Weekly Update: New Season (Drill Videos)

Aquadawgs,

Thanks for another great week of swim practice!

First off, I would like to apologize for the craziness in beginner group on Tuesday. With new seasons you never know how the dynamic of your groups are going to change. On Tuesday we had 20 swimmers in beginner group with all different types of skill levels, it was a bit overwhelming. But after also seeing my intermediate group on Tuesday, I decided that would be a good place for a few of the more advanced beginners. When I move kids groups it not only depends on skill level and age but also sometimes the dynamic of the group. So after talking to parents, I moved a group of beginner kids up to the intermediate group. This helped a ton on Thursday evening out the groups. I believe now that everyone is in the right place. Please let me know if you have any other questions on this.

This week all of the groups worked on stroke technique for freestyle and backstroke.

Here a video of backstroke olympian Matt Grevers demonstrating double arm backstroke, a drill that all my swimmers worked on this week.


Matt Grevers Double Arm Backstroke from Fitter & Faster Swim Tour on Vimeo.

Here is another video demonstration of the "shark drill" that I worked on with my advanced swimmers.


Sharks Drill by Chloe Sutton from Fitter & Faster Swim Tour on Vimeo.

It is helpful to watch these professionals do the drills we work on so that swimmers can see it done perfectly. Also it helps swimmers know that I am not just making these up!

We have a swim meet coming up this Saturday (March 28th)! Please print the entry form off and bring it to me by Thursday (March 26th). The entry form can be found on the Aquadawg website or or here. The swim meet will be at our Ahwatukee/Foothills YMCA.

The dates for our swim meets this season are:

• March 28th
• April 25th
• May 16th 

All of the swim meets will be located at our Ahwatukee/Foothills YMCA.

Please stay in touch with the Aquadawgs this season!

1. Follow this blog! At the bottom of this webpage there is a entry bar where you can put your email. If you enter your email, every time I post something new it will notify you. 
2. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ymcaaquadawgs. 
3. Follow us on Instagram @ymcaaquadawgs
4. Feel free to email Coach Alisha: alisha.maxwell@vosymca.org. My email is now working and I will be checking it frequently.

Lastly, the women's NCAA DI Championships finished up this last week (Missy Franklin put on quite a performance) watch some of the highlight videos (link below).

http://www.ncaa.com/video/swimming-women/2015-03-21/di-womens-swimming-diving-california

Also previous swimmer for Desert Vista, Katie Olsen, who now swims for Stanford, was a part of the 400 Medley Relay team (breaststroker) that won and broke the American record at the NCAA DI Championships. Here is a video of the incredible finish.

http://www.gostanford.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?id=3832000

The men's NCAA DI Championship will start this week feel free to watch online or on TV on ESPN3 Friday and Saturday.

Thanks!

Coach Alisha

alisha.maxwell@vosymca.org

NEW SEASON: FAQ's

1. Where do I meet for swim practice?
• Swimmers are to meet me (Coach Alisha) on the pool deck 5-10 min before their practice starts. Parents are welcome to walk their children out and stay with them till practice begins. 
2. Are parents allowed to watch practice?
• Once practice begins parents are asked to please leave the pool deck. I do allow parents on the deck 5 min before practice starts and 5 min before practice ends, so that parents can drop off/ pick up their children. The pool decks get crowded and the lifeguards are responsible for the people in the pool and on the deck. It is also sometimes distracting to swimmers if they can see their parents. If there are special conditions or if you are uncomfortable with this please talk to me. 
3. When are swim meets?
• Our swim meets for this season will be March 28th, April 25th, and May 16th. Mark your calendars! All swim meets will be held at our YMCA.
4. What is the required swim gear and where do I buy it?
• Swimmers in the beginner and intermediate groups are required to have a kickboard, fins, goggles, and swim cap (girls only). Swimmers in the advanced and high school groups are required to have a kickboard, fins, pull buoy, goggles, and a swim cap (girls only). This swim gear is used frequently and very important for all swimmers to have. The best place to buy swim gear is swimoutlet.com. If you do not prefer online, kickboards, googles, and caps are usually fine to buy at a general sporting goods store. But good fins are hard to find in a sporting goods store and if you do find them they are usually overpriced. I would recommend buying these fins here or another pair like these. Those fins are a good price and they work great for practice. Please try to avoid buying the scuba like fins they do not work well for practice. If you have any more questions or concerns about fins please ask me. 
5. What bathrooms/locker rooms should my swimmer use?
• I would recommend that swimmers use the family locker rooms located at the north end of the pool deck. These locker rooms provide private bathrooms with showers and also private changing rooms. Sometimes in the men's/women's locker rooms adults are less conservative about dressing and undressing and this makes some children uncomfortable. 
6. Is the pool heated?
• Yes the pool is heated. It is always kept at ~80 degrees. 

Also a couple reminders...

• Please use the bathroom before practice. I understand that the little ones sometimes forget but I have also seen many swimmers use this as an excuse to get out of a hard practice. Because of this I get more strict as my swimmers get older. Almost none of my advanced/ high school swimmers should be getting out of practice to go to the bathroom. I understand there are emergencies and that is okay but I will not be regularly permitting multiple swimmers in those groups to go to the bathroom during practice.
• Please bring a water bottle. 

Currently my YMCA email is not working...I am working with YMCA tech support to get it fixed. So if you have any questions please email Deb at: djrothstein@vosymca.org. If I need to see the email she will forward it to my personal email. If you have emailed me over break I am sorry for not responding!

Thanks!

Coach Alisha 

2015 NEW SWIM SEASON: A step by step guide

1. Lets get registered for an AWESOME 2015 season. If you still need to register please contact the front desk. 
2. BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. I post on this blog at least once a week.
3. Practices start January 12th & 13th!
4. High School MON/WED/FRI 5:00-6:30pm
5. Beginner TUE/THURS 4:30-5:30pm
6. Intermediate TUE/THURS 5:30-6:30pm
7. Advanced TUE/THURS 6:30-8:00pm
8. Please go to the bathroom before practice!
9. Please use the FAMILY locker room.
10. Meet outside on the pool deck next to the lap pool.
11. Parents can walk swimmers out to the pool deck but need to leave the deck after practice starts. Parents may come out to the deck 5 min prior to the end of practice to pick up their swimmers. 
12. Remember to dress warm...it may be a new year but it is still winter!
13. "I promise the pool is HEATED". I swam many times over break and I was nice a warm :)
14. Bring your swim gear!
15. Swimmers need a...KICKBOARD (option1, option2, option3, option4), GOGGLES (option1, option2, option3), FINS (read more about my recommendations here, option1, option2, option3), WATER BOTTLE, SWIM CAP (girls only) (option1, option2, option3), and PULL BUOY (advanced/high school only) (option1, option2, option3).
    
    
    
16. All swim gear can be found at swimoutlet.com
17. When you get to practice make sure to introduce yourself to Coach Alisha. She likes to know all the names of her swimmers and who they belong to. 
18. If you have never met her before she looks like this...
    
19. Get excited! I miss all my swimmers and am very excited for a new season of FAST swimming.
20. Also this season we will have a new fluffy mascot joining us. Stay tuned for more details. :) 
    

Any questions or comments feel free to email me: alisha.maxwell@vosymca.org

Coach Alisha

Aquadawg Weekly Update: Fall/Winter Season

Welcome to our Aquadawg blog!

I will be posting weekly updates for the Aquadawgs and their families. These updates will include a recap on the week, things for parents and swimmers to think about, reminders about upcoming meets and events, and any other information I find might be helpful to you. If you are curious feel free to browse the blog and read some of the posts from last season.

Some general information about practices...

•  Practice Times

• Beginner Tue/Thurs 4:30-5:30 pm

• Intermediate Tue/Thurs 5:30-6:30 pm

• Advanced Tue/Thurs 6:30-8:00 pm

• Locker Rooms: Please have children (especially the beginner and intermediate swimmers) use the family locker rooms. These locker rooms offer private dressing areas and showers unlike the adult locker rooms. 

• Equipment: fins, goggles, kickboard, swim cap (girls only), mostly black swim suit for swim meets, and pull buoy (advanced only)

• Parents are not allowed on the pool deck during practice. This is due to our lifeguard ratio. The lifeguards are responsible for watching the people on the deck as well as the swimmers in the pool. I will allow parents on the deck 5 min at the start and end of practice to drop off and pick up their swimmers.

• Swimmers please remember to go to the bathroom BEFORE practice.

• ALL of the forms and the results for the swim meets will be posted on the Aquadawg website. Bookmark that page it is important to be able to access it. 

• Any questions, concerns or comments email Deb: djrothstein@vosymca.org. Deb will forward emails to me as necessary and I will respond. 

• Follow this blog by email! Scroll down to the very bottom of the page you see "follow by email". If you enter in your email and click "submit" your email will be notified every time I post something new on the blog. This is very useful and the best way to stay up to date on information.

• Follow the Aquadawgs on Instagram @ymcaaquadwags. Feel free to tag us in any of your Aquadawg photos.

I am so excited to be starting off another swim season. All of the groups are almost full! It is a wonderful feeling to be carrying this momentum into our fall/winter season.

I would like to let all parents and swimmers know that I will not be at practice on THURSDAY. I have an out of town funeral to attend so just know it is not normal for me to miss a practice. I believe that Coach Deb will be filling in for me, so all of the swimmers will be in good hands. 

The swimmers are off to a great start. All of my groups are full of motivated swimmers who act like they want to be there. On Tuesday, the groups worked on freestyle. The beginner group worked heavily on streamlines, blowing bubbles, rotating from side to side, and alternating side breathing every three strokes. The intermediate group worked on streamlines, rotating from side to side, alternating breathing every three strokes, and keeping their elbows high. The advanced group worked on rotating from side to side, alternating breathing every three strokes, high elbows, good body position, and learning how to incorporate good technique with speed. Next week, I look forward to working on some of the other strokes with the groups as well as dives and possibly turns with my older groups.

Our first swim meet is November 8th at the Ahwatukee YMCA, warm ups start at 7:00 am. The form for this meet will be linked on the Aquadawg website. The meet entry form is due to me by Thursday the 6th. Please mark those date on your calendar!

Thanks!

Coach Alisha

Weekly Update #6 Why You Should Sign Up For Another Swim Season

Aquadawgs!

Thanks for another great week of practice. After watching the swim meet and noticing some technical things that needed work, I decided to tone things down this week and really work on technique. The groups worked specifically on the following:

Beginner:

• Backstroke: 
• finishing on our back
• chin up, tummy up, toes up
• straight leg kicks
• Butterfly:
• using their whole body for the dolphin kick
• arms reaching up and over the water
• two hand touches

Intermediate:

• Butterfly:
• arms reaching up and over the water
• two hand touches
• Backstroke:
• rotating
• chin up, tummy up, toes up
• straight leg kicks
• flip-turns
• Breaststroke:
• glide!
• correct timing: pull, breathe, kick, glide
• hips up
• two hand touches
• Freestyle:
• Breathe every 3 strokes
• big kicks
• flip-turns
• IM:
• no flip turns

Advanced:

• Butterfly:
• arms reaching up and over the water
• two hand touches
• Backstroke:
• rotating
• chin up, tummy up, toes up
• straight leg kicks (no knees)
• flip-turns
• Breaststroke:
• glide!
• correct timing: pull, breathe, kick, glide
• hips up
• two hand touches
• pull outs
• Freestyle:
• Breathe every 3 strokes
• flip-turns
• IM:
• no flip turns
• Race Plan:
• Butterfly- good intensity, fast pace
• Backstroke- steady intensity, focus on the kicks
• Breaststroke- increase intensity, push hard
• Freestyle- all out, everything you have left
• Racing Technique:
• fast turnover
• big kicks
• plan only to take only a FEW breaths
• DO NOT breathe out of turn or start
• RACE!

This is a brief list so that hopefully parents can encourage these same things at swim meets and/or swimming on your own. Next week we will increase our intensity again.

As many of you know, there are 2 weeks left of our current season. Sign ups for next season are going on now! Next season is October 14-December 21. Sign up ASAP because spaces are limited. And if you are even a little hesitant to sign up... here is a list of why you should sign up for another swim season.

1. The pool is HEATED
2. Year long tan
3. Coach Alisha will be there
4. Nothing feels better when its cold outside than jumping into a warm pool
5. Swimming is a year round sport
6. Stay friends with your teammates
7. Stay in shape
8. Be able to eat whatever you want during the holidays
9. The TURKEY swim (find out what this is when Thanksgiving gets closer)
10. Swim Meets! (More ribbons, trophies, and high points)
11. Parkas
12. Aquadawg Hoodies!
13. Learn how to balance school and extra curricular 
14. Keep your swimming technique strong
15. To get FASTER
16. Competition
17. Achieve your goals
18. It is great cross training for other sports
19. More blog posts and swim tips
20. Swimming is the best sport!

I hope to see lots of our swimmers continuing on!

Coach Alisha

Aquadawg Weekly Update #1 New Season

Welcome to our new Aquadawg blog I am planning on posting weekly updates for the Aquadawgs and their families. These updates will include a recap on the week, things for parents and swimmers to think about, reminders about upcoming meets and events, and any other information I find might be helpful to you.

I am so excited to be starting off another swim season. Our groups are full—we have even added a 2^nd beginner group! It is a wonderful feeling to be carrying this momentum into our fall season.

As we go into this fall season I have been reading some articles about the mental benefits of swimming. I understand that swimming during the school year can be stressful to balance with young athletes. But I would encourage parents and swimmers to come as much as possible. Swimming is not only good for your body but also your mind. It releases stress and endorphins, which can help you, concentrate better. It also is a lifelong skill to learn to balance school and extra curricular activities.

I wish all of the swimmers a successful year in school as well as a successful swimming season.

This week we had a bit of a rough start with Mother Nature. Our beginner group was lucky enough to get through both practices this week but unfortunately intermediate and advanced were cancelled Tuesday night. Thank you to all the parents for coming to pick up their kids in a timely fashion after the storm hit and for being understanding. There will be no make-up for Tuesdays practice but if the weather continues to be a problem in the coming weeks we may change that.

Besides the weather, the swimmers are off to a great start. All of my groups are full of motivated swimmers who act like they want to be there. This week all of the groups worked on freestyle. The beginner group worked heavily on streamlines, blowing bubbles, rotating from side to side, and alternating side breathing every three strokes. The intermediate group worked on streamlines, rotating from side to side, alternating breathing every three strokes, and keeping their elbows high. The advanced group worked on rotating from side to side, alternating breathing every three strokes, high elbows, good body position, and learning how to incorporate good technique with speed. Next week, I look forward to working on some of the other strokes with the groups as well as dives and possibly turns with my older groups.

A reminder our first swim meet is August 23 at the Ahwatukee YMCA, warm ups start at 7:00 am. The form for this meet is linked on the Aquadawgs website homepage. The meet entry form is due to your coach by Thursday the 21^st. I would like ALL of our swimmers to attend this meet if possible. This is a wonderful first meet for those who are new to swimming, as well as our more experienced swimmers. It is a great time to come out swim fast and support your teammates. It would be wonderful to see our team in full force at this first meet.

As I have briefly mentioned to some parents and swimmers, Deb and I want to start recognizing swimmers who are excelling. We are not looking for the fastest or the best swimmer, but someone who is good at taking direction, working hard, a good leader, and a good teammate. This swimmer(s) will be recognized at practice or the swim meet. We will be on the lookout for these outstanding swimmers in the coming weeks.

Any question, concerns or comments email Deb: djrothstein@vosymca.org

Thanks!

Coach Alisha