Lanier Recap

A lot of great swims and a lot of results to pour over. I loved the energy that the swimmers brought to this meet, especially cheering each other on. As always, please let me know if I left someone off. I try to make sure I got everyone, but we are all human!

Lanier – Last Chance Meet

AG3

Lifetime Best Time(s): J Hansen, R Viersen, C Gantt, H Robison, F Bettin, K Yao, G Sherman, R Cetron, I Ariail, A Cook, B Fadjariza-Dumais, N Bent, N Gonzalez, B Lonial, I Velarde, C Staley, E Martin, C Tappero, N Singh, L Adams, L Hutson, T Lauterbach, C LaMastra, L Cardot, N Shields, D Hall, T Courtney, Y Smith, D Hall, J Hull

USA Swimming "B" Time(s): J Hansen, N Bent, I Velarde, C Staley, N Bent, N Singh, N Shields, D Hall, T Courtney, B Fadjariza-Dumais

USA Swimming "BB" Time(s): K Yao, B Fadjariza-Dumais, A Cook, G Sherman, I Ariail, R Cetron, N Gonzalez, N Singh, L Adams, T Lauterbach, J Hansen, B Lonial

Georgia Age Group State Cut(s):
Courtney Gantt: 500 free
Hannah Robison: 500 free
Foster Bettin: 500 free
Grace Sherman: 100 back
Izzi Ariail: 100 back
Alissa Cook: 100 back
Jackson Hansen: 100 back, 50 fly
Ben Lonial: 100 back
Nicholas Gonzalez: 50 fly
Emily Ann Martin: 100 breast, 200 free, 100 free, 50 back, 50 breast
Christopher Staley: 100 breast
Lily Adams: 50 breast

USA Swimming "A" Time(s): E Martin

USA Swimming "AA" Time(s): E Martin

Age Group Sectional Cut:
Emily Ann Martin: 50 fly

GOLD

Lifetime Best Time(s): A Warncke, L Beem, P Johnson, M Li, M Rotolo, P Wang, S Humphrey, J Purdy, N Rotolo, S Bettin, C Crumley, A Voloschin, C Langer, M Johnson, K Cheng, M Lee, C Horlock

USA Swimming "B" Time(s): M Li, S Humphrey, J Purdy, L Beem, P Johnson, A Voloschin, M Johnson, C Langer, N Rotolo, M Lee, P Wang

USA Swimming "BB" Time(s): L Beem, M Rotolo, M Johnson

Age Group State Cuts:
Mark Rotolo: 100 Back, 50 Back

GREEN

Lifetime Best Time(s): H Cochran, M Ariail, C Hughes, A Altera, L Cryor, W Dillard, J McGuire, K Hansen, J Hull

Honor The Game

As much as I love kids who love to race, I also believe in sportsmanship. I think this is a nice article that gets to the ROOTS of sportsmanship. Please read and share with your swimmer. This week I will try at each practice to get the groups to help share times they have seen or observed good sportsmanship.


Honor the Game

Many people talk about "sportsmanship," or what it means to be a "good sport." What does it mean to you to be a good sport? Answers to this question vary widely. Sadly, PCA has even heard stories of coaches telling their teams that if they win the Sportsmanship Award at a tournament, they will spend the entire following week conditioning! Why might a coach say this? Unfortunately, many coaches equate being a good sport with being soft or weak.

PCA believes the time has come to unite behind a powerful new term, "Honoring the Game." Coaches, parents, and athletes need to realize that an Honoring the Game perspective needs to replace the common win-at-all-cost perspective. If a coach and his or her team have to dishonor the game to win it, what is this victory really worth, and what sort of message is this sending young athletes?

If Honoring the Game is to become the youth sports standard, it needs a clear definition. At PCA we say that Honoring the Game goes to the "ROOTS" of positive play. Each letter in ROOTS stands for an important part of the game that we must respect. The R stands for Rules. The first O is for Opponents. The next O is for Officials. T is for Teammates, and the S is for Self.

R is for Rules

Rules allow us to keep the game fair. If we win by ignoring or violating the rules, what is the value of our victory? PCA believes that honoring the letter AND the spirit of the rule is important.

O is for Opponents

Without an opponent, there would be no competition. Rather than demeaning a strong opponent, we need to honor strong opponents because they challenge us to do our best. Athletes can be both fierce and friendly during the same competition (in one moment giving everything to get to a loose ball, and in the next moment helping an opponent up). Coaches showing respect for opposing coaches and players sets the tone for the rest of the team.

O is for Officials

Respecting officials, even when we disagree with their calls, may be the toughest part of Honoring the Game. We must remember that officials are not perfect (just like coaches, athletes and parents!). Take time to think about how to best approach an official when you want to discuss a call. What strategies do you have to keep yourself in control when you start to get upset with officials" calls? We must remember that the loss of officials (and finding enough in the first place) is a major problem in most youth sports organizations, and we can confront this problem by consistently respecting officials.

T is for Teammates

It's easy for young athletes to think solely about their own performance, but we want athletes to realize that being part of a team requires thinking about and respecting one's teammates. This respect needs to carry beyond the field/gym/track/pool into the classroom and social settings. Athletes need to be reminded that their conduct away from practices and games will reflect back on their teammates and the league, club, or school.

S is for Self

Athletes should be encouraged to live up to their own highest personal standard of Honoring the Game, even when their opponents are not. Athletes respect for themselves and their own standards must come first.

Having this definition of Honoring the Game (HTG) is a start. To make Honoring the Game the youth sports standard, coaches, leaders, and parents need to discuss HTG with their athletes. Coaches need to practice it with their athletes (i.e. have players officiate at practice). And perhaps most importantly, all adults in the youth sports setting (coaches, leaders, parents, officials, and fans) need to model it. If these adults Honor the Game, the athletes will too.


http://www.positivecoach.org/subcontent.aspx?SecID=163

Guidelines For Going on the Road

I picked this article since are next several meets all involve travel of some sort. I wish I would have gotten it up before the ASL meet! What an advantage we have swimming most of our meets out of our very own facility! We forget the little things that are necessary when we travel to keep things just as normal as home for our swimmers because traveling to a meet can be fun and a family weekend trip. Even in the Olympics though, the U.S. sets up their own “temporary” training center much like the ones they have in Colorado/California/Michigan/New York. This offers them everything they would need besides their coach at their competition including the food they eat. As we look at Lanier, Age Group States, Metro Champs, and for some Age Group Sectionals, lets keep some of these tips in this article in mind.


News For Swim Parents

Published by The American Club Swimming Association2101 North Andrews Ave., Suite 107Fort Lauderdale FL 33311
__________________________________________________________________

Guidelines For Going On The Road By Coach Jamie Thomas

Swim team families look forward to February and March as the championship season. Travel comes with the territory. So, whether you're going to a qualifier or to nationals, you need a plan for going "on the road". The length, usually three or more days, of these championship level meets can lead to a loss of that "great feeling" and cause performances to suffer.

The keys to a good road trip are:

1. Eat the proper foods,

2. Get plenty of rest, and

3. Make the days as normal as possible.

The swimmer's diet should consist of low fat high carbohydrate foods. Appropriate breakfast foods are pancakes, bagels, French toast, cereal, and fruits. Pancakes and toast should be served without butter or margarine. Syrup and jams are OK. Drink low fat milk.

At lunch, avoid fried foods at fast food places. Try a salad with a minimum of dressing or a potato with a minimum of butter. Sandwiches with lean meat or skinless poultry are good. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are good and easy, but watch the peanut butter because it is high in fat. Soup and crackers are also fine, but avoid cream-based soups. Stay away from soft drinks and drink low fat milk or juices.

For dinner, choose restaurants that offer high carbohydrate items such as pasta, salads, rice, vegetables and fruits. If you must have pizza, get one with a thicker crust and get low fat toppings like green peppers, onions, Canadian bacon or mushrooms. Avoid fatty meats and extra cheese.

Be nutrition conscious at all meals. Remember: don't sacrifice great performances by eating conveniently while on the road.

Understand that swim meets can be extra exhausting. While away from the pool, swimmers need to rest and relax. Napping between trials and finals is a good idea. When swimming in an afternoon session, swimmers may sleep a little later than usual. Do not allow swimmers to stay up late or run around socializing while at the hotel. This wastes important rest time as well as disturbing others.

During "free time" on the road, swimmers and parents should avoid excessive talking about the meet, particularly anything negative. Instead, think very positive thoughts for short periods of time.

Diet, rest, and attitude are keys to maintaining a "fresh feeling" through a tough, long meet. Remember these guidelines when you are on the road and minimize the effect of road trips on performance.

ASL Winter Invite Recap

ASL Winter Invite Recap

Lifetime Best Swims: A Reiter, C LaMastra, J Shuford, C Gantt, A Cook, F Bettin, B Curry, J Hansen, Y Smith, L Cardot. H Robison, J Von Biberstein, C Tappero, K Hansen (Green), S Bettin (Gold), C Staley

USA Swimming Motivational “B” Time(s): C LaMastra, B Curry, L Cardot, C Staley

USA Swimming Motivational “BB” Time(s): J Hansen, Y Smith, L Cardot, J Von Biberstein, B Curry, A Cook, J Shuford, F Bettin, C Staley

Age Group State Cut(s):

A Reiter: 500 Free, 50 Back
J Shuford: 100 IM, 50 Free, 100 Fly, 200 IM, 50 Breast
C Gantt: 100 IM, 50 Free, 100 Breast, 200 Free, 200 IM, 50 Breast, 100 Free
F Bettin: 100 IM, 50 Free, 50 Back
B Curry : 100 IM, 50 Free, 100 Fly, 200 IM, 100 Back, 100 Free
H Robison: 50 Free, 100 Breast, 200 Free, 50 Breast
A Cook: 100 Breast, 50 Breast
J Hansen: 50 Back
Y Smith: 100 Fly, 50 Fly
C Tappero: 50 Breast

USA Swimming Motivational “A” Time(s): A Reiter, J Shuford, C Gantt, H Robison

Age Group Sectional Cut(s):

A Reiter: 50 Back, 100 Fly
H Robison: 50 Fly

USA Swimming Motivational “AA” Time(s): A Reiter, H Robison

USA Swimming Motivational “AAA” Time(s): A Reiter