I’m off to attend the the 2008 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington (south of Seattle) on Friday and Saturday. Go Longhorns!  I’ll be helping out with the ESPN coverage.  Well, at least I’ll have a deck pass to cheer like crazy!

 I just returned from Grand Rapids where I spent some time with the Gators.  Thanks Joey and Tom for all your work to pull off a great event.  I think I’m starting to feel like a resident in your community.

I always love hearing the reactions from the coaches as their boxes of goodies start coming in from Mutual of Omaha.   They are shocked by all the stuff the swimmers get!  I think Coach Sutherland was extremely grateful for all the funs things he could give his swimmers. 

Before the clinic in Grand Rapids, I took a quick trip up the road to Ionia and spoke to a few schools.  I always love my time in MI and I look forward to sending a few of my friends your way.

On Sunday I head north to Kirkland, Washington (east of Seattle on the other side of Washington Lake) to conduct a swim clinic with Olympian Ben Wildman-Tobriner for the WAVE Aquatics club.  The gentleman who help organize this event is a man named Craig Harriman.  He’s a great friend from the past and would coach me a couple of times in the summer. 

Do you guys remember Ben?  Ben clocked the fastest 50free in the world for 2007!  Unfortunately, Ben tore his pectoral muscle a few months back and has been trying to get back to peak performance.  I guess I shouldn’t challenge Ben to a race? 

By the way, I had a great spring break!  I decided to surprise my daughter and take her to Hollywood.  We went to a small little show called, “American Idol.”  Heard of it?

 It was great.  We sat right behind Simon, Randy and Paula.  We even made it on TV.
It was pretty cool because I actually gave tickets to a few friends from my BREAKout! Swim Clinic in Tehachapi.  They showed up to the show with a poster that said, “Josh Davis is our American Idol.”  During commercial break the host asked, “Who is Josh Davis?”  They turned and pointed to me and I just smiled.  I couldn’t help but think how fun it would be to host that show…but I’m not willing to give up my job as host the BEST swim clinic program around!!  So I’m off to North Carolina.

New York! New York…  I love New York! 
I’ve decided that I would share a little bit of trivia for all of you who like reading about my travel with the Mutual of Omaha BREAKout! Swim Clinic.  I shared with you a little about Tehachapi and now I’ll share with you a little trivia about Flushing.

 Flushing was the site of the first commercial tree nurseries in North America, the most prominent being the Prince, Bloodgood, and Parsons nurseries. Much of the northern section of Kissena Park, former site of the Parsons nursery, still contains a wide variety of exotic trees. The naming of streets intersecting Kissena Boulevard on its way toward Kissena Park celebrates this fact (Ash Avenue, Beech, Cherry …Poplar, Quince, Rose). Flushing also supplied trees to the Greensward project, now known as Central Park in Manhattan.

Although I love a stroll in Central Park and I love trees, I really enjoy hanging out with old friends and family.  Arriving in NY, I caught a ride with my younger sister Tynan.  She’s an upcoming opera singer who is just fun to be around.  In fact, I’m hoping that she might sing the National Anthem prior to Finals during Olympic Trials.  I would love for you all to hear her sing!

Singing…I actually love to sing but many have encouraged me to keep my day job.  So back to work I go…I hooked up with my good ol’ buddy Ed Moses. Ed brings such energy and excitement to the clinic.  I have to confess, our energy couldn’t compare to what the Flushing Flyers brought to the deck.  This group of young people showed up at 6:00am for team pictures and then the clinic started promptly @ 8:00am.  Wow!  Hats off to all those parents who made that possible.

Ed and I had a blast but as you know… I can’t pass up an opportunity to race one of the best in the world!  Towards the end of the clinic, I challenged Ed to a 25 breastroke, he gladly accepted.  Then one of the kids yelled out, “Do a 50!”  I looked at Ed and he grinned and said, “Now, I’m really gonna beat you!!”  That’s all I needed to hear.  That comment ignited a flame…”bring it on Ed Moses!!” I felt like a did when I was 10 racing to the wall and back.  Man, I wish everyone could remember how fun it is to race.

Even though I’m not a very fast breastroker, I knew I could rock the pull downs and give myself a little chance.  Sure enough, I got Ed on the start and pull down; but unfortunately, the race wasn’t over after the pull down.  Ed passed me the last few yards and touched me out. 

 I was pleased but Ed should be thanking his lucky stars it was a 50 instead of 25! Otherwise, I think I would have won.  But who knows?  Either way it was a great race! 

I want to give a big thanks to Richard Finkelstein and his staff for all their effort to make this a great clinic. 

Every city I go to there’s always a person who keeps this sport and kids in this sport moving forward.  Richard thanks for all you do in your area. 

Tehachapi, CA— A place full of surprises.  I knew the people would be nice and I knew the town would be small but the hospitality and kindnesses that welcomed me made this trip extra special.  Forty five minutes southeast of
Bakersfield, Tehachapi is exactly where it sounds like it would be—out there!

Yes, as we say in Texas, “out in the cou..ntry!”  But what beautiful country it is. The rolling hills were surprisingly green with quite a few trees.  The mountain peeks off in the distance still had snow on them.  Tehachapi is famous for its train
Loop. It is one of the only tracks in the world that circles itself as it climbs and descends.  But it should be famous for its people, the small town pace coupled with their genuine smiles and acceptance makes you feel like they’ve known you for years.

What really made it special was the swim directors Scott Anderson and Sandy Chavez along with my host family Kim and Mike Nixon. 

Mike is one of the only people in the world who refurbishes World War II planes and other antique engines.  So seeing his work on these historic machines was truly fascinating. 

Mike’s wife, Kim, is a very compassionate lady who leads the local pregnancy care center.

The work they do there to support pregnant women and unborn babies is so wonderful and I really enjoyed getting to speak to her organization.  After my time there I rushed off to the DYE Natatorium.

So I giggle thinking about all those swim coaches across the country who tell their complaining swimmers, “You’re not going to die!”  Well, these swimmers can honestly say, “I’m going to swim practice and I’m going to “DYE”!!

Although you may feel like you’re dying, Tehechapi swimmers you guys were awesome.  Thanks Scott (Coach Anderson) for the opportunity to spend time with your team. 

Streamline award went to Dean and Andrew.  The girls were Vivian and Lexi.

The spirit award for good racing and a good attitude with great smiles goes to Andrew #2 and Fallon and a shout out to my new buddy “Mitch.”