Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of coaching at the New England 14 and Under Championship Meet at Harvard University. The crew that was there represented the best of our young swimmers! I was interested in the differences between a championship meet like this one and all of the other meets we go to during the year. There was definitely a lot more energy from all of the kids at the meet. Anyone who had qualified was fired up to race fast for their team and for themselves. It created an atmosphere of excellence and focus enhanced by challenging competition.
I think that what makes kids successful at this level is a combination of things. First and foremost is preparation. As those GMA athletes who attended the meet know, there is no substitute for the confidence you get knowing that you are prepared well and capable of doing your best. That part is huge and the GMA workouts are carefully planned to ensure just that. That confidence is key in sustaining the mood and tempo of the meet.
If you set a goal to achieve championship cut times, it is important to assume you will be at the meet and train accordingly. It is not enough just to get there…you have to be ready to race fast when you arrive! We see a lot of athletes who work to achieve the qualifying standard only to be overwhelmed when they actually arrive at the meet and find they are in the first heat. What can take that athlete to further success?
It’s fun to win at regional and Jenny Thompson meets but what gives meaning to a race swum in heat one of champs with maybe only four other kids? That is the power of effective goal setting and daily reflection on the goals. As athletes, it is critical to keep the hard work you do relevant. It is critical to imagine swimming at the championship meet, no matter your seed and using the opportunity to become a better racer. It is critical to have more practice warming up properly, swimming in a long course pool, and navigating the always crowded, sometimes painful open warm-up with 30 kids in your lane. It’s critical to ALWAYS maximize your experiences. With this focus, it is inevitable that you will find a reason to go fast, improve your time, improve your seed and make you a better racer. If you are a better racer, then you will go faster. It is a very simple formula.
During warm-up each day it was incredibly crowded in our lane. Our polite GMA athletes were kindly stopping to let people go by and stopping three yards from the wall when a gang of kids from another team was hanging on in their way. Part of the tone and attitude of the meet is confidence and getting better at the championship experience. I talked to the kids and reminded them that they deserves a good warm-up and while I don’t suggest being rude or mean, they needed to take care of business! If the other kids in the lane aren’t willing to move, flip turn anyway! Act like you belong there, warm up like a champion and prepare your body to race fast. By the end of the meet they were weaving through the lane cloggers during warm-up like the dedicated athletes they are!
I was proud to watch our young, inexperienced kids bond, strengthen and learn this weekend. They went to Harvard as a group of qualifiers and left as a Championship team! Great job GMA!
- Coach Eileen Hall
I think that what makes kids successful at this level is a combination of things. First and foremost is preparation. As those GMA athletes who attended the meet know, there is no substitute for the confidence you get knowing that you are prepared well and capable of doing your best. That part is huge and the GMA workouts are carefully planned to ensure just that. That confidence is key in sustaining the mood and tempo of the meet.
If you set a goal to achieve championship cut times, it is important to assume you will be at the meet and train accordingly. It is not enough just to get there…you have to be ready to race fast when you arrive! We see a lot of athletes who work to achieve the qualifying standard only to be overwhelmed when they actually arrive at the meet and find they are in the first heat. What can take that athlete to further success?
It’s fun to win at regional and Jenny Thompson meets but what gives meaning to a race swum in heat one of champs with maybe only four other kids? That is the power of effective goal setting and daily reflection on the goals. As athletes, it is critical to keep the hard work you do relevant. It is critical to imagine swimming at the championship meet, no matter your seed and using the opportunity to become a better racer. It is critical to have more practice warming up properly, swimming in a long course pool, and navigating the always crowded, sometimes painful open warm-up with 30 kids in your lane. It’s critical to ALWAYS maximize your experiences. With this focus, it is inevitable that you will find a reason to go fast, improve your time, improve your seed and make you a better racer. If you are a better racer, then you will go faster. It is a very simple formula.
During warm-up each day it was incredibly crowded in our lane. Our polite GMA athletes were kindly stopping to let people go by and stopping three yards from the wall when a gang of kids from another team was hanging on in their way. Part of the tone and attitude of the meet is confidence and getting better at the championship experience. I talked to the kids and reminded them that they deserves a good warm-up and while I don’t suggest being rude or mean, they needed to take care of business! If the other kids in the lane aren’t willing to move, flip turn anyway! Act like you belong there, warm up like a champion and prepare your body to race fast. By the end of the meet they were weaving through the lane cloggers during warm-up like the dedicated athletes they are!
I was proud to watch our young, inexperienced kids bond, strengthen and learn this weekend. They went to Harvard as a group of qualifiers and left as a Championship team! Great job GMA!
- Coach Eileen Hall
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