July 30th, 2011

Hi All!
   I'm working on a new series of blog posts that'll be published over the next two weeks.  I've got seven "keys" to the upcoming season's fun and success.  Check back soon for those updates.

   In the meantime, I'm going to post something that might ruffle some feathers... but I think it's 'important.' As important as 'swim team' info gets=) 

   Vacations are fantastic.  Vacations are totally necessary.  Please go on Vacation this summer!  It is detrimental to your child (and your sanity) to attempt to swim in every meet.  Take a break!  In a recent newsletter, a handful of meets were highlighted as "big meets" where we'd love to have everyone available. 

   Of all of those dates, the date that the coaching staff has circled, highlighted, etc, is July 30th, 2011.  That's DCSL.  Please make every effort to schedule your vacation around that date. 

   Why is this worthy of a blog post, and you reading it?  Our kids put in a lot of hard work for several months, and while not a lot of people will 'come out' and say it, our team's success at that meet is important.  "Success" is a loose term here (as always).  I'm not talking about finishing in a certain place, or scoring a certain amount of points.  Those things are not necessarily within our control.   I do want to move forward, and from here on out, the posts will be about 2011 - promise!  That said, I'd be remiss not to comment on last year's DCSL meet, and help you all understand where some of my passion for this team comes from.  This meet is one of my favorite parts of summer, and it's one of the reasons that I will work harder than ever in 2011.  That meet is a chance for us to 'show off' our community, our team, and how hard we've all worked together.  More than any other day of the year, that's the day I'm most proud to be a part of Livorna. 

   However, when you only have 104 swimmers (yes, 104) participate out of 160+, in a meet that measures TEAM standings, it's hard for me to feel like LIV wasn't 'fully represented' at DCSL 2010.

(warning, for those of you who don't like the UBER competitive stuff... stop reading now)

   Now, for the naysayers out there that think Livorna had a "down year" last year because we weren't as successful at DCSL... here's some facts for you (I'll exclude Walnut Country as they're working towards building up a program): Livorna was the smallest team represented in terms of total athletes (and total swims). The six teams that finished in front of us brought 128, 130, 126, 139, 155, and 170 swimmers respectively.  I know, I know... points don't matter, but you give me another 30 Livorna swimmers at that meet, and who knows?  (Check the final meet standings below to fully understand the feeling of "missed opportunity" there)

   The statistic that really eats at me is the 'best times percentage' at that meet... We came in second!  To the RED team... no pun intented there.  Those other five teams swam best times 35%, 32%, 43%, 38%, and 40% of the time.  We were right at 50%.  Half of the time our kids dove in the water that day, they swam best times.  That is amazing!  I am so proud of how we swam that day!

   Why is that still slightly frustrating?  Our kids were ready to swim.  The stats prove it.  They were well prepared in the pool, well prepared mentally, and totally ready to go!  Statistically, our team swam "better" in 2010, than we did in 2009 (2nd place). 

    Despite all of this, I hope this is being read as a positive!  We are fully capable of 'hanging' with anyone, but our team has to show up together.  Please mark your calendars: July 30th, 2011.  For the record, this is probably the most competitive thing I have (or will ever) do in my tenure at Livorna.  It's not about me, or placing at a meet.  It's purely about the kids, our team, and representing a summer's worth of hard work, the right way.

   We Can Do It!

   Please check back over the next couple weeks for some fun, positive outlook on the 2011 summer!


I'm going to leave this up for a few days... then I'll delete it.  As quietly competitive as I am, I strongly dislike posting this... So, for your information, here it is...

1. Scottsdale Swim Team 2369.5


2. Springwood Swim Team 1847

3. Pleasant Hill Aquatics 1830

4. Las Trampas Swim Team 1816.5

5. Rancho Colorados Swim Team 1816

6. Rancho San Miguel 1771.5

7. Livorna Swim Team 1749.5

8. Walnut Country 1012


104 swimmers, 98 points.  Enough said.