LIV BLOG.

What Rain?

2011-06-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

Our team of 9 and under swimmers took the Pleasant Hill Invitational by storm last weekend - literally. Through sheets of rain, our kids powered through a full day of swimming, and accomplished several best times and great race highlights.
Standing before her backstroke, Amy Bone put her hands up amidst the torrential downpour to announce to Matt and I, "guys, this is awesome!" Couldn't agree more Amy! We had kids get to us after their walk from the clerk to the blocks totally soaking wet. We liked to joke with the kids that they were already just as wet before the race as they were going to be after... No worries, swim fast!
We really appreciate the 9 and under swimmers and parents for their dedication last Saturday. Thanks for sticking with us guys!

Bringin' the Thunder!

2011-06-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

Well guys, what can I say... I trust the weather man about as much as I do most politicians. No rain today. No thunder and lightning. What's done is done, but we should have had a swim meet. All you can do in a situation like that is make the best of it, so this afternoon, we had our own 'swim meet.' Tons of best times for those who came... they'll be posted on the website shortly!

Huge "thank you" to Sean Bloore and Matt Rahn for helping me keep track of times...

Also, big shouts outs to Sanjana and Isha Jain, Mikayla and Joe Mooney, Sasha Gusev, Nate Schwarz, Clara Fischer, Amy Bone, Justin Goldman, Lea Miller, Megan Pelley, Noah Jacobs, Kyle Edwards, Brooke Lovell, Mackenzie and Zach Patterson, Sam O'Connell, Kayla Gosnell, Camille Nelson, Ali Ebersole, Haley Watson, Katie Smith, Quentin Jeha, Derek Chew, Johannes Fischer, Brandon Carson, Nate Hall, Natasha Absher, Katie Ward... And if I missed your name... I'm sorry... and I owe you a stroke at our next meet.

Those guys pushed through the 'weather' and came to train with their teammates. I was really psyched to have all of them at practice!

Big summer ahead!
Dolphins '11

Bryan

Meet Our 8 and Unders!

2011-05-31T19:52:00.000-07:00

We haven't had a lot of 'little swimmers' over the past couple years... This year, we have a bunch! It is so much fun to have a bunch of new families and their young swimmers. I thought I'd put together a quick bio/report on each of them after the first several weeks of practice... heading into the regular season. It'll be fun to write another one of these as the season progresses!

Bryan

Here we go:

Ryan Farley: We’re so happy to have the Farley’s as a part of our team! Ryan is a 6 year old with a ton of great swim team energy! He can already swim all four strokes and is one of the team’s biggest fans of “popcorn.” It’s a pretty solid bet that Ryan will have a fun summer, and he’ll be a blast to watch swim!

Cole Skillern: Cole swam with us for a few weeks during spring practice. He is a fish! Swim team can be a little intimidating for new swimmers, and we’re hopeful he’ll find his way back to us after watching his big sister and fellow young Livorna swimmers!

Isha Jain: Isha has some big shoes to follow after her big sister’s breakthrough season last year, but if there was someone who could get it done, it would be Isha! I like to say that she’s one of our ‘pound for pound’ best… She’s tiny, but is finding her way to mastering all four strokes. In addition to being a great listener, Isha has a fantastic attitude and is almost always smiling=)

Elika Javaheri: Elika is making massive progress on a daily basis. The first time I saw her swim she was hesitant to leave the wall. About a week later, she swam a full lap of freestyle across the pool. She can now swim a full lap of backstroke and my guess is the other two strokes are on the way! Elika seems excited to swim every day, and will probably be one to watch out for as the season progresses.

Ben Dowler: The Dowler family is another great addition to Livorna! Ben swims hard every day and is eager to improve his strokes. For a seven year old new swimmer, he has a great understanding of perfecting drills before trying to do them ‘fast.’ It showed at time trials, as his form and racing spirit led to some great times! We’re looking forward to a fun season with Ben!

Sasha Gusev: Sasha swims like a trained veteran! He is improving every day. His freestyle in particular has really taken on a nice form. Sasha is a very good listener, and is often the first to master specific drills at practice. This has definitely led to other kids taking notice and following suit. I’m excited to keep working with Sasha and see where we can take his young swimming career!

Aidan Pelley: We haven’t seen Aidan at the pool yet, due to school and baseball. Aidan is a Livorna veteran though as he’s spent a lot of time following his sister around. We’re looking forward to getting him in the pool and a great summer ahead…

Alex Campigli: Speaking of Livorna veterans, Alex is back and ready to go! He has one speed: fast! A great athlete in and out of the pool, Alex pays great attention to detail in perfecting whatever we’re doing each day at practice. Watching him swim is a great reminder of how much fun swimming at Livorna can be… get pumped up to swim fast, race, then go play and cheer with your friends!

Ethan Farley: The eldest Farley brother also comes to us with great energy and a fantastic attitude. Ethan loves to lead his lane and is working hard at mastering all four strokes. His desire to improve and ability to take instruction will be a huge help in what could be a very fun swimmer to watch this summer.

Michael Jannetta: Another new family, the Jannettas, bring us a couple of awesome kids! Michael has a fantastic attitude and is often a lane leader. From spring clinic to now, his improvement is off the charts! It’s fun to think about where he’ll be after a summer’s worth of practices. His determination and positive attitude work in great combination with his work ethic and ability to listen. Watch out for this guy!

Nate Schwarz: Nate is another guy that is a great representation of why Rec swimming is so much fun. From a couple of years of hard work and a ton of determination, it’s time for it to pay off! Nate is swimming extremely well right now… We’re really excited to see where all of his hard work will take him this summer!

Amy Bone: After a very successful 6 year old season, Amy is back and ready to take things to the next level! She has worked hard at mastering all four strokes, and is easily plugged into any event at swim meets. The self proclaimed ‘mermaid’ is a ton of fun to have at practice, and does a great job of keeping the mood light when we’re working those tough drills after a long day of school.

Elisabeth Delpouys: Have you seen this girl butterfly yet? She claims to have learned it at Livorna, but I think her cousins, the Wrights might have something to say about that. We’re working on the breaststroke, but with Elisabeth’s positive attitude it’s only a matter of time. We’re really excited to see what a full summer of swimming with her will bring!

Tessa Dempster: Tessa had a fantastic season last year, and who knows how far she could go this year! Always smiling, Tessa works very hard at whatever the coaches say. She is great at following directions and her constant positivity has been a great help in working in some new swimmers. They look to Tessa as a ‘veteran’ and she is quick to respond with words of encouragement or by organizing the post practice activities.

Alana Howard: We’re so excited to have the Howard family on deck this summer! Alana brings us a ton of energy and I know she’ll represent one of those ‘start to finish’ stories that we’ll smile about at the end of the summer. When I first met Alana at Spring Clinic, we were working on floating and all of the other ‘basics’ of swimming. She’s now powering across the pool in all four strokes and ‘ready for more.’ She’ll be fun to watch all season!

Elizabeth Jannetta: I think Elizabeth was a little nervous to get started several weeks ago. Her and I would often talk about what she considered her ‘strong strokes’ as opposed to the ‘ones she’d prefer to stay away from.’ Since then, the confidence has continued to grow, and the production in the pool has followed along. She is great at asking questions and quick to put the answers into use. She might be her own toughest critic, but you couldn’t ask for a better characteristic of a brand new swimmer…

Alessia Jofre: Alessia is another one of our 7 year olds that make swim team what it is: fun. She is always smiling, even while working hard, and has some beautiful strokes as a result of lots of pool time. Her breaststroke in particular has become a personal favorite. When the kids get a ‘your choice’ lap at the pool, she’d just as soon prefer that I didn’t offer the other three strokes. Watch out for her at our next meet though… that ‘beep’ goes off and all smiles turns into quiet determination in a hurry!

Anna Ryan: It’s safe to say that Anna caught the ‘swim bug’ last summer. You can just tell watching her that she loves swimming, and loves Livorna. Her hard work as a 6 year old and through some lessons will continue to push her towards faster times and cleaner strokes. She’s another one that is all smiles until there’s someone next to her trying to get to the wall first. As far as smiles go, I’d challenge any of you to spend 5 minutes with Anna and not smile or laugh! Good luck!

Sophia Javaheri: Want to talk determination? Sophia was pretty scared of the water a couple weeks ago. She’s now kicking and floating with little or no help. It’s a matter of time before the next breakthrough… The next time I write one of these, you’ll probably be reading about Sophia’s first meet. If you see her around the pool, make sure to mention how impressive her swimming is starting to look!

Emma Sweetland: We’re so happy to have the Sweetlands back at Livorna. This is Emma’s first year swimming with us, but you wouldn’t know it from watching her. She’s a fish! We’re working on that breaststroke kick, which is a challenge for anyone to learn, but expect that we’ll have it down in no time! Looking forward to a very fun summer of watching Emma’s continued improvement!

Ashley Liao: We’re excited to welcome the Liao family to Livorna as well! While Ashley might be small in stature, she makes up for it in the pool… this girl has a motor! She and her sister have clearly benefited from lots of lessons and probably have a summer of fast times in front of them. Ashley often defers to other swimmers as far as ‘order’ in her lane, but is usually the one that we’ll turn to as an example to ‘show us the drill correctly.’

Hailey Walpole: Welcome to the Walpole family! We’re excited to have Hailey in practice, and is another example of a swimmer that is constantly improving. One of my favorite pre-season moments was with Hailey in the middle of the pool working on the breaststroke kick; we had spent the better part of a week working away at that very complicated kick, and her and I invented a new way of saying ‘up, out, around, together.’ She put her hands up and said, “that was easy.” Yep, no problem… another fun one to watch this summer!

Eryn Dolan: If you watched Eryn swim, or talked to her about swimming for 5 minutes, you’d think she had been doing this for years. She’s a rookie, but only in title. Once the confidence started to grow, and a few more practices were completed, she was ready to roll. I’m really excited to work with Eryn this summer and see where things go. She has made amazing progress already!

Clara Fischer: Another seasoned veteran who has come a long way in just a couple of years. Clara is a fish in the water, and seems to really love being in the pool. She has great understanding of all four strokes and after an off-season of growth, is primed to have a great summer! Clara is also often involved in the post practice ‘fun’ and is usually a key part in the organization of the 8 and under swim team social functions.

Allie Healy: If we could bottle up Allie’s enthusiasm and sell it, we’d all be rich! She comes to practice on a mission: to get better, and have some fun in the process. She is a great lane leader and can be counted on for hard work no matter what we’re working on. Allie has also become a great consultant for me; she has ideas about practice and meets, lets us know when she’s bored, and pulls me aside to let me know if she doesn’t like my new shirt or if I’m wearing too much cologne. Fun summer of very fast swims for her this year!

Sarah Keilman: We’re really excited to have the Keilman family join us this summer as well! Sarah has been a ‘go getter’ since her first day on deck. She has great questions, and does a fantastic job of following directions. She’s another example of a swimmer that from day one, to now, and every day beyond will be fun to watch the improvement. Sarah was very brave in attempting to learn dives, and will have that down soon! She has some really nice strokes, and they’ll only get better!

Catherine McCarthy: We’re excited to have Catherine back! She often teams up with Clara during practice for entertainment, but they also push each other to work hard. Catherine can swim all four strokes very well, and it’ll be fun to watch her ‘go’ this summer. Once she’s in the water, it’s all business…

Sydney Liao: Sydney is another new swimmer, but you’d never know that by watching her. She’s got really nice form and it will only get better as we continue practicing. Sydney loves to lead her lane and can be counted on to do so as she’s a great listener. If the group has a question for a coach, it’s often Sydney who will be brave enough to ask it. Her determination and great attention to detail will probably lead to some fun races this summer!

Mia Skillern: Mia, just like her brother, is a fish! Get her in the water and she motors across like she’s been there all her life! She can swim all four strokes well, and the potential for improvement with her is great! She’s a great listener, and is eager to learn more each day. We look forward to working with Mia and continuing to build that confidence and taking her swimming to new levels!

Charlie Passalacqua: Our newest Dolphin has only been with us a couple of weeks, but her talent in the pool is already impressive! Her first practice she braved a cold and foggy day and showed off all four strokes. We’re very excited to have Charlie and her family as a part of the Livorna family. Please make sure you introduce yourself and make them feel welcome! I have a feeling we could be seeing some fun races with Charlie this summer…

Attendance

2011-05-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

First off, I really want to commend the younger age groups (specifically the 8 and under swimmers/parents) for your great attendance at practice over the last few weeks. It's been a great turnout most days! I know that for some of you who are brand new to swimming, 5 days a week seems a little 'crazy,' but it's necessary if you want to see consistent improvement throughout the summer. Thank you parents for getting your kids to practice regularly!
Now, to my veterans - the 11 and ups... I am hopeful you know something I do not, or maybe you're holding private workouts in your backyard pools. Two days a week is not enough if you want to have a successful summer. I fully understand that this time of year is busy with school, projects, papers, tests, chorus, band, arts/crafts, dance, violin, boy scouts, boyfriends, girlfriends, facebook, farmville, baseball, soccer, darts, texting, chores, scheduled meals, doctor's appointments, naps, etc.... Please be advised: We all know that once practice 'shifts' to the morning, things tend to 'amp up' a little bit. It would be in your best interest to attend as many practices as possible over the next two weeks. I am always fair, and would never ask a swimmer to do something I didn't think they could do. That said, if you show up to three practices over a three week span, then ask how you did after a swim at Rudgear, I may just refer you to this blog post. Come to practice!

Addendum: Parents: are you having an issue getting your swimmer to agree to come to practice? Come talk to me... we'll figure something out...

Two More Weeks

2011-05-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

Ask just about any recreational swimming coach and they'll admit to having a countdown until spring practice is over. The kids are in 'summer mode' already, the weather (usually) starts to heat up, and those sugar-filled last days of school make for challenging afternoons at the pool. That said, we have to take full advantage of our practice time and make the best of it.
We had an awesome turnout at yesterday's Memorial Day workout - about 50 kids came to swim! We'll get right back to work today and finish the week on Thursday and Friday with a mix of stroke work and tough sets. Wednesday is our first dual meet and it happens to be against one of our neighbors: Rudgear Meadows. Their Head Coach Debbie and I have been friends for many years, and I'm hopeful we've worked out a meet arrangement that works out best for both teams. For those of you who haven't been to Rudgear's pool, they only have four lanes, which makes running a 'full meet' a little more challenging. We've decided to skip the first two events, so there will be no medley relay or I.M. I wanted to give our kids as many chances to swim as possible and still get out of there at a decent hour (it's a school night). We'll start the night with freestyle, which just about everyone is swimming. Almost everybody else is swimming at least two of the next three events: breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly.
Please note, if you are entered in a free relay. I agreed to send free relays, but on the condition that if it's getting too late, and people need to be getting home, we'll have no problem cancelling them. If that's the case, I'll make up those relays at the next non league meet. I apologize in advance for the disclaimer. If the meet was at our pool, with 6 lanes, it wouldn't be a problem.
This meet should almost be considered a "second time trials." For the most part, the kids will be swimming individual events... there just happens to be someone in a different cap in the next lane. If you have any questions about the meet, entries, or practices... please ask me at the pool.

See you all this week!

Bryan

Pre-Season Practice

2011-04-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

Swimmers and Parents,

Are you ready?

Summer Rec swimming didn't used to start in April, but in our case I couldn't be more excited to start Spring practice today! I can't wait to see all of the kids and parents and to get back to work on another great summer!

The blog hasn't been kept very current lately, and I've had to answer the "why are you in Walnut Creek" question 'a few' times over the last couple weeks, so I'm going to start this post with that situation. Yes, I am still very much enrolled in school at Sac State. I'm making great progress towards my degree, and excited to be done. I have class Tuesday and Thursday that ends at 2:45. I'll be in my car and on deck at the pool as fast as I can those two days, but what that's most likely going to mean is that I won't be a part of the 8 and under workout a couple of days a week. I moved back to Walnut Creek about a month ago to be closer to friends and family... and no offense to Sacramento, but this is home. I'm a very happy camper. I wasn't supposed to be on deck at Livorna until mid-May, so I'm really excited to be able to help contribute before then.

Between moving, coaching spring clinic, five classes, etc... It's been a busy few weeks. I'm motivated to keep this updated this summer, so now that I'm settled... expect more posts.

I want to start this season with a Frequently Asked Questions section... we have a ton of new families! If you see someone on deck that you don't know, please go introduce yourself and offer your 'swim team expert' help. Remember your first year of swim team? It can be a little overwhelming...

Q.How many days a week should my swimmer be at practice?

A. As many as they can. School comes first, but if your schedule otherwise allows please come to as many practices as you can. Swimming is a lot like math; if you miss part of the process to solve the equation (or in our case - learn the stroke), it can be tough to get it all right in the end. We start with the basics and work our way up. The more you're there, the better chance you have of improving. Practice makes perfect!

Q. Do you cancel practice if it's raining?

A. No! We'll only cancel if there's thunder and lightning. Swimmers will tell you that swimming in the rain is actually pretty fun. Getting out of the water is a little tough, but that's what warm showers and towels are for.

Q. I'm really not sure my child is swim team ready, how will I know?

A. Keep bringing them to practice. Our coaches are well trained to assist all levels of swimming. If we feel as though there is a lesson plan that will benefit your child more than what we can offer, we'll have a conversation with you. It's our goal to get as many kids 'swim team ready' and 'water-safe' as we possibly can.

Q. Will there be coaches in the water to help with the 8 and unders?

A. Yes! We're excited to get in there and teach! If you are 11 years old and up, please let us know if you'd like to come help out with the youngest Dolphins! They're going to be a ton of fun!

Q. My swimmer has another commitment during his/her practice time, can they swim during another practice?

A. I make these calls on an individual basis. If it's a first year swimmer, the answer is probably going to be 'no.' Swimming with a bunch of other kids is already intimidating enough, so putting them with the next group up right of the bat is probably a bad idea. Otherwise, I'm pretty open to working with people's schedules.

Q. Caps, swim suits, goggles? Help!

A. If your hair covers your eyes (even partially) when it's forward, you need to wear a cap! Not just for you, but no one likes swimming through hair in the pool. Goggles can be tricky. My advice is to head to Sports Basement or NorCal swim shop and try a few pairs on. They should be comfortable, not huge like a modified scuba mask, and should fit snug around the back of your head. Yes, there will be red 'goggle lines' when you take them off after practice. That means: They worked! All swimmers should wear a 'swim team appropriate' suit. No, it doesn't have to be our official suit, but guys should not be wearing trunks or board shorts. Girls should not be wearing beach style bikinis. I can't believe I just typed that, but I hope it helps=)

I'm sure I've left out tons of questions... So, here are your options: Feel free to post one as a comment, and I'll get to it asap, OR ask me or another board member on deck at the pool. I can't spend a whole lot of time during practice talking, but if it's quick, no problem. If you need to set up a meeting with me, let me know and I'll make time.

Summer '11, on the way! See you all at the pool!

Bryan

Seven for '11 - Part 2 - "Hard Work"

2011-02-17T12:59:00.000-08:00

"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming." -John Wooden

I'm not sure what year of high school or college a professor tells you that beginning any paper with a quote is cliche, but I'm not in class, and I agree with Coach Wooden wholeheartedly. In the second part of this 'series' I want to focus on "hard work" in relation to recreational swimming at Livorna, and how the kids can translate what they've learned (and will learn) to other parts of life.

When I think "hard work" in regard to swimming, I immediately think about years of workouts that I participated in growing up. 5 o'clock in the morning before high school several days a week, 6 classes, then back to the pool after school. I remember grueling sets, tough coaches, and days when I didn't have any idea why I'd put myself through it. I also remember getting through those practices (somehow) and the bond that grows between teammates pushing each other to amazing levels.

As far as what I consider "rec" swimming to be, this is not the type of hard work that I'm referring to.

We push our high school aged kids daily. They need a physical base to compete and the mental edge of knowing that they've put in the necessary work to achieve their goals. 13 and 14 year olds also need to be challenged physically, but flaws that still remain in strokes at this age have to be corrected before the 'next level.' My experience with high school swimming was that there wasn't a whole lot of stroke correction being done. Those coaches (yes, a general statement) were in the business of 'speed' and 'winning meets.' While our 13/14's will notice an increased workload, my hope moving forward is that we can address all of the stroke and turn issues before they get to the high school level. It's also at about this time when swimmers have become more focussed on specific events and are taking the next steps in exploring new facets of those events.

Where I think the REC community differs most in its opinion of "hard work" exists in the 12 and under age group. There are teams in our area (that we compete against) that push these kids HARD. I think we're guilty of pushing these kids harder than I would have liked to in the past. There is a time and a place for speed, and yes, to swim fast in a meet you have to practice swimming fast during training. BUT pushing these kids to points where they're going to end up looking like gymnasts (delayed development due to over-training) is so far from what we're about. We're not even going to be in the same universe. Our 12 and unders (with understandably varying levels) are going to receive a huge amount of stroke instruction (and TLC). This is the age to learn all four strokes, and to progress through that learning as the years go. At 9 we introduce turns and double their event yardage. It's my belief that 'parts' of practice should be separated for "fast" swimming. Depending on the age and the time in the season, the amount of fast swimming will vary. I think it's really important to have the kids swim 'correctly' instead of fast and ugly. If you can't swim WELL, swimming FAST is irrelevant.

I touched on this point in my last post, but just for clarification: Incentive programs are fantastic, but they are dangerous in the case of 'best times.' Where we get into trouble with best times is the kids who are paying no attention to how they're swimming, and are only concerned with the result. I've had people frustrated in the past after paying for a lesson... "Bryan, we had a lesson yesterday, and Matilda added two seconds to her swim."My response to Matilda's Mom, "did you watch Matilda's swim? It was awesome! She did exactly what we worked on!" This often earns me a "HUH?" look...

Here's the issue... and since we don't have any Matilda's on our team, I'm going to use her as an example. Prior to a series of lessons, and Matilda coming to practice regularly, Matilda swam like garbage. Her flailing arms, forward breathing, and avant-garde method of kicking was a combination of 2 or 3 of the strokes. Water splashed into her opponents' lanes, and she often found herself, mostly due to her high turnover and water displacement, at the wall first. Awesome. (Yea, I had some fun with that).

"What we're all about" in this case refers to our job as recreational coaches to make sure that Matilda improves her strokes first. Through many (could be 1 or 2 practices, or 2 summers) practices, and with some one on one lesson time, muscle memory will be corrected. If a swimmer is dedicated to this process, willing to make changes, and consciously think about them during practice, lessons, and ultimately meets... then we're in business. Now, imagine telling this to an 8 year old who just wants to dive in and 'shred' his way to the wall to beat his buddies! Much easier said than done.

So, my definition of "hard work" in a recreational swimming sense is a lot different than 5 o'clock in the morning, Rocky Balboa, training montages. I think hard work has a lot more to do (in our case) with dedication to the sport and team, and improving individual strokes. One of the biggest issues that we face is competition from other sports and the craziness of some people's summer schedule. To improve at anything in life, you have to participate regularly. Yes, including swimming. If you want your swimming to improve, you cannot be a 2 or 3 day per week swimmer. Can you imagine only going to school 60% of the time and ultimately blaming the teacher for getting a D on your spelling final? Wouldn't happen. I'll say it again, to improve as a swimmer (or anything in life) you have to participate regularly. I'll take dedication a step further... To be truly dedicated to your 'craft' means that you make no exception for its importance. You think about swimming in all that you do. Ever seen the bumper sticker "eat, sleep, ______." Insert whatever you want into that blank spot, but it's true if you want it to be. "Bryan can I take a week off and go to lego camp?" Hard to turn an 8 year old away from legos, but as long as it comes with the understanding that time for that week hasn't been dedicated to swimming. One cannot expect to be great at anything if you're only doing it part time.

I don't expect everyone to be at every practice, every meet, or swim team function. It's just not how life works... That said, those who dedicate themselves to working on their craft increase the likelihood of success immensely. It's my hope as a coach that my hard work in preparing and delivering the summer plan on a daily basis, work with groups and individuals, and a high level of passion and dedication will direct a lot of people towards pushing themsevles to another level.

A lot of my drive and dedication comes from experience that I've had with teams and coaches in the past. I think sports is a fantastic translation to so many aspects of everyday life. Hard work is definitely one of them. I love the quote "anything worth doing, is worth doing well." If you're willing to invest yourself into a project, studying, training, etc. Might as well go all the way with it and challenge yourself, right!

I'm getting long winded here... the kids will definitely hear about this from their coaches on a regular basis this Spring and Summer. In the meantime, study hard... and get excited to get back in the pool! Spring Clinic countdown : 40 days.

Bryan

Ever seen this? John Wooden's (can you tell I'm a fan?) Pyramid of Success. Might be another post someday... It's been on my wall since I was a kid. Great stuff.

Neil Pasricha: The 3 A's of awesome | Video on TED.com

2011-02-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys,
My week got crazy with school. I owe you some posts! In the meantime, I want to share this video with you. I don't expect all of you to watch 17 minutes of this, but if you can carve out the time to do it... I think it's well worth it. Great message...

Bryan

Neil Pasricha: The 3 A's of awesome Video on TED.com

Seven for '11 - Part 1 - "What We're All About"

2011-02-04T14:54:00.000-08:00

As promised, over the next week or so I've got seven topics lined up in preparation for the 2011 season. For the first time (ever?), I want to encourage all of your participation on this blog. Sign up as a follower! You'll get an e-mail update when there's new postings.  Leave a comment if you want. Any suggestions, ideas, or feedback is much appreciated. It all has to be approved, so as long as you aren't criticizing my age or poor fashion sense... all constructive criticism is welcome! Thanks (as always) for reading...

Summer 2011 has "awesome" written all over it already. I've never been this excited about a summer of swimming, and hopefully that will reflect in the following posts.

I want to start out with a simple topic, but it's probably our most important: What Livorna is 'all about.'

"Simple" is the key word in the above sentence. Swim team has been around for a long time. In the bay area alone, it's existed for several decades in various forms of competitiveness, size, and participation level. It used to be simple! Or, that's how the 'elders' like to spin it. Swim team 'used to be' about dropping your kids off at practice, hard work, fun with friends, and growth through a 'team' mentality. What's different now?  Emphasis on the individual instead of team, tech suits, "my kid is Mike Phelps-ism," hyper-competitiveness among parents and swimmers, technology (in the 70's and 80's could you look up your time on the internet and see how much faster you were than that guy from Scottsdale)... I could go on...

I'm of the opinion that the more 'simple' and 'old school' we shape our team - the better. We are a "team first" organization. Swimming is a unique sport in that an individual's success directly impacts the team.

Honestly... when you read that last sentence, how many of you immediately thought of "points" and "race results?" It's only natural, but the important thing to recognize is that we're all (in some way, shape or form) prone to think competitively. A percentage of our swimmers 'score points.' One of the things that we're "all about" is the fact that all of our swimmers are equally important, regardless of their "points per swim meet."   I don't think we should feel bad about a competitive streak that lies within all of us, but I think we have to temper it, and find ways to motivate as coaches and parents that are 'kid specific.' Not everyone can swim like a fish, but without any competitive drive, improvement is impossible in any facet of life. It's one of my staff objectives this summer to set goals with all of our swimmers individually. Very few of these goals will have to do with times. I'll save this topic for another post (and it's something I've commented on in the past): Best times are great, but they're dangerous at the same time. As a coach, I'd take a well-thought-out, improved stroke, but slower time over fast and furious, but totally ugly swim - any day.

A paragraph about individual goals after a statement about 'team first?' What gives? Individuals make up the population of the team, they fill practices, and have plenty of goals to push themselves. Where swimming really becomes unique is through those individual experiences and time spent together, our kids bond. Groups become larger, kids meet friends they form great relationships with. All of these groups put together, unite, and do so under one common banner: They LOVE Livorna. Something happens when you walk inside the gate at your swim club. It becomes "home" in a sense.

I remember the annual battle at the "other club" growing up about what the t-shirt was going to look like. My mom always prayed that it didn't have a "big, ugly squid" on it, because she knew my brothers and I would wear any team shirt religiously. While I'm thankful that our mascot is a dolphin, it's my hope that our kids feel the same way: Proud.

One of many off-season projects was to re-write the team mission statement. The word that stands out to me, and was most important to all of us in writing it was family.  I do think that term gets thrown around in athletics here and there. To me, it means you've got people you can count on, always. It means that everyone knows your name (thanks Cheers), and you've got an amazing support system behind you everytime you get up on the blocks, go for that best time, attempt a hard set - - yea, yea, all of that stuff... but I think it goes past that: "Livorna Kids" know it at school, at Alamo or Blackhawk Plaza, at the movies, Starbucks, during soccer, in February! They should stick together, look out for each other, wear their shirts proudly. I'm an old guy, but I kid you not, there have been times before a big test or presentation or before launching myself into the SF Bay for a swim, that I scroll through (there are thousands) memories of 5 years at Livorna... And it's comforting. It's a pat on the back when you need it, a burst of energy, motivation, support, etc.

I think it becomes a lot easier to make swim team "simple" when you think about it from a family perspective. Each individual has to hold up their end of the bargain... they have to put the work and the time in. As long as people are accountable for their preparation and through their support of their teammates, the "results" take care of themselves. Best times go back to being 'achivements' instead of measuring sticks. Individual success or room for improvement is shared by the team, your teammates, and your family. Through this idea of support we provide our kids huge confidence in themselves - - and it's this belief that I think sets us apart.

Livorna is a special place. We are a family... and we've got an amazing summer in front of us! Hope this message finds all of you well... can't wait to get back and get to work! All's good in Sacramento!

Next post soon!

-Bryan

July 30th, 2011

2011-01-24T13:12:00.000-08:00

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.

Jimmy V's 1993 ESPY Speech

2010-12-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

It's "V Week" on ESPN in honor of basketball coach Jim Valvano. I (like many others) love this speech. He offers some amazing advice and perspective on life and attitude. The speech was given 8 weeks before cancer took his life.

If you've got 11 minutes to spare, check this out...

"Thanks" LIV

2010-11-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

Livorna Family,
Hi All! I hope this post finds you and your family happy, healthy, and ready for a great holiday season! I am very excited to get home and see family and friends. My middle brother Mike and his wife Katie are coming up from Orange County this weekend, so we're doing Thanksgiving early. I'll be in Eugene for the 'real' Thanksgiving celebrating with my youngest brother A.J. and his girlfriend. My parents have also 'thrown in' a ticket to the Oregon/Arizona football game next Friday, so it's a good deal all around! I'm a Duck fan by association (my Dad is an alum), but our current coaching staff might have something to say about that (Matt at Oregon, and Katie/Hailey Arizona). With finals a few weeks later, and winter break coming, it'll make for a well traveled end of the year.

I will definitely be in attendance at the Livorna event on December 19th! Hope to see all of you there! Your newsletter with event info is on it's way, if you haven't already gotten it.

I wanted to take a little bit of time out and write something about how this time of year and Livorna go hand in hand to me. I am very thankful for Livorna for so many reasons. I think it goes back to when I was starting to swim at 6 or 7 at one of those 'other clubs' on the other side of Walnut Creek... swim team was life for those three months of summer. As a kid, you love being at the pool. All of your friends are there, your teammates, your coaches... The time on the clock was totally irrelevant. You waited there until you were called, or you were hungry (unless someone else's mom hadn't already brought you a sandwich), or until your legs were too tired to pedal your bike home. As a parent, I imagine the pool has become a place that you feel safe leaving your kids. There's always another parent there with their eyes on your kids, or coaches that care just as much about every swimmer on the team not to let them get hurt or put themselves in danger.

Through the years we've added some time to those three months, and added a few more swimmers to our neighborhood team, but the energy and team spirit that continues to exist within the Livorna gates is still very much the same. I have a different perspective these days. 20 years later, now coaching, I carry that same admiration that I once had for my coaches all those years ago. I now feel it towards my assistant coaches, swimmers and parents. I often hear swimmers and parents refer to our team as 'family.' I couldn't agree more. Everyone is welcome, everyone is equal.

I'd be remiss to end this post without mentioning how you've all affected me. Sometimes, life throws you curveballs (yea, that's an Old School reference). My family has had a rough go over the past few years with death and illness, and I've had my battles too in my own personal life and with school... Livorna is a constant... Always has been. I was made to feel at home from the minute I set foot on deck. Through Livorna, I've met a lot of amazing people. Some that I consider 'family' and 'great friends.' Combine that with all of the love and support that I get on a daily basis from our swimmers and families, I'm a very lucky guy.

It's safe to say that as I dig into Thanksgiving dinner with my family this week that Livorna Swim Team (and all of you) are very much in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you all! Have a great holiday!

LIVE LIV,
Bryan

More "swim team" news on the way as we get closer to the new year... promise. Glimpses into the 'Life of Bryan' won't be a constant on here=)

Sesame Street: Will.i.am's Song "What I Am"

2010-11-10T10:44:00.000-08:00

Having a rough day? Check this out! Could be the new LIV theme song...

Like a Leaf Blower

2010-10-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes motivation for writing comes from strange places, but this morning's "alarm clock" was one that I've become very accustomed to in my time at Livorna. The sound of a 7 A.M. leaf blower is almost like a tradition on Trotter. Surviving it's roARS and rumBLEs has become a morning 'rite of passage' at the pool. There is actually a song that was created a few summers ago by the coaching staff to get us through the 'hour of leaf blower power.' We've also been known to send the kids on 'leaf blower kick sets.' "Guys, you kick, until the blower stops."

My post about Halloween a couple of days ago touched on the fact that I've been prone to launch into a 'rant' every now and then. Leaf blowers might be one of the most hotly contested Livorna rants I've ever had. Again, I'm not looking for this blog to go this direction, but I took my early wake up call as a sign this morning, and subsequently (probably inaccurately) thought you all might like to hear about it...

Where the rant begins is by me saying that a leaf blower is the most useless gardening tool ever created. Huh? It takes hours of raking and back breaking work out of the equation. How could that be considered useless?

Despite having never operated one, I do consider myself a bit of a leaf blowing connoiseur at this point. There have been many migraine-laiden mornings at the pool where the noise from the air-compressed laps being done around the pool is rhythmically timed with the laps being swum in the pool. My biggest issue with the leaf blower is that it's essentially taking a mess from point A, and transporting it to point B. The leaf blowing standard equation would then suggest that by moving leaves, debris, etc. from point to point, that one has essentially created a new mess at what we'll call "point C." From my viewing perspective, "point C" usually exists under or behind a bush, in the neighbor's yard, under or past an adjoining fence, or into a generally less conspicuous spot.

The issue here is that no matter how you spin it, the mess still exists. Unless there is time spent putting these leaves into bags and transporting them elsewhere, the leaf blower then goes on the shelf for 23 hours, and is back for more the next morning... Even though 'more' refers to the same mess from the previous morning. What a viscious cycle... and in my opinion, a total waste of time... and Bryan's excedrin.

Where the assistant coach 'eye rolling' comes in is where I attempt to use the leaf blower as a metaphorical translation to society (yes, there is a major element of sarcasm here...). If we're constantly 'sweeping things under the rug" and dealing with problems "later," nothing ever gets cleaned up! Stop creating new messes with old ones that are easy to fix!

Ridiculous as this might sound, I'll bet the next time you see or hear a leaf blower you might stop and think for just a second where those leaves are going...

"For the Story"

2010-10-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for new ways to motivate. Whether it's swimmers, friends, family members, or even myself... we all need some words of encouragement to get us through certain situations. One phrase has remained constant through the years, and although its meaning has evolved over time, its roots are what keeps it relevant.

I do a lot of reading about sports and fitness, coaching, but my favorite books are autobiographies by the people who have been to 'the top' and their account of everything it took to get there. My most recent read was Laird Hamilton's book, Force of Nature. For those who don't know, Laird is widely considered to be the world's best 'big wave' surfer. He's credited with inventing 'tow-in' surfing, is famous for paddleboarding between Hawaiian islands, swims of great length, triathlons, and is a legendary waterman. I think his lifestyle and committment to greatness is fascinating. He's dedicated and intense, but maintains a 'surfer' mentality... never forgetting his love and passion for the sport, and always willing to push forward as long as it's FUN. I could go on about Laird and why he's a 'hero' of mine for pages, but that's not why I'm bringing him up in this post... What impresses me most about him is that he lives life to the fullest everyday. I've heard him speak often about 'rarely sitting down during a day.' This is a very deliberate practice that seems to be for fear of missing out on what that particular day could offer. There's a time to relax and recover from a tough day, but you can never have that day back if you let it pass by.

How in the world does this relate to summer recreational swimming?

I think it relates to anyone and everyone. Livorna swimmers and coaches who have spent some time around me have most definitely heard me say, "for the story." For the record, there's no way that I invented this statement... It's borrowed with the best of intentions from an unknown source. My friend Ted and I began using it years ago and at the time, it had everything to do with seizing opportunities and 'living it up' as two kids in their late teens would do. I am very blessed to have a tight circle of friends that has remained since we were kids. "For the Story" means you should appreciate opportunities and act on them, take calculated risks, and work outside of your comfort zone... All with the understanding that your family, friends and support group will be there after the fact to support you; regardless of the outcome.

Recent 'Bryan' example: I was really apprehensive about my most recent swim. I didn't get as much 'water time' as I wanted to leading up to it, and although I was in really good 'gym' shape, this wasn't helping my sleep patterns leading up to the big day. Combine this with the idea of diving into cold ocean water, strong currents, and lacking the mental edge of being totally prepared, and a couple of tough personal life situations... it made for a big mental challenge. I had dinner with two of my best friends on Friday night, got a number of great hugs from Livorna kids before the above picture, spent the next day hanging out with friends and relaxing, and had family waiting for me at the finish line. The message across the board was clear, and while those who aren't yet in the inner circle of the "FTS" club might not have known it, they all shared in its meaning: "You CAN do it, push through the pain, and do this because we're all here for you no matter what."

Talk about a mental edge.

Back to the pool on Trotter. When the sets get harder towards the end of June our older kids definitely need that extra push to 'get by.' Having your teammates encourage you to work through a tough practice is a boost that anyone who has played a team sport can relate to. I remember swimming workouts with teammates that I cared a lot about, that I could have never done by myself. I will always encourage swimmers to put themselves 'out there' during a set, take a risk and swim the faster interval, and know that support is waiting for you at the wall if you crash. If you succeed and push through it, we're absolutely there to celebrate with you.

That's a select group of swimmers... but this happens to work across the board. How about the first year swimmer who thinks that butterfly looks like an algorithm, or the 6 year old who's afraid to leave the wall for the first time, or a swimmer who just had the "worst swim meet ever" and is lacking some confidence. This is where "FTS" goes to a whole other level. Everyone on our team is an equal. Regardless of what your "mountain" is that you're climbing on any given day, there is always a safety net of teammates, coaches and family there to climb it with you. The outcome is irrelevant. If you put yourself out there, take a risk, and give it your all, we're there to celebrate your effort, and your 'story' after the fact.

There's lots of other examples or variations on this saying. Two of my current favorites, "Eddie Would Go" in remembrance of surfer Eddie Aikau or Oregon football coach Chip Kelly's "Win the Day." They're celebrations of our daily opportunities to grow as humans, push our limits, and live without regret.
Call it a "fall challenge," but there are ways to practice this in our everyday life. I am by no means a pro here, and it's something that I am constantly working at... Laird recommends that we put ourselves outside of our comfort zones regularly. This is a tough one, but the idea is that we find out more and more about ourselves through this practice. When 'tough' situations come around, it's through these experiences that we can more accurately predict how we'll respond.

Swim Translation: Maybe you decide that you want to attempt to leave your comfort zone lane, and move up... you practice there, hard as it may be, but find that you're reaching new levels. It's probably not physically 'pleasant' to start, but as you begin excelling, mentally and emotionally you're more convinced than ever that 'you can do it.' Hard work pays off, and before long you're swimming times in meets you didn't know were attainable, and your strokes have progressed due to the newfound dedication. OR. You leave your crying 5 year old, who isn't really happy about a daily swim practice, in the hands of a swim coach. They play, practice blowing bubbles, and ease their way into the water everyday. Days go by, and before you know it, you've got a fish on your hands... Even a 5 year old (in their own way) can appreciate a sense of achievement. They took a risk. There are hundreds of examples that I could think of regarding the sport of swimming, but this is one of those practices that definitely transcends the pool, or any physical activity and spills over into 'everyday life.'

I'm getting long-winded here. Here's my bottomline: **Live everyday to it's fullest. Tell your family and friends that you love them often. **Work outside of your comfort zone when you see an opportunity. Call your friend that you should have weeks ago. Apologize for something that was your fault and you didn't admit it. Join a gym before New Year's and make it your goal to be in better shape by that date. Ask the tough questions at family dinner or with your friends over coffee because you genuinely care about the answers. **Take calculated risks. Without putting yourself in any danger, do something that you've been thinking about doing for a while, but haven't committed to. Get back in the pool! Ask the girl on the date!

Yes, this is all very idealistic and in many ways 'easier said than done,' but as long as you know you've got a friend, family, coach, TEAM waiting for you... DO IT. "For the Story." LIV IT UP!

-Bryan

Tricks and Treats

2010-10-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everybody! Before I get to swim team ongoings, here's my take on this week: I will admit to not being a huge fan of the holiday. The other day I referred to it as one of my two least favorite holidays (New Year's being the other). I'll save my New Year's rant for another day, but as far as Halloween goes, it's just not something I've ever really understood. As a kid, that's one thing; put on a fun costume, carve a pumpkin, score some candy 'trick or treating:' All good. As an adult is where things get weird. Call me "no fun" if you will, but grown men dressed as Disney characters, cowboys/Indians, etc... Just kind of 'weirds me out.' Now, women on Halloween is an entirely different issue. Go do a 'google search' for women's Halloween costumes. I'll spare you the results, but apparently it's become an opportunity to wear as little as possible, get away with it, then post 'the results' to your facebook page. I guess it's not just not really my cup of tea. Oh well. Enjoy regardless, be safe, go easy on the Snickers...

Random rants isn't something I intend to litter this blog with, but this holiday is too good to pass up. Kids that spend enough time at the pool, and definitely my coaches have been prone to hearing some pretty good rants over the years. Every now and then... it just kind of happens. Politics, other swim teams, personal hygiene, meaning of life, etc. Katie can personally attest to having to listen to a lot of these. She's a great listener, but usually there's some pretty solid 'eye rolling' after about the second sentence of "the philosophy of....."

So, swim team is working hard behind the scenes as we speak! We had a great board meeting last night and were able to introduce our new assistant coach, Hailey Degolia. She will bring a great dynamic to our staff, has a ton of swim knowledge and background, and is ready for a FUN summer at Livorna! You can find her coaching Round Hill's fall program currently, and she'll be on deck for OUR Spring Program in a few months! We're very lucky to have someone of her ability joining our staff from day 1 of summer 2011... we're definitely setting our kids up for a lot success with the staffing and program that's being outlined for next year. We're both very excited to get started!

The board is exploring new ways to make meet signouts, keeping track of times and goals, and overall communication that much more user friendly. The options being looked at are fantastic! Our team is in great hands with the board that is assembled, and improvements to general team operations are on their way. Look forward to great changes and fun additions to next summer's program!

The coaching staff will begin meeting in December to start talking about the upcoming summer and probably endulge in some holiday cookies. It's a tightly knit group already, but we'll be well bonded and ready to go by the time spring practice gets under way. Plans for meetings to discuss how we're teaching strokes, running lessons, and organizing practies are already being calendared. Again, it's safe to say that we're pretty excited to get started.

You'll also notice the picture above... I was home a couple of weekends ago, and had about a 45 minute window before a dinner with friends. A fun idea, and a couple of 'Livorna phone calls' later, and a group was being assembled to take a 'team picture' in October. It was very spur of the moment, and I'm sorry we couldn't get to more kids. The gameplan is to do this again over the holidays and get everyone involved. Look for an e-mail in the coming weeks with details as to when we'll meet up. I had a blast seeing all of the kids that were able to show up, and I know we can get a lot more out there with a little more time warning.

My last post was about my most recent open water swim. I did finish! Despite water in the mid 50's, very strong currents, and about 950 other shivering bodies, I completed the swim in about 38 minutes. 10th in my age group! It's a swim that I will definitely do again next year... Anyone looking for something to train for next summer, I'd love to take a group of people out there and swim it together! More to come on that later, but that could be a lot of fun to have a Livorna team representing... Next for me is a half marathon early next spring, and maybe a full 26.2 to follow. We'll see!

Hope everyone is having a great week... Looking forward to seeing all of you soon!
Here's some pictures from the event:

Yes, there was absolutely a blue "LIV" cap worn under the mandatory 'race cap.' Always representing!

Swimming For Aunt Sue

2010-10-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

'Swimming' has always meant so many different things to me. It's been a sport, an outlet, an opportunity, a job, a family... Once a year, it's a chance for me to remember my Aunt Sue.

My brothers and I were so lucky growing up to have lots of relatives close by... Specifically my Aunt Sue and Uncle Stan. They were at swim meets, basketball games, parties, and everything in between. My Aunt was always there with a big hug, but I always knew that she wanted 'the best' out of me... and I knew when I hadn't given it. That's one of the many reasons I know she loved all of us. A teacher at heart, and in the classroom for many years, I'm still learning from her a year after she left us...

Last September she lost a battle with pancreatic cancer. I think about her everyday and I try to do my best to make her proud in all that I do.

While I'm not sure there's anything I could do to truly show how much I miss her, the Tiburon Mile gave me an outlet last year to do something that I love in honor of her. The race is hard, it's cold, and it's definitely a 'mental battle' to get yourself through... I just can't help but think that she'd think it was 'cool.' The idea of her smiling down on that day makes it amazing. What a blessing to be able to remember her in such a simple way.

Last year, the race was on September 13th, six days after she passed.... This year, it's on the 17th of October... which happens to be two days after her birthday. I've been training hard, and I'm physically 'ready' to take the plunge next weekend. More importantly, mentally/emotionally I've got the world's best cheerleader in my corner, and I always will..............

I love you Aunt Sue.

Summer Prep Starts In September

2010-09-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

Swimmers and Parents,
"Hi" from Sacramento! I hope everyone is doing well at home... I miss you all already!

It has come to my attention through the end of the year survey, board comments, and others of you making requests that the blog is a useful (and hopefully semi-entertaining) resource. My plan will be to post an update every couple weeks until the new year, and then the posts will become a lot more frequent as summer 2011 gets closer.

For those who might be wondering, YES, I am coming back for another summer at Livorna! I'm very excited, re-energized, and ready to help set some new goals for our team (swimmers, parents, and coaches). I will get a lot deeper into that thought process in future posts.

If you are a 'reader' of this blog... send me a note, post a comment, subscribe... The more of you that I feel are reading this, the more active I will be. I will admit to stopping posts early last spring as I thought I was typing to a one man audience.

Again, great to be back... I'll look forward to keeping you all in 'the know' as far as the head coach is concerned.

Bryan

2010-08-31T22:48:00.000-07:00

Spring Practice

2010-04-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

Have I told you all yet how weird it is to not be at practice right now? It's driving me a little crazy! I miss the kids, writing up practices, teaching/coaching, and being around the pool in general. I can't wait to get back! I will be on deck coaching this coming Thursday and Friday (4/29-4/30). Please come by and say "hi!"

Despite not being there, I'd like to start planning for the coming weeks, and awesome summer ahead. As summer draws closer, the coaching staff returns, and school winds down for the kids, I'd really like for us to individually and collectively be thinking about some 'goals' for the summer. Our program continues to grow year to year, and I think it'll become increasingly important for us to keep adjusting our focus to keep out kids motivated, our parents involved, and make Livorna the best it can possibly be. Some suggestions: 1) Is there a stroke that you're really having trouble with, and maybe have been for a while? Let's check it out, and make it a priority. 2) A new 9 year old that hasn't swum 2 lap races yet? Let's focus on those turns, and make a clean transition. 3) I hesitate to set "time" goals, but if there's a time standard that's within a reasonable reach, what do we need to do to 'make it happen?'

Those are just a few suggestions... there are many more. It's something that we'll work hard with the families with this summer to improve. Time to utilize more of that great Livorna energy that always exists on our pool deck! Look for a new program and ideas that emphasize the setting and following through of goals this summer. With your help, I'm looking forward to the best summer yet!

In the meantime, get to as many practices as you can. Ask questions. Do your homework. If I don't see you next week, I will be home for good on the 20th of May.

GET READY

LIV '10

Bryan

Get Rec'd

2010-03-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

I've got some free time today... not really sure what to do with myself! British Literature doesn't start until 3, and the group that I've been swimming with will meet shortly after that. I do have a "Livorna issue" that's been on my mind and that I think needs a little attention, so the bored English major does have 'something' to do for the next hour or so...

A couple of disclaimers here: First, if you're just getting on the blog for the first time after reading the newsletter or e-mail that went out, please scroll down and read the next couple posts first. This post is about an isolated issue. Second, I'm not upset about this situation at all, but it might come off that way; sorry in advance. Again, if you're a 'first timer' scroll down for the "fun," pre-season banter.

I'm not sure if I've ever used a disclaimer before in a blog post. I think it is appropriate in this case, as I'm really not wanting to make a huge deal out of this, but I think it's important that it's addressed. Ok Bryan. Really, what is this all about?

Let's start with this: Clearly, I love swimming. I love a lot about the sport, and how it continues to grow. I appreciate the health benefits and the team building that always accompanies the sport in general. I think it's awesome that it's one of only a handful of sports that someone can physically participate in for most of their life. There are, however, parts of youth sports (and swimming in particular) that I do not like. I think there's a huge misconception that kids 'need' to be specialized within a specific sport at such a young age. I'm going to speak in very generalized/subjective terms here, so please feel free to disregard or disagree with any of it. My belief is that as a kid growing up, one should play as many sports as they possibly can. Asking a 10-year old kid to swim or play soccer for 11 and a half months of the year is... well, I'll let you insert the term there. Some people may feel differently.

How does this affect swimming specifically? I'll be a little more direct here: We've got a big time neighborhood misconception (not just at Livorna) that if you're a 'very good' swimmer, you belong at Round Hill. Why? Well, that's a wonderful question. It's a concrete answer that I don't have for you. It's something that I certainly do not understand, endorse, or agree with. Let me clearly state that I have nothing against Round Hill. I like their pool and their bathroom facilities. I've also had a couple of really nice iced teas from their cafe. In all seriousness, there's lots of nice people up there and some that I consider 'friends.' My intention here is not to bad-mouth their club/team at all.

They do have two more lanes than we do, and access to golf, tennis, and some of those elliptical machines that make you look hilarious while you're working out... In my opinion, that's about where the 'special perks' end. Are you going to receive better coaching 'up the street?' Nope, not in my opinion. Is your kid going to receive any more attention than they do at Livorna? Nope. They're a bigger team with the same amount of coaches as we have. Not sure how else one could calculate that equation. Is your kid going to get faster at Round Hill? This one is "the kicker" that probably amuses me more than any other comparison. The answer: Your kid will be as fast as they want to be, no matter where they swim! Regardless of where you're swimming, if they work hard, pay attention, and come to practice everyday... YES! They will improve. The swim ceiling at Livorna is equal, if not better (again, apologies for my opinion here) than anywhere else in the neighborhood. If your families motive is to guarantee that your swimmer gets "faster" and "more attention" you have one (1) choice: To stay rec or go year round. You need to send them to Aquabears in Walnut Creek, Terrapins in Concord, or Crow Canyon in San Ramon. There they will practice 5-6 days a week, for two hours at a time, add in dietary and nutrition education, dry land workouts, morning practices, coaching like you have never seen (or heard), and a 100% family commitment. If you're willing to pay that price to swim fast, that's where you should be. Moving to Round Hill is not your answer.

"Welcome to a 'bigger pond' in terms of numbers, but in all reality, you're still swimming with the same fish... now you're just one of the many."

I'm sure there are those reading this going, "Bryan is bitter that we've had a couple of kids leave for Round Hill." Quite the opposite. The grass is always greener and it's always easy to point the finger at someone else for one's shortcomings. I get it. My motive here is to make sure that our kids and families that are dedicated to Livorna are really confident in what we're doing. I see no reason to be heading anywhere else with the idea that you're going to become a 'better swimmer.' That's silly in my opinion. We offer a curriculum and coaching staff that is pretty outstanding. Our families, and swimmers in particular, should be really proud to wear Livorna blue.

I am so proud to be the head coach at Livorna. We build every year and are constantly praised by teams in our league as being a 'standard' of what Rec swimming should be.

Side note: To me, true recreational swimming is a compliment to the academic school year. Yes, there is pre-season practice beginning in April, but the idea that there are kids that swim year-round (for the most part) and are allowed to compete in the same county championship meet at the end of the 'season' strikes me as a little 'odd.'

Ok, so what's the answer to all of this? Where do we go from here?

We keep doing what we've been doing. We improve every year, in every phase of the game: coaching, swimming technique, team spirit, meet organization, and yes... "speed."

Be proud to be a Dolphin. Our home is a fantastic place to swim and grow.

Mission: Pre-Season 2010

2010-02-23T10:25:00.000-08:00

What do cold and rainy, February days in Sacramento make me think of? Yep, Livorna... of course! This time of year always consists of a lot of work and planning for the upcoming season, but it's also a lot of fun to re-connect with members of the Livorna family that help make each season as much fun as it can be!
I've mentioned the new additions to the coaching staff in the newsletter, and you can read below for some preliminary details about our season kick off/fundraiser. I will re-emphasize how excited I am about the staff that we've compiled and the potential community impact and awareness that the fundraiser could help bring.

So, what else? What's new? What crazy plans do we have for your kids this summer?

Well, admittedly there's a never ending brainstorm session that rec swimming coaches carry year round to invent the coolest, most fun, team building activities we can think of. Evidence of that thought process this year is now spanning the globe as e-mail and skype keep our American bound coaches in contact with Kelly in Torino, Italy. We've constantly got LIV 'on the brain.' We do have some new ideas in addition to what is already a very full schedule...stay tuned. We've got tons of meets scheduled, which means lots of swims and chances to keep improving in the pool.
I am ever changing in what I think is the 'best' way to coach a swim team. I do have a competitive fire that keeps me motivated to push people to get better. "Better" is a really loose term though, and it should be. For some people, 'better' means improving a time, for some it's mastering a stroke or specific technique. For others it's making it to practice everyday, or wearing goggles during a race. As a coach, it might be my most important job to keep the masses interested based on individual needs; way easier said than done, but it's a task that we'll keep working at, and one that continues to set Livorna up as a great place to swim and grow.
"Success" is another dangerous term and one that can carry so many different meanings or interpretations. Our team did have lots of success 'on paper' last year (see trophy case). I like to believe that our success in growing individually as swimmers and collectively growing together as a team/family significantly outweighed the trophies. Our goal as a staff: to make sure that there's improvement every day, whether it's a stroke, an accomplishment at practice, or further understanding of direction; remains the same. Ideally, each swimmer should be able to get out of practice and feel as though it was somehow worth their while... what did you learn today? There should be a clear cut answer to that question. I'm confident in the staff that we've assembled to maintain that goal.
On the list of major improvements for summer 2010 will be the Disqualification slips and how they're handled. In the past, we haven't done a great job of following up with kids who have received DQs (this is for a variety of logistical reasons, I'll spare you). Bottom line, the kids deserve to hear about why they we're disqualified the following day... or at least the next time they're at practice. We'll do our best to fix the problem, and hopefully get them right back up on the block to get a time in the improved event.
As far as practices go, let's talk about pre-season for now. Pre-season is all about getting back in the water, getting a 'feel' for it, and improving strokes. From the middle of April until school gets out, your goal as parents is to get your kids to as many practices as they possibly can without getting in the way of school. As a swimmer, your goal should be to get to as many practices as you possibly can, get re-acclimated to the water, practice and improve your technique every day, and start building a fitness base for when the rest of your coaches get home! And Yes, you can swim in the rain... it's fun!

Before this gets really long and unreadable, I'll cut it off. I miss everyone, and can't wait to see you in a few weeks! See you all at Spring Clinic! Sign up if you haven't already!

Livorna on the brain=) Always.

Bryan

Livorna Gives Back:

2010-02-21T12:19:00.000-08:00

I hope this post finds you and your family happy, healthy, and... ready for another summer of Livorna Swimming! As we prepare to kick off another exciting season, we've decided to add an important date to our summer calendar. Your support and participation will be key to the event's success. Here's our mission:

Family values, team spirit, and fun have been three of our most important values practiced at Livorna Swim Club for many years. Our swim team family has endured highs and lows of practices, meets, and the rigors of many summers past. It’s our hope that this family can join together for a special event to begin the summer of 2010. In an effort to raise awareness, specifically those families affected by cancer, we’re hosting our first annual “Swim to Remember.” The message is simple: The Livorna Family cares. Whether or not its cancer that’s been present in the life of a family member, friend, or co-worker, you are invited to come to the pool at the conclusion of picture day on June 14th. At 1 P.M., we’ll begin a 12-hour continuous relay in honor of those who we’ve lost, have fallen ill, or have survived.

It's our belief that this opportunity will allow our community a chance to reflect, come together, and give our kids a chance to honor a loved one... or just come to show their support for others. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

We will be collecting donations, pledge forms, selling candle luminaries to show our support... should be a really powerful, and fun event to bring everyone together. Lots more information to follow. Please contact Gia Woodruff, or another board member with any questions in the meantime.

-Bryan

Happy New Year!

2010-01-07T00:12:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Livorna! It's about that time of year when I start getting really excited for swim team! With the end of March comes our Spring Clinic, and the start to another awesome summer of swimming! We've put together a great coaching staff, and have lots of fun/new ideas planned for 2010... I hope everyone had a great holiday season and a safe new year's. Keep up the resolutions! Maybe this is the summer we actually put together the "parent" workout? I'll add it to the list.

-Bryan

Fueled By Livorna Blue

2009-10-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

A crazy week of school is coming to an end in Sacramento, and I have Livorna 'on the brain,' so I thought I'd write a quick update. My school schedule is heavy Monday-Wednesday, which makes those three days hectic, but I'm not complaining come Wednesday night. I did manage to cram in 2 midterms, a 12 page paper, and a poetry recitation into the last 48 hours, so my brain is ready to think about anything besides school! I found my way to the "Fireside Lounge," which sounds like an awesome ski bar in Tahoe, but it's a room at the top of the student union building at Sac State... complete with rocking chairs, hot chocolate, and yea, a fireplace... Great place to write!

There's lots going on behind the scenes right now as Springtime is (scary) really not that far away. I wanted to take a minute to tell a story about the end of my summer, and more importantly, how a 'swim family' again helped push me through some tough stuff...

After the season, my family was hit hard with another tough loss. As many of you remember, we lost my Grandma in May, and unfortunately my Aunt Sue lost her battle with pancreatic cancer in early September. That was a really tough blow, but we all got to spend a great amount of time with her over the last few months in particular. She IS an amazing woman, who I learned a ton from, and miss everyday.

During the last few weeks of her life, I was thinking about what I could do 'in her honor' to show my love and appreciation... My mind naturally goes to swimming, and sure enough, there was an open water swim scheduled in Tiburon for the 13th of September. My Aunt Sue passed away on September 7th, so the 'tribute swim' became that much more powerful to me. It made a lot of sense. I trained hard with the guys this summer, but I definitely wasn't training for a nautical mile open water swim... it was going to have to be an adrenaline swim, with some 'Sue power.' I also had the help of about 180 Livorna kids rooting for me in my head... I came prepared with my 'LIV blue.' We had to wear caps specific to our age group during the race, mine was red, but as you can see from the pictures I was quick to rip that off after the race.

The race itself was tough. You can barely see a foot in front of you, tons of current, and people swimming all around you... not to mention that you're in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, and the water is freezing! I finished in a just over 36 minutes, and managed to come in 7th place in my age group! Very cool. I really wasn't very concerned about the time... swimming that race was really powerful, and meant a lot to me that I could do something like that for my Aunt. I took a minute in the middle of the swim to flip on my back, look up, say a little prayer, and keep going... that was a moment, in the middle of the ocean, that will stick with me forever.

So, although many of you had no idea that was going on... "Livorna Blue" provided some great energy and inspiration during a tough swim. Above are some pictures from the event. Since that race, I've been swimming 4-5 days a week, and have my sights set on some spring races. We'll see how it goes.

Hope everyone has a safe/fun halloween weekend. Look forward to seeing you all soon!

Bryan

Livorna in October?

2009-10-09T13:30:00.001-07:00

Hi guys!

Long time, no post! I still underestimate how crazy my summer schedule gets at the pool. One would think after all of these summers, I'd have a better handle on it, but it has a way of creeping up on you. Plus, in the end, I'm always going to choose time with the kids, or planning events with the coaches over typing a blog. That said, I'd still like to give this a 'go.' I'll have to figure out a schedule that makes this a little more 'regular.'

Even in October, there is lots of planning going on for the spring/summer of 2010. Those who question what a board member does... it's amazing the amount of work that gets done year round. Definitely some special people that love our club, and want to make Livorna the very best that it can be. Currently, we're rounding out a coaching staff, have completed interviews, and are making some tough decisions. We're facing a new hurdle in that capacity given my status at school: I won't be around for the first several weeks of practice. So, the biggest hurdle at the moment is finding coverage during that time. Interviews are in progress for that position, and we'll make sure it's a coach that we're very comfortable with, and trust with the kids.

I got a preview of the schedule a week or so ago... looks awesome! Tons of chances for the kids to swim! I'm looking forward to a couple of 'new' meets... There's some really great ideas floating around regarding some new meet styles... we'll see what happens.

As far as I go, school is going great! I have 5 upper division English classes that keep me very busy. Tons of reading to do each week, papers to write, and constant presentations in my classes where there's a 'teacher/education' influence. No complaints, it's what I signed up for! Sac State has an awesome campus... lots of trees and new buildings. I've taken on a pretty big 'side project' over the last month or so... It's been forever since Sac State has had a swim team. We got 'club' approval last week, and I've since been named Vice President. Lots of paperwork to be done, but we're looking to start practice in a couple of weeks. Our membership list is growing daily... I'm really excited! It's going to be a lot of work, but it's definitely something that I enjoy very much. We'll see where it goes...

I've still always got Livorna 'on the brain.' It'd be hard for me not to=) My 'other' family... Maybe motivation for another post sometime soon: A recap of some of my favorite Liv memories over the past 4 summers?! Yea, I'll work on it. That said, this year's award ceremony will be pretty tough for me (personally) to top. That was a night I'll never forget. I look at that Mark Haynes plaque every morning before I head to school. What an amazing honor...

Ok, I've said it before, but I'll say it again... I will try my best to get on here more regularly! I hope everyone at home is doing great! Talk to you all soon!

Regards,
Bryan

City Meet Record!!!

2009-07-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

Livorna's 15-18 guys set a record last weekend in the Medley Relay! Congrats guys! Keep up the hard work.

Diffenderfer Relay Records

2009-06-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

What an awesome meet on Saturday! Fast swims and great sportsmanship made for a really fun atmosphere. I'd say we're off to a pretty good start!!!

So, my 'motive' is a little different for this post... Lots of you brought to my attention the "Diffenderfer" records in the San Miguel program. Same family, but another brother. As I told some of you, my brother Mike was a member of an awesome relay team as a 6 year old when we swam there many years ago. We do like to give him a hard time about his swim career 'peaking' at 6, but hey, he's got one more 1st place medal from county meet than I do! Thanks to my dad, we managed to come across a picture from that weekend. Mike is on the left, with teammates Ricky Fehrer, Derek Jones, and Ryan Clark, and head coach JP Moore. They came in second place in the medley relay and won the free relay. Too cool! My family has lots of great memories of swimming at San Miguel... Summers filled with swimming and friends are pretty tough to beat!

I'll be gone Monday... Listen to the other coaches, work hard, and I'll see you all Tuesday morning!

Bryan

Why isn't my kid swimming?

2009-06-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

I've gotten the e-mails and phone calls, and have been approached at the pool a few times... I'm well aware this is an issue, and unfortunately it's an issue that I don't have a spectacular answer for... Nor has any Rec swim coach in the east bay area for the last 30 years for that matter.

I will say this first and foremost: I refuse to put an 'A' or a 'B' classification on a KID. I think calling a KID 'B' at anything is ridiculous. Yes, at some point in life, one will have to face the fact that they might be 'second best' at something, but that's not going to happen at Livorna this summer. Plenty of other clubs in the area have A/B teams (we're swimming one tomorrow night). I can assure you, they have more than their share of issues too. The idea of essentially having 'two teams,' an A and a B, that never ever see each other... and are constantly reminded that they are either A) better than the B's... or... B) not as good as the A's...

Uh, no thank you.

So, what's the catch? Well, we're really fortunate to have a good sized team. Unfortunately, lots of you share very similar birth years... Let's use the 11/12 girls as an example: There are 26 girls signed up for the team this year. How many signed out for the Las Trampas meet? Two. So, I've got 24 available swimmers for a League meet in which each team is permitted to add 15 heats (a grand total of 30). I've got 6 age groups, with a boy and girl group of each, so we'll call it 12 total groups. If I were to take my 15 'extra heats' and spread them evenly throughout the team, that'd mean that the 11/12 girls would swim 1 heat of each individual stroke, and I'd be able to add 1.25 extra heats to their lineup. Ok, 1.25 is a joke (Bryan is not funny). I'll be generous (since the 11/12 girls are clearly one of my favorite age groups) and round up to 2 extra heats.

When all is said and done... the 11/12 girl meet lineup would look like this: (# of heats in parenthesis)
IM
Free(2)
Breast(2)
Back
Fly

I could try and type out the calculation as to how many girls that allows me to enter (assuming that most people don't want to come to a swim meet to swim 1 time)... I'll spare you, the loyal blogger, and go with "it's not a pretty number." We've been lucky to have two early meets where I have the ability to get everyone in to swim. We have many more on the schedule with that intention.

Seeding these meets is really difficult, time consuming, and super frustrating when I can't get as many swimmers into the meet as I'd like. The rest of the staff can attest to the fact that I've been really 'bothered' about leaving kids out of meets. It bugs me constantly. I wish that all DCSL dual meets were on Saturday mornings at our pool... if that were the case... we wouldn't have an issue...

I'm not holding my breath. Bummer dude.

Until then, I will continue to do the very best I can. I love being your coach, and care deeply about every swimmer on our team. There are no favorites being played, or magical mathematical formulas being used to determine meet eligibility... just a sun burned, de-hydrated, 26 year old head coach... melting away in the coaches shack....

Despite all of this, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's meet, and psyched for the rest of the summer.

Live LIV '09

Bryan

What is a "Livorna Threshold?"

2009-06-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

Lots of teams train using threshold based sets. As a Rec team, with tons of swimmers, and a 13-18 practice that lasts shortly over and hour... we're limited in what we can offer as far as yardage. So, what we lack in yards, we often make up for in intensity. Thursday has been designated as "Threshold Thursday." I look forward to it every week, and I think the kids do too (to some degree). Haha.

Our version of a threshold set consists of a given number (usually 7-8) 100 yard sprints. Each of which is the same stroke/event. We ask that they swim the first as a 100% sprint, as hard as they can go, and we chart that time. That swim is followed by a 3-4 minute break, and then they swim again. The goal of the set is to maintain your original time, or stay reasonably close to it throughout the duration of the set. This is tough to do... and usually, by number 3 or 4, there are some tired bodies. I use it as a really convenient tool to measure our fitness as more consistent times indicate that work is paying off, and to keep pushing. I can also tell when we're "tired" as a group on days where the times 'fall off' more than usual. It's also an awesome gauge for the kids to see how their strokes and times progress throughout the season. On top of that, the team spirit and encouragement that takes place during one of these sets is visible, audible, and really fires everyone up. If you're ever around the house on a Thursday morning this summer, and want to see what our 13-18's do to get in the shape that they're in, head by the pool at about 8:45... It's impressive. At some point, i'd love for everyone to come watch one of these sets. Our older kids work super hard, and do it not only for their own success, but more so for the love of the Livorna, and desired success as a team.

So, every week I input these times into an excel spreadsheet and post it at the pool. The kids will be able to follow their times on a weekly basis, and by the time the big meets at the end of July come around... they'll be ready to roll. Should be really fun to watch.

Last day of school... they may get a break today...? We'll see.

Boot Camp

2009-06-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

So, you may notice a few of us running through your neighborhood over the last couple days... We're experimenting with a new program: Bryan's Boot Camp. I've got a few 15-18 guys who are looking for some extra training, along with a 26 year old head coach who isn't getting any younger. I've got some lofty fitness goals of my own, so two and two together... we're going for it this summer. We'll be doing lots of station to station running, some pretty intense dry-land work, and light weights. I'd like to see how it goes for a couple of weeks with a small group, however I've extended invitations to the 15-18 group to join in. We may expand that group later on if things continue to go well. If you notice me limping or cringing at the pool during practice, you now know why=) Should be fun, hard work, and hopefully it'll pay off with even faster swims from what is already a really exciting group to watch.

I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Bryan

Is it Monday yet?

2009-06-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

That's not something I say every week... Usually we're on 'Friday' countdowns. I'm really excited for morning practice to start, and for the kids to get to practice more consistently. I totally understand that schedules are crazy this time of year, but try and make it to practice as much as you possibly can this week. Next week, my expectation (or hope) is that everybody swims everyday. Maybe wishful thinking, but if you want a sure-fire way to improve your swimming, you have to work-out consistently.

Ok, main topic this week is interesting and pretty important... I hear 'rumblings' around the pool that a team (I won't mention which one) heading into our pool over the next couple weeks is pretty competitive. I've actually heard some wild stories... kind of sounds like we're battling Joaquin Phoenix at the end of Gladiator. I can almost guarantee that they won't be that outrageous, but if they are, I'll be really impressed. I can't emphasize enough the importance of 'swimming against yourself.' Whether it's your buddy from school, or Matt Biondi in the lane next to you, you are racing against yourself. A quality swim can be deemed "quality" for so many reasons... the least of which could be, "did I beat the guy next to me?" I will make sure to keep promoting this idea amongst the kids at practice this week, and give them ideas/motivation to swim thoughtful and intelligent races. Fast times will come, coaches honor=)

That said, as a coach and parent, I think it's really important to acknowledge this idea. Often kids ask me 'what place did I come in?' It's rare that I've ever answered that question with a straightforward response. There are times when it's appropriate, but for the most part, I try to find some positive aspects of their race to comment on, and a few things that I think we could work on to improve their race. I keep finding myself adding this tagline, but you won't find too many people that are much more competitive than me, but I'm also a swim perfectionist, who really enjoys great races, that are swum with a technical goal in mind. Let's put it this way, if there's a scoreboard, and someone is timing me, I'm going to try and win... However, there's so many aspects of a race that could be improved and talked/thought about for next time. This point will be talked about a lot at practice. No matter who we're swimming against, make sure to find positives within our kids' races, and things that could be worked on. I cannot always control who the swimmer is in the next lane, but we can always control how "we" swim. I look forward to practice next week, starting to really talk about race strategy and mindsets, and setting goals.

Good luck with finals, projects, etc... See you around the pool!!!

Bryan

Why should I warm up?

2009-06-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

“So, my kid is 6 years old, I’m pretty sure we’re not risking chronic injury if he doesn’t warm up before his 25-yard, hopefully reasonably timed, freestyle.”
Yea, you’re right about the injury… I highly doubt that he’s endangering his physical well being by not warming up before his “epic” 25-yard battle royale. That said, my medical degree is about as valid as my High School I.D. card. Still, that’s not the point…
Warm ups ARE primarily for injury prevention, and to loosen up muscles and joints. I’m far more concerned about that if you’re 9 and older. Still not worried about it? Well, I’ll put it this way… Heaven forbid that something were to happen during your medley relay or IM, but one of the first questions that any coach or parent should ask after “are you ok,” is “did you warm up?” Personally (and as your coach) I’d rather you be safe than sorry. As someone who ended up with a bad shoulder, I can’t emphasize the importance of loosening up before a swim meet enough.
Ok, so what… I’m tough, and I think warming up is a ‘waste of time,’ and maybe more importantly ‘a waste of a dry towel.’ In my opinion (I’ll throw 20 years of Rec swimming experience in these parentheses), there is not a ‘cooler’ moment at a swim meet than seeing a team work a warm up pool. It is awesome to watch a team move as one, wearing those block letter LIV caps, getting one last run-through in before they ‘go to work.’ As an opposing team, especially at an away meet, there is nothing more intimidating. What an amazing way to start a swim meet. I’ve always felt that a great team warm up, followed by a quick ‘coach talk,’ and a cheer can outweigh some of the preparation. You have to be mentally “pumped up” to swim fast, regardless of your physical capabilities.
From a parent’s perspective, I think it’s important to emphasize warming up to ‘loosen up’ and prevent injuries, but maybe more important to talk about the importance of being a great teammate. Plus, it’ll give you a handful of “kid-free” moments to set up the tent, get a cup of coffee, highlight your meet program, and find enough dollar bills to support the bagel hungry monster heading your way when we clear the pool.
If I haven’t made a clear point yet, here goes…
“The coaching staff would like everyone to warm up for every meet.”
Warm-ups for this Wednesday’s meet against Larkey begin with the 8 and unders at 5 PM. 9 and over swimmers will start at 5:10. Thank you for your cooperation! --Bryan

An update...

2009-05-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

Bloggers,
Needless to say, it's been a wild couple weeks for me. I really want to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words after word got out about my Grandma's passing last week. My swim family is incredibly important to me, and was a huge help in getting me "up and running" shortly thereafter that tough time. Thank you!
On top of that, I finished finals last week, and have a ton going on at the pool. Lots of new swimmers, new coaches, meets approaching, etc. So, please excuse my lack of blog updates. I have a couple of swimmer of the week updates to catch up on, and a few articles that I'd like to bring to the blog. My goal is to have it completely updated by the end of this weekend. Thank you very much for understanding. See you all at the pool!

Bryan

Swimmer of the Week - 5/4

2009-05-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Another great week of swimming made it tough to choose two swimmers to represent this week's "SOTW."

From the girls' side, the winner this week is Claire Sasse. Claire is a tireless worker in practice, follows instructions keeping small details in mind, asks great questions, and loves Livorna. Her enthusiasm and dedication during practice is contagious to those swimming around her. She can always be counted on to track the progress of sets, weigh the effectiveness of a drill or the fatigue level during a tough workout. Claire has evolved into a great role model for our younger age groups and is a great example of what a Livorna swimmer should strive to be.

Representing the guys this week is Sam O'Connell. Honestly, I thought my love for swimming was strong, but this guy takes the cake. He represents a true passion for the sport and all that goes with it. He comes to practice everyday with a desire to get better in the pool, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. He isn't concerned with lane order, or who he's swimming with, as long as he has the space to get his own work done. He pays great attention to detail during practice, stays focussed on important aspects of sets, and has a love for Livorna. It's attitude's like Sam's that make Livorna a fun place to swim, and a great place to coach!

Congratulations Claire and Sam!

Time Trials 101

2009-05-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

What is the deal with this Time Trials business? Simply put, it's a chance for each swimmer to swim their first recorded time of the year in each event. If only it were that simple=)

--What events is my swimmer eligible to swim? For a new family, this is where things can get a little tricky... Here's a rundown: 6 and Unders swim 25 yard races (one lap), and they participate in each of the four strokes (freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly). 7/8 year old swimmers swim the four 25 yard races, but they are also eligible to swim the Individual Medley (also affectionately known as the IM). An IM is 100 yards total, and is swum in this specific order: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle.

From the age of 9, up to 14, the yardage doubles to 50 yards in each event. The IM remains at 100 yards. Our 15-18's swim 100 yard races in their four strokes and 100 yard IMs as well.

--What is the order of events? First off, it's important to note that we start with the younger kids and work our way up to the 15-18s, and girls swim before boys in each age group. The first event of the day is the IM. The 6 & unders don't swim the IM, so we begin Time Trials with 7/8 Girls IM. They are followed by the 7/8 boys, 9/10 girls, 9/10 boys, 11/12 girls... and so on. After the 15-18s swim their IMs, we shift to Freestyle with the 6 & unders.

The meet is run in this order: IM, Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke, and Butterfly. Again, girls before boys, youngest to oldest. Please do not hesitate to ask me, another coach, or a veteran parent where/when you swimmer's next race is.

--How will I know when it's my turn to swim? 8 & unders have shepherds that help get the kids where they need to be. A bell will be rung (loudly) sometime during the older kids events... that's the signal for all 8 and under swimmers to report to the shallow end of the pool for their next race. Once they've reported, they're sorted into lanes, and put in order. As soon as the 15-18's are done racing, the coaches will head down to the shallow end of the pool to help organize and get started with the next event. Things will look way more hectic than they actually are! We will slow down the meet during the first few heats of 6 & unders to make sure everyone is where they need to be. Don't panic! Find a good seat, get the camera ready, cheer loud, and have fun! The vibe of Time Trials should be "fun!" Swimming fast will come later, next Saturday is about 'getting the kids feet wet' and putting times on the board.

Once your swimmer has a base time in each event, it becomes a challenge each time they race to try and better their mark. I really don't emphaize best times until later in the season, but it's an awesome way throughout the summer for the kids to challenge themselves and keep track of their progress.

If it's cold, bring multiple towels. If it's hot, drink lots of water and sit in the shade. If your kids are worried about a particular part of a race, please have them ask me about it this week at practice. I'll post "time trials 102" later this week with anything else that might be important that I come up with between now and then. All in all, it's a fun day, no pressure, to start the summer off with a bang!

Live LIV '09
Bryan

Countdown to Time Trials

2009-05-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

10 practices until our first meet... Awesome! That said, it's really important that the kids make it to as many practices as they can over the next two weeks. We have to cover butterfly, go over all of the turns, starts, finishes, and review the other 3 strokes. We'll get out the starting system and whistle next week to practice the meet procedure as well. I'm not as concerned with some of the 'veterans,' but if you're new to the swim scene, the next two weeks are pretty important.

Also 'in the news'... Next week, the pool is open, so we lose 3 lanes at every practice. I have a list of things that we can effectively do with half the space, but it can be a little crowded. Please make sure your kids understand the importance of being on their best behavior given the limited space for the safety of themselves and others around them.

If you have any questions about time trials... ask Gia Woodruff at the pool or through e-mail. Or, if it's a quick question, come talk to me between practices. Thanks!

Swimmer of the Week - 4/27

2009-05-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

There were lots of people in the running for the first "Swimmer of the Week" award, but I can only pick two, so here goes...

Both winners are from the 13-14 age group. The female winner is Rachael Bone. Rachael always pays great attention to detail, is never afraid to take on a tough set, and asks great questions about her strokes. She is always very courteous to the other people in her lane, has an ability to slow down and focus on a specific part of a drill, and has great team spirit. Rachael also helps out with some of our younger swimmers and is growing into a great leader and role model at the pool. Congratulations!

The winner for the guys this week is Darren Poon. Darren is always at practice (often early) ready to go. He completes his dry-land workout quickly and efficiently and usually has questions for me regarding the upcoming practice. During practice he's a great listener, asks me questions regarding specific drills that we're doing, and allows me to break them down even further. I always enjoy 'swim conversations' with Darren because it challenges me to take an explanation 'to the next level'... which often results in both of us learning something, and Darren improving his swimming. Nice job!

Your reward is "to be determined," but for now, enjoy the celebrity status of being the first winners of the 2009 Swimmers of the Week. Looking forward to a great week at the pool... Keep up the hard work everybody.

Swimmer of the Week

2009-05-01T13:40:00.001-07:00

We're bringing back swimmer of the week! Look for something 'more official' at the pool, but I'll give you my take on the award.

This award has nothing to do with times, speed, or place. Lane order in practice doesn't matter, nor does an ability to complete a specific set, in a specific manner. I'm thinking of this award as a "weekly coaches award." It will be awarded to a swimmer who demonstrates an ability to listen to instruction and put it into action, swim well-thought-out laps in practice or meets, and show genuine interest in improving their strokes. Also heavily weighted in the award will be respect for teammates, opponents, coaches, parents, etc. We strive to promote great sportsmanship in practice and meets, and hope that the kids understand that by swimming with an 'LIV' on their cap, they're representing far more than themselves... they're representing a team, a community, and their family and friends. We're also looking for a high level of team spirit: encouraging teammates and appreciating the "team first" aspect of swimming is key.

Long story short... this award is totally subjective, and will be hard to win (we've got 180 ish swimmers=) The coaches will vote and award it to a boy and a girl every week. Two kids from the whole team! Definitely an honor. More info to come... first winners will be announced at the pool next week!

Happy May Day.

Pre-Season Update/ A First Look at Time Trials

2009-05-01T13:13:00.001-07:00

Time flies when you're having fun! We have 11 practices left before time trials... I'm really excited, but we've got a lot to get done over the next couple weeks. I have heard the question: "why is time trials so early?" Well, here's an honest answer: Last year, we had almost two months of practice before TT's, and the kids swam ridiculously fast. They had weeks to prepare their legs, refine stroke technique, and practice in general. We'd have liked to move the meet only a week, but that would have fallen on a holiday weekend, so it's early this year. Your kids should not swim anywhere near their best times at Time Trials... it's a base time to work off of, that's it. I'm confident that I can cover everything I need to (to have them ready for this specific meet) over these four weeks of practice. I'd almost prefer to think of Time Trials as a "fun chance for the kids to swim with their friends" and "put some times on the board." That's about it. You can't qualify for county at the meet, the team spirit will be high....

Most importantly: Every swimmer needs to eat their age worth of pancakes that morning. If you're 14, I'm sorry. A light dinner on Friday night is probably a good idea. Swim well thought out, smart races, and enjoy the best times later on... There, I said it... I didn't say "swim slow," I said swim "smart." (wink, wink).

Practices are going well. We spent much of the first week working on freestyle with some backstroke dabbled in. This week has been a breaststroke week for the most part. I've mixed in some turn work along the way for all three strokes and will continue to do so, as there is still a lot of work to do in that regard. Next week, we'll attack the butterfly and hopefully simplify what is often a very mis-understood stroke. Looking forward to it! We'll finish off the backstroke and breaststroke next week as well. The week leading up to Time Trials will be spent refinining some strokes, working a ton of starts and turns, learning the meet routine, and answering any questions that the kids have about things that we've worked on. That's a lot of stuff, but we'll get it done!

I would like to comment on a really important dynamic of pre-season workouts... Clearly, there is only one, full time coach. I do the very best that I can to provide the best possible practice to the group as a whole. That said, it's definitely a challenge to make that work for a large 'span' of abilities and speeds. Please bear with me for another week or two, until we can get a full staff back. I try to communicate general ideas and suggestions before practice to everyone, and make sure to stay consistent with them throughout practice. My goal (as always) is to talk to as many swimmers per lap as I possibly can, while also maintaining control of the practice, and observing overall technique so that I can effectively communicate to the group "what I'm seeing." It's really tough for me not to 'get in the water' with every practice and try to fix strokes... That's my favorite part of coaching, but it's just not feasible with the swimmer/coach ratio right now.

As a swimmer, during pre-season... Your goals should be: 1. Work on your conditioning. When we have a full staff back, your conditioning should be able to to carry you through specific drills for a number of laps. You should also be preparing for harder sets that come with summer practice. 2. Absorb as much info as you possibly can. Even if I'm not specifically talking to 'you' there's always something that can be learned/observed about a drill or task. 3. Learn to "practice swim." Understand circle swimming, the importance of perfecting drills, and when to 'turn it up a notch' and increase the speed.

I'm loving the vibe at the pool right now... It feels like people are ready for another summer of great swims, fun with their friends, and ready to represent LIV!

Regards,
Bryan

Getting to Know Your Coaches

2009-05-01T11:53:00.001-07:00

One of the coolest parts of this year's staff is that everyone has spent a great deal of time with Livorna growing up. I'm still the 'amateur' as far as years with the team, although I think it's fair to say that I'm a die-hard at this point=) So, we've created a "survey" with some strange/fun questions that may give you a little more insight into this year's staff. Enjoy!

Eric Sasse
Age/Sign: 18 (in may) / huh???
-Favorite Livorna memory: Achieving County for the first time at Walnut Creek City Meet
-Stuck on a desert island. You have a portable DVD player, andinfinite batteries, but you can only bring 3 movies… which 3 are you
bringing? "High School Musical: Senior Year", "Hannah Montana 3-D concert", "Enchanted"
-What animal best represents you & why? Obviously a bottlenose dolphin because of my astounding speed, elegance, and agility in the waters.
-If you could have any superpower what would it be? Ability to fly.
-What would your life's theme song be? Stairway to Heaven
-On a road trip, you have a 5 dollar bill, you stop at 7-11, what do you buy? A mix of all the fruit slurpees and a cinnamon roll.
-Who is your favorite Disney character? Baloo from "Jungle Book"
-Who has been your biggest inspiration? Why? My parents have motivated me, supported me, and given me countless oppurtunities in life.
-What is the best concert you've been to? Aerosmith
-If you could join forces with another team in the DCSL, who would it be? Rancho Colorados
-Right handed or left? Right
-A random fact about me: I play both the trumpet and the guitar.
Which do you prefer…?
-Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Harry Potter
-McDonalds or Burger King? Burger King
-N'sync or Backstreet Boys? Backstreet Boys
-Canada or Australia? Australia
-Torture 20's or Threshold Thursdays? Threshold Thursdays

Kelly Ralyea
Age/Sign: 19 (wish I was 20, sometimes act like I'm 5) Virgo

-Favorite Livorna memory: Before coaching: My favorite memory was when I was a 9-10 and some of us girls sang the national anthem at League with coach Chris. We sounded horrible and I couldn't stop laughing, again this was at league! And receiving the Mark Hanes award. While coaching: Any time that I get to be behind the blocks with the swimmers right before they swim. It's exciting to pump up a swimmer and get just as excited for their races as I get for my own.

-Stuck on a desert island. You have a portable DVD player, andinfinite batteries, but you can only bring 3 movies… which 3 are youbringing? Old School, Gladiator, and Office Space!

-What animal best represents you & why? A Dolphin because they are pretty,fierce and they rule the pool!

-If you could have any superpower what would it be? To teleport, that way the coaches would never go hungry!

-What would your life's theme song be? Nobody's Perfect- Hannah montana

-On a road trip, you have a 5 dollar bill, you stop at 7-11, what do you buy? A HUGE slurpee and some sour candy.

-Who is your favorite Disney character? Ariel (-:

-Who has been your biggest inspiration? Why? My sister Lauren, She has always been someone who I looked up to because she doesn't quit when things get hard, she knows what she wants to do and does it, and all the while she has a smile on her face!

-What is the best concert you've been to? Red Hot Chili Peppers!!!!!

-If you could join forces with another team in the DCSL, who would it be? Probably Rudgear Meadows we take all their swimmers anyway!

-Right handed or left? Right

-A random fact about me: I do NOT like balloons at all.
Which do you prefer…?
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Harry Potter

McDonalds or Burger King? McDonalds

N'sync or Backstreet Boys? N'sync

Canada or Australia? Australia

Torture 20's or Threshold Thursdays? Threshold Thursdays!!!! Can't wait!

Katie Creed
Age/Sign: 17 Virgo
-Favorite Livorna memory: hmm possibly getting the guys into the dresses and full on makeup for the talent show? But I did love breaking the Scottsdale record when we were swimming them.
-Stuck on a desert island. You have a portable DVD player, andInfinite batteries, but you can only bring 3 movies… which 3 are youbringing? Possibly the hardest question known to man kind... rush hour, because I said so
-What animal best represents you & why? Oh my goodness? Well I suppose I would say a chameleon, because I like such a variety of things and people that I don’t fit into one category, I like different parts of different places/people. Which is kind of like how 20 chameleons blend into different places?
-If you could have any superpower what would it be? Defiantly flying
-What would your life's theme song be? Send me on my way by rusted roots
-On a road trip, you have a 5 dollar bill, you stop at 7-11, what do you buy? Cheetos and a smores power bar
-Who is your favorite Disney character? Belle
-Who has been your biggest inspiration? Why? My mom, all that she has been through in life and how she has come out of it all stronger.
-What is the best concert you've been to? Rebelution with state radio as the opener
-If you could join forces with another team in the DCSL, who would it be? What other team could compare to LIV?
-Right handed or left? Righty
-A random fact about me:My favorite food is also the first real food that I ate when I was a baby, dill pickels, and now for every family holliday as a joke we always have dill pickels on the table.

Which do you prefer…?
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Harry potter
McDonalds or Burger King? McDonalds
N'sync or Backstreet Boys? Haha is this even a question, obviously N’SYNC
Canada or Australia ? I do love my maple syrup but I’m going to have to go with Australia .
Torture 20's or Threshold Thursdays? I suppose threshold Thursdays.

Maddy Partridge
Age/Sign: 15/Cancer
-Favorite Livorna memory: Cramming into the lifeguard shack with other tiny team mates to drink Dolphin Juice in mini cups before the League meet.
-Stuck on a desert island. You have a portable DVD player, and infinite batteries, but you can only bring 3 movies… which 3 are youbringing? Johnny English; Finding Nemo; and The Notebook
-What animal best represents you & why? Brazilian Tapir, because the young ones have awesome striped coats and they have super long pointy noses that I would use to make art in the dirt
-If you could have any superpower what would it be? having eight arms to hold up all the junior dolphins at once
-What would your life's theme song be? Hey Jude by the Beatles
-On a road trip, you have a 5 dollar bill, you stop at 7-11, what do you buy? Oprah magazine and red vines
-Who is your favorite Disney character? Grumpy in Snow White
-Who has been your biggest inspiration? Why? Monty Python, for inspiring me everyday with Silly Walks
-What is the best concert you've been to? Snow Patrol
-If you could join forces with another team in the DCSL, who would it be? Pleasant Hill Aquatics, because penguins are the 2nd cutest aquatic animals after dolphins
-Right handed or left? Right-handed
-A random fact about me: I have a great fear of birds and socks.
Which do you prefer…?
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Potter
McDonalds or Burger King? McDonalds
N'sync or Backstreet Boys? Backstreet Boys
Canada or Australia? Australia
Torture 20's or Threshold Thursdays? Threshold Thursdays

Morgan Bloore
Age/Sign: 15/Sagittarius
-Favorite Livorna memory: Easy; every year when we all walk into the DCSL meet.

-Stuck on a desert island. You have a portable DVD player, andinfinite batteries, but you can only bring 3 movies… which 3 are youbringing? lets go with some oldies: Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella

-What animal best represents you & why? wow that's a toughie......i'm gonna have to say a platypus....because they're weird and random.

-If you could have any superpower what would it be? The best superpower would be to be able to breathe under water...that would make swim practice a heck of a lot easier. =)

-What would your life's theme song be? Speed of Sound by Coldplay

-On a road trip, you have a 5 dollar bill, you stop at 7-11, what do you buy? Junior mints, and a Cherry Slurpee

-Who is your favorite Disney character? winnie the pooh (is he even from disney??)

-Who has been your biggest inspiration? Why? my parental units...theyr'e the coolest. They totally support me and encourage me everyday.

-What is the best concert you've been to?.....no laughing......Jonas Brothers!!! whooohooo!

-If you could join forces with another team in the DCSL, who would it be? Gasp!! No way, LIV is just too cool.

-Right handed or left? RIght.

-A random fact about me: I once fit like 40 Mike & Ikes in my mouth

Which do you prefer…?
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? No contest....Harry Potter all the way!

McDonalds or Burger King? I don't like either but i'll say McDonalds only because Burger King's "king" mascot totally creeps me out.

N'sync or Backstreet Boys? N'sync!!!!

Canada or Australia? Australia, mate!

Torture 20's or Threshold Thursdays? BRING ON THE THRESHOLDS!! =)

Matt Rahn
15/cancer
watching brendin brown after vince beat him at league in 07
zoolander, talledega nights, dodgeballa
shark b/c they live in the water like i do
flywhat is love by haddaway
slurpee, chex mix, and sour patch kids
jafarcharlie the unicorn b/c he always believed
(i dont really know)never been to a "real" concert
springwood b/c they are good at dq'ing people in close meets *cough*cough*
right, but would love to be left
charlie the unicorn is my favorite horse
Lord of the Rings
BK
Lounge
Backstreet Boys
Australia (cuz i dont like Canada)
Thresholds so i can bust out on the last one

Travis Bailey
Age/Sign: 18, Taurus
-Favorite Livorna memory: Getting county in butterfly for the first time at age 16
-Stuck on a desert island. You have a portable DVD player, and infinite batteries, but you can only bring 3 movies… which 3 are you bringing? The Matrix, Bad Boys and A Knight’s Tale
-What animal best represents you & why? A shark because everyone tells me I remind them of one
-If you could have any superpower what would it be? Teleportation
-What would your life's theme song be? White and Nerdy by Weird Al
-On a road trip, you have a 5 dollar bill, you stop at 7-11, what do you buy? A Pina Colada Slurpee
-Who is your favorite Disney character? Hannah Montana
-If you could join forces with another team in the DCSL, who would it be? Las Trampas
-Right handed or left? Right
-A random fact about me: I lived in Europe for over 2 years when I was younger
Which do you prefer…?
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Lord of the Rings
McDonalds or Burger King? Burger King
N'sync or Backstreet Boys? Backstreet Boys
Canada or Australia? Australia
Torture 20's or Threshold Thursdays? Threshold Thursdays

Bryan Diffenderfer
Age/Sign: old-ish, Aquarius
-Favorite Livorna memory: Two that really stand out: DCSL 2007, getting to raise that trophy up was pretty sweet... Giving the Mark Haynes speech last year.
-Stuck on a desert island. You have a portable DVD player, and infinite batteries, but you can only bring 3 movies… which 3 are you bringing? 3 is tough, but I'll go: Karate Kid, Top Gun, and Old School. I might smuggle Rocky 4 and Braveheart too.
-What animal best represents you & why? Seal? Hang out by the water, eat fish, yea ok.
-If you could have any superpower what would it be? Teleportation... cheap vacations.
-What would your life's theme song be? Eagles, Take it Easy...
-On a road trip, you have a 5 dollar bill, you stop at 7-11, what do you buy? Chocolate Chip Clif Bar, and a Red Vitamin Water
-Who is your favorite Disney character?- Squirt, from Finding Nemo
Who has been your biggest inspiration? Why?- Mom and Dad... definintely my biggest supporters... I'm a very lucky guy to have them around=)
What is the best concert you've been to? Tom Petty, Greek Theater... Awesome
-If you could join forces with another team in the DCSL, who would it be? I like them all=)
-Right handed or left? Both, but I write with my left (see whiteboards at practice)
-A random fact about me: I love coffee, but after a cup, I have to brush my teeth... I've always been paranoid about being 'that teacher' with the coffee breath... so, random fact, I've always kept a toothbrush and toothpaste in my office=)
Which do you prefer…?
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? I can't stand either one. I've attempted LOTR many times, but still haven't made it past Bilbo's birthday party. Quidditch looks kind of fun though.
McDonalds or Burger King? Subway
N'sync or Backstreet Boys? Wow, uh... I'll go N'Sync... I think they sent someone to the moon?
Canada or Australia? Aussies... dream vacation, Scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef.
Torture 20's or Threshold Thursdays? Thresholds are one of my favorite days of the week... great workout, awesome team bonding.

Clinic 'Buzz'

2009-04-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hi All,
We're in the middle of another productive week of clinic, so I wanted to take a minute to fill you in on what's going on at the pool...
The kids are swimming pretty well. We've moved from freestyle and backstroke, to butterfly and breaststroke this week. I've also had a chance to mix in a good number of turns for each stroke and will continue to do so. I'd like to be practicing more starts, but am waiting for the weather to cooperate before I send shivering swimmers up to the starting blocks. I'm happy with most of the progress that we've made, and look forward to the next few days of continued improvement.

I will update the blog with fly/breast drills and terminology later this week, but I'm feeling the need to comment on a couple more pressing issues with this entry...

Spring Clinic (or any practice for that matter) is not a chance to race, or go fast, or measure your swimmer with other kids in their group. It's based entirely on improving individual "stroke technique" and giving a handful of kids some individual attention prior to the controlled chaos of pre-season. I have had a really hard time convincing swimmers that they are not at practice to race. My plan is to continue to urge these kids to 'think' about the purpose of every lap, and swim it carefully and thoughtfully. I asked one of our 11/12 groups last night, "would you rather swim 10 laps perfectly, or 100 laps poorly?" The answer to that question is simple, and there's clearly some sarcasm included. Our swimmers need to understand that the order they swim in practice, the order they finish in meets, or the times they post on the scoreboard REALLY DON'T MATTER IF YOU SWAM POORLY. If there is a negative side to the best times board and blue ribbons, it's the fact that there are times where we are rewarding thoughtless and poorly focussed swims. The perfect race (in my eyes) has very little to do with time or place. If you've been working in practice on a specific set of goals for a specific swim, and you accomplish all of them during your race... your time really doesn't matter. Sure, people get excited about times and winning races, but as a coach, my favorite moments at meets are when someone performs a part of a race that they've put time and effort into improving, and has the ability to recognize the achievment afterwards.

I am just as competitive (probably more so) as the next guy, so please don't mis-understand my point: Racing and winning is fun, but practice is a time to improve individually and swim calculated and efficient laps. Attempting to win laps at practice is pointless, distracting, and annoying to coaches and other swimmers in the water. We'll have plenty of time to race (hopefully not swim poorly)... that starts at the end of May, when our league meet season begins. There, that was blunt. Now I really feel like a blogger. Haha.

Here's my controversial point #2 of the day (uh oh, Bryan got a blog, and he's using it)... I hear 'rumblings' of parents questioning why their kids are in certain groups. I'm going to leave it at this: They are there for a reason. I'm starting year 4, I've watched these kids swim for 3 summers, and feel like I have a pretty good handle on what they need/should accomplish over the course of a clinic. If I felt that I had mis-placed someone after the fact, I would have moved them last week. I have no problem admitting a mistake, and I definitely don't have a problem discussing a swimmer with a parent. If you have a question, please ask me. Understand that my schedule at the pool is pretty crazy right now, so if I can't answer your question in 30 seconds, we can make an appointment. I'm usually at the pool by 2:30 to set up, and there until almost 8. I can guarantee that other people on the side of the pool do not know why certain kids are in certain groups... they didn't place them there. There is no favoritism (I have 180 ish favorites) and no one was put in a group as punishment. They are there because there are specific skills that I felt needed to be improved before entering a new season.

Call it a 'Thursday Rant' but my hope is that we can continue improving as a team, and have open lines of communication to address any issues that may come up. Thanks for the read. Your support as parents and swimmers is very important to the success of the coaching staff and team in general!

Regards,
Bryan

Spring Clinic Update

2009-04-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

I must admit, the decibel level at the pool is a little quiet compared to what we're used to, and the lanes are a lot less crowded... Those two factors combined with a bunch of swimmers that are looking to improve and learn about their strokes has made for a really successful start to our Spring Clinic. I really couldn't be happier with our progress after two days!
We have focussed almost entirely on Freestyle as it's probably the best stroke to 'ease' swimmers back into the water, but one could argue that it might be the most mis-understood stroke as well. I've talked a lot about efficiency on the blog and at clinic. I think it's important to not only have an understanding of what that word means (especially in relation to swimming) but also be able to put our drills into action, and be able to feel a technical difference. If you've spent any time at clinic and heard me talk, we've done a ton of side-kicking, catch-up freestyle, and combined the two into a counting drill. Freestyle is not to be swum on the stomach. It's almost exclusively swum on your side (the only time a freestyler is directly on their stomach is mid-rotation between arm strokes - less than 5% of the stroke). Breaking down that misconception is one of the toughest obstacles faced in my instruction of the stroke. The kids have to get comfortable with a new point of buoyancy on their side, and learn to kick and rotate effectively in that position. In my opinion, we've made great strides in that area, and the "clinic kids" will have a nice head start on that concept going into the season.
Another key aspect that we've talked a lot about is the pull. It'd be easy to 'grade' someone's freestyle based on what their arms look like when they're recovering over the water. Unfortunately, the recovery has very little to do with the effectiveness of the stroke. We've spent time focussing on making all points of the underwater pull effective. You'll here me say "keep the elbow high underwater," or "focus on the catch," or "try to pull with a straighter arm." The goal of all of these suggestions is to make sure that our swimmers are "pulling maximum water" for the duration of their pull. The hardest concept for swimmers (especially younger kids) to understand is that pulling 'more water' means your arms are going to slow down. My hope is for our swimmers to understand that slower and more controlled arms plus more efficient pulls, usually equals faster, more efficient swims. Once a swimmer can grasp that, and focus their energy on the drills instead of the rate, we've had a breakthrough. I say 'usually' only because sometimes learning to 'slow things down' and pull more effectively can take time. I guarantee (in the long run) that learning to swim efficiently is critical and will lead to much more successful swimming. You'll also notice that these drills are applicable across the board on our team. Our 6 and unders side kick (a lot) and our 15-18's will side kick (as a way to check body position and for an easy drill to make important stroke corrections).

A couple quick notes: I'd to comment that our "new" swimmers are doing a great job. The first few weeks of swim team can be frustrating. My advice is to stick with it, listen and absorb any information you can, ask questions, and pay attention to the veterans. Lastly, the kids cannot be 'free swimming' before or after practice. There is no lifeguard on duty. Before practice, I need them dry so they can come and listen to instruction without freezing.
It's great to be back on deck! See you all at the pool!
Regards,
Bryan

Spring Clinic - Week 1

2009-03-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys!
Today is the first day of our Spring Clinic! I am so exicted to be back, and ready to get started on another awesome summer! Much of this week will be freestyle and backstroke. We'll breakdown both strokes, starts and turns, and make sure the kids have a good understanding of what needs to be done to maximize stroke efficiency. Later this week, when I have a better idea of "where we're at" I'll make another post to let you all know what we're specifically working on and where we're going with it.
Looking forward to seeing all of you at the pool!

Bryan

Bryan Info

2009-02-18T13:23:00.000-08:00

LIV faithful,

I'm really excited to be back for another summer of fun and fast swims at Livorna! For those of you who don't know me, here's a quick bio: I started swimming when I was 7 at Rancho San Miguel in Walnut Creek. At 12, my family made the decision to move clubs and switched to Scottsdale Swim Club. I swam there for my final 6 years of rec swimming, qualified for the County meet in multiple strokes and events, won several individual league championships, and was a part of 4 D.C.S.L. championship teams. I attribute most of my experience and passion for swimming to Scottsdale's coaches and training techniques. I was an assistant coach with Scottsdale for four summers after I graduated from Northgate High School, in 2001. I also swam a couple of stints with the Walnut Creek Aquabears. I was a 4 year letter winner in both swimming and water polo at Northgate, and was named team captain for the final two years of my time there. I am a member of the 700 point club that recognizes athletes who have competed in at least 7 seasons of varsity sports at the school.

In early 2006, I was contacted by the board at Livorna, and was ultimately hired on as head coach. Summer 2009 will be my fourth year with the club. I have been very lucky to be blessed with a series of awesome assistant coaches, fun and dedicated swimmers, enthusiastic parents, and a constantly supportive board. We've been able to reach new levels with our swimming, spirit, and social activities. I look forward to pushing things to the next level this summer...

I continued school after Northgate in Santa Barbara at their City College. My studies varied by subject, and I also dabbled in the full time coaching world through the City of Santa Barbara, and its High School team. Eventually, I decided to re-locate back to the bay area, enroll at DVC, Cal State East Bay, and pursue my teaching credential. One of my major life goals continues to be to have my own High School English class someday. I keep busy with school and swimming. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and writing, anything sports, the beach, spending time with friends and family, Yellowood coffee, and Trader Joe's dinner.

As far as a coaching philosophy goes, I am a firm believer in goal setting. As with anything in life, it's always more rewarding and entertaining if you can train for a goal with a purpose. That goal can be a time standard, stroke correction, or a specific personal achievement that work has been put towards. I think it's very important to make swimming fun, and emphasise the importance of efficiency over speed. Rec swimming offers an awesome blend of 'team first' attitude, while incorporating an individual aspect that keeps each swimmer accountable for their own training, successes and areas for improvement. As a coaching staff, we will strive to provide the best possible community for swimmers of all abilities, attitudes, and motivation levels. Recreational swimming was a huge part of my childhood and teen years, and I couldn't be happier to be in a position to share that with all of our kids. Thanks for the read, hope you're all enjoying the blog!

Another awesome summer... On the way.

Dolphins '09
-Bryan

LIV '09 Coaching Staff

2009-02-17T15:09:00.001-08:00

I'm really excited to announce this year's coaching staff... Please check back later for biographies, surveys, and fun facts about the Livorna coaches.

Head Coach:
Bryan Diffenderfer

Assistant Coaches:
Kelly Ralyea (Head)
Travis Bailey
Katie Creed
Eric Sasse

Junior Coaches:
Maddy Partridge (Head)
Morgan Bloore
Matt Rahn

Spring Clinic '09

2009-02-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

Livorna's Spring Clinic is back!

If you haven't seen the flier, check out the team website http://www.livornadolphins.com/.

Clinic is an awesome way to start the season for a number of reasons: First and foremost, it's great to be able to work with the kids in smaller numbers. We are lucky to have a large team with tons of spirit, but clinic allows us to really break things down and get an early start on stroke improvement/modification, turns, starts, and fine tuning. I'll start breaking down groups and the schedule will be out in the next couple weeks. I know we need the rain now, but hopefully it's gone by the end of March!

We will do some video training... Especially in situations where I think it'll benefit the entire group. I swam for almost 15 years, I think I got to see myself swim twice. Those two times allowed me to "see" what I was doing wrong, and probably what my coach had been telling me forever. It's always important as a coach or teacher to remember how many different learning styles we're dealing with, and to be effective in communicating to each of them. Depending on a number of variables (number of swimmers, coaches, etc.) I will use video as much as I can. I'd really like to find a way to use it some days during the regular season as well. Have a cinematic side? Maybe I could enlist some 'video volunteers' to start compiling some footage... A thought for another day=)

During this year's clinic, we'll spend a considerable amount of time working on breaststroke and butterfly. Let's face it, they're probably the toughest strokes to swim, and the two that we could use the most work on collectively. My goal will be to 'simplify.' Most of the time, overthinking and over'effort' lead to inefficient swimming. We'll break down those two specifically and try to ease each swimmer into swimming an effective version of the stroke. Starts and turns will be a big part of clinic as always. Good starts and turns almost always lead to more best times, so we'll get started early this year. Let's keep those 'best time people' busy this summer! Clinic is only 3 weeks long, but it can be a really nice way to ease into a fun summer of swimming.

At some point, I'll post a tentative 'topic' schedule on here for specific days... so you can plan ahead. Lots more to come!

-Bryan

theLIVblog Launch! February 17th, 2009!

2009-02-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

This idea was presented to me by a professor at school a few weeks ago, and I know it's something that has been considered before by other team members. This summer I'm going to do my best to keep you updated through a team blog. This will not be an information site where you can read about meet entries, important dates, ask 'board member' type questions, etc. This is also not a 'free chance' to ask me anything you want (sorry). If it's urgent, come see me at the pool, or call/e-mail a board member.

The intent of the site is to give you all a little insight into the daily/weekly happenings at Livorna... from a swimmer and coach's perspective. I will comment on practices, specific stroke techniques that we're working on, meet highlights, social events, etc. I'd like to be able to keep parents in "the know." I'll talk a lot about swim 'lingo' and hopefully help get some more people involved and excited about Livorna!

A couple of warnings: First, I cannot promise that the grammar will always be right (I've probably already missed a few errors). I'll do the best I can, but in the craziness of summer, I know there will be some mistakes. Second, I have no idea what the posting frequency will be. Maybe at some point it will settle into a routine, but it definitely won't be there with your morning paper everyday.

Suggestions and comments are welcome... This is definitely a "Livorna Community" page. Hopefully we'll get some more people involved, and grow this thing over the course of the summer.

Spring Clinic starts in a little over a month... Sign up if you haven't already! My next post will contain some clinic plans and details. Hope you've all had a great off-season... Get Ready!

-Bryan