Welcome back,

I hope everyone is anxious to get back to work as we have a significant opportunity to continue riding the wave of momentum off the short course season successes.

Each individual has responsibility to contribute positively to the group each day. Step up your communication and share your dreams and goals with coaches, friends and parents.

It is important to remind those around you of your training objectives. Plan school projects and family outings around practice time not during practice time keeping in mind a 7:00pm dinner/meeting takes you out of at least 30 minutes of training.

It is now personal evaluation time. Take a critical look at your lifestyle. Are you getting enough sleep? Any diet changes? Social changes that are detrimental to a healthy body may be the last thing that an athlete may wish to evaluate however be honest with yourself! Are you proactive with your studies? No training program in the world can accommodate an athlete that is not attending due to poor performance in the classroom.

Are you pushing yourself during training or just showing up going through the motions without applying coaching suggestions? Develop a consistent goal-setting routine for practices focusing on simple goals verses time goals. "Today I will push off every wall with better streamlines and more power from my legs". Take a deep breath prior to each send off. Goal setting helps to direct and guide your focus. Showing up is never enough.

Make a commitment. Make a commitment to reach your goals and to do the training necessary to get there. Put your goals down on paper. A commitment is important. Once you have set a long term goal, you have decided to make the journey. Without this commitment you will question each step along the way. Commit to the training program. Do not allow yourself to make decisions as to your level of attention to each step along the way as each set; each workout and each session is critical to the end result. It does not make much sense to have to decide upon each individual step along a path that you have already committed to.

We will have a group meeting next week. Please have your notebooks and personal goals ready for review at your individual meeting. Check with me for a day and time. At your meeting we will review your personal evaluation form.

Each athlete must deliver their own magic to daily training. Your magic is simply seeing something that no one else sees! Strive with others to be the best that you are capable of becoming.

There are only 81 training days until LC Senior Champs. 14 weeks at 9 sessions per week = 126 sessions for each athlete to attend.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF YOUR GOALS A LITTLE HIGHER EACH SEASON - COMPLACENCY ONLY PRODUCES MEDIOCRITY