Swim AB Winter Festivals!

Winter Festival South was another great meet for our young Dinos. Qualified TREX and development swimmers swam fast, brave, and smart races. Both backstroke and freestyle flip turns are getting more efficient and faster, and keeping the head down (not breathing) into finishes gives our Dinos an edge when it comes to winning close races. Everyone made it to the starting blocks on time, the relays were stellar and with real Dino spirit, swimmers cheered for each other throughout.  The end of the Sunday morning session saw the whole team rallying for their teammate Zoe who won her swim-off for the first alternate position in the 50 back final.  

With help, swimmers shifted focus in challenging moments like the occasional missed best time or disqualification, by focusing on what they did well.  It is easy to use the clock as the most defining element of a race, but regardless of time, there are important things to acknowledge like well-executed starts and turns, pacing, maintaining good technique when tired, including kicking strong to the end. Sometimes even with all of these elements in place, we still miss a best time. It's important to acknowledge what we're doing well.

Swimmers also remembered and were reminded of the importance of talking to coaches before their races and checking in with coaches after races. Competitions are fun and stressful at the same time, and young Dinos are learning how to shape their stress in positive ways. Swimmers are practicing taking time before their races to calmly visualize what they are about to do. When they step up on the blocks it is with the confidence that comes with good preparation. Dinos have fun together with teammates on deck, but then harness their energy when it's race time & put it all in the pool.  

Great job TREX and Development swimmers for coming together as a group to shine at this year's Winter Festival South! Keep up the great work shaping yourself and your swimming experience. Every success and every disappointment, every nervous feeling and every way you choose to respond to it goes into your toolbox to use as you grow.