Author: Ethan Schick

The following are the swimmers of the week for the weeks of 6/13 and 6/20.

Upper Division
Week of 6/13 – Eden
Eden is an excellent swimmer, but the quality that impresses the coaches the most, is Eden’s commitment to technique and constant improvement. She always comes to the coaches tent after her races and asks clarifying questions during sets, then immediately puts suggestions into practice. She also makes suggestions for practice that she thinks will be the most beneficial for herself and her teammates, making her extremely coachable and an asset to the team. Great work Eden!

Week of 6/20 – Brogan
Brogan was one of the few swimmers this week to participate in all 3 meets, swimming a large collection of events. Brogan is committed to improving his stroke and goes after qualifying times by setting goals before every race. No matter how his race goes, Brogan always has a positive attitude after his race, asking about what can be improved, setting new goals, or reflecting on what went well.
Keep it up Brogan!

Middle Division
Week of 6/13 – Emerson S
Emerson came to practice this week with an enthusiasm for swimming and a desire to become better. He worked hard to meet the times to qualify for Ken Caryl, demonstrated by his commitment to doing his best in every set and listening closely to the coaches. He is a good athlete and a great leader!
Well done Emerson!

Week of 6/20 – Allison
Allison is such a joy to have on the team. She is a hard worker, already a strong swimmer and yet still pushes herself to be the best she can be. Allison demonstrates her commitment by going to stroke clinics, implementing the tips and technique in the following practices, then signing up for those races in the next meet. Her tenacity shines through every time she gets up to race, making her an irreplaceable asset to the team.
Nice job Allison!

Lower Division
Week of 6/13 – Kaia
Kaia came to practice this week with a great attitude and a desire to improve. Kaia was always the first to listen in her lane and she helped her lane mates understand the sets and improve their stakes along with her. Kaia brings a positive attitude to practice every day that makes the 9am practice a joy!
Stay cool Kaia!

Week of 6/20 – Nolan
Nolan was another one of our swimmers to swim at all 3 meets this week. Nolan will take on any challenge that is thrown at him. He swam 3 difficult events at the intrasquad, raced hard at Ken Caryl, and ended up placing 1st at the Pentathlon. Nolan is an asset that any coach would be happy to have because he is so versatile and willing to step up for the team.
Excellent job Nolan!

Ken Caryl entries are posted here – Ken Caryl Entries. They should be final, but please double check and direct any questions or comments to ethan.schick@gmail.com before 2pm today. For the most part the coaches spoke with the swimmers who were already qualified and based entries off of those conversations. There were just a few people who qualified on Saturday and we reached out to them individually, so if you or your swimmer weren’t originally qualified and did not get a message yesterday, then the qualification times were not met. Sometimes we invite additional people to fill relays, but this year we did not get the meet file from Ken Caryl in time to start the process, so the relays were created based on availability of swimmers in that age group. That is to say, some swimmer are in relays and some aren’t based on how many people qualified.

Week of 6/6

Each week the coaches will choose one swimmer from each of the practices to be recognized as the swimmer of the week. Swimmers are chosen each week based on their contributions to the team, including, but not limited to, athletic achievements, sportsmanship, volunteerism, team spirit, and/or creating a positive atmosphere. The swimmers of the week for last week are:

Devon Garls: This week, Devon demonstrated leadership in many ways emblematic of what it means to be part of the Green Mountain Gators. During practice Devon set a great example by completing all sets fully and with intention. As the leader of his lane, his drive gets passed down through not only his lane, but the entire upper division practice. In addition, on Thursday, Devon volunteered to stay after practice and assist with the butterfly stroke clinic which included many younger swimmers. He was an asset to their understanding of what good butterfly looks like as an excellent flyer himself and he provided well thought out technique tips while the clinic was performing drills. Well done Devon!

Lydia Mitchell: This week, Lydia came to practice with a stellar attitude and smiles that made even the cold water manageable for her teammates. As a lane leader she motivated her teammates with her spirit and drive, pushing herself when moved up to a more challenging lane. The coaches know that they can count on Lydia not only to have a good attitude, but to make the most of the hour long practice in an effort to become a better swimmer. Nice work Lydia!

Alexandra Dye: This week, Alexandra showed a commitment to self improvement in swimming that was inspiring. She came to practice each day with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. When given technique tips, Alexandra listened intently and put them into practice right away. Alexandra even extended her learning beyond the water, asking coaches about technique before and after practice. All the hard work paid off as she noticeably improved her starts. Keep up the good work Alexandra!

Good morning Gators! Practice is ON this morning. Depending on the pool temperature, we may limit our time in the water so bring athletic shoes for dryland exercises. Also, bring dry towels, jackets/sweatshirts, and pants to stay warm before and after practice. Hopefully we don’t have too many days like this, but we will make the most of them! See you soon