Don't forget to plan ahead...

• All deposits and permission slips must be in for the So Carolina trip by Wed 6/6
• Liability waiver and check for ODAC Ocean Mile must be in by Wed 6/6 (or you may send it in on your own)
• Sign-ups for the Commonwealth Games (Waynesboro, VA / June 22-23) are due Tue 6/5

Summer is coming fast...here are some reminders:

• Stay on top of your studies...when you need 14 hours each day to cram for your final exams, what you are really admitting is that you didn't really learn much of the material from your school year.  Studying for exams should be review, not necessarily a complete re-learning of the whole year.  (Don't forget that I was a credentialed secondary school teacher...I know how this stuff works).
• FLUIDS, FLUIDS, FLUIDS...drink 'em.  Hydrate before practice, DURING practice (we pick up way too many FULL water bottles on deck every day), and after practice.  Check out this article from USA Swimming on Sports Drinks vs. Water.
• Save your own skin.  Especially those of you who are fair skinned.  Every time your skin burns, it is not only causing the painful irritation of sunburn, it's also increasing the possibility for occurance of pre-mature aging and much worse, skin cancer.  Apply sun-screen EVERY time you plan to spend time in the sun.  Look at the SPF number on the bottle and re-apply sun-screen on a 2:1 ratio of minutes to SPF number.  You want to use SPF 15?  Re-apply every 30 minutes.  This is a Coach Mark rule, it holds no scientific water...but it will keep you from being the main course of a beach cook-out. 
• Have you been in and out of multiple pools recently?  How about the lake or the river?  What do your ears think about that?  Maybe a little sore?  Don't forget that a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol go a long way.  Don't just use it when your ears start to hurt...use it preventatively, as well.

In our Monday Meetings the past few weeks we have been talking about igniting the fire inside.  One of the cornerstones of becoming a better swimmer is to "be hungry."  In the spirit of being hungry to be the best you can be, I have instituted the "Hungriest Swimmer of the Week" award.  This past week's winners included:

• Taylor Bassett:  good attendance, attempted faster intervals than ever (made most of them, too).
• Meredith Drummond:  perfect attendance, excellent test set results, definitely a leader on tough interval breastroke sets.
• Meaghan Godwin:  perfect attendance, made faster intervals than ever before, awesome IM test set on the fastest interval.
• Maria Maurer:  very good attendance, outstanding effort on all short interval sets, amazing IM test set (went from barely making the fastest interval to nearly hitting best times within the same set!)
• Corinne Tsapatsaris:  perfect attendance, faster intervals than ever, endured a tough AM practice with the seniors - featuring her 4th best stroke, easily held 1500 pace in pace work set.

Feel like your name was left out?  Remember that this week is a new week.  How hungry will you be to take your swimming to the next level?  I select 5 swimmers every week, will you be among them?  PS:  Repeat winners ARE encouraged!