Last Blog From Trials 2016 (maybe:))

Well its been a little hectic since I last wrote, for which I apologize, as I know you missed my opinions and thoughts. Too wrap things up I first want to give a shout out to all the RAYS swimmers that represented us here. I am very proud of all of them and how much they and their families, have given to our team.

Today (Friday) we had Tyler start us off with the 50 Fr. T swam a respectable 23.50. Link to Race. Then Jimmy 100 Fly was 54.7. Both swims were 2 tenths off their bests. Link to Race. Then we had Melissa Postoll, or Po as her college teammates call her. Melissa had an outstanding 200 Bk and dropped 2 seconds to a 2:11.6 and a 9th place finish. That leads her into the semi finals tonight. Link to Race . Last time we had a semi finalist was Bryan Lundquist in 2008 in the 50 Fr. Bryan ended up in the finals, so we hope that's a good omen for Melissa.

My top 10  thoughts from this meet.

1. The 2016 trials only had 60+ more athletes than 2012, so the time standards were fair. 

2. The quality of swims is far greater, i.e. much faster to make semi finals etc.

3. The older professional athletes have gotten a wake up call. A turning of the guard maybe.

4. If you make a trials cut you are in the top 1-2% of the USA swimmers in the country.

5. Only 19% of women do a best time at this meet.

6. Only 26% of Men do a best time.

7. Both these two averages get worse as the meet goes along.

8. Talking with many coaches, there is definitely a wide variation of training/coaching philosophies that work. The Art of coaching comes into what one fits what athlete.

9. The ONLY way to get to 2020 TRIALS is to have a process, love the process, believe in the process and work the process - EVERYDAY, in and out of the water.

10. Omaha is the best place to host this meet, they put on a great show.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I will coach Samantha Bosma one last time.  I first met Sam at her Summer League pool, when I did a swim clinic. Later, when she joined the RAYS, she won a free lesson from me, so I videoed taped her swimming butterfly in the diving well at CAC. Wow, she has really done some amazing things with her swimming since that day. Every coach that knows Sam, speaks the highest praises about her. Even today at Trials I had a NC coach come up to me and said what a nice young lady she is. This young lady exemplifies what it is to be a Stingray.. Samantha, plus many that have come before her, make what I and the staff do, the greatest career in the world.