2023 JP Fiset Recap
Even though UCSC showed up to the Kinsmen Centre with a smaller group than years past, we definitely were not going to go unnoticed. With 20 swimmers representing 5 different squads from our club, the 4-day weekend was filled with big best times, records, laughs & tears and important learning experiences.
The bar was set high early on Thursday night when EKSC’s Emma Finlin broke the Open Canadian record for the 1500m free, and Reid Maxwell broke the para World Record in the S8 800m free. With those two swims happening right off the bat, the tone of the meet was set, and UCSC was up for the challenge.
Across the 4 days and our 20 athletes, we had a total of 52 final swims, 29 podium finishes, 4 provincial records, 1 aggregate award winner and countless best times from swimmers between the ages of 11 and 17. Our presence was felt on deck all weekend long, with loud cheers from teammates, hand-made posters being held up by parents and even compliments to coaches Jeff and Kenton about the technical prowess of UCSC’s swimmers from neighbouring teams.
There are a few main takeaways from Edmonton that I think all swimmers can reflect on:
1. You may race individually, but swimming is undoubtedly a team sport
Whether it is a coach helping you with your stroke, a friend cheering you up after a race, a parent driving you to practice every day or strangers in the stands cheering you on for a record you just broke, we are all here to support each other towards the same goals, and having this support system is absolutely crucial to have both individual and team success for your whole swimming career.
2. Sessions can be long and tiring, and your decisions matter
It’s not uncommon for us to be on the loud, hot & humid pool deck for 10+ hours per day, and this weekend was no different. The day starts early in the morning and ends late at night, but it’s what you do between that time that will determine how you feel for the remainder of the competition. Ensuring that you are refueling and recovering properly each and every day will help shape what those last couple races of the weekend will look like. And there’s no feeling more rewarding than finishing off a long, tiring meet with an amazing final swim, knowing that you gave it your all both in and out of the pool.
3. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, and that’s okay
Adding time, being out-touched at the wall, getting DQ’d or having your goggles fall off on the dive - these are experiences that all swimmers at all levels can resonate with. No matter how the performance of your swim was, a race is a race, and you can always learn something from it. Instead of dwelling on something you just did, take it as an opportunity to grow and improve yourself for the next time. Your coaches, teammates and parents are here to help you reach your goals, but you as the athlete have to take the first step to improving yourself.
4. Take time, relax, and enjoy the upcoming break
From top to bottom, swimmers across our club have had difficult workouts and exhausting competitions in the past couple of months. That, combined with school, work and just our lives in general, it is more important than ever to enjoy some time off, recover, eat some good food and enjoy family & friends over the Winter break coming up. There will be plenty of time in 2024 to train hard, improve our best times and smash more records.
And a special congratulations to the relay squad of Alexis Yuan, Alice Zhang, Finley Wong and Callie Cardiff for crushing FOUR provincial relay records in the 11-12 age category throughout the meet!
What a way to cap off 2023, and I’m sure we are all excited to see what 2024 has in store for us. Everyone, enjoy your time off, and we will see you back in the pool in January.
GO DINOS GO
