Red Blog

Positive Affirmations

2010-05-17T21:46:00.001-07:00

The Rainbow Includes Silver and Gold!!

2010-02-16T11:02:00.000-08:00

What an awesome job this past weekend by the Blue Group at the Rainbow Invitational Meet!!
Everyone had best times with some as much as 30 seconds or more!
Alexis, Timofey and Edward all achieved Gold times!
Michele, Caroline, Isaac, Andrew N., Emma, Grace and Justine all achieved Silver times to qualify them for long course meets!
Alyssa dropped over 20 seconds in her events and Spencer dropped over 10 seconds!!

I’m very proud of our group...hard work and progress was very obvious last weekend!!

Peter

Eating

2010-01-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

Eat Early and Often to Recover Well

Knowing how much carbohydrate, protein and fat to get in a day is good. But knowing when you should be getting those nutrients is even better. When it comes to optimal nutrition, timing really is everything.
In general, following these guidelines for incorporating carbohydrate, protein and fat into your day:

Spread carbohydrate intake out over the course of the day (i.e. smaller meals and frequent snacks). This keeps blood sugar levels adequate and stable.

Eat some carbohydrate before morning practice. Note: This can be in the form of juice.

Eat carbohydrate in the form of a carb-electrolyte drink, such as Gatorade or Powerade, during workout IF workout is 90 minutes or longer. Gels are also acceptable.

Eat carbohydrate and protein within the first 30 minutes after practice. This enables the body to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue. This is perhaps the most important time to eat!!!!

Eat again (something substantial, like a real meal) before 1 hour post-practice has elapsed. This is critical to maximizing recovery!!!!

Incorporate fat into the day at times that are not close to workout. Fat is necessary, but contributes little to the workout or immediate post-workout recovery period.

Fail to Succeed...

2009-11-20T15:02:00.001-08:00

From one of history's greatest athletes...

First Breath off the Wall...Faster Freestyle!

2009-11-17T08:39:00.001-08:00

Reach for the Stars!

2009-11-11T12:34:00.000-08:00

“If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.”
James Cameron

Cascade Invite

2009-11-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

Great job Blue Group!
I’m sorry I was not there to see such great performances from everyone in the group...
Jonathan, Lexi and Alexa did their first 500 freestyle...everyone else may look forward to that sometime soon!
Everyone had at least one best time if not many!

Next up is the WEST Invitational at Kamiak Nov. 21-22 for Jonathan, Alexa, Edward and Timofey who all have Gold time standards.
Everyone else’s next meet will be the Divisional Championships in Marysville Dec. 5-6.

Breaststroke Pullout

2009-10-31T03:36:00.000-07:00

Breaststroke Pullout

BY Kelsey Savage Hays The breaststroke pullout, or the underwater stroke that begins a lap of breaststroke, is a key factor to any breaststroke event, especially longer ones.

“In a 200 yard breaststroke, pullouts make up 40% of the race,” said coach Pat Murphy, head coach and owner of the Chattahochee Gold Swim Teamd. “It’s really important for swimmers to be able to hold their breath and complete strong pullouts off every wall.”

For weak breaststrokers, mastering the pullout can immediately improve their races.

Since pullouts are made up of three separate steps (the glide, where body position is key; the pull, which mimics butterfly’s underwater movement; and the kick, the most powerful part), Murphy teaches a progression drill to swimmers hoping to improve their pullouts.

Step 1 Starting with just a push and glide, swimmers see how far they can get off the wall while maintaining a tight streamline, with their necks aligned and abdomens taut. Toes should be pointed and feet together. While pushing off the wall, swimmers should aim to move forward in a straight line – deep enough underwater to comfortably complete the pullout, but not diagonally towards the bottom of the pool. After practicing a few push-offs, swimmers can begin to add the arm pull, gliding off the wall with a tight streamline and using their arms just before they have lost momentum from their push. The arm movement for breaststroke pullouts is the same movement used in the butterfly. During their pull, as their hands pass by their shoulders and chest, swimmers do a quick butterfly kick.

Step 2 After mastering the pulling movement, swimmers are ready to add a kick and complete their pullout. Murphy sees many swimmers rushing to get the kick and recovery finished in order to get to the surface and breathe, a mistake that lessens the impact of their kick, which should be the most powerful part of the pullout and needs to be strong and unrushed. After pulling their arms down to their waist and completing a butterfly kick, swimmers do a frog kick, making sure their feet are turned out, and then push back completely. Simultaneously, their hands sneak along their body and their heads remain in line with the rest of their body until their hands are in front of the face and beginning the first above-water stroke.

Step 3 For the last step of the drill, Murphy has his swimmers dive from blocks into the water and then do one full pullout, coming up wherever they are in the pool when finished. Swimmers should also practice doing a pullout and breaking the surface of the water sprinting. Murphy emphasizes that it shouldn’t take several strokes to get into a race-rhythm; the first stroke after breaking the water sets the rhythm for the rest of the race.

October Challenge Conquered!

2009-10-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

Congratulations all Blue Group swimmers for a great job at the October Challenge meet last weekend!
Lot’s of best times, first times and more!

Jonathan Cook made his first ever PNS Championships cut!

Jonathan, Alexa Coglas, Edward Engel and Timofy Avromenko all achieved Gold time standards and are now eligible to swim at our November Invitational at Kamiak!

Huge time drops from last season were shown by:
Bridget, Justine, Eshna, Yenni, Spencer, Alexis, Alyssa, Ethan, Edward, Jonathan, Alexa, Arka, Timofey & Michele!

We have stepped up the challenges at practice this week and the group is doing great! The next meet shows to be just as exciting!

Entries for the Cascade Invitational are posted on the bulletin board at the pool as well as here.

On with the season!!

Hydration

2009-10-15T07:38:00.000-07:00

Stay Hydrated

BY KATHLEEN WOOLF, PhD, RD//Correspondent As a swimmer, you spend your workouts surrounded by water. Surprisingly, swimmers are at increased risk of dehydration. Adequate fluid is needed inside your body to function as a coolant. Consume fluids before, during and after exercise to ensure success in the pool. Follow these guidelines to ensure that you are always well-hydrated.

HOW MUCH AND WHEN?
·         Drink at least 2 cups (16 ounces) of fluid, preferably water, about two hours before exercise. Fifteen minutes before exercise, drink one-half to a cup of water.
·         During exercise, drink about 6-12 ounces every 15-20 minutes. An average “gulp” is about one ounce. When your workouts are less than an hour, plain water will keep you hydrated. When your workouts are more than an hour, consume a sports beverage that contains fluid, carbs and electrolytes. Soda and fruit juices should not be consumed because they contain too many carbs for hydration during exercise and may lead to stomach discomfort.
·         After exercise, replace fluids as quickly a possible. For every pound of body weight lost during a workout, drink three cups of fluid.
·         Drink fluids at regular intervals throughout the day.

HOW DO I MONITOR HYDRATION?
·         Check your urine color first thing in the morning. When well-hydrated, urine is pale yellow and does not have a strong odor.   Dark yellow, infrequent urine suggests dehydration.
·         Don’t rely on thirst. Instead, drink before you feel thirsty. If you are thirsty, it is too late.

ENERGY DRINKS: NOT A GOOD CHOICE!
Energy drinks are popular among teenagers and young adults. They are marketed as a quick way to boost mental energy and improve performance. These beverages are NOT appropriate for fluid replacement during exercise. They are full of caffeine and other stimulants that may make you feel jittery and lead to dehydration. They also contain too many carbs to be used for fluid replacement and may lead to stomach distress if consumed too close to the beginning of exercise.

Kathleen Woolf, PhD, RD is a registered dietitian and a member of the American Dietetic Association, the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionist Dietetic Practice Group, and the American College of Sports Medicine. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University.

Pasta PIg Out!

2009-10-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

Get ready to swim FAST at our

First Challenge Meet of the Season

Pre-Meet Pasta Pig Out!!

FRIDAY – OCTOBER 16TH

5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

WEST Swimmers & Families Invited to attend!

Questions?

Contact Elaine … LarryLaurent@Verizon.net

October Meets!

2009-09-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Our first swim meets are coming up!

All WEST Swimmers are automatically entered in the meets unless we receive a non-participation form for a meet.

First up is our White vs. Blue dual meet where our WEST team is divided into two teams for camaraderie, competition, fun and pizza!
This is on Sunday October 4th at 1 PM:
http://westcoastaquatics.us/stuff/Oct4_WhitevsBlue.pdf (Download meet info here)

If you can not make this meet, please download and fill out this Non-participation form by Tuesday September 29 (you will be charged the meet fee if we do not receive this form on time): http://westcoastaquatics.us/stuff/NP_Oct4_WhitevsBlue.pdf

Our regular meet for October is the October Challenge at Mary Wayte Pool on Mercer Island the 17-18.
Swimmers 10 & older should try to attend both Saturday and Sunday to get the full meet experience and variety of events.
All 8 & under swimmers should attend on Sunday afternoon since there will be 25’s of each stroke and 8 & under specific events.
9-10 year olds should attend at least on Saturday morning since there will be 50’s of each stroke for that age group.

Download meet information here:
http://westcoastaquatics.us/stuff/Oct17-18_OctChallenge.pdf

If you are unable to attend one or both days of the October Challenge meet, please download and fill out this Non-Participation form by Tuesday September 29 (you will be charged the meet fee if we do not receive this form on time): http://westcoastaquatics.us/stuff/NP_Oct17-18_challenge.pdf

Please note, once we mail in our check to the meet host, we are unable to get a refund. This means if your plans change, a swimmer gets sick, etc. we can not refund your meet fees.
We enter meets as early as possible since many meets fill up quickly. Meet entries are finalized and mailed in within a day or two of the due date listed on the Non-participation forms.
If you do not enter a meet and your plans change, it may be possible to enter the meet on the day of the meet by paying a “deck entry surcharge”. Please discuss with your coach if this situation occurs.

Thank you!!

Peter

Fairshare Meetings

2009-09-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

Mon Sept 21st
6-6:45pm White l& Green I
7-7:45pm Blue

Make Up Meeting - Tues Sept 29th
7-7:45pm All Groups

Buy Stuff, Earn Money for WEST

2009-07-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

Shop Now to Support
West Coast Aquatics

2009-2010 Meet Schedule

2009-06-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to next year’s meet schedule. I’m still working out some possibilities but it is generally the way it will be.
http://westcoastaquatics.us/team/meets/2009-10.html

Enjoy!

Silly Head Games

2009-05-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

Mental Toughness...In one Other's Words...

2009-05-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Reminders about Mental Toughness

BY LENNY WIERSMA, Ph.D. To reach your goals, you’ll need to learn to deal with stress and keep a healthy perspective. Below is a list of five short reminders about mental toughness that every swimmer should follow:

You have to be in control of yourself before you are in control of your performance. Take deep breaths, slow down the thoughts racing through your head and smile.
Allow yourself room to fail. Remind yourself that taking a chance and failing is better than not having the guts to fight in the first place.
Swimming your best when you feel good is easy. Swimming your best when you are tired, scared or sick: now that’s an athlete. Remember, it’s not how you feel. It’s how you act. You don’t always have to be confident, but you should always act like it.
Last year, a 44-year old man ran 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days in 50 different states, then turned around and ran from New York to St. Louis, almost 1,300 miles away and the start of the first race. What’s the point? The 200 butterfly won’t kill you.
There’s a big difference between winning and competing. Learning how to compete is a much more useful skill later in life than the dusty trophy you won when you were 12.

Lenny Wiersma is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton, and a member of USA Swimming’s High Performance Network in Sport Psychology.

Revving Up!

2009-04-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

Blue Group swimmers are showing a renewed focus on swimming faster this season!!

We are doing some very focused detail work on all strokes with a big emphasis on freestyle and pushing past previous limits.
Breaststroke is looking better as swimmers are learning to swim with their bodies as opposed to their arms and legs.

Swimmers are becoming much better disciplined as they become better at swimming as a group and challenging themselves with everything we do!

I am looking forward to a new level of swimming in Blue group by the end of the summer!

Remember, consistency in practice and meet attendance provides for the best platform for improvements!

See you at the pool!

Peter

Swim A Thon!!!

2009-04-05T19:21:00.001-07:00

Yes, it is that time of year to fill the WEST coffers... Swim A Thon!!

All WEST swimmers have received Swim A Thon Packets from their coaches and should be well on their way to making this the best year ever for WEST fund raising!

We had a record breaking year last year and have the potential to do even better this year with 30 more swimmers participating!

Donations may be based on a per lap basis (.01, .05, $1.00....) up to 200 lengths in 2 hours on April 25th or a simpler flat offering ($5.00, $10.00, $100.00...).

We are a non-profit so all donations are tax deductible! Be sure to approach your favourite businesses that you frequent, friends, family, strangers in the street, etc...

This is typically the time when all WEST families fulfill or surpass (some do so hugely!) their fund raising requirements (families will be billed the difference for any fund raising below group/team requirements).

Thank you in advance for making this the greatest event ever in the history of WEST!!!

February WEST Hosted Meets

2009-01-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

Thank you to those who have already signed up to take part in our February meets and earn your Fairshare hours!

We still have a few openings to fill so we may be staffed to run the meets the typical high quality WEST way....

February Distance

- Sunday the 22nd

February Invitationa

l- Saturday the 28th and Sunday March 1st

Thank you for your participation in our program!!

Jan challenge

2009-01-22T15:12:00.000-08:00

Hi Blue group,

great job at the meet this last weekend! Wow! We had a select few who dropped huge amounts of time in their races combined. The top 3 time drops came from Chris, Alexa, and Annika respectively. Chris dropped a whopping total of 43 seconds while Alexa dropped 40 & Annika 25. Not only so, but the number of DQ slips has come down a lot; especially in the fly & breaststroke races. Congratulations!

This definitely calls for a group celebration/activity, so keep your eyes & ears open for an announcement regarding that. Also don't forget, I'm always taking donations for the prize selection! :-) That seems to be working well and all the kids seem to enjoy it.

I know at one point I mentioned that I was going to pass around a sheet and let the kids decide what they wanted to race in. However, after our coaches meeting, one of the goals established is to build our swimmers with the IMX challenge put on by USA Swimming. Basically, you get a certain number of points for how fast you swim a race. The IMX races for 10 & unders include: 100 fly, 100 back, 100 breat, 200 free, 200 IM. The IMX races for 11-12s are the exact same EXCEPT for the 200 free which becomes a 500 free. For those going to the February challenge, I entered you in the max number of races so you're pretty much swimming what you would want to swim anyway.

Until next time!
-Coach Loren

mid-season recap

2008-12-09T14:45:00.000-08:00

Whew! Our mid-season streak of meets is definitely in full swing! Actually, it's almost over seeing that PNS champs is already upon us. Justin Taylor, Connor Brunke, and Anthony Mikhail are the 3 Blue swimmers representing West. Each of them have had great seasons so far and are looking to place well. If you see them around, wish 'em

A special congratulations to Connor Brunke who won the overall 10 year-old division at the Grand Pentathlon. He got first in every individual race except breaststroke!

If you read this before tomorrow (the 10th), don't forgot that at 4pm we have our Christmas & New-year celebration at our own pool. Bring a gift $10 or less for a gift exchange.

It's been a great season so far! The team unity I feel is doing very well with kids cheering for each other at meets and encouraging fellow swimmers during workouts; particularly dryland. Technique is improving across the board in an obvious way! Way to go Blue group!

USA Olympic Star Backstroke Clinic

2008-11-21T09:51:00.000-08:00

It is not every day an age group swimmer gets to meet and learn from an Olympian so I thought I would inform everyone of this opportunity.

On Sunday January 11, Acqua Swim (Megan Jendrick's company) will be holding a swim clinic featuring Olympian Margaret Hoelzer.
This clinic will focus on backstroke and would be a great opportunity for all Blue Group swimmers who are comfortable with backstroke and back flip turns. The clinic is not for beginners.

Download more info and application here.

Please speak to your coach if your are unsure whether this clinic would be suitable for your swimmer. For more specific info, email Acqua.

"11" Freestyle

2008-11-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

We have been focused on the 'basics' of competitive swimming by breaking down strokes into their components and rebuilding. This helps the swimmers body adapt to proper movement, head position and balance in the water ensuring progress into faster swimming!

I have been sold on the use of sculling to initiate a feel for "catch in the water as well as rehearsing proper balance for several years now and have expanded upon that into several drills that were introduced to all the WEST age group swimmers this past year. Coach Troy mentioned to me the concept of "11" after he saw a coach demonstrate some techniques and drills at a weekend conference this past summer. After some experimentation I adapted that "11" into a freestyle drill and guess what, our friend Glen Mills of GoSwim fame took two of his DVDs and merged them into that same "11" drill!!

The value of this drill was shown this past weekend at the Distance meet in which swimmers were showing greatly improved form and efficiency leading to faster times!

The following video is from GoSwim...swimmers should watch and listen so they may further understand what we are doing with this "11" concept.

2008-11-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Hello Blue group! Sorry it's taken me all week to write since after the meet. Speaking of the meet, Justin Taylor & Justin Park both got their first gold standards. Congratulations! At this point, the main items that need work (as a group) are butterfly & breaststroke (particularly the kicking) and relay exchanges.

I'm sure by now you're all hearing about the new point board at practice. There are 5 points a swimmer can get each practice. 1) be there, 2) be on time, 3) have a good attitude, 4) do the whole workout, and 5) drink at least half a water bottle.

Every 5 points, a swimmer will get a sticker. And at 20 stickers, there will be a prize! Finally, once all the swimmers in the group get 20 stickers, there will be a group prize!

Now as I write, I do not yet have any prizes, but am working on it. Down at my previous job in Southern Cal, parents donated items to the prize selection, so if there is anyone that would like to do that, please feel free! Just try to keep it secret for the kids :-)

Well that's about it for this time. We're entering into an exciting championship part of the season, so get on your game face :-)

All the best,
-Loren