Important Dates

NEXT MEET: RSA-North Age Group Qualifier / Eastern 8 & Under Championships
The next meet is the RSA-North Age Group Qualifier, which is to be held in Goldsboro. There are many swimmers that have not qualified for Age Group Championships. This can be a great meet for all swimmers, because we will taper and get everyone ready for this meet. The dates for this meet is Feb. 8 & 9, 2003. 10 & Unders are in morning, while 11-ups are in the afternoon. 8 & Unders will be scored and swum in a separate course of the pool. This a good chance for 8 & Unders to swim in longer events and compete against swimmers their age.

Scratch Deadline: The scratch deadline is approaching fast for this meet. It is this Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. Please let coach Brian know if you will not be attending this meet, or if you will be going for only one session by emailing him at bgill@swimrsa.org. If you do not let me know you will not be attending this meet you will be entered and charged the meet fees!

More Information on this meet: There is more information about this meet on our Web Site under meet info, then go to Qualifier and pull up the sanction.

Qualifier Help: RSA North is hosting the qualifier in Goldsboro, and they are in need of timers and kid pushers. If you will be going to the Qualifier and willing to volunteer please let Margaret Bell know by emailing her at rbell18@nc.rr.com. She is in contact with the meet director at RSA-North.

Video Taping A Success So Far!
I am still trying to finish up the video taping for some swimmers who have still not been video taped. I do not want to take practice time anymore taping so this is what I am going to do. THERE WILL BE NO PRACTICE ON THURSDAY, JANUARY, 30th. If you have not been video taped and I have a tape from you you must sign up for a 5 min. block, and you will be taped on Thursday, January 30th. There will be a sign-up sheet in the Candler Lobby under the Minnows, Novas, Wahoos, and Dolphins bulletin board. This will be on a first come first serve basis. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TAPED PLEASE SIGN UP IMMEDIATELY.

Saturday Practice
I would like to apologize to all the parents about the problem with practice on Saturday. Sorry for the inconvenience, and to thank you for your patience. There are several meets taking place at the Pullen Aquatic Center this month, so we will be have practice at Candler. This Saturday, January 25th we will have practice at Candler. Minnows, Novas, & Wahoos will practice from 10:30-11:30 AM. Dolphins practice from 10:30 AM-noon.

Summer Swimming: TSA Meetings
This past Tuesday evening I attended the first TSA meeting of the year. At this meeting I passed out information about our RSA In May our Pre-Summer Stroke Clinic and Swim Camp. The first session begins on April 7th. They are three week sessions. Two more sessions begin on April 28th and 29th. The coaching staff is trying to get a jump on getting the word out. I know there are many RSA swimmers that are on a summer team. I am trying to get a parent that will represent RSA at their respective summer club. This will bring more swimmers to RSA. If you are on a summer club and are willing to represent RSA please let me ASAP. I want to try to get information out about our clinics before sign-ups for each of these teams. Please let me know if any parents could help out.

Technique For The Week
We have been working on these things this week. Please read over them and continue to focus on these techniques, while at practice.

1. I noticed an abundance of swimmers at the meet flipping to close to the wall in free and backstroke turns. The reason this is happening is because in the meet you are moving faster then you normally do, therefore your stroke count in backstroke will be off and you are not used to going as fast in the freestyle to the wall. We must practice flipping farther away from the wall. You will not be as bunched up, and you will be able unwind and push off of the wall much faster. Also please be sure to push off on your back in the free flip turn.

2. In the breaststroke turn please be sure to touch with 2 hands. After you do this place your feet on the wall side ways this way you can push off on your side. Finally, drop your head and your shoulder so that you can push off underwater on your side, and do your underwater breaststroke pullout.

3. There was a lot of breathing during our races. Please be sure not to breath out of your turns in free and fly. Do not breath the last five yards of your race. Finally try not to breath off your starts. These are things that will make you faster in the next meet. You will have immediate results if you do this in practice.

WINTER CLEANING: I have had a lot of response to this request. This may be an effort in which several parents will have to participate. I will talk to coach Dan about a date when we will do this. I will get back to those who said they can help. Thank you for the response.

Great job in practice this week! Please come to listen and work hard.

Coach Brian