Today is our first swim meet of the season and I am not as nervous as I am every year. That might change as I step onto the bus that will take us to showdown.

I am an unusual coach. I like to be the best, but I also like for you to have fun!

My swimmers swam their hearts out yesterday…and it was only Monday practice. If you don’t talk swim I apologize, but they did 4300 yards yesterday; and 3100 yards was the main set. They died…and I couldn’t be more proud. The unusual part of me is I want them to forget that they are dead and die all over again.

Swimming is about moments. Depending on the athlete… but you only have 24 sec, within your moment, to define your effort. Your pain, your suffering must accumulate into something grand so that you know you are doing something right. I think that some of them understand my methods, but that doesn’t stop them from trying to get me to change my plans for them.

Like yesterday, I had a plan for practice. Yes, they would have hated it, but it would have made them stronger. Yes, they would be exhausted today, but it would make that 50 Freestyle seems easy peasy!! Instead I changed my set. Again sorry if you don’t understand…

This what they would had did…

1x(20x25s@25 FR/ 50ez/ 20x50s@40FR/ 50ez/ 10x100s@1:20 FR)

1min rest+50ez

1x(10x50s@45 FR/ 50ez/ 20x25s@25 FR/50ez/ 5x100s@1:15 FR)

50ez

DONE. 4150 yards (main set only (does not include warm-up and cool down)

Instead they did…

3250 yards…

What would that extra 850 yards do…? Someone swimming the 500 FR today would say before the race…I just died doing 4100 yards all out yesterday…this is easy peasy…moments like these can make small improvements. The person,they will race would be terrified. (Because most high schools are not as crazy competitive as me…) So that kid would be thinking before his/ her race…”they are more experienced than me…” or “They are gonna kick my butt!”

(In a world where %= 150%) For swimming, it is 100% physical. This sport uses every muscle equally and drains all your energy. If you swim correctly…

It is 30% mental, I can only do so much as a coach. The biggest thing for a swimmer is decide if you want it more than anyone; YOU swim for YOU, not parents, not school,not your coach, not for friends…You!

Lastly, it is 20% intimidation…Yes, intimidation…You need to portray yourself as the best. You need to stand behind the blocks puffing your chest out. You need to, without being a stinker about it, get into your competitors minds and make them believe you will win the match…

Though it is true, you will not always win 1st place…but swimming is truly about you and a clock. That clock wants you to not try, wants you to give up, wants you to say “I can’t”…If you do, your competitive clock wins. The time runs on, your efforts are wasted.

Stop the clock, make it stop for you! You are in control of what happens. As a coach I wish I could stop the clock sooner. I wish I could make each of them the best they can be…

I guess this meet is different because some of them have done everything I have told them. They have all the knowledge I can give them. I can say focus on this, or focus on that…but I can’t stop their stopwatch.

My three things as a coach…I believe its still the same as last year…

• Respect. Yourself, Me, parents, swimmers, officials, etc.
• Try. In practice, at meets, in school, at home, with friends, with people…etc. If you don’t try then what’s the point to begin with.
• Do! Show me what you’ve got. Lay it all out for me and everyone to see. Walk up to the block and face the clock. The showdown is up to you.

Take your mark…Beep.