SSTs,

We finished up our fly focused week and, overall, I’d say the kids fared well. There are some fundamental changes we have to make to improve the efficiency of our kicking, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before! We have a solid foundation so I anticipate a lot of improvements made this summer :)

Every Friday we start practice with our meet warm up (it’s the same for Saturday mornings and Monday nights) in an effort to prepare the kids for their meets. Our first Friday run-through was a bit rough: we clocked our entire warm up at 28 minutes (we’ll only have 20 the day of). This past Friday, however, we averaged about 21 minutes including a water cheer. I’m hoping our kids will grow familiar with the routine so it’s second nature when it counts. I’ve found kids who know their set warm up are more relaxed and confident at meets, not to mention it helps the day run more smoothly (and less chaotically!).

Time Trials is upon us! This week will be focused on preparing for Saturday Time Trials. We’ll continue to focus on our stroke fundamentals and building our kick endurance but will put more emphasis on starts, turns, finishes, and change of speed. Our little ones will hit our dive progression quite a bit more and talk about the different rules for each stroke (like 2 hand touches and finishing on our backs).

Please note that the goal is for every swimmer at TTs is to swim all 4 strokes (no IM) so we can gather as many baseline times as possible. I will let each swimmer know if they are ready for a stroke or not. Essentially, if they’re “legal”, or if I think they are close enough where I can make them legal within the week, I will sign them up for it. No big deal if not, though!

A few reminders:

1. I will be running the Master’s Swim Program this summer! Whether you’re a seasoned swimmer, new swimmer, or just looking for some good exercise, sign up! I take a very well- rounded approach to adult swimming. You’ll learn about the fundamentals and mechanics of the 4 strokes, but also learn about what obstacles you personally face when it comes to flexibility and mobility in the water. I like to “correct the underlying cause, not treat the symptoms” of the issues that slow my swimmers down in the water. Overall, it’ll be a fun program and a great way to kick off your mornings! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. If you’d like to sign up, please email Ted Moore at [email protected]. We start next Monday, 6/17!
2. Stroke and Turn clinics begin soon! I will be leading them. Please refer to Laura’s email for more information.
3. Private lessons are available with your Sully Coaches! Feel free to reach out for more information and I can help fit you with the right coach.

That’s it for now! Thank you for reading and I will see you on the pool deck!

Sincerely,

Coach Leah Bonuccelli

Go Sully!