Conference Week Information

The tremendous work that this team has been doing all season long culminates in one of these last two meets, and for many that meet is this weeks Conference Championship. The beauty of swimming and diving, is that improvement is so easily seen in times and scores. All swimmers, no matter their ability level, share one common goal - to have their fastest swims (and for divers, best dives) at their final championship meet, no matter if that championship is an age group conference meet, a state championship, a national championship, or the Olympics. All of the meets before these championship meets are merely measuring sticks of the progress that is being made.

I can't wait to see the hard work that these guys have put in pay off this week and at State.

CONFERENCE WEEK

Practice Times

• Monday & Tuesday -  Normal practice time. Conference athletes (those not qualified as individuals for state) will be done around 5:30

• Wednesday, February 25 - Haircut Day after practice. Though this tradition has changed due to the retirement of Coach Klaasen, there are positives that come with it.
• We will do our haircuts at the pool in the locker room.
• Some extra clippers would be helpful
• We should be able to finish this up by 6:30.

• Thursday, February 26th - VERY IMPORTANT SCHEDULING INFO.
• 2:45 - 3:45 Conference swimmers should work on homework at school or in the pool lobby.
• 3:30 - State swimmers will start practice at their normal time.
• 4:00 - Conference swimmers can use clippers etc. to clip any long hair. 
• Unfortunately, due to a facility policy, swimmers are no longer allowed to shave down at the facility. 
• I am planning that swimmers will shave at home but working on an alternative plan.
• 4:30 - Conference Swimmers will begin practice.
• 4:30 - Divers begin practice
• 5:45 - All practices will be done.
• 6:15 - Pasta will be at the Faith Church Fellowship Room
• Parents - Note the time change.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SHAVE DOWN - Shaving is required for ALL SWIMMERS. The shave down is as much about a psychological boost as it is about removing hair. The feel  that a swimmer gains from shaving (caused by the removal of a small layer of skin) gives a psychological boost that is hard to explain. Arms, legs, and chest and back should all be shaved. 

Here is a short article on the benefits of shaving and the ways parents can help.

Here is a great article about the do's and don'ts with helpful hints for the shave down.

• Friday, Feb 27 - Swimming Prelims at Hamilton
• Divers will be dismissed at 11:00am and can grab some lunch before heading to Hamilton.
• Diving warmup begins at 12:00. (stands open at 1:30)
• Swimmers will be dismissed after 7th hour and head to coaches house for lunch.
• Make sure to check with 8th hour teachers so that homework can be taken care of.
• Swimmers will head to the pool to get on the bus at 2:35.
• Brandon, Jake, and Curtis will be the exception on this because of they live in Hamilton.
• Swimmers will depart by bus from the pool at 2:50
• Drag suits and tights should be with them for part of warm up.
• Competition starts at 5:00pm (stands open at 3:30)
• Prelims should wrap up around 7:30 or 8:00 and will need to have planned transportation home.

• Saturday, Feb 28 - Swimming and Diving Finals at the Hamilton 
• Make sure to eat a high carb breakfast. Especially complex carbs like oatmeal, etc.
• Swimmers and Divers will need to have their own transportation to Hamilton
• Athletes should be on deck at Hamilton by 10:10
• Drag suits and tights should be with them for part of warm up.
• The post practice snack box and water bottles will be with us to help during the meet.
• Competition starts at 12:00pm (stands open at 10:30).

• Tuesday, March 3rd - Second Shave meet at Holland Aquatic Center
• In the past, this has been an optional meet. After several seasons of thought, I've decided that I'd like the entire team to swim this one. It gives athletes a chance to swim some events that they did not get to swim at the Conference meet. This means one ore practice day and one more meet day while fully tapered.
• I need to know what event(s) each swimmer wants to participate in by Monday morning, March 2.

State Information will be in next weeks blog entry, but the meet starts at noon both Friday, March 13th and Saturday, March 14th  at Oakland University.