SWIMOBX

Practice cancelled on Sunday, February 5th

Practice on Sunday, February 5th is cancelled due to the ODAC A/BB Meet.

B/C Championship Meet Invitation

The Meet Invitation for the B/C Championship being held at Fort Eustis are now available. 

Meet Entries for ODAC A/BB Meet

Meet Entries for the ODAC A/BB meet are now available.  Good luck swimmers!

Warm-up Assignments for ODAC A/BB, February 4-5

Saturday, February 4th
AM Session #2, 7:45-8:15, Lane 3
PM Session #1, 12:00-12:30, Lane 5

Sunday, February 5th
AM Session # 2, 7:45-8:15, Lane 8
PM Session # 2, 12:30-1:00, Lane 7

Weekly News / by Coach Laura

Welcome to Week 21!

Welcome to the last week of January. For those swimmers who have made an effort to attend practice, I know January has been challenging. Preparation for the championship meets in February, has been filled with extending our endurance base while improving speed work as we race. I am proud of all the swimmers' efforts this past month and look forward to the upcoming championship season.
 
As you may have heard,  we have had some changes to the coaching staff. Coach Doug has had a business offer to further his career in Raleigh, NC making it necessary for him to leave the area. Coach Amanda has decided to focus on other endeavors. We wish them the very best as they begin or extend their careers. All practice groups and schedules will remain the same. Coach Molly, Coach Jessica and myself will continue these coaching duties with no disruption to the Outer Banks Swim Club and it’s commitment to excellence in swimming. The Junior program will be directed by Coach Molly, while the Junior Elite 1 program will be coached under my direction. Questions regarding your child’s new coach can be forwarded to me or Molly. We will be happy to discuss questions or concerns you may have regarding these changes. Due to the fact that Molly was working with Doug prior to his departure, she is familiar with the Junior group and would be happy discuss the program’s objectives and concepts. She may be reached at molly_blazek@yahoo.com or Molly_Blazek@belk.com. As always, you may reach me at swimcoachlaura@yahoo.com, (h)491-2505, or (w)480-0683.
 
Good luck to Arielle Pickrel, Brittney Gibbs, Elise Gibbs, Drew Keenan, Henry Roach, and Molly Blazek as they compete this weekend at the ODAC A/BB meet at ODU.Some of these swimmers will also be competing at the North Carolina State High School Championship in Raleigh on Saturday!  Good luck to all!
See you at the pool!
Coaches Laura, Molly, and Jessica

SENIOR- Dryland- Running M+W @ 4:30. Fridays in Fitness Room B at 4:30PM. Senior meeting and tapes will be held Thursday @ 4:30 PM in the YMCA meeting room. Wear appropriate work out clothes and shoes. Journals are now due on Mondays. Core positions to be done nightly, if not done in practice. Junior Elite 2 and  Senior parents, please ask your child if they have completed their positons daily. If done at home, it will take no longer than 10 minutes. 

All swimmers please remember to bring the following to practice:
Goggles- you might invest in an extra pair, just in case!
Cap-girls at practice, everyone at meets
Fins- all groups
Paddles- all groups who ordered should bring them to practice
Water or sports drink- Accelerade, Endurox, (o! nly found at GNC or internet) Gatorade
 
Regular Practice Schedule-
Senior- MTWTHF 4:30-6:30 Tues- 6:00AM-730AM, Sun- 3:30PM-5:30PM         
Developmental- Tuesday, Thursday 6:30- 7:30
Junior Prep- Mon, Tues, Thurs. 3:30-4:30
Junior- Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri. 6:30-8:00 (3 to 4 practices recommended)
Junior Elite 1- Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, 6:30-8:00 / Sunday 3:30-5:30 ( 4 to 5 practices recommended)
Junior Elite 2- Mon, Wed, Fri, 4:30-6:30, Tues. 6:30-8:00, Sunday 3:30-5:30 ( 4 to 5 practices recommended)
 
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:

Feb 3-5- ODAC A/BB ODU-  Qualifying times only- meet entry date closes 1/23

Feb 17-19- B/C Champs- please sign up at the YMCA-meet entry date closes 2/5

Feb 24-26- A/BB Champs- Qualifying times only

Weekly News / by Coach Laura

Welcome to Week 20!
It was great to see so many Junior Elite and Senior swimmers at Sunday's practice. Sunday afternoons are a  great time to get together and race. The Australian relay was evenly matched and very competitive. Way to go to those who swam and supported their teammates. Swimmers, please remember to check your folders for attendance awards and swimathon prizes.

As we approach February, please remember to sign up for the Championship meets. We hope to see as many swimmers compete as possible.

See you at the pool!
Coaches Laura, Amanda, Doug, Molly, and Jessica

SENIOR- Dryland- Running M+W @ 4:30. Fridays in Fitness Room B at 4:30PM. Senior meeting and tapes will be held Thursday @ 4:30 PM in the YMCA meeting room. Wear appropriate work out clothes and shoes. Journals are now due on Mondays. Core positions to be done nightly, if not done in practice. Junior Elite 2 and  Senior parents, please ask your child if they have completed their positons daily. If done at home, it will take no longer than 10 minutes. 

All swimmers please remember to bring the following to practice:
Goggles- you might invest in an extra pair, just in case!
Cap-girls at practice, everyone at meets
Fins- all groups
Paddles- all groups who ordered should bring them to practice
Water or sports drink- Accelerade, Endurox, (only found at GNC or internet) Gatorade
 
Regular Practice Schedule-
Senior- MTWTHF 4:30-6:30 Tues- 6:00AM-730AM, Sun- 3:30PM-5:30PM         
Developmental- Tuesday, Thursday 6:30- 7:30
Junior Prep- Mon, Tues, Thurs. 3:30-4:30
Junior- Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri. 6:30-8:00 (3 to 4 practices recommended)
Junior Elite 1- Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, 6:30-8:00 / Sunday 3:30-5:30 ( 4 to 5 practices recommended)
Junior Elite 2- Mon, Wed, Fri, 4:30-6:30, Tues. 6:30-8:00, Sunday 3:30-5:30 ( 4 to 5 practices recommended)
 
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:

January 25- NO PRACTICE- High school meet at the YMCA

Feb 3-5- ODAC A/BB ODU-  Qualifying times only- meet entry date closes 1/23

Feb 17-19- B/C Champs- please sign up at the YMCA-meet entry date closes 2/5

Feb 24-26- A/BB Champs- Qualifying times only

No Practice on Wednesday, January 25th

There will be no practice on Wednesday, January 25 due the high school swim meet scheduled at the YMCA.

We need volunteers for one hour time slots to help with concessions for this meet.  A sign-up sheet is posted on the team bulletin board.  Thanks for your continued support!

Praising Your Children

How often do you think about the amount and type of praise you offer your child?  The wrong kind of praise, or praise used too frequently or infrequently can cause difficulties.  Sometimes we think that it is not possible to over praise a child because we think constant praise will build a child’s self esteem.  However, there is a real world for the child outside of the home and a child’s peers may not be as praise giving as his or her parents.  Other children are usually quite truthful and blunt about the feats of their peers.  A child constantly praised at home may feel placed on a pedestal only to be knocked off outside the home.

In an article in “Parents Magazine”, educational consultant Fredelle Maynard listed some dos and don’ts of praise.  First the don’ts:
 

• Don’t praise by comparison (“You’re the best swimmer on the team”). It may encourage unnecessary competition or fear of failing next time.

• Don’t praise constantly. If everything a child does is terrific, wonderful, the best, you will run out of superlatives and the child will become blasé about applause.

• Don’t praise indiscriminately.  Children who are veteran meet swimmers know when a swim is good or bad.  Parental ecstasies over mediocre performances can either make children cynical or cause them to feel like frauds.

•  Don’t praise so extravagantly that children feel pressure to go on shining.  Over enthusiastic applause destroys a good motive for activity (to please oneself) and substitutes a poor one (to please parents).

•  Don’t use sarcastic or “backhanded” praise.  “Well, you did all flip turns for a change.” “You touched with two hands! I can’t believe it.”

The best praise to use is encouragement.  Encouragement helps build a child’s confidence and autonomy while praise can be more manipulative, emphasizing what the adult wants.  Encouragement allows kids to “own” their accomplishments and to find within themselves the strength and desire to do their best.  The following are Maynard’s dos:

• Do be specific.  Instead of using words that evaluate (“What a great swim”), describe in concrete terms what you see: “You breatstroke finish was great”

• Do describe the behavior and its consequences.  For example, “Thanks for getting dressed and out of the locker room so quickly.  Now we have more time to go shopping.”

• Do focus on the child’s effort, not the product.  “You practiced hard for this meet and it really paid off.”

• Do point out how your child has progressed.  “A 200 IM! You couldn’t have done that last year!”

• Do give control back to the child.  Let the child do the evaluating.  Rather than say, “I’m so proud of you,” say, “You must feel so proud that you did all backstroke turns.”

 

B/C Championship Meet

The Southeastern District B/C Championship meet invite is here.  A sign-up sheet is posted on the team bulletin board.

The Omni in Newport News has set aside a block of rooms for OBX Swim Club for February 17-18 with a rate of $89 per night.  Fifteen rooms will be held for our team until February 1st.  Identify yourself as part of OBX Swim Club:

Omni / 1000 Omni Blvd. / Newport News, VA 23606
Reservations: (757) 873-6664

ODAC A/BB Meet, February 4-5

The invitation for the ODAC A /BB Meet held on February 4-5 is now posted.  This will be the last meet before Championship season begins.  Good luck swimmers.