FAQs for the day! Q: Some days he likes to just play with his friends. Should I force him to go to practice? A: You should not force your child; you want his participation to be his decision. Reinforce the choices and decisions he has made to start swimming. For example, your son chose to go to practice on Tuesday and Thursdays, on other days he has the freedom to do other activities. As a parent, explain your expectation that he fulfill the commitment he made by joining the team....

Have you ever stayed in a pool or bathtub so long that your fingers got wrinkly? This is normal — and can even affect your toes. But why does it happen? Even though you can't see it, your skin is covered with its own special oil called sebum (say: see-bum). Sebum is found on the outermost layer of skin. Sebum moistens, or lubricates (say: loo-bruh-kaytes), and protects your skin. It also makes your skin a bit waterproof. That's why water runs off your skin when you wash your hands, instead...

FAQs for the day Q: Shouldn't my child be swimming more laps instead of doing all those drills? A: Your child needs to develop a solid foundation in stroke mechanics. Drills and drill sets serve the specific purpose of teaching skills and fundamentals. Drills develop motor coordination, motor skills, and balance. In fact, your child’s coach may prescribe a particular drill, just for your child, in order to improve a part of her stroke. In addition, she may actually be experiencing a “training” benefit from drills. Drills require concentration and...

FUELING YOUR STROKE Six 200’s descending on five minutes. Twenty-five 50’s on :58. Whatever your “favorite,” every set during every workout and dryland session requires energy. Nutrients are the “chemicals” that supply the body with energy. Carbohydrate, protein and fat supply energy in the form of calories. These are your “Energy-Yielding Nutrients.” Vitamins, Minerals and Water don’t supply energy in the form of calories, but their presence is required in order for the body to access the energy provided by carbohydrate, protein and fat. During exercise, the body gets its...

Courtesy of the Nemours Foundation The weather is warming up, the days are longer and there’s more time to be outside doing all kinds of fun things! But if you're going to be out in the sun, especially on a hot day, you need to stay safe. Let's find out how. Don't Feel the Burn Even though the sun is hot, it does cool things. It keeps us warm. It makes flowers and plants grow. It even gives us vitamin D so we can better absorb calcium into our bodies...

How to Be a Good Sport Courtesy of The Nemours Foundation "No fair!" "You cheated!" "It wasn't my fault we lost!" Have you ever played on a team with somebody who hated to lose? Or maybe you have a tough time if you lose anything — even a game of tic-tac-toe. Some kids find it extra-hard to lose, but everyone needs to learn how to do it. Learning to lose without losing your cool is a skill, like learning to ride a bike. You might not be able to do...

PST Entries Events 1-6 Friday June 18 Warm up @ 5pm Events 7-24 Saturday June 19 Warm up @ 7am Events 25-42 Saturday June 19 Warm up @ 12:30pm Directions to Academic Village : Take I-75 South to Sheridan and head West. Make a right at 172nd, pool will be on your right. The address is 17191 Sheridan St . , Pembroke Pines , FL , 33029

FAQs for the day Q: My son complains that some of the kids in the lane skip laps. He doesn't think that's fair. What should I tell him? A: Praise him first for completing the workout the coach offers. Remind him that he is there to improve his own swimming and he can’t control what his teammates do. Tell him however, that his best course of action is to continue to do things right and others may actually be influenced by his good example. By committing to do his best...

What Would You Say to Save Swimming? by: Mike Gustafson, Senior Analyst Courtesy of Swimnetwork.com I woke up this morning to an email from a Swimnetwork reader regarding an interesting and unfortunate predicament: This reader's high school program is being eliminated. In a few days she will travel back to her hometown to speak in front of the school board addressing this issue. She asked me what to say if I were in her position, standing in front of a somber group of adults faced with a budget crisis and...

FAQs Q: My daughter's coach makes her sit on the side of the pool. What's that teaching her? A: The coach has set up expectations of proper behavior both in and out of the water. Hopefully, your child is aware of the consequences of testing these boundaries. Obviously the coach is reinforcing what is expected of the children at practice. We encourage you to reinforce the coach's practice expectations by discussing your child’s behavior and the consequences of that behavior. Hopefully, this “time out” begins to reinforce self-discipline, accountability and...