On the eve of County Championships here a few pointers to survive the next 2 weekends for swimmers and parents, in turn following this will help the coaches survive as well.
Preparation is vital
Prepare your food for the weekend ahead. The cafe is ok but it will be crowded and will more than likely run out of Jacket Potatoes and pasta pots.
Be early - Parking is a nightmare so be early, so you can get a parking space, this will also allow the swimmers to arrive in time to do pre pool prior to warm up
Know your day - When are you swimming, when to put on race suits, when to eat, when to warm up when to recover
PLAN PLAN PLAN
The importance of process driven swimming.
Only County Champions will be crowned this weekend not Olympic Champions. This is a stepping stone on the road not the destination. The outcomes are not as important as the processes. SO stop looking at places and times and start looking at self improvement. Parents please do not reward PB's. Instead reward improvement in processes. Have they behaved in a manor fitting the club and its expectations? Have they warmed up well including pre post? Have they recovered after racing with stretching, hydration and fuel? Has their body language going to and behind the block been positive? Look for improvements in technique, starts, turns, underwater, transitions, race tactics, race pacing instead of the clock.
It takes great courage to go out in front of 3/400 strangers in just a pair of trunks or a race suit and no swimmers wants to swim badly, so parents, tell your swimmers how proud of them you are, be positive no matter what you feel inside, support every member of the club and let the coaches coach :) . Swimmers be humble in victory and gracious in defeat, shake hands with your opponents and congratulate them, thank the officials as you walk by or the time keepers after you have swum, they have given up their weekends to help you. Finally no matter what other clubs do I am only interested in our swimmers and how the behave and represent the club, so please continue the levels we have set for ourselves recently, keep our area clean and tidy, no running around playing ball games anywhere and above all else enjoy the upcoming weekends.
lots of tweets from everyone please @lescnews #orangeandproud
