10.25.09 Denver, CO - ACES Swim Club

Well I just got back from Denver, CO and hanging out with the ACES Swim Club and Matt Grevers. It was a great time hanging out with Matt Grevers, who is passionate about technique and young swimmers reaching their potential, and the guy is hilarious! The kids and swimmers were so excited to race once of the fastest and tallest swimming Olympian in the world, Matt stands at 6’8”. Heck, I was excited to race him! Matt wowed the kids with his streamline and long powerful strokes. We had great help from super swim dad, Troy Eiber, who drove us to and from the airport. His kiddos, Lauren and Griffin were fun to spend time with. Thank you Coach Tom and Coach Eric! Special thanks to Coach Eric for getting my splits on my 100 Free for time. I went a 48.4, just under the school record of 49.2. So I was pretty pumped! Pretty good for an old guy with no warm-up!

There were a lot of parents that stuck around for the whole program and listen to the speeches. Thanks for supporting your kiddos!

Streamline award winners: Girls - Emily, Emily, Emily (all different) and Bailey. Boys – Vincent and Tristan.
Spirit / Smile Award: Grace, and Spencer.

Check out how much fun we had!

Oh and Matt and I saw snowfall for the first time this season! Huge snowflakes falling everywhere the whole time, so cool! Well next week, I will be in West Islip, NY, Columbia, MD and DeWitt, MI. I am looking forward to spending time with those clubs.

(Can you see the snow in the picture above?)

Keep warm! It’s a chilly 63° here is San Antonio, TX. (That’s for my northern friends)

10.17.09 Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA

Despite the delay into Pennsylvania Friday night, because of the first snow of the season, Christine Marshall and I made it to the quaint town of Wilkes-Barre, PA. When we woke up Saturday morning, the snow was gone and we were greeted by the gorgeous fall trees and sunny sky! The clinic was held at the historic downtown Wilkes-Barre YMCA Mericle Pool. It was an intimate group of swimmers, which allowed Christine and me to get to know and race all the kiddos. After we raced them, I challenged Christine to a 50 free, and can you believe it I tied her! (I think she was being easy on me.)

Streamline award winners: Katy, Shelby and Ashley (girls from Lane 1) and Ari and Aidan (boys).
Spirit / Smile award winners: Darren, Ari, Roluka and Ashley.
And special congratulations to Jennifer for diving off the blocks for the first time!
Way to go guys!

Thanks to Tammy Lalli for organizing the clinic, she did a great job! Check out the great pictures below from the clinic.

Next weekend, I will be in Denver, CO with my friend Matt Grevers and the ACES Swim Club Team. If you’re in that area, sign up now!

10.10.09 Oak Lawn, IL – Oak Lawn Swim Association

I was very excited to get back to Chicago, and work along side Kate Ziegler. This was our first clinic together this year, so it was great to catch up with her. The Oak Lawn Swim Team hosted the Mutual of Omaha BREAKout Swim Clinic at the Oak Lawn High School Pool this past Saturday. We arrived bright and early at 8:00 am and were greeted by the Oak Lawn High School Cheerleading squad. WOW! What an awesome way to be welcomed and to start the day! I really enjoyed hearing, Kate share with the group on the importance of school, family, and maintaining excellence in the pool, while also pursuing her dream, making the Olympics. Her dreams came true, when she was able to compete in the 2008 Olympics. AWESOME!

It was a great group of swimmers, from the High School girls team to club swimmers. Super swim mom Renee Maiberger and Coaches Kristin, Mary and Forrest and the rest of the staff and volunteers hosted a superb event.

The Streamline Award winners: Kristen, Yalax and Ian.
The Spirit / Smile Award winners: Mary Kate, Elizabeth and Brea.
Way to go guys!

Again HUGE thank you to coaches and volunteers at Oak Lawn for hosting a Mutual of Omaha BREAKout Swim Clinic and the wonderful hospitality! Check out some pics from this clinic below.

10.11.09 Huntersville, NC – Gaston Gators

Like usual, Kate and I barely made our flights. While she went back home to train in DC, I was on to my next clinic in Huntersville, NC outside beautiful Charlotte. My wonderful hosts The Brown Family and Leann Richards welcomed me at the airport, and took me to eat at a wonderful sushi restaurant in Gastonia.

The Gaston Gators hosted the clinic at the awesome NOMAD Aquatics & Fitness Center. It’s a 30,000 sq. foot facility, with two swimming pools! Loved it! For an 8:00 am clinic, the kids were very attentive and kept a great attitude the whole clinic. Haley McGregory joined me for this event. I really enjoyed hearing Haley share with the kids her struggles about missing three Olympic teams, she was very honest with her feelings, and not giving up on your dream. Haley is top in the world in the 100 backstroke. She loves the sport and is training for 2012 in London. AMAZING! She hasn’t stopped believing! So, watch for her in the coming Olympics. (Neat fact: Haley was born in London, and some family still lives there.) I challenged Haley to a 50 backstroke, and it took everything I had in me to tie her! She is AWESOME! (Thanks for amusing me, Haley!)

Streamline award winners: Jordan and Clay and Madison and Lindsay.
Spirit / Smile Award: Jamison and Allie.

Again, a HUGE thank you so Coach Greg, Leann for hosting an excellent event, and to the Gaston Gators for hosting a Mutual of Omaha BREAKout Swim Clinic!

Side note: I had the opportunity to catch up with some swimmers from old friends, The Toney Family. I really enjoyed seeing Jordan, Austin and Jacob. These young men are a true example of strong character (Luke 2:40).

I had a great weekend with these clubs. THANK YOU to everyone for coming out! I am looking forward to next weekend in Wilkes-Barre, PA and hanging out with the Wilkes-Barre YMCA Dolphins.

“Dreams come true. Never stop believing!”

Duanesburg, NY

My big 3 city weekend started off an hour outside Albany, NY in the town of Duanesburg. Thankfully it wasn’t too cold because Matt Grevers and I live in warm states. Matt was supposed to compete at the Austin Grand Prix but he figured it would be just as good to race the kids in NY and Pennsylvania. So when I arrived an hour before Matt did I was greeted by 5 kids with the best Welcome posters I’ve ever seen. And then we got to ride to the pool in a limousine that was donated by some swim team friends!! How cool is that! The kids didn’t seem to mind getting out of school and riding in the limo with an Olympian. I felt so welcomed and grateful for their hospitality. Coach Jen Dixon and all the other super swim moms named Jen did a great job organizing the clinic. Matt arrived just in time for the clinic and we did our opening meeting in the gym next door to the pool. Our time in the pool was awesome! The kids did great and nobody chickened out from racing big Matt G! I’ve been a little out of shape and so I wasn’t sure if I should race Matt but you know me I love to race so I had too. We did a 50 backstroke and he just out touched me so I felt pretty good about it. Then after the race he told me he was only going 90% and could have gone a lot faster. I said, “Don’t tell me that! I don’t want you holding back anything for me.” I’m going back into hard training after this weekend so Matt doesn’t go easy any more. Finally, congratulations to the streamline award winner: Sloan. And a big thanks to Coach Jen and her husband who drove us to the airport at 3:45am Sat. morning!

Connellsville, PA

Early Saturday Matt and got up and flew to Pittsburg, PA. Thankfully Matt got an exit row on the first flight but the second flight he was next to me in a regular coach row and it is just not easy being 6′8 sometimes. But other than planes being 6′8 is pretty cool. Matt wowed the kids once again when we arrived in Connellsville, PA. It was almost 1 1/2 drive from the airport but we had a great time with Coach Laurel and Coach Ashley. They are very cool. And what’s even cooler is that the Coach Laurel has the same name as the swim team. Laurel Highlands Swim Team is coached by Laurel Highlands! That’s crazy, but cool!
We had a lot of good streamliners so there was a tie for the girls and guys. For the girls the winners were Bailey and Bayle. And for the boys the winners of the Olympic cap were Steve and David.

The kids and parents seem to really enjoy the program and I just love going to smaller towns because you get to meet the nicest people. I was especially touched by one of the moms who gave me a letter to give to my wife who graciously allows me to have a crazy job l love!
Matt and I had a re-match in the 50 back and he ate my lunch again. So later on at the end I challenged him to a 50 fly and because he slipped on the start and I always wear the fast suit I almost got him. It makes me feel pretty good that he’s not beating by too much.

Bridgeton, MO

After saying goodbye to Matt I was on my way to my 3rd city in 3 days, St. Louis, MO. Peter Vanderkaay joined me on this one and our host super swim Dad’s Mike and Joe picked us up. The suburb on Bridgeton, MO actually borders the airport so I was very thankful it was only a 5 minute drive to the pool. It was a very cool pool and a great team led by Coach Erich and Coach Gillian. I especially enjoyed meeting Sam, Phil and Felicity. And special thanks to our high school volunteer coaches! In addition to the usual and incredible teaching, Peter and I tried to break a pool record in the 100yd free and we just got it with a :47.8. And big congratulations to the streamline award winners, Kevin and Megan.

Below are couple of great pictures a mom sent in of Josh and Peter with the kiddos.

For the next three weeks I get a rest before the busy April schedule. Talk to ya’ll soon! God Bless!

Matt Grevers and I were outside St. Louis in Chesterfield, MO. Two awesome swimmer friends, Katie and Allison, and Allison’s dad, picked us up at the airport. They didn’t mind getting out of school early to meet the great Matt Grevers. We had a late lunch at the St. Louis Bread Co. to get to visit some more and then we headed to the high school pool. There we finally met Coach Kevin Mabie and assistant Coach Jenny and all the super swim moms who were already setting up for the clinic. We had the most interviews before the clinic in history, but I think it was more for a comment about the Phelps situation. It’s great to know that the members of the Mutual of Omaha Gold Medal Team, take such great pride in living clean and being a role model for kids.

All the kids enjoyed the autographs and goodies and pictures with the medals but they really got fired up when they found out they were going to race one of the fastest and tallest swimmers in the world – Matt Grevers!!

Let me take time to announce the winners….Streamline winner for the ladies was a tie between Allison (one of my hosts) and Charlotte. Streamline winner for the guys was Danny. Spirit award for those with great smiles, a listening ear and positive attitude were Joey and Hunter and Katie and Megan.

After Matt and I raced the kiddos, I challenged Matt to a race, even though I knew he could blow me away. Without any warning at the end of the backstroke teaching I challenged him to a 50 back. He was ahead at the turn of course, but then he was so big and the pool so shallow on his dolphin kicks off the wall he was scrapping the bottom so it allowed me to catch up and he just barely touched me out at the finish, just like he did at Olympic Trials and then Olympic Games! Our time was about :23.5. So not too shabby for an old guy like me! That was the first time I raced Matt, but oh no, not the last…

We concluded with Matt’s hilarious and exciting stories from Beijing and some more autographs and pictures. On a side note, I was very proud of this clinic because I went my fastest 100 scy freestyle demonstration of my teaching career; a :45.8. Of course the LZR racer helps a ton but it felt good to know that my minimal training and weekend craziness was keeping me in decent shape. My time in St. Louis was really special but the drama and excitement was only about to begin. But before I get that story, I would like to say a big thanks to Kevin Mabie and his staff.