11/20
WEEK AHEAD: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday practices are at normal times this week. Due to the PVS Senior Champ meet being held at GMU this week, we will not have practice on Thursday or Friday. We will have practice Saturday and Sunday between sessions of the meet from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM for all the JO swimmers.
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK: "If you have a lane, you have a chance"
DID YOU KNOW: This may sound cheesy, but as I was growing up we would head to the 
beach right after the All-star meet and from the time we arrived till we left you couldn't get me out of the water 
. But my parents, uncles and all the "adults" had this rule that after we ate a meal 
we had to stay out of the water for at least an hour. The "MYTH" come to find out was that if you swim right after lunch you will get a stomach cramp and drown. As we became older and just a little wiser we found that swimming after a meal may give you a stitch, but a stomach cramp is really an abdominal muscle cramp caused by lack of fitness, cold water, dehydration, or fatigue, not by food. Years later my parents confessed that it was the only way they could keep the kids out of the water so they could relax (there were usually 20 kids in two houses) and have a meal.
beach right after the All-star meet and from the time we arrived till we left you couldn't get me out of the water . But my parents, uncles and all the "adults" had this rule that after we ate a meal we had to stay out of the water for at least an hour. The "MYTH" come to find out was that if you swim right after lunch you will get a stomach cramp and drown. As we became older and just a little wiser we found that swimming after a meal may give you a stitch, but a stomach cramp is really an abdominal muscle cramp caused by lack of fitness, cold water, dehydration, or fatigue, not by food. Years later my parents confessed that it was the only way they could keep the kids out of the water so they could relax (there were usually 20 kids in two houses) and have a meal. THE FINAL CHAPTER: As we start this week of practice on Monday we take that final turn on 
OUR journey this season and head down "CHAMPIONSHIP ROAD." This is my most favorite road on the trip, a time to see if our season plan has come together. It's a time when all of you are at your best, a time when your fitness level and you confidence is very high, a time that is exciting to be part of. We have sacrificed and put in a lot of work since September 15, some of us more than others, but there is no looking back now. Regardless of what has happened along this journey we are in the here and now! The stage has been set (PG LEARNING COMPLEX), and the moment finds you in what ever shape you are in right now.
OUR journey this season and head down "CHAMPIONSHIP ROAD." This is my most favorite road on the trip, a time to see if our season plan has come together. It's a time when all of you are at your best, a time when your fitness level and you confidence is very high, a time that is exciting to be part of. We have sacrificed and put in a lot of work since September 15, some of us more than others, but there is no looking back now. Regardless of what has happened along this journey we are in the here and now! The stage has been set (PG LEARNING COMPLEX), and the moment finds you in what ever shape you are in right now. As we turn this corner, I will take care of the 
work by resting you a little as we go through the next few practices. That being said there are some things that you can do away from the pool to increase your chances of success. One of the very important areas is your 
mentally going down this road. The very first thing you can do is get a piece of paper and every time you have a NEGATIVE thought the next few days write it down. Things such as I'm tired, I feel sore, What if I'm slow, My turns, Homework, Headaches, Hungry, thirsty, etc., write them all down and give them to me next Wednesday and I will put them away so you can focus on RACING.
work by resting you a little as we go through the next few practices. That being said there are some things that you can do away from the pool to increase your chances of success. One of the very important areas is your mentally going down this road. The very first thing you can do is get a piece of paper and every time you have a NEGATIVE thought the next few days write it down. Things such as I'm tired, I feel sore, What if I'm slow, My turns, Homework, Headaches, Hungry, thirsty, etc., write them all down and give them to me next Wednesday and I will put them away so you can focus on RACING. We know this will be a long weekend so plan ahead for your 
schoolwork. Get ahead now with papers, reading, projects. Use this week and the upcoming weekend to get this stuff out of the way, so that come championship weekend we can be mentally clear of all the baggage. This is also important so that when you get home from the meet, you can eat and 
rest without all the added stress of schoolwork.
schoolwork. Get ahead now with papers, reading, projects. Use this week and the upcoming weekend to get this stuff out of the way, so that come championship weekend we can be mentally clear of all the baggage. This is also important so that when you get home from the meet, you can eat and rest without all the added stress of schoolwork. As I start to rest you in the next few days, it's important that you also rest as much as possible away from the pool. Does that mean to skip your other sports. No that is not what I am saying, but talk to your coach and explain the situation and see if you might be able to miss some of the conditioniing part of practice. I think you are probally already in pretty good shape. Stay off the legs as much as possible because they are the first muscles that will give out and we don't want them to be fatigued going into the meet.
It is critical that we keep our good eating habitis up during the next few days. Keep our tanks as full as we can and don't forget to keep hydrating.... 
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..... .... .... .Sart to plan your snacks for the meet so that all you need to worry about next week is RACING. Use this week, and the weekend to do all the preparing and then put the meet away in the back of your mind and do what you normally do to relax. If you dwell on it too much it's wasted energy that WILL affect your performance.
Watching you all on Thursday and Friday at practice during those swim offs, I must say that I am pretty excited for this meet, and wish it was tommorow because all of you are ready!
RELAYS FO JO'S: All the relays have been sent ou and we do need to hear from you all as to your availability to swim them. Any changes that we need to make need to be done this week. If you are selected to swim in a relay I expect you to be there!
HAVE A GOOD WEEK MIKE
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