The technical rules of swimming are designed to provide fair and equitable conditions of competition and to promote uniformity in the sport. Each swimming stroke has specific rules designed to ensure that no swimmer gets an unfair competitive advantage over another swimmer. Trained officials observe the swimmers during each event to ensure compliance with these technical rules. If a swimmer commits an infraction of the rules that is observed by an officIal, a disqualification (DQ) will result. This means that the swimmer will not receive an official time and will...

Q: Should my child begin setting goals? A: Of course! Everyone should set goals. In fact, most kids have already set goals. As adults, however, we must remember that kids are not simply little versions of us and are not going to set the same types of goals as adults. One developmental difference is that children lack the cognitive ability to distinguish time and are also very concrete thinkers. Therefore, setting long-term goals often doesn’t provide the motivation for kids that it does for adults. Kids want results today. With...

Memorial Services for Jodi Hochdorf Gross Aug 22, 2010 Memorial services for Jodi will be held on Sunday, August 22 nd at 2:15pm at the Star of David Memorial Gardens chapel in North Lauderdale. Graveside services immediately follow. The address for the Memorial Gardens is 7701 Bailey Road, North Lauderdale, FL 33068. 954-722-9000. Directions to Star of David from Cooper City: North on Turnpike, exit Commercial Boulevard West to Rock Island Road North, to Bailey Road, left. Memorial Gardens will be on your right. The family requests that in lieu...

Q: My son has set some great goals but I am not sure if the coach is aware of them. A: Ask your son if he developed the goals with his coach. You might find that the coach actually helped your son set these goals. This is the beginning of your son learning to take risks and responsibility for his swimming. Encourage his goal to be “SMART”. - Specific: tells the athlete what to do - Measurable: able to measure and record progress - Attainable: athlete can experience success -...

Swim Meet Basics Swim meets are a great family experience. They're a place where the whole family can spend time together. Listed below are some very in-depth guidelines geared to help you through your first couple of swim meets. It may seem a little overwhelming, but we tried to be as specific and as detailed as we possibly could. If you have any questions, please ask your coach. BEFORE THE MEET STARTS Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time begins. This time will be...

Knee Pain The knee is made up of bones, cartilage (or menisci) that lie between the knee and the bones of the lower leg, ligaments that run along the inside and outside part of the knee (medial and lateral collateral ligaments), and ligaments that cross the inside of the knee (anterior (ACL) and posterior (PCL) cruciate ligaments). Injury to any of these structures can cause knee pain. It is very common for children to complain of knee pain, especially adolescents that are active in sports. If your child has knee...

Eating Disorders Anorexia nervosa is a common eating disorder that usually begins at the age of fourteen or fifteen, with another peak in incidence in eighteen year olds. It is more common in adolescent girls (affecting almost 1% of adolescent females), but it is also found in boys and its incidence has been increasing. Anorexia causes an overwhelming fear of being overweight and a drive to be thin, leading to a restriction of calories that can lead to being underweight. Teens with anorexia may also have bulimia nervosa, with a...

Q: My child gets so nervous before a competition. Is this natural? What can I do to help her reduce this competitive pressure/stress. A: To a degree, nervousness is part of the competitive experience and can be used as an opportunity to teach the young athlete specific strategies or skills to help her manage this arousal or nervousness. A simple skill that young athletes can learn to help manage the “butterflies in their stomachs” is belly breathing. The athlete is taught to take slow, deep breaths into her belly, hold...

No matter what type of physical activity you do, you should always be sure to drink plenty of water — before you start, during the activity, and after you're done, even if you don't feel thirsty Fuel Up for Fun Whether you hit the court, the field, the track, the rink, or your back yard to get some physical activity, you'll need some fuel to keep you going! Here are some great snacks to munch on to keep your body movin' and your stomach silent: Fresh veggies like carrots and...

I know the mental aspect of swimming is important. Should my child be using mental skills, or is she too young? A: If we equate mental skills with physical skills, as we should, this question becomes easier to answer. Just as there are certain physical skills that a young swimmer is not physically, developmentally, or cognitively ready for, there are also mental skills he is not ready to learn. But, on the flip side, there are basic mental skills young athletes can be taught at this level. It is great...