Coaches Note 5-11-2010
We wanted to kick off this week’s note with a HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in last Friday’s Swim-a-thon. It was a fantastic event, with tons of swimmers swimming much farther than they thought possible. Way to go swimmers!
Remember, to get your money in ASAP; you have another week or so to collect the funds, and even get more donations if you want to! If you didn’t get a chance to swim, talk to either Kevin or Keddy and they’ll set up a time for you to make up your laps.
A big thank you to Toni Endebrock and Andrea Christie who organized the event—we couldn’t have done it with you. Thanks again to all who participated and helped out. Here are the events coming up:
Swim Meets this Weekend: Pac Coast and Neptune Invitational
Our senior swimmers will be piling into vans and driving to Seattle for a huge invitational meet at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center. This is one of the largest meet in the northwest, and we’ll be sending 22 swimmers over for the first long course meters meet of the year. To follow live results from the meet, please click here.
Meanwhile, 10 swimmers will head on down to Lewiston for the Neptune Invitational, for the first outdoor long course meter meet of the year. Make sure you are sending good thoughts to all of our athletes this weekend as we are off to the races.
Remember, because of these events, there will be no practice on either Friday or Saturday.
Spokane Waves Aquatic Team “BIG SPLASH” Annual Awards Banquet—Tuesday, May 25
Save the date for our annual awards banquet. Click here for all of the information; don’t miss this awesome event. There will be prizes….
Long Course Developmental Meet—Friday, May 21: Witter Pool
Spokane Area Swimming has graciously invited us to attend a Long Course Developmental Meet down at Witter Pool on Friday, May 21. This is an incredible opportunity for all our swimmers to get some long course meters experience; if this is your first time, it’s a great chance to test out a long course pool. Plus, it’s a great chance to check out the newly remodeled Witter Pool. Click here to sign up and read all about it. Remember—this will be a rain or shine, warm or cold event, so be prepared for spring weather in Spokane!
Training Tip of the Week: Wide Catch-up Drill
BY KELSEY SAVAGE HAYS//Correspondent
Brian Brown, head coach of Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics, perfects the standard catch-up drill to take efficient arm technique to the next level.
In regular catch-up freestyle, a swimmer touches his hands together underwater (just in front of his head) between each pull. While the drill is intended to help swimmers develop a superior catch, those performing it put their hands too close to the centerline of their body—making their pull too narrow or requiring their hands to scull outwards before beginning the pull. Instead, swimmers can adjust the drill by letting their hands pull even, but not touch, before starting the next arm swing. This maintains a high elbow and begins each stroke with an efficient, wide-hand position.
Once his swimmers have mastered wide catch-up, Coach Brown adds a second version, called Elbow-Over-Ear Catch-up. In this alternative, the swimmer starts pulling when the active hand is even with his ear. It has a faster tempo than wide catch-up, but still focuses on body position and emphasizes high elbows.
A Catch-Up Drill Set
Swim 10x50 freestyle. On the first third of each 50, perform coach Brown’s wide catch-up drill; on the second third, practice elbow-over-ear catch-up. The final segment should be swum at race pace, focused on keeping elbows high and catching the maximum amount of water with each arm swing.
Have a great week!
Kevin & Keddy
