Can you smell the air of longer pools and missing bulkheads?  The long course season is upon us.  The LONG course season typically means a SHORT season, so plan for success accordingly.  Long course is less forgiving with time as it is with meet opportunities, so stay on top of the sign-ups.  (Parents...I give your children prodding EVERY day in practice as to when the next meet sign-ups are due). 

As we embark on another season, of course we start to define our goals for the next 4 months.  What do you want to happen?  You can write the script, but you must be prepared to edit.  Not everything will turn out the way that you planned; however, when it does, you need to imediately begin to look for the next level in your succesful season.  Age-Group goal sheets are due Friday, April 27 (the day following the banquet)...get on it!

Some helpful reminders when writing down your goals:

1. Make your goals SPECIFIC!  "Swim faster" is a goal, but would you really be satisfied with improving .01 from all your times?  Probably not.  Instead, have a look at your current times and determine where you could see yourself by the end of the season, all the way down the hundreths.  Beware the time standards!  I know that you want to make that A time to get to the next level, but you must look at the exact time that you think you can make.  Don't just look at the standard, look at being as fast as you can be.   

2. Make your goals REALISTIC!  If you are a BB swimmer and you have a goal of AAAA times your commitment better back that up.  If you do not plan on making significant changes and improvements over the course of the season, reality is going to smack in the forehead in July.  I'm not saying that you shouldn't "shoot for the stars to land on the moon," but you better back it up with some tremendous effort and commitment.

3. Make your goals EXCITING!  When you right down your goal, think about looking at the scoreboard after your swim and seeing that time.  Does your heart start to beat faster?  It doesn't?  Make the goal time faster.  A goal is a motivating instrument that gets you pumped to really train for something special.  DISCLAIMER:  Goals are not expectations.  When goals become expectations, every swim becomes a Win or Lose situation in which your self-worth hangs in the balance.  There should be no penalty if you do not acheive your goals.  However, it is okay to be disappointed, but there is no room for discouragement or an emotional outbreak over missed goals.  If you have ever been disappointed (I hope everyone has at some level), let that spur you on to greater efforts to reach your goals in the future. 

Some words of wisdom from Michael Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, regarding goals and how they relate to commitment...good article:

Pick Your Target (USA Swimming)

Here is an article about goal setting and the way that elite swimmers handle the aftermath of their big meets:

Go for the Goal - Tom Slear (USA Swimming)