The Road to Nationals - Peter Vanderkaay Courtesy of Swimnetwork.com The Stats: Name: Peter Vanderkaay Age: 26 (February 12, 1984) Club: Club Wolverine Distance to the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships: 2,240 miles Training and Travel Snap Shot: Favorite Training Set: Likes to change it up to keep it interesting and introduce new challenges Least Favorite Training Set: No one in particular Swimming Road Trip Must-Have Item: The essentials – swimsuit, cap, goggles and PowerBars Favorite Swimming Road Trip: First time at summer Nationals in 2001 because after the meet, which...

Are red eyes after swimming a concern? Red or puffy eyes after a long day of swimming in a pool may indicate chlorine sensitivity. Ponds and lakes also may contain bacteria that can inflame the cornea. To prevent red or puffy eyes, have your child wear goggles. To ease discomfort and reduce redness after swimming, rinse your child's eyes with a sterile eyewash or an artificial tears solution.

What does the coach mean when he/she says that you control 80% of your own training? At this stage it is important for the athlete to take full responsibility for your sport. Your coach is just reinforcing this concept. Having a good attitude, developing proper time management, and demonstrating a strong work ethic are important both in and out of the practice and competition. What coach is referring to is what we call “hidden training factors.” You are in control of what you eat, how much sleep you get, your...

Let's Talk about Sportsmanship Talking About Sportsmanship FOR AGES: Six and up THE SCENE Eight-year-old Alissa's soccer team is just about to lose its big game when you see her shove one of her opponents. The referee removes her from the game, and she sits sulking on the sidelines. It's always upsetting to see your child behave like a bad sport. But you can turn these incidents into conversations about good sportsmanship. Give your child some time to cool off and then approach the subject in a neutral way. THE...

Courtesy of Swimnetwork.com ConocoPhillips presents The Road to Nationals, a year-long series in which Swimnetwork will follow National Teamers from January onwards as they look forward to the summer's biggest meet: the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships. The Stats: Name: Ariana Kukors Age: 21 (June 1, 1989) Club: Fullerton Aquatics Sport Team (FAST) Distance to the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships: 15 miles Training and Travel Snap Shot: Favorite Training Set: In preparation for going out strong in a 400 IM and building confidence, Kukors does three to six rounds of 200-freestyle...

It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Teaching Good Sportsmanship Danger Zone Here are some comments not to tell your teen: “You've got to play your best; it's the championship, and the team's counting on you.” “If you play well, we'll be so proud of you.” “I've got ten bucks riding on you getting a home run.” One danger of playing competitive sports is that kids begin to think that if they don't win, they're failures. (Some coaches reinforce this philosophy.) This is obviously a recipe for major disappointment. From...

Coral Springs Invitational June 24 – 27, 2010 Thursday, June 24, 2010 - Events # 1 thru 10 · Session I: Warm-up: Timed Finals - 3:30 p.m. Friday, June 25, 2010 - Events # 11 thru 50 · Session II: Prelims, Warm-up: 7:00 a.m. · Session III: Finals, Warm-up: 3:50 p.m. Saturday, June 26, 2010 - Events # 51 thru 92 · Session IV: Prelims, Warm-up: 7:00 a.m. · Session V: Finals, Warm-up: 3:50 p.m. Sunday, June 27, 2010 - Events # 93 thru 124 · Session VI: Prelims, Warm-up:...

Realistic Goals and Fun Keep Kids in Sports 20 million kids register each year for youth hockey, football, baseball, soccer, and other competitive sports. The National Alliance for Sports reports that 70 percent of these kids quit playing these league sports by age 13. They never play them again. According to Michael Pfahl, executive director of the National Youth Sports Coaches Association, "The number one reason [why they quit] is that it stopped being fun." With figures like these, it's time we rethink how we present youth sports to kids....

The next PST Booster Club meeting is Wednesday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. at Central Park, upstairs in Room 2. Parents of swimmers are encouraged to attend the meeting. The sole purpose of the Booster Club is to make the swimming experience more fun for the swimmers and their parents. They develop and plan activities for the kids that will help boost our team spirit and involve every family. The Booster Club meetings are open to all parents. We need 100% involvement from all families to be successful. We want...

About Swimmer's Ear Otitis externa — commonly known as swimmer's ear — is an infection of the ear canal, the tubular opening that carries sounds from the outside of the body to the eardrum. It can be caused by many different types of bacteria or fungi. The infection commonly occurs in kids who spend a lot of time in the water. Too much moisture in the ear can irritate and break down the skin in the canal, allowing bacteria or fungi to penetrate. In temperate climates, otitis externa occurs more...