Olympic Trials on TV and the Internet

Silver Tide arrived in Montreal yesterday after only a few hours of delay in Toronto. The girls got to the pool today for two practices and are looking good.

The coverage of the meet on TV is found at http://www.cbc.ca/sports/?detectflash=false and more info is on www.swimming.ca.

Travel Meets

A few concerns that I have is that a lot of families are choosing to opt out of the travel meets. For some in the senior development group the travel meets are a few of the only chances to race long course this season if you have not qualified for meets. We just did goal setting and I know that these swimmers want to improve their times but to reach these goals they need to race!

This is what I have told the swimmers:

What You can do to Maximize your Swimming:
1. Come to Practice. You can't learn swimming skills by not being at the pool. Be on time as best you can.
2. Come to meets. As many as possible. The only way to learn to race is by RACING.

Also there have been comments about team travel. We can not offer team travel if we do not have a good size of swimmers committed to attend the meets. A half empty bus just does not work. We are looking at changing the meet sign up process for next year to hopefully allow team travel to be an option next year.

Spring Break Training

Senior Development will be taking a little bit of a break over spring break. Training will be up to you. We are expecting you to complete 3 practices on your own that will be emailed out. I was asked if you can do more. Of course!!!! I know some of you have kept a log book and that would be a great place to get extra workouts from.

Josie and Ryan you are swimming with Elite over the break because of Dino Cup. Matt will be sending out that information soon.

Over the break, Nadine and Rachelle are away at Olympic Trials. I encourage you to watch the meet and track the results at http://www.swimming.ca/

Enjoy the time off of school and a few days away from the pool.

Goal Setting

Goal Setting will be happening this week for the Long Course Season... starting thinking where you want to aim for.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.- Aristotle

11-12 Camp

It was a great first provincial camp for Connor, Brendan, Kevin and James. Each boy was on their first away over night trip without a familiar parent and all roomed with someone they had never stayed with before. Parents they all did great!

Connor won a prize for his outstanding performances over the weekend with a 2:38 in the 200 IM, 2:54 in the 200 Breast (less than .2 off his age group national time) , a 34.9 in the 50 Fly and another 2:38 in the 200 Fly inching him closer to another age group national time. Kevin also won a prize for his "team spirit" with that contagious yell that we all know very well. Brendan was a great racer all weekend long with very respectable tough swims in all of his races and great leadership within the training sessions. James had best times in his 200 IM, 200 Breast and 50 Breast over the weekend.

More than the swims the swimmers learnt first that I am not crazy and we need to use our under waters all the time and saw many videos of the best in the world doing so. Not to mention how important it is to use the clock to let yourself know how you are doing all the time. They also had talks from University of Alberta head coach Bill Humby and EKSC Kier Maitland who is hoping to make the Olympic team.

They all represented STSC very well and I hope took a lot away from the camp.

Four Boys Make 11-12 Provincial Team

Congratulations to Brendan Elford, Kevin Labonte, Connor Rawson and James Janzen who were selected to the 11-12 North South Dual Meet and Camp that takes place this weekend at NAIT. Because of their great swims I was also selected to be the boys team coach. It should be a lot of fun and a great experience for the four of them to learn a lot and meet the other 12 and under swimmers from the province as well as be coached by other coaches than me.

Information will be sent out shortly about the camp.

Silver Tide 5th Place Team in Province! Way to Go!

As a team we placed 5th overall! Way to go Silver Tide.

• Ryan Schamber placed top 2 in every swim, had 100% best times and broke numerous club records and is even closer to a few more! He is now ranked top 10 in the country in a few of his swims!
• Connor, Kevin, Brendan, James had best times in almost all swims and made a presence in the 11-12 boys category.
• The 11-12 boys along with Ryan placed 3rd in all 3 relays.
• Connor is within 2 seconds of his Age Group National Time in the 200 Fly and received his Top 25 Youth Recognition Time. He had all best times except for the 1500 Free.
• Brendan finished the meet with a great 100 fly and swam to best times in everything but the 1500 free. He is also moving closer to his Age Group National Standard in the 200 Fly.
• James swam to 100 % Best Times, made the A final in the 50 breast and achieved a few new A times.
• Kevin has amazing swims this weekend to move up into the top 8 in all back stroke swims. He also had all best times expect for the 1500 Free. He also proved to be the most supportive team member always using a lot of energy to cheer on his team mates.
• Josie made it to finals in the 200 Back and placed top 16 in everything she swam, had 100 % best times and achieved a few new A times.
• Jasmin made her first finals, qualified for EKI and swam to 100% Best Times.
• Sarah swam to 100% Best times, moved up in placings and also qualified for EKI.
• Caylee continued to get more best times and improve in her freestyle events and is getting closer to her 14 year old A Times.
  

There was more excitement from Elite and Senior so you will have to check Matt and Ryan's blogs for that info!

Competition Info - The Taper and the Meet

During the taper :

• Your daily volume should not drop below your expected daily meet volume. That is, if with warm-ups and races and warm-downs you are swimming 3,000-5, 000 meters a day, then the last week going in to the meet should not drop significantly below this on consecutive days
• Although rest is important, do not sleep so much during the day that you cannot sleep well at night.

During the meet

• Don’t change your routine because you are at a major meet – what worked before will work now – just do it better (ex. If you warm-up 1,500 m before a race all year, don’t suddenly drop to 1,000 m at the big meet)
• Don’t be distracted or allow yourself to compromise what you need to do to follow what others are doing or as a reaction to a race performance. An example is stretching – don’t be afraid to leave your friends to take care of yourself
• Follow the meet schedule with your swims – i.e. swim a warm-up a night even if you are not racing. Remain part of the ‘flow’ of the meet always
• Be ready to adapt to changes in situations – whether it be warm-up times, transportation difficulties, missed wake-up calls etc. Things can quite often go wrong or not be to your liking – that is not important at all. What is important is that you can adapt to the new situation in a low-stress manner. This is very important when traveling with large groups where many decisions are made for the whole group, and the individual has little or no say it the decision. If your reaction is to ‘fight’ it you will add stress to yourself, and lose focus on what really matters
• There is a difference between being a qualifier and a competitor. Go the meet planning to compete – whether it be winning heats, moving up in your ranking or scoring. This means being ready to swim best times. You should not be satisfied with simply participating
  Remember that your competitors are trying to beat you! Don’t be afraid to make a race personal, or be ‘selfish’ about your needs – no swimmer is going to allow your to win – you have to fight for it

Wanna get an ‘A’ in swimming?

'A’ to ‘A+’ Behaviors
I always try my hardest.
I always do the whole set.
I get all my repeat times.
I count my strokes regularly.
I try new things.
I encourage my teammates.
I work hard at the "extras‟ like dry land and stretching.
I am willing to train very hard to reach my goals.
I listen well at training.
I trust my coach to tell me the right things to do.
I am a good leader in the group.
I support the group by cheering for them at training and at meets.
I use my bad days as lessons for the future by turning them into great weeks.
I understand that competitive swimming is a context for my own personal growth and not a contest to see who is a better person.
I don‟t allow myself to quit something I‟ve started.
I love to lead the lane and race sets with others.
I have fun at swimming no matter how hard the work gets.
I love swimming and I can‟t wait to get to the pool!!
Competition for me is about using a race or a training repeat to get the BEST out of myself.
I believe my goals are my guide to success.
I believe I will succeed and I know I must earn my success through hard work.
I understand my training program by asking questions about it and by paying close attention at practice.
I am a great trainer because I know my best times in every-thing I do and I always try to improve them.
I understand my stroke technique because I ask questions to the coach and pay close attention at practice.
I respect myself, my club, my teammates, my coaches and my competitors.
I lead a healthy lifestyle which supports my goals.
I am proud to wear the Silver Tide colours.

“What you achieve is defined by the limitations you put in your mind. Where you are and what you are will always be that way because of the dominating thoughts that occupy your mind.”

Those people who IMAGINE clearly and BELIEVE strongly usually ACHIEVE what they wanted.

Some things to start thinking about as we start to think of more travel meets.

Here is an article for your reading. It is written by one of my old coaches and collegues. I think that it is something to think about as the group starts to move to higher level competitions and on to bigger performances.

http://www.pacificcoastswimming.com/PDF_files/BarrattTeamTravel.pdf

Water Bottles and Nutrition Talk

So here it is. You want relays! Well if you all bring a water bottle and have it at the end of your lane and actually drink it we will do relays that day! It is up to you!

Some points from the nutrition talk:
Carbohydrates: 60% daily kcal
Your brain and body's favorite food. Your most efficient fuel.
glycogen storage = endurance which means good practice and good performance
8-10gm/kg of body weight/day
Protein= 12-15% daily kcal
1. build
2. maintain
3. repair
Help you grow.
No benefit to power, strength, or endurance. To gain strength you need to exercise.
1.2-1.7 gm/kg of body weight/day
Fat: 25-30% daily kcal
If you are not burning fat you are burning carbohydrate.

Energy Needs
Under 12= 2500-3000 kcal/day
Over 12= 3000-6000 kcal/day
Servings size most important. If you are filling up on fat you are not leaving enough room for carbohydrates.

Hydration
Water acts as a coolant to maintain body temperature
Increase Body Temp= Decrease in Performance
Dehydration is a loss in 1% of body weight through water loss

Here are some tips:
-Small amounts absorb better
- Caffeine, sweet juices and pop not good
-2L before exercise
500-600 ml 2 hours before pool
250-500 ml 30-60min before pool
150-300 ml every 20 min during (WATER BOTTLES)
200-300 ml every 20 min after
So you should always be drinking!

Pre competition Meals
Can be considered lunch for practice day
-Quick and easy digestion - high carbohydrate, moderate protein, low in simple sugars, fibre and fat and caffeine free
-plenty of fluids
-familiar
-2-4 hours before event or training
-500 kcal

Pre competition Snack
Find what works for you!
Smaller version of pre competition meal- lots of Carbohydrate and Fluids!
Note: Protein Shakes should be mostly carbohydrate

On Competition Day
High carbohydrate rich foods that you are familiar with
-less than 1 hour between races eg. banana, crackers, drinks
-2-4 hours between races, more carbohydrates eg. bagels, muffins, dried fruit, high carb bars
-more than 4 hours- more proteins and fats added- dairy is good, sandwich's

Recovery Eating

1. Replace fluids
2. replenish gylcogen stores (carbs)
3. replace electrolytic losses

Drink plenty of fluids- should pee before and when done. Emphasis on carbs. Have within 30 min of exercise. Carry something in your bag. Balanced meal plan. The chocolate milk factor! Yes it is good, but in small amounts and immediately after you exercise.

Special Concerns

Have a high carbohydrate snack before bed- eg cereal and in the morning follow the pre event snack.

Traveling- family style restaurants allow you to make the best choices, planes, trains, buses, cars and hotels all dehydrate you. Pack familiar items!

If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask.

Long Course Meet Schedule

This is the tentative meet schedule that has been emailed out. If you know you can not attend a meet now, why not tell Matt now! Any questions please ask.
Team Alberta North vs Team Alberta South 11 -12 Training Camp / Dual Meet March 21-22
April 5-6 Dino Cup Calgary Josie and Ryan
April 12th-13th Saskatoon Septathlon
April 12th Novice Series
April 25th-27th Double Double
May 1st-4th EKI Qualifiers
May 10th-11th Something Local
May 31st-June 1st Silver Cup
June 1st 10 and Under #4 Non A 10 and Unders
June 6th-8th Freeze or Fry Red Deer
June 5th-8th Cascade LC International A + above
June 13th-15th Age Group Trials Medicine Hat Qualifiers
July 3th-6th Age Group/Senior ChampsEdmonton (Qualifiers)
July 24th-28th Age Group Nats Calgary Qualifiers