Week 13 - Conference Week!

I've said it to many of you over the course of the season that this has been one of the hardest working teams I've had. The gobble up any workout I throw at them. 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 24 - Haircut Day after practice. 
• 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 25
• VERY IMPORTANT SCHEDULING INFO.
• 2:45 - 4:15 Conference swimmers should work on homework at school or in the pool lobby.
• 3:20 - 4:30 Band Festival 
• 3:30 - State swimmers will start practice at their normal time.
• 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 high school Cafeteria
• 6:45 - Shave down in the high school Locker room.
• 8:00 - Out of the school
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.

Conference Meet @ Zeeland February 26 & 27
Below is basic time information. I will get more specific information out as the meet gets closer.

• Prelims on Friday, February 26 
• Divers will be dismissed after 3rd Period (10:55)
• Grab some food
• Divers should be on deck by 11:50
• Diving warm-ups 12:00 p.m. 
• Stands Open 1:30 
• Diving Preliminaries and Semi-Finals 2:00 p.m. 
• Swimmers will be dismissed after 7th Period (1:55)
• Grab some food
• Swimmers should be on deck at Zeeland West by 3:15
• Swimming warm-ups 3:30 p.m. 
• Stands Open 3:30 
• Swimming Preliminaries begin 5:00 p.m. 

• Finals on Saturday, February 27 
• Swimmers and divers should be on deck by 10:15
• Swimming & Diving warm-ups 10:00 a.m. 
• Stands Open 10:30 
• FINALS BEGIN (Swimming & Diving) 12:00 p.m.

LOOKING AHEAD
Second Chance Meet Hosted by Holland - Tuesday, March 1
The entire team to swim this meet. This will be a final meet for some, but it gives athletes a chance to swim events that they did not get to swim at the Conference meet. This means one more practice day and one more meet day while fully tapered.

Diving Regionals - March 3 @ East Grand Rapids 
Details to come later.

State Meet - March 11 & 12 at Eastern Michigan University
Swimmers leave Thursday at 4:00.
Prelims and finals start at 12:00 each day.

Team Banquet - March 21 at Providence Church (Details to come)