As we reach the midpoint of the season the Junior group has had some positive experiences so far this season. After a
slight adjustment period at the start of the season swimmers are finally starting to see some good results from all of
our efforts. Andy Yan narrowly missed qualifying for provincials. Daniel Katz broke his high school 200 freestyle
record.
In addition to these notable efforts there have been best times improved performances. I challenge each swimmer to
continue these attempts at self-improvement in and out of the pool over he second half of the season.
Junior Group News
Steve Downs
Short course season came to a very
dramatic end at the Central Region
Team Championships, complete with
trophies and smiles all round. During
the short course season we worked on
various aspects of training, from
learning to read the pace clock, to
stroke and turn techniques, to work
ethic and effort.
Effort in practice may seem intuitive,
just work hard. But what does that
mean? How do I know I am giving
maximum effort? Age 1 swimmers
are beginning to learn what it feels
like to give maximum effort during
practice.
In order to perform and swim
best times at meets, swimmers need
to be able to continually push them-
selves to give their maximum effort.
Maximum effort is more than just
swimming back and forth as fast as
you can. In fact, that is maximum
intensity and not maximum effort.
Maximum effort will be different for
each swimmer as each swimmer has
their own personal challenges that
they should be striving to achieve.
Maximum effort can be achieved by:
1. Listening and watching coach for directions and following them;
2. Swimming at the correct intensity level;
3. Maintaining a positive and confident attitude;
4. Focus on correct technique even when tired.
Age One News
Sara-Beth's
favourite
saying is, "Swim in
practice, the way you
want to swim in a race".
Strong start, good
technique, fast turns and
Olympic finish!
Special
mention
to
swimmers who are start-
ing to practice with
maximum effort:
Jack Critchley, Sara-
Beth Arnold, Charlotte
Caswell,
and
Claire
Guttentag.
We will be seeing some
great swims from them
Suzy Simonetti
Keeping a positive and con-
fident attitude is very impor-
tant when swimming with
maximum
effort.
Your
coach designs sets with pace
times that are challenging
but are doable. When you
are tired, instead of focusing
of how much more time is
left in practice, try picking
one aspect of your stroke or
swim and try to make it per-
fect every time.
Set mini-goals. For a set of
10 X 100 free, try taking 3
strokes before breathing, or
maybe focus on fast rotation
for your flip turns, or better
streamlining off the wall for
each 100. Whatever you
pick, you will feel great
knowing that you achieved
your goal and it keeps your
focus on technique even
when you are tired.
The feeling of heavy, tired
arms, heart pounding like its
going to pop out of your
chest, heavy breathing, all
are signs of high intensity
swims. It is OK to feel this
way actually it is part of
training. Sets are designed to
be challenging. Level of
effort comes in when there
are another two or three 200
IM's to swim (with good
technique too!) when you
would rather stop.
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NYAC