some of the kids. It always takes a while to build a relationship. It definitely takes work to keep it up. A championship meet really gets the blood going and works those relationships. We did a good job here in Anchorage.

My Silver swimmers had 3 records and an NRT. John set the state record in the 400m IM and achieved an NRT on the way to a state record in the 200m Breast. Jesi broke her sister's record in the 200m Fly.

Now it is time to prepare our kids for Zones and/or High School season. We have 7 kids who made the Alaska Swimming Zone Team. The meet will be at altitude, so we will be using the center mount snorkels with the cardio caps in practice. I have also ordered some special devices to help train their lungs while out of the water too. Hopefully it will make a positive impact.

Just three weeks left until Zones and HS season!

The Calm Before the Storm

We have been working hard and I am exhausted. I just got up for Saturday practice today, after about 6 hours of sleep. I came home and slept for another 5. I did not realize I was so tired. I wonder how the kids are.

We have two championship meets this weekend. Six of our swimmers are competing at Sectionals. A step down from Jr. Nationals, but a big meet non the less. The rest of the kids (42 of them) are swimming at the Alaska Swimming Long Course Champs with AK Zone Team positions on the line. Last year we had only 26 swimmers at the meet, so this is pretty good considering 6 of our fastest swimmers won't even be in town.

The taper is the best and worst part of the training. Everyone gets anxious. The kids have more energy and the coaches worry more. I feel pretty confidant. I will be glad when this week is over.

Non-swimming weekend ahead

Well, I think that the group finished the week strong. We did some new balance exercises during dryland and even got to play a nice game of ultimate in the end. This weekend...no practice and no meets. I am looking forward to that. I am sure the kids are also. Just need to get through practice this afternoon and I will be set.

Summer Season

As the head coach I have been working with the Gold group primarily as a sniper. We (the NLSC coaches) use sniping to describe our coaching when we are mostly giving technique advice and urging the swimmers to keep going. I am also their dryland coach.

The dryland training for the Gold group is centered around two basic foundations. Providing weight baring exercise, primarily through running, and core strength exercises (med balls, abs, stretchcordz, etc). The dryland is designed to be dynamic. Combinations of various running and core strength exercises are organized into circuits. The swimmers seem to like this high energy form of training. I have been getting excellent effort from them.

Here are some new things that I have tried with this summer's dryland training.

• "The Tenderizer" - A series of abdominal exercises centered around an isometric 6 inch leg lift. I have been building it up from 5 minutes. It is very tough. We usually follow this exercise with a running/through down set.
• 5km run for time. Pretty straight forward. There is a 1.03km cross country loop behind the pool. It is perfect.
• Dryland 100's. These are 1min short course dryland "swims". The med ball version is a series of med ball throws against the wall with a streamline jump every 15sec. The stretchcord version is similar but doing swimmer's pulls or chest flys.
• Wall sits with med balls between the knees. This is good for jumpers knee and challenges the legs of the swimmers who can not run.

I have a been running the dryland with the Silver group as well, but on a slightly toned down scale. Training the Silver group is a bit different this summer because I have a large new group of 10-11 year old girls and boys. They are good swimmers, but I feel a bit like I have started over from the beginning. My group of Silver grads (13-14 year olds) were very strong and motivated trainers. I think this group will be strong as well, but it is going to take some work.