Swim Meets

Today was a beautiful day to be outside, so this morning I watched Niece #2 play in a softball tournament. Not to brag any, but she plays a mean third base and is quite competent at either end of the battery as well. After the game, I just had to stay outdoors so I visited my favorite walking park for a quick hike. My lucky day! The outdoor aquatic facility was hosting a swim meet so I had to stop and watch for a while. Long course swim meets happen in the Spring and this one was no exception. Long course distances are 50-meters per lap whereas short course distances are only 25-yards/meters per lap; consequently, short course times are usually faster with swimmers taking advantage of more flip turns and underwater (dolphin-kick) time. Olympic competitions are always held as long course. If you are interested in swimming, by all means attend a swim meet! Though often deemed organized chaos, meets are interesting, entertaining, usually free, and most always in need of volunteers. One of my favorite 'volunteer jobs' is that of a timer. If you are recruited to time, enjoy the front row seat, complimentary drinks and snacks, and shade! Someone will give you a crash course in timing and by the end of the day you'll be an expert.

Jobs!

Summer jobs for teens may be hard to come by this year, but if your teen swims, and you live close to a water park or pool, now's the time to apply! Waterparks (such as Soak City and Raging Waters) need lots of employees, especially lifeguards. Hiring age is usually 16 and the parks provide free training which will result in certification and employment. Ellis often trains for waterparks while municipal pool lifeguards usually complete Red Cross Certification. Be prepared. Your teen swimmer should take the time to read the requirements (to become a certified lifeguard) then apply! Remember, you don't have to be the fastest swimmer on the high school swim team to become a lifeguard. The techniques used to save a swimmer in distress are specialized and learning them will promote self-confidence and self-esteem in your teen (in addition to monetary compensation;) Waterparks are wonderful training grounds for first-year lifeguards, but if your teen prefers to work at a municipal pool, completing a RedCross lifeguarding class is an option. Municipal pools usually pay higher wages than waterparks too. In addition, completion of a WSI (Water Safety Instruction) course and reaching age 17 will qualify your lifeguard to teach swim classes (higher pay scale). Training is often available through your local pool. SIGN UP! (And start searching the job listings too!)

A Touch of Gold

I would like to share a story from the Long Beach Press-Telegram. This story happens to be about Michael Phelps and a young swimmer from Long Beach, CA, but also speaks to the power that we all carry. Well-placed words of encouragement can change lives...

A Touch of Gold

By David Loveless
Special to the Press Telegram
Article Launched: 08/21/2008 11:05:26 PM PDT


(Editor's Note: Reader and father David Loveless sent in this article he wrote about his daughter and Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps, to show another side of the champion.)

I want to share the power and influence that a few spoken words by the world's greatest athlete had on my daughter, Alexandria Loveless.

Four years ago, Long Beach hosted the U.S. Olympic Swim Team trials. It was Ally's fourth- to fifth-grade summer. I had told her that I wouldn't let her join a seriously competitive club or team until she was in middle school because I didn't want her to burn out on a sport as I had seen with many other children when they reach high school.

From second to sixth grade, she participated in almost every type of sport through the wonderful Long Beach Parks and Recreation department.

On one of the days while the 2004 Olympic Swim Trials were being held, Ally went with friends to the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool for open recreational swim. When I picked her up that afternoon, she excitedly exclaimed that she had met Michael Phelps and that he had been at the pool working out. I asked her if she was sure it was Michael, and she said she was positive.

She added that she didn't know why she had her camera with her that day, but she did and she had a friend take her photo with him. Every year since then, she has kept this treasured photo in her school binder.

I said, "I hope you didn't interrupt him," to which she replied, "No, Daddy, he came up and talked to me!"

OK, it didn't really seem possible that this great swimmer would approach my little daughter and me being a protective father, I wanted to know exactly what had happened.

She explained that she could see Michael watching her swim laps as he rested between sets in his workout. When she got out of the pool, he walked over to her and said that he had been watching her and that she has a "very powerful stroke" and that if she works hard that "maybe someday she could become an Olympian."

Imagine the world's greatest athlete taking the time to encourage an 11-year-old girl that was only swimming recreationally.

Of course, Ally said she had to ask him if she could take a picture with him. What else is a girl to do?

He helped create a dream for Ally with a few spoken words and a moment of his valuable time. Maybe that is why to this day that I have never had to remind her about her water polo practice schedule. This summer, she practiced as much as 8 to 9 hours a day while she participated on four different teams and trained in Europe for 3 weeks with USC Head Coach Jovan Vavic's Trojan WPC for the Junior Olympics.

Now that Ally, who just turned 14, will become a freshman at Wilson High School, she likes to tease one of her coaches at LB Shore Aquatics - Robert Lynn, Assistant Coach, USA Men's Water Polo - by saying she will break all of his Wilson High swim records. Robert just smiles and says that she'd better plan on working hard. She smiles back and states that she's already had someone tell her to "work hard."

Michael Phelps is not only going to grow the sport of competitive swimming, he will provide inspiration and hope to other athletes as well - like my daughter.

And he doesn't do it for himself, he does it for them. That's another reason why he is the world's greatest athlete.

I hope he knows the powerful effect his words have and how much it is appreciated. Kind, encouraging words matter!

Practice, Practice, Practice

Every child is different (thank goodness;) Some are very competitive and want to swim every day; others like to compete, but may not want to practice. So once a swim team member, how much swimming is too much?

For younger children, a few days per week is plenty. Make certain your swimmer gets plenty of sleep and nutritious food too. At this age, the goal should be to improve technique, and enjoy the sport.

Know your child. As preteens become more independent, they may resist going to practices. Forcing them to attend can be counter-productive. Negotiate and allow them to be a part of the decision-making process. Perhaps they like to swim a certain stroke or distance at swim meets or prefer water polo to racing. Allowing them to choose may magically improve a bad attitude. Being an overzealous, demanding parent can destroy your swimmer’s desire to swim...so resist the temptation! Keep children interested during the tough years. It will definitely pay off later.

Olympic medals go to talented, self-motivated, dedicated swimmers. Fortunately, the sport of swimming has much more to offer than just gold, silver, and bronze.

French Toast

An INCREDIBLY EXCITING Men's 4 x 100 Relay at the 2008 Olympics:
USA:Gold
France:Silver
We thank France for their encouragement;)

Earthquake 7.29.08

Just yesterday, Southern California had it’s first significant earthquake in 14 years. The epicenter was within 15 miles of my home. Though only moderate in magnitude, the close proximity made it almost as memorable as Sylmar (1971), Whittier (1987), and Northridge (1994). The common denominator with significant earthquakes in our area is that before the shaking stops, you know if it’s “big somewhere.”

My son (an instructor lifeguard) was teaching at the city pool when the Chino Hills Earthquake started. The magnitude wasn’t high enough to create waves so the swimmers didn’t immediately realize what was happening. My son said that his first clue was the emptying of the bleachers. Some parents ran to the water for their childen; others left the facility without their children; but the definite E-ticket ride of the day was the lifeguard tower. It whipped back and forth holding a terrified lifeguard (with white knuckles) in it’s grip.

The Four Competitive Swim Strokes...

...and the importance of learning to swim correctly...

Before your children ever join a swim team or become competitive swimmers, make certain they have been taught all four competitive strokes. A beginning swimmer should not be concerned with speed or even endurance...those qualities will come later. Correct execution of each swim stroke creates the best foundation for future competitors. Good instructors want "pretty" rather than "fast". My son is an instructor guard and the mantra for his students is "Give Me Purdy!"

The Four Competitive Swim Strokes are:

Butterfly, Backcrawl (Backstroke), Breaststroke, Freestyle (swimmer's choice but usually the Frontcrawl because it is the fastest stroke). Events for these strokes are 50m, 100m and 200m. Freestyle events include 50m, 100, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m.

The IM (Individual Medley) is swimming each stroke in succession. The order is Fly, Back, Breast and Free. Events are 100m, 200m, and 400m.

Relays are as follows:

4 x 50m Freestyle and Medley
4 x 100m Freestyle and Medley
4 x 200m Freestyle

The order of the Medley Relays are Backcrawl, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Freestyle. A relay starts with the Backcrawl because the first swimmer begins the race in the water. Each swimmer thereafter dives into the water when the preceding swimmer touches the wall.

The Frontcrawl is the fastest stroke and the easiest. The Breaststroke is the slowest stroke. The Butterfly and Backcrawl are sometimes difficult for beginning swimmers to master.

Flip turns at the wall can be used (legally) with the frontcrawl and backcrawl. When swimming the Butterfly and Breaststroke, both hands must touch the wall during the turn or the swimmer will be disqualified from the race. No flip turns are allowed with those strokes.