tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3146986085142545942024-03-13T06:41:57.251-07:00Swim Coach DirectWeekly commentary on swim topics of interest to coaches and swimmers.Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.comBlogger519125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-44061889701282859672019-10-01T19:06:00.000-07:002019-10-01T19:06:21.973-07:00Willing vs. AbleThere is a substantial difference in being willing and being able when it comes to<br />
process driven progress. This difference is very clear when we challenge our swimmers<br />
to make a change for more speed.<br />
<br />
Keep it simple…raise your hand if you want to swim faster. If your hand is up you are in<br />
the correct group.<br />
<br />
In free and fly you swim faster when you don’t breathe. Backstrokers need to remember<br />
that as they get faster due to underwater fly kicks they will be swimming less so they too<br />
will have less oxygen available. Top backstrokers today swim less than ½ the distance<br />
of the event.<br />
<br />
So we have challenged our swimmers to breathe 2 times max on the last lap of all free<br />
and IM swims, no matter the distance…with the obvious exception of the 50 free. We<br />
are talking short course.<br />
<br />
When you breathe only twice you have a much better body position and a faster, more<br />
even tempo. The faster tempo is due to less time with your head turned (even slightly)<br />
to the side and an urgent desire to hit the touch pad so you can breathe.<br />
<br />
Everyone in our senior training group can do this. They are able to swim 25 yards in 15<br />
seconds or less with 2 breaths. However, as of this writing more than a few are<br />
unwilling. Fortunately we coaches have faith in their ultimate desire to swim faster.<br />
When they miss a cut by a tenth or two we can simply smile.<br />
<br />
When they discover for themselves the power of self-declaration on this small point they<br />
will have a shift in their awareness about all the areas this distinction can impact. Small<br />
incremental changes over time make a substantial difference…all the time, every time.Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-20423089444164385752019-08-31T13:26:00.001-07:002019-08-31T13:26:32.328-07:00The Twin Pillars of Success<div class="MsoNormal">
Reading this title makes us feel a little presumptuous…really, can we be that smart or insightful? However, based upon the observations from the last couple of weeks we are confident when we say that inspiration and disappointment are both critical to moving forward.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We just finished our summer season of racing. We had trained pretty well, for the most part. We rested, shaved and suited up…and then went for all the marbles. And our swimmers were either inspired by their performances or they were disappointed. It was, after all, a swim meet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The inspiration part is rather straightforward. You have an awesome swim and record a best time, maybe even make a cut for the next level meet – winters or summers or even a ticket to Omaha next summer. Perhaps you get fired up by a swim one of your teammates does or even better yet, a relay performance…still better is a relay you are on. We are sure you get the picture. One good swim triggers another and so it goes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What about the other end of the scale? When things don’t go as planned or even worse, as hoped for? Yes hope is a dangerous platform. It almost always comes just before failure. If hope is your next to last emotion or feeling or statement…as in “I hope this works out for me”…you are pretty close to failure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This next piece of wisdom comes directly from Ken. “The degree of disappointment can only be in direct proportion to the degree of your commitment.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yep; you cannot be greatly disappointed if you only prepared a little bit. One of our swimmers tried to claim major disappointment. Ken pointed out that the swimmer had worked up to the 80% effort level many times this summer. Often the swimmer was actually below 80%. When the best times didn’t materialize it was hard for that swimmer to be disappointed very much.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In fact, if you say “well man that was a bummer” but within minutes or maybe an hour the bad taste no longer lingers it is simply because you didn’t invest much in yourself. Therefore you had little reason to actually expect a return and so when you don’t get one you cannot be all that disappointed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The more you invest the greater your odds of getting a decent return. The less invested you are, the less right you have to be disappointed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Major commitment and then failure to get what you want? That is how life works more often than not. How you rebound from that marks your odds of successfully continuing on down the road. Swimming mirrors life…or maybe the other way around.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you cannot handle failure swimming is not the sport for you. When you fail you are not a failure. Failure is a feedback mechanism. Take an honest evaluation and then go back to the drawing board. Sit with your coach and teammates and see if you can figure out where you can improve your approach…there are so many factors…from technique to racing experience to strategies to training to rest and sleep to nutrition to mindset…the list is endless.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so is the opportunity for success…endless indeed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have a nice break and then get back to it…with a plan you can execute.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-68269715751456389052019-06-27T22:52:00.001-07:002019-06-27T22:52:40.461-07:00For All the Parents – Dads and Moms
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
This is from Maureen who is an actively engaged parent
and swimmer on our Masters team. She contributes mightily on many fronts. As
coaches and parents we never can really know what impacts the young ones most
significantly; but as the following tells us, we certainly do make a lasting
impression.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Way back 4 years ago when I started with North Bay I did
a 100 free at a swim meet out in Pleasanton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had to pick a time to register, and let’s just say it was off by 30
seconds or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got to the blocks
Ms. Stanford and Ms. Cal Berkeley were in my heat in their Olympic like suits.
They were 3/4 of the way down the pool before I dove in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Looked over at my kids with their go mom sign and they were cheering for
my last place finish. My daughter found my ribbon from the race in the garage 2
weeks ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrapped it up for Mother’s
Day with a card that said she thinks of that race all the time and how hard I
tried…And how hard I try every day to be a good mom.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Best parenting lesson ever.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Thanks NBA</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-320052128730277142019-06-08T13:29:00.002-07:002019-06-08T13:29:53.573-07:00A Teaching Tool<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">In our quest to figure out how to coach our swimmers to new levels of performance we always look for keys from the world of education and science. This 6 minute video is very significant because you can use it to inform your team on how to make change.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Growth mindset is a huge key. You already know that. Consider this input:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fj5k6KAvt18" width="560"></iframe> </span></span>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-8087312831857679962019-05-20T00:46:00.003-07:002019-05-20T00:46:46.008-07:00The Value of Team
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are looking for a good new book we encourage you to
read “<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eddie-reese-chuck-warner/1130759134" target="_blank">Eddie Reese” by Chuck Warner </a>with Dana Abbott (a portion of each book
sold is donated to the UT Legacy campaign). Coach Reese has demonstrated over
decades of swimming excellence that when the team comes first good things come
to those on that team.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He recalls from 2013 that he had a few guys who were not
making good decisions outside the pool and as a result were bringing the whole
team down. He sat down with one of them (who happened to be one of the fastest
guys on the team) and told him that he needed to grow up. And then he said,
“And you are not going to grow up at Texas”. He was kicked off the team. Eddie
had tried unsuccessfully using other methods to change the team problem. So he
took the ultimate route.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On our club team we always are looking for ways to improve
team culture. Our specific challenge is that we have teenagers who go to 14
different high schools and thus don’t have the “culture” reinforced all day
every day. So we continue to work at it during our 2-3 hours a day 6 days a
week. And it is work, no doubt about that. It is also continuous since our kids
matriculate annually and new ones are added.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We talk about and reinforce the fact that each teammate must
give as well as take. We ask ourselves when a new swimmer wants to be included,
what will NBA get? Then we ask the swimmer the same question. We have a pretty
good idea about what you will get from us; we want to know what we will get
from you? This gives them an idea about the process we have.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Truth be known – sometimes we are better at it than others…such
is life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And another fun thing is watching the pro NBA teams. All 32
of them have millionaires who can shoot and pass and even defend now and then.
Yet over the last 5+ years one team – Golden State Warriors (team motto is
Strength in Numbers) – seems to have the “team” thing going on more often than
not. The more they pass the better they shoot. There are basketball reasons for
that correlation but it is the attitude that drives the entire organization.
They all have egos; they wouldn’t be successful if they didn’t. Yet their
operation, especially visible on the court, personifies the old adage “it is
amazing how much gets accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What have you done for your team this week? What has it done
for you? Is there a correlation?</div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-60506040373334352982019-05-11T08:50:00.001-07:002019-05-11T08:50:03.961-07:00Eval – Debriefing
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This from Kate Armstrong…<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: in thinking about
the results of a game most of them fall into one of 4 categories. 1) </span><em><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Won and played well</span></em><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. 2) </span><em><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Won but played poorly</span></em><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. 3) </span><em><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lost and played well</span></em><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. 4) </span><em><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lost and played poorly</span></em><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Given the
above four conditions, is there a constructive method when de-briefing a team
so players will utilize the just-ended contest as a learning experience?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In our collective experience we find that
after a few days of reflection it is valuable to revisit the race(s) now that
the raw emotion is somewhat tempered by time. Perhaps we offer each swimmer the
opportunity to rate their previous swim(s) as follows:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Give yourself a:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 if you swam fast and constructed your race
properly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 if you swam slower than anticipated but
still constructed your race correctly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 if you swam fast but didn’t construct the
swim properly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4 if you swam slower than wanted and put the
race together incorrectly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The lower your score the more positive your
performance. We think this achieves two important objectives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First it takes the “higher the score the
better the swim” factor out of the mix. And secondly it takes the “I didn’t do
a best time” syndrome and eliminates it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Face it, the more honest the evaluation BY THE
ATHLETE the more valuable it is. This process also reinforces the “good race”
versus the “fast race” notion. After all, the closer you get to your own
personal zero the more unlikely it is that you will record a best time. Yet you
can still have an enormously successful race.</span></div>
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">We trade success for
best times regularly…really simple: we are in the success business.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-44924026511756725962019-04-28T22:01:00.001-07:002019-04-28T22:01:42.712-07:00The Value of Community
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went to a colleague’s Athletic Hall of Fame induction
ceremony Saturday. It was an eye opener. It clearly exposed the value of and
need for community in our lives that sports generate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Craig Carson was honored at the 28<sup>th</sup> Annual
Liberty Union High School District Athletic Hall of Fame for his decades of
service to his community as a high school swim coach. Inducted with him were
several athletes, supporters and community members who each in their own fashion
helped make the high school sport experience one that had tremendous value for
a variety of reasons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
None of these athletes eventually became professional
players let alone Olympians. Yet each clearly discussed how much the process of
learning and playing, coaching and supporting high school sports meant then and
means now to them. We witnessed a few tears and lots of laughter and much
gratitude. It was an entirely energizing experience to witness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are many such Hall of Fame institutions, often
associated with schools and some with a variety of Associations and of course
the professional Halls. What struck us were at the local level the impact
sports and coaching had made. It reminded us that as swim coaches we still have
value to add to people’s lives regardless of how fast they swim. Watching the
festivities the other evening made us realize that in our sport times really
don’t matter all that much…sure they do at various points in time. However, in
our experience the real value comes from the team – the coaches and teammates
and supporters (usually parents).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We think that while the record boards we all keep have their
purpose perhaps an even better measure of our team’s growth and influence would
be a HOF. Some teams have been around for decades; there surely are HOF
candidates from those decades. When you recognize them you instantly give
credit to the process of your team’s value…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And make no mistake; humans love recognition; we thrive on
it. We treasure being a recognized member of our community.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Have a great day at the pool…a Hall of Fame Day!</u></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-71227427635668154272019-04-21T20:47:00.001-07:002019-04-21T20:47:45.838-07:00Flow – Alex Honnold – You, “Free Soloing”
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_psychology" title="Positive psychology"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">positive
psychology</span></a><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">, a <b>flow
state</b>, also known colloquially as being in <b>the zone</b>, is the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_state" title="Mental state"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">mental state</span></a><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> of operation in which a person performing an
activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement,
and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized
by complete absorption in what one does, and a resulting loss in one's sense of
space and time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Csikszentmihalyi (often
referred to as the modern day discoverer of Flow) has this to say about people
who have high levels of achievement and fulfillment: “…what kept them motivated
was the quality of the experience they felt when they were involved with the
activity. The feeling didn’t come when they were relaxing, when they were
taking drugs or alcohol, or when they were consuming the expensive privileges
of wealth. <u>Rather it often involved painful, risky, difficult activities
that stretched the person’s capacity and involved an element of novelty and
discovery”</u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">FLOW was a term
his subjects kept using. When everything was going right, the work was
effortless, fluid and automatic – flowy. He defined the state as “being so involved
in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. The ego falls away. Time
flies. Every action, movement and thought follows inevitably from the previous
one.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">A couple of other
significant items…in flow you do not judge yourself and you stay very present –
engaged in the immediate task in front of you. In swimming, while you are aware
of your goal, you are focused on the doing, not the end result. Flow is totally
process oriented versus the usual result orientation our sport is famous
for…did you get your cut, make the team, add or subtract time? You hear that constantly
on the pool deck. Coaches are famous for saying a swim is a good one if it is
fast…that only adds to the prejudice on results vs process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Now to Alex
Honnold…many of you have heard about him…his book “Alone on the Wall” is
mesmerizing. His movie “Free Solo” will rivet you to the screen – his sub 4
hour free solo ascent of 3000’ El Capital in Yosemite Valley – yup, 3000’ of
granite slab, no rope, just hands and feet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">His comments are
right in line with Csikszentmihalyi’s findings. “There’s all the little things
you have to think about, like left-right, which sequence you are doing, but
there’s nothing I’m really thinking about – I’m just doing it. I love the
simplicity of soloing. You never climb better when you are soloing. Doubt is
the biggest danger in soloing. As soon as you hesitate you’re screwed.”…”Basically
when I’m soloing, normally I have like a mental armor. You could say I’m in the
zone. Something that’s protecting my head from thinking too much.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">And this about
another part of climbing…”Had I stopped to think about it, I might have been
nervous, or anxious that I was on the least secure part of the route. But
that’s why I didn’t stop – I’d done all my thinking over the last six weeks as
I worked on the route. I was fully prepared and knew exactly what to do. This
wasn’t the time for apprehension. It was the time for execution. I’ve always
felt slabs require a certain amount of momentum, for lack of a better word.
Soloing slabs is similar to skiing or mountain biking. Once you get started,
you just have to see it through to the end. You can’t stop and think about your
position. Any hesitation could lead to disaster.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In Alex’s world a
mistake leads directly to death. In swimming a mistake leads to a slower time,
a missed cut. In our sport it is critical to stay in the moment and be
non-judgmental. Doubt has the same effect for swimmers as Alex…in his words,
“you’re screwed”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Have fun; go for
it…train your buns off then “free solo” your event!</span></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-28466257679353360772019-03-31T20:23:00.001-07:002019-03-31T20:23:22.083-07:00No Plan B
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We caught a fabulously entertaining interview this week with
a person who is arguably the most successful radio personality of the last 40
years. He was discussing how he became so successful after so many initial
failures. Cutting to the chase he said he never had a “Plan B”. He went on to
talk about folks he knew or had met who had every intention of being successful
in any number of ventures only to fall short and then “go to plan B.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He said that when you ask someone what they want in/from life
they will tell you all the stuff they have been taught to say – the grandiose
dreams, the BHAG (big hairy ass goal). If you look at them skeptically they
often confess that “Well, if I don’t get what I am after there is also Plan B.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And he said, as a way to understand human behavior, if
someone makes a bold statement he will then ask them “So what if it doesn’t
work out?” Invariable they say, “Well I have a fallback position” (Called Plan
B)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In our sport right this moment there are any number of
swimmers who have their eye on Omaha and Tokyo June 2020. Some will make it;
most will not. While 4 years may seem like an eternity to a 20 something year
old, in the grand scheme of life it’s not that long. If you are 22 and miss in
Omaha but you still fiercely cling to the ambition of being an Olympian, you
have 4 more years to “get it right.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many college age athletes are figuring out how to “keep up”
with their peers, educationally and professionally. Having said that, most if
not all of those peers aren’t taking a serious crack at an Olympic berth. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We say, stop making excuses and go for it…unabashedly,
unashamedly and unfettered by Plan B. You have the rest of your life to do all
the other stuff. Seriously…</div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-16335905050407236102019-03-24T20:36:00.002-07:002019-03-24T20:36:54.255-07:00Who Owes Whom, and What?
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday we were doing a kick set before we got rolling on a
set of 200’s. We did a simple 4x150/2:30 kick with lap 3 being a buildup lap
and lap 6 being a fast lap. On the fast lap we did our standard deal which is
to kick all the way to the touch pad, no arm pull into the wall. We do this for
the obvious reasons but primarily to get them accustomed to kicking all the way
into the wall. When they get in a race they will do what they do in training so
– kick to the touch pad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Zev on #2 pulled the last stroke on lap 6. We reminded him
of the “kick to the wall” goal/requirement. On # 3 he did the same thing. We
said, “Ok Zev you can make that one up after workout. On # 4 he was fine,
kicking all the wall in on lap #6.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After workout was over he reminded us, “I owe you a 150
kick”. We said go for it and he did, kicking all the way to the wall.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Case closed…but not exactly. Today we were thinking about
that exchange and realized that Zev didn’t “owe us anything”. Zev owed himself
another 150 kick. And this made it even clearer to us that Zev owes Zev, not us
the coaches. And that is because Zev is in charge of his own bank account of
skills, conditioning – the list is endless. He doesn’t kick FOR us. He kicks
FOR HIMSELF…because it is his race, his training, his commitment…the list goes
on – maybe forever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So when we see Zev tomorrow we will reinforce that he is
kicking for himself, not for us, and that he doesn’t actually owe us anything. However,
he owes himself the very best that he can muster on any given day, on every
given race, on every given set, on every given repeat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What do you want? What are you willing to do to get it? The
choice ultimately is yours and yours alone…very powerful concept if you can
grasp it. The coach’s task is to get the swimmer/person to grasp that.</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Have
an awesome day at the pool – make a difference to someone (or two) today!</span>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-60867559669658462242019-03-10T21:45:00.000-07:002019-03-10T21:45:10.109-07:00Finish What You Start
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the most impressive lessons our sport teaches all
participants (swimmers, coaches and parents) is the value of finishing what you
start. What you start is your goal. What you finish is your personal
victory…measured by you based upon what you set out to achieve – your goal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are working with our high school seniors right now. They
have a 2+ month window for their high school season (California has swimming as
a spring sport). And then they need to decide what to do with their summer
training and racing block. If they plan on pursuing swimming in college – and
thankfully most do – then the most important thing they can do is train and
race this summer. If they do that, then they set themselves up for a good shot
at transitioning into their college team and that season. If they punt the
summer away (“I need a break, I’ve been swimming my whole life. I want some
summer fun” – sound familiar?) Then they enter the ranks of college swimming a
couple of steps behind. And college swimming is much more demanding than most
of them have done before…finish what you start.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s say you swim a 200 free in 1:45+. Your goal is to go
1:42. How can you get those next 3+ seconds? (The GREAT coach Jon Urbanchek
says that at the big meet you need to be thinking about a 1 second drop per 50)
The way you get those 3+ seconds is to go 24.0 – 26.0 – 26.0 – 26.0…= 1:42.0.
You need to really sharpen your focus on training so that you are physically
prepared for the task. Then you need to sharpen your emotional skills so you
are able to handle the challenges of the race itself…then you finish what you
start.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a coach, you have goals – yes, you need them just as your
swimmers need them. Whatever your vision is for your team, your season, your
career…define your path and then stay on it come hell or high water and finish
what you start.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are a parent and you want nothing but the best for your
child. First define, as specifically as possible, what for you constitutes what
the “best for your child” means. Then map out a path and stay on it. A coaching
colleague of ours – who is also a parent – remarked the other day that once you
have a child you have made a 20 year commitment; the child comes first. That
means all the usual sacrifices but more than that it means at all times under
all circumstances putting the young one first. Oh, both parents need to have
the same mindset on this one…if that is possible.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Great ones – not simply Olympic medalists – finish what they
start. We’ve been coaching for decades and we still have this mantra in mind…we
finish what we start.</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">See
you poolside…as Dave Krotiak says, “Have an awesome day!”</span>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-90545101522955392962019-03-03T23:11:00.003-08:002019-03-03T23:15:54.842-08:00Why We Coach<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Hi Don,</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
I have been following what you guys have been doing at
some of your meets and it seems like you have a lot of people doing some great
stuff over in California! I was so impressed with how everyone swam at the
Super League meet in Davis especially!<br />
<br />
Just finished my first season of college
swimming, which is crazy because I feel like I was just swimming at RESLs. I
had some doubts about Dartmouth initially, but I am certain I am at the right
place. I like my coaches (although full disclosure you and Ken were a little
more fun) and I love my teammates. My season didn’t end as well as I had hoped;
unfortunately I got very sick and was unable to swim for a lot of the month
prior to my meet.<br />
<br />
This reminded me of your Michael Phelps analogy with the
thimble and the ocean where you build a cup during the season and during taper
you fill the cup. I was really frustrated because I had worked really hard this
season to build a cup, but was unable to fill it. Although I still had some fun
at the meet and I loved watching my friends do so well, I didn’t go to the meet
just to have fun.<br />
<br />
College swimming is hard because not swimming well is no
longer a personal problem, it also hurts your teammates and all the hard work
they did. I was seeded in the top 8 for the 50 free, but instead placed 20th.
We only beat Columbia by a few points, and the rest of the meet I couldn’t stop
thinking that if we lost to Columbia, had I placed 8th instead of 20th we would
have beaten them.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
I was thinking about all this on the bus ride back from
Princeton when I got a text from someone from my high school asking when I knew
I wanted to swim in college. And to be completely honest, at that point I
wasn’t sure if I was glad I was swimming in college. Staying up until one studying
for midterms and writing papers (yes I actually do homework here, shocking I
know), only to wake up at six to walk to practice in negative five degree
weather is hard. Swimming/lifting four hours a day almost every day is
exhausting. All of this to add 2 seconds in a 200?<br />
<br />
When exactly did I decide to
do this? Then I realized I never decided, the thought of not swimming in
college just never even occurred to me.<br />
<br />
I joined North Bay my sophomore year
because I wanted to see where swimming would take me. Swimming has taken me to
Clovis many, many times, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Orlando. It was like when Ken
asked if I wanted to go Orlando for relays my junior year. It never crossed my
mind to not go because I wanted to see what I could do in Orlando.<br />
<br />
When
swimming took me to Dartmouth, I didn’t go because I wanted to go to Dartmouth;
I went because I wanted to see what I could do there. I’m not sure what else I
want to get out of swimming, but I want to continue to see where it will take
me. My team doesn’t have a competitive spring training program, but I have
talked to some girls on my team and my coaches about doing some long course
training with hopes of giving myself a chance of qualifying for Olympic trials
in the next two years. I have no idea how realistic this is, but two years ago
I would have never believed swimming would take me this far, so I am optimistic
for what the next two years will bring.<br />
<br />
Thank you to both you and Ken for all
you have done to help me get here, and I wish you best of luck with your
upcoming meets.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Thanks, Zoe</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
P.S. This is for Ken too but I don’t have his email for
some reason.</div>
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</style> Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-81734927037857238112019-02-24T21:51:00.002-08:002019-02-24T21:51:26.930-08:00Two really good sets for confidence
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We trust
that we all can agree that the most important muscle in the human body is
confidence. As we prepare for the March Sectional meet here in California we
are looking for some fast swims. After this meet the swimmers go into their
high school season (which has already begun with some dual meets). They like to
bounce off of the March club meet into HS meets and then the ever present,
never ending, all powerful emotion, of the high school champs takes over.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We
did the following 2 sets with our middle sprinters this last week…kids who
think the 200 is the best race in the world…they don’t care what we think and
we do care what they think!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After
all the warmup and a short kick set we did this on Thursday:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4x200/3
rotating a fast 50…1<sup>st</sup> 200 the first 50 was fast, 2<sup>nd</sup> 200
the second 50 was fast</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3x200/3
rotating a fast 100…1<sup>st</sup> was the 1<sup>st</sup> 100, then the middle
100 then the last 100</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1x200
all fast</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">They
were flying. We set benchmarks in terms of times to aim for. We used a recent
meet we had and said swim the last 200 within 10 seconds of that race time. At
that meet they had suits on in finals but no rest or shave…just to give you an
idea.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When
they saw how fast they were going the excitement was palpable = confidence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On
Saturday we did the same thing with 100’s.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4x100/1:30
rotating a fast lap</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3x100/1:40
(so they could do strokes) rotating a fast 50</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1x100
all fast…Again they swam fast = confidence</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the 200 set they had 1600 yards, 700 of which was fast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the 100 set they had 800 yards, 350 of which was fast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We’ll
let you know in a week how the Sectional meet goes. We anticipate fast swims.</span></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-57090026895464327412019-02-04T22:27:00.000-08:002019-02-04T22:27:19.810-08:00The Power of Discouragement
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chapter
11 of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chop-Wood-Carry-Water-Becoming/dp/1483441784" target="_blank">Chop Wood Carry Water </a>is all about the power of discouragement as it
relates to human growth and developing potential.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
actual word “discouragement” means a lack of courage. We tell our team that to
our knowledge no one on our team lacks courage…if nothing else than the simple
act of getting up on a block and racing down the lane with no one to be held
accountable except you. That, in our opinion, is exactly what courage looks
like.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Disappointment
is very understandable; discouragement is not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Akira,
the sensei at the samurai warrior training camp, is having this discussion with
John – the young man who wants most of all to be an archer samurai warrior –
about discouragement. John is learning about the process and dealing with ups
and downs is paramount to his success.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Akira
says there are six things you can do to fuel your heart with encouragement:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 –
What you watch</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 –
What you read</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3 –
What you listen to</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4 –
Who you surround yourself with</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5 –
How you talk to yourself</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">6 –
What you visualize </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
very best part about this process is that these 6 items are all choices each
person can make every day. Keep reminding your swimmers that their greatest
power in life is the power to choose.</span></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-68353767922063054722019-01-27T19:52:00.001-08:002019-01-27T19:52:23.732-08:00The Results Are In…
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And
the winners are, to no one’s surprise, the ones who did the work. From a
coaching perspective this is so refreshing. Shortcuts do not work. From an
athlete’s perspective it is equally reassuring…do the work and get the prize.
Don’t do the work, no payoff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We
think our last post had to do with the preparation for the December shave meets
and what would the impact be of not being able to train regularly for 10 days
in mid-November due to the bad air quality in Northern California. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ken
had texted workouts to each of the swimmers encouraging them to find indoor
water and do their best at keeping training going. We could not find a pool
with enough available space to bring all 35 kids at one time. It would be
piecemeal and up to them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Each
of them admitted at the debriefing session after the meet that they had done
some of the work but not all and even some was not done with the same level of
intensity as if the group had been together. All of this information was to be
expected.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As
we watched the racing unfold both in Federal Way at the Husky Invite and in
Austin at Winter Juniors one clear cut impression was made. To a person, all
those who had trained diligently from September, before the bad air, had an
excellent meet. One young man even made his Winter cut at Husky in the 200
breast. Even 1650 distances were not affected. Our sample size was small (2)
but both guys had solid swims, one 15 year old dropped to 16:38…he was 10:03 at
the 1000 so he had a bit of a fade but still very solid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Work
works. In this era of quick fixes and short attention spans little is as
satisfying as a reward hard sought and won.</span></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-59035485360692433272018-11-25T19:08:00.000-08:002018-11-25T19:08:11.796-08:00Artificial Maturity
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This
week’s title is inspired by Coach Richard Thornton (SRVLA) and NBA Masters
swimmer Brenda Lein.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Richard
told us one of the best recent books he is reading is “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chop-Wood-Carry-Water-Becoming/dp/153698440X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk" target="_blank">Chop Wood Carry Water</a>”
by Joshua Medcalf. Brenda is a bona fide trainer and racer on our massive NBA
Masters team.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
book is brilliant in that the chapters are a mere 2-4 pages. We are actually
reading one chapter a week with our team. They love it and look forward to it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Brenda
asked in workout today about a term she read in an online article. The term
was “drive from (or maybe it was “with”) your shoulders”. She asked what that
meant and we said we had no idea. Since the author of the piece didn’t
elaborate she (nor we) had much to go on. All we could do was make an educated
guess…not the same thing as actually knowing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chapter
4 in the book is entitled “Artificial Maturity”. The book is about a teenager,
John, who enlists in a Samurai Warrior training camp after high school
graduation. His goal is to become an archer as a samurai warrior.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the 4<sup>th</sup> chapter John’s sensei Akira asks John to restring his bow
after the bow string snaps. Akira asks him if he has done it before. John says
“Not personally. But I’ve seen it done.” Akira says, “So you know how to
restring it?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">John,
“Of course! I’ve read about it dozens of times and I’ve watched a lot of videos
on YouTube.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Special
note to parents: just because it is on the internet and YouTube doesn’t make it
so. Be smarter than that – your swimmer and coach will be thankful.</span></u><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Well,
you can imagine John’s inability to re-string the bow based upon his knowledge
BUT lack of personal experience. The message from Akira is simple: knowing what
is to be done is vastly different from being able to do it yourself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Said
another way, “It is one thing to study war and another to live the warrior’s
life” (this from the “Art of War”).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So our
answer to Brenda was “we don’t know”. We do not know what the author was
meaning when the words “drive from the shoulder” were used. We do know what those
words mean but we do not know how they are being used to convey a
teaching/coaching concept.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Swimmers
and coaches – sensei and would be Samurai warriors – all need the same thing:
clarity of purpose and clear understanding of the concept being coached/taught.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Much
easier said than done. See you poolside!</span></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-3136367182207727202018-11-20T20:30:00.000-08:002018-11-20T20:30:40.781-08:00Accountability & Consequences
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the process oriented swim world these two concepts, when properly entwined, give
an athlete so much power s/he can do pretty much whatever they seek.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
fact we would lobby strenuously that when accountability and consequences are
linked the results oriented swim world benefits immensely.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Each
swimmer needs to decide (and it is extremely helpful when parents and coaches
encourage this decision) s/he will be accountable for what happens and then
fully accept the consequences.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If
there are no consequences then there is no reinforcement of accountability.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Case
in point: Let’s say a swimmer needs a 55.19 to qualify for a meet. She goes a
55.36, missing by .17. How does the result sit? What are the expectations of
the swimmer?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
consequence is clear; no trip to the meet. How’s the accountability hold up? If
the swimmer says she is disappointed but will keep working and eventually get
her time and EARN the trip then the process is working…and eventually the
result will show. It has to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If
the swimmer tries any number of machinations to reconstruct the consequence –
no trip to the bigger meet – with a plea for an exception (“I was sick, I
couldn’t train the week before” the list is endless) and that plea is
surrendered to by the coach or parent then nothing has been learned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Well
that’s not exactly true. What has been learned is that no matter what, you can
always finagle your way to what you want, even though it hasn’t been earned
legitimately…and that is not how the world works. Caution here, much of the
political and corporate world teaches us otherwise. But we in swimming know
that politicians and corporate heads in general couldn’t get a Jr. Olympic cut
let alone a National one!</span></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-7555721004058783762018-11-11T20:43:00.001-08:002018-11-11T20:43:29.029-08:00Making Do
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We
are here in Northern California just above San Francisco which puts us about
200 miles south of the current raging fire – The Camp Fire. As of this morning
the statistics are no less than very grim…and even much worse for those
impacted.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We had
a meet scheduled. We stopped Saturday after 90 minutes of racing due to poor
and deteriorating air quality. Kids were coughing and running low on energy
etc. Sunday’s events were scratched also.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Parents,
swimmers and coaches were doing what they could to move past the immediate
disappointment. And as we worked through that stage it became more a matter of
what to do next…how to make do with what was available to us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We
said the time honored “blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out
of shape”. Jackson, a senior on our NBA team did himself proud and gave us
another thought. He said he learned from the meditation master, Jack Kornfield
– google him –</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You can’t stop the waves,
but you can learn to surf.”</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Everywhere
in life it is time to learn…</span></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-76573292342606778702018-05-20T21:47:00.000-07:002018-05-20T21:47:23.821-07:00And What Today’s Youth Need is…
<br />
<b><span style="color: #375c71; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16.5pt; letter-spacing: .55pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Definition of </span></b><b><span style="color: #375c71; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17.5pt; font-variant: small-caps; letter-spacing: .55pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">resilience</span></b><b><span style="color: #375c71; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16.5pt; letter-spacing: .55pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<b><span style="color: #3b3e41; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1</span></b><span style="color: #3b3e41; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: the
capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after </span><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deformation"><span style="color: #53829d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">deformation</span></a><span style="color: #3b3e41; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> caused
especially by compressive stress</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<b><span style="color: #3b3e41; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2</span></b><span style="color: #3b3e41; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: an
ability to recover from or adjust easily to </span><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misfortune"><span style="color: #53829d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">misfortune</span></a><span style="color: #3b3e41; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> or
change</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">(Also <strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">resiliency</span></strong>)</span></div>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="pos"><span style="color: #f15a24; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: .6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; text-transform: uppercase;">NOUN</span></span><span style="color: #f15a24; font-family: Helvetica; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: .6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; text-transform: uppercase;"></span></h3>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span class="iteration"><b><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">1</span></b></span><span class="ind"><span style="color: #27a058; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.</span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="ind"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><span class="iteration"><b><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">2</span></b></span><span class="ind"><span style="color: #27a058; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape;
elasticity.</span></span><span class="ind"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">We were talking
with a college coach 2 weeks ago advocating for one of our swimmers. After the
usual conversation we asked what he thought the differences – if any – were in
this generation of high schoolers compared to those that had come before. He
replied that the main thing he sees is that kids today lack the resiliency of
those even a decade ago, let alone several decades ago.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">He observed that
pretty much every person who comes in as a freshman will, over the course of 4
years, face any number of challenges as they adjust to life on their
own…academically, socially, athletically…you name it and they will be
challenged, multiple times. He said he thinks today’s young people lack
resiliency, especially when compared to those who have come before.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">We talked a bit
about how this happens discussing all the usual things…parents who do too much,
coaches who do too much, thus robbing the youngster of the opportunity to grow
by becoming resilient while still relatively safe in their local environs.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Failure fixed by
others leaves you weakened; mistakes you overcome on your own empower you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-63850446949113122542018-05-08T20:33:00.002-07:002018-05-08T20:34:26.523-07:00Begin with a Sign<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">More thoughts on culture; how to create yours and sustain it
over time. In a recent <u>Thought of the Day from ASCA</u> this idea from Coach
Kinel resonated, very simple and yet profound.</span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
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<b><span style="color: #0000cc; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thought of the Day</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
from the <a href="https://swimmingcoach.org/shop/world-clinics/world-clinic-yearbook-vol-49-washington-d-c/" target="_blank">2017 World Clinic Yearbook</a> <span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 341.65pt;" valign="top" width="342"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">"You
begin with just a sign, "Chesterton Swimming and Diving," and talk
about pride in that. Then you win a little... Districts, then states. Put the
banner up, talk about pride in that. Then you have a former swimmer go to the
Olympics. Talk about pride in that. <br />
<br />
It's just step by step. No matter what level you are at, start with the sign.
Take pride." </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">-Coach Kevin Kinel, Chesterton High
School, Indiana</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Developing
a Culture of Hard Work and High Expectations For Your High School Team</span></i></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-right: solid #0000CC 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 41.4pt;" valign="top" width="41"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;">Then we saw this sign at the pool at Drake High School in San Anselmo, CA.
More than one person put some real thought into this. It ties into itself very
nicely on several levels.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhSKAWv_qQA/WvJryDDnY2I/AAAAAAAAAFU/4pVtKFzPK9wM6So0gbq6FFfrM2XafKAGACLcBGAs/s1600/drake-mission-statement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="780" height="336" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhSKAWv_qQA/WvJryDDnY2I/AAAAAAAAAFU/4pVtKFzPK9wM6So0gbq6FFfrM2XafKAGACLcBGAs/s640/drake-mission-statement.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what’s your sign look like? Does it accurately portray
your message? Do you have it on bag tags or kick boards? Do you talk about it
regularly with your team? All athletes, coaches and parents are affected by
this type of cultural reminder. Make sure everyone can see it and knows the
origins and recent examples.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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-->Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-3787479081144058732018-04-24T16:33:00.000-07:002018-04-24T16:33:20.094-07:00What about Team Culture?
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Daniel
Coyle’s newest book, “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Code-Secrets-Highly-Successful/dp/0525492461" target="_blank">The Culture Code</a>” subtitled “The Secrets of Highly
Successful Groups” is worth your time if you are involved in putting together
any group of people with the stated intention of being successful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He discusses
the 3 skills needed: building safety, sharing vulnerability and establishing
purpose. We won’t review it here today but offer this observation instead.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
our North Bay Aquatics Senior Training group we have about 45 athletes. Due to
pool constraints we have 8<sup>th</sup> graders through seniors in high school.
Normally we have maybe one or two 8<sup>th</sup> graders and the number in the
group is more like 35. We have had several issues since the beginning of 2018
where it is apparent that as a group we currently do not have our culture
working the way we would like it to be. Each of the 3 incidents were different
but they all pointed to the fact that we weren’t taking very good care of each
other.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As
Coyle points out the word CULTURE comes from the Latin “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cultus” </i>which means “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">care”.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On
Saturday at workout we had a group conversation and after some chatting and a
really good real world training situation from Ken’s days on the University of
Arizona collegiate swim team, we felt like the message had been sent. In this particular
situation it was that each swimmer has different capacities for training and it
will always be this way in any group. Therefore when someone is not “laying it
all out there all the time” some care needs to be administered so that everyone
in the group feels like they belong and have value.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
we were flabbergasted. We asked them – teenagers all – do they have discussions
at school, either formally or informally about team culture, working together,
overcoming personal obstacles in a group setting…things like that. We have kids
in 5 different middle schools, 4 different public high schools and 5 different
private high schools. <u>Only 2 hands went up</u>. One from a junior who said
as a freshman there were some issues in his school about inappropriate behavior
centering around drug/drinking activities; one from a sophomore who said last
week her school had a lecture (you can imagine how helpful that was) for 20
minutes on the general subject of group dynamics.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So,
it is still reading, writing and ‘rythmatic. If you ever wondered how valuable
your swim team is in the development of young people into fully functioning
adults…we say wonder no more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">10x100
on the 1:10 is different from 10x100 on 3 minutes…but in both sets the team
culture is critical to the outcome of each person…make no mistake about that.</span></div>
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</style>Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-36669444533898660452018-04-16T15:40:00.001-07:002018-04-16T15:41:17.438-07:00More about Parenting and College<style>
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“Over drinks one night with friends, a Palo Alto mother
announced that her son just came home with a B and she said to him, “What are
you thinking? You think you’re going to get into Stanford with a grade like
that? You’re going to get into Arizona State and if you think I’m going to pay
for Arizona State, I’m not!” This mother obviously doesn’t think highly of
Arizona State. Apparently she didn’t know that it’s in the top ten U.S.
producers of Fulbright Scholars, that one alumna is Susan Cartsonis, producer
of the second-highest-grossing romantic comedy movie of all time, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What women Want</i>, or that the designer of
her very own handbag – Kate Spade – went there.<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The truth is that most of us have no idea how to judge a
college’s suitability for our kids. We salivate over the U.S. News college
rankings, even though the list mostly reflects how hard a school is to get into
and what a group of other educators think about it, which is a function of how
hard it is to get into.”<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The entire Chapter 19 in <a href="https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/" target="_blank">Julie Lythcott-Haims book</a> <u>“<a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Raise-Adult-Overparenting-Prepare/dp/1250093635" target="_blank">Howto Raise an Adult</a>”, </u>talks about having a wider mind-set about colleges.
There are several different lists and actual discussions about how certain
schools view test scores vs. grades vs. recommendations. There are even a few
top notch schools that don’t even look at test scores.<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If your swimmer is thinking about college this chapter is
highly informative and up to date. If you are curious about the process we
encourage you to check it out.</div>
Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-16775677895789265952018-04-06T17:18:00.002-07:002018-04-06T17:19:53.491-07:00How To Raise An Adult<style>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
her ground breaking book subtitled “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Raise-Adult-Overparenting-Prepare/dp/1250093635" target="_blank">Break free of the over parenting trap and prepare your kid for success</a>” <a href="https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/" target="_blank">Julie Lythcott-Haims</a> writes clearly from an
informed perspective. She is a recent Dean of Freshman at Stanford University
and a parent of two growing teenagers.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She
traces the change in the way parenting has evolved from the days before the
baby boomers to present day. What began as a desire to keep your child safe in
the early 80’s to play dates to supervised sports to present day practices in
all areas where parents do everything possible for their kids to insure success
it is easy to see how we have gotten to this place at this point in time.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She
remarks that in the last couple of decades there are many more parents on campus
at universities – including Stanford – than ever before. Instead of raising
kids to be self-sufficient parents are increasingly making sure the kids are ok
by being with them every step of the way.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And
the instantaneously available information – thanks to the smart phone – makes
it possible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What
to do then?</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We
haven’t finished reading the book yet but we can tell you one of the parts that
resonated with us was this quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “There are
two things children should get from their parents: roots and wings.”</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We
need to give them basic life skills and then let them figure it out. Pretty
simple yet challenging to do when most around you are doing everything for
theirs. And we are led to believe that the college (yup, even the high school,
middle school and kindergarten) our kids get into will make or break their
future success. This of course is promoted in all sorts of ways, some subtle
and some not so subtle, by those very schools. It is a business model folks.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Oh,
there is plenty of over coaching as well from well- meaning coaches in all
sports. We see it on pool decks wherever we go racing. Roots and wings; gotta
remember that.</span></div>
Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-77699494050264625232018-03-26T07:53:00.000-07:002018-03-26T07:53:02.574-07:00Nothing Really New Here
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<br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We returned
a week ago from Orlando and the always stimulating, exciting and very fast NCSA
Championships. The following are our observations in no particular order of
those who swam up front:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Underwater
dolphin kicks at quick tempo – being under isn’t fast in and of itself</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Body
position off walls</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Body
position in the turn itself</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Fly
and breaststroke release hands off the gutter</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Back
starts – we’re going to get a wedge even though most never race using them
since the wedge gives a real sense of the explosiveness available off of the
start</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Streamlines
underwater into breakouts</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Kick
power and kick size – if your kick is too far out of the water all you do is
splash a lot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Entry
of hands on free, fly and back – very precise</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
shape of your breaststroke</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Speed
is needed for ALL events, ALL distances (Claire Tuggle 26.5 last 50 in her 500)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Leg
power off walls</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We’d
be interested in observations from any of you who were just at any of the
recent NCAA Championships.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
question remains what do you do in the following situation? You give a set of
say 10x100/1:30 progressive (descending) 1-5, 6-10…if a swimmer will not kick
an underwater dolphin or three do you let her continue since she is descending
but not using the walls the way the fastest do in the big meets? Do you praise
the result or do you start over since the big meet skill is being ignored?</span></div>
Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314698608514254594.post-9827467922039209792018-03-19T09:11:00.002-07:002018-03-19T09:11:18.863-07:00Proactive vs. Reactive
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All
people, athletes, teams and organizations go through all sorts of things as
life goes along. Indeed life is a never ending chain of events. These are
linked together by time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
interesting thing is that these events don’t shape us but rather our response
to them that determines the outcome, thus defining our shape.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And
it seems to us, through observation, that those people, athletes, teams and
organizations that are proactive have a much higher, better and more effective
level of outcome than those that are reactive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Proactive
seems ahead of the game; reactive seems to always play catchup.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ohio
State football program looks at it this way: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">E + R = O</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Events
+ Response = Outcomes</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
full story is below…has Dave Krotiak says, “Have an awesome day!”</span></div>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1872768583">
</a><div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.elevenwarriors.com/2013/08/25174/ohio-state-football-e-r-o-and-possibly-14-0">https://www.elevenwarriors.com/2013/08/25174/ohio-state-football-e-r-o-and-possibly-14-0</a></div>
Don Swartz & Ken DeMonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05876889945377361972noreply@blogger.com0