Probably the very best way for a captain to motivate teammates in practice and at meets is to directly model the behaviors that you want them to take on. For example in practice, if you as the captain work hard, go all out on every set, closely follow the coaches’ instructions and do so with enthusiasm and a positive attitude, then you will be doing a lot to get your teammates on board following your lead. How you act as the captain will always speak much louder and more powerfully...

Attending a youth sporting event may provide a view of both positive and negative behaviors exhibited by parents. Influences such as level of play, availability of models to emulate and existing team policy often affect conduct at an event. Examples from my personal youth sport experience at differing levels of competition provide examples of factors that affect behaviors of parents. One example is a recall from my personal experience in club level softball and the other is from a spectator perspective at a local youth basketball league. Each scenario describes...

Your focus of concentration on the days leading up to a big meet and right before or during your races will always determine whether you swim fast or not. What’s most important for you to focus on behind the blocks and in the water is what I call the “NOW.” That is, you need to focus on what you are doing in the moment, one race at a time, and in that race, one stroke at a time. If you’re worried about your last big meet, this is a PAST...

PST Entries Events 1-32 Saturday Feb. 12 Warm Up @ 10am Events 33-72 Sunday Feb. 13 Warm Up @ 10am Directions to the Swimming Hall of Fame: Take I 95 or the Turnpike to I 595 East. Exit to US 1 North. Go North oon US 1 to SE 17th St. Turn right (east) and follow SE 17 St past Port Everglades, over the Intracoastal Bridge, through the residential section to (which will become A1A North) Hall of Fame Dr. Turn left one block to the Complex.

1. Arched Back Coaches often notice freestylers arching their backs, a crucial indication that their body isn’t in its most efficient position. Focus on keeping “your head, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles aligned.” Tightening your abdominal muscles will help prevent your back from bowing. 2. High Head Position Breaststrokers sometimes keep their heads raised during their recovery glide, causing drag and throwing off timing. To help correct this error, Coaches suggest doing one-pull-two-kicks breaststroke drill to encourage neutral head position during your glide. 3. Over-Rotation in Backstroke Coaches notice that...

As a swimmer, your body needs nutrients to fuel your performance. Which foods provide the nutrients required by your body? Fortunately, food companies are required by law to give you the facts on the foods you eat. However, it does take practice to understand these nutrition facts. Here are some tips to help you with the process: Ingredient list: Ingredients are listed in order by weight. The ingredient used in the greatest amount is listed first followed by those in smaller amounts. Try to limit foods where words like “sugar,”...

Congratulations to the following PST swimmers who were ranked in FGC - IMX Top 16 program for the 2010 short course and long course season. Chris Kohanyi - SCY 9 & under - ranked 14th / LCM ranked 6th Chloe Gerena - SCY 12 year olds - ranked 15th / LCM ranked 7th Hank Contich - SCY 12 year olds - ranked 16th Diego Avellaneda - LCM 9 & under - ranked 13th Abigal Fossa - LCM 10 year olds - ranked 3rd Taylor Cook - LCM 12 year olds...

Exercise Descriptions The exercises featured below may not need as much explanation as the one's contained in the videos, but they're every bit as important. Be sure to seek out any drills that address your specific problems areas, and incorporate them into your workouts. Upper Body Band Row: (Scapular retraction) Anchor a resistance band to a sturdy object in front of you, like a bannister, or squat rack. Move back until the band has a decent amount of tension when your arms are straight. With your knees slightly bent and...

Swim practice is naturally a pretty relaxed place that allows swimmers an opportunity to get comfortable with themselves learning and working on new technique. However, if you’re not used to competition, those early meets can be very intimidating and confidence-shaking. Now the swimmer has to deal with competitive pressures and has to worry about her time. On top of this, it’s very easy to get distracted by what all the other racers are doing and how fast they are going. The best way to handle this with your daughter is...

During the busy season, finding time to eat meals and snacks can be a challenge. Long training and practices don’t leave enough time to prepare or eat food. Tips: Don’t skip breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Establish a regular meal and snack schedule. In addition to breakfast, take time to plan, prepare, and eat healthful meals and snacks. Bring snacks with you to eat before practice and after school. Portable snacks include granola or energy bars, trail mix, crackers, juice boxes, fruit (fresh and dried)...