2012-2013 WHS Boys Swimming & Diving Handbook

2012-2013 WHS Boys Swimming & Diving Handbook

Table of Contents

Contact Info/ Philosophy…………………………………….2

Safety Information…………………………………………...3

Captain Letters……………………………………………….4-5

Team Pledge…………………………………………………6

Coach Letters…………………………………………………7-8

Parent Volunteers/Special Recognition…………… ……….9

Equipment……………………………………………………10-11

Rules……………………...... 12-15

Meet Info/Rules……………………………………………...16-18

Injury Info……………………………………………………19

Strengths/Weaknesses……………………………………….19-20

Something to Think About…………………………………..21

Swimming Key Words & Tips………………………………22-28

Diving Key Words & Tips…………………………………..29-30

Mental Training/Goal Setting……………………………….31-32

Excuse List…………………………………………………..32-34

Risks…………………………………………………………35

Health Info……………………………………………………36-37

Invisible Training for Invincible Swimmers………………….38

Lettering & Awards Information………………………………39

District Team…………………………………………………..40

Qualifying Times………………………………………………41

Middle 50………………………………………………………42

All-Americans/State Champs………………………………….43

WHS All-Time top 25 times…………………………………...44-51

2012 Swim Schedule……………………………………………52

Meet Evaluation Forms…………………………………………53-59

Contact Information

Head Swimming CoachJames Elwyn663-8117 x201 (W)

393-5101 (Cell)

886-8727 (Home)

Head Diving CoachMitch Thompson421-1303 (cell)

Assistant CoachMike Hartley264-3479 (Cell)

Assistant CoachBrian Lee 860-2970 (Cell)

What Are We All About

Philosophy

Swimming and diving are among the most demanding varsity sports in which a high school athlete may participate. The current level of competition is such that, in order to be successful, the Wenatchee Swimmer/Diver must commit their time to an intense training program requiring long hours. All team members are expected to train for four events, as allowed by rules. Individuals focusing on diving, must still complete Monday and Wednesday swim practices, as swimming events will be their other three events, and swimming provides excellent conditioning.

Swimming/diving is both an individual and team sport. The goal of Wenatchee swimming/diving is to promote excellence in competitive swimming/diving at both the individual and team level. The program strives to foster the development of self-confidence, self-discipline, and self-motivation within each individual. The expectation is that these characteristics will carry over into the other areas of life and allow the individual to make a positive contribution to their family, school, and community. Essential components of this development are the important skills of goal setting, teamwork, and positive support. When the individual succeeds, the team succeeds. It must be stressed however, that no individual is more important that the team. Negativism, half-heartedness, and other types of behavior that detract from the team’s pursuit of excellence, cannot be tolerated.

Swimming and diving are not easy. In order to swim fast and dive your best, you must train well. When one trains well and practices with intensity, excellence is guaranteed. The Wenatchee Swimming/Diving program is structured so that the swimmers and divers may create an environment in which it is fun to train with intensity. Set goals, formulate a plan to attain those goals…..STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE.

Safety Information

The Wenatchee High School swimming and diving program coaches take pride in providing a safe environment for all team members. As a group, we have a duty to help provide a safe aquatics environment for all.

1. Enter the pool only when directed by a coach. Follow all pool rules.
2. Do NOT run on the pool deck.
3. The swimming assessments will be given on the first day of practice for each swimmer and/or diver. No swimmer/diver is allowed to practice until they have passed the swimming test.

3. Do not throw kick boards, pull-buoys, or other equipment.

4. Starting blocks are to be used only when directed by a coach.

5. When practicing starts the guidelines below will be followed: **

-Swimmers should NEVER dive into water that is less than five feet deep.***

-The deck should be clear of kick boards, pull buoys, fins, etc.

-No “horse-play” when starts are being practiced.

-Starts will ONLY be practiced at a time designated by a coach.

-Practice starts ONLY when a coach is present and directly

observing the swimmer.

-When using the starting blocks, get onto the blocks ONLY when a coach

gives the command, “STEP UP.”

-When practicing starts, from the deck, in the pool, or the blocks, all other

swimmers must keep an adequate distance from the starting swimmer.

**All swimmers and parents need to be aware of this policy in order to reduce the risks associated with practicing starts. Any violations of this policy will result in immediate dismissal from practice.

*** Some pools, like the EastmontYMCA facility, are not 5 ft. deep. Extreme caution should be used when starting at any pool of a depth less than 6 ft.

“Adversity, if you allow it to, will fortify you and make you the best you can be.”Kerri Walsh Jennings, Women’s Volleyball, 3X Gold Medalist.

From Your Captains

Hi everybody! Welcome to the 2012-13 boys swim team. If you’re a returning swimmer, it’s great to have you back. If you’re new then thanks for coming out and get ready for the… unique… experience of this team. Although swimming is considered by most an individual, to us it’s a team sport. That’s the great thing about swimming that you don’t get in other sports like football or basketball; swimming gives you a chance to always be able to contribute -- to help your team. This helps make our team closer as well. I know any returning swimmers can second this when I say that you will definitely make some new friends this season.

I feel like this year could be incredibly special. Our team has the potential to bring a boys swimming district title home to WHS for the first time in over five years. But if we want to live up to this we need to push ourselves and our teammates in practice. This might have been our biggest weakness in years past. We have had great potential but we haven’t put in the hours to make our goals reality, myself included. If we can just eliminate the “don’t be a tryhard” mentality then the sky’s the limits for this team.

I’m looking forward to swimming and hanging out with you guys this season and I hope you all are too.

Train hard, race hard, and you’ll reach your goals and beyond.

Your fearless captain

Tommy Higley

______

2012-2013 WHS Boys Swim & Dive team;

Welcome to all incoming freshman, and welcome back to those of you that are still on the team from last year! This year is going to be great, I believe that we can be the best, yes even better than Richland, all we have to do is work hard and first place at districts is ours! I am looking forward to seeing how well you all do this year. We may have some seniors from last year that we have to make up for but I believe that we can do it!

Alex “A.B.” Baker

“Don’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the further you get.” Michael Phelps

WHS Team Pledge

To Be the Best, We Must Follow the PATH!

Purpose – the pursuit of excellence in swimming requires the greatest degree of sacrifice. We must remember our purpose: achieving excellence, through constant improvement of technique, training and mental aspects of the sport. Unconditionally commit ourselves to the team goals in order to create an atmosphere which breeds success.

Accountability – We are more than individuals! As a team we need to give our best so the team can reach maximum potential! Help each other to be the best by holding yourself and your teammates accountable!

Teamwork – Swimming is both an individual and team sport. How hard each team member works directly influences how we perform as a team. Believe in your teammates! Help them to achieve by challenging them to be the best they can be.

Honor - Honor the sport, your teammates, parents, coaches, and athletes and coaches we compete against. The lessons we learn through being on a swim/dive team are lessons we can draw from for the rest of our lives.

IF we remember our purpose, practice accountability and teamwork, and honor our sport, we can reach team and individual goals.

Hard work beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard.–Kevin Durrant

"The things you learn from sports – setting goals, being part of a team, confidence – that's invaluable. It's not about trophies and ribbons. It's about being on time for practice, accepting challenges and being fearful of the elements." – Summer Sanders, Olympic gold medalist in swimming.

From Your Coaches

Dear WHS Swim Team and Parents:

I am excited to return as your head coach. We look to again challenge for league and district titles this year. Equally important, we will work hard, improve, and become better swimmers and better people. The challenges of swimming are an important preparation for the challenges of life. How we face them, and overcome them is of utmost importance.

This is my eighth year coaching the Girls Swim Team and my ninth year as the Boys Head Coach. Swimming is a great sport, which I have been involved with nearly all of my life. I began my competitive swimming life when I was four years young and have been at it ever since. From high school state meets, USA swimming zones, to collegiate and masters nationals I have been a part of many teams. Along the way, I have had the pleasure of coaching at many levels and was a part of a state championship team with the legendary Mel Roberts. Coach Robert’s teams have won numerous state championships and I look forward to bringing more of his ideas to Wenatchee.

This season many of you will step up and fill the roles vacated by an outstanding group of graduates. In addition, we have a great chance to win our new league championship and to win our eighth district title in the last nine years. The time is NOW! Hard work, dedication to team goals, and following the PATH will help us reach our destination! WHS swimming ROCKS!

Go Purple and Gold!

Coach James Elwyn

______

Welcome Wenatchee Panthers to another great year for Girls Swimming and Diving.

Hi my name is Mitchell Thompson and I will be coaching diving this year. I have been around pools and diving for much of my life and look forward to working with each of you. As many of you may know, I have been the Wenatchee City Pool manager the past few years and was previously a volunteer assistant with the WHS swim/dive team. In addition, I dove for Eastmont for four years.

Thanks, and see you at the pool!

Coach Mitchell Thompson

______

Dear Panther Parents and Athletes,

I am very proud to be a part of Panther Swimming and Diving. We understand very clearly that our recent success is the result of a special commitment on the part of the athletes and their parents. I want to formally thank all Panther Parents who support our program by cheering us on from the deck, traveling to road meets, volunteering to be timers, hosting team gatherings and helping set the positive tone we feel as coaches at practices and meets.

I started competitive swimming at the age of 6 and have been a “pool rat” ever since. I continue to swim competitively and specialize in breaststroke and IM. Over the past 20 years, I have managed various city pools, taught swim lessons and briefly helped coach at Clover Park and Spanaway Lake High Schools. Before moving to Wenatchee in 2005, I coached the Decatur High School boys to the team state championship! I have also served as head middle school swim coach for the girls for the past 4 seasons.

This will be my seventh year coaching the boys here at WHS. We lost a bunch of key seniors to graduation this past year, which provides opportunities for all returning athletes to step up and to fill leadership needs. I am very proud that Panther Swimming and Diving has become recognized as a powerhouse in the pool. I am more proud that our young ladies have earned a reputation as top-notch scholars and citizens who hold themselves to the highest standards of sportsmanship. I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this team and I am confident that our tradition of excellence will continue.

Go Panthers!

Michael G. Hartley

______

Dear Swimmers and Parents,

That time of year is upon us once again! The 2012 season has arrived! Let me begin by welcoming back our swimmers from the last year, and welcome to the freshmen and other new swimmers to our team this year!

Success will not come without hard work and dedication. The road to a championship season begins with the first practice. There will be dark and cold mornings, brutal workouts and fatigue, but the rewards will be big. There is much to look forward to this year. Don’t forget that any one of you has the potential to the next championship swimmer for this team. The greatest factor to your success is based in your dedication and effort at practice and your hunger for success in competition.

I am looking forward to my second season here as the assistant coach of the WHS Panther Girls swim team. With returning state qualifiers, up and coming underclassmen and a fresh new batch of freshmen, I believe that we can achieve great success this year! Go Panthers!

Coach Lee

Attention: PARENTS!

DO NOT READ THIS!!

(Unless you want your child to have a great season!)

Parent involvement is crucial to hosting a dual meet and having a successful swim season.

Without your help, we cannot host home meets. Unlike other sports, which you and your child(ren) may have been involved with, swimming meets require the efforts of MANY adults to function. We need at least 19 timers, two or three scorers, a half dozen officials, and a runner. In short, we need around 25-30 parents to properly run a meet. We cannot begin a meet if we do not have your support. With this in mind, I ask each of you to aide in the running of our home meets. Sign up at the kick-off meeting and/or at the pool throughout the season.

Please try to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to the beginning of the meet and be ready to focus on putting on the best meet we can. Accuracy is important as athletes are trying to qualify for districts and the state meet. Therefore, when timing, please pay attention to the starter, the length of the race, and all other aspects of the meet.

Swimmers require proper nutrition and hydration to perform well at swim meets, but it is not always available because many meets begin directly after school. We would encourage you to bring a health snack (i.e. goldfish, fruit, Gatorade) that the whole team can enjoy which we will set out on a table for the athletes.

Thank you for your cooperation and support. You can check the meet schedule online through the WHS Athletic Department website: Any questions?

Contact coaches Elwyn, Hartley, Lee, or Harris.

Special Recognition

Our program could not maintain the high level of excellence we enjoy without the help of those who volunteer their time and talents to us. Be sure to tell them how much you appreciate their help when you see them.

WHS Administration – Mike Franza, Gracie Helm, Ricardo Iñiguez and Donna Moser are very supportive of athletics in general and of swimming in particular. Invite them to home meets and say hello to them when they attend.

B.J. Kuntz and the Athletic Department staff – Ms. Kuntz is the Athletic Director for Wenatchee High School and responsible for scheduling the buses and supervising the athletic programs. The dedication of her and her staff, Leanne McGahuey, and Deb Liebert make it so WHS coaches are able to focus more on coaching and less on administrative details.

Stuff We Use

Equipment

Listed below are items you will need for training while a member of the team this year. A brief explanation follows each item, but if you don’t understand; talk with one of the coaches.

Practice Suits – You can practice in any type of suit you have. Most girls will wear more than one suit and most of the Boys team will wear boxer or baggy type suits. We like you to use a suit(s) that will create drag. This will allow you to feel great when in meets you can use just the team suit.

Team Suits – There are two basic types of material that suits are made of, nylon and lycra. Some of the newer, “Fastskin” type materials provide a tighter fit and are better at repelling the water than nylon. Nylon lasts longer and is good for practice suits. Hi-tech racing suits are made to repel water and decrease drag, they are more expensive and are only used at championship meets.

Competition Suits (NFHS Rule) - Suits worn by swimmers shall be limited to the following requirements:

a. only one swimsuit shall be permitted in competition. (A swimmer with special

needs may request customization through his/her school to the state association.)

b.the swimsuit shall be:

1.constructed of a woven/knit textile material;