Check out the Texas universities and colleges for fast times!
Big 12 - UT and A&M
Conference USA - Rice and U of Houston
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Growth Takes Time.
Teaching Technique – What We Know, What We Think We Know, and What We Do.
By John Leonard
One of the more common questions that parents have, is when/how the coach teaches the technical aspects of swimming to the athletes. First of all, we know that swimming is a “technique limited” sport. Which means that without good technical strokes, starts and turns, effort and hard work will only carry you a very limited way…..the fact that water becomes more resistant as you go faster, means that perfect technique is rewarded and impaired technique is punished with less speed for more effort. This is age old wisdom that is accepted by all experienced coaches and athletes.
We think we know, that we can teach good technique. Coaches spend countless hours learning not only WHAT a swimmer should do, but HOW to teach them to do it. It appears, in non-scientific terms, that when coaches spend time teaching technique, technique improves. We hope that means there is a direct correlation between our teaching and the athletes learning. It’s a reasonable belief.
Our friend Dr. K. Anders Ericsson at Florida State University, is the world’s leading authority on “becoming an expert” in any domain. Part of his research, written about in popular literature, is that it requires 10,000 hours of dedicated practice (which he terms “Purposeful practice”) in order to acquire “expert” status in any domain. Interestingly, if the ordinary swimmer begins practice at age 8 and follows a normal curve of increasing practice hours each year to age 17-18, they will have put in approximately 10,000 hours……which is a nice coincidence with the long held “truth” among coaches that it takes 10 years to “make a swimmer.” Science meets experience right in the middle, and both are validated.
Now
By John Leonard
One of the more common questions that parents have, is when/how the coach teaches the technical aspects of swimming to the athletes. First of all, we know that swimming is a “technique limited” sport. Which means that without good technical strokes, starts and turns, effort and hard work will only carry you a very limited way…..the fact that water becomes more resistant as you go faster, means that perfect technique is rewarded and impaired technique is punished with less speed for more effort. This is age old wisdom that is accepted by all experienced coaches and athletes.
We think we know, that we can teach good technique. Coaches spend countless hours learning not only WHAT a swimmer should do, but HOW to teach them to do it. It appears, in non-scientific terms, that when coaches spend time teaching technique, technique improves. We hope that means there is a direct correlation between our teaching and the athletes learning. It’s a reasonable belief.
Our friend Dr. K. Anders Ericsson at Florida State University, is the world’s leading authority on “becoming an expert” in any domain. Part of his research, written about in popular literature, is that it requires 10,000 hours of dedicated practice (which he terms “Purposeful practice”) in order to acquire “expert” status in any domain. Interestingly, if the ordinary swimmer begins practice at age 8 and follows a normal curve of increasing practice hours each year to age 17-18, they will have put in approximately 10,000 hours……which is a nice coincidence with the long held “truth” among coaches that it takes 10 years to “make a swimmer.” Science meets experience right in the middle, and both are validated.
Now
Self Talk
Self-talk includes all the purposeful and random thoughts that run through the athlete’s mind, the continual chatter of things said silently and out loud. Self-talk can be positive. Athletes can direct their self-talk toward what they want to do and where they want to focus. Self-talk can motivate, and, if developed purposefully, it can serve numerous other beneficial functions. Unfortunately, self-talk can also be negative and damaging to performance (GIGO, or “garbage in, garbage out”). In fact, when left untrained, self-talk often becomes negative and critical. Therefore, the athlete must learn to manage his or her internal dialogue to keep it beneficial to performance.
As with other mental skills, the first step is awareness. Athletes need to become aware of their inner voices—what they tend to say to themselves silently and out loud and how this affects performance. Keep in mind that what may be negative and damaging to one athlete may be motivational and beneficial to another athlete.
Once aware of their self-talk and its affect on performance, athletes need to develop strategies to manage negative self-talk. One common technique used by athletes is “thought stopping,” which entails the following:
* Identify negative thoughts and the situations in which they typically occur.
* Practice stopping the thoughts or “parking” the thoughts.
Replace the negative thoughts with positive thoughts, cue words, or images. Identify positive replacement thoughts in advance. The keys to thought stopping are being aware of common negative talk; stopping the thought; and filling the void with positive, productive thoughts.
Another technique for managing negative self-talk is for athletes to identify, in advance, what they want to say or reinforce to themselves at critical points in practice and competition. Then, instead of waiting anxiously for negative thoughts to occur, the athlete automatically uses the preplanned positive self-talk. For example, an athlete who typically has defeating thoughts in the middle segment of the 1,500-meter race can develop a plan to automatically say to him- or herself, “relax, take it easy” or “smooth stroke,” during this part of the race, regardless of how he or she is feeling.
Although it may appear that positive self-talk is most important during competition, it is equally important during practice and, therefore, must be monitored and practiced during training. Concentrating on positive self-talk in practice allows for quality training and provides an opportunity to practice this important skill. Athletes must accept that they will experience doubts and fears. They can overcome these doubts by continually reinforcing positive, productive thoughts not just prior to competition but also on a daily basis so that positive self-talk becomes habitual. In preparation for competitions, the athlete can mentally rehearse the cue words or self-talk he or she will use throughout the race. When needed during the race, athletes can trust their training by quieting their negative self-talk and letting their bodies perform.
Article obtained on 2/17/2011 at 8:58 p.m. from USA Swimming.org
file:///C:/Users/CANDICE/Swim%20Team/TTST/ViewMiscArticle.aspx.htm
As with other mental skills, the first step is awareness. Athletes need to become aware of their inner voices—what they tend to say to themselves silently and out loud and how this affects performance. Keep in mind that what may be negative and damaging to one athlete may be motivational and beneficial to another athlete.
Once aware of their self-talk and its affect on performance, athletes need to develop strategies to manage negative self-talk. One common technique used by athletes is “thought stopping,” which entails the following:
* Identify negative thoughts and the situations in which they typically occur.
* Practice stopping the thoughts or “parking” the thoughts.
Replace the negative thoughts with positive thoughts, cue words, or images. Identify positive replacement thoughts in advance. The keys to thought stopping are being aware of common negative talk; stopping the thought; and filling the void with positive, productive thoughts.
Another technique for managing negative self-talk is for athletes to identify, in advance, what they want to say or reinforce to themselves at critical points in practice and competition. Then, instead of waiting anxiously for negative thoughts to occur, the athlete automatically uses the preplanned positive self-talk. For example, an athlete who typically has defeating thoughts in the middle segment of the 1,500-meter race can develop a plan to automatically say to him- or herself, “relax, take it easy” or “smooth stroke,” during this part of the race, regardless of how he or she is feeling.
Although it may appear that positive self-talk is most important during competition, it is equally important during practice and, therefore, must be monitored and practiced during training. Concentrating on positive self-talk in practice allows for quality training and provides an opportunity to practice this important skill. Athletes must accept that they will experience doubts and fears. They can overcome these doubts by continually reinforcing positive, productive thoughts not just prior to competition but also on a daily basis so that positive self-talk becomes habitual. In preparation for competitions, the athlete can mentally rehearse the cue words or self-talk he or she will use throughout the race. When needed during the race, athletes can trust their training by quieting their negative self-talk and letting their bodies perform.
Article obtained on 2/17/2011 at 8:58 p.m. from USA Swimming.org
file:///C:/Users/CANDICE/Swim%20Team/TTST/ViewMiscArticle.aspx.htm
Birthday
Happy Birthday to Rowdy Gaines! Today Rowdey turns 52....He holds 3 Olympic Gold Medals in the 100 Free, 4x100 Free and 4x100 Medley Relays, he also held the world record in the 50 meter in 1980 and 100 meter freestyle from 1981-1985.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Happy Birthday Sippy Woodhead
Sippy Woodhead received three gold medals (in the 200 m freestyle, 4x100 m freestyle relay and 4x100 m medley relay) and two silver medals at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships in Berlin, when she was only 14 years old, and a little taller than 5 feet.
At the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan she received five gold medals. She won the 100 m, 200 m and 400 m freestyle, as well as being part of the winning teams at the 4x100 m freestyle relay and 4x100 m medley relay. Woodhead had qualified for six events at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and was regarded to be among the favorites in the four individual distances, as she was ranked world number one in 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m freestyle. Due to the American boycott of Moscow Olympics, she did not get the chance to participate. This was a great disappointment for her, and she has said that the boycott may have triggered her later health problems.
Woodhead competed at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where she received a silver medal in 200 m freestyle.
She improved the world record in 50 metres freestyle, long course, 10 April 1980, but the record was further improved by Jill Sterkel the same day.
She improved the world record in 200 metres freestyle, long course, three times, in 1978 and 1979, her last result remained a world record until 1984. She was a member of the American team that held the world record in 4x100 metres freestyle relay from 1978 to 1980.
At the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan she received five gold medals. She won the 100 m, 200 m and 400 m freestyle, as well as being part of the winning teams at the 4x100 m freestyle relay and 4x100 m medley relay. Woodhead had qualified for six events at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and was regarded to be among the favorites in the four individual distances, as she was ranked world number one in 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m freestyle. Due to the American boycott of Moscow Olympics, she did not get the chance to participate. This was a great disappointment for her, and she has said that the boycott may have triggered her later health problems.
Woodhead competed at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where she received a silver medal in 200 m freestyle.
She improved the world record in 50 metres freestyle, long course, 10 April 1980, but the record was further improved by Jill Sterkel the same day.
She improved the world record in 200 metres freestyle, long course, three times, in 1978 and 1979, her last result remained a world record until 1984. She was a member of the American team that held the world record in 4x100 metres freestyle relay from 1978 to 1980.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
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