Florida Atlantic Aquatics Blog

Florida Atlantic Aquatics Swimmer Reign Belzer Named ISCA 9 & Under Girls Award Winner

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:49:53 GMT

Recognized at the 2026 ISCA Orca Awards for outstanding performance and multiple USA Swimming #1 rankings in her age group

Florida Atlantic Aquatics is proud to recognize swimmer Reign Belzer , who was named the 9 & Under Girls Award Winner at the 2026 ISCA Orca Awards.

This national recognition highlights Reign’s performance and consistency throughout the season, including earning multiple USA Swimming #1 rankings in her age group and gender . Her results reflect not only talent, but a strong commitment to daily improvement and a positive approach to training.

The award was presented as part of the annual Orca Awards, hosted by the International Swim Coaches Association, which brings together leaders across the sport to recognize excellence at all levels—from developing swimmers to the highest levels of coaching and competition.

Reign’s achievement is a meaningful moment for Florida Atlantic Aquatics, representing the strength of the program at its earliest stages and the potential of its developing athletes.

At FAA, long-term development remains the focus, and moments like this reflect the work being done every day by swimmers, coaches, and families.

We are incredibly proud of Reign and look forward to what lies ahead.

Florida Atlantic Aquatics Head Coach Rich Rogers Named ISCA Coach of the Year

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:50:53 GMT

Recognized at the 2026 ISCA Orca Awards for sustained excellence in athlete development, program leadership, and long-term impact in the sport of swimming.

Florida Atlantic Aquatics is proud to share that Head Coach Rich Rogers has been named ISCA Coach of the Year at the 2026 Orca Awards. The recognition reflects a coaching career built on sustained athlete development, program growth, and a consistent ability to elevate teams to national relevance. For the FAA community, it also represents the collective work of athletes, families, and coaches who contribute to that process every day.

Rogers’ career spans more than four decades and is defined by a consistent ability to build and lead successful programs across multiple environments. He has guided athletes and teams to national success, including a USA Swimming Junior National Combined Team Championship in 2006 , served as Program Director of a USA Swimming Gold Medal Club, and most recently led Florida Atlantic Aquatics to national prominence in under three years.

The recognition was presented at the annual Orca Awards, hosted by the International Swim Coaches Association, which brings together leaders across the sport to honor achievement at all levels. The weekend included coaching education, national team engagement, and Hall of Fame recognition, highlighting the continued growth and development of the sport.

This year’s Hall of Fame class included Matt Kredich (University of Tennessee), Ray Looze (Indiana University), and Kate Lundsten (Aquajets), each recognized for distinguished careers and lasting contributions to swimming.

For Rogers, the award reflects the people behind the process.

“This kind of recognition is never about one season,” Rogers said. “It’s about the athletes, families, and coaches you’ve had the opportunity to work with over time. I’ve been fortunate to be part of that process for many years.”

At Florida Atlantic Aquatics, that philosophy continues to guide the program’s growth—emphasizing technical development, accountability, and alignment between swimmers, coaches, and families.

This recognition reflects not only past success, but the continued direction of the program as it builds toward the future.

Season Ending Updates & TYR Champs Info

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:26:42 GMT

Important Team Updates & Meet info

Hi All,

Well we are heading into the final meet of the short course season. This will make nine (9) meets in ten (10) weeks. While that may seem daunting, we are committed to offer our swimmers the best opportunities for them; wherever and whenever they are. Our FAA swimmers have been excelling at these events. The entire staff has been incredibly proud of how they swam and represented the program. It has been a blast. We will recap when the season ends, but right now, we are focused on finishing out strong.

Before we get into the specifics of the event, some important administrivia...

AGE GROUP TEAM BREAK

There will be no age group practices offered for one week beginning Saturday April 11th. We will resume afternoon practices on Monday, April 20th. Mornings will resume the following week, starting on Tuesday, April 28th. This is more of a working staycation for your staff as we will be finalizing meet offerings, training/camp schedules and will be generally tweaking and preparing for the upcoming season.

Seasons are built upon each other. We anticipate that the next one will be even more impactful than the one we are completing this weekend. None of this would be possible without your continued support. Know it is always appreciated.

GTSA MEET INFO / UPDATES

Tomorrow, we will travel to Tampa for the GTSA TYR Spring Championship Meet. This is a prelims/finals meet (timed finals for 10&U). Teams from across the state and the Northeast will be in attendance. We are looking for the attendees to have great morning swims and use that all important “finals juice” to have some major breakouts. We have attended this meet in the past and have seen some amazing swims. Here are some important links and updates.

TYR CHAMPIONSHIP “MEET CENTRAL” (all the links, results etc) https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/fsgtsa/page/events/2026-gtsa-tyr-championship-meet

Meet Information Letter
Psych Sheet
Timeline
Heat Sheets - Fri 13&O , Fri 12&U, Sat 13&O , Sat 12&U , Sun 13&O , Sun 12&U

(no 10&U yet)

Timers - Each team is asked to help with a couple of timers. You can sign up here to help out.

Team/Spectator/Vendor Seating/Locations - They actually have assigned areas for each team. We will have a tent available for the swimmers in the designated location.

Warm Ups - Friday is open warm up. Warm ups start at 4:00pm and the meets starts at 5:00pm. There are assigned lanes for each team on Saturday and Sunday. Our club will be in Lane 8 for all warm up sessions those days. 11 & Up swimmers, let’s be behind the block, ready to swim, at 6:55am. There will be 20-30 minutes for the 10&Us. Please see the timeline, but we will send out info as we know more each day.

What To Bring - The weather was a factor a couple of days when we were in St Pete the past two weeks, so be prepared for potential rain. The sessions will be long so a chair for your athletes and maybe something soft to sit on in the stands as they are concrete. Also, I am not sure if they have replaced the awnings after the hurricanes so parents, a hat may be in order as well. Pack healthy food and drink options and, as always, bring a great attitude.

What We Expect - We are looking for some fast season-ending swims; especially from those who have not yet had a championship event. We want fast swims in the morning and real racing at night. This is a great opportunity to challenge yourself against swimmers you do not normally swim against (no subconscious or pre-conceived notions about where I am “supposed” to finish). We are expecting great warm ups, good choices and a lot of championship behaviors on display.

To Sum It Up...

It’s been a long stretch, that’s for sure. That said, we have put this together because we only want the best for all of our swimmers. By providing these options every athlete has a chance to shine and grow. Yes, FAA does things differently; but that is by design. Let’s have fun and swim fast this week and let’s get ready for an even more impactful season to come.

Thanks for the opportunity to work with your family.

See you at the pool - Rich

March Madness The Aquatic Version

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:44:27 GMT

Championship Season Updates

Hi All,

It has been an amazing month of championship racing. There simply isn’t enough space to recap everything in detail, but here are some highlights.

The BB Championships were a great way to kick things off, as mentioned in my previous post. We followed that up the next weekend with some outstanding swims from our Florida Age Group Championship qualifiers. Our swimmers delivered numerous lifetime bests, multiple finals appearances, medalists, and even a few LSC Champions.

The girls were battling for a Top-3 team finish for most of the weekend. As a smaller team without relays in several events, they ultimately finished 5th overall , which is an incredible accomplishment. The 10 & Under Girls finished 2nd overall , and the team secured another Top-10 combined finish .

These are not typical results for a team that is less than three years old . It speaks volumes about our swimmers, our parents, and our coaching staff. Together we are building a strong culture here at FAA—one centered around growth, accountability, and supporting one another. That culture will continue to grow as we create more memorable experiences and life lessons for our athletes.

Great job to all of our Age Group swimmers who represented FAA so well at these championship events.

Florida Gold Coast 15 & Over Championships

This past weekend we sent a squad to the Florida Gold Coast 15 & Over Championships . While many of our senior swimmers are still preparing for the upcoming ISCA Senior Championships in St. Petersburg , we still had some notable performances.

Jacob Rubin was on fire in the 50 Fly , winning the event with a lifetime best 21.47 . He also turned in strong swims in his other events throughout the meet.

Roxy Rohrbaugh performed well in her sprint events and showed great toughness by coming back for multiple finals swims in the evening sessions.

Several of our other swimmers used this meet as a “swim-through” meet as part of their preparation for ISCA next week.

Looking Ahead: ISCA Championships

Speaking of ISCA, the Senior Championships begin next week , followed by the 14 & Under Championships the following week .

I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth repeating.

Our club philosophy is not centered around focusing only on local championship meets. There is a much bigger swimming world out there , and we want our athletes to experience it. Our goal is to expose swimmers to higher levels of competition, help them align their goals with those opportunities, and then train with purpose toward those goals.

Over the past few years we have made tremendous progress in that direction. Taking these steps is a major part of building a true national-level program .

TYR Championships – End of Season Team Meet

After ISCA, we will wrap up the season with the TYR Championships , which are open to all of our swimmers.

This is always a fun meet because it brings the entire team together— all ages and all skill levels .

The meet is smaller in scope and often allows more swimmers the opportunity for second swims and finals experiences , which are extremely valuable for young athletes learning how championship meets work.

If you are planning to attend, please be sure to sign up before the deadline .

We hope to see many of you there.

Go OWLS!

Our FAU Owl teammates also had an outstanding championship season.

The women’s team moved up multiple spots , and the men won their conference championship for the first time in program history .

In addition, Daniel qualified to represent FAU at the upcoming NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships , which is a tremendous honor and a reflection of how far the program has grown.

There were too many lifetime bests and school records to list here, but congratulations to the swimmers and coaches for the work they put in to make it a truly memorable season.

What’s Next?

Long Course… of course.

We will be sending out the summer meet schedule within the next week or two . We are working to add a few different opportunities this year, particularly for our younger and newer swimmers , to help them gain more racing experience.

Keep an eye out for that information soon.

Summer Camps

We will also be opening camp registration shortly .

Last year we introduced our popular Surf & Turf Camp , which was very well received and complemented our first competitive training camp nicely.

This year we will be adding another camp option designed for swimmers looking for a more elite training experience .

With this addition, we will now offer three camp options designed to meet the needs of children and athletes of all ability levels.

We hope many of you take advantage of the option that is the best fit for your swimmer.

Let’s finish the season strong.

Dream big. Stay focused. Have fun.

See you at the pool,

Coach Rich

Championship Season Begins – A Great Start for FAA

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:35:49 GMT

BB Championship results, Age Group Championships this weekend, and a big finish ahead for FAA swimmers.

Hi All,

This is the time of year when all of the hard work starts to show. We are right in the heart of championship season.

Our goal is simple: swim fast, have fun, and enjoy the results of the work that has been put in every day at practice. We have seen tremendous growth from our individual swimmers and from the team as a whole.

Regardless of which championship meet your swimmer is targeting, this is a great time for all of us to come together as a program and enjoy these events. These are special moments for the athletes and the families who support them.

Before We Begin…

Swimmers participating in this weekend’s Age Group Championship meet should be picked up at 6:30pm tonight . We will be finishing practice a little early so they can get some extra rest, catch up on any school work, and arrive at the meet fully focused for the weekend.

BB Champs Started Us Off Right

FAA kicked off the championship season with a very strong showing at the BB Championships held at Boca Raton High School last weekend.

We saw:
• many new Age Group Championship qualifying times
• a large number of personal best swims
• several swimmers gaining valuable experience competing in a finals session at a championship meet

While FAA did not score team points at this meet, our swimmers actually posted the highest combined performance score of the 18 teams that did score points, based on the SwimCloud Age Group Performance Points system.

Team Performance Scores:

Florida Atlantic Aquatics – 477.6
Swim Coral Springs – 444.5
Swim Fort Lauderdale – 444.1

Congratulations to all of our swimmers. It was a fun and exciting way to start the championship season.

Age Group Championships

The BB Championships were just the beginning.

This weekend we will be sending a couple dozen swimmers to the 14 & Under Florida Age Group Championships (JOs) in Coral Springs.

This is a major milestone for our program. Just a year and a half ago we barely had this many swimmers in the entire team.

As with BB Champs, we are looking for strong performances across the board. Some swimmers will be chasing ISCA National qualifying times , while others will be aiming to earn finals swims and podium finishes .

The meet begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday evening .

A separate meet-specific email will go out shortly with the detailed information for families attending.

What’s Next?

After Age Group Championships, the championship season continues with:

• Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships
• ISCA Senior Nationals
• ISCA Age Group Nationals
• TYR Championships in Tampa to close out the short course season

It’s an exciting stretch for the team.

Look for more details about this weekend’s meet shortly.

Are you getting pumped? I know I am.

See you at the pool,

Rich

Meet Day & The Big Picture

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:16:33 GMT

How This Weekend Fits Into Our Long-Term Plan

Hi All,

Well, it is finally meet day! The entire staff is really looking forward to our first team-wide meet in quite some time. Coach Nick and I have already sent out the basic meet information and administrivia. This message is more about where we are in the season and what we are trying to accomplish .

We believe it’s important that our families understand the why behind what we do. Fair warning: that means I’m going to share some bigger-picture concepts… so yes, it may get a little wordy. Ready? Let’s go.

The Big Picture

At FAA, we break the short course season into two main cycles: August to November/December and December to March/April . We do this for several reasons, but the main one is long-term athlete development while still living in the real world of competitive swimming.

The optimal length of a training cycle is roughly 11–22 weeks . Breaking a 32-week season into two 16-week cycles is simply better physiologically and psychologically for the athletes. The full science behind that is a post for another day, but trust me — it works better.

The good news is that this also lines up well with:

High School States and Winter Juniors/SC Nationals for our seniors
A late November/early December championship meet for our age-group swimmers

Having the whole team working toward similar season-ending dates makes the entire program flow better.

There’s another big benefit.

If we can have swimmers qualify for their spring championship meets in November/December , we avoid having to chase cuts in February or early March. Sometimes that’s unavoidable — but when we can avoid it, we should.

In my experience, when a swimmer tapers early just to make a cut, they often have less left in the tank for the actual championship meet. That’s not fun for anyone. So we prefer to make cuts early — and often when possible ��

But Wait, There’s More…

I like to think of FAA as being modeled more like a college prep program for swimming .

Not because of where our kids go to school — but because of how we structure training, seasons, expectations, and long-term development .

As a former DI and DII college coach, I know exactly how college seasons are structured and what college coaches are looking for. And since we’re part of a college program, we get to see those realities every day on deck.

College programs also run split seasons , usually with a winter target meet and a spring championship season. The same is true for post-grad programs. By getting our swimmers used to this flow early, they’re much better prepared for the realities of college swimming .

OK Rich, What Does This Have To Do With This Weekend?

A lot.

We’ve just spent the last five weeks building the endurance base of our athletes. That included a two-week pull-in phase followed by more sustained aerobic work. This gives them the platform they need before we start stressing higher aerobic and anaerobic systems.

Without this base, they wouldn’t be ready for what’s coming next.

Practically speaking, that means:

We may not see peak sprint sharpness this weekend
But we should see better ability to sustain speed , better back halves, and better technique under fatigue

We’ll be looking for even splits, smart races, and strong finishes . If they swim correctly, they shouldn’t get “gassed.”

The Long View

We take a long-term, strategic view of athlete development.

We’re not just training swimmers for this meet or this season — we’re giving them the skills, habits, and mindset they’ll need at the senior level and beyond. Seasons build on seasons. The kids hear me say that all the time… because it’s true.

Each phase of the season sets up the next one. When everyone understands that, it becomes a lot easier to enjoy each phase for what it is , instead of judging everything by one weekend.

One More Important Piece

We try to keep the entire team on a similar seasonal timeline so everyone has championship opportunities around the same period.

Here’s what the end of the short course season looks like:

BB Champs – Feb 22
FGC Age Group Champs – March 5
FGC Senior Champs – March 13
ISCA Senior Cup (15+) – March 24
ISCA (14&U Nationals) – March 31

If we take a program break after the last meet, we restart the second week of April for long course. But what about swimmers whose season ends in February or early March ? That’s a long time sitting in a tunnel waiting.

So we fixed that.

We added a short course championship meet for the entire team :
➡️ The TYR Championship in Tampa in early April

Everyone gets a championship experience. Everyone stays on a similar rhythm.

We only got accepted a few days ago, so that’s why you’re just hearing about it now. More info is coming soon — and yes, this post is already long enough ��

If you made it this far, congratulations .

The more you understand the why behind what we do, the more enjoyable this whole journey becomes.

Let’s go have a great weekend, swim with passion, and enjoy the process.

See you at the pool,

Rich

Regional Results, Turkey Meet, and a Great Conversation on Swimming Culture

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 01:28:07 GMT

A quick update on our athletes, upcoming meets, and a deeper dive into the mindset behind Florida Atlantic Aquatics.

Hi All,

The weather might be cooling down, but things are heating up at the pool. As I write this, our high school swimmers are deep in their Regional and State competitions. We’ve already seen some incredible swims, and with full tapers underway, I know we’ll witness even more. Congratulations to all our high-school athletes...and best of luck at your season-ending meets!

�� Turkey Meet

Next up for the club is the North Palm Beach Turkey Meet in Stuart, Florida . We added this meet to the schedule for several reasons. It’s a quality Prelims/Finals format held in a fast facility — but the main reason is timing.

It lines up perfectly with the high-school championship taper. This lets our club and high-school swimmers peak around the same time, keeping our training progression consistent and easier to manage. It also gives our younger athletes a taste of what’s coming in their future high-school seasons.

Beyond that, we use meets like this to prepare swimmers for college-style racing . At that level, high performers race at conference meets and — just a few weeks later; hopefully at NCAAs. Learning to perform at your best twice within a short window is a skill few master early, and we try to build that foundation now.

I’ve often said that our swim club is like a prep school for life; a place that prepares young people for what comes next, whether that’s college swimming or life beyond the pool. Every meet, set, and schedule has a purpose. Sharing that purpose in letters like this helps keep everyone aligned and gives you insight into the “why” behind our training.

��️ A Conversation About Swimming Culture

Speaking of sharing — I had the honor of being interviewed by Summer Finke (Bobby’s sister) on her excellent podcast, Lane One, supported by the International Swim Coaches Association (ISCA) and Swimming World Magazine. You might recognize ISCA — we attend their Championship meets each spring and summer. Summer’s show has featured icons like Rowdy Gaines , Dara Torres , and others, and our conversation covers a lot of ground: culture, communication, empathy, and the parent-coach partnership that helps swimmers thrive.

The full interview runs just over an hour, but I’ve pulled a short sample clip you might enjoy. You can find them (and the full episode) below.

I’m sharing this not to say “look at me” — but to help strengthen the culture we’re building together . We’re a new club, still shaping our identity, and open conversations like this help clarify what we stand for and where we’re headed. The clearer our shared vision, the faster we can become the kind of program that elevates every swimmer — and every family — who’s part of it.

Check it out if you have a few minutes.

And as always, thank you for the opportunity to work with your families.

See you at the pool,

Rich

A Big Saturday Ahead: Celebrating Our Swimming Ecosystem

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:32:40 GMT

From first races to collegiate dreams — a full spectrum of swimming, right here at home.

Coach Nick has been doing a great job keeping everyone updated by email, but there’s so much happening this weekend that I wanted to take a moment and give you the bird’s-eye view. It’s a lot — so grab your beverage of choice, settle in, and let’s go!

�� Florida Gold Coast Swimposium

This weekend kicks off with the Florida Gold Coast Swimposium Awards Celebration , where over a dozen FAA swimmers will be recognized.

Honorees include:

FGC Record Breakers
National Top 10 Swimmers
Zone Team Members
Top 5 FGC Swimmers in individual age groups (9–16) for the 2024–2025 season.

Attendance is optional, but it’s a special moment to acknowledge the hard work and excellence of our athletes. Congratulations to all who earned this recognition!

�� Time, date, location, and full details are listed on the pic above.

��‍♂️ FAU Collegiate Swim Meet — 10:00 AM

Right here at FAU, the Owls will host Keiser University for a collegiate dual meet. You may have seen the new awnings go up — they’re expecting a strong spectator turnout.

For anyone not attending the Swimposium, this is a fantastic opportunity to see college swimming up close . Many age group swimmers go their entire careers without witnessing a true collegiate meet. When kids see real athletes — people just like them — racing, having fun, and swimming fast, something clicks. It becomes real.

They begin to set bigger goals, and they start to understand that those college swimmers started exactly where they are now — on a club team. The impact of that realization can be powerful for athletes and parents alike. I hope to see many of you there.

�� Saturday Practice — Nat Dev+ (1:00–2:00 PM)

Once the college meet wraps up, our Nat Dev+ and higher groups will have a short but meaningful one-hour practice .

It may be “just” an hour, but we can get in quality work , especially if swimmers are inspired by what they just witnessed. We’re also intentionally using this session to transition into the next big event of the day…

�� “Proof of Concept” AAU Mini Meet — 2:00 PM

In the afternoon, we’ll host a dry run of our new mini meet format for younger and newer swimmers — a pilot event that reflects how we want to reshape competition for developing athletes.

Traditional USA Swimming meets often stretch over entire days, making them less family-friendly. We want to offer something different: fast-paced, fun, developmentally appropriate racing that helps young swimmers fall in love with competition.

Warm-ups: 1:00 PM
Meet Start: Just after 2:00 PM
Duration: About 1.5 hours

These will not be official times, and we may experience a few minor glitches — that’s part of the testing process. We’re asking our older and more experienced swimmers to step in as demonstrators, timers, and mentors for their younger teammates. This is a chance to model leadership and give back.

Coach Nick will send more specific details soon.

�� Putting It All Into Perspective

Take a step back and look at what’s happening — all in one day, right here in our own backyard :

New swimmers stepping onto the blocks for their first mini meet.
Experienced age groupers being recognized or training hard.
Collegiate athletes racing at a high level, inspiring the next generation.

From a head coach’s perspective, it doesn’t get more holistic than this. We’re witnessing the entire lifecycle of swimming in a single day — from beginners to high-performance athletes. This is what makes our community so special.

We are truly fortunate to have this ecosystem surrounding us. It’s a built-in advantage for our kids and families — and I hope you’ll take part in it.

Thank you for being part of this journey, and for the privilege of working with your children and families.

See you at the pool,
Rich

A Focus On Our Novice /Developmental Swimmers

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 18:20:55 GMT

The FAA Developmental Framework

Hi All,

In just a short time, FAA has come a long way. Thank you for trusting us with your children—it’s been amazing to see the growth across every level of our program. While many people recognize the national-level success we’ve had with our elite swimmers, we want to emphasize that our focus is just as strong on developing athletes at the novice and foundation levels.

This year, we’ve made it a priority to elevate our novice and development programs. We’ve added staff, expanded meet opportunities, and are using our Levels System to give swimmers a clear, structured pathway to build the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need for long-term success.

To kick this off, I’ve put together a short screencast. Please take a few minutes to watch—it’s incredibly helpful when parents, swimmers, and coaches are all aligned and working toward the same goals.

Thank you again for your support. We’re excited for the season ahead and for the continued growth of every swimmer in the program.

Rich & The Entire FAA Staff

�� Watch the Screencast

The Science Behind Our Swim Training Program

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:15:34 GMT

Why structure matters — and how it helps your swimmer succeed.

Hi All,

One of the questions I hear most often is: “How do you decide what we do at practice?” The truth is, there’s a lot more behind it than just writing sets on a whiteboard.

I recently gave a talk that explains the backbone of how our training program is structured . It runs about an hour (so you don’t need to watch it all at once), and I’ve added chapter markers so you can jump to the parts that interest you most.

This isn’t just for parents — I strongly encourage our swimmers to watch too. The more athletes understand why we train the way we do, the more ownership they take in their effort, attitude, and long-term success.

What makes this unique is that coaches from top universities (like Georgia, UCLA and others) and some of the best club programs in the country have asked me to share these methods so they can learn how to implement them with their own swimmers. That should tell you just how valuable and respected this approach is.

Here’s what you’ll learn if you watch:

Why “random workouts” waste time — and how structured planning leads to faster improvement.
How training phases (accumulation, realization, taper) build toward peak performance.
Why energy zones matter, and how they help swimmers train smarter, not just harder.
What sets our program apart, and why it gives every swimmer the best chance to succeed long-term.

Whether you’re a parent who wants to understand how practices are designed, or a swimmer who wants to know the why behind the training, this video is for you.

�� CLICK HERE TO WATCH

See you at the pool,

Rich

New Season Eve

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 23:04:26 GMT

New Season, New Dreams

Hi All,

Well here we are — New Season Eve ��! Preseason wrapped up Saturday, and tomorrow we dive into Week One of the real season.

I took the past week to recharge after what was truly an amazing long course season. Of course, I’ve been reflecting on all that we accomplished together:

✅ Dozens of team records
✅ Multiple LSC and Junior Olympic records
✅ Scores of swims ranked in the National Top 16 (including several #1 spots!)

Wherever we go, coaches comment on our swimmers’ technique, pace, and race skills. I’m honored to be part of this journey. Thank you to our parents for your support, to our athletes for your relentless effort, and to our staff for making this vision a reality every day.

And if you know me, you know I’m already thinking about how we can make this next season even better ��.

I’ll keep this first note brief — mostly gratitude, with a few admin updates for the week ahead:

�� Practice Schedule

No AM practices this week.
Morning practices begin next Tuesday .
National Development and above: Tuesday–Friday, 5:30 AM.

�� Meet Schedule

Our meet calendar will be posted this week.
Every swimmer will have appropriate competitive options.

�� Equipment Needs

We’ll send a breakdown of required and suggested equipment for each training group.

�� Call for Donations

A team “wish list” will go out soon for additional equipment.
While we’re grateful for our FAU Owls family support, these extras will elevate the athlete experience.

�� Group Designations

As our team grows, we’ll be regrouping swimmers not just by speed, but also by emotional maturity .
This won’t affect training times or intensities — it’s about ensuring the best environment socially and athletically.

I could keep going, but I’ll stop here (I’m not supposed to start working until tomorrow, lol).

Thank you again for letting us be a part of your family’s swim journey. I know this will be our best season yet at FAA. Ready… GO!

See you at the pool,
Rich

Florida Atlantic Aquatics Named One of the Nation’s Top 20 Age Group Programs for Small Teams

coachrichrogers@gmail.com (Rich Rogers) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 02:15:40 GMT

FAA Placed 19th In The Nation For Swimmers 10 - 14 Years Old

We’re proud to share that Florida Atlantic Aquatics has been recognized by the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) as one of the Top 20 Age Group Programs in the country for small teams (under 200 swimmers). Even more exciting—FAA is just two years old and well under that 200-swimmer threshold!

This national ranking highlights the performances of our athletes ages 10–14 and reflects the hard work, focus, and consistency our swimmers bring to the pool every day.

We’re trying to build something special here at FAA—something grounded in high standards, strong team culture, and a belief that young athletes deserve individualized attention and a clear path to success. This recognition is just one small step, but it means a lot.

A huge thank you to our swimmers , parents , and the broader FAA family for putting your trust in our vision and being open to some of the “outside-the-box” approaches we bring to training and development. None of this is possible without you.

Let’s keep climbing.

See You At The Pool - Rich

�� View the full ASCA rankings here »

FAA Policy on Swimmer Recruitment and Parent Conduct

coachrichrogers@gmail.com (Rich Rogers) — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 01:02:15 GMT

Clarifying Our Commitment to Integrity, Transparency, and Respect in Athlete Movement

At Florida Atlantic Aquatics (FAA) , we are incredibly proud of the momentum our swimmers and families have created. With that growth comes added responsibility—to each other, to our sport, and to the broader swim community.

�� FAA Does Not Recruit Swimmers From Other Teams

Let us be clear:
FAA coaches do not initiate contact with swimmers who are currently registered with other USA Swimming clubs. We also do not direct or encourage any family to reach out to others about leaving their current team.

We believe our program speaks for itself, and we’re committed to honoring the boundaries of ethical conduct at all times.

✅ Families Are Welcome to Share Their Experiences—Respectfully

We understand that when a swimmer is thriving, parents naturally want to share. That’s part of a healthy swim community!

However, we kindly ask that FAA families do not attempt to persuade other families to leave their teams . Conversations should remain positive, respectful, and free of pressure.

If someone asks about FAA, feel free to:

Share our website
Suggest they reach out to Coach Rich directly
Offer your personal experience— but not advice to leave their team

�� What USA Swimming Says

“A coach shall not recruit or attempt to recruit an athlete who is already a member of another USA Swimming club.”
— USA Swimming Code of Conduct, Article 304.3.17

While this rule applies to coaches, if it appears that parents or swimmers are acting on behalf of a club , it may lead to complaints or review.

�� Let’s Stay Above Reproach

We’ve built something special here at FAA. The last thing we want is for our success to be clouded by misunderstandings or disputes. Let’s continue to lead by example—with integrity, transparency, and respect for others in our sport.

If you ever have questions about this policy, please contact me directly.

Thank you for all you do to make this team a great place to swim.

See You At The Pool,

Rich Rogers
Head Coach, Florida Atlantic Aquatics

FAA Spring Meet Schedule Updates & More (Please Read)

coachrichrogers@gmail.com (Rich Rogers) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:14:50 GMT

So, Why Are We Making These Changes & Additions?

FAA Revised Swim Meet Schedule

Spring 2025

February

8-9 Friendship Meet Pompano Beach

13-16 USAS Sectionals Plantation

21-23 BB Champs N Pompano Beach

March

7-9 Age Group Champs Coral Springs

21-24 FGC Senior Champs Academic Village

25-29 ISCA Sr Champs St Pete

April

2 - 5 ISCA 14 &U St Pete

11-13 Spring Champs Tampa

Hi All,

Well, the spring meet marathon kicked off this past weekend at the Pompano Beach Friendship Meet. FAA was well represented. We had some amazing swims but, more importantly, we made some big strides as a program. I was impressed with how we warmed up and prepared for each session as a team. We were looking for growth in terms of race strategies and we saw it on display. The athletes did a great job of implementing what we asked in their performances. We had many best times, new BB and JO meet cuts and National Age Group Top 16 swims...great job! Next up? USA Swimming Sectionals in Plantation later this week.

Since we are growing as a club , we made some changes in our meet selection to reflect that reality. I want to ensure that we all understand why we are doing what we are doing. Always keep in mind that our goal is what is best for our swimmers. This is a longer post, so grab your beverage of choice and get ready...here we go.

We made some shifts in our meet selections in an effort to give all of our swimmers a more complete season and experience. I would like to take a few minutes and explain what we are doing and why we are doing it. Know that there is a reason for these changes and those reasons always involve the swimmers best interest. With that as a backdrop, here it goes.

I have always had a problem with traditional meet schedules. The main problem I had with them was the fact that the team went to different meets on different weekends over the course of a month or more. During the short course season for example, the newer and younger swimmers would have their championship in February, the age groupers early and mid March and the seniors late March and early April. That’s not ideal for many reasons. Here’s some reasons why.

Think about it. The newer swimmers end their season in February at the BB championships. Long course training starts sometime in April. It always feels like the younger ones are in a holding pattern until the older swimmers are finished. The championship meet in February is also a BB qualifying meet. What about the swimmers who have not yet achieved one of those times? What is their “championship” meet? They need a meet to focus on as well.

Qualifying and attending the BB Championships is a great achievement for our newer swimmers, but I would rather it not be the end of the short course season. I would also like them to see swimmers competing at a higher level or find an older teammate to emulate as a potential role model. This is not possible if they rarely get to see them at a prelims finals meet.

Then there is the FGC 14 & U Age Group Championships or otherwise known as the “Junior Olympics”. This is a great meet for those 14 & under swimmers who qualify for it. It is a prelim finals meet, offers a chance for relays, individual and team scoring and has a ton of spirit. It’s a wonderful experience. It does come with a catch.

This meet can become the main focus of swimmers, coaches and families. While it is an exciting meet it should still be kept in perspective. It is a local 14 & under competition. Yes. It can be a fast and competitive event, but we hope to expand our swimmer’s vision and see larger possibilities, if their ambition, talent and commitment are in line. Too often, swimmers can become infatuated with this meet. Then they age up.

This can be a let down; especially if the swimmer and parents are not properly prepared for the transition. They have spent the majority of their careers chasing “JO” cuts and trying to make it back to finals. When that is over, they need to have a plan in place to help them have a goal and be motivated to train hard each day.

This was the main reason we started the NCSA 18 & Under Junior National meet many years ago. It filled the gap between age group championships and open national competitions. It offered swimmers a goal as well as opportunities for second swims if they met the cut as there were multiple heats at night. Later, an age group version was added for the 14 & unders. These meets became exclusive and very, very fast. Soon after, the ISCA meets were developed and we had even more high level opportunities for all age groups.

The landscape has changed since then. We now have Sectionals, Futures and other meets for our higher level swimmers...but we still did not have a good way to end the season for all of the swimmers on the team.

Enter the TYR Spring Championship.

There is a meet that is held in early April that offers a prelims/finals format, does not have time standards and has 8 & under events. Add in teams from across the country, swims that are fast but give real opportunities for our swimmers to finals, add in some mixed gender relays and you have a great opportunity to finish the season as a true team.

This meet is held in Tampa. When it first came on the meet schedule a few years back, I saw its potential to fill a big void. It immediately became my former program’s Spring team championship. We had all of our swimmers attend; even those who swam at the NCSA or ISCA meets participated in their “off” events. It was a huge success.

Of course, it was not a travel meet as my team was located in the Tampa Bay area. For us, it will be. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Hopefully, we can get a good showing this year and build our attendance in the years to come. It would make for a nice season ending tradition as it addresses many of the concerns raised earlier. I hope you can come.

We will continue to adjust our offerings as we grow. As mentioned earlier, we want to offer all of our swimmers the environment they need to grow and excel in the sport and beyond. Thanks for taking the time to read this and get a better understanding of who we are and what we are trying to do as an organization...if you made it this far, pat yourself on the back...GOOD JOB!!!

See you at the pool - Rich

More FAA Upgrades - Masters Focus

coachrichrogers@gmail.com (Rich Rogers) — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:31:56 GMT

More Options For Our Adults...But Wait, There's More.

Hi All,

There are a lot of good things happening in the FAA Universe. I could list them all, but the post would be too long for most people to finish. I will break it all up into manageable bites. The focus of this post will be the Masters program.

Swim parents, please continue to read. We have some of you who are already involved in our adult swimming program and I am sure there are others who might be interested. Swimming is a unique sport where the entire family can be involved on so many levels; including training and competing.. More on that in another post...but keep it in mind. For now, here are some important Masters updates.

New Masters Schedule/Focus Begins Monday, November 4th

As mentioned in an earlier post, we will be adding two (2) additional morning sessions to the current Masters workout schedule per week. The added options will be Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30am and Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:45am. There is no fee increase for these added options. Most high functioning Masters programs offer five (5) mornings a week. Since I go to the pool at that time each day, this upgrade was a no brainer. There may be a day or two during the year where I may be away at a meet and practice might be canceled, but those days will be few and far between.

Why The Additions?

As mentioned earlier, most highly successful Masters programs offer daily mornings for those who would like to train and compete at a higher level. They also offer those options for those who want to make getting in the pool part of their daily routine; even if they never want to compete. As some of you know, swimming has been a major part of my family’s life forever. Masters has been a big part of it as well. I know that my family “needed” to swim each day to feel right :) I am sure there are those reading this that know exactly what I mean. We have worked hard to add an incredible amount of training options for the age groupers this past year, now it is time to do the same for our Masters swimmers.

The added workout options also mean that we can become a place for those looking to compete locally through internationally. While not for everyone, there are some who like to challenge themselves in the pool and in Open Water events. Being a part of a swim team can be just as much fun as an adult as it was when you were a kid (and sometimes even more fun). By offering a place where people can challenge themselves against the clock and other adults, we can build a strong sense of camaraderie and team. That goes a long way in helping motivate people to get up, train and compete at their best.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Yay, bad pun...but it was there. Yes. We will now offer training and competition options for people looking to test themselves in the sport of competitive swimming. That said, we will always have a place for those just looking to get in a good workout or to swim and relieve some daily stress. Elite level training and meet attendance will not be required. We will continue to offer guided workouts as we do now as well as self directed options. These changes are only being added to open more doors, not to close any. You can do as much or as little as you desire. As with the kids, the choice is yours.

Expectations Moving Forward

So you are pumped to get in more and maybe even do some meets, awesome. Let’s be clear on what to expect as we move into this next phase of our growth.

We will make a meet schedule for each season. Normally it will culminate with a National Championship or major meet (here or abroad).
We will select some meets to attend during the season to prepare us for that targeted meet as well.
Hopefully, we can start entering relays at meets and look to score points and challenge other teams, locally and nationally, in some friendly competition.
We will offer workouts designed for each season for those looking to be on this path. For those who just want to go to the meets and have fun, but are not interested in doing the higher level workouts, we want you there as well! You can continue what you are doing now, but will have this fun option available to you.

PLEASE NOTE:

Training sessions will not be technique sessions. This is important. The coaches on deck love to help and offer suggestions from time to time. We can not, however, do full stroke instruction and refinement on a daily basis. We will offer swim clinics and private sessions for those interested,, but we simply do not have the time and resources for daily stroke correction and detailed personalized attention. I just wanted to be clear on this as we morph into the new focus.

Hosting Meets

I have looked at the meets offered in the state for Masters swimmers (schedule to be posted soon). It seems that most of the options are for those fifty (50) and older. It also seems that there are not that many local offerings as well. Instead of lamenting over this fact, perhaps we can rally the troops and begin to host some meets of our own. I would welcome your feedback on this; especially from anyone with practical experience hosting meets in the past. We have everything we need to make this come to pass...we just need a strong group of people to get them up and running.

Team SWAG & Events

Being a part of a team is great. We look to offer team gear, outfits and events as we grow and develop. Weekend brunches, post meet get togethers and the like all make being a part of a Masters team such fun. I look forward to being a part of these happenings with you in the future.

Putting It All Together

Our Masters program is a major part of our entire FAA program. Now, we are treating it that way. The goal is to be one large “Swamily”; from lessons, to age groupers, to college, to adults. Each segment compliments the other. Working together, we can create a large community of people with shared goals, dreams and visions. This synergistic relationship is like a tide lifting all boats.

This sense of “swamily” as I call it, is a powerful force. It is my sincere desire for us to experience that power here at FAA. I have been fortunate to have experienced it a few times in my life. When it all comes together, it is like magic. I hope we all get to feel that magic for many years to come.

See You At The Pool - Rich

The Long Lasting Benefits of Hard Work

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 19:23:13 GMT

Working Hard has prepared You for More Than Just Your Swim Meets

Hard Work. yes, it is important for success in the sport...but it can also help you long after you leave the competitive arena. In this podcast episode, we will look at one such example. Parents, I urge you to watch this to get a better understanding of the bigger picture we are trying to paint here at FAA. Swimmers, it is also important that you understand how all of what we do will benefit you later in life.

Click Here to watch the episode.

See you at the pool - Rich

The Importance Of Meet Warm Ups - For The Individual & Team

coachrichrogers@gmail.com (Rich Rogers) — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:18:02 GMT

It Is Important To Have A Race Plan For Every Event. Planning For The Warm Up Is Also Important

A Closer Look at The Meet Warm Up

Most swimmers, parents and coaches understand the need for specific plans for individual races...but do we all understand the importance of having a plan for the meet warm up as well? having a plan, and implementing it, can help a swimmer and a team be properly prepared for the physical and mental demands of an upcoming swim session. This episode of the podcast series will explore this critical element of success.

Click the pick above or the link below to check out the podcast.

CLICK HERE to watch

CLICK HERE for an example meet warm up.

(PLEASE NOTE: time and distance demands vary with the level of competitive swimmer involved in the warm up)

Distance Matters

coachrichrogers@gmail.com (Rich Rogers) — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 18:53:21 GMT

Yes, Even For Future SPRINTERS!

Hi All,

This is a quick post so no need for audio and video...

I just saw that one of my former 14 & Unders just won the World Junior Open Water 10k. I am happy for her, her family and, of course, Team USA. I wanted to bring this to your attention because it brings up an important point. Distance matters. Here’s why.

I know that there is an emphasis on sprint events in swimming. Sprinting is the majority of HS and college events. Relays score double which makes sprinters valable in terms of points. This fact leads many to over emphasize the importance of sprints in the developing swimmer. While I agree that sprints are important, that should not preclude a focus on distance swimming; especially with our under 14s.

Many of our nation's best “sprinters” got their first national level cuts in distance swimming. A focus on the longer events at a young age helps build an aerobic base that will help the athlete later in their career, even in the shorter events. Doing longer sets at a young age also gives the swimmer more “trials” to find their most efficient stroke. It also helps their walls, streamlines and so many other aspects they will need to perfect as they grow and mature in the sport...of course they will have to do them properly to get the full benefit but that is a topic we can discuss in a future post ��

Claire started out as a distance swimmer. She won FLAGS in the mile and has obviously kept to her distance roots to achieve success at this extremely high level. For every Claire, I can mention two or three “sprinters” who started out with a focus on distance and eventually became more successful in shorter races.

I bring this up because I know that we do more yardage and offer more workout times than most clubs. Sometimes I get asked, “why?”. We do this to ensure that our athletes have every opportunity for long term success as possible. While we do not have any required minimums, I can tell you that all of the successful swimmers I referenced above, all strived to be at as many workouts as possible. This focus and determination to get better help them achieve great things.

At FAA, we will continue to provide our younger swimmers with the educational and training opportunities they need to become their best.

Dream Big, Work Hard & Have Fun!

See you at the pool - Rich

FAA Podcast - 12 Championship Mindsets for The developing Age Group Swimmer

coachrichrogers@gmail.com (Rich Rogers) — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 16:51:34 GMT

Developing Championship Mindsets, Attitudes & Behaviors

Hi All,

In an effort to help instill the proper championship mindsets, attitudes and behaviors, I have put together a new podcast. In this episode, I list 12 championship mindsets that will help an athlete become successful in and out of the water. By recognizing and rewarding these mindsets, as parents and educators we can help each swimmer internalize them and be well on their way to becoming better swimmers and people. This video is less than 6 minutes long. Please share it with your swimmer(s) so we can all be on the same page.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE PODCAST

An Overview of Seasonal Training Design & More

coachrichrogers@gmail.com (Rich Rogers) — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 13:15:09 GMT

New FAA Podcasts & More

Hi All,

We are starting a new podcast series to help educate and inform our members about the team, it's happenings and how to succeed in the sport in general. It is a part of the plan to increase our families engagement and ensure that we are all the best educated and informed team on the planet. The new website is a big part of this initiative. Thanks for bearing with us as we migrate. We know that it will be a big win/win when this migration is complete.

Below is the first in the podcast series. It is an overview of how we structure a season from a training perspective. While not a complete deep dive into the process, it should give you a better understanding of how we create and structure the workouts for the higher level groups. We will delve deeper into this process in future episodes. For now, check it out and let us know your thoughts. If you have questions, always feel free to reach out.

See you at the pool - Rich

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PODCAST

New Season, New Website & More

FloridaAtlanticAquatics@gmail.com (Florida Atlantic Aquatics) — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 21:20:37 GMT

Kicking Off SC 24/25 The Right Way

Hi All,

A new season is upon us. It is always fun to begin something new. The possibilities are endless and our imagine can take flight. Know that here at FAA, we will do everything we can to make those dreams become reality. Let's begin with the first post of the new season...

Well, we have been testing, prodding and tweaking a new website and swim team system. Our goal is to make your experience as pleasant as possible. Toward that end, we went with the Captyn web format. There are a variety of reasons, but to be short, it seems to offer the best combination of ease and efficiency. Thanks in advance for working with us as we work through the transition. Always know, any changes we make are in the best interest of all involved. again, thanks.

Some news...

Changing WhatsApp Role

We would like to move away from WhatsApp for all messaging to the new system. We will double check and use WhatsApp while we transition, but our goal is to send emails and update the website so it can become a source of information for all. We are growing. We do not want any of our new families to miss out on any important updates as we get them on WhatsApp. Also, by providing information on our site, we can attract like-minded families to our organization. The new families we want to start in the sport can get a better feel of who we are, what we do and how we do it by reading our posts. This has been a great way to help people decide if FAA is the right place for their family's swim journey. We may still use WhatsApp for things such as individual meet news (warm up, time changes, etc)...we will keep you posted.

(Tentative) Meet Schedule Posted

We have updated the meet schedule page . In addition to adding meets for the rest of the year, we added some important meet dates for spring and summer 2025. We have had confirmation on all but one fall meet. As we get confirmation for the January - March meets, we will adjust as needed. I believe the spring championship dates for the local Florida Gold swim committee (LSC) have been finalized and are as follows:

BB Champs - February 21-23, 2025
Age Group Champs - March 6-9, 2025
SR Champs - March 20-23, 2025

Other championship dates are posted on the meet schedule mentioned above.

More Meets For Newer/Younger Swimmers

We have worked with some of the LSC clubs to help provide additional novice meet opportunities for our younger and newer swimmers. These events will be sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and will be fun, fast and family friendly. The costs will be low and the duration short. They will be a great way to introduce families to the sport without making them sit through an entire weekend waiting for 45 seconds of fun! We are THRILLED to finally have these events as an option for you. More on this soon.

Back To School, GRAY Time Change

We try to ease our swimmers back into the regular, post summer swim routine during the first couple of weeks of the school year. We are now back to offering mornings Tuesdays through Fridays as well as dryland and six (6) practices for the Nat'l Development groups +. Please try to take advantage of these training and educational opportunities as they will help your athlete excel in the sport.

Also, as we have notified you, we are changing the times for the GRAY group to 4:30 - 5:15. This new time will allow us to give the swimmers more individualized attention and care.

New "Stroke Academy" as a Pre-Team Option

Our pre-team offering went really well this summer. We will be expanding on it soon with a 4-4:30 option on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This program is a bridge from swim lessons to swim team. Speaking of lessons, more on those soon as well.

I will stop here. As some of you know, I can write forever :). I am just so excited about where we are and where we are going as an organization. Many thanks to you all for your help and your trust. Know it is something we cherish.

See you at the pool - Rich

The (Real World) Power of Visualization: Goal Setting

Wed, 08 May 2024 00:13:07 GMT

Visualization & Goal Setting !!!

We talk a lot about goal setting, visualization, positive self talk, etc with our athletes. The
psychological aspect of high performance in sports can not be stressed enough. This post is not
going to highlight the “hows & whys" of those important skills, it will rather highlight a real world
example of their true power.

This past weekend our club competed in an early long course season competition. The goals
were spelled out to the swimmers, parents and staff; let’s focus on technical gains, great splits
and let’s own the back half of our swims. It is too early in the training process to focus on speed
as we have not filled those gas tanks yet, so to speak.

The results were great teamwide. We have many technical improvements, we saw a lot of even
splits and the swimmers were in control at the end of their events. The last session on Sunday
was the 1500 free.

Before we started, one of our promising 14 year old males came up to me with a piece of paper
with some numbers written on it. He showed it to me and let me know that he spent some time
at home figuring out how he was going to swim his race. After doing his calculations, he put
down the splits and final time on paper. I was impressed and happy...as any coach would be
seeing that type of effort from their young swimmer. We sat down and went over his written
strategy and goals pre-race.

His best time last year was over 18:00. While the time he targeted was a significant drop, it did
not seem out of line with his current rate of progression. We talked about his race strategy and
the splits he wrote down seemed to be in line with his training to date. We both felt confident
that the goal and the strategy was sound.

Since the mile is a long event, I won’t get into the weeds and describe each split. Suffice to say,
he executed the plan with precision...and the results, well, were amazing.

His written goal time was 17:22. Throughout the course of the race, he held his paces again,
again and again. He never got sucked into whatever anyone else was doing, or not doing; he
knew his tempo and took each stroke with workmanlike precision. As you can see in the pic (he
was in lane three), he went a 17:22.01; just .01 off the time he set for himself.

I am not saying that whatever you visualize and write down you will achieve. It is just a part of
the bigger picture. You can write down whatever time you want, but if you haven’t put in the
work, it won't matter at all. We stress the physiological, psychological, tactical and technical
aspects of performance here at Florida Atlantic Aquatics. A high performing athlete needs to
address all of these aspects over the course of their career, in developmentally appropriate
ways. Fortunately, this athlete is putting in the work. Is he perfect? No. None of us are; but
taking the time to visualize, analyze and write down a specific race strategy AND implement it, is
an important step in becoming truly successful, in and out of the pool.

This summer we are offering a camp option for our RED+ swimmers. Will will have classroom
sessions each day where we will go over topics such as these to ensure that our swimmers
have the knowledge they need to achieve their goals. This, coupled with multiple in-water
sessions, video recording and analysis, stretching, nutritional advice, etc., will go a long way to
make events like this one more commonplace teamwide.

See you at the pool - Rich

Wellington Meet Recap (May 3-5, 2024)

Sun, 05 May 2024 20:46:52 GMT

What a great weekend in Wellington.

The meet was well run and the swimmers did a great job !!!

Hi All,

I want to thank Coach Kim and Coach Mere for being there to support the swimmers this weekend. Providing instruction, support and feedback is essential to their development in the sport. I also want to thank the Parents. The kids were on time, supported appropriately and came prepared to swim fast. Thanks to you all.

Our goals for the weekend were spelled out before we went to the meet; focus on technical gains, even splits and great back halves of the swims. The swimmers did an outstanding job in all three areas. All of the coaches were thrilled with how smart the swimmers were from our youngest, Mariia, to our oldest age grouper, Christian. Our elder stateswoman, Alexa, is always a joy to be around and is so supportive of the kids.

While we never mentioned or focused on best times or personal best at this meet, we did see a lot of time drops. These time drops were due to better technique and conditioning. As the season progresses, we will focus more on speed in our training. (full results can be found on the
Meet Mobile app).

We entered just over twenty (20) swimmers. We did have a few that got hit with sickness or injuries, but those who were there swam great. I was very impressed with our younger/newer swimmers. Iaroslav shined in the breaststroke, Mariia, our youngest, did all of her strokes legally, Eric was very impressive, Tanner looked like a veteran, Sloane showed vast improvements...and I am not sure I can Call Vlad and Anastasia newbies anymore. They both swam extremely well and carried themselves like they have been doing this for years.

As for the older ones, I also saw much progress. Viv’s strokes have truly improved, Caleb killed it the mile and more, Joaquin handled himself like a 21 year old D1 swimmer, Thiago just races every time he hits the water, Alexa is building on her great short course season, Kayla crushed her times and swam so consistently, Christian’s recent hard work is paying dividends, Jack’s dedication is transforming him positively almost daily, Bryce has mastered so many new techniques in a very short period of time, Joseph “found” his stroke and looked amazing and Stephano? Well, he continues to amaze us all with his effort, focus and determination.

I feel this meet was a turning point for us as an organization. While we are almost a year old, we are starting to add new people to the team and the sport. We are growing in scope and size. That said, know that we will NEVER be a “mega-team”. We will always maintain a great swimmer:coach ratio and be focused on each individual as we work together to reach our goals.

I have been around this sport since 1969. Suffice to say, I have seen a lot in those years. This weekend felt different than other meets FAA participated in the past year. I can see and feel the change... and it is a positive change. Let’s stay focused, be positive and continue to grow as athletes, people and a team.

Thanks for your continued support. Know we all only want the best for your children.

Next Up? FIU Invite.

See you at the pool - Rich

March "Forth" - A Different Kind Of Holiday

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:58:08 GMT

March Forth (not a typo)

Hi All,

The origin of this post stems from an idea my late wife had many moons ago. My wife was a very clever and creative person. She could take anything I thought was a piece of junk and turn it into a work of art. But her creativity was not limited to the craft table. She also came up with unique family traditions. The one I am sharing today is March Forth Day...and no, that is not a typo. Here’s the deal.

Every March 4th everyone in the family reflects on their life. Is there something that they want to turn around? Is there an endeavor that they wanted to start but haven’t yet? Is there something on their bucket list that could be addressed? Areas of interest can be personal, business or community related. The point is to March Forth into something new and exciting.

In the past we have collectively “marched forth” into new careers, personal improvement, artistic expression and charitable causes. As you can probably guess, most of my march forth commitments involved the swim team...and this year is no different.

We are coming off a successful mid season meet in December. We have eyed down the end of season championship meets and are looking forward to the future meets. We are all very excited about these events (More on them all soon in separate posts). Even though we are heading into the final stretch of the short course season, my mind is racing with thoughts on how we can improve the team for the next season and beyond. I have chosen March Forth to share some of those changes with you.

Florida Atlantic Aquatic: Generation NEXT

It’s a working title, so be kind, lol. The point is we will have a major focus on our learn to swim, developmental and novice programming. Over the past season, we have demonstrated that we can help age group and senior level athletes reach the highest levels in the sport. I know it seems like a no brainer for a swim team to be able to do that, but you would be surprised how many can not. But in order to be a real long term high performance organization, you need a steady stream of young, well coached and highly motivated swimmers and families coming up through the ranks to sustain that success.

Swim teams can be as unique as snowflakes. Some are personality driven while others are rigid in structure and implementation. The most successful combine both elements; they have great people running structured curriculum in a fun, caring manner. More importantly, they understand the need to develop the best younger swimmers so their senior ranks are continually filled with happy, successful and motivated swimmers.

This approach also means that the program has parents who see the big picture, understand that the staff has their child’s best interest at heart and are willing to volunteer to help when the need arises. We have all been to meets where the announcer is begging parents to volunteer to time. That is usually a sign that the program has not had a significant buy in from the parent group as a whole. A team that is truly a swamily never has those issues. Everyone is willing to do his or her share for the betterment of the swimmers and the program as a whole.

Unfortunately, many programs suffer what I call the anaconda syndrome. Picture a snake eating a mouse. You can see that mouse running through the body of the snake over time until it is eventually excreted. I know, a tad gross, but stick with me here. Many swim teams operate the same way. They get a couple of good age groupers and keep their focus on them. As they age up and grow, they receive most of the program’s energy and focus.

It’s simply human nature. People love to be around success. If a coach is getting positive personal and professional attention for developing these national level athletes, he or she is going to work hard to ensure that they stay on top of their game. Unfortunately, that usually means that the swimmers in the other groups get less attention. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way.

The successes I have had running other programs only came when we had systems in place that helped us develop some of the best younger swimmers in the country. Now that we have stabilized the program to a certain extent, it is time to shift some resources and attention to our Generation NEXT. Today, I am going to March Forth to develop and institute the changes needed so FAA can become synonymous with developing the best ten and unders in the world.

Senior swimmers and parents, don’t worry. Having the best ten and unders and the best seniors is not mutually exclusive. We can, and will, do both. Toward that end, we are bringing in people at both ends of the spectrum with proven track records of success. They have been hand picked not just for their pedigree, but for their attitude and people skills as well. We are all marching forth into a new era for FAA. I am honored to be a part of it and to be a part of your lives.

So, you may be asking yourself, what does all of this mean? Well,there will be more of an emphasis with the development of our younger and newer swimmers. I look forward to helping new families understand the lifelong benefits of competitive aquatics. Swimming has done so much for everyone in my family. I would like to better share our experiences and vision for their families to help vessel them from development to wherever their talents, dreams and drive can take them.

This will also mean more opportunities for our younger and newer families. More clinics. More local developmentally appropriate meets. More fun! I envision a program where the seniors interact more with their younger teammates. I see a program where everyone understands the swamily concept and works together to meet our shared goals.

March Forth. A different kind of holiday. I am glad to have taken some time to share this family tradition with you. What will you March Forth into today?

See you at the pool - Rich

"Screencast" → Psychological Component: Basic & Advanced Interpersonal Skills

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:28:08 GMT

Level 1 - Psychological

Hi everyone ... Click Here to see my Screencast !!!

I'm recording this after our successful mid season, meet for our red plus group.

I think now is a really good time for us to explore the level system a little bit more in depth. To make sure that we know what we're doing moving forward, because it is a very crucial part of high level success, not just on an individual basis, but on a team basis as well.

So we broke up the level system into the different training groups that we anticipate that we'll be having by the summer.

Gray 1, Gray 2, Blue, Red, and then Senior. Okay, and then these, these different levels will get you through to the national team.

And that's what we want to try to do. Give everybody the tools that they need and all of these areas, the technical tactical physiological, psychological and performance areas. That they need to thrive in the sport and also be ready for the demands of the next level.

So I'm going to start on with the psychological, um, component, because I really believe that if we don't have our minds right. Nothing else is really going to matter. And I think it's important that we do kind of a remedial education to get all this squared away. So we have the tools that we need to really compete and live at a high level. So the first thing that we need to do, and this is in gray one. His basic positive interpersonal skills. If we can't get along with the other people in our lane, or just going to be one big, hot mess. So the first thing that we want to do is make sure that the swimmer is ready when practice begins.

That doesn't mean arrive. That means ready suit on goggles on behind the blocks, ready to hop in. That's an important skill to really develop at a young age. And it's also very important as you go through life. Always be a little bit prepared and ready to go. The other part of the basic positive interpersonal skills that we want to develop is the swimmer.

Doesn't talk when the coaches are speaking and listen to tentatively to what they are saying. This prevents a lot of these phrases, like, what are we doing? Because if you listen at the onset, then it's going to make it a lot easier and we'll have more time to focus in, on developing other skills rather than repeating things over and over again. So actively listening with your eyes and your ears paying attention.

We want to make sure that we're doing a good job with our facility. And respecting that we have this wonderful place to train and we want to make sure that we, uh, treated nicely and treat our teammates well, too. And the last thing that we have, and this again, is gray one. The swimmer learns how to use a pace clock, circle, swim, and works relatively well in a lane with his or her teammates. So this is a basic positive interpersonal skills that we need to develop at a young age.

And we need to do some remediation on the higher levels as well. I'm going to go into the next one with gray too. So we just have an understanding of where we want to be when the kids get out of gray. And from F the psychological, this is more advanced, positive interpersonal skills. The first one is the swimmer understands that they're a part of a team and has a respect for the teammates. Respect is very important.

We may not always be the best of friends, but we want to make sure that we treat everyone with respect and how we would like to be treated as well. The swimmer listens to recommendations from coaches and willingly tries to make the appropriate corrections. It's one thing to us to keep saying, don't bring it off the wall, but it's another thing for you to actually try and then you'll develop that skill over time and we can move on. And then these are very important as well.

And remember, this is just a gray to group during practice. The summer will leave on time during sets, start and finish at the wall swim sets, as they are designed, you don't drill on the fly set and you do proper turns. You make sure that, you know, the energy zone that you're trying to do. If you're in a higher training group and you try to hold those paces. You swim the entire set, no walking on the bottom, sitting out, stretching your shoulders. And you can accurately count and compute distances. These are incredibly important skills and that's why they're in our gray group.

So we can make sure that as we get up the food chain, we don't have to keep going back on these things. And the more we do this, the easier it becomes. The swimmer demonstrates a willingness to help pick up equipment at the end of practice session. You know, that's really nice thing to do. Again, respect for your facility. The swimmer talks to the coach before and after each race, if possible, there's not going to be enough time on some races, but you want to make sure that you have a strategy and you're communicating with your coach. You treat teammates. Excuse me and coaches in the same manner. You would like to be treated.

I mentioned that earlier. Uh, somewhere brings in shares report cards or otherwise keeps the coach current unschool progress. He or she knows the importance of quality and hard work academically and completes assignments on time. If you have an assignment that's due a month from now, make sure you get it done squared. W squared away, you have to have really good time management to progress in the sport. And then the last two are works well with training partners, even if you're not the best of friends outside the team. We are unique and have a unique fraternity. Uh, people that might not be your friends, they are experiencing the same thing.

You are day in and day out. So you want to make sure that you work well with them on a daily basis. And the other thing, and this is very important is that you're not influenced by the negative behavior actions of teammates or peers.

You know, there's positivity goes a long way to helping other people being positive and negative behaviors and actions and mindsets can also bring other people down, but you can learn not to let anybody that's not having the greatest day bring you down as well. So I just wanted to go over these psychological aspects.

And this is for gray one in gray, too, but we'd like to see these applied to all of our swimmers throughout. The training group continuum, and make sure that we put this all together and learn and grow together and enjoy the success that comes with it. All right.

Thank you so much for watching and I'll ...

... See you at the pool - Rich

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Energy Zones !!!

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 23:11:18 GMT

Seasonal Design & Energy Zones !!!

Seasonal Design is based on stressing the body in various ways over time in a manner that prepares it for peak performance at the end of the season. In order to do this effectively, one needs to know what energy systems are used to fuel the body and how much, and when, to stress them to achieve the best results. Before you can talk about season design, you need to understand the energy systems, how they work and how to stress them within the context of a swim training session.

This article’s goal is to fully explain the five energy zone systems we use for seasonal design. It is my hope that it will give you a real insight into the specific purpose of each zone and how we create sets to target them. I will post the scientific version of each in the descriptions as well as a real world version as well. Parents, it might be good for you to read this as well so we are all on the same page moving forward.

Grab your beverage of choice and three, two, one ... GO !!!

ENERGY ZONE DESCRIPTIONS

Ib
Scientific Version - Aerobic (Lipid Exchange Level)

Oxygen intake level is less than 50% from maximal. Lactate concentration in blood around 0.6 – 2 mmol/L

Real World Version - “Long & Strong”

Your heart rate will be low (12-13 depending on the athlete, their training level, etc). Sets designed here should be an hour or longer of work. Generally, you want longer sets with shorter rest. This does not have to be non stop, but if there is too much rest, you will not get the adaptation you want here. Using the advice above, you are better off with timed sets such as a 400 IM with 15 seconds rest followed by 8 x 75s (2 of each stroke) with 15 - 20 seconds rest. You could add a kick set as well. The point here is that the total amount of work is over one hour. Be creative, just remember not to take too much rest and keep the total work at least one hour...and remember the total time of the set will be over an hour due to rest so keep that in mind when designing yours. Sixty minutes plus of work.

Ia
Scientific Version - Aerobic Sub-zone of initial acidose.

Oxygen intake level is 50-60% to maximal. Lactate concentration in Blood 2-4 mmol/L.

Real World Version - “Hard, But Makeable”

Your heart rate will be slightly elevated to around 140 (+/- D.O.E.) These sets should be thirty to sixty minutes of work. Again, varying them is the key while using short rest. Nonstop T30 swims are also good to use in this energy zone, but the swimmers will not enjoy that over time (some may). Any combination of kicks, pulls or swims work well here. 32 x 100s holding1:00 with 15 seconds rest free (depending on your goal times of course) then alternate stroke on an appropriate work:rest ratio is a good sample set. Another good strategy is starting with thirty two sendoffs and adding a couple per week. This is especially helpful if you do the same set on the same day of the week (parametrics). Keeping everything the same and adjusting one parameter (in this case reps) is a great way for the body to adapt to stimuli.More on Parametrics in another article.

II
Scientific Version - Quasi aerobic

Level of Oxygen Demand (RO2 ) is less than maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max ), however is higher than working distance consumption, which may reach 70-80% to maximal. Lactate concentration in Blood > 4 mmol/L

Real World Version - “Uncomfortable”

Your heart rate will be 150-160 (+/- D.O.E.) These sets should contain between fifteen and thirty minutes in length. These are hard sets. We still do not want a lot of rest in these sets, but you could start off the season with a little more and tighten it up as you progress. 32 x 50 on 45 seconds alternating 2 x free, 2 x no free is a good example of a set in this zone. You could start out with 20 seconds rest the first week and tighten to 10 seconds by week three.

IIIb
Scientific Version - Mixed Aerobic-Anaerobic

Sub-zone of aerobic toleration. Oxygen Consumption level –90-95% to its maximum, Oxygen Debt 60-65% to its maximum values

Real World Version - As Fast As You Can HOLD aka "AFAYCH”

Your heart rate will be 170 - 180 (+/- D.O.E.), Your sets will be seven to fifteen minutes of hard work. These sets are kind of like holding the back end of your two hundred time. To hold your 200 time, even the back end, for fifteen minutes is Herculean to say the least. Swims that mimic combinations of 25s, 50s, 75s and 100s would work well here. For example, swimming the following set 12 times would be a good zone IIIb set: 1 x 25 on :20 1 x 50 on 40 1 x 25 on 30 to total the time threshold in the zone is a good way to offer swimmers a set in this zone (gain, times and hold times are individualized) Again the possibilities are endless. The trick here is to stay in zone. If you are under the effort level, you really dont have much of a set as it doesn’t meet the time limits of a lower zone or the effort level of this one. Hopefully, you are starting to see how this all works.

IIIa
Scientific Version - Mixed Aerobic-Anaerobic

Sub-zone of maximal Oxygen Consumption. Oxygen debt 70-80% to its maximum values.

Real World Version - “AFAYCH”

Zones IIIa & IIIb are the real secret sauce to being in shape. The difference, just like in every other energy zone except for Zone II (no sub-zone) is duration and intensity. The “a” versions are shorter and higher intensity than the “b” version of the same energy zone. In this case, think front end 200 speed. For IIIa, sets are three to seven minutes of actual work. Total set time, obviously, will be longer. Sets such as 12 x 50 holding 30 seconds swim on 45 seconds AFAYCH, for example, work well (your times and sendoffs will vary based on your goal times). Again, you can start at the lower end of the time limits for the sets and work up gradually over time. Zone III sets, a or b, begin in the middle of the season after we have built up our bodies to a point where they can sustain them. If they are overused, especially too early in the season, it can lead to plateaus, injuries and failed seasons. These sets should be introduced after a month or so of steady training. More on that in another post.

IVb
Scientific Version - Glycolytic – Anaerobic

Sub-zone of lactate toleration. Time of all-out one time exercise effort – 100-180 seconds.

Real World Version - “ As Fast As You Can Go!”

These are all out efforts. In the real world, we are not as concerned with heart rate as we are with speed. Since these are fast swims, it would be better to focus on stroke rate or tempo. Knowing your tempo for different races can be helpful. Using a stopwatch while you are watching a recording of your races (especially tapered) is a good way to find your stroke rate (one complete swim cycle). Pairing that information up with a tempo trainer is even better. Sets should be designed to have bouts last between forty and one hundred seconds of work. 2 - 4 x 50s on 2:30 is a good example of a zone IVb set. You could also cut the time in half and double the reps. Again, kick, pull, swim or any combination can be used. Resist the temptation to do a recovery swim between rest here (unless you are new to this strategy). This strategy will help the body better learn how to deal with the byproduct of work. These sets come later in the season when we begin to realize the gains we have made to date.

IVa
Scientific Version - Glycolytic – Anaerobic

Sub-zone of maximal Glycolytic Power. Oxygen debt and concentration of lactate blood are reaching its maximum values.

Real World Version - “As Fast As You Can Go”

The focus is on speed and power while holding technique. These sets come later in the season, like IVb. They are powerful when used by someone who has built up to this all season long. Like zone III. zone IV can place major demands on a human body and must be used appropriately and by athletes’ whose bodies are ready for it. Sets here are comprised of forty to one hundred seconds in total work time. 2 - 5 x 20 seconds ALL OUT with 4 minutes rest works well here.

Vb
Scientific Version - Glycolytic
Real World Version - As Fast As You Can Go”

Once you get to zone IV and above, it’s all about holding the fastest speed you can over an ever decreasing duration. In this zone we are talking about twelve to forty seconds of work 2 - 4 x 10 seconds all out with 3 - 4 minutes rest is a good example of how to create a set in this zone. In the real world, the non tethered world, you would also be gauging dive entry, underwaters, breakout distance & speed. For this post, it’s all about tempo.

Va
Scientific Version - Alactic (Creatin-phosphate)
Real World Version - All Out 15s - 25s

Sets such as “Tombstone to Streamline” flag to flag Hypoxic kicking come to mind when I think of this zone. 8 to 12 x 25s ALL OUT on 1:15 would be a real world example for this zone. To mimic that 8 - 12 x 10 to 12 seconds ALL OUT on 1:30 would be a good replacement. Keep it real. Everything in these higher zones should be as fast as possible to maximize your gains.

I know, There is a lot to process.

I like to think of each energy system as a tool. Each one does a specific job. If you only have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Too many times, coaches think in three gears, Smooth, medium and all out. Don’t get me wrong. There is no one right way. People have been successful using their own systems. For me, I am gambling adverse. I like to know the outcome before it happens.

I have been using this system for over twenty years with much success. The best athletes I have worked with all knew the pacing and feel of each individual energy system down to the tenth of a second

One last thing. I love design seasons, but I love designing developmental paths even more. It’s rewarding to invest sixteen weeks with a group of athletes and see great results. It is even more rewarding taking ten or more years with a person and help give them developmentally appropriate seasons that culminate in a fantastic career. The swimmers and their families become my family over that time frame; hence why I coined the term “Swamily” many, many years ago.

If you have any questions, just let me know. I love helping swimmers and their families understand why we do what we do...it makes the process so much better.

See you at the pool - Rich

"Introducing the FAA Levels System" A System For Progress Development In The Sport

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 00:01:41 GMT

The Levels System

At Florida Atlantic Aquatics (FAA), we are starting to implement a program structure I have used with great success in the past. It is called, “The Levels System”. This article will give you a better understanding of the system, how it will be implemented and how it can be used for goal setting, parent education and long term athletic and personal development.

Background

The Levels System was conceived in the early 1990s as a way to emulate the way gymnastics structured their programs. Let’s be frank. Move ups can be one of the most polarizing internal aspects of any swim club. If Sally gets moved up and Jane does not, and there is no sound rationale for the moves, you create strife within your organization. I originally used the system to ensure that we never had those issues on my teams.

It worked. We no longer had any drama when it came to move ups. Things were clearly spelled out and everyone, swimmer, parent and coach, knew the expectations. A funny thing happened. I found that the system had many more benefits than originally intended. Implemented properly, it was also a great way to educate our parents about the sport.

Swimming is not your typical sport. Swimmers are not typical athletes. Asking someone who was a former baseball player to understand the rationale for double workouts plus dryland training requires a lot of education. The Levels System is more than just about swimming fast. It is a communication vehicle that is just as important for the parents as it is the swimmers. When a family understands the objectives and paths a child will take, they can better support the team’s initiatives. They become better long term swim families.

The Levels System immediately became a goal setting tool. I used goal setting in my programs for years before we implemented the Levels System. The first year we used it, over fifty percent of our swimmers used parts of the system in their early season goal setting sessions. As the years went by, that number increased dramatically. Children thrive when they have structure. The Levels System is a great way to provide that structure, while giving them built in goals at every level of their development. This is another reason I pulled back on the individual goal setting meetings as I thought it would be more beneficial after this rollout.

The system is designed to ferry swimmers from their first splash to their last race. Novice through national level swimmers have challenges to meet in multiple arenas throughout their careers. The approach is holistic in nature. This means that we are not just developing the athlete, we are unleashing a true champion; one who can be successful in all phases of life.

Below is an introduction to the Levels Systems. I do not want to kill your eyes by sending everything included in the Levels System all at once. I look forward to sending you more information and updates on this important initiative soon. I am excited that we are at a point here at FAA where we can begin to offer a one-of-a-kind experience for our members. Thanks for entrusting us with your children. Introduction follows:

Introducing The Levels System

A System For Progressive Athlete Development

As parents, educators and coaches will all have the same goal; to properly prepare the children in our care for long-term success, in a variety of arenas. To meet that goal, we strive to develop a set of skills within the child that they can use to meet future challenges. As coaches, we use swimming as a vehicle to introduce these skills. The Levels System guides us throughout an athlete’s career to ensure that we introduce these skills in an effective and a developmentally appropriate manner.

With a clear picture of the type of individuals we are trying to foster, we can define the skill sets we need to develop. The Levels System has identified the skills needed for success growth in our sport by beginning with the end in mind. Our sport is fortunate to have Olympians as role models. We used that ideal as our model.

We know that not every swimmer will be an Olympian, but they can all learn, internalize and live the Olympic ideals of vision, focus, persistence, commitment and discipline. These ideals have set the standard for our club and are the basis for selecting the skills to be included in the system.

The Levels System also gives us a road map to help determine when to introduce the skills and how much to stress them. If a skill is stressed too much or introduced too soon, the athlete’s long-term development may be compromised. Have you ever seen a novice bodybuilder with huge arms and virtually no lower body development? Skills should be introduced at the appropriate time to complement other skills and prepare the athlete for the next set.

The skills are not just about competitive performance. The Levels System addresses physiological, psychological, tactical and technical factors as well as other areas of personal and athletic development. An athlete must address every aspect required for level completion to progress through the system…not just competitive performance-based ones. A holistic approach to athletic development, lessens the risk for injuries, plateaus or burnout.

Development is a process not an event...and we want everyone involved to enjoy the process. We invite you to explore the system with your child. When the swimmer, parent and coach all have the same vision and goals, success is inevitable.

See you at the pool - Rich

Are You Missing a Puzzle Piece?

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 22:51:21 GMT

Thought for the day ... missing puzzles pieces !!!

Hi All,

Great meet this weekend. I am getting a much better feel for all the swimmers and look forward to the meet coming up this weekend as well.

Don’t worry, we normally won't be doing this many meets in a row :) I am working with other teams to see how we can get more competitive options for our LSC. Hopefully that effort will make it easier to set up our competitive schedules in the future.

Again great job at SoFlo!

Thought for the day....missing puzzles pieces ...

My wife loved to do puzzles. She would get a 5 or 10 thousand piece puzzle kit from Amazon, dump it on the coffee table and spend some time each night putting it together. I never got the puzzle bug. To me, it just seemed like a lot of unnecessary self-inflicted cleaning up. What amazed me the most is that when she finished, she would immediately break it all up and put it back in the box. If that were me, I would have bronzed it and put it up on the wall. I have a ton of patience for people...not as much with inanimate objects.

Our friends would come over often during the week back in those days. After a while, one of our neighbors started taking a single puzzle piece when we weren’t looking as a prank on my wife. When she got to the point where she needed that piece, she couldn’t find it. It made her feel so incomplete. She felt like she had worked so hard and didn’t get the full satisfaction of her efforts. Eventually the neighbor fessed up and it became a running joke.

As you will find out, I can take anything I experience and turn it into something about swimming.

Ah, the missing puzzle piece. Frustrating, right? I feel that we can miss some pieces of your personal training puzzle when you miss days during the week. Click Here to see the entirety of the workload for next week (week 7). We have different strength & conditioning and energy zone targets on different days...lots of puzzle pieces.

So how do these two things relate?

Let's say you miss Thursday, for example. You would miss half of your Sprint Pulleys, Half of your Parametric sets and half of your Zones 3 & 5 for the week. That’s a lot of missing puzzle pieces..You would also miss the technical focus for that day as well. When you think about it, it kinda adds up.And no, there is not a good way to “make it up” as each day has its own demands and focus; all of which are interrelated to the season and long term developmental plan as a whole.

Don’t freak. An occasional day missed session because Grandma turned 80 won't destroy your career. It is the small accumulation of missed days over and over that can hurt. And again, it depends on where you are starting and where you want to be.

Look. We do not have mandatory minimums for a reason. I want the swimmers to learn why it is important to come; especially if they have high level goals. It is not up to the parents or coaches...it has to come from within them if it is to last. If you missed one day a week of school you would more than likely not do as well as those who came every day, right?

I am not pointing this out to shame, just to enlighten. If you are not there yet, here is a great way to start.

Try to commit to coming to every in-water session every weekday. Once that is comfortable, add dryland. Then add the Saturday option. To make it even more productive, commit to the mornings, both at the pool on Tuesdays & Thursday and doing the home based dryland on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (more to come). The more pieces of the puzzle you have, the more complete your readiness will be at the end of the season.

I know, there are some realities to consider; especially during High School Season. That is when it becomes even more imperative to come as much as possible. I mentioned that next year, the high schoolers will be coming off a big summer. That will help. For now, do your best and consider putting together as much of the puzzle as you can. As always, if you have questions, ask.

See you at the pool - Rich

How Should I Split My 200's

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 22:46:00 GMT

So How Should I Swim My 200's? As a coach, I LOVE hearing this question :)

Click Here for a brief video of the swimmers calculating their paces

It means that the swimmer is taking the first step to designing and implementing his or her own race strategy. Some of you may know that I have a background in music. I was taught early that it is important to learn the rules, before you can individualize them to your own unique style. In this article, we are going to look at ways swimmers can “learn the rules” so to speak, before they craft their own individual approach to swimming the 200s of each stroke.

Yesterday, as of this writing, I was going to simply introduce this concept. Since the weather was terrible, we got to dig deeper into it. The basic concept is the following. After an examination was made of the finalists in the 200s of each stroke at a recent NCAA Championship, an average of all the finalists percentage of total time was made for each 50 (50/100/150/200). I have gone ahead and taken that data and created an online 200 pace calculator which can be found here;

https://bit.ly/200splits

By entering your time (or goal time) as a whole number (2:00 = 120 for example) in the RED field for each stroke, you can get what the splits prescribed using the logic above. There are some things to consider. NCAA swimmers are mainly adults. They are also rested. Not all of the prescriptions will be exact for every developing age group swimmer. What we want to do is provide an outline and a jumping off point for discussion, education and creating an individual unique approach to their 200s.

While I like to have the calculator. It is also a good idea to have your swimmer try to do the math on their own once. I have found that it helps them take ownership of the process quicker. All of this is a part of a larger plan to help ensure that our FAA swimmers, families and staff are the best educated in the world. Control the controllables ��

See you at the pool - Rich

"FAA's Strength & Conditioning Component"

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 22:36:56 GMT

An Explanation Of Why We Do What We Do ... Then & NOW !!!

Hi All,

I wanted to share how we envision the Strength & Conditioning component here at Florida Atlantic Aquatics moving forward. Now that we have begun adding the additional half hour each weekday to the hour we offer on Saturdays, I thought it would be important for you to have a better idea of the intellectual underpinnings of why we do what we do. So grab a cup of coffee or some other beverage and be ready for a longer, hopeful informative article

Strength and Conditioning training has been a part of swimming for decades. For many years, it was believed that too much muscles would weigh down a swimmer and make them slower. When the super suit era hit over a decade ago, everyone immediately had balance and buoyancy. Those suits were magic! The difference in those days became strength and power.

When the super suits were banned, many coaches continued to strive to develop strength and power...and guess what? Swimmers started taking down the “untouchable” times from that era. Imagine. Strength is power and power is speed. It worked.

Take a look at the two images below. One is of the iconic swimmers of the late 60s and 70s, Mark Spitz. The latter is of American and Olympic champion Caleb Dressel. Notice any differences?

It is our goal to implement a forward thinking, holistic approach to helping our swimmers create endurance, strength, power and speed; all while ensuring that they do “prehab”, core and flexibility work. It will take a commitment, but I am a firm believer in choosing my hard (more on that in another article).

Below is a document I put together for the FAA coaches. I want to ensure everyone knows our program and is on board. That is also why I am sharing this with the families. I do not want our people to think that we are mindlessly adding more and more just because. Know that we are implementing a systematic approach to each swimmer's overall development in and out of the water.

Everything is not going to be implemented in one fell swoop. It will be introduced over time and in a developmentally effective manner. I just wanted to take some time to let you see the longer term vision. As always, nothing is mandatory and questions are always welcomed. Check out the outline of the program below.

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to work with your swimmers.
See you at the pool - Rich

Florida Atlantic Aquatics - Strength & Conditioning

Strength and Conditioning encompasses many areas including, dryland, pulleys (sprint & endurance) flexibility, “prehab” and more. This living document will help ensure that the FAA staff is doing everything possible to help our athletes not just meet their goals, but do so in a safe, responsible and effective manner.

Our Strength & Conditioning Program Mantra:

SAFE , SPECIFIC & FUN !

SAFE - Incorporate “prehab”, core and flexibility routines. Ensure we have the proper facilities & equipment and all are functioning properly.

SPECIFIC - Try to utilize moments that are as specific to swimming as possible.

FUN - Strength & Conditioning training is a great way for the swimmers to build strong relationship and bonds with their teammates and coaches while having a great time

Additional Benefits:

Helps provide body awareness in developing athletes
Helps with injury prevention
Helps to increase range of motion for more efficiency in the water and out
Helps to recruit mitochondria to help make for a more powerful athlete

KEEP IT DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE!

Physical and mental maturity are important factors to keep in mind when assigning a strength and conditioning program to our various training groups. A newer/younger athlete will obviously be doing things much different than a 26 year post grad sprinter. We will always keep these developmental differences in mind when we prescribe workouts for each group.

KEEP IT SEASONALLY APPROPRIATE!

Our in water program uses a progressive system of stress and development. Each phase of the season has different energy zone goals to ensure that our swimmers have their maximum capacity in each zone at the end of the season. Our Strength & Condition program will also keep the phase of the season in mind as well as the weekly in water energy zone demands. This will help with proper recovery and maximize short and long term adaptation.

THE FAA APPROACH - MORE THAN JUST “DRYLAND”

DRYLAND & WETLAND - Isn’t dryland done on dry land? Well technically, yes. But remember, we want to be as specific as possible...and what is more specific to swimming than swimming? At FAA, we use two (2) modes to accomplish our dryland (or some may say wetland) goals:

In Water Training
Out Of Water Training

In Water - We use the Power Towers or pulleys for general endurance as well as strength, power and speed We also add additional items to the in water menu, such as drag socks and in water cords when seasonally and developmentally appropriate. All of these ways help us keep our focus as specific to swimming as possible, while giving our athletes the endurance, strength, power and speed they need to help meet their goals.

Out Of Water - We use circuit training, body weight movements, isometrics, bench work, dumbbells, flywheels, Bulgarian bags and weights when appropriate. The number, duration and rest of the exercises is dependent on if we are trying to achieve endurance, strength, power or speed gains.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

CORE EXERCISES - It all starts with the core. Core exercises are extremely important for all athletes.For swimmers, a well developed core connects the body, increases their stroke efficiency and helps prevent injury by limiting the stress on one part of the body. Core exercises can be used as a part of a circuit or as part of their own highlight in a Strength & Conditioning session. There are too many examples of how to develop the core than we have space for here. We do provide an ab series that is easy for the swimmers to remember and follow. It is a series of seven (7) movements. When performed properly and regularly, it has been proven to be extremely effective. High level athletes make sure that every day is core day...even if they simply do the seven (7) movement routine mentioned above. These exercises can be done at home on days when we stress other aspects of our Strength & Conditioning program.

“PREHAB” - These are exercises designed to help strengthen the muscles swimmers use day in and day out. We use light cords or therabands. Like the core work, this should be like brushing your teeth each day.

FLEXIBILITY (Stretching) Some stretching should be done each day. A combination of static and dynamic stretching is the best way to help the athletes. A minimum of two (2) longer stretching sessions should occur each week. Flexibility not only helps the swimmer “feel” loose, but also helps in injury prevention and increased range of motion; something that can translate into faster swimming speed with less strokes.

ENDURANCE/STRENGTH/POWER/SPEED - At FAA, we cycle through these stages throughout the course of the season. Each one helps prepare the athletes for the next phase; thus helping to ensure that the athletes are physically ready for the demands that will be placed on their bodies. Let’s examine each phase.

ENDURANCE (CIRCUIT TRAINING) - Circuit training is a great way to get maximum benefits in a short amount of time. This is high intensity, low rest so achieve maximal endurance results. Circuit training is a great way to start a season, build a rapport with teammates and coaches and ensure that the athletes are properly prepared for the demands of other types of training.

Some Examples Include:

Medicine Ball Routines
Stretch Cord Routines
Body Weight Movement Routines (calisthenics)
Plyometric Routines
Bulgarian Bag Routines
Flywheel Routines
Combination Of All Of The Above

STRENGTH - When most people think strength, they think weights. And yes, “maxing out” on weights is a way to perform strength training out of the pool. When working with developing bodies and younger minds, it is important to keep safety front and center. Improper technique or focus could lead to potentially damaging issues; both of which would be counteractive to our goals. Proper instruction and supervision is critical here. I have heard too many horror stories of athletes trying to impress in the weight room only to wind up hurt. The goal is to minimal reps (1-2) at maximal weight in a safe manner to recruit muscle. A “Max” rep should take some time to complete (5 seconds or so). Keep that in mind as you enter this phase.

Examples Of Some Traditional Weight-Based Exercises:

Bench Presses (incline, decline, etc)
Overhead Presses
Pull Ups
Lat Pull Downs
Straight Arm Pull Downs
Rows
Various Push Ups
Various Squats

In addition to traditional barbell/dumbbell/bench exercises, there are other, safer muscle recruiting tactics that can be employed; especially with younger athletes. These are isometric exercises. There are many studies that show that these may actually recruit muscle better than traditional weights and are safer...which is great in our case, especially for the younger and newer athletes. These are static exercises. Most can be done with little or no equipment. While not as specific as a Lat pulldown, for example, they are effective, easy to learn and safe.

Examples Of Some Isometric Exercises:

Wall Sits
Planks (Various)
Low Squat
Overhead Hold
Calf Raise Hold
V Sit
Bridges

POWER - In this phase, we want to develop acceleration in the swimmer. The weight load is less (medium) and there are more reps (3-5). Proper technique is important as is doing the movements fast (acceleration). Again, it must be done properly to avoid injury and with a launch motion if possible. Many of the same exercises can be done as in the strength phase, just some with that explosive launch added to the movement.

SPEED - These movements and exercises are done with lower weight and additional reps (3-6). Body weight and medicine ball slams are also great in this phase. Explosive plyometrics (leaps, bounds, jumps, etc) are also a part of the mix here.

ORGANIZING THE SEASONAL PHASES - There will additional considerations to be sure (swimmers exercise background, familiarity of the athletes with the programs, equipment and routines for example).

A typical 14 week season might look something like the following:

Week 1-3 - Endurance (circuit)
Week 4 - Strength
Week 5 - Power
Week 6 - Speed
Week 7 - Recovery
Week 8-10 - Endurance
Week 11 - Strength
Week 12 - Power
Week 13 - Speed
Week 14 - Recovery

And so on ...

BUT WAIT, THERE”S MORE - AT FAA, we also do someone unique to our program. We have devised a combination strength and local muscular endurance in-water program based on the work of Yuri Verkhoshansky. We have dissected, devised and implemented a fourteen week, twice weekly program (Tuesday & Thursday Morning) that is fun, challenging and effective. The progressive nature of this program helps yield many positive results. Since instituting the program here at FAA less than four (4) weeks as of this writing, swimmers who could barely do a third of a bucket are now doing nearly a full bucket. These gains in this short period of time is remarkable...and it will only get better.

SYNERGY IN AND OUT OF THE POOL - Notice both programs are designed to be fourteen (14) weeks? That is not by chance. We try to make all of our efforts coordinated, focused and precise. Our strength and conditioning should also be in tune with what we do in the water each day as well. Of course, none of this will work without proper nutrition, rest, race strategies and mental toughness. More on those in another article.

See you at the pool - Rich

Are You A Righty or A Lefty?

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 22:02:10 GMT

A Swimming Rubric To Help Gauge Your Commitment To Your Sport

Passion, Preparation and Performance.

Those are the key elements to success in and out of the pool. Earlier this week, I posted an article about your relationship with swimming. It can be found here . This post is a way in which you can examine that relationship in a more structured manner. I hope it is helpful to our athletes as we continue to do the goal setting process .

I highlighted the word process because setting goals is crucial for true ownership of training. It gives us our, “why”. Goal setting is more than just writing something down on a piece of paper. It should be well thought out and involve everyone with a stake in the season; swimmers, coaches and parents. More on that soon. For now, please read this article and share it with your swimmers.

Are You A Righty Or A Lefty?

There is a lot that goes into becoming a fully committed athlete. Our Levels System (which we will institute after the goal setting process) is an attempt to create a sound developmental path for athletes, parents and coaches to follow throughout their growth as a swimmer. It is a comprehensive approach, but it can be daunting. To make things easier, here is a quick and easy way to gauge your current commitment level as an athlete.

Our program is based under the principles of Passion, Preparation and Performance. I have broken up those three elements into additional sub areas of each; which are indicated with a (1), (2) or (3) respectively (1 is for Passion, etc). On the top of the chart are four columns entitled. “Exploring”, Beginning”, “Deepening” and “Centered” Under each, you can see where you fit into each category. The further you are to the right of each, the more committed you are as an athlete to that specific area.

Most athletes will be stronger in some areas than others. Elite level performers are usually on the right of them all. I hope that this quick and easy method will help the swimmers understand their strengths and help them identify areas in which they can improve. The more championship behaviors and attitudes are at a swimmer’s center, the better they will perform in the pool. They will also find they have more enjoyment in the sport and beyond the competitive arena as well.

Here is another way to use this chart. Once you have identified some weaknesses, why not find a teammate who falls to your right in some areas to help mentor you. If you are to the right of a teammate, why not volunteer to mentor them? If you and a friend on the team are at the same stage of your journey, why not commit to taking the path to the right together? Keep in mind, your coaches are always here to help as well.

We are trying to implement programs, like the Levels Systems, to make your journey easier and targeted. If you can think of a way that I can help you get a little more centered, just ask. Your input may not only help you, but your teammates and others who will take the journey in the years to come.

So, what are you? A righty or a lefty? ( I know, last post was about going left....but go with it) Keep in mind, it is not where you start, but how you finish. Here is to all of us finishing “right”.

You can download a cleaner, easy to use copy of the chart without the article by clicking here or visiting https://bit.ly/centeredathlete

Becoming A Centered Athlete

A Life Committed to (1) Passion (2) Preparation (3) Performance

"It's Complicated" What Is Your Relationship With Swimming?

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:52:44 GMT

... What Is The Status Of Your Relationship With Swimming?

Hi All,

As we get to develop our relationships with each other, I thought it might be a good time to have the swimmers think about their relationship with the sport. I feel this is an important part of the goal setting process we started yesterday. When I say process, I mean it. Goal setting is much more than writing down times on a piece of paper...but we will get into that as we go along.

For now, please have your swimmers take a look at this post.

As swimmers develop, from 6 & unders into high performance athletes, they have to learn to successfully cultivate and strengthen many types of relationships along the way. Some of those relationships include ones with their parents, coaches, teammates and even their competitors. Great relationships are key to great results.

But, as a swimmer, have you ever thought about your relationship with the sport of swimming itself? For many, “ It’s Complicated” is a term that comes to mind. Taking some time to evaluate that relationship may help strengthen it and, in so doing, will put you in a better position for long term success and more enjoyment throughout your swimming career.

Sometimes, it is important to take the complicated and make it simple. That is just as true a statement for teaching an in water skill as it is for helping an athlete understand the seemingly complicated relationship between a swimmer and the sport. Humans are amazing; and they are endowed with so many great gifts. Sometimes, however, our gifts can become our curses.

At some point in our lives, each of us has abused the gift of imagination, for example. Ahh , the “Tyranny of our Imagination”. Think, think and over think. We are presented with an issue and have “over thought” the options and angles to the point of what I call, “analysis

paralysis”. Let's not make this difficult. Here is a simple way to gauge your relationship with swimming. Go LEFT.

LEFT is an acronym that will help you examine where you are on a relationship continuum with swimming. Each letter will represent a concept, or stage, of your relationship. Let’s start with the first letter, “L”.

“L” stands for “like”.

It is not as simple as you like to swim, but rather, you like what swimming gives you. You like the fact that you can eat more food than other people without worry. You like the fact that you have something to do after school. You like hanging out with other swimmers on your team. The essence of this stage of your relationship is what does

swimming gives you, not what you give back. After some time in the sport, most swimmers move on to the next stage which is represented with the letter “E”.

“E” stands for “Enthusiasm”.

This is a fun stage. Everything revolves around swimming. Your Instagram handle becomes “SwimrChk_14”, for example. You tell people that chlorine is your new perfume. You spout out that swimmers are only “real” athletes in any discussion related to sports...I think you get my point.

At this phase in your relationship, you are willing to do new things (AM workouts, dryland, etc) and are enjoying success. Everything is new, exciting and fresh. The term “Puppy Love” comes to mind when I think of this stage. Relationships are always great when things are going well...but all relationships eventually have “issues”.

It should be noted that some athletes stay in the enthusiasm stage forever. They, from my experience, are in the minority. Most swimmers hit the next point in their relationship at least once. This stage is represented by the letter, “F”.

“F” stands for “Fear”.

The fear usually comes when one party in the relationship starts to think that this is getting too serious. Do I really want to be stuck with this person (or swimming, for our purposes) for such a long time? I am young and have options. Should I play the field and see what else is out there?

The fear also comes from a realization that relationships take hard work, if they are to be successful. If I invest all of that energy into this relationship, am I sure (read, “guaranteed”)

that I am going to get everything out of it I want? Do I really want to put the time and effort needed to make this relationship a success? That can be a scary proposition for anyone in any relationship.

There have been so many times in my coaching career where I have pictured myself as a marriage counselor; one trying to keep a relationship together. The relationship, of course, is between the athlete and the sport. Unfortunately, if a swimmer can not get past their “fear of commitment” to this relationship, they will never experience true success in the sport. Fear, more than anything else, interferes with excellence and stops people from reaching their full potential.

Here is the insidious part of the fear stage. It does not happen all at once. It comes on in small ways, over time.

Think of the important relationship of marriage. People do not get married with the expectation of divorce. Sure, they may know the stats, but they usually enter into the marriage with love and appreciation for the other party. They know that person loves them as well and, by working together, they can take on the world and win. They are going to make it.

Most swimmers get serious with swimming because they feel they are going to make it as well. "Making it" doesn't have to be an Olympic Gold medal. Each athlete comes to the party with their own talents, goals and expectations. Swimming is a big tent with a lot of ways to have success...but that is fodder for another article. Sticking to this point...

Relationships rarely end because of a single event. They usually erode slowly, over time. It’s the little things, day after day, month after month and year after year, that lead to the divorce...and that can be the same with an athlete's relationship with swimming.

When the swimmer is deep into the fear phase, they stop doing the little things to keep their relationship positive. It’s like when a marriage goes bad and the parties stop telling the other that they love them, or do not make the bed or one of a thousand other little things that say, without saying, you are not as important to me anymore.

For the swimmer, they do not get a real opportunity to say, “I Love You Swimming”. They get to say it by their actions and choices. Maybe they don’t eat as well. Perhaps they miss some mornings or weekend practices. These choices can be justified. They may have a test, a visitor in town, etc. Over time, it becomes easier and easier to make those types of choices...and the relationship suffers as a result; many times ending in a divorce, of sorts. When this happens with the swimmer's relationship with the sport, what should he or she do?

Well, the first step is to do what we are talking about right now. Examine that relationship. What stage are they in? If they are in the fear stage, know that it is normal (it is amazing how many people are “unique”). Let me state that again. It is normal to have these feelings from time to time throughout your career. If, after much reflection and counseling (speaking to your coach & family about your concerns), you still want to make the relationship work, realize that it will take a re-dedication to make it work on your part. Then, take the leap of faith and know you will be rewarded. All it takes is the letter, “T”.

“T” stands for “Trust”.

Trust is very powerful. When someone or something is trustworthy, together, you can do great things. Most of us trust airplanes. We use them to fly all over the world without fear or even a second thought. If you really think about it, flying in something the size of a football field at 30,000 feet, it could truly instill fear. Planes have proven themselves trustworthy...and we do not over think it when we book a flight or get on board.

From my vantage point, swimming has proven itself to be trustworthy. I have seen thousands of people change their lives and do remarkable things when they had trust and cultivated a great relationship with swimming....and when you trust in swimming, and get on board, swimming can help take you all over the world, too.

Of course, it takes more than trusting the sport. Once you learn to truly trust in your program, your coach and yourself, you can transcend the fears that come with the earlier stage; and give yourself so many more opportunities for success. Trust, when combined with passion and preparation, can lead an athlete to peak performances. season after season after season. Trust me, it can :)

Trust quells fear and makes swimming fun...you may even become enthusiastic again. This time, however, the enthusiasm will come from a mature love of the sport; one complete with the understanding of your roles in that relationship. This type of love will be deeper and more meaningful than the puppy love described when I first introduced the letter, “E”.

Trust leads to fruitful relationships. When you are in a strong, positive relationship, you are never alone, you have the confidence to take on the world and you are generally very happy...and you rarely see doing the little things for your partner as a chore or a sacrifice.

Think of the strongest relationship on the planet...the one between a parent and their child. Parents will do things for their children that the outside world sees as such a chore, but the parent sees as something wonderful. I could go on, but I am sure you get my point. When you are in a strong relationship, you want to be with that person as much as possible. The same holds true when you are in a great relationship with our sport. You want to be here...and you want to do the little things right.

We are fortunate to be building a new club. We can cultivate a true culture of trust and love for the sport. I know we have many here who are making efforts to become real swimmers; not just people who swim. Knowing your relationship with the sport will help you understand the journey better. It doesn’t have to be complicated...just have to trust and learn to enjoy the ride.

It is my sincere hope that you all get to experience a mature and deep relationship with swimming. Understanding, cultivating and enjoying that relationship will help you succeed in and out of the water. It can do so by giving you an understanding of how to have successful relationships after you hang up your goggles and move on to new relationships; in both your personal and professional lives.

Hopefully, you will be able to keep all those important relationships in your life right, by thinking LEFT

See you at the pool - Rich