Buffalo Boy's Blog
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Torres Returns for Fifth Olympics
Dara Torres, the ageless wonder of this years version of the 2008 US Olympic Swim Team. It will be her fifth Olympics and her first since 2008 when she was 33 years old. Whats even more impressive is that she is a mother of a two year old. Usually, once there are kids in the picture, the swimming career is over, not in this case.
She won the 100 meter freestyle with a time of :53.78 seconds. Incredible. Natalie Couglin finished second with a time of :53.83.
This is her fifth Olympics which has never been done. Amanda Beard has a shot as she qualified for her fourth at the age of 26 in the 200 meter breatstroke finishing second.
The more I watch these trials the more impressed I am with the depth. The US swimmers are setting records up and down the pool. This could be a dominating year for the US team in Bejing.
Adding to Dara's success was Ryan Lochte and Aaron Peirsol who dueled in the 200 meter backstroke. Peirsol tied Ryan's world record of 1:54.32 with Ryan finishing a very close second with a time of 1:54.34. Peirsol is the best backstroker going into the games until someone proves it otherwise and that person could be Lochte.
Had Torres kept going over the years, she could have been qualifying for her 8th games. They were playing a tune to her as she was waving the flag on deck and at this Olympics, this could very well be her theme song:
This is a news update featuring an interview with Torres. Michael Phelps referred to her as a second mom, she took it well, but considering she is a mom, its pretty close to the truth.
Category: Swimming
Back To Back World Records
If you are not watching the US Olympic Swim Trials you are missing some of the most talented athletes the pool has seen in this country.
Last night Natalie Coughlin and Hayley McGregory went back to back world records. McGregory went first and broke Coughlin's own record, then Coughlin swam the next heat and bested what McGregory took from her in the 100 meter backstroke. That little battle shows how competitive and deep the US Swim Team is going to be.
Four world records have fallen thus far and tonight Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte will meet up for another go at it.
Category: Swimming
Ryan Lochte has a bit of Western New York in him. He was born in Rochester, NY. He currently lives in Daytona Beach, Florida but he will no doubt have the locals around Rochester excited as he goes for another Olympics in 2008.
His accomplishments to this point:
2004 Olympics: Gold in the 800 meter freestyle relay which broke the American record and upset the Austrailians and Silver in the 200 meter IM.
He holds a world record in the 200 meter backstroke that he set at the 2007 FINA World Championships with a time of 1:54.32.
He was Swimmer of the Meet after breaking the American Record in the 200 yard IM at the 2005 NCAA Championships.
Currently Ryan is ranked 1st in the world in the 200 meter backstroke and 2nd in the world in the 200 and 400 IM.
His top times include: 200 meter freestyle 1:47.32 set in March of 2008, 100 meter backstroke :53.20 back in March of 2007, 200 meter back which is his world record time of 1:54.32 set in March of 2007, 200 meter IM 1:56.11 in August of 2006, and 400 IM 4:09.74 set in March of 2007.
Ryan will likely make it in the 200 backstroke, and the 200 and 400 IMs and probably the relays. This is video of his 2007 world record 200 meter backstroke in which he beats Aaron Piersol who was the former American world record holder, watch him catch Piersol off the walls, Lochte got off to a fast start but fell behind in the first 50 meters, every wall got better and better, he gets stronger as the race gets longer, a rare thing to have as a swimmer.
Category: Swimming
USA Swimming Previews
Natalie Coughlin is perhaps one of the most prolific and well known of the US women swimmers. This coming trials and summer games will be her 2nd trip to the games, assuming she makes it and there is nothing suggesting she will not.
She holds 5 medals from the 2004 games in Athens and for the California Aquatic swimmer this Olympics should prove just as successful. She will be 26 by the time they are over so it is likely her last.
Her accomplishments are as follows:
She is only the third American woman to win 5 medals in one Olympics
She holds world records in the 100 meter backstroke set at the 2008 Missouri Grand Prix, the 800 meter freestyle relay set at the 2007 World Championships, the 100 meter IM (short course: the difference between long course and short course is that short course is swum in a 25 meter pool and long course is swum in a 50 meter pool), and the 100 meter backstroke (SCM).
Her top events include:
50 meter freestyle: :24.92 seconds set in May of 2008
100 meter freestyle: :53.39 seconds set in May of 2008
200 meter freestyle: 1:56.43 set in March of 2007
100 meter backstroke: :59.21 set in February of 2008 (she is also the first woman to break a minute in the 100 meter backstroke)
100 meter fly: :57.34 set in March of 2007
In addition to times and records, Natalie was the 1998 Swimming World Magazine High School Swimmer of the Year, three time NCAA swimmer of the year 2001-2003, 2004 Sports Illustrated On Campus Female Athlete of the Year, a three time finalist for Sullivan Award as the nations top amateur athlete in 2001, 2002 and 2005, 2003 Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year, and 2002 USA Swimming Athlete of the Year amongst others.
Look for more of the same heading up to and at these games and she should qualify in all those events plus relays for the games. She has been swimming strong through May and tapered fairly well leading up to the time trials next week.
This is one of her 2007 swims in which she broke her own world record in the 100 meter backstroke in a time of :59.44:Category: Swimming
US Olympic Swim Team Previews
I coach swimming for a USA swim club called the Stingrays Swim Club. We swim out of Depew, Cheektowaga, Cleveland Hill, JFK and Maryvale pools throughout the course of the year. USA Swimming is the same organization that supports our National Team as they ready themselves for the Olympic time trials in Omaha, Nebraska this summer. Over the next week or so Ill be posting bios on our US athletes and giving everyone some background on them and their chances of making the team.
During Olympic years we typically see a bump in numbers of kids joining swim clubs and swimming related activities, this year hopefully will be no different and with a strong season from our US team hopefully we will see that not just on our club but throughout the country.
My first swimmer I will preview is Margaret Hoelzer. Though she is not quite a household name her resume is impressive. She is 25 so, this is likely her last go round at the games. She swims with King Aquatics Club and boasts the following accomplishments:
Bronze in the 200 meter backstroke at the 2008 World Short Course Championships
Fifth in the 200 meter backstroke in the 2004 Olympics
Silver Medalist in the 200 meter backstroke in 2003 and 2005 at the World Championships
1st in the 2002 Pan Pacifics.
She swam 2:07.16 in the 200 meter backstroke in March of 2007, :28.53 in the 50 meter back in March of 2007 and 1:00.83 in the 100 meter back in June of 2008 all are still personal bests.
In addition Margaret also holds records in several relays including the 400 meter medley relay and the 800 meter freestyle relay. She also holds the American record in the 200 meter backstroke set in March of 2007.
Look for Margaret to make the team in any of the backstrokes and be in the running for the 400 meter medley and freestyle relays and the 800 freestyle relay.
In case you were wondering how these swimmers train, 10,000 meters a day, 5-6 hours per day, 5-6 days per week. Its literally a full time job.
Category: Swimming
It's Gotta Be The Suit
As the Olympics get closer I'll be previewing my favorite sport, the US swim team but this was in interesting story.
Japan, lifted a ban on swimmers from wearing suits not made in Japan. This included many of the high tech body suits made by Speedo, Tyr and Nike. Japanese swimmers were limited only to those suits made domestically.
Now, I swam for nearly 10 years competitively and the suit has never made the difference for me, We didn't have body suits, we didn't have fancy suits, just a plain speedo racing suit.
As a coach, even I know its not the suit, its the technique that wins you races. So Japan can endorse or allow any suit they want, but in the end, ya just have to be good.
Category: Swimming
Long Course Season
Tomorrow through Sunday I will be at the Tonawanda Aquatic and Fitness Center for our first long course swim meet of the season. I have a big group of kids representing my group within the Stingrays Swim Club and we should be represented well.
Tomorrow night is all the big distance stuff including the 200's (IM and Freestyle), 800 Free, 400 IM and 1500 Free. For the 1500 they will swim two to a lane otherwise we would be there until 4 AM.
This really is my favorite season of the swimming year, shortcourse is all indoors and you feel like you never see the light of day, long course is beautiful out, you have a few ourdoor meets and its a time to hang out with the swimming community and enjoy the best of the sport. It is also the time of year we swim the sport it is meant to be swum. in the big 50 meter, olympic size pools.
These are double what you would see in most of your typical high school pools and are the most challenging for novice kids getting it for the first time.
Stay tuned and I will have some updates throughout the weekend.
Category: Swimming
Stingrays Banquet
The Stingrays Swim Club held their 43rd annual banquet and awards dinner tonight. That is why I haven't posted today. I have been busy getting some graduate work done so I could go out to the banquet.
As usualy it was a great time and my group, the Marlins, are the second largest in the club.We have our learn to swim groups: Guppies and Deepwater and then our competitive groups: Marlins, Dolphins and Sharks.
I currently have 18 swimmers. Last year I had 6 maybe. So all is well at Stingrays swimming. I have been around for 4 years now and hopefully, all things willing, I will be around for many more with the club. I really enjoy the kids I get to work with and its a sport I have always enjoyed participating in and now coaching.
Coaches got new shirts tonight which is my favoirte part of the evening, I will have to post a picture of my new shirt this week.
Category: Swimming
Parents Who Want to Second Guess
This weekend is our home meet and one of the most frustrating things as a coach is when parents feel as if they have to second guess or worse yet, down right tell you how to coach.
I have been involved in competitive swimming as a swimmer for 10+ years and as a coach now going on 8 years. Today, I was totally disrespected by not only a parent but also by a fellow coach on our club.
We were putting together relays and generally the fastest kids go into relays. Makes sense right? As a coach I am responsible for putting together the fastest group of kids to put them in the best possible place to succeed.
Well I did that, we discussed three relays, requiring 12 swimmers. Well as it turned out, 2 of my kids were not present which did not allow for the three relays. So one relay had to be taken out.
Most of you would agree as did our senior coach on the club with me that you swim your two fastest relays and the other kids will have to wait for their day. Well that didn't happen.
Instead, in front of multiple coaches and officials from other clubs and our senior age group coach (who by the way was on my side) the parent and the other coach on our club who coaches the group under mine made a scene on deck. Yelling in front of other coaches that this meet is fun and we should let the slower kids swim.
I had already changed our relays once and was not planning on doing it again. I argued the fact that the relays we had in place were our two best relays. Instead I was put down for that and was told that these kids were crying because they were left out.
I stated that they should have to earn their spot in the relay. Myself and every other coach worth their weight, puts kids in based on who has the fastest 50 freestyles. You don't make the cut you don't swim the relay. So I sat there embarassed for them making the scene and for myself that I was being so disrespected.
I have a level 4 certification throught the American Swim Coaches Association and here I am being talked to like I have no idea what Im doing.
So, I looked at them after their outburst and said fine, you change it, Im not dealing with it, and by they way, let the kids who deserve the spots know why you are changing it.
I had it in me to up and leave for the day at that point but I didn't for not wanting to let my kids down. A word of advice to any parents out there, let the coaches do the coaching. Kids need to learn that in any competitive sport they have to earn what they get and sometimes what is best for the team is what has to be done.
So for the rest of the day, when ever I got the chance myself and our seniors coach sat there and said oops a disqualification? oh well its all about the fun! who cares. (joking of course, but just within ear shot of the two who questioned me).
This meet while yes a very fun meet and kids do have to have fun, counts for Niagara District Championships. I am a true believer that if you are not there to better yourself, you should go home. I want to have fun with my swimmers as much as anyone in our club, but I also expect results and for them to focus on what they are doing, otherwise the time and effort that myself and they put into it is a waste of time.
Category: Swimming
Thank You Marcel
I was up in Niagara Falls, Ontario today visiting Marcel Dionne Enterprises. What a class act. He is a one of a kind. In addition to being a hall of fame hockey player and really in my mind one of the top 5 all time in the sport, he is easily one of the nicest guys.
I went up there today to see if he would be willing to donate to the Stingrays Swim Club. I had a donation letter. This time of year we are looking for items to put in our raffles/chinese auctions at our home swim meet and end of year banquet in March. He immediately got a Marcel Dionne Hall of Fame stick and autographed it with the HOF '92. What a great thing. I also came away with a Gil Perreault autographed hockey puck and a Thomas Vanek 8X10.
I would like to thank him for being such a nice guy and for taking the time to do what he did today. If you are a sports fan in WNY or Southern Ontario, by all means go visit his store. He is located on Montrose off of Lundys Lane. There is a ton of everything there from hockey, to baseball to NASCAR, you name the sport hes got the goods. He has a room full of high value items as well that my jaw just dropped in.
