UPDATES FOR WEEK: This week all of our practices will be held at our normal times and days. The pool has been fixed and let's 
and hope that nothing comes up to keep us out of the water.
and hope that nothing comes up to keep us out of the water.MEET STRATEGY: A lot of you and your parents have asked about events for the upcoming meets, so let's touch on a few things. First if you have qualified for certain events at JO'S then you SHOULD NOT swim these events again until JO'S, unless there is a strong reason why you think you should and in this case you need to talk to me. If you continue to swim the same events over and over they become stale and you become bored with them. This does not put you in a good position to be successful during championship season. Here is the way you should be 
thinking. I have my IM cuts but I am not a strong breast stroker, so maybe I should enter the breast stroke events on each day (yes even the 200) to work on the stroke, the pull outs the turns, to make my IM stronger. These are the little things that you need to be thinking about
thinking. I have my IM cuts but I am not a strong breast stroker, so maybe I should enter the breast stroke events on each day (yes even the 200) to work on the stroke, the pull outs the turns, to make my IM stronger. These are the little things that you need to be thinking aboutUPCOMING MEETS: January 23-24 January Open (Fairland MD.) This meet is not for the swimmers in the AG1 group. It is only for swimmers who have conflicts with the meets in February and are trying to get JO cuts.
February 13-14 JO Qualifier Cub Run (Centreville VA.) This meet is for all the groups. AG1 swimmers should try some new events. All of you are ready to try the 100 free, 100 back, 100 breast and yes some of you are ready for the 100 fly (talk to me if your not sure). It'is time to step out of that comfort zone and see what happens. A few of you are also ready for the 200 free.
February 27 Snow/Mako Qualifier (Claude Moore Ashland VA.) This will be the last meet that we will enter before our championship season in March.
March 18-21 Junior Olympic Championships 14 and Under's ( Fairland Md.) You must have Qualifying times to enter this meet
March 27-28 Mako Spring Champs (GMU Fairfax) This meets is the championship meet for those swimmers who did not qualify for JO"S or only had 3 events. You may not swim the events you had at JO'S
MEET WRAP UP: We had a tremendous weekend of swimming at GMU this past weekend. Our groups did achieved a lot of personal best times, and posted a lot of JO cuts which is outstanding for this time in the season and coming off the holidays. We had a few swimmers from our groups who tried some new strategies for their races, and this required you to step out of your comfort zone and hurt a little. I need to point them out now; Sarah Ashon and Elena Summers used a new strategy for their 200 free at the end of the meet and had great races finishing 1 and 2. and now I need to go off the 
for them. Melissa Kratzke used a new strategy for her 100 breast won the event and got her JO cut because she will be 13 by then. Leah Rogers tried something new for her 100 fly and won the event and also tried something new in the 200 IM and dropped a lot of time and now I owe her a 
dance. Madeline Hunter and Noah Carpenter tried a new breathing pattern in the 50 free and finally broke that 30:00 barrier. Trying some new things in some events was Victoria Lewan who ended up having all best times in her swims. Some other great swims were turned in by Katie Byrd who had all best times. Lauren and Julia Young, Kyle Cassidy, Vincent Clea, Brett Bold and Fletcher Madsen had great swims in the 100 free. Lauren Howell got a couple more of her cuts this weekend by trying some new things also. Great job by all of the swimmers in our group this past weekend, BUT our work is not done yet as we have 3 more meets where we need to get some things accomplished, SO GET READY AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEXT 7 WEEKS.
for them. Melissa Kratzke used a new strategy for her 100 breast won the event and got her JO cut because she will be 13 by then. Leah Rogers tried something new for her 100 fly and won the event and also tried something new in the 200 IM and dropped a lot of time and now I owe her a dance. Madeline Hunter and Noah Carpenter tried a new breathing pattern in the 50 free and finally broke that 30:00 barrier. Trying some new things in some events was Victoria Lewan who ended up having all best times in her swims. Some other great swims were turned in by Katie Byrd who had all best times. Lauren and Julia Young, Kyle Cassidy, Vincent Clea, Brett Bold and Fletcher Madsen had great swims in the 100 free. Lauren Howell got a couple more of her cuts this weekend by trying some new things also. Great job by all of the swimmers in our group this past weekend, BUT our work is not done yet as we have 3 more meets where we need to get some things accomplished, SO GET READY AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEXT 7 WEEKS. I WILL HAVE SOME TOPICS POSTED UP HERE BY WEDNESDAY, AS i NEED TO GET THIS OUT BECAUSE i KNOW WE ARE entering meets. MIke
